More on the Knicks starting lineup

The Knicks starting lineup this season can’t be predicted right now. Not if what new head coach Dave Fizdale is saying will hold up, that the five starting jobs really are up for grabs. Of course, Kristaps Porzingis, when fully healthy, is expected to be a core starter. As for the rest of the team? Here’s the New York Post with more on this:

Tim Hardaway Jr. said he believes coach David Fizdale will make the right call on starters and won’t play favorites. Fizdale has opened up the competition for all five spots.

On the surface, Hardaway has an advantage, having known Fizdale for longer than any other Knick. Fizdale was first Miami’s video coordinator in 1997-98 when Hardaway’s father, Tim Sr., played for the Heat. And Tim Sr. was a scout for the team when Fizdale became a Heat assistant.

It would be an upset if the $71 million man isn’t starting at shooting guard opening night versus Atlanta on Oct. 17, but the 26-year-old Hardaway won’t win the job because of the close relationship between Fizdale and Hardaway’s father.

“He doesn’t show any favoritism to myself, treats everybody equal out here on the floor,’’ Hardaway said. “Growing up, knowing Fiz, going back to the days of my dad playing with the Heat, Pat Riley, he knew when I was out here running on the court as a little kid. Me going back after college, during college, and watching the Heat in the playoffs, saying a few words [to him]. It was just mutual respect.”

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Tomas Satoransky feels ready to do big things for Wizards

Wizards shooting guard Tomas Satoransky is 6-foot-7, 210 pounds, will turn 27 years old a few weeks into the upcoming regular season, and was taken in the second round of the 2012 NBA draft. He received limited minutes as a rookie in 2016-17, but last season averaged 7.2 points, 3.2 rebounds and 3.9 assists in 22.5 minutes per game, shooting 52.3% from the field. Solid numbers for a backup only in his second NBA season, though age-wise he should be approaching his prime any season now. Perhaps this one. Here’s NBC Sports Washington reporting:

The Wizards clearly wanted to see more from him last season and he took that to heart.

“That’s what these two years have taught me, never be sure of your situation or position,” Satoransky told NBC Sports Washington. “On the other hand, I feel very confident now. I also feel confident knowing how things go and how I can be patient when I’m not playing. I still have to work hard, which I do every time. But I feel confident knowing everything and there is a big difference coming into something where you have no idea what’s going to happen.”

The Wizards explained their decisions to bring in other point guards, a process which also included trading for Tim Frazier last summer and signing Ramon Sessons in March, as not an indication of Satoransky’s shortcomings. Instead, they wanted him to develop at other positions and use his athletic 6-foot-7 frame in other ways.

Head coach Scott Brooks even mentioned this after Wednesday’s training camp practice.

“Tomas, he is very versatile. He can play a lot of different positions on both ends of the court. We have to use that,” Brooks said.

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On Lakers training camp

NBA training camps quickly lead to preseason games. Really, all of preseason can and should be thought of as one collective training camp. Still, teams have a lot to accomplish in the brief time they have between formally beginning camp and playing preseason games. As for the Lakers, here’s the Daily Breeze with some notes:

The Lakers have only five days of camp this year before playing Sunday, which doesn’t leave much time for the team bonding activities of years past. But Walton said the Lakers are looking for opportunities: Last year, they did an Escape Room on the road. They’ll likely do something comparable as they go to San Diego, Las Vegas and San Jose for this year’s preseason.

“There is a break in between right before the regular season starts,” he said, “where if we are up to speed to where we want to be and able to, we will find something fun to do as a group.”

Walton said he’s treating the preseason games as part of training camp, so it’s probable that James and other players with big roles will have truncated minutes in the contests. James said he didn’t expect to play “a bunch” of minutes but that he would defer to Walton for his preseason workload.

Point guard Lonzo Ball participated in practice but did not play in the scrimmage. Walton said center Ivica Zubac (illness) wasn’t available, and sideline reporter Mike Trudell reported that rookie big man Moritz Wagner sat out as well.

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Danny Ainge discusses Kyrie Irving

Entering the 2018-19 season (preseason starts Friday!) the Celtics are the clear East favorites to reach the NBA Finals. But, the games must still be played. Nothing is automatic. A big thing for Boston is getting a healthy Kyrie Irving back in action, alongside of course Gordon Hayward, who missed roughly 99.9% of last season and is now good to go. Here’s Danny Ainge discussing Irving, as reported by the Boston Herald:

As for what he’s looking forward to most with Irving back from his knee maintenance issues that necessitated a second surgery when an infection was found, Ainge said, “I think just having Kyrie’s leadership around the whole year, having him be on the court. He did a lot of good things, like texting the players. He was the biggest cheerleader for Jaylen (Brown) and Jayson (Tatum) and Terry (Rozier) and Marcus (Smart/Morris) and all those guys last year when he wasn’t playing.

“But just having him on the court at the end of games is the thing I’m looking most forward to and having a guy that can beat switches and make shots and make lots of plays. He’s a very special player.”

Ainge is getting no additional pleasure from the fact Irving is talking more about his future in Boston beyond this season in recent interviews. This after being fairly coy about his plans after he does as expected and opts out of his deal next summer to sign a more lucrative and lengthy contract.

