Tom Thibodeau Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Atlantic Notes: Embiid, Sixers, Knicks, Durant, Simmons

February 22nd, 2022 at 10:56pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Five-time Sixers All-Star center Joel Embiid admitted that he considered quitting basketball entirely during his rookie year, per Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Embiid was drafted by the Sixers in 2014 with the third pick out of Kansas, but didn’t suit up for Philadelphia until the 2016/17 season. Surgeries for a navicular bone in his right foot delayed Embiid’s NBA debut for two years while he grieved the death of a family member off the court.

“You look back at my first year after the surgery,” Embiid said. “Obviously, I lost my brother at that time, too. Going back to Cameroon, I really wanted to stop playing basketball and really retire because at that point you just had surgery, and everybody is talking about ‘You’re not going to make it’ or ‘You’re never going to play in the league,’ and, obviously, the loss of my brother was big. I wanted to give up. I almost did. It was hard.”

The 28-year-old has since become one of the most dominant centers in the NBA, and is currently building a convincing MVP case with a terrific and mostly healthy season thus far. He is averaging 29.6 PPG, 11.2 RPG and 4.5 APG through 46 games this season. Embiid boasts shooting splits of .495/.369/.813.

There’s more out of the Atlantic Division:

While the identities of four Sixers starters are fairly clear heading into the home stretch of the 2021/22 NBA season, the team has several options for the fifth starting role, per Kyle Neubeck of the Philly Voice. With James Harden, Tyrese Maxey, Tobias Harris and Embiid entrenched in the club’s starting lineup. Neubeck considers whether they’d be best complemented by the defensive attributes of Matisse Thybulle, the corner three-point shooting of Danny Green or Furkan Korkmaz, or the size advantage of Georges Niang.
With a 25-34 record, the Knicks face an uphill battle to even make the play-in tournament this season. Fred Katz of The Athletic wonders at what point second-year New York head coach Tom Thibodeau, whose job may be in jeopardy this summer, may opt to prioritize developing the team’s youth over less-than-meaningful victories. Katz also theorizes about the potential markets awaiting 2022 unrestricted free agent center Mitchell Robinson, and forward Cam Reddish, whom the Knicks could either opt to extend this summer or allow to reach restricted free agency next year.
Nets team president Sean Marks expects stars Kevin Durant and Ben Simmons to join the team on the hardwood fairly soon, writes Brian Lewis of the New York Post. “Depending when they go, we’ve got to see how they respond to days like [Tuesday], and we’ll go forward with this,” Marks said. “It’s probably going to be tough, to be honest, to be playing in the next three or four days. But we’ll see how it all plays out.”

Atlantic Notes: Celtics, Thibodeau, M. Robinson, Raptors

February 22nd, 2022 at 9:03am CST by Luke Adams

Despite being one of the NBA’s marquee franchises, the Celtics haven’t hosted the All-Star Game since Bill Russell played for the team, back in 1964. According to Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe, the team may be interested in changing that. Sources tell Washburn that the Celtics’ ownership group is taking steps to submit an application to host the event.

As Washburn writes, the Celtics don’t own the TD Garden outright, which is a logistical hurdle that must be overcome, and the locales for the next two All-Star Games – Utah in 2023 and Indiana in 2024 – have already been set. But the fact that Boston is taking steps toward applying is noteworthy, according to Washburn, who says the ownership group’s interest level in hosting the game has long been “tepid” until now.

Here’s more from around the Atlantic:

Marc Berman of The New York Post argues that Tom Thibodeau shouldn’t be the fall guy for a disappointing Knicks season, observing that the front office made multiple roster moves Thibodeau wasn’t gung-ho about, including adding Kemba Walker and letting Reggie Bullock walk in free agency. Thibodeau also reportedly wasn’t exactly pushing for last month’s Cam Reddish trade. “They haven’t collaborated with him like they did last year,” a coaching source tells Berman.
Sean Deveney of Heavy.com spoke to one rival general manager who thinks Mitchell Robinson‘s next contract will be in the range of the full mid-level exception, projecting a three-year, $33MM deal. The Knicks center, who is currently extension-eligible, will be an unrestricted free agent this summer.
Eric Koreen of The Athletic looks at some of the questions facing the Raptors for the rest of the 2021/22 season, including how important Precious Achiuwa and Dalano Banton are to the franchise, both in the present and future. As Koreen notes, Achiuwa and Banton have played well enough to warrant regular roles, but they don’t contribute much in the half-court offense, which has been Toronto’s biggest Achilles heel.
Within the same story, Koreen suggests the most likely outcome for the Raptors‘ open 15-man roster spot is that two-way player Justin Champagnie is promoted to fill it.

