Tom Thibodeau Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Atlantic Notes: Rivers, Embiid, VanVleet, Robinson

March 20th, 2022 at 5:31pm CST by JD Shaw

Sixers coach Doc Rivers disagrees with the perception that his bench needs to score more, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes. Many league observers believe Philadelphia’s depth could be an Achilles heel, especially after the team gave up Seth Curry and Andre Drummond in last month’s deal for James Harden.

“All year, we were playing with five bench guys. I think that was too many for people,” Rivers explained. “Now, we are playing three bench guys. That’s not enough for people.”

Philadelphia’s bench consists of Shake Milton, Danny Green, Georges Niang and DeAndre Jordan, which likely isn’t better than other Eastern contenders such as Miami or Milwaukee. The team’s starting group certainly makes up for it, however.

“I think the biggest thing everyone is missing is since James has come, we play two starters with the bench,” Rivers continued, alluding to his new substitution pattern. “So when you do that, the bench guys aren’t going to score as much.

“The reason they aren’t going to score as much is because the two starters that are playing with the bench are probably scoring more when they are playing with the bench. So it does change it a little bit for sure.”

There’s more from the Atlantic Division:

Sixers superstar Joel Embiid is eager to play in every game before the playoffs, but he understands the importance of being healthy, Pompey writes in a separate article for the Philadelphia Inquirer. Embiid has been playing through a sore back. Philadelphia will need his production in the playoffs, as he’s currently averaging a career-high 30.0 points, 11.3 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game.
Raptors guard Fred VanVleet (right knee injury management) will miss the team’s game against Philadelphia on Sunday, Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports tweets. VanVleet played nearly 47 minutes against the Lakers in an overtime game on Friday. He leads the team in minutes per game (38.2) and is in the midst of his first All-Star campaign.
Mitchell Robinson has provided a boost for the Knicks on the offensive glass, Pette Botte of the New York Post writes. The seven-footer has averaged just over four offensive rebounds per game this season, trailing only Grizzlies center Steven Adams. “Huge … those effort plays, they inspire your team,” head coach Tom Thibodeau said. “Our rebounding has been off the charts, that’s a big part of winning. You have to keep improving … keep fighting, scratching. Whatever we gotta do, we gotta do right now.”

Knicks Notes: Payne, Barrett, Kemba, Rose, Fournier

March 18th, 2022 at 10:32am CST by Luke Adams

Knicks assistant Kenny Payne has officially been hired as the new head coach of the University of Louisville’s men’s basketball team, the program announced today in a press release. Payne received a six-year deal and will make $3.35MM annually, with his new contract going into effect on Monday, per Brett Dawson of The Louisville Courier-Journal.

During Payne’s introductory press conference on Friday, Louisville athletic director Josh Heird thanked Knicks management, noting that the team didn’t want to lose Payne but understood the hiring was “bigger than basketball” (Twitter link via Dawson).

Payne, meanwhile, said that he and Knicks executives Leon Rose and William Wesley have been crying “six, seven times a day” within the last little while about his decision to leave the team (Twitter link via Dawson).

“We are beyond thrilled for Kenny Payne that he will have the opportunity to coach his alma mater, Louisville,” Rose said in a statement issued today by the Knicks. “We wish him nothing but the best and thank him for his contributions over the past two seasons.”

Here’s more on the Knicks:

With RJ Barrett set to become extension-eligible for the first time this offseason, Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News wonders if the former No. 3 overall pick has earned maximum-salary consideration, or at least something close to it. For his part, Barrett said that getting a long-term commitment from the Knicks has long been a goal for him. “I’ve been trying to play my butt off and do everything out there to achieve that,” he said.
In addition to not seeing any more game action this season, Kemba Walker isn’t around the Knicks at all and isn’t working with team trainers, head coach Tom Thibodeau confirmed this week. A source tells Marc Berman of The New York Post that Walker is doing some of his training in New York and some in his former home of Charlotte, where his mother still lives.
Derrick Rose (ankle) still hasn’t received clearance to practice, creating uncertainty about whether he’ll be back before the end of the regular season, Berman writes in the same New York Post story.
While Evan Fournier‘s first season in New York hasn’t been a huge success, the Frenchman is on track to set a franchise record, Berman observes in a separate New York Post article. With 201 made three-pointers this season and 13 games left to play, Fournier is just 17 threes away from passing John Starks and establishing a new single-season Knicks record.

