New key Knicks expected to start right away

The Knicks added a few big names this offseason, and the players will likely start right away, starting in preseason tomorrow. Via the New York Newsday:

Kemba Walker and Evan Fournier, the two free agent pickups, are expected to be in the starting lineup on opening night when the Knicks host Boston on October 20. So you can expect Thibodeau to try somewhere in the four-game exhibition schedule to get a look at how those two work with Julius Randle, RJ Barrett and Nerlens Noel. Noel will be the starting center at least until Robinson is ready.

While some teams hold out their starters, Thibodeau did play Randle and Barrett in all four preseason games last season, playing Barrett for more than 30 minutes per game and Randle just slightly under 30.

Last season, Thibodeau didn’t push Immanuel Quickley into the rotation at all in the first game, then used him sparingly in the second one before accelerating his playing time in the final two games and into the season. That could hint at a similar strategy for rookies Quinton Grimes and Miles McBride, although the absence of two key defensive players in Payton and Bullock could push Thibodeau to look for an answer somewhere quickly.

On Goran Dragic no longer being a member of the Miami Heat

For the first time in a long time, the Miami Heat will be taking the court without guard Goran Dragic on the roster. Via the Miami Herald:

“At the end of the day, this is a bottom line business. It’s about winning,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said in advance of Monday night’s preseason opener against the Atlanta Hawks at FTX Arena. “But you really also want to be able to develop meaningful lasting relationships. That’s the part that you treasure the most. That’s the most gratifying in this profession for all of us, when you have these shared experiences that build incredible memories.

“That’s what I have with Goran. I think back to obviously the really competitive experiences we had in the playoffs. But equally as important and equally as gratifying to me are the trips over to Slovenia and visiting him and his family, and seeing where he was from, how he is and how people respond to him in his country. It was really cool.”

The Heat traded Dragic and center Precious Achiuwa to the Toronto Raptors to acquire six-time All-Star guard Kyle Lowry this past summer. Dragic, 35, publicly expressed his desire to be moved to another team shortly after the deal was made, but Toronto has yet to fulfill his request and the affable Dragic is preparing to begin the season with the Raptors.

Utah Jazz waive guard Justin James

The Utah Jazz have waived guard Justin James.

James (6-6, 190, Wyoming) was originally signed to a two-way contract by Utah on Sept. 22.

Per the Salt Lake Tribune, “the deal means that the Jazz have another two-way spot to fill before entering the season. They could upgrade the contract of one of their training camp signees, Derrick Alston Jr, Marques Bolden, Malik Fitts, or MaCio Teague; or they could choose to look outside the organization for a logical pickup.”

Trail Blazers exercise 2022-23 contract option on Nassir Little

The Portland Trail Blazers have exercised the 2022-23 team option on the Rookie Scale contract of forward Nassir Little.

Portland selected Little with the 25th overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft. Little, 21, appeared in 48 games (two starts) for the Trail Blazers during the 2020-21 season, posting averages of 4.6 points (46.7% FG, 35.0% 3-PT, 71.9% FT), 2.7 rebounds, 0.5 assists and 13.3 minutes. For his career, Little has averaged 4.1 points, 2.5 rebounds and 0.5 assists in 96 games (seven starts).

Miami Heat expand Ruth Riley Hunter’s role, add her to basketball operations department

The Miami Heat announced today that Ruth Riley Hunter will expand her current broadcast role and serve as Broadcast Analyst & Basketball Analytics/Player Programs Manager.

Riley Hunter, an Olympic Gold Medalist, two-time WNBA Champion, WNBA Finals MVP, NCAA Champion, Sports Business Leader, Global Humanitarian and a 2019 Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame inductee will add basketball analytics and other Basketball Operations related duties to her current broadcast role where she will begin her fourth season serving as the team’s radio analyst on all home games as well as a television studio analyst for all home and road games. Since being drafted by the Miami Sol after graduating from Notre Dame Summa Cum Laude with a degree in Psychology in 2001, she has garnered a wealth of experience and basketball knowledge including a 13-year playing career in the WNBA as well as serving as General Manager of the WNBA’s San Antonio Stars, First Vice President of the WNBA Player’s Association, a NBA/WNBA Ambassador and Global Director of the NBA Academy’s Women’s Program.

In her time as General Manager of the Stars, Riley Hunter governed the team’s business and financial operations, implemented strategic planning, managed all team personnel decisions and captained the basketball operations staff, coaching staff and scouts. In addition to her basketball acumen, she has served as a spokesperson for organizations such as Share Our Strength and the United Nations Foundation and was selected a JCI Ten Outstanding Young Persons of the World Honoree.

Comcast drops MSG Network from Xfinity channel lineup

A ton of Knicks fans have lost TV access to the team’s games as the season approaches. Hopefully it’s just temporary. Here’s the latest, via the New York Post:

Another promising Knicks season is around the corner – but hundreds of thousands of New Jersey and Connecticut fans may not be able to watch it due to a dispute between MSG Network and Comcast.

According to a Garden release, Comcast has chosen to drop MSG Network from its Xfinity channel lineup “despite our best efforts to reach a new agreement.’’

If the situation drags on, Comcast subscribers will miss 85 percent of Knicks games. MSG Network will broadcast 70 of the 82 contests – with the rest on national networks.

