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Hoops Links: Lowry, Embiid, Antetokounmpo, Porzingis, Nicholson

February 19th, 2017 at 4:24pm CST by Milo Taibi

On Sundays, we link to some of the very best work from around the basketball blogosphere. Do you have a link to a great basketball blog post – either your own or someone else’s – that you want to see featured on Hoops Rumors? Send it to us at HoopsLinks@gmail.com. Here’s this week’s rundown:

Brian Boake of Raptors Rapture wonders if Toronto GM Masai Ujiri will retain Kyle Lowry and Serge Ibaka at the end of the season.
John Jarosik of The Hardwood Nation argues that despite their 19-39 record, this season should not be viewed as a disappointment for the Lakers.
Kwame Fisher-Jones of The 76er Files states the case against Bryan Colangelo offering Joel Embiid a max extension, citing the big man’s injury history.
Mark Suleymanov of Inquisitir Sports conducted a one-on-one with Metta World Peace.
Kaiser Linderman of Deep(ish) Thoughts took an analytical look at T.J. McConnell‘s success.
Adam Paris of Brew Hoop answered the question we’ve all been asking: can Giannis Antetokounmpo fly?
Kristaps Porzingis gave Knicks fans a reason to cheer, Mike Cortez of Hardwood and Hollywood writes.
Francis Adu of Ridiculous Upside detailed Alfonzo McKinnie’s ascension toward becoming an elite D-Leaguer.
Bradley Beal was more deserving of Kevin Love‘s All-Star spot than Carmelo Anthony, Christopher Church of The Baltimore Wire argued.
Fim Oshin of Bullets Forever outlined four ways the Wizards may be able to move Andrew Nicholson at the trade deadline.

Atlantic Notes: McConnell, Rose, Nogueira

January 29th, 2017 at 5:53pm CST by Austin Kent

The Sixers have rejected a trade offer from the Cavaliers that would have sent starting point guard T.J. McConnell to the defending champions, says Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer. The proposed Philly-bound package was said to have included Jordan McRae.

McConnell has become a significant part of the Sixers’ rotation of late, averaging 7.5 points and 8.9 assists per game in January. The Cavs are in the market for a backup point guard, at least according to LeBron James, so it’s not surprising to hear that they’ve inquired about the 24-year-old sophomore.

Under contract for just $800K, McConnell has quickly become one of the best bargains in the NBA. His role in the Sixers’ recent success — the team has won 10 of their past 14 — is one of the major reasons why he’s become a possible trade target ahead of the February 23 trade deadline.

There’s more out of the Atlantic Division:

After a healthy first few months of the season, Derrick Rose has come up limping. The point guard sprained his ankle Friday night and has been wearing a protective walking boot. According to Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN, Knicks head coach Jeff Hornacek is doubtful he’ll see the guard return before Tuesday.
Though they lost Bismack Biyombo to free agency over the summer, the Raptors have a suitable replacement in Lucas Nogueira, says Mike Ganter of the Toronto Sun. Nogueira rivals Biyombo in terms of rim protection, Ganter says, but their playing styles deviate from there. Nogueira’s offensive awareness and soft hands are traits Biyombo never displayed in Toronto.
The fact that the Celtics need to improve their rebounding is not lost on general manager Danny Ainge, says A. Sherrod Blakeley of CSN New England. “I knew going into the year that rebounding would be an issue for us,” Ainge said. The reporter adds that Ainge wasn’t ready to start discussing possible trade scenarios, however.

Sixers Notes: Embiid, Okafor, Noel, McConnell

December 30th, 2016 at 11:00am CST by Arthur Hill

The Sixers may be ready to abandon their experiment of pairing Joel Embiid and Jahlil Okafor in the starting lineup, writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. The move has come under heavy criticism as Philadelphia is just 1-5 with both big men starting. Pompey notes that the pairing forces Embiid to play out of position at power forward, where he has looked uncomfortable on offense and often gets pulled away from the basket on defense. Embiid sat out Thursday’s game at Utah because it was the first of a back-to-back, and coach Brett Brown wouldn’t commit to starting him and Okafor tonight in Denver. “We’ll figure that out,” Brown said. “I feel like when you study the numbers, look at gut feel, it has not been, at the moment, successful.”

