Tyrese Haliburton

Haliburton: Pacers’ Play ‘Embarrassing,’ I Have To Be ‘Better Leader’

December 4th, 2024 at 11:51am CST by Luke Adams

The Pacers were starting to hit their stride at this time a year ago, earning a spot in the knockout round of the in-season tournament and advancing all the way to the championship game in Las Vegas. This time around, Indiana went 0-4 in NBA Cup group play, capped by a one-sided loss in Toronto on Tuesday to a Raptors team that entered the game with a 6-15 record.

Speaking to reporters after the game, star guard Tyrese Haliburton stressed that he and his teammates are capable of more and that they need to start showing that (YouTube link).

“The product we’re putting on the floor right now as a group is embarrassing,” Haliburton said (hat tip to Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star). “… Every team is playing hard right now. Every team is young and has energy. There’s no reason we shouldn’t be matching that and beyond. I just think the product that we’re putting out there on a nightly basis right now needs to be better because we work too hard. Too many people care. We have too much pride in it. The product has to be better and the effort has to be better.”

Haliburton, who has been an All-Star in back-to-back seasons and made the All-NBA Third Team in 2023/24, has gotten off to a slow start this fall. His 41.6% field goal percentage and 34.0% three-point percentage would both be career lows, and he’s averaging just 17.6 points and 8.5 assists per game after putting up 20.4 PPG and 10.7 APG over the previous two seasons.

The Pacers, who won 47 regular season games and made the Eastern Conference Finals last season, have struggled along with Haliburton, posting a 9-13 record through the first quarter of the season. Tuesday’s defeat in Toronto extended the team’s current losing streak to three games.

“There needs to be a reality check right now, individually and collectively,” Haliburton said. “Guys need to look at themselves in the mirror and ask themselves what they can do better. That starts with me. I have to be a better leader. I’ve got to do everything better and harder because I’m not ready to piss away a year of my career or this organization or this team’s season.

“… We’re 9-13 right now. We can act like the world is falling apart and that’s not the case, but there also needs to be a sense of urgency. Everybody can keep saying, ‘Oh, it’s four games, we’ll be back to .500.’ It ain’t that easy.”

The Pacers have dealt with some injury issues in the first six weeks of the season. Starting guard Andrew Nembhard missed 12 games in November due to a right knee ailment and starting wing Aaron Nesmith has been out for over a month due to a left ankle sprain. Indiana also lost both of its backup centers – Isaiah Jackson and James Wiseman – to Achilles tears.

Still, Haliburton doesn’t view that as an excuse, suggesting that the Pacers should be able to raise their compete level, regardless of who’s on the floor.

“You cannot control if you make every shot. You can’t control substitution patterns. You can’t control stuff like that,” Haliburton said (hat tip to Eric Koreen of The Athletic). “But you can control how hard you’re going to play. You can control your energy and your spirit. Those are all controllable things. Everybody’s got to do a little bit of a gut check, check themselves in the mirror and figure out what we can do better.”

The Pacers will have a chance to bounce back on the second night of a back-to-back on Wednesday when they visit Brooklyn to face the Nets, who will also be looking to snap a three-game losing streak.

Pacers Notes: Nembhard, McConnell, Mathurin, Turner, Toppin, Walker, Freeman

December 2nd, 2024 at 3:32pm CST by Luke Adams

The Pacers fell to 9-12 on Sunday with a 15-point loss in Memphis, but Andrew Nembhard‘s return from a right knee issue was a positive development for the club. As Dustin Dopirak writes for The Indianapolis Star, Nembhard’s solid play on a minutes limit provided a reminder of what Indiana was missing when he was sidelined for 12 games.

The third-year guard scored 14 points to go along with four assists and two steals in just 15 minutes of action. He was a team-high +5 on the night, making him the only Indiana starter with a positive plus/minus rating. Nembhard played eight minutes in the first quarter as the Pacers built an early 45-28 lead over the Grizzlies.

