Mavericks forward Kristaps Porzingis undergoes knee surgery

The Dallas Mavericks announced today that Kristaps Porzingis underwent surgery to address a lateral meniscus injury of his right knee. Porzingis suffered the injury in Game 1 of the Mavericks’ opening-round series against the L.A. Clippers on Aug. 17.

Porzingis will begin rehab immediately and there is no timetable set at this time.

Injuries are now a concern for Porzingis, who is signed to a huge contract through the 2023-24 season. He reportedly has a player option for that last season.

Per ESPN.com, “Porzingis sat out a season and a half after tearing the ACL in his left knee in February 2018 in what ended up being his final game for the New York Knicks.”

He’s a huge part of what was the best offense in the NBA last season. Young superstar Luka Doncic led the Mavs in scoring at 28.8 points per game, Porzingis was second at 20.4 PPG, and guard Tim Hardaway Jr. was third with 15.8 PPG.

Goran Dragic remains out for Heat in NBA Finals

While the Lakers have been without starting guard Avery Bradley throughout the 2020 NBA playoffs, the Heat will still be without guard Goran Dragic, who came off the bench as a super-sub during the regular season but had been a starter in this postseason. Here’s the Miami Herald reporting:

It looks like the Miami Heat will continue to play without starting guard Goran Dragic on Friday.

Dragic has been ruled out for Game 5 of the NBA Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers because of a torn plantar fascia in his left foot, according to a report from The Athletic’s Shams Charania. League sources confirmed to the Miami Herald that the expectation is that Dragic would miss his fourth consecutive game because of the injury.

The Heat are down 3-1 to the Lakers in the Finals, with Game 5 tipping off in a few hours.

Should the Sixers pursue shooting guard Buddy Hield?

Should the Sixers chase shooting guard Buddy Hield? The idea is just an idea and not a real rumor just yet, as far as we know. But a fan is asking the question to the Philly Voice. The response:

Buddy Hield’s name is going to come up a lot this offseason and for good reason. But I would agree people have been a little overzealous talking about him like he would be the Sixers’ version of Klay Thompson or something.

Let’s start with the positives. Though he fell out of favor with Kings coach Luke Walton last season, there is almost zero doubt Hield’s shooting would translate to any team he plays for. Hield knocked down 39.4 percent of his threes on almost 10 attempts per game, a number that rises to 41.3 percent when you focus strictly on catch-and-shoot threes. On the Sixers, Hield wouldn’t need to do much, if any self-creation, and Doc Rivers has a history of making the most out of guys who can shoot on the move like Hield can.

For the amount of money he’s going to be making — and Hield’s $94 million extension doesn’t kick in until next season — you would just hope Hield could offer something more than shooting prowess. I would agree that he’s not very good defensively despite having the size to be at least average, and he’s not offering you much creation for himself or others.

A big question regarding the Sixers is how they’ll be using Ben Simmons going forward. Should he continue at point guard, where he has a big size advantage, but while lacking an ability to stretch the defense due to his limited shooting range? Or should they make him a point-forward, and stick another shooter in the backcourt?

The answer to this question will help determine who the Sixers should go after in trade or the free agent market this offseason.

Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo speak on tomorrow’s NBA Finals Game 5

A pair of Miami Heat stars said all the right things going into tomorrow’s NBA Finals Game 5. Here’s the Miami Herald on it:

History is not on the Miami Heat’s side, but players and coaches remain confident.

Trailing the Los Angeles Lakers 3-1 in the NBA Finals, the Heat faces an elimination game for the first time this postseason in Game 5 on Friday (9 p.m., ABC).

“We all believe that we can get this thing done,” Heat All-Star wing Jimmy Butler said Thursday, with a two-day pause between Tuesday’s Game 4 and Friday’s Game 5. “Ain’t nobody going home yet. We’re still here.”

Heat All-Star center Bam Adebayo said: “We’ve got a chance. We still believe. They’re writing us off. Everybody is doubting us. But as long as the people in the locker room and all of our coaching staff have belief in us, that’s all that matters.”

Of course, it’s no surprise that players are speaking positively about their situation in a playoff series. But it’s always interesting to see exactly what players have to say about it. This Heat squad has proven its ability to compete with any team in the league. They do have to take it game-by-game.

As of today, it still sounds like Heat guard Goran Dragic won’t play in Game 5, but of course we’ll monitor that tomorrow.

Clippers’ Lawrence Frank wins 2019-20 NBA Basketball Executive of the Year award

The NBA announced that LA Clippers President of Basketball Operations Lawrence Frank has been named the 2019-20 NBA Basketball Executive of the Year.

“L is a passionate, dedicated, and selfless leader. I am proud of the work he and his group are doing, and thrilled his peers feel the same way,” said Steve Ballmer, Clippers Chairman. “This award is a great tribute to the hard work done by the entire front office, including our General Manager Michael Winger, Assistant GMs Mark Hughes and Trent Redden, and consultant Jerry West. Together, they have worked to develop every facet of our basketball operations department.”

