August 2016 – Page 4 – NBA Blog

Celtics on national TV a lot next season

The Celtics last season were, for the most part, a team of role players (plus Isaiah Thomas). They were a well-coached, hard-working, hustling group of players who finished with a very solid 48-34 record. The team improved this offseason, adding highly-skilled big guy Al Horford, plus other talent. The result? More national TV appearances. Here’s the Boston Herald reporting:

With the release of the 2016-17 NBA schedule [on Thursday], the Celtics are slated to play 22 games on national television this season — 10 on ESPN, nine on TNT and three on ABC. They also have earned a spot on the NBA’s marquee day — Christmas. The Celtics will play the Knicks at noon at Madison Square Garden on Dec. 25.

The Celtics, who will feature newly acquired center Al Horford, can help themselves when they tip off the season on Oct. 26 against the Brooklyn Nets at the Garden. The C’s currently hold Brooklyn’s first-round pick in the 2017 draft and a victory will be a quick start to another possibly rough season for the Nets.

An eye on the Thunder trade front

Will the OKC Thunder make moves? With Kevin Durant gone, it’s a team built the backcourt of Russell Westbrook and Victor Oladipo, with help up front from Enes Kanter and Steven Adams. Nice squad, but on paper they aren’t the powerhouse they used to be. Yes, even if they did play well without Durant for stretches in the past when Durant was hurt. Here’s the Oklahoman reporting:

The Thunder’s history says there’s still a trade coming. The question: Will it be big or small?

In seven of its eight seasons, the Thunder has made a trade during the period between the end of the July free agent moratorium and the start of the regular season. Some have been minor, like the Thunder dealing Perry Jones to Boston for a second-rounder last year. Some have been major, like sending Thabo Sefolosha to Atlanta in a sign-and-trade in 2014, or James Harden to Houston in 2012.

Antsy for a move? It’s getting late, you say? There’s still more than two months before the Thunder tips off on Oct. 26 at Philadelphia. Harden was traded to Houston four days before the Thunder opened the 2012-13 season, so there’s precedent for the team waiting until much closer to the season to make a deal.

Thunder sign rookie Domantas Sabonis

The Thunder have signed rookie forward Domantas Sabonis.

Sabonis (6-11, 240), was selected with the 11th overall pick of the 2016 NBA Draft following his sophomore year at Gonzaga. The forward earned All-WCC First Team honors as a sophomore after averaging 17.6 points on .611 shooting from the field (239-of-391), 11.8 rebounds, 1.8 assists and 31.8 minutes in 36 games with the Bulldogs. The forward was named to the All-WCC Second Team, All-WCC Freshman Team, NIT All-Tournament Team and NCAA South Regional All-Tournament Team as a freshman. He played in 35 games in 2013-14 for Unicaja Malaga in the Spanish ACB league.

He was acquired by Oklahoma City on the night of the 2016 NBA Draft along with guard Victor Oladipo and forward Ersan Ilyasova from the Orlando Magic in exchange for forward Serge Ibaka.

The 20-year old is currently competing in the 2016 Summer Olympics with the Lithuania men’s national basketball team.

Clippers schedule has them traveling over 54,000 miles this season

This isn’t some important milestone; rather, we just find it interesting to mention the travel miles an NBA team undergoes over the course of a season. Because we don’t always see such a number. Here’s the OC Register reporting:

Once the Clippers navigate a schedule that will have them traveling more than 54,000 miles, they’ll likely head to the playoffs for the sixth consecutive season. But with Paul and Griffin possessing the ability to opt out of their deals next summer and with J.J. Redick’s contract expiring, the team’s future could be seriously altered.

What happens this season will play a major role in shaping what comes next.

All-Star weekend is Feb. 17-19 in a city yet to be determined. The NBA took the event out of Charlotte because of its objections to a North Carolina that limits anti-discrimination protections for lesbian, gay and transgender people. New Orleans is the favorite to get the game.

Cavs will receive NBA championship rings on October 25

The regular season schedule came out today. Here’s the Akron Beacon Journal reporting on the NBA champion Cavaliers:

The NBA figured 52 years was long enough. Cleveland fans won’t have to wait longer than they have to for their championship banner to be raised.

The Cavaliers will receive their championship rings on opening night against the New York Knicks on Oct. 25. They’ll also host Kevin Durant and the Golden State Warriors in a highly anticipated rematch on Christmas Day — this time at home. It will be their first home game on Christmas since 2008.

The Cavs will face Carmelo Anthony and the revamped Knicks at home to start a season for the second time in three years — the two teams also met on opening night when James first returned to Cleveland two years ago. More details regarding the special opening night ceremonies and championship celebration will be released later.

Enes Kanter disowned by parents for political disagreement

We don’t talk politics, but we’re happy to make observations about the world of political discussion. And that world seems to just… be pulling everyone to one extreme or the other. The result appears to be… more and more division. And, it’s sad. On that front, here’s the Norman Transcript reporting:

Enes Kanter has always been outspoken about his opinions opposing the Turkish government. Now, after a recent coup in Turkey, his parents are making their disapproval official.