“He’s a big reason we got off to the start that we did,” head coach Rick Carlisle said. “Defensively, he was really solid. Offensively, he made plays, had a couple layups, a couple threes. He just knows how to play. He knows how to play with (Tyrese Haliburton). It’s obvious that we missed him.”

With Nembhard out, opposing defenses have increasingly keyed on Haliburton, sending double-teams his way and guarding him with increased physicality. Haliburton is optimistic that the return of a talented play-maker and shooter like Nembhard will put the Pacers in a better position to attack those defensive schemes.

“Good to have him back, of course, he’s a big part of what we do here,” Haliburton said. “Good to see him healthy and looking forward to having his minutes growing going forward. … They’re doing a lot of denying. I’m sure a lot of teams are going to follow this blueprint moving forward. We just have to be solution-based and figure out what that is, how to attack it the right way. I thought in the first quarter we did.”

Here’s more on the Pacers:

Indiana guards T.J. McConnell and Bennedict Mathurin have drawn “significant” trade interest from potential suitors over the years, but the Pacers have consistently rebuffed those inquiries, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, who notes that McConnell has been an important veteran leader and Mathurin is still viewed as having All-Star upside. After knocking off some rust to open the season, Mathurin, 22, has averaged 20.0 points and 7.6 rebounds per game with a .478/.438/.863 shooting line in his last 17 appearances (16 starts).
While teams across the NBA have long coveted center Myles Turner, there’s a belief that Indiana wants to re-sign him, Scotto writes. The Pacers won’t be able to extend Turner before he reaches unrestricted free agency in 2025, but will control his Bird rights at that time, allowing them to go as high as they need to.
There’s a belief around the league that the Pacers could eventually move either Obi Toppin or Jarace Walker, since the two power forwards are playing relatively limited roles behind starting power forward Pascal Siakam, Scotto says. Despite some early-season injuries to starters, Toppin is averaging just 20.0 minutes per game while Walker is playing 17.8 MPG.
Two-way player Enrique Freeman is a candidate to have his contract converted to a standard deal after the trade deadline, league sources tell Scotto. Freeman has played a relatively modest role so far, while Quenton Jackson has been the more notable two-way standout for the Pacers this fall. In order to promote either one, Indiana would need to make room on a 15-man roster that is currently full. That could be achieved by making a two-for-one trade or by cutting a player.

Central Notes: Mitchell, Atkinson, Pacers, Connaughton

November 29th, 2024 at 12:20pm CST by Rory Maher

In an interesting story for The Athletic, Sam Amick details the late-June meeting between Donovan Mitchell and new head coach Kenny Atkinson that helped convince the star guard to sign a three-year, maximum-salary extension with the Cavaliers over the summer.

Rather than using technology to get his point across at the lunch meeting, Atkinson decided to take the opposite approach.

“We were going over (Atkinson’s vision) with f—ing salt and pepper on the little place mat,” Mitchell told The Athletic recently. “This guy could be here and put this there. Naturally, what got me was the fact that we’re having this kind of discussion at a regular lunch. We’re legitimately trying to figure it all out, and we’re saying, ‘All right, we can plug this person here and where do we put this guy?’ Evan (Mobley) goes here, with the rifle action. He sets up this (action), and you can slip. We’re just going over everything.”

As Amick writes, Atkinson didn’t know Mitchell well at all prior to the encounter, but he was quickly impressed by the 28-year-old’s basketball acumen.

“I wanted it to be more casual than a chalkboard session,” Atkinson told The Athletic. “I wanted his thoughts about how we’d play, thoughts on the team. I said, ‘Let’s go down the roster, and tell me about every guy.’ And it was amazing. It was like talking to a coach. He had such a depth of knowledge.

“He gave me the lowdown on every guy, so that was the spark for me. Like, man, I’ve got the blueprint right here, and then talking to him strategically about what we wanted to do. His IQ is off the charts — really off the charts. We just clicked, you know? Strategically. And that’s important. You could meet and not click. He bought in right off the bat.”