There’s more this morning out of Philadelphia:

Backup big man Nerlens Noel played 22 minutes Thursday, the most court time he has seen this season, according to Jessica Camerato of CSNPhilly. Since returning from a knee injury, Noel has been unhappy with his lack of minutes and has been a frequent critic of the team’s abundance of big men. While he is considered a likely candidate to be traded before the February 23rd deadline, Noel is trying to help the team however he can while still in Philadelphia. “I’m just thankful,” Noel said. “Coach gave me an opportunity and I wanted to go out there and play my game. That’s what my focus was the whole night. Whenever I was in there, I wanted to contribute to the team’s winning efforts. When I wasn’t, I wanted to support my teammates to the best of my ability.”
Injuries have left T.J. McConnell as the only healthy point guard for tonight’s game, Pompey writes in a separate story. A sprained left ankle suffered by Sergio Rodriguez means McConnell will be in the starting lineup tonight, with shooting guard Nik Stauskas as his backup. What looked to be a position of strength in training camp has been decimated by Ben Simmons‘ broken foot and Jerryd Bayless‘ season-ending wrist surgery.
Thursday’s Sixers-Jazz game was a reminder of the impact of international basketball, Pompey states in another story. The teams have a combined 14 players on their rosters from outside the United States. “Basketball is all over the world,” said Turkish native Ersan Ilyasova. “Obviously in Europe, it’s still more like a soccer thing. But still, a lot of kids play and follow basketball, especially the NBA.”

Sixers Notes: Okafor, Noel, McConnell, Rodriguez

October 15th, 2016 at 5:10pm CST by Arthur Hill

Sixers coach Brett Brown expects second-year center Jahlil Okafor to be ready by opening night, tweets Jessica Camerato of CSNPhilly. Okafor is still experiencing soreness in his right knee related to the operation he had in March. Brown said his progress is encouraging, but he will probably begin the season with a minutes restriction (Twitter link). The team is less optimistic about Nerlens Noel, who was scratched from a game last week with a strained groin and may not be able to play in the October 26th opener.

There’s more news out of Philadelphia:

Brown is still working out roles for backup point guards T.J. McConnell and Sergio Rodriguez, according to Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Jerryd Bayless, who signed a three-year, $27MM deal this summer, is still projected as the starter, although he will be sidelined for a while with a wrist injury. McConnell has been announced as the starting point guard for opening night, but Rodriguez will get the start in tonight’s preseason game with the Pistons. The coach warned fans not to read anything into the decisions. “There’s no sort of madness from a discipline standpoint, from a performance standout,” Brown said. “It’s just that we’ve got a few [preseason] games left. I want to see Sergio more at the start of a game with that group we have been looking at, bring T.J. off the bench and really let him be bothersome defensively as he is. That’s the only motive behind that.”
The Sixers are still planning to take it easy with Joel Embiid, but they haven’t ruled out playing him in back-to-back games, Pompey tweets. Philadelphia plans to keep Embiid on a minutes restriction to reduce the risk of problems with the foot injury that cost him his first two NBA seasons.
Former Sixers guard Pierre Jackson will play in Croatia this season, tweets international basketball writer David Pick. Jackson signed with Cedevita Zagreb, the defending champions in Croatia. Philadelphia waived the 25-year-old point guard before the start of the past two seasons.

Sixers Notes: Point Guards, McConnell, B. Brown

October 13th, 2016 at 1:58pm CST by Luke Adams

Although they’ll be missing No. 1 overall pick Ben Simmons to start the season, the Sixers are still a team worth keeping an eye on this fall. Former top pick Joel Embiid is set to finally make his NBA regular-season debut, as is top international prospect Dario Saric. The club also remains on the lookout for a potential trade involving Jahlil Okafor or Nerlens Noel, though that may happen closer to the deadline.

Here’s the latest out of Philadelphia as the Sixers prepare for the regular season:

Asked today about the Sixers’ point guard situation with Jerryd Bayless sidelined, head coach Brett Brown said the team is “obviously looking at the market place.” Does that mean Philadelphia is exploring possible trades or signings to add depth at the position? Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer examines that question.
As long as Bayless remains out of action and the Sixers don’t make any notable additions, T.J. McConnell appears to be the favorite to start at the point when the season gets underway, Pompey writes in a separate piece. McConnell doesn’t have a guaranteed salary, but his spot in the rotation makes him a near-lock to earn a spot on Philadelphia’s 15-man roster.
With a new management group in place in Philadelphia, there has been speculation that 2016/17 could be a make-or-break year for the club’s head coach. However, in an interview with Kurt Helin of Pro Basketball Talk, Brown said he feels “so aligned with Jerry and Bryan [Colangelo] and what we’re trying to achieve.” Brown, who has three years remaining on his contract, added that he and the Colangelos are “on the same page,” and that the franchise is heading in a positive direction.

Atlantic Notes: Pierce, Rose, Jennings, Sixers

October 12th, 2016 at 6:59pm CST by Luke Adams

Paul Pierce confirmed last month that 2016/17 will be his final NBA season, writing in a piece for The Players’ Tribune that he intends to retire next year. Pierce’s story for The Players’ Tribune didn’t mention how exactly he plans to go out, but in in a conversation today on SiriusXM NBA Radio, Pierce announced that he’ll retire as a member of the Celtics (Twitter link via Justine Termine of SiriusXM).