Atlantic Notes: Grimes, Noel, Anunoby, White

March 17th, 2022 at 6:46pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Knicks rookie guard Quentin Grimes practiced on Thursday and could play against Washington on Friday, Marc Berman of the New York Post tweets. Coach Tom Thibodeau said Grimes is “champing at the bit” to suit up after not playing since mid-February due to a subluxation of his right patella.

We have more from the Atlantic Division:

It’s unlikely Knicks center Nerlens Noel will play again this season, according to Berman. He’s currently sidelined by plantar fasciitis in his left foot, part of a lost season for Noel. The big man, who re-signed with the team on a three-year, $27.7MM contract last summer, has only appeared in 25 games this season due to a variety of ailments and a bout with COVID-19.
Raptors forward OG Anunoby‘s fractured finger is “getting better every day”, according to coach Nick Nurse, but it’s still not fully healed. Josh Lewenberg of TSN Sports tweets. Anunoby, who has been out since February 16, was limited in practice on Wednesday and won’t play on Friday.
Derrick White admitted to Sports Illustrated’s Michael Pina that he’s still adjusting to his new team after being traded from San Antonio to the Celtics. White still hasn’t been able to shake a season-long 3-point shooting slump. “I got off to a horrible start this season,” White said. “I’m not super worried about it, just knowing that I’m going to get good looks because there’s going to be a lot of attention on other guys. I’ve just got to step up and knock it down.”

New York Notes: Dragic, Irving, Thibodeau, Payne

March 16th, 2022 at 8:41pm CST by Arthur Hill

With James Harden traded away and Kyrie Irving unavailable for most of their remaining games, the Nets were able to stabilize their backcourt by signing Goran Dragic, who had been inactive for most of the season, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Dragic, who hadn’t played since November 13, signed with Brooklyn following a buyout with the Raptors. He quickly got into game shape and moved into the rotation.

“Physically I’m good. So I got in shape in one week; it’s crazy,” Dragic said. “The last game (Sunday against the Knicks) I played 38 minutes. I even talked to (coach Steve Nash) and tell him ‘Steve, that’s too much.’ But he’s like ‘Yeah, we don’t have nobody else, a couple of guys are hurt.’ So, do whatever it takes for the team. I still have to have to catch my rhythm, but I’m just happy to be out there and to help and try to organize everybody and put the right situation and try to make it easier.”

Nash was hoping to ease Dragic into the lineup, but circumstances have dictated otherwise. Seth Curry and Cam Thomas are both dealing with injuries that forced them to miss tonight’s game and Irving will only be eligible for three more games during the regular season, so there’s not much choice but to rely on Dragic.

“We’d like to keep him in a range though that is a little more reasonable, especially in some of these stretches where he’s playing four in six nights,” Nash said. “It’s not easy to throw him out there after having three or four months without playing and play over 35 minutes consistently, so we’ve got to try to protect him if we can. But we’re in a little bit of desperation here with guards out of the lineup.”

There’s more from New York:

Nets fans hoping that New York City’s vaccine mandate might be lifted soon, allowing Irving to participate in home games, were let down today by Mayor Eric Adams, per Kevin Sheehen, Bernadette Hogan and Sam Raskin of The New York Post. “I’m focused on 9 million people,” Adams said. “And so, I am not looking at one person, I’m looking at my city not closing down again, not having to deal with this crisis again.”
Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau brushed aside speculation about his future with the team during tonight’s pre-game session with the media, tweets Marc Berman of The New York Post. “I don’t worry about any of that stuff,” Thibodeau said in response to a report this morning that he’s likely to return next season. In a column that ran today, Berman supports keeping Thibodeau, arguing that a coaching change wouldn’t solve the team’s biggest problems.
Knicks assistant Kenny Payne will be hired Friday as the new head coach at the University of Louisville, sources tell Jeff Borzello of ESPN.

Knicks Expected To Retain Tom Thibodeau

March 16th, 2022 at 8:04am CST by Dana Gauruder

Tom Thibodeau is expected to remain the Knicks’ head coach beyond this season, Bleacher Report’s Jake Fischer reports.