Here’s more from the Central:

Guard Quenton Jackson, who is on a two-way contract with the Pacers, has started the past five games amid injuries to his perimeter teammates, writes Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star. “He’s a combative defender, he’s a rim attacker,” head coach Rick Carlisle said of Jackson. “He’s going to bring intensity and competitiveness to the game. … Every night he’s getting some kind of a really tough matchup, which is something that he really covets.” For his part, the former undrafted free agent said he’s grateful for the first extended playing time of his career. “It’s something you dream of,” Jackson said. “For it to be here, it’s nothing short of a blessing. At the same time, you have to focus on what’s at hand and handling business and that’s what I’m doing right now.”
Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton briefly wore a protective mask on Wednesday vs. Portland after getting hit on the nose during Monday’s win. He told reporters, including Dopirak, that wearing the mask was an optional decision, but he discarded it in the second quarter and played better without it. “It’s not coming back,” Haliburton said. “Hopefully in a couple more days it stops hurting so much. I hope I never see that again.”
Forward Pat Connaughton was out of the Bucks‘ rotation for four games before giving the team a boost in Tuesday’s win at Miami, contributing 10 points, eight rebounds and two blocks in 21 minutes. Jim Owczarski of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (subscriber link) has the story on how the veteran wing stayed ready while being unsure of when his next opportunity would arise.

Central Notes: Ivey, Thompson, Middleton, Haliburton

November 26th, 2024 at 8:13pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Jaden Ivey is eligible for a rookie scale extension after this season and the Pistons guard has bounced back from a subpar sophomore campaign. With Cade Cunningham sidelined by a hip injury, Ivey scored the game-winner against Toronto on Monday. He finished with 25 points and eight assists and is now averaging 18.4 points, 4.7 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game on the season.

“(Ivey) played a complete basketball game (Monday),” Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff said, per Hunter Patterson of The Athletic. “He’s good enough to do it again and again. He’s just got to trust it like he does and keep putting the confidence in the work that he’s put in.

“… For me, it wasn’t just that last shot. He was phenomenal to start the game and for all of his minutes, setting the tone and attacking when he needed to be aggressive. But I thought he did an unbelievable job of playing the complete floor (Monday), making sure his teammates were involved, getting us organized. Just from a point guard perspective, that was a huge step for JI.”

We have more from the Central Division:

Pistons second-year forward Ausar Thompson made his season debut on Monday. He was medically cleared to play this month after his rookie campaign was cut short by blood clotting issues. He had five points, four assists and three rebounds. “I was able to play free,” Thompson said. “I’ve done a lot of conditioning over the past eight months. It was just, first game in eight months. 260-something days. Just don’t know what to expect. And first time playing with a new coach. My guys had my back, they showed me what to do out there. Just played basketball.”
Khris Middleton, who has yet to make his season debut for the Bucks, participated in full 5-on-5 scrimmages on Monday, ESPN’s Shams Charania reports (video link). Middleton, who is recovering from an ankle injury, been cleared medically to play and the club is hopeful he’ll return to action shortly after Thanksgiving.
Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton made nine 3-pointers on Monday and has now knocked down 18-of-39 attempts in his last three games, breaking out of a perimeter slump. Even with the recent surge, he’s only made 32.9% of his long-range attempts this season. “I think my individual performance and how I view that, I mean, if we’re winning, I really don’t care. I’ve been frustrated with myself because I feel like the games we’ve been losing, if I was myself, then we would be winning. I care more about us winning than what my numbers are looking like necessarily. But obviously, it feels good to see the ball go in,” he told Dustin Dopirak of the Indianapolis Star.

Central Notes: LaVine, Cavs, Haliburton, Q. Jackson, A. Thompson

November 21st, 2024 at 6:30pm CST by Luke Adams

The Zach LaVine discourse during the 2024 offseason focused less on what the Bulls guard was capable of doing on the court and more on potential red flags off of it, including his injury history, his sizable contract, and his relationship with head coach Billy Donovan. Speaking to Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports earlier this week, LaVine admitted it was impossible to ignore that chatter.

“I heard everything. I read everything,” LaVine said. “Sometimes you gotta take that accountability and put a chip on your shoulder. There’s a lot of things people said I had to prove. I think my résumé speaks for itself, the type of player I am, the type of person I am, but it is what it is. You can always turn some heads.”

