Miles McBride

Atlantic Notes: Simmons, McBride, Tillman, Celtics

March 5th, 2024 at 10:59am CST by Luke Adams

The left lower back nerve impingement that is currently keeping Ben Simmons on the shelf is the same issue that affected him earlier this season, according to Ian Begley of SNY.tv and Brian Lewis of The New York Post, who confirm that the Nets guard/forward didn’t suffer a new impingement.

Simmons’ agent Bernie Lee, referring to his client as day-to-day, said he continues to seek answers on how to get Simmons past this health issue, which has affected the former No. 1 overall pick for multiple seasons.

“We continue to try and find non-surgical options to allow Ben to move forward on a permanent basis and that is where this is my responsibility and I am (the) one to blame,” Lee said. “When I began working with Ben I made a commitment to him that I would do everything I could to find the right answers and specialists for him to work with (in order) to move forward from the issues he has been having. Clearly it hasn’t happened, and that’s my responsibility.

“… Come the offseason, we’re going to implement some processes and outside input that’ll allow him to finally move forward from this ongoing issue and resume his career at the levels he’s established prior to being injured.”

Here’s more from around the Atlantic:

The Knicks aren’t surprised by the strides that Miles McBride has made as a shooter this season, according to Fred Katz of The Athletic, who notes that the third-year guard is making a strong case for rotation minutes even when everyone is healthy. As Stefan Bondy of The New York Post observes, the signing of Shake Milton will give New York another option in an increasingly crowded backcourt. However, Katz suggests that Milton is viewed as a depth piece and that McBride’s performance should keep him ahead of Milton – and Alec Burks – on the team’s depth chart.
Celtics newcomer Xavier Tillman has made a positive impression on his new teammates, according to Brian Robb of MassLive.com and Jay King of The Athletic. Tillman played just three total minutes in his first seven games as a Celtic (he missed four of those games while recovering from a knee injury), but has scored 13 points across 33 minutes and been a +26 in Boston’s past two games. “X looked good out there, man,” Jaylen Brown said after Friday’s win over Dallas. “It’s like, he fit right in. He came right in and made contributions on defense, got a few rebounds, got some stops. Offense, you could tell he got a good feel for the game. A good screen setter.”
The Celtics‘ offensive success this season stems in large part from the fact that their top eight players are all reliable three-point shooters on relatively high volume, writes John Hollinger of The Athletic. Hollinger considers whether it’s just a matter of time until the NBA features several more teams that look like the Celtics or whether Boston is an anomaly due to the difficulty of building a roster that has that many shooters and still plays strong defense.

Knicks Notes: Brunson, McBride, Randle, Anunoby, Hart

March 4th, 2024 at 7:59am CST by Arthur Hill

The left knee injury that knocked Jalen Brunson out of Sunday’s game in the first minute appears to be minor, writes Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. There was extreme concern when Brunson had to be helped off the court after air-balling a jump shot and falling to the ground in pain. However, Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau told reporters that X-rays came back negative and hinted that Brunson might be available for Tuesday’s game against Atlanta.

“Anytime someone goes down like that you have concern, but then he felt a little better, he had the X-rays, he was examined by the doctors and so that news is good,” Thibodeau said. “… “I guess [it’s possible that he plays Tuesday against the Hawks]. It’s a knee contusion and everything was negative so we’ll see where he is [Monday].”

Replays showed that Brunson was injured when he collided with teammate Isaiah Hartenstein while running around a screen, Bondy adds. He appeared to suffer a jolt of pain as he released the jumper and called for the trainer as he grabbed his knee and shin area.

Donte DiVincenzo told Bondy that Brunson didn’t appear concerned after the game.

“I asked him if he was OK. And he said he’ll be fine. And that’s everything to me,” DiVincenzo said. “Like I said the last time he went down [with a sprained ankle earlier in the season], I don’t worry about Jalen. He’s one of the toughest guys in the league. … Whatever it is, he’s going to bounce back. He’s tough as nails.”