There has been rampant speculation regarding Thibodeau’s status during the team’s disappointing season.

There’s been some internal support to move on from Thibodeau and owner James Dolan had granted the front office permission to decide whether he remains the head coach, according to Fischer’s sources.

However, president of basketball operations Leon Rose has no plans to make a change — Fischer notes that Rose and Thibodeau been trusted allies since the hiring process in 2020. The Knicks interviewed 11 candidates before picking the former Bulls and Timberwolves head coach.

Thibodeau has three years left on his five-year contract.

Reports surfaced last month that Knicks exec William Wesley blamed the team’s ills on the head coach. However, Thibodeau has maintained a good relationship with Dolan, speaking with the owner following each game and often visiting the owner’s box.

While Rose is reclusive, rarely speaking to the media, Thibodeau has emerged as the team’s official spokesperson. That has helped his cause, Fischer adds.

There’s also no obvious veteran choice in the market to replace Thibodeau and the front office isn’t convinced associate head coach Johnnie Bryant would be a better option. Another current assistant, Kenny Payne, is a candidate to leave New York for Louisville’s head coaching job.

Stein’s Latest: Snyder, Popovich, Pistons, M. Robinson, More

March 14th, 2022 at 7:44am CST by Luke Adams

There’s no indication that Quin Snyder, the NBA’s fourth longest-tenured head coach, is in any danger of losing his job with the Jazz. However, in his latest Substack article, Marc Stein says he has heard Snyder’s name come up more and more frequently as a potential Gregg Popovich successor with the Spurs.

Before he was hired by the Jazz, and before he served as an assistant for the Hawks, Lakers, and 76ers, Snyder jump-started his NBA coaching career by serving as the head coach of the G League’s Austin Toros – San Antonio’s then-affiliate – from 2007-10. According to Stein, the Spurs would “naturally relish” the opportunity to bring him back to the organization once Popovich retires.

Still, the Spurs’ decision on a successor for Popovich could be a ways off yet. Stein says, if pressed, he’d lean toward Popovich sticking with the Spurs for at least one more season rather than calling it a career later this year.

Here’s more from Stein:

Stein is the latest reporter to state that the Pistons are believed to have strong interest in Knicks center Mitchell Robinson, who will be an unrestricted free agent this summer. Several other outlets, including SNY.tv, The New York Daily News, and HoopsHype, have previously reported Detroit’s interest in Robinson.
According to Stein, there have been “rumbles in league coaching circles” that if the Knicks want to move on from head coach Tom Thibodeau this spring, president of basketball operations Leon Rose would have to be willing to be the team’s voice “out in front” of that decision. As Stein points out, Rose has operated almost exclusively behind the scenes since taking control of the Knicks’ front office, rarely speaking to reporters, which perhaps bodes well for Thibodeau’s job security.
Within his Substack article, Stein also explores the tough decisions facing U.S. players who had been playing for teams in Russia prior to the country’s invasion of Ukraine. Many of those players have left in recent weeks, but some are being offered six-figure bonuses to return, according to Stein, who says there’s a belief in industry circles that several may soon go back to Russia, despite the criticism they’d face.

New York Notes: Rose, Reddish, Aldridge, Irving

March 12th, 2022 at 1:21pm CST by JD Shaw

Knicks guard Derrick Rose (ankle) seems far away from returning, Marc Berman of the New York Post tweets. Rose originally underwent ankle surgery in December and had a second procedure on February 25 to address an infection.

According to Berman, Rose left the team’s road trip for an exam in New York last week. Head coach Tom Thibodeau said his infection is just now clearing up, but no other details were given about a timetable.

Rose, 33, has only played 26 games this season for the Knicks. New York currently sits 12th in the Eastern Conference standings with a 28-39 record, trailing the No. 10 Hawks by 4.5 games. The team has 15 games remaining to push for a play-in tournament appearance.