While there’s still some skepticism about whether LaVine is worth the $138MM he’s owed from this season through 2026/27, he has done all he can to silence his critics so far this fall, repairing his relationship with Donovan, staying relatively healthy, and playing some of the best basketball of his career. His 51.2% shooting percentage and 43.2% mark on three-pointers would be career highs if he can maintain them, and he has been a more active defender than in past seasons.

As for his contract, LaVine won’t apologize for taking the five-year, maximum-salary offer the Bulls made him in 2021, telling Goodwill that he believes he earned that deal.

“I don’t know,” LaVine said. “It’s not for me to try to make everybody like me. I’m happy for what I got, what I deserved. And some people may not feel that way and you may judge it off that. But regardless, I know who I am and what I’ve done in this league.

“… I’m in a good place and I feel sharp right now,” LaVine added. “Being able to be one of the veteran guys on the team and still being able to do what I do. Help win in any way I can. Defense one day, facilitating, whatever they call for.”

We have more from around the Central:

The Cavaliers‘ loss on Tuesday to the defending champion Celtics snapped their 15-game win streak to start the season, but the three-point defeat only emboldened the team’s belief in its itself, writes Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (subscription required). Chris Mannix of SI.com conveys as similar sentiment, writing that the measuring-stick loss proved the Cavs are for real. Cleveland bounced back with a 28-point blowout of the Pelicans on Wednesday and is now a league-best 16-1.
Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton continued to struggle on Wednesday, scoring just four points on 1-of-7 shooting as the team was outscored by 28 points in his 30 minutes on the floor, notes Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star. Haliburton, who is in the first season of a five-year, maximum-salary contract, is making just 37.5% of his field goal attempts through 15 games, including 28.4% of his three-pointers. Both would be career lows by a wide margin.
The Pacers dropped to 6-9 with Wednesday’s loss to Houston, but it wasn’t all bad news for Indiana. Two-way player Quenton Jackson made his first career start and made an immediate impact, scoring 24 points on 10-of-12 shooting. “Quenton Jackson is an example of where we need everybody’s spirit to be,” head coach Rick Carlisle said, per Dopirak. “The guy is flying all over the place, playing at a ridiculously high level of intensity and unselfishness and totally surrendering to the team, you know? … For us, we just have to work at adopting that on a full-time basis and really being there for each other.”
The Pistons aren’t rushing the return of Ausar Thompson, who has yet to make his season debut after dealing with a blood clot issue, but Zach LaVine‘s performance in a Bulls win over Detroit on Monday was a reminder of how the team could benefit from reintegrating a defensive stopper like Thompson, says Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press. “He’s a guy who can eliminate the other team’s best players,” J.B. Bickerstaff said. “Any time you add that to the system and the scheme and the way guys have bought into it, it just gives you an added boost. He can switch, he can guard multiple positions. We’re excited to have him back for sure.” Thompson is listed as doubtful to play in Charlotte on Thursday but is believed to be close to returning.

Central Notes: Bucks, Giannis, Haliburton, Cavs

November 6th, 2024 at 10:48am CST by Luke Adams

Since 1970, a total of 150 teams have began a season with a 1-6 record (or worse). Only 12 of those 150 teams have made the playoffs, and five did so despite finishing with a losing record, writes Eric Nehm of The Athletic.

The Bucks are one of two NBA teams who currently own a 1-6 mark this fall, but head coach Doc Rivers – informed of that statistic about the league’s slow starters over the past five-plus decades – expressed confidence that his team will become the 13th in that group to reach the postseason.

“We will make the playoffs,” Rivers said after Monday’s loss to Cleveland, per Nehm. “I’m not worried about that.”

Rivers said his team remains optimistic about its outlook despite the disappointing start, and pointed out that the numbers currently working against the Bucks would look much different once the team breaks out if its slump and wins a few games.

