Timberwolves turnaround could take time

The Timberwolves finished this season with a 19-45 record, which in the Western Conference was only ahead of a very injured Warriors team that should certainly be far better in 2020-21. That leaves the Wolves at the bottom of the West, unless a dramatic roster shift happens. Here’s the St Paul Pioneer Press:

If no progression has been made, you could frame Year 1 of the Gersson Rosas campaign as a waste. Or you could say Rosas and Co. evaluated what they had last year, determined that wasn’t going to work, and decided it was necessary to start fresh with pieces this front office deemed a better fit with the desired direction of the franchise.

There are plenty of people out there who would say a core of D’Angelo Russell, Karl-Anthony Towns, potentially Malik Beasley and the No. 1 overall draft pick puts Minnesota ahead of where it was last October. There are plenty of others who look at another year of evaluation and development and ask, “are we really going to have to watch another year of this?” …

The Wolves like some of what they’ve seen in Jarrett Culver, Naz Reid, Jaylen Nowell, Jordan McLaughlin and Jarred Vanderbilt. What can they count on them to contribute in 2021? To be determined. It’s tough to see this roster contending for much soon.

For now, it seems like the Timberwolves should consider all possibilites in their rebuild. As talented as Towns and Russell are, no one on the roster should be deemed untouchable.

Atlanta Hawks hire Landry Fields as Assistant General Manager

The Atlanta Hawks hire Landry Fields today, naming him Assistant General Manager. In his role, Fields will work in all areas of basketball operations with a specific focus on bolstering player relations, scouting and strategic planning.

Fields, 32, joins the Hawks after four seasons as part of the San Antonio Spurs franchise. Last season, he was promoted to General Manager of the Spurs G League affiliate, the Austin Spurs, after working three seasons as a college scout. The Austin Spurs held a 24-18 record (.571) at the stoppage of the 2019-20 season and played an integral role in providing development opportunities to recent San Antonio draft picks.

The 39th overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft, Fields played five seasons in the NBA, averaging 6.8 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 23.6 minutes over 255 career games with the New York Knicks and Toronto Raptors. He was named an All-Rookie First Team selection in 2011 and participated in the Rising Stars Challenge game during All-Star Weekend in both his rookie and second seasons.

“Landry has quickly risen through the ranks, bringing a unique combination of playing experience, sharp eye for player development and strong skills as a communicator,” Hawks President of Basketball Operations and General Manager Travis Schlenk said. “He will be a welcome addition to our group.”

As a rookie with the Knicks in 2010-11, Fields started 81 of 82 games, averaging 9.7 points on .497 shooting (.393 from three-point range), 6.4 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 31.0 minutes per game. He followed his rookie season with averages of 8.8 points on .460 shooting, 4.2 rebounds and 2.6 assists in 28.7 minutes in 66 games (62 starts) played during the lockout-shortened season. He played his final three seasons with the Toronto Raptors where he was limited to 107 games (33 starts) due to injuries.

Fields played four years at Stanford University (2006-10), where he earned a degree in communications. As a senior, he led the Pac-10 in scoring and rebounding (22.0 points and 8.8 rebounds per game) while earning USBWA All-District IX Team and first-team NABC Division I All-District 20 honors in addition to being named the Pac-10 Scholar-Athlete of the Year.

Sixers and Kings reportedly interested in coach Alvin Gentry as an assistant

There’s movement in NBA coaching ranks these days. The Sixers have reportedly agreed to make Doc Rivers their new head coach. Here’s the Sacramento Bee on jobs one former head coach may be offered:

The Kings are reportedly considering former New Orleans Pelicans head coach Alvin Gentry for a top job on Luke Walton’s coaching staff.

A source told The Philadelphia Enquirer’s Keith Pompey the Philadelphia 76ers are seriously considering hiring Gentry as an assistant to new head coach Doc Rivers. The same source revealed Gentry is also in the running to become associate head coach of the Kings.