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Knicks starting spots wide open

Knicks head coach Dave Fizdale seems wide open to new ideas, including a possible total overhaul to the team’s starting lineup. Here’s the NY Post with more:

Knicks starting spots wide open

Enes Kanter and Tim Hardaway Jr., both starters last season, make significant salaries. Kanter will make $18.6 million in his final year and Hardaway Jr. has three years and $54 million left on his pact.

President Steve Mills lavished that $71 million deal on Hardaway Jr. in his first move after being promoted from general manager upon Phil Jackson’s dismissal.

On Tuesday, Fizdale threw all five jobs open.

“Didn’t I answer that question already?” Fizdale said with an edge after Wednesday’s first of two practice sessions. “No one is promised a starting position. I got freedom to do what I want to do from my bosses over there. So it’s open. Don’t matter if you make a lot of money or you make a little money. If you earn the spot you play. That’s it.”

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Heat, Timberwolves discussing a Jimmy Butler trade

Jimmy Butler wants out of Minnesota. The Timberwolves are looking into making it happen. Here’s the Miami Herald with the latest:

Heat, Timberwolves discussing a Jimmy Butler trade

The Heat and Minnesota Timberwolves continued discussing a trade involving disgruntled guard Jimmy Butler on Wednesday amid a New York Times report that Butler has informed the Timberwolves that he would prefer to be traded Miami.

The Heat, Wolves and other teams have discussed various permutations in the Heat’s aggressive pursuit of a trade for the four-time All-Star, who has asked for a trade and informed the Timberwolves that he would not re-sign with them as a free agent next summer.

An executive with another Eastern Conference team said he believes Miami is the leading contender for Butler but that wasn’t based on anything the Wolves have told him.

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Warriors taking it slow with DeMarcus Cousins

The Warriors are the clear favorites to win another NBA championship, and now they have DeMarcus Cousins on board to help make that happen. But Cousins will spend a big chunk of the season regaining full health. The Warriors have no reason to rush him. Here’s NBC Sports Bay Area reporting:

DeMarcus “Boogie” Cousins, the Warriors’ most celebrated offseason addition, joined his new teammates Tuesday for the first official workout of training camp. And he wasn’t exactly an idol bystander.

“He did a lot of stuff before we started at 11,” coach Steve Kerr said. “We had a lot of action on the floor from about 9 to 11. All the young guys were on the floor at 9 o’clock, 9:30, and DeMarcus did a ton of movement stuff, court work, ball-handling and shooting stuff on his own.

“But he did not take part with the team. We’re just taking it slowly with him. But I don’t think it’ll be too long before he’s really taking part in practice. But for right now, it’s important that he gets his full workout.”

Whoa. The word “slowly” should be modified to the phrase “very, very slowly,” with no idea when Cousins might fully participate in practice.

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Klay Thompson impressed by Celtics

Every once in a while, an NBA player on a good team will actually name other good teams when asked. Not always. But here’s Boston.com reporting what Warriors SG Klay Thompson had to say:

The Celtics aren’t the only ones who like the team they’ve built in Boston.

Golden State Warriors shooting guard Klay Thompson is a fan, too.

“I like the team out East in Boston,” Thompson told ESPN during Warriors media day on Monday. “They’ve got a very nice young team. One through five, man, they’ve got a team that kind of mirrors ours, as far as their length, guys who can shoot and play defense, and an unselfish way about things. So, I think that they are going to be a team to reckon with.”

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On Dwight Howard and the Wizards

The Wizards center spot used to be manned by Marcin Gortat, but now the job belongs to Dwight Howard. What’s the realistic impact Dwight may have? Here’s NBC Sports Washington reporting:

On Dwight Howard and the Wizards

As the Wizards opened training camp this week at the Medstar Performance Center in Southeast Washington, head coach Scott Brooks’ first message to his team was about defense and how he believes they can make a significant leap this season. Part of his thinking is rooted in the fact they added Dwight Howard through free agency this summer, as Howard gives them a level of rim protection they have not enjoyed in years.

It also wasn’t that long ago that the Wizards were a top-shelf defensive team. When Washington first began making playoff runs with John Wall and Bradley Beal running the show, they were an above average team on defense. From the 2012-13 season through 2014-15, they were top 10 in points allowed.

Their roster has changed significantly from those days and some of their best defenders like Trevor Ariza moved on. But last year they were 15th in defensive rating and 15th in points allowed, and Brooks feels a jump into the top 10 isn’t out of the question.

Howard himself believes they can be even better than that.

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Pistons sign Chris McCullough

Pistons sign Chris McCullough

The Detroit Pistons signed forward Chris McCullough to their training camp roster today.

McCullough, 6-11, 200, has played in 59 career NBA games with the Brooklyn Nets and Washington Wizards. Last season, he averaged 2.4 points and 1.3 rebounds in 19 games with Washington. He also averaged 11.2 points and 6.4 rebounds in 12 games in the NBA G League with the Erie Bayhawks, Northern Arizona Suns and Wisconsin Herd last season.

McCullough was drafted 29th overall in the 2015 NBA Draft by the Brooklyn Nets. He played collegiately at Syracuse University where he averaged 9.3 points and 6.9 rebounds in 16 games.