“The team’s very positive. I think they’re upbeat,” Rivers said. “No one wants to lose. We have some tough games coming up, but one win at a time. We win three or four in a row and then the numbers say if you’re 5-6 after that, you have an 80 percent chance to make the playoffs, you know? So that’s where numbers are so silly sometimes, especially early in the year. And we don’t pay much attention to them.”

Here’s more from around the Central:

Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo went through the team’s morning shootaround on Monday before Milwaukee decided to give him a night off due to a right adductor strain, writes Tom Withers of The Associated Press. Although the club’s injury report for Thursday’s game vs. Utah is not yet out, it sounds like Antetokounmpo is considered day-to-day and that the Bucks don’t view the injury as something that will sideline him for long.
Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports suggested on The Kevin O’Connor Show (Twitter video link) that Tyrese Haliburton‘s early-season struggles may be linked to a back issue that affected the Pacers guard near the end of last season. “I’ve had some sources around the league tell me that they believe it’s not his hamstring that’s the cause of his struggles this year, it’s his back,” O’Connor said. “He had back spasms in the postseason. He’s still wearing a heating pack on the bench. And I think that would make sense, with the trends and the way in which he’s playing, the declining efficiency. Because back issues are tough to deal with.” Haliburton is shooting just 38.2% from the floor, including 24.1% on three-pointers, through seven games.
The Cavaliers‘ impressive 8-0 start is a byproduct of selflessness, sacrifice, and camaraderie, according to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (subscription required), who notes that the team is on board with new head coach Kenny Atkinson‘s philosophies. “I feel like everybody’s buying into the system, even though it’s different,” center Jarrett Allen said. “Props to Kenny. He’s done an excellent job finding out a way to mesh this team together and just try to bring the best out of everybody. It’s not just one person leading the charge. Everybody’s contributing in a different way at different times.”

Central Notes: Bulls, Vucevic, Haliburton, Lillard

October 28th, 2024 at 8:59am CST by Arthur Hill

Coach Billy Donovan believes the offseason addition of Josh Giddey and the return of Lonzo Ball provide the Bulls with the weapons to play at a much faster pace, writes Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic. The biggest problem with that strategy in the early season is the team can’t hold on to the ball.

Chicago had 26 turnovers in Saturday’s loss to Oklahoma City after losing the ball 21 times in the season opener at New Orleans. They did much better in their only victory, limiting turnovers to 10 while beating Milwaukee.

“We’ve got to bring them way back down,” Giddey said. “Guys’ hearts are in the right place. We’re trying to play the right way, the way we want to play. … The way we want to play, up and down, there’s going to be turnovers. But it just cannot be as many as (we’ve had).”

The biggest culprit so far has been Zach LaVine, who seems to have rediscovered his scoring touch but is struggling to protect the ball. Against OKC, he committed seven turnovers for the second time this season.

“I’ve got to take responsibility for that,” he said. “That’s two games I’ve had seven, and (against the Thunder) was just unforced. It’s not like they did anything.”

There’s more from the Central Division:

A new emphasis on the pick-and-pop has seemed to unlock Nikola Vucevic‘s outside shot, observes Julia Poe of The Chicago Tribune. After shooting a career-low 29.4% from three-point range last season, the Bulls center is 7-of-13 from beyond the arc through three games.
Tyrese Haliburton admitted that he doesn’t feel like himself after the Pacers‘ loss to Philadelphia on Sunday, per Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star. The All-Star guard is shooting 31.8% from the floor and 20% from three-point range, and he’s averaging just 3.7 assists per game after leading the NBA in that category last season. “We’re working through things,” coach Rick Carlisle said. “We want to play faster with more aggression, more speed, urgency. So far, we’ve had some challenges and we have to continue to work through them.”
Appearing on the Knuckleheads podcast (video link), Bucks guard Damian Lillard said he and Giannis Antetokounmpo need to be able to communicate openly on the court to reach a championship level. “Me and him got to be able to hold each other accountable, and that don’t mean yelling at each other all the time,” Lillard explained. “It just means, like, I got to be able to say something to you, and you got to be able to say something to me at all times.”