Here are some other notes from New York:

Knicks swingman Cam Reddish won’t require surgery to repair his separated right shoulder, Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News tweets. Reddish will miss the rest of the regular season due to the injury. He played in 15 games after being acquired by the team in January.
Nets big man LaMarcus Aldridge will miss at least one more week due to a right hip impingement, Brian Lewis of the New York Post tweets. Aldridge has been out for the team’s past two contests. He has started in 12 of his 45 games, averaging 13.5 points and 5.6 rebounds in 22.8 minutes for the season.
In a separate article for the New York Post, Lewis examines how an engaged Kyrie Irving on defense could help unlock the Nets‘ potential. Irving has played in just 18 games for Brooklyn this season, who currently ranks eighth in the East at 34-33.

Atlantic Notes: Bullock, Brown, Nesmith, VanVleet, Nets

March 10th, 2022 at 8:34pm CST by Rory Maher

Losing Reggie Bullock in free agency last summer is yet another what-if for the Knicks, according to Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News. Bullock received a three-year deal worth a little over $30MM from Dallas.

New York’s front office chose to utilize the team’s extensive cap space by signing veterans Kemba Walker and Evan Fournier. The Knicks also re-signed Derrick Rose, Alec Burks and Nerlens Noel to pricey deals.

Bullock was close with Julius Randle, and Bondy wonders if Bullock’s presence might have helped uplift Randle during his struggles this season. Coach Tom Thibodeau says Bullock’s skill set is valuable to any team in the league.

“Reggie’s gonna help any team,” Thibodeau said. “That’s who he is. He’s got a skill in shooting; he spaces the floor for your best players. He’s a great defender, and he’s got length. He’s a long wing. Wherever he’s been, he’s always helped the team. He’s a team-first guy, so he’s a good player. He’s been a good player for a long time in this league.”

It’s been reported multiple times that Thibodeau urged the front office to retain Bullock, but he denies being upset that the veteran wing wasn’t re-signed.

“I love Reggie. He’s a good player. When a guy earns the right to free agency, he has to do what he thinks is best for him and his family,” Thibodeau said, per Bondy. “I got great respect for him, so I wasn’t disappointed. I know that’s part of the business. For a guy who conducts himself the way he does, you’re always happy when they get good situations.

“So, I think he was a big part of what happened last year and a byproduct of when something good happens like that, everyone’s value goes up, so that’s the case. And then you have to decide what’s best for your organization. He’s gotta decide what’s best for him and his family. And hopefully, you can find something, but it doesn’t always work out that way. It’s part of the league.”

Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:

Celtics coach Ime Udoka said Jaylen Brown has no more limitations relating to his sprained right ankle, but Aaron Nesmith will be out “a while” longer as he deals with his own ankle sprain, per Jared Weiss of The Athletic (Twitter link). The second-year swingman is listed as day-to-day.
Fred VanVleet‘s shooting is much needed for the Raptors, but his value extends beyond that, Eric Koreen of the Athletic writes. “(VanVleet) makes it easier,” Scottie Barnes said. “It opens up a lot more space. He’s a general out there on the floor. So it helps us all when he’s out there on the floor with driving lanes being more open. When he’s there, his presence is just really big for our team.”
Mike Vaccaro of The New York Post wonders if the Big Two is all the Nets really need after the team’s 132-121 victory over Charlotte on Tuesday. “That,” coach Steve Nash said, “was about as well as we’ve played all year, both sides of the ball.” Kyrie Irving dominated the game, finishing with 50 points on just 19 shots. Brooklyn is currently 34-34, the No. 8 seed in the East.

Injury Notes: VanVleet, Grimes, Kaminsky, C. Martin, B. Lopez

March 9th, 2022 at 9:54pm CST by Rory Maher

Raptors guard Fred VanVleet told Kayla Grey of TSN Sports (Twitter link) that he would return Wednesday at San Antonio, saying he’s feeling good. Josh Lewenberg of TSN Sports later confirmed VanVleet’s return to action (via Twitter). He finished with 26 points and six boards in Toronto’s 119-104 win.

The All-Star point guard had missed the past five games with a right knee contusion, which he’s been dealing with since before the All-Star break. VanVleet is averaging 21.4 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 6.9 APG and 1.6 SPG on .415/.398/.876 (.568 true) shooting this season. He leads the league in minutes played at 38.2 per contest.

The Raptors have gone 5-7 in VanVleet’s absence this season, including 2-3 over the past five games. Toronto is currently 35-30, the No. 7 seed in the East.