William Wesley Blaming Tom Thibodeau For Knicks’ Struggles

February 17th, 2022 at 4:02pm CST by Rory Maher

As we relayed this morning, the Knicks suffered a crushing 111-106 loss to Brooklyn on Wednesday, in which New York blew a 28-point lead, intensifying scrutiny on head coach Tom Thibodeau. The Knicks are just 3-13 over their last 16 games and currently hold a 25-34 record, 12th in the East.

“A byproduct of losing is everyone wants to place blame. And I understand that,” Thibodeau said after the game. “We all have jobs to do. (The season) has not gone as well as it has. It didn’t go great last year until the end, right? Lock into what we have to do. Don’t get caught up in getting distracted. And focus on how we can do better. That’s where I want the focus to lie.”

Sources tell Ian Begley of SNY.tv that, in conversations with owner James Dolan, executive vice president William Wesley has been blaming Thibodeau’s coaching as a significant factor in the team’s struggles this season.

Thibodeau, the reigning Coach of the Year, was hand-picked by Wesley and president Leon Rose, and the three men have known each other for years, Begley writes. However, something is clearly amiss between the coaching staff and the front office.

Thibodeau was angry that the Knicks didn’t make trades ahead of the deadline last week and believed that a roster upgrade would have been beneficial, sources tell Begley. Thibodeau has been consulted with for personnel moves, and although his opinion is considered, New York’s front office has made several roster moves that didn’t align with Thibodeau’s thinking, per Begley.

In a separate article for SNY.tv, Begley states that he would be surprised if Thibodeau was fired before the end of the season — but confidence in the coach has clearly diminished within the organization.

Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News contends that the onus is on Rose to speak up with the embattled coach twisting in the wind. Sources confirmed Begley’s reporting to Bondy, that Wesley has Dolan’s ear and has been blaming Thibodeau for the team’s struggles. Wesley is also unhappy with Thibodeau’s reticence to play younger players.

The front office forced Thibodeau to add two assistant coaches — Johnnie Bryant and Kenny Payne — onto the staff as a condition of his hiring in 2020, sources tell Bondy. Should Thibodeau be fired, Bondy believes either of those coaches could named the next head coach.

Rose hasn’t spoken to the media since September, before the season started, and prior to that it had been more than a year since he’d spoken publicly, Bondy writes. He believes Rose needs to address the situation and back Thibodeau — or not — because the silence is leading to a lack of clarity on the team’s direction.

Knicks Notes: Thibodeau, Rose, Barrett, Noel, Samanic

February 17th, 2022 at 8:28am CST by Luke Adams

In their last game before the All-Star break, the Knicks had one of their worst losses of the season, letting a 28-point lead slip away against a Brooklyn team that was playing without Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and Ben Simmons.

Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News contends that the ugly loss will only intensify the scrutiny on head coach Tom Thibodeau, who mismanaged his timeouts earlier in the week against Oklahoma City and faced criticism for keeping RJ Barrett on the court in the final moments of an out-of-reach game last Tuesday (Barrett injured his ankle with less than a minute left and the Knicks down by 15).

While Bondy says “the temperature on the coach’s seat only got hotter” on Wednesday, forward Julius Randle dismissed the idea that the players are tuning out Thibodeau’s message.

“Coach is amazing. I’m riding with Coach every day,” Randle told reporters after the game (video link via Ian Begley of SNY.tv). “He challenges us and prepares us very well every day. His message is still ringing clear in the locker room. We’ve just got to execute.”

Here’s more on the Knicks:

There’s optimism that point guard Derrick Rose will be able to return to action for the Knicks immediately after the All-Star break next week, sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. Rose has been unavailable since December 16 due to an ankle injury, but Wojnarowski says it looks like the former MVP should play next Friday vs. Miami, barring any setbacks.
Thibodeau expressed confidence on Wednesday that Barrett will return right after the All-Star break too, telling reporters that the forward was “pretty close” to being ready but that the team wanted to give him an extra week to get back to 100%, per Steve Popper of Newsday.
The prognosis wasn’t as positive for Nerlens Noel, who has been bothered this season by knee soreness and has missed the team’s last five games. Asked if Noel may ultimately require surgery, Thibodeau didn’t rule out the possibility, as Popper relays. “Yeah, it’s ongoing, so they’re checking that,” Thibodeau said. “Hopefully it responds better as we go.”
Thibodeau is viewing the All-Star break as a “chance to reboot” for the Knicks, according to Mike Vaccaro of The New York Post. “Everything is on the table now. Everything has to be merit-based. You earn what you get,” the head coach said. “You look at everything. How are we going to manage this. If a guy is playing good, he plays. If the team is functioning well he should play. The team has to come first for everyone.”
The Knicks’ signing of Luka Samanic to a two-way contract hasn’t worked out, as the big man’s season has been marred by a left heel injury, Marc Berman writes for The New York Post. With Samanic still sidelined, it’s unclear if the team will consider making a change to that two-way slot for the rest of the season, says Berman.

Knicks Notes: Toppin, Quickley, Thibs, Barrett, Randle

February 15th, 2022 at 5:34pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Talented second-year Knicks players Obi Toppin and Immanuel Quickley are striving to grow through their limited minutes allocations, writes Greg Joyce of the New York Post.

“It’s continual, doesn’t end,” coach Tom Thibodeau said of the young Knicks’ development. “You look at the season in totality, so at the end of the year, that’s when you make a judgment on how the season went… They’re making progress, [but] there’s still a long way to go.”

In 15.1 MPG, Toppin is averaging 7.3 PPG and 3.6 RPG on .510/.233/.744 shooting splits. Across 21.3 MPG, Quickley is averaging 9.2 PPG, 3.0 APG and 2.2 RPG.

There’s more out of the Mecca:

Quickley is grappling with a shooting slump that could be impacting his rotation minutes. Steve Popper of Newsday notes that Quickley averaged 38.9% on 4.7 three-point attempts per game as a rookie. This season, his shooting has slipped to 32.2% on 4.8 triples a night. “He’s a diligent worker,” Tom Thibodeau observed. “He’s in morning, noon and night shooting. Just got to stay with it, keep continuing to groove your shot, it’ll come back around. It’s part of it.”
After Knicks wing RJ Barrett suffered an ankle sprain during the end of a 132-115 blowout loss to the Nuggets last week, head coach Tom Thibodeau‘s decision to leave him on the court late is being questioned, notes Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News. “You don’t work backwards,” Thibodeau said. “There’s different points. You look at the score and the time. And if you make a run, then you take a shot at it. So that’s what we did.”
As Knicks power forward Julius Randle improves his on-court performance for New York, he is also helping build up his trade value, per Ian O’Connor of the New York Post. The 25-33 Knicks may see their play-in chances fade away this year, but at least the 27-year-old Randle, who averaged 29.2 PPG, 12.8 RPG and 6.2 APG during the club’s recent 1-4 road trip, is reminding prospective trade partners of his abilities as a player.

Knicks Notes: Robinson, Trade Deadline, Quickley, Randle

February 8th, 2022 at 8:46pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Knicks center Mitchell Robinson is uncertain of his long-term future in New York, writes Marc Berman of the New York Post. Robinson will be an unrestricted free agent this summer.

“Whatever happens, happens,” Robinson said of his future with the Knicks. “It’s still in the season. You’re not worried about the offseason or the break.”

Berman notes that the Pistons, Pelicans and Mavericks have all previously been mentioned as being potential suitors for the 23-year-old defensive stalwart during the 2022 offseason.

“He’s very gifted,” head coach Tom Thibodeau said. “I think he’s learned a lot over the last couple of years. I think he knows his opponents a lot better and [he is] a lot stronger than he was three years ago, when he came into the league.”

There’s more out of the City That Never Sleeps:

The struggling Knicks have plenty of roster decisions to make ahead of this Thursday’s NBA trade deadline. Fred Katz of The Athletic considers which New York players are the best bets to be traded, identifying veteran guards Kemba Walker, Evan Fournier and Alec Burks as this week’s most likely trade candidates. Katz pegs New York native Walker, in the first season of a two-year, $18MM contract he signed in free agency with the Knicks last summer, as the most probable candidate to be shipped out.
Young Knicks guard Immanuel Quickley has seen his scoring take a dive during his second season, writes Steve Popper of Newsday. Entering tonight’s game, Quickley, who has slid behind Walker and Quentin Grimes in the club’s guard rotation, has connected on just 28.6% from the floor and 28.8% from long range across his last 13 games. “I think when he gets a couple easy shots, then I think he can get into rhythm,” coach Tom Thibodeau said optimistically. “We believe in him. We believe in his shot. He’s got a great shot. Just take the right ones, take the open ones, and if you’re guarded well — you’re seeing more blitzes. You’re getting a lot of attention. Just get off the ball. Don’t fight the pressure.”
The Knicks have gotten off to an 0-2 start to their current road trip as they continue to search for a cure to what ails them ahead of the encroaching trade deadline. The team has also lost eight of its last ten games overall. Embattled power forward Julius Randle appeared to chalk up the club’s issues on the jaunt to chemistry problems, as Marc Berman of the New York Post details. “I just feel like sometimes we have to be more aware of what’s going on and execute on both ends of the floor,” he said. “We gotta be more aware. A couple possessions in a row that aren’t good possessions, we just gotta be more aware and tighten things up on both ends.” Following an All-NBA 2020/21 season, Randle production and value as a primary scoring threat have fallen off during a mediocre ’21/22 campaign.

Knicks Rumors: McCollum, Robinson, Reddish, Randle

February 7th, 2022 at 10:48am CST by Luke Adams

Two rival teams say the Knicks are emerging as a legitimate suitor for Trail Blazers guard CJ McCollum, Marc Stein reports in his latest article for Substack. Up until this point, the Pelicans had been the team most frequently linked to McCollum, but Stein suggests New York is a real possibility for the Blazers veteran.

It’s an intriguing idea, and one that appears more viable after seeing the deal Portland made with the Clippers on Friday. The Blazers were seemingly motivated to move off Norman Powell‘s long-term money in that trade, so it’s not out of the question that the team could take a similar approach with McCollum, who is owed $33.3MM next season and $35.8MM in 2023/24.

Many of the Knicks’ top trade candidates, including Alec Burks, Kemba Walker, and Nerlens Noel, are only owed guaranteed money through ’22/23, and New York has a ton of extra draft picks – including Dallas’ top-10 protected 2023 first-rounder – that could grease the wheels of a potential deal.

Here’s more on the Knicks:

According to Ian Begley of SNY.tv, the Pistons are among the teams that have shown interest in Knicks center Mitchell Robinson. However, Begley says it’s unclear whether Detroit will try to trade for Robinson this week or if the team would only consider him in free agency. Robinson, who is extension-eligible, will be an unrestricted free agent this summer.
As Cam Reddish continues to spend most of his time on the bench for the Knicks, one NBA source who has been in contact with the team’s brass tells Marc Berman of The New York Post that head coach Tom Thibodeau wasn’t exactly pushing the front office to trade for Reddish last month. “From my understanding, Thibs didn’t want him and they did it anyway,” that source told Berman. Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report previously reported that Thibodeau “wasn’t necessarily gung-ho” about the acquisition of Reddish.
In a separate story for The New York Post, Berman cites a rival GM who says Julius Randle doesn’t have a whole lot of trade value at this point. “I think you could look at last season as more an anomaly,” one Western Conference personnel director told Berman. “This season is more akin to his first six seasons.”

Atlantic Notes: Riller, Celtics, Stevens, Walker, McBride

December 20th, 2021 at 6:47pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Grant Riller was waived by the Sixers on Sunday and new details have emerged why that move was made. He’s undergoing right shoulder surgery and will miss the next four-to-six months, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype tweets. Riller was on a two-way contract and could return to Philly next season after he recovers. Riller, a 24-year-old point guard, suffered a torn meniscus in early October and injured the shoulder in a G League game last month.

We have more from the Atlantic Division:

Boston has new vaccine requirements for indoor dining, fitness, and entertainment establishments going into effect next month, according to a Boston Globe report. However, all professional athletes are exempt, meaning it won’t have any impact on the Celtics or visiting players, ESPN’s Tim Bontemps tweets. Under the new mandate, proof of at least one vaccine dose will be required after January 15 to enter those facilities except for medical or religious reasons.
Brad Stevens has had far more hits than misses in the moves he’s made since becoming president of basketball operations 200 days ago, Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports Boston opines. Forsberg breaks down each transaction while noting that those moves can’t be fully judged until Stevens utilizes the cap flexibility generated by them.
Kemba Walker and Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau have not discussed the point guard’s situation since he was removed from the rotation, according to Marc Berman of the New York Post. However, Walker doesn’t want to be a distraction. “I’m not starting, I ain’t playing,” Walker said. “So I’m here for my team, I’m here for my teammates. I can’t say it enough. Whatever’s asked of me that’s what I’m here for.” Walker erupted for 29 points in 37 minutes for the depleted Knicks on Saturday, his first action since Nov. 26.
Thibodeau has been impressed by the team’s rookies, particularly guard Miles McBride, Steve Popper of Newsday writes. “The thing that I was most proud of is the way those guys all worked. ,,, they’ve been phenomenal and not just in the way they work but when they were competing in practice,” he said. McBride is currently in the health and safety protocols.