The most interesting head coaching news in recent weeks might be former NBA star point guard Steve Nash getting the Nets’ head coaching job. Brooklyn’s roster is loaded with talent, and watching how Nash manages the rotation and what sort of schemes he comes up with will be loads of fun.

LeBron James highlights lack of jealousy between him and Anthony Davis

Plenty of players have reason to be jealous of LeBron James. He’s got a bunch of NBA championships. He’s been to the Finals a zillion times. He never has to wait on line at da club. Things are good. And he’s happy to say that things are also good between him and star teammate Anthony Davis. The OC Register:

On Thursday afternoon between Games 1 and 2 of the Finals, James was asked what common ground has allowed his relationship with Anthony Davis to flourish. The 35-year-old four-time MVP understands the weight of his words – he pursed his lips just a moment before diving into his answer.

“We’re not jealous of each other,” he said. “I think that’s the best thing.” …

James said their relationship runs counter to what many believe “alphas” on sports teams do: inherently battle for dominance.

“I believe jealousy creeps in a lot, and that is the absolute contrary of what we are,” James said. “We know who we are. We know what we’re about. We want the best, seriously, every single day, both on and off the floor, for one another.”

The Lakers lead the Heat 1-0 in the 2020 NBA Finals. Game 2 is Friday night.

Doc Rivers reportedly lands new head coaching job with 76ers

Former Clippers head coach Doc Rivers was without a job for just a handful of days. He’s reportedly set to take that same job over in Philly for the 76ers. Here’s the LA Times reporting:

Former Clippers coach Doc Rivers, who unexpectedly parted ways with the Clippers earlier this week, has accepted a job to coach the Philadelphia 76ers, according to sources with knowledge of the deal.

Rivers rapidly became a favorite of Philadelphia after unexpectedly entering the pool of candidates looking for work. He’ll be reunited with Tobias Harris while inheriting Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid.

Philadelphia fired coach Brett Brown, who shepherded the team through “The Process” years but who was also unable to have postseason success. The 76ers were swept in the first round of the playoffs by Boston.

For Rivers, it’ll be the fourth team he’s coached since taking over the Orlando Magic in 1999. He’s not had a season off since.

The Sixers are in a tricky situation. Their roster remains a complicated chemistry experiment. All key players on the squad are signed at least through next season, so the core remains Ben Simmons, Josh Richardson, Tobias Harris, Al Horford and Joel Embiid. There’s big talent in that group of names, but there are also big contracts, especially those of Harris and 34-year-old Horford. Trading either of those two players will be tough, but that’s what may have to happen. If it doesn’t, keep an eye on lineups Rivers uses, because they may not be what is expected.

Kendrick Nunn will likely play increased role for Heat in NBA Finals

The Lakers lead the Heat 1-0 in the NBA Finals, and Miami has some injury concerns. One of which could result in guard Kendrick Nunn getting more minutes than previously planned. The OC Register:

Already, the Eastern Conference’s fifth seed faced a precarious uphill push against the Lakers, the top seed out of the West. But the climb got steeper Wednesday, when three of their stars were banged up in a 116-98 Game 1 throttling in the bubble in Lake Buena Vista, Florida.

Starting guard Goran Dragic is doubtful to play in Game 2 on Friday with a torn plantar fascia in his left foot, and dynamic big man Bam Adebayo also is listed as doubtful after a MRI revealed a neck strain…

And they’ll likely also turn to rookie Kendrick Nunn, who provided a spark Wednesday, hitting 8 of his 11 shots for 18 points in 19 second-half minutes.

Heat Coach Erik Spoelstra said he enjoyed Nunn’s gutsy performance in his Finals debut not only because it offered a reeling Heat team a glimmer of hope, but because of what it meant for the 25-year-old Rookie of the Year runner-up.

Nunn proved quite capable of starting for the Heat. He did it all season long, before an injury reversed things in the playoffs.