Central Notes: Giddey, Caruso, Trent, Middleton, Haliburton

October 26th, 2024 at 9:48pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Bulls don’t have any buyer’s remorse about parting with Alex Caruso to acquire Josh Giddey from Oklahoma City, writes Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. Chicago was criticized for not getting any draft compensation in the deal, but executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas explained that they valued Giddey highly enough to accept the trade without draft picks. Even though it’s early in Giddey’s Bulls tenure, his teammates seem to agree.

“I think the play-making is huge and a thing that is going to help us a lot,” Nikola Vucevic said. “He makes passes that not many people can see, and I think his size is something that people underestimate a little bit. For him it’s the same as it is for us, just getting used to playing next to each other. As a team we need to build that chemistry, but I think he’s a player that can help us a lot, especially with his vision. We want to play fast, and I think that’s his style as well.”

The Thunder were in Chicago tonight, creating a perfect opportunity to reflect on the deal. As one of the NBA’s best defensive guards, Caruso was a valuable part of the Bulls’ rotation for the past three seasons, so reporters asked coach Billy Donovan how he reacted when he learned about the trade.

“That’s hard, it’s hard, especially when you’ve been with him for three years and the relationship we built,” Donovan said. “The one thing for Alex in all this for me is I just hope that he’s really, really going to get compensated. He obviously got a great situation, but he’s also at the point where his age, some of the things he’s had to deal with health-wise too. He’s always played banged up and hurt. They came to me and thought this was best for a variety of reasons. I believe this is Alex’s last year of his contract, but they didn’t share with me the representation conversations.”

There’s more from the Central Division:

The Bucks were impressed by Gary Trent Jr.‘s defensive effort in his debut with the team, according to Eric Nehm of The Athletic. Trent was used as the primary defender on Tyrese Maxey, who had to carry the offense for the short-handed Sixers. “It’s hard guarding one of the quickest players in the NBA, full court, always being in front, navigating screens, putting your body on the line, and that’s what he did tonight and he was incredible,” Giannis Antetokounmpo said. “(Maxey) took a lot of shots. He made a lot of shots. He missed a lot of shots, but I think (Trent) was there for every one of them and he did an incredible job. He’s probably tired.”
Three-time All-Star forward Khris Middleton will miss the Bucks‘ game Sunday in Brooklyn as he continues his recovery from two offseason ankle surgeries, Nehm tweets. Middleton is considered day-to-day.
Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton vowed to work on his shot after being held scoreless Friday in New York, per Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star. Haliburton is shooting 1-of-16 from beyond the arc in the team’s first two games. “I’m going to get in the gym and I’m gonna shoot,” he said. “We’re all gonna shoot and we’re going to be ready to go on Sunday (against Philadelphia.) … I’m gonna get a lot of shots (Saturday). I’m gonna get a lot of shots on Sunday and I’m gonna be ready to go on Sunday.”

Central Notes: Pistons, Bucks, Cavs, Collet, Haliburton

October 9th, 2024 at 2:56pm CST by Luke Adams

Pistons owner Tom Gores is pleased with the way that new president of basketball operations Trajan Langdon identified three-point shooting and veteran leadership as priorities in his first summer on the job and made moves to address those areas, according to Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press. Langdon and the Pistons’ front office signed Tobias Harris, Malik Beasley, and Paul Reed as free agents and traded for Tim Hardaway Jr.

“The core of the way we thought is we have this young group of players that need to be developed and also need to be complemented with the right players,” Gores said. “I feel really good about the veterans we’ve added. Tobias, who I’ve known for a long time, we have Beasley and Hardaway and Reed that’s come in. I feel very good about the offseason with the veterans.

“We knew these young men were good, they have a lot of potential. All of them. You see (Jaden) Ivey‘s really coming along well. But all of that said, we needed to complement them with the right thing so they could grow properly. I’m pretty excited. That’s how we approached it. We have a core that we believe in and we’ve got the veterans added in.”

The other major move that Gores signed off on during Langdon’s first offseason was the decision to part ways with Monty Williams even though the veteran head coach had five years left on the lucrative contract he signed with Detroit a year ago. Gores has no regrets about approving that coaching change after seeing the way J.B. Bickerstaff has handled the job so far.