The disagreement will also affect games for the NHL’s Islanders, Rangers and Devils.

The Clippers are fully vaccinated, says coach Tyronn Lue

Here’s the the Los Angeles Times with a Clippers health update:

The Clippers are fully vaccinated, coach Tyronn Lue said Wednesday.

“Our guys are vaccinated, so, we just have to do whatever the league tells us to do, we try to abide by the rules and kind of go from there,” Lue said at San Diego State, where the Clippers are holding training camp. “And we talked about it last year, just being able to adapt and do what we need to do to play the game that we love. And so, certain players, certain people have different beliefs, so I respect those beliefs. And our guys are fully vaccinated, so I respect their beliefs as well.”

Asked again whether the Clippers are fully vaccinated, Lue answered, “yes.”

Jose Calderon involved with athlete-focused tech event

For those of you who woke up today wondering what Jose Calderon is up t, here’s the Toronto Star with an update:

Jose Calderon carved out an excellent NBA career assisting others.

Why wouldn’t the one-time Raptors point guard keep doing it now that he’s retired?

Calderon, who played eight seasons in Toronto and remains one of the all-time favourites among fans, is leading an Athlete Tech Summit this week to assists players from all sports to prepare for their post-career lives.

“Tech now is in everything, it doesn’t matter what you like, there is always some kind of tech part,” Calderon said in a telephone interview Wednesday morning. “It could be in health or in sports or whatever you can name.”

Nuggets sign Michael Porter Jr. to contract extension

The Denver Nuggets have signed forward Michael Porter Jr. to a multi-year contract extension, President of Basketball Operations Tim Connelly announced today.

Per the Denver Post, Porter Jr.’s deal is a “five-year, max contract extension worth as much as $207 million.”

Porter Jr., 23, had the best season of his young career in 2020-21, helping lead Denver to 47 wins in a 72-game shortened season and the three seed in the Western Conference Playoffs. In 61 games (54 starts), he averaged career-highs in points (19.0), rebounds (7.3), assists (1.1), field goal percentage (54.2%), three-point field goal percentage (44.5%) and minutes per game (31.3). He posted a career-high 39 points (8-12 3FG’s), along with six rebounds, three blocks and two assists vs. Houston on Apr. 24th.He became the first player since Joel Embiid in 2017 to post those numbers in the second year of their career and the third Nugget in franchise history to make seven or more three pointers in consecutive games.

More from the Denver Post: “Tim Connelly isn’t tossing chips to center of the poker table anymore. He’s pushing gold bricks. Connelly, the Nuggets’ president of basketball operations, has committed to roughly $115 million over the winter of 2022-’23 to Denver’s Core Four of Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon and Michael Porter Jr. That little flyover team on Chopper Circle, the one which has the reigning NBA MVP, is slated in 2023 to become just the fourth league franchise to boast three players on max contracts. The other three: the Lakers, Nets and Warriors. High rollers, all.”

Porter Jr. had one of the best shooting seasons in Nuggets history, finishing with 170 three-point field goals in 61 games played, ranking him fourth all-time for a single season in NBA franchise history. He also finished with the highest three-point percentage for a season (min. 150 attempts) in franchise history connecting on 44.5% from long distance. Additionally, he had 11 games posting at least five three pointers, tying the single season record for most games with at least five (Randy Foye, 2013-14).

Porter Jr. ascended in his role following the loss of Jamal Murray for the season on Apr. 12th. In the 17 games that followed, he averaged 23.5 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.5 assists while shooting 56.0% from the field and 48.9% from three. In that span, he had 12 games scoring 20+ points and eight games with four or more three pointers.

The Columbia, Missouri, native appeared in his second postseason in 2021 helping the Nuggets reach the second round of the playoffs for the third straight season. Porter Jr. started all 10 playoff games, averaging 21.9 points, 8.4 rebounds and 1.3 assists, shooting 54.2% from the field and 44.5% from three in 33.2 minutes. He posted four games of 20+ points, including 26 points in both games five and six of the first round to help eliminate Portland.

Porter Jr. was drafted by the Nuggets with the 14thoverall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft out of the University of Missouri and missed his rookie campaign as he rehabbed from a lower back injury. Over two seasons with Denver, he has appeared in 116 games (62 starts), averaging 14.4 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.0 assists while shooting 53.2% from the field and 43.9% from long range in 24.3 minutes per game. He has increased his scoring, rebounding, assists, field goal percentage and three-point percentage in each season of his career. Additionally, the Nuggets are 27-9 (.750) in Porter Jr.’s career when he scores 20+ points in game.

The latest on Warriors SG Klay Thompson is good

There’s good news on Warriors shooting guard Klay Thompson, via the ESPN.com:

Golden State Warriors swingman Klay Thompson is starting to look more like his old basketball self amid his rehabilitation from a torn right Achilles injury.

Participating in his first official team practice since suffering the injury in an offseason workout Nov. 18, 2020, Thompson knocked down shots from all over the court, much to the delight of his teammates and coaches.

“Klay looked great,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said after his team’s first practice Tuesday. “Shooting the lights out. His team won the daily shooting competition. And he was smiling, laughing, joking around, it was really fun to see the old Klay back.”

On paper, the Warriors don’t look like a championship contender these days, but they certainly belong back in the playoffs if Stephen Curry and Draymond Green get a healthy and effective Klay back alongside them once again.