There’s more on the Knicks:

New York was able to pick up an important road win without Brunson because of the gritty play of Miles McBride, Bondy states in a separate story. The backup guard replaced Brunson after the injury and never came out, logging more than 47 minutes while serving as the primary defender on Darius Garland and sinking a clutch three-pointer in the game’s final minute. “I feel fine honestly. That’s what I put in the offseason work for. I prepare my body for this,” he said. “You never know what’s going to happen. [Brunson] should be fine hopefully, but got to be ready for anything.”
Thibodeau said Julius Randle, Mitchell Robinson and OG Anunoby all took “the next step” on Sunday by traveling with the team for the first time since going down their respective injuries, Bondy adds in another piece. Randle and Anunoby have been cleared for basketball activities, and Bondy says there’s continued optimism that Randle will be able to avoid surgery on his dislocated right shoulder.
Josh Hart tied his career high with 19 rebounds as part of a triple-double on Sunday. He also took a playful jab at the Cavaliers’ bench after nailing a corner three-pointer with 1:36 remaining, grabbing at a chain worn by Donovan Mitchell, who was in street clothes, per Steve Popper of Newsday. “Me just kinda being a competitor and just having fun, I was like, ‘Oh, that’s tough,’” Hart said he told the bench. “And then I saw Donovan and obviously that’s my guy and then I saw the chain and I was like, ‘Ooh! That’s nice!’ But nah, I wanna play this game with competitiveness but also grace and joy.”

Atlantic Notes: Celtics, Brunson, McBride, Simmons

February 3rd, 2024 at 9:51am CST by Tristan Tucker

The Celtics fell at home to the undermanned Lakers on Thursday, resulting in some of Boston’s starters being benched in the midst of a bad stretch in the second half. According to MassLive.com’s Brian Robb, center Kristaps Porzingis had no issues with the decision.

“We deserved it,” Porzingis said. “Of course we were pissed off. We’re pissed off at ourselves and I completely understood. I never want to come out of the game, but I completely understood we had to change something.”

All-Star guard Jaylen Brown, who was also benched in the second half, shared similar sentiments after Boston fell to an L.A. team that was playing without LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

“I haven’t been in that position too often, so it kind of is what it is,” Brown said. “We weren’t playing our best, I wasn’t playing my best, so nothing I can really say there. Every time I step on the court, I try to add to winning. Tonight, I tried to make sure I was being unselfish, hitting the guys in stride, sharing the ball. But I was a little lackadaisical, it wasn’t my best game. But I’ll put it behind me and get ready for the next one.”

We have more from the Atlantic Division:

Knicks All-Star guard Jalen Brunson accepted an invitation to participate in the Three-Point Contest during All-Star Weekend, according to TNT and Bleacher Report’s Chris Haynes (Twitter link). Brunson has a shot to be the first Knicks player to ever win the event.
The Knicks have leaned on Miles McBride more since trading away Immanuel Quickley, and he’s rewarding their faith in him with improved offensive play. Since Dec. 30, McBride is averaging 8.5 points while shooting 46.6% from three — a vast improvement over the 28.2% clip he connected at during the first two years of his career. “Honestly, it’s all about my belief. I feel like I was taking the same shots, and now I’m just getting a little bit more of an opportunity,” McBride said, per The New York Post’s Peter Botte. “The organization and the coaching staff continued to believe in me, and it was just about me consistently working on my shot. I put in the work and it’s showing.“
Ben Simmons returned for the Nets on Monday, recording 10 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists in his first game since early November. However, he was ruled out the following game against Phoenix on Wednesday with a knee contusion. He’s expected to play on Saturday against the Sixers and is listed as probable on the injury report, according to SNY’s Ian Begley (Twitter link). C.J. Holmes of New York Daily News tweets Simmons was a partial participant at practice on Friday and was set to receive treatments that night and Saturday morning.

New York Notes: Thomas, Dinwiddie, DSJ, Walker, Brunson, McBride

January 16th, 2024 at 12:35pm CST by Luke Adams

Following his eighth game since being moved from the Nets‘ starting lineup to the bench, Cam Thomas was asked after Monday’s loss to Miami whether he has gained a feel for the rotation patterns and whether he’s gained a “comfortability” with them. Thomas quickly replied with a blunt “no,” then paused for a few seconds before continuing (Twitter video link via Erik Slater of Clutch Points).