New Bulls GM says focus is on getting team back to relevance

The Chicago Bulls have a new general manager and a new head coach, and both of them have a lot of work ahead. Here’s the Chicago Sun-Times:

For the first time in years, talking to a Bulls general manager didn’t resemble an encounter with a used-car salesman who had just sold you a lemon.

But Marc Eversley isn’t naïve, either. All the ebullience that comes from having a new GM in place won’t mean a thing if this regime makeover doesn’t deliver. Gar Forman is gone, but Bulls fans’ high expectations remain.

Eversley said that’s just how the new front office likes it.

“We’re definitely trying to bring this team back to relevance, absolutely,’’ Eversley said Wednesday during a Zoom call with media. “This is the Chicago Bulls; it’s an iconic brand. There’s a tremendous amount of history. . . . It’s a responsibility, and we’ve embraced that.

“We made a gigantic leap in terms of making a commitment to the fan base by getting a coach with the qualities of a Billy Donovan. We’ve talked a lot about this not being a rebuild. We’re looking to retool this thing, and we think Billy is going to put us in a great position to do that in the foreseeable future.

‘‘So, yeah, there’s a little bit of pressure as far as responsibility in getting this franchise back to relevance, but we embrace that. We embrace that on a daily basis, and some of the decisions we’ve made on a daily basis kind of reflect that.’’

Lakers win big in NBA Finals Game 1, beat Heat 116-98

OC Register: “Your team just got walloped in the opening game of the NBA Finals, with injuries to three of your stars added to the insult — what can you say? “Right now, it doesn’t really matter what you say,” Miami Heat Coach Erik Spoelstra said after his team dropped Game 1, 116-98, a margin that doesn’t reflect how lopsided it was. “We get to work and get together tomorrow.” The most pressing problem for the Heat has to do with personnel. Big man Bam Adebayo played only 21 minutes before he left the game with a left shoulder strain and Jimmy Butler was hobbled much of the time with a sprained left ankle.”

OC Register: “Most concerning: Standout guard Goran Dragic reportedly suffered a torn plantar fascia in his left foot, likely when he’d dribbled into the lane looking to score.”

OC Register: “Kendrick Nunn was the lone bright spot on a dim night for Miami. The Rookie of the Year runner-up, whose playing time has been limited in the bubble after recovering from having the coronavirus and subsequently leaving the NBA campus for a personal reason unrelated to the disease.
But in Dragic’s stead, he looked more comfortable than the Lakers would have liked, finishing with 18 points in 19 minutes on 8-of-11 shooting.”

South Florida Sun Sentinel: “Miami Heat guard Goran Dragic received a preliminary diagnosis of a torn plantar fascia in his left foot after leaving in the second quarter of Wednesday night’s 116-98 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 1 of the NBA Finals… While cortisone injections could make it possible to return to the series, which continues with Friday’s 9 p.m. Game 2, Dragic is an impending free agent, which could factor into the approach.”

LA Times: “The Lakers are too big: They outrebounded the Heat by 18. The Lakers are too unselfish:They passed their way into so many open three-pointers that they made 11 of 17 at one point. The Lakers are too deep: They came back from that early deficit with LeBron James on the bench. And the Lakers are too, too much Anthony Davis, and who wants to bet he becomes the Finals MVP in his first try? Davis had 34 points, nine rebounds and made all 10 of his free throws. He scored 11 points in the first quarter when the Lakers most needed him and never slowed.”

OC Register: “It wasn’t just Anthony Davis, because he routinely picks on people his own size. It was LeBron James finding himself guarded by Tyler Herro and Duncan Robinson (0-for-3), who must have felt like lion tamers carrying hamburger meat. Kyle Kuzma (6-foot-8) had free passage throughout the court, and when Miami tried to gang up on James and Davis, the Lakers just pushed the 3-point button and activated Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Danny Green. Lakers coach Frank Vogel went with his usual two-big lineup, with Dwight Howard starting alongside Davis, because he knew Miami would run out of footage before it went to the bench. At that point either Davis or Markieff Morris (6-foot-8) would be able to handle the center spot.”