Here are some more injury-related updates from around the NBA:

Knicks rookie Quentin Grimes suffered a partially dislocated right knee on February 25, but he’s staring to ramp up towards a return to the court, as Marc Berman of The New York Post relays. “He’s moving around, he’s getting closer, coming along nicely,” coach Tom Thibodeau said. “He’s a phenomenal worker, and you gotta give him a lot of credit. He’s a fierce competitor. [Contact] will be the next step, but [he is] doing everything else. So far there’s no issues.” A source tells Berman the Knicks will be cautious with Grimes, but Berman speculates the guard could return in about 10 days given his progress.
Appearing on the Burns and Gambo radio show, Suns general manager James Jones said he wouldn’t be surprised to see Frank Kaminsky return before the regular season ends, John Gambadoro of 98.7 FM Phoenix tweets. Kaminsky suffered a stress reaction in his right knee in November which later required surgery. He was set to be reevaluated at the beginning of March, so presumably that evaluation yielded positive results. He’ll be an unrestricted free agent this summer.
Heat swingman Caleb Martin suffered a left knee injury in Wednesday’s 111-90 loss to Phoenix, according to Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel (Twitter links). Martin left the game early alongside Miami’s orthopedic specialist and was ruled out for the remainder of the contest. Martin is having a nice season for the Heat, averaging 9.5 PPG, 4.0 RPG and 1.0 SPG on .520/.396/.756 shooting through 51 games (23.1 MPG). He was promoted from a two-way contract to a standard deal last month.
Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said Brook Lopez will travel with the team for the upcoming West Coast road trip. Lopez was cleared for full contact five-on-five practices last Friday. “We’ll just continue to evaluate and see how he’s doing with the 5-on-5 and he’s making good progress and just hope that continues,” Budenholzer said, per Eric Nehm of The Athletic (Twitter link). Lopez has played just one game this season after suffering a bulging disc in his lower back which required surgery, but it appears he’s getting close to returning for the defending champs.

Injury Notes: Leonard, George, Bulls, D. Green, Reddish

March 9th, 2022 at 4:06pm CST by Luke Adams

Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard took part in a “rigorous” pregame workout that lasted well over an hour on Tuesday, Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports said during TNT’s broadcast (video link via Justin Russo). According to Haynes, it looked like Leonard had “zero limitations” during that workout, but head coach Tyronn Lue said the two-time Finals MVP still hasn’t been cleared for contact, as Mirjam Swanson of The Southern California News Group relays.

Although Kawhi is clearly making progress, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski stated on Wednesday’s episode of NBA Today that a return this season is “more realistic” for teammate Paul George than for Leonard (video link). The Clippers haven’t ruled out the possibility of Leonard playing this spring, but Woj notes that it’s still been less than eight months since he underwent ACL surgery, which would be a very quick turnaround even if his recovery is ahead of schedule.

The Clippers are in position to make the play-in tournament and could extend their season by earning one of the West’s final two playoff spots, but the team may not be comfortable bringing back Leonard in the postseason without any regular season reps.

“I spoke to Coach Lue,” Haynes said on TNT last night. “And he told me that if he can’t get his guys back for games in the regular season, then it wouldn’t be safe for them to return in the playoffs.”

Here are a few more injury updates from around the NBA:

The Bulls have cleared Alex Caruso (wrist) for full contact and Patrick Williams (wrist) for “minimal” contact, per head coach Billy Donovan. As K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago writes, there’s still no set timeline for either player to return to action. However, if Caruso is able to fully participate in the team’s next practice on Friday, he could be on track to play soon.
Sixers head coach Doc Rivers said today that swingman Danny Green will “most likely” miss Thursday’s game vs. Brooklyn due to a finger laceration, per Tim Bontemps of ESPN (Twitter link). Due to the risk of his stitches reopening, Green may end up being sidelined for a week or more, tweets Kyle Neubeck of PhillyVoice.com.
The Knicks have three games left on their current road trip, but forward Cam Reddish has returned to New York in order to have his injured right shoulder reevaluated, head coach Tom Thibodeau said today (Twitter link via Fred Katz of The Athletic). The injury, which Reddish sustained on Monday, is being called a sprain for now.