Storyline: Carmelo Anthony Trade?
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Mark Berman: #Rockets announce they’ve completed the trade sending Carmelo Anthony to the Bulls. pic.twitter.com/wehqlWxBVM
Jonathan Feigen: Once the Carmelo Anthony trade can be complete, the Rockets will receive the rights to Tadijia Dragicevic. The Bulls will receive the rights to Marko Todorovic. Adjust your fantasy teams accordingly.
Tim Bontemps: Mike D’Antoni is frustrated about how Houston’s roster crunch because the league office wasn’t open today to process the Carmelo Anthony trade cost James Nunnally his roster spot. “It’s not right,” D’Antoni said.
Jonathan Feigen: Bulls made about $900,000 in the deal. Trade involves an exchange of draft rights of international players.
Bobby Marks: The cost for Chicago in taking back the Anthony contract is $675K: ($1,068,458 in salary- $393,342 in reimbursement from the NBA) The cash received from Houston will pay for (and then some) the Anthony salary. The Rockets had up to $2.1M to send in a trade.
Adrian Wojnarowski: Carmelo Anthony will not play a game for the Bulls, but it is possible that franchise holds off on waiving him until the trade deadline, league sources tell ESPN. Bulls could include him in a one-for-one trade, but can’t aggregate his contract in another deal.
KC Johnson: Like the MCW deal, Bulls expected to send heavily protected 2nd round pick that won’t convey to the Rockets. Anthony will fall into open roster spot briefly before being waived and Bulls receive cash.
Adrian Wojnarowski: The NBA office will not execute the trade today because it’s a holiday, league sources tell ESPN. To clear the way for Kenneth Faried to sign and play tonight in Philadelphia, Rockets had to waive to James Nunnally. Trade call on ‘Melo will likely be Tuesday.
Bobby Marks: The big winner of Carmelo Anthony traded to Chicago is the Atlanta Hawks. If Anthony is waived by the Bulls, Atlanta will receive a set-off of any additional salary that Anthony would sign for. The Hawks owed Anthony $25.5M as part of his buyout this summer.
Adrian Wojnarowski: The