Frank received 10 of 29 first-place votes and earned 61 total points from a panel of team basketball executives throughout the NBA. Oklahoma City Thunder Executive Vice President and General Manager Sam Presti finished in second place with 41 points (four first-place votes), followed by Miami Heat President Pat Riley in third place with 39 points (four first-place votes).

Executives were awarded five points for each first-place vote, three points for each second-place vote and one point for each third-place vote. The voting was conducted based on regular-season games played through March 11. The seeding games, which were played July 30 – Aug. 14 as part of the season restart, did not count toward voting for the NBA Basketball Executive of the Year Award or the league’s other traditional end-of-season awards.

Frank assembled a roster that posted a 44-20 record in games played through March 11, the second-best mark in the Western Conference. Using 29 different starting lineups in 64 games during that period, the Clippers relied on their depth to earn a playoff berth for the eighth time in the last nine seasons.

With Frank leading the Basketball Operations department, LA’s roster for the 2019-20 season took shape in July 2019 with the signing of two-time Bill Russell NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Kawhi Leonard as a free agent and the acquisition of six-time NBA All-Star Paul George in a trade with the Thunder.

In games played through March 11, Leonard averaged 26.9 points, 7.3 rebounds and 5.0 assists and George averaged 21.0 points, 5.7 rebounds and 3.9 assists. Leonard, a two-time Kia NBA Defensive Player of the Year, and George, a four-time NBA All-Defensive Team selection, helped the Clippers rank fifth in the NBA in defensive rating in games played through March 11 – up from a season-ending ranking of 19th last season.

Other moves last offseason included re-signing starting guard Patrick Beverley, starting center Ivica Zubac and forward JaMychal Green. Frank and the Clippers also moved to bolster the roster during the 2019-20 season, acquiring starting forward Marcus Morris Sr. from the New York Knicks as part of a three-team trade on Feb. 6 and signing guard Reggie Jackson on Feb. 20 after he was waived by the Detroit Pistons.

Frank joined the Clippers as an assistant coach in 2014. He stayed in that role for two seasons before moving into the front office as Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations in 2016. Frank was promoted to President of Basketball Operations in August 2017. His NBA tenure includes head coaching stints with the Pistons and New Jersey Nets and assistant coaching roles with the Nets, Vancouver Grizzlies and Boston Celtics.

Steve Kerr has funny reaction to idea of Warriors playing like Rockets

Before you read this, be clear that this appears to be a light-hearted, not-that-serious conversation.

With that disclaimer in place, enjoy this from the San Francisco Chronicle:

Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr respects what Houston Rockets guard James Harden does on the court, but has no interest in modeling his team’s offense after the former MVP’s style of play.

While appearing on The TK Show podcast with The Athletic’s Tim Kawakami, Kerr spoke about not “reinventing the wheel” with a fully healthy Dubs roster next season.

“We’re still going to be the Warriors,” he said. “We’re not going to all of a sudden turn into the Rockets and change our offense and have one guy go high pick-and-roll 70 times a game.”

When Kawakami responded with a joke that Kerr should upend his offensive philosophy and embrace isolation basketball, Kerr responded, “I think I would resign first.”

Of course, the Rockets play like they do in part because they have no forwards or centers that actually create their own offense. So for them, it makes sense to have James Harden, with help from Russell Westbrook, create practically everything. The Warriors are certainly guard-heavy in the talent and scoring department, but Draymond Green’s passing ability is a weapon, and although his scoring ability is limited, he’s still useful and versatile on the offensive side of the floor. He’s also not as good a three-point shooter as someone like Rockets forward PJ Tucker, so stashing Green in the corner for him to only shoot threes would be a waste of Green’s talents.

On what a Chris Paul trade to the Knicks might look like

Should the Knicks be interested in a legendary point guard who is past his prime and at the tail end of his NBA career? Probably not. But if the team does pursue this deal, here’s what it may look like, per the New York Post:

If Knicks president Leon Rose takes the leap for 35-year-old Chris Paul, he may have to give up on Kevin Knox, according to an NBA source.

The Thunder are motivated to deal Paul and his massive contract after deciding upon a rebuilding campaign following Billy Donovan’s firing. Oklahoma City general manager Sam Presti likely will want a first-round pick and a young prospect still on his rookie contract, multiple league officials believe.

According to the source, that young player preferably would be Knox, the ninth pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, who is coming off a disappointing sophomore campaign.

The Knicks have a trove of first-round picks to deal (seven first-round picks in the next four drafts). The belief, however, is that they would prefer to keep the 20-year-old Knox in any Paul scenario and offer up either of their 2017 lottery-pick point guards, Frank Ntilikina or Dennis Smith Jr., both of whom will be restricted free agents in 2021.

We don’t see how it makes any sense for the Knicks to pursue CP3 at this time in their rebuild, especially if it means giving up any first round draft picks.

New Bulls head coach Billy Donovan says first up is film-watching

Former Thunder head coach Billy Donovan recently landed the Chicago Bulls’ head coaching job. Chicago Sun-Times on him as he settles in to his new job:

Billy Donovan is about to do his best to make this roster excuse proof.