Miami Herald: “The Lakers’ All-Star duo of LeBron James and Davis combined for 59 points, 22 rebounds and 14 assists. James finished with 25 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists. The Heat’s All-Star duo of Butler and Adebayo combined for 31 points, six rebounds and five assists. Butler was Miami’s best player Wednesday, finishing with 23 points on 8-of-13 shooting from the field and 2-of-4 shooting on threes, two rebounds and five assists.”

Miami Herald: “The Heat shot just 11 of 35 (31.4 percent) from three-point range in Game 1. Crowder (4 of 7 on threes) and Butler (2 of 4 on threes) combined to shot 6 of 11 from behind the arc. Heat sharpshooter Duncan Robinson finished 0 of 3 from deep and rookie Tyler Herro was 2 of 8 on threes.”

LA Times: “With 1:23 left in the game, the Lakers had a 17-point lead and substituted in Jared Dudley, Quinn Cook and JR Smith. James sat on the bench covered in towels, then got up to shake hands with each of his teammates as the clock expired. “We always guard against [complacency], but in particular because of how much respect we have for this basketball team,” Lakers coach Frank Vogel said. “We have great respect for those guys. We know that this is just one win. We’re happy that we got one win, but obviously we have to keep our foot on the gas.”

Goran Dragic injures foot in NBA Finals Game 1 Heat loss to Lakers

The Lakers won NBA Finals Game 1 in convincing fashion, and to make matters worse for the Heat, at least one of their key players suffered a real injury. One that can possibly be played through, but even so, it’s a tough situation. Here’s the Sun Sentinel on it:

Miami Heat guard Goran Dragic received a preliminary diagnosis of a torn plantar fascia in his left foot after leaving in the second quarter of Wednesday night’s 116-98 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.

According to a league source, the Heat were considering options going forward with the 34-year-old point guard who went into Wednesday’s game leading the Heat with a 20.9-point playoff scoring average.

While cortisone injections could make it possible to return to the series, which continues with Friday’s 9 p.m. Game 2, Dragic is an impending free agent, which could factor into the approach.

The Heat started strong in Game 1. Then the Lakers woke up, took a late first quarter lead, and never looked back. Dragic, a former All-Star, came off the bench as a super-sub this season, but has been starting in the playoffs. He’s a key part of the squad.

No surprise: Miami Heat doing well in NBA jersey sales since league restart

The Heat are having themself a year. On the court, and in the jersey sales department. Here’s the Miami Herald:

The Heat ranks fourth in team merchandise sales at NBAStore.com since the league restarted the season (from July 30 through Monday), the NBA announced Wednesday.

It marks the first time the Heat has been in the top five in team merchandise sales since the final season of the Big 3 era in 2014, when the roster included Chris Bosh, LeBron James and Dwyane Wade.

The Heat also has a player ranked in the league’s top 10 on the jersey sales list. All-Star forward Jimmy Butler ranks 10th, which was also determined based on NBAStore.com sales from July 30 through Monday.

And the South Florida Sun Sentinel:

The only teams with greater sales over that period were, in order, the Los Angeles Lakers, Boston Celtics and Chicago Bulls. The Heat and Lakers are playing for the NBA title in the league’s quarantine setting at Disney World, with the NBA Finals opening Wednesday.

Rounding out the Top 10 in team-merchandise sales, in order, were the Golden State Warriors, Toronto Raptors, Dallas Mavericks, Milwaukee Bucks, Portland Trail Blazers and Denver Nuggets.

Butler has a tall task ahead, especially if he winds up being the guy to guard Lakers superstar LeBron James in these Finals.

We’ll know in a few hours. Heat vs. Lakers NBA Finals Game 1 is tonight at 9 p.m. ET on ABC TV.