Kobe Bryant honored with display at Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture

Honors for the late Kobe Bryant will continue to roll out for a long time. The latest comes by way of Washington, D.C. Here’s the Los Angeles Times:

For the transformative effect he had on the sport of basketball and on American culture more broadly, the late Kobe Bryant will be remembered with a new display at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington.

The display — featuring a Lakers jersey that Bryant wore during the 2008 NBA Finals — was installed in the museum on the National Mall last week and will be revealed to the public for the first time Monday, said Damion Thomas, the museum’s sports curator.

“We wanted to be able to share his impact,” Thomas said. “It really is about the cultural significance of basketball as an expression of the African American fight for greater rights.”

The display, which also features other jerseys and basketball items of historic significance, further cements Bryant’s presence at the museum, which already featured his image in its Sports Gallery. Bryant and his wife, Vanessa, also helped to build the museum with a $1-million donation from their foundation.

Timberwolves coach Ryan Saunders reflects on Sid Hartman, who recently passed away

Here’s the Minneapolis Star Tribune with additional reporting on the passing away of a legend, Sid Hartman:

If it was Sunday morning in the Saunders household and the phone was ringing at 6 a.m., it was usually only one person doing the calling: Sid Hartman.

“He was just looking for the scoop at the house,” Timberwolves coach Ryan Saunders said with a laugh Monday. “He didn’t care who was on the other line. He was going to find a way to get that scoop.”

Saunders has fond memories of the relationships he and his late father Flip had with Hartman, the decades-long Star Tribune columnist who died Sunday at 100.

Saunders said his first memory of meeting Hartman came when he was 9 just after the Timberwolves had hired Flip. The Saunders family and Hartman went for a ride on Hartman’s boat on the Saint Croix River.

“You’d go over to his house and I’m picturing it right now, that house, it felt like something out of a movie and you see all those pictures of him shaking hands with so many incredible people,” Saunders said. “You felt like you were in the presence of a movie star, in a way. You knew he was a celebrity. He was more than that.”

Hartman never retired. He just kept going.

Examining the idea of a Bradley Beal to Nuggets trade

Here’s the Denver Post examining the idea of a Bradley Beal trade from the Wizards to the Nuggets:

The most tantalizing “win-now” move for the Nuggets would be to acquire 27-year-old Washington shooting guard Bradley Beal. The league’s No. 2 scorer behind James Harden, Beal represents arguably the juiciest trade chip across the league. But there are several obstacles to Beal landing in Denver.

The first is that he’s given no indication he wants to leave Washington, and multiple league sources believe the Wizards don’t want to move him. He has two more seasons before deciding on a 2022-’23 player option, which buys the Wizards time. Not that the Wizards have been in anything other than purgatory the last few seasons, but moving Beal means a full-scale rebuild.

From Denver’s perspective, trading for Beal means including rookie Michael Porter Jr. Remember, the Nuggets had no intention of trading Porter at the trade deadline, and that was before he showed well in the bubble. Now, after earning second-team All-Bubble during the seeding games and earning enough trust from coach Michael Malone to be on the floor during crunch time of elimination games, it’s likely his internal value has only increased. In addition, Porter should have a more consistent role next season considering the question marks around Gary Harris’ confidence and Will Barton’s health.

Considering the Nuggets’ success both in the regular season and the 2020 NBA playoffs, a guess is they will look to keep their core together and not make any dramatic trades this offseason. But of course, anything is possible, and examining possibilities is always fun.

What should the Miami Heat do next?

Here’s the Sun Sentinel responding to a reader question on if it’s realistic for the Heat to improve their roster this upcoming season while also maintaining salary cap flexibility to pursue Giannis Antetokounmpo the following offseason:

The Heat, without question, will attempt to improve. It’s what they do. Always. It could be player development. It could be through a trade that minimizes 2021-22 payroll impact. It could be forgoing cap space for the 2021 offseason with eyes perhaps instead on a trade (remember, Jimmy Butler was acquired in a sign-and-trade at a stage when the Heat lacked cap space). So, if you are asking whether the Heat will be stuck running in place, the answer is the Heat don’t do the treadmill (unless, of course, it is part of their conditioning program).

Key free agents for the Heat this offseason include Goran Dragic and Jae Crowder. Kelly Olynyk has a player option. Dragic might be open to agreeing to a one-year deal. Olynyk as well. Crowder might be looking for something bigger.

After what the Heat just accomplished, their priority is likely to keep their current core together and strengthen things in an effort to return to the Finals in 2021. That’s a more logical focus than hoping that Giannis, a player on another team, somehow might become available to them in the future.

NBA scout Brent ‘BJ’ Johnson dies in bike accident

There was a tragic accident Thursday that took the life of one of the most popular scouts in the NBA. Per the Houston Chronicle:

Longtime Rockets personnel scout Brent “B.J.” Johnson, a well-known and popular fixture throughout basketball, died Thursday evening following a bicycle accident in Houston. Johnson was 65.

“He was riding his bike and hit a culvert,” Johnson’s wife Claudette said. “There was construction. They are thinking he fell forward and broke his neck because there was no blood.”

Johnson was one of the longest-tenured members of the Rockets organization.

Everyone who knew Johnson has very kind words about him. He’ll be greatly missed.