The father of the Thunder power forward, Mehmet Kanter, published a letter in multiple Turkish publications Monday saying that he and his family have disowned their son.

“I apologize to the Turkish people and the president for having such a son,” he wrote, according to Daily Sabah, a pro-government, anti-Gulen, English-speaking Turkish publication.

Warriors add Willie Green to coaching staff

The Warriors have added Willie Green to Steve Kerr’s coaching staff as an assistant coach/player development.

Green, 35, played 12 seasons in the NBA, posting averages of 8.3 points, 1.8 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 731 regular-season games with the Philadelphia 76ers, New Orleans Hornets, Atlanta Hawks, Los Angeles Clippers and Orlando Magic. Originally selected by the Seattle SuperSonics in the second round (41st overall) of the 2003 NBA Draft, Green was acquired by the 76ers in a draft night trade and spent his first seven seasons in Philadelphia—including six seasons as a teammate of Warriors forward Andre Iguodala. Green, who last played with Orlando in 2014-15, qualified for the postseason seven times over his 12-year career, averaging 5.2 points over 36 playoff games.

A native of Detroit, Mich., Green attended the University of Detroit Mercy, where he was named Horizon League Player of the Year as a senior in 2002-03.

Nuggets sign Jamal Murray, Juancho Hernangomez, Malik Beasley

The Nuggets have signed guard Jamal Murray, forward Juancho Hernangomez and guard Malik Beasley to multi-year contracts, it was announced today by General Manager and Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Tim Connelly.

Murray, 6-4, 207, was selected by the Denver Nuggets with the 7th overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft.

The 19-year-old appeared in five games (all starts) for the Nuggets at the 2016 Samsung Summer League in Las Vegas, averaging 19.6 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 29.5 minutes per game. Among players that played at least five games, Murray ranked fourth in scoring while also tallying three straight games of 20+ points.

Murray played one season for the Kentucky Wildcats in 2015-16, appearing in 36 games and averaging 20.0 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists while shooting 40.8% from three-point range.

Hernangomez, 6-9, 230, a native of Madrid, Spain, was selected with the 15th pick in the 2016 NBA draft. He appeared in five games (all starts) for the Nuggets at the 2016 Samsung Summer League, holding averages of 10.2 points, 8.2 rebounds and 1.8 assists while shooting 55% from the field. Hernangomez ranked fifth in rebounds among players that appeared in at least five games, while posting a double-double in two contests.

Hernangomez, played for Movistar Estudiantes of the Spanish ACB league in 2015-16. Appearing in 24 games, he averaged 9.8 points and 3.7 rebounds in 23.5 minutes.

Beasley, 6-5, 196, was drafted with the 19th overall pick in the 2016 NBA draft. He did not participate in the 2016 Samsung NBA Summer League after recovering from a pre-existing injury. He appeared in 34 contests during the 2015-16 season with the Florida State Seminoles, averaging 15.6 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 29.8 minutes.

Murray will wear jersey #27, Hernangomez will wear jersey #41 and Beasley will wear jersey #25.

Ricky Rubio does little in Spain loss to Brazil

Here’s the Minneapolis Star Tribune reporting on Team Spain, who aren’t getting much production from point guard Ricky Rubio:

Ricky Rubio walked off at halftime looking dejected, staring at the floor, the last of Spain’s players to get to the locker room. By the end of the game, he was standing on the sideline, waving a towel, urging on his teammates.

Rubio contributed another unproductive game to Spain’s waning Olympic hopes on Tuesday, producing three points before fouling out of Spain’s 66-65 loss to Brazil at the Rio Games. In 16 minutes, Rubio produced four rebounds, two turnovers, three points, zero steals or blocks and zero assists. He finished minus-6 for a team that lost in the last seconds to a less-heralded team.

Steve Kerr says Kevin Durant is no villain

The Warriors won 73 games last season, reached the NBA Finals, and then this offseason added superstar Kevin Durant as a free agent. Durant joined the team that beat his Thunder squad in the Western Conference Finals. Here’s ESPN.com reporting Warriors coach Steve Kerr’s words:

Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr says it’s “absurd” to cast Kevin Durant as a villain because he left the Oklahoma City Thunder as a free agent and joined the Warriors this summer.

“To think of Kevin Durant or Steph Curry or any of our guys as villains, it’s kind of absurd. Especially Kevin,” Kerr said Sunday in an interview on ESPN Radio’s TMI with Michelle Beadle and Ramona Shelburne. “This is one of the most likeable people in this league. He’s just an awesome human being. What he did in Oklahoma City was just amazing for that community.

Kerr added: “Circumstances kind of dictate, I guess, that some people are going to see him as a villain. But it’s only because he decided to go elsewhere to play. He wanted to change his scenery, he wanted a new challenge. More than anything he wanted to play with our guys. He loves Draymond [Green] and Steph and Klay [Thompson] and Andre [Iguodala]. Seeing those guys in New York, he loved seeing the chemistry that exists and he wanted to be a part of it.”