There will be no more, ‘’They took away my mid-range,’’ “This new offense has been a big change,’’ or “My arms are sore from practice pushups,’’ coming from players.

The new Bulls head coach isn’t into making players change their strengths to fit his system. Instead, he will build a system that fits what this roster does well.

Refreshing?

Well, more like actually just what a good coach does.

“The first thing I’ll do is watch a lot of film,’’ Donovan said recently, when discussing the transition he will be making in his new gig. “I think being in the league for five years, even though we’re playing in the West, you’re playing Chicago twice so you have a feel for some of those guys. But I also think too, one of the things I’ve always felt like is important when you’re building out different things offensively is I think you’ve got to spend time with players to let me hear from them how do they want to be used. How do they feel like they’re most effective? What are things they feel most comfortable doing? How can you take advantage of their skillset and their offense? And I think you go through that with the players and talking to them and getting their opinions and their thoughts.

“And then you build out from there of how you want to play.’’

Beyond Donovan and the Bulls, it would be fascinating to learn more about how players say they feel they should be used and what coaches actually do with them. It’s safe to say that most NBA players have a firm understanding on what they’re best at on a basketball court. The hard part comes after they’ve named their obvious best attribute or two.

Donovan has a tough job ahead of him. The roster he’s dealing with needs work.

Pelicans guard Jrue Holiday wins 2019-20 Teammate of the Year Award

NBA players have selected New Orleans Pelicans guard Jrue Holiday as the recipient of the 2019-20 Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year Award, the NBA announced today.

The award, presented annually since the 2012-13 season, recognizes the player deemed the best teammate based on selfless play, on- and off-court leadership as a mentor and role model to other NBA players, and commitment and dedication to team.

More than 250 NBA players submitted their votes for the 2019-20 Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year Award through confidential balloting conducted by the league office. NBA players determined the winner from among the 12 nominees who were selected by a panel of league executives.

Holiday received 53 of 267 first-place votes and finished with 1,041 total points. Philadelphia 76ers forward Tobias Harris (806 points; 48 first-place votes) and Milwaukee Bucks forward Kyle Korver (796 points; 26 first-place votes) finished in second and third place, respectively. Players were awarded 10 points for each first-place vote, seven points for each second-place vote, five points for each third-place vote, three points for each fourth-place vote and one point for each fifth-place vote.

In addition to Holiday, Harris and Korver, the other finalists were Dallas Mavericks guard J.J. Barea, Denver Nuggets forward Torrey Craig, Los Angeles Lakers forward Jared Dudley, Miami Heat forward Udonis Haslem, Boston Celtics forward Gordon Hayward, Toronto Raptors forward-center Serge Ibaka, Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard, San Antonio Spurs guard Patty Mills and Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner.

Holiday, 30, has spent the last seven seasons with New Orleans after playing his first four seasons with Philadelphia. The 6-3 guard was selected as an NBA All-Star in the 2012-13 season and named to the NBA All-Defensive Team in 2017-18 and 2018-19. In the 2019-20 season, he averaged 19.1 points, 6.7 assists, 4.8 rebounds and 1.62 steals in 61 games across regular-season games and seeding games.

In July, Holiday announced that he would use the remainder of his 2019-20 season salary to start a social justice fund with his wife, Lauren, a former player for the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team. The Jrue and Lauren Holiday Social Justice Impact Fund is designed to address socioeconomic inequalities across communities in New Orleans, the Los Angeles area and Indianapolis. Jrue and Lauren are Los Angeles and Indianapolis natives, respectively, and Jrue’s two brothers, Aaron and Justin, both play for the Pacers.

Will Suns target Fred VanVleet, Jerami Grant in free agency?

The Suns failed to make the playoffs this season, but won all eight of their games in the Disney NBA bubble, have a talented young core, and have every reason to be excited for next year’s prospects. Here’s the Arizona Republic mentioning two players they might want to consider targeting in free agency this offseason:

Around $20 million a year.

That’s what the Toronto Raptors could pay point guard Fred VanVleet to stay in O Canada and still have a “maximum salary slot for 2021,” the Toronto Star wrote last month.

Up to $16 million a year.

That’s how much Denver Nuggets power forward Jerami Grant could command as he can opt out of his contract, The Denver Post reported last week.

Phoenix is reportedly interested in both, but probably couldn’t land the two even if they made major moves starting with trading Kelly Oubre Jr.

And some more on VanVleet:

Talent should translate, but you’re asking someone who can be a starting point guard for several teams, including the one he’s on, to play behind veteran Ricky Rubio.

Could see VanVleet finishing games, though. He’d allow Booker to play off the ball and make teams pay for doubling Booker.

Wonder if Rubio would be willing to come off the bench?

Suns free agents this offseason include Aron Baynes and Dario Saric. When healthy, Baynes definitely helped. He’ll turn 34 years old this December, so if he does return it would likely be on a short-term contract.

The rest of the core roster — Booker, Rubio, Kelly Oubre, Deandre Ayton and friends — will be back.

The team is on the rise.