“I mean, it could change,” Thomas said. “I’m just doing my job. I’m just doing what I need to do when I get out there to produce. No, I don’t really have no comfortability coming off the bench or starting. Whatever (head coach Jacque Vaughn) wants me to do, that’s what I’m gonna do.”

Thomas subsequently clarified that he meant he doesn’t feel any complacency, according to Brian Lewis of The New York Post.

Thomas has had a few big nights since moving back to the bench, including scoring 26 points last Thursday and 23 on Monday. But he has also had 0-for-11 and 0-for-7 performances during that eight-game stretch and is shooting just .339/.263/.700 since being removed from the starting five. Brooklyn has lost seven of those eight contests.

Here’s more on the NBA’s two New York teams:

Veteran Nets guard Spencer Dinwiddie continues to start, but played a limited role for a second straight game on Monday, logging just 20 minutes after playing only 16 on Thursday in Cleveland. As Lewis of The New York Post notes, Dennis Smith Jr. has been one beneficiary of Vaughn’s rotation tweaks — Smith played 32 minutes on Monday. “I’ve always talked about this being performance-based,” Vaughn said. “I thought Dennis had a good attack for us defensively. We’re just in a position right now where you have to perform, and that’s across the board. So that’s a challenge to the entire group from the beginning of the game to the end to be locked-in and to give everything you have on both ends of the floor.”
After Lonnie Walker scored 20 points in 25 minutes in last Thursday’s loss to the Cavs, Jared Schwartz of The New York Post wondered if the Nets might need to make more room for the veteran wing in the rotation. However, Walker has gone scoreless on 0-of-8 shooting in 21 total minutes in his other three appearances since returning from a hamstring injury.
Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson missed a second consecutive game on Monday due to a calf contusion, but his return doesn’t appear far off. Head coach Tom Thibodeau suggested that the issue is more about “pain tolerance” than concern about the risk of re-injury, writes Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. “It’s day-to-day,” Thibodeau said. “It’s a little better today. When he’s ready, he’s ready.”
With Brunson unavailable, Miles McBride got another start at point guard and set a new career high in points for the second time in three days, putting up 20 in a loss to Orlando. However, he blamed himself for the loss, citing his game management in a fourth quarter in which the Knicks scored just 16 points, per Bridget Reilly of The New York Post. “I’d say it’s my fault as a point guard. I needed to get everybody where they needed to be and manage the game a little bit better at the end,” McBride said. “… I gotta make sure I get everybody where they need to be and take control.”

Atlantic Notes: McBride, Nets, Simmons, Embiid, Melton

January 15th, 2024 at 11:59am CST by Arthur Hill

Miles McBride‘s role has been expanding since the Knicks traded Immanuel Quickley to Toronto, so he was ready when he made his first start of the season on Saturday night, writes Steve Popper of Newsday. With Jalen Brunson sidelined by a calf injury, McBride responded by scoring a career-high 19 points in a win at Memphis.

“I mean, you prepare,” McBride said. “In the summer doing a lot of long workouts, a lot of running, just knowing at some point it’s a long season and your name is going to be called. So you’ve got to do whatever you can do to be prepared as much as you can.”

McBride hasn’t been able to earn consistent playing time since New York drafted him in 2021, but he was on the court for 38 minutes in Saturday’s game, including the entire second half. He received a three-year, $13MM extension on the day the trade was announced and appears to be secure as part of the Knicks’ future.

“He just plays hard,” coach Tom Thibodeau said. “He’s an elite defender. That’s been his strength. That’s been his calling card. He’s proven to be a really good shooter as well. He has a lot of confidence, really works hard on his game. So this is a great opportunity for him. Every time he’s been called upon, he’s been ready and he’s performed well.”