That decision comes as no real surprise — Pierce has played for a few different teams in recent years, but spent 15 seasons in Boston, winning a championship with the Celtics and making 10 All-Star appearances as a member of the franchise. He figures to join the team one last time during the 2017 offseason when he signs a one-day ceremonial contract to announce his retirement.

Here’s more from around the Atlantic:

According to various reporters, including Nancy Dillon of The New York Daily News (Twitter link), the judge in Derrick Rose‘s civil trial denied motions from the defense to dismiss the case or rule it a mistrial. The trial will continue this week, and Knicks head coach Jeff Hornacek said today that Rose won’t rejoin the club until it wraps up, per Marc Berman of The New York Post (Twitter link).
Carmelo Anthony feels like the Knicks got a “steal” in free agency by landing Brandon Jennings, who still believes he should have been drafted by the franchise seven years ago. Berman has the quotes and the details in a piece for the Post.
Derek Bodner of PhillyMag.com examines the battle for the Sixers‘ final roster spot, noting that injuries to Nik Stauskas and Brandon Paul have muddied the waters in that competition. Philadelphia technically only has 11 players on fully guaranteed contracts, but Bodner views T.J. McConnell, Jerami Grant, and Elton Brand as near-locks.

Sixers Notes: Covington, Rodriguez, Saric

October 10th, 2016 at 8:13pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Small forward Robert Covington should get plenty of scoring opportunities with the presence of center Joel Embiid this season, according to Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Embiid’s ability to draw double teams in the post could often leave Covington open beyond the 3-point arc, where he’s made 40% of his attempts this preseason. He’s also intent upon gaining a reputation as a strong defender, Pompey adds. “I’m going to keep growing as a defender, becoming a two-way player,” Covington told Pompey.

In other preseason news involving the Sixers:

In the same article, Pompey notes that point guard T.J. McConnell has been looking more for his shot, McConnell is averaging 10 points and 4.6 assists while shooting 50% during the first three preseason games.
Veteran point guard Sergio Rodriguez, who is playing in the NBA for the first time since 2010, has already endeared himself to the team’s big men, Bob Cooney of the Philadelphia Inquirer reports. The longtime Euro star had 15 points, eight assists and no turnovers in 27 minutes against the Cavaliers on Saturday. “He’s really helpful,” Embiid told Cooney. “When we play, he always talks to me and tells me where I need to be and how to get position.” Rodriguez, who has an $8MM contract this season, is currently backing up McConnell with Jerryd Bayless sidelined by a wrist injury.
Coach Brett Brown plans to limit forward Dario Saric‘s minutes during the preseason, Brian Seltzer of Sixers.com relays. Saric has gotten very little time off since last October, when he played in Europe. Saric was also a key member of Croatia’s Olympic team in Rio this summer. Saric played well in the team’s first two preseason games before shooting 1-for-7 from the field against the Cavaliers. Brown is planning to sit him for the team’s next game on Tuesday. “I sense sometimes that he is sore, and I just want to be mindful of that,” Brown told Seltzer.

Eastern Notes: Durant, Brooks, Clifford

April 29th, 2016 at 1:48pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Celtics believe they’ll get a meeting with Kevin Durant this summer, but they understand they won’t have any realistic shot at him if they don’t secure a commitment to acquire another star first, The Vertical’s Chris Mannix writes. Boston is on the fringes of the race for the former MVP who’s poised to hit free agency this summer, though the belief has been widespread that come July the Celtics will end up on Durant’s radar, at least, as Mannix has previously reported.

See more from the Eastern Conference:

Scott Brooks had already decided he wanted the Wizards job if it were to be offered to him when team executives Ernie Grunfeld and Tommy Sheppard flew to California to recruit him in what turned out to be a 10-hour meeting, writes Jorge Castillo of The Washington Post. “I got everything I wanted, and I wasn’t looking for anything else,” said Brooks, whom the Wizards officially hired this week. “This is where I wanted to be.”
The identity of the coach means little in free agent recruiting, but muted though it may be, the presence of Steve Clifford has a positive impact on the way players view the Hornets, observes Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical. Clifford, like Terry Stotts of the Trail Blazers and Quin Snyder of the Jazz, makes a small-market team attractive through his ability to get the most out of players and increase their market value, Wojnarowski writes. The Hornets signed Clifford in November to an extension that ties him to Charlotte through at least the 2018/19 season.
T.J. McConnell‘s contract with the Sixers is non-guaranteed for next year, and he wound up seeing less than 20 minutes per game after a revelatory start to the season, but he was a bright spot and has a fan in coach Brett Brown, notes Jessica Camerato of CSN Philly. “The thing that I respect most about him is that he epitomizes that quality that I think might be the No. 1 thing that we need: day-to-day guys, people that you know what you’re getting,” Brown said. “He’s steady, he’s stable, he’s personality, he’s tough, he brings that edge to a game, to a practice, to a locker room. I just respect him. That’s just how he’s wired.”