“I think J.B.’s doing an incredible job communicating with the players and getting us organized,” Gores said. “I feel good. Everybody knows we have a lot of work to do, but we turned the page and we’re ready to go.”

Here’s more from around the Central:

Bucks head coach Doc Rivers shared some positive health updates on Tuesday, telling reporters – including Jim Owczarski of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel – that Gary Trent Jr. will be “fine” after hyperextending his left elbow and may even play on Thursday and that Khris Middleton, who is recovering from surgeries on both ankles, could suit up for a game or two before the end of the preseason.
Bucks newcomer Taurean Prince spoke this week about the role he expects to play in Milwaukee, expressing that he believes his ability to play power forward “can serve the team very, very well.” Eric Nehm of The Athletic has the details.
Vincent Collet, the former head coach of the French men’s basketball national team, is reuniting with Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson, according to reporting from L’Equipe (hat tip to Eurohoops). After Atkinson worked under Collet as an assistant coach for the French team over the summer, Collet will reportedly serve as a consultant for Atkinson and the Cavs this season.
Speaking to James Boyd of The Athletic, Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton discussed what he learned from his summer experience with Team USA and explained why he’s so excited about the continuity Indiana has established heading into the 2024/25 season. “We have the same coaching staff, let alone the same group of guys,” Haliburton said. “So, this is really refreshing, really exciting, because it’s less about teaching and more of the detail work and complex stuff and getting to those (stages) quicker. That’s been so refreshing and so fun for me, and I think that’s gonna make us so good moving forward.”

Eastern Notes: Heat, Haliburton, Raptors, Wizards

September 17th, 2024 at 11:33am CST by Luke Adams

The Heat are currently operating below the second tax apron by approximately $1.2MM with 14 players on guaranteed contracts. Adding a 15th man on a minimum-salary deal would push the team’s salary above the second apron, prohibiting the front office from aggregating salaries or sending out cash in a trade.

As Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel acknowledges in a mailbag, the Heat could carry a 15th man on a non-guaranteed contract to open the regular season, essentially paying that player by the day and then waiving him to sneak back below the second apron if needed for an in-season deal. But Miami is more concerned about being able to carry a 15th man later in the season during the playoff race, according to Winderman, who anticipates the team will keep its final standard roster spot open this fall.

For what it’s worth, if the Heat do want to carry 15 players and surpass the second apron, they’d be able to do that and could still aggregate salaries in a trade as long as they sent out more salary than they took back in that trade, moving below the second apron as a result of the transaction. In that scenario, they’d be hard-capped at the second apron for the rest of the season.

Here’s more from around the East:

Asked last week during an appearance on ESPN’s Pat McAfee Show (YouTube link) about rumors that he was attempting to recruit his Team USA teammates to the Pacers during his Olympic experience this summer, star guard Tyrese Haliburton suggested that story was overblown. “I think there was recruiting going on from everybody, but me saying that got blown out of proportion because I play in the smallest market,” Haliburton said. “… I’m not going anywhere. So if (anyone) wants to play with me, they’d have to come (to Indiana).”
With Scottie Barnes, Immanuel Quickley, RJ Barrett, and Jakob Poeltl locked in as starters, who will claim the fifth spot in the Raptors‘ starting five? Eric Koreen of The Athletic explores that question in an article examining Toronto’s depth chart and rotation, speculating that Gradey Dick will be the fifth starter and that rookie Ja’Kobe Walter will get a shot at rotation minutes this fall.
The Capital City Go-Go – the Wizards‘ G League affiliate – announced that they’ve acquired Erik Stevenson‘s returning rights from the Texas Legends (Mavericks) in exchange for a 2024 first-round pick and Jake Stephens‘ returning rights (Twitter link). The move suggests that Stevenson, a former West Virginia standout who played for the Wizards in Summer League, will be with Washington’s G League team to open the 2024/25 season and could be a candidate for a preseason Exhibit 10 contract.

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