There’s more from the Atlantic Division:

The Nets, who opted for small-ball when Nic Claxton was hurt earlier this season, have been forced to go back to that approach due to a knee injury to backup center Day’Ron Sharpe, notes Jared Schwartz of The New York Post. Whenever Claxton rests, coach Jacque Vaughn replaces him with 6’7″ forward Dorian Finney-Smith. “Harry [Giles] is gonna have to step up, and guys are just gonna have to alter their roles a little bit,” Cameron Johnson said. “The one thing I think would change is you’re gonna see more small-ball. Obviously, [Claxton] has been doing a great job all year holding the paint down, but it’s hard to ask him to play 48 [minutes]. We’ll see how it goes. [Finney-Smith] is one of the best in the league at playing that small-ball 5. When we have it, that’s definitely on the table for us.”
The Nets haven’t decided if Ben Simmons will join them for their upcoming West Coast trip, Schwartz adds. Simmons has been sidelined since November 6 with a nerve impingement in his back, but he’s reportedly “in the home stretch” of his recovery process.
Joel Embiid will return to the Sixers‘ lineup this afternoon against Houston after missing the past three games with inflammation in his left knee, tweets Tim Bontemps of ESPN. Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer examines how Embiid’s injury history might affect his legacy.
Sixers coach Nick Nurse expects De’Anthony Melton to be sidelined at least a week as he deals with a lumbar injury, per Gina Mizell of The Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter link).

Knicks Notes: Anunoby, Flynn, Sims, McBride, Gibson

January 6th, 2024 at 6:27pm CST by Arthur Hill

OG Anunoby had a rough shooting night Friday in Philadelphia, but his defensive impact showed why the Knicks were determined to acquire him, writes Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. Anunoby guarded everyone from Joel Embiid to Tyrese Maxey as New York limited the Sixers to 40.7% from the field, and the Knicks outscored Philadelphia by 20 points in his 37 minutes on the court.

“I think we have a good core that’s been together for a while now. So I think that can absorb people coming in and then a guy like OG is very serious,” coach Tom Thibdoeau said. “He wants to do well, and I think his mind is open. He plays incredibly hard on every possession, so even if it’s not perfect right now, it’s still gonna be good.”

The Knicks have won their first three games since last weekend’s trade, and Anunoby has played a significant role in all of them. His scoring is down slightly and he’s only connecting at 46.9% from the field since coming to New York after Friday’s 3-of-11 performance, but he’s finding other ways to make a difference.

“Your hustle can make up for a lot. And that’s really what he’s doing,” Thibodeau added. “And each day, he’ll get better and better and guys are starting to figure him out, as well. So that takes a little bit of time. But help where you can, hustle, be in passing lanes, get deflections, help out on the boards, play physical, run the floor, move without the ball. Those are things that he does great. And then as time goes on, he’ll find more places where he can get scoring opportunities, too.”

There’s more from New York:

Malachi Flynn, who was also acquired in the Anunoby deal, made his Knicks debut on Friday night, playing just one minute at the end of the game, Bondy adds. Flynn is considered “situational,” which Bondy notes is a word Thibodeau uses to describe players who aren’t in his rotation. Jericho Sims played two minutes Friday, having been bumped from the rotation when New York acquired Precious Achiuwa from Toronto.
Miles McBride, who is hoping to establish himself as the team’s new primary back-up point guard, had his best performance since the trade in Friday’s win, per Steve Popper of Newsday. This is McBride’s first opportunity at regular minutes in his three-year career. “I think what I bring to the table is a great thing for the team,” he said. “I think I can push the pace. I can obviously knock down shots and on the defensive end, really get stops and just keep the team positive and be a leader out there.”
Thibodeau would be open to making Taj Gibson an assistant coach when the 38-year-old big man is done with his playing career, tweets Fred Katz of The Athletic.

New York Notes: Hartenstein, McBride, Nets, Claxton

January 5th, 2024 at 8:34pm CST by Rory Maher

Isaiah Hartenstein continues to impress as the Knicks‘ starting center in place of the injured Mitchell Robinson, writes Fred Katz of The Athletic. Hartenstein had a monster double-double in Wednesday’s victory over Chicago, recording 10 points, a career-high 20 rebounds, and a career-high-tying five blocks.

“I’m impressed with the way he’s protecting the rim, to be honest,” Julius Randle said after Wednesday’s win. “We’re used to Mitch doing that, covering up for our mistakes when we get beat off the dribble. But he’s a monster doing that. And to go up against (Bulls center Andre) Drummond and get 20 rebounds, it’s no slight. He’s been amazing.”