Kemba Walker: “I Know I Should Be Playing”

December 19th, 2021 at 9:00am CST by Arthur Hill

Knicks guard Kemba Walker turned in a vintage performance Saturday night as his exile to the bench finally ended, writes Tim Bontemps of ESPN. Appearing in a game for the first time in more than three weeks, Walker delivered 29 points and kept his team competitive all the way to the end in a loss at Boston.

Speaking to reporters after the game, Walker didn’t criticize coach Tom Thibodeau or express a desire to get out of New York, but he made it clear that he’s not satisfied with the current situation.

“I know I should be playing, so no question. It feels great,” he said. “But whatever situation I’m in, I’m gonna stay locked in, stay prepared. Whatever the team needs from me, I’ll be there for them.”

In late November, Thibodeau pulled Walker from the starting lineup in favor of Alec Burks, who provides more size and a better defensive presence at point guard. But with Derrick Rose and Immanuel Quickley already coming off the bench, there were no minutes available for Walker.

Thibodeau had little choice Saturday night as the Knicks were missing nine players due to injuries and COVID-19. Walker returned to the starting lineup and logged 37 minutes in his first game back in Boston since being traded over the summer.

“It’s a tough decision to make, but you always have to do what you think is best for the team,” Thibodeau said before the game. “I view Kemba as a starter, and so it’d be tough to play three small guards together. I gave it consideration, and I’ve got great respect for who Kemba is as a person and all he’s accomplished in this league. But I have to do what I think is best for the team.”

Walker said his coach hasn’t directly explained the reason for the benching and hasn’t talked to him in several weeks. He credited associate head coach Johnnie Bryant for working with him during that time and keeping him ready to play.

The Knicks will be shorthanded for a few more games, so Walker’s return to the lineup should continue. Beyond that, his future in New York appears uncertain.

“I’ve had a great career thus far, and a lot of things went my way,” he said. “It’s a tough time right now, so it’s really about just showing my character, showing who I really am. I’m so mentally tough, I feel like I’m built for any situation, and I’m going to handle it the best I can. … Just try to be unbreakable and continue to put my work in and just stay ready for anything that comes my way.”

And-Ones: Stephenson, Popovich, Thibodeau, Africa League, Samuel

December 9th, 2021 at 5:57pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Lance Stephenson is currently playing for the Nuggets’ G league affiliate, the Grand Rapids Gold. He ultimately hopes to get another chance to play in the NBA, as he told Bob Kravitz of The Athletic.

“I want to show everybody I’m a different guy and I’ll do anything I can to contribute to a team,’” he said. “My whole mindset is getting back to the NBA. I feel like I belong there. That’s my destination. And I’ll never quit trying.”

Stephenson, who is averaging 19.5 PPG and 7.4 RPG for the Gold, hasn’t appeared in the NBA game since the 2018/19 season, when he played in 63 regular-season games for the Lakers.

We have more from around the basketball world:

A successor for Gregg Popovich as Team USA’s head coach has yet to be named. Popovich said that Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau would make an excellent choice, according to Steve Popper of Newsday. “Oh sure, there are a lot of guys up here that would be fantastic and he’s one of them,” Popovich said. “I think that experience is great and the people that they’re looking at, they’re all great candidates and I think everybody is going to be happy with the final selection for sure. He also was really helpful and supportive during my last four or five years with this, talking to him about how it all goes, giving advice.”
The Basketball Africa League will have an expanded second season, according to an NBA press release. The season will begin on March 5, 2022, in Dakar, Senegal, and will include stops in Cairo, Egypt, and Kigali, Rwanda. The BAL will once again feature the to 12 club teams from 12 African countries and will expand to a total of 38 games over three months.
Seton Hall big man Tyrese Samuel has caught the eye of NBA scouts, Adam Zagoria of NJ.com writes. According to Zagoria, 25 NBA scouts from 17 teams will be in attendance on Thursday when the Pirates play Texas. There’s a chance Samuel could enter the draft after this season, depending on the feedback he gets.