Atlantic Notes: ‘Melo, Porzingis, McConnell, Raptors

March 14th, 2016 at 4:34pm CST by Chuck Myron

Knicks team president Phil Jackson gave Carmelo Anthony some answers he was looking for when they met recently, but the onus is on Jackson to deliver when it counts this summer, Anthony indicated to reporters, including Marc Berman of the New York Post and Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com. Jackson said recently that he wants to sign two players of consequence for the team this summer, Begley notes, but New York won’t necessarily have max-level cap flexibility, according to Berman. Still, the star forward wants to see results.

“It’s in their court. The ball is in their court,” Anthony said. “They have an opportunity, we have an opportunity to do something this offseason. We gotta do something. It’s there.”

See more on the Knicks amid a check on the Atlantic Division:

The willingness Kristaps Porzingis is showing to play closer to the rim under the tutelage of interim coach Kurt Rambis is a plus for the development of the player in line to succeed Anthony as Knicks franchise cornerstone, Begley opines in a separate piece. Rambis, who’s trying to secure the coaching job for the long term, has endured criticism for the way he’s changing Porzingis’ game, according to Begley. “He’s going to get physically stronger and he’s going to be able to brace himself when there is physical contact and nudges,” Rambis said. “And he’s also going to be able to finish with either hand inside. But it only comes from him attacking the basket and being aggressive.”
T.J. McConnell has settled into a backup role after injuries to other Sixers forced the undrafted rookie into a starting role, and while the buzz about him has quieted since his strong performances early this season, he remains a part of the rotation, observes Jessica Camerato of CSN Philly. McConnell’s contract is non-guaranteed beyond this season, so the pressure remains. “I think if I keep the mindset of day by day, fighting for my job every day,” McConnell said, “hopefully it turns out to be a long career for me.”
The Raptors made a whirlwind of D-League moves, recalling Bruno Caboclo from the D-League on Sunday before sending him back this morning, along with Lucas Nogueira and Delon Wright, and finally recalling all three this afternoon, according to the organization (All Twitter links). The trio took part in a midday victory today against the Pacers affiliate.

Atlantic Notes: Bargnani, Fredette, Sampson

February 20th, 2016 at 6:32pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Andrea Bargnani was a disappointment for both New York-area teams, writes Peter Botte of The New York Daily News. The Nets waived the 30-year-old forward this afternoon in Sean Marks‘ first official act since taking over as GM. The move is believed to be a buyout deal, but details have not been made available. The split comes barely seven months after Brooklyn signed Bargnani to a free agent deal worth $1,362,897 this season with a $1,551,659 player option for 2016/17. He averaged 6.6 points and 13.8 minutes of playing time in 46 games off the Nets’ bench.

The Knicks paid a much higher price for Bargnani when they acquired him from Toronto in 2013. They sent this year’s first-round pick to the Raptors, along with Steve Novak, Quentin Richardson, Marcus Camby and second-rounders in 2014 and 2017. Bargnani played just 71 games in two seasons with New York.

There’s more from the Atlantic Division:

The Knicks are expected to sign Jimmer Fredette to a 10-day contract Monday, and the team will see if the 26-year-old can do more than score, Brian Mahoney of The Associated Press writes. “We’ve got to see if he can actually handle the basketball and be able to create shots for himself and create shots for others,” interim coach Kurt Rambis said.
Sixers GM Sam Hinkie said Robert Covington, Hollis Thompson and T.J. McConnell were among the players who received interest on the trade market prior to the deadline, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer relays.
Several of JaKarr Sampson‘s Sixers teammates were disappointed that he was waived to make room the trade that netted Joel Anthony and a 2017 second-round pick, Pompey writes in a separate piece. Philadelphia is expected to release Anthony, and the team hopes to re-sign Sampson if he clears waivers Sunday, according to Pompey. Sampson, a second-year swingman, is popular in the locker room and has earned a reputation as a hard-working defensive specialist. “It’s always hard to waive anybody, much less a guy that’s busted his tail to be the best player that he can be,” Hinkie said. “That’s exactly the kind of people we like to work with.”
Even if the Raptors could have obtained a starting-caliber power forward, such as Markieff Morris or Ryan Anderson, the team wouldn’t have been any closer to contention, which made standing pat a good move, Brett Koremenos of RealGM opines.

Arthur Hill contributed to this post.