An unrestricted free agent in the offseason, Katz says Hartenstein is “due for an inevitable raise” on his $9.2MM expiring contract, and it will be difficult for New York to re-sign him, given the team’s commitments to Robinson and several other players. The Knicks will hold his Early Bird rights.

“Right now, I’m a New York Knick,” Hartenstein said of 2024 free agency. “That’s the biggest thing. I feel like, yeah, sometimes you have that in the back of your mind. That’s normal. At the end of the day, I wanna be in New York, but it’s a business.”

Here’s more on the two New York-based teams:

Miles McBride had a shaky first two games as the Knicks‘ new primary backup point guard, but they still view him as a long-term replacement for Immanuel Quickley, sources tell ESPN’s Tim Bontemps. McBride inked a three-year, $13MM extension with New York shortly after the team traded Quickley to Toronto. For what it’s worth, McBride has 12 points in six minutes thus far during Friday’s contest vs. Philadelphia, making all four of his three-pointers.
Lucas Kaplan of NetsDaily.com takes an in-depth look at Nic Claxton‘s value and future, writing that Claxton could be worth $20-25MM annually on the open market as a free agent this summer and the Nets would be wise to re-sign him to a long-term contract if that range is indeed accurate. Claxton won’t become extension-eligible prior to free agency.
Brian Lewis of The New York Post revisits the Nets‘ decision to promote Jacque Vaughn to head coach last season instead of hiring Ime Udoka, who eventually landed with Houston in the offseason after being suspended by Boston for all of 2022/23 for sexual misconduct.

Knicks Notes: Anunoby, McBride, Sims, Achiuwa

January 2nd, 2024 at 8:00am CST by Luke Adams

Prior to his first game with the Knicks on Monday, new starting forward OG Anunoby told reporters that he was “excited” to be with the team and that he always loved playing in New York as a visitor, writes Peter Botte of The New York Post. After getting a “crash course” on Tom Thibodeau‘s system, Anunoby logged 35 minutes against the Timberwolves and was a team-best plus-19 in the Knicks’ six-point victory.

“I felt good,” Anunoby said after the win, per ESPN’s Tim Bontemps. “I felt good. Just trying to help the team on both ends. Just talking to guys on defense and them talking to me, helping know where to be, and stuff. Felt good.”

Anunoby admitted that his new teammates were still telling him during the game where to be and what to do on the court, adding that he was “thankful” for their help. Thibodeau, who spoke earlier on Monday about how Anunoby would help shore up New York’s defense (Twitter link via Fred Katz of The Athletic), was pleased with what he saw from the veteran three-and-D forward in his Knicks debut.

“I thought for the first game, impressive,” Thibodeau said. “Just to be ready, and kind of figure it out on the fly. Played smart, played off people well, hustled, moved without the ball, shot good shots, made good plays … very good start.”

Here’s more on the new-look Knicks:

Fred Katz of The Athletic, Mark W. Sanchez of The New York Post (subscription required), and Stefan Bondy of The New York Post all took a closer look at Anunoby’s debut and the new Knicks’ rotation, noting that Julius Randle referred to his new teammate as the “perfect piece” for the roster. “He can be very special here,” Jalen Brunson added.
Anunoby deflected talk about his upcoming free agency on Monday, indicating that he’ll let his agents “handle that stuff,” according to Bontemps. However, he didn’t sound like someone who will be looking to leave New York in the summer. “When the time comes, [we’ll] figure it out,” Anunoby said. “But I’m really excited to be here.”
After playing fewer than four total minutes in the six games leading up to the trade, reserve guard Miles McBride has logged 25 total minutes in the past two contests and appears likely to play an increased role going forward. As Botte and Bontemps relay, McBride admitted that the contract extension he signed hours after the trade was finalized came as a bit of a surprise. “It was pretty sudden, but I’m glad we got it done,” he said. “It just shows their belief in me and my hard work really paid off. They were watching me, and I think I proved it.”
Reserve center Jericho Sims was technically cleared to play on Saturday following a right ankle sprain and was available again on Monday, but he didn’t appear in either contest, Botte notes. Taj Gibson backed up center Isaiah Hartenstein on Saturday, while newcomer Precious Achiuwa got those minutes on Monday.
Before his NBA career began and before playing his college ball at Memphis, Achiuwa attended schools in the Bronx and Newark, so the trade to the Knicks represents something of a homecoming for the big man, according to Bridget Reilly of The New York Post. “I’m very excited to be back home in front of my family, friends that I grew up with,” Achiuwa said before Monday’s game. “Really, really a very exciting opportunity and I’m looking forward to it.”