Utah Jazz add Sergi Oliva to coaching staff

The Utah Jazz added Sergi Oliva to their coaching staff today.

Oliva joins the Jazz after spending the past six seasons with the Philadelphia 76ers, most recently as Vice President of Strategy.

A native of Gelida, Catalonia, he first joined the 76ers in 2014 as a Basketball Operations Analyst after he’d earned multiple degrees from Polytechnic University of Catalonia, including a PhD in Computational Complexity and both master’s and bachelor’s degrees in Computer Science.

Oliva spent 12 years previously as a head coach at the youth and senior amateur levels in Catalonia. He is also a regular collaborator of the Catalan Basketball Federation (FCBQ), particularly as a lecturer in their coaching certification courses.

Will Timberwolves trade No. 1 pick in 2020 NBA draft?

Will the Timberwolves keep their No. 1 pick in the 2020 NBA draft, or trade it? Usually, if a team has the first pick in the entire draft, they use it. But exceptions happen. Here’s the Star tribune noting what one betting site’s odds suggest on the matter:

They are trying to build around [Karl-Anthony] Towns and D’Angelo Russell, the top two picks from that 2015 draft, and timelines are different when your projected cornerstones are in their mid-20s instead of below legal drinking age.

Combine that with the notion that there is no sure thing at the top of the draft and there emerges the notion that the Wolves might trade the top selection instead of keeping it.

It’s rare for a top pick to be dealt before playing for the team that held the pick; the last time it happened, in fact, was when Wiggins came to the Wolves in 2014.

But this year, it’s a intriguing combination of something rare being perhaps more likely to happen than not — at least according to betting markets.

Online bookmaker Sports Betting Dime this week put the odds of the Wolves trading out of the No. 1 spot at 4 to 5 — better than even money. Adding to the intrigue, the site listed Anthony Edwards (3 to 2), James Wiseman (3 to 1) and LaMelo Ball (7 to 1) as the most likely No. 1 picks — hardly a consensus.

If a team with the draft’s first pick loved two or three prospects fairly equally, it makes perfect sense for them to consider trading down a slot or two, just to see what they can get in return.

Daryl Morey, Houston Rockets parting ways

The Houston Rockets will be in search of a new general manager. Statements from the team:

Daryl Morey: “After returning from Orlando and reflecting on what has been an amazing 14 years with the Houston Rockets, and after discussing my thoughts with family and close friends, I’ve decided I’ll be stepping away from the Rockets organization effective November 1st. Tilman and I have had many conversations since I returned, and his unwavering support and counsel during our time together has been critical to our success. It has been the most gratifying experience of my professional life to lead the Rockets basketball organization, and I look forward to working with Tilman and the management team on the transition. I am very confident that the future – for the Rockets, and for our incredible fans – is in great hands, and that the Rockets will continue to perform at the highest level.”

Rockets Owner Tilman J. Fertitta: “On behalf of the entire Rockets organization, I would like to thank Daryl Morey for his hard work and dedication over the past 14 seasons. Daryl is a brilliant innovator who helped the Rockets become a perennial contender. I have truly enjoyed working with Daryl and couldn’t have asked for a better general manager to have at the start of my ownership. I wish him and his family all the best.”

Sixers will reportedly add Dave Joerger to their coaching staff

NBA coaching news is coming out fast and furious today. Here’s Philly Voice with some Sixers news:

Dave Joerger will join Doc Rivers’ staff as an assistant coach for the Sixers, a team source confirmed on Thursday afternoon. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski was the first to report the news.

At 46, Joerger already has an abundance of coaching experience under his belt. Fresh out of college, he took a GM job with the Dakota Wizards that eventually led to a prolific minor league basketball run. Joerger won five championships in the minor leagues and had 18 different players called up to the NBA during a four year stretch from 2003-2007.

Rivers has a big job ahead of him, in trying to maximize the Sixers’ talent. Seeing which assistants he adds is of interest. The Sixers are one of the only playoff teams in the league that on the one hand certainly look like they should be a playoff team again in 2020-21, but on the other can definitely use some changes, either in the form of roster moves or coaching decisions that shake up the current structure.

Clippers will reportedly name Tyronn Lue new head coach

The Clippers were one of the best teams in the NBA this past regular season, but fell short in the playoffs, getting sent home in the second round. Head coach Doc Rivers, well-respected a good coach but doubted as a great one, was soon out of a job. And now the Clippers have quickly found a replacement, per reports. Here’s the OC Register with the latest:

After a couple of weeks of careful consideration, the Clippers on Thursday closed the deal with former assistant Tyronn Lue to replace his former boss Doc Rivers as the team’s head coach, as reported by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and confirmed by a league source. Wojnarowski reported Lue agreed to a five-year contract.

Lue’s coaching staff reportedly will include five-time All-Star Chauncy Billups and former NBA head coach Larry Drew, according to the Athletic’s Shams Charania.

Lue, a 43-year-old native Missourian, who played point guard for 11 NBA seasons, this past year served as an assistant under Rivers after spending parts of four seasons as the head coach in Cleveland, where he directed LeBron James-led teams to an NBA title and two other Finals appearances.

The Clippers should be one of the league’s best teams again next season. This is a great opportunity, and a coveted job. Congrats to Lue for reportedly landing it.