Knicks Notes: Fournier, Anunoby, Achiuwa, Flynn, Defense, McBride

December 31st, 2023 at 6:32pm CST by Arthur Hill

As Knicks players became aware of the team’s trade with Toronto Saturday morning, Evan Fournier grabbed his phone to see if he was involved, writes Steve Popper of Newsday. Fournier has been stuck in limbo for about a year, seeing little playing time as he’s kept outside coach Tom Thibodeau’s rotation, but still valuable because of an $18MM expiring contract that could be useful for salary matching in a major deal.

Fournier explained to Popper that he’s not looking for a way out of New York, but when he heard about the Raptors deal he wanted to know if he was part of it.

“Well, the thing is the way I learned it, I think it said it was a trade package surrounding RJ,” Fournier said. “So of course you see that, you’re like, ‘Oh.’ You check your phone and stuff. I sleep well at night. I don’t check my phone to see if there’s a trade or anything. I just focus in on the moment because that’s the business.”

There’s more from New York:

The Knicks will host Minnesota Monday afternoon, so some of the players acquired from Toronto might be in the lineup without practicing with their new team, Popper adds. “I don’t know what the logistics of everything are yet,” Thibodeau said. “But whatever it is, we just gotta find a way.” New York is listing Malachi Flynn as out for tomorrow with a right ankle injury, tweets Ian Begley of SNY.tv, but OG Anunoby and Precious Achiuwa aren’t on the injury report.
The Knicks’ need for a defensive presence like Anunoby was evident in Saturday’s loss at Indiana, observes Peter Botte of The New York Post. New York surrendered 140 points overall and 76 in the second half while dropping its third straight game. “Just as simple as I can: terrible,” Jalen Brunson said. “We can do a lot better defensively. Offensively, it is not a problem right now. I can be better defensively. We can be better defensively. We just need to step it up on that side of the ball.”
Miles McBride can’t be traded for six months after signing his new extension, Begley points out (Twitter link). Begley’s sources confirm that McBride’s new deal is front-loaded and that his salary will decline each season.

Miles McBride Signs Three-Year, $13MM Extension

December 30th, 2023 at 9:29pm CST by Arthur Hill

9:44pm: McBride’s extension is official, the Knicks announced (via Twitter).

9:29pm: The Knicks have reached an agreement with Miles McBride on a three-year contract extension worth $13MM, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. The deal was confirmed to Wojnarowski by McBride’s agents, Mark Bartelstein and Andy Shiffman of Priority Sports.

The 23-year-old guard was the 36th pick in the 2021 draft and was acquired by New York in a draft-night trade. He’s making $1.8MM this year and would have been on a path toward restricted free agency after the season if not for the extension. The deal will keep him under contract through the 2026/27 season.

All three years of McBride’s extension are fully guaranteed and his salary will decrease each season, a source tells Stefan Bondy of The New York Post (Twitter link).

The extension comes just hours after a trade that sent RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley to Toronto, which should open up an opportunity for McBride. He saw a season-high 18 minutes in tonight’s game at Indiana, scoring five points with one assist.

McBride hasn’t received consistent playing time in any of his three seasons with the Knicks, averaging 10.0 minutes over 122 combined games. Before tonight, he had appeared in 18 games this season, putting up 1.9 points, 0.3 rebounds and 0.4 assists in 4.6 minutes per night.

The extension clears up a small piece of New York’s upcoming offseason, but the team still has 11 potential free agents (including two-ways), as our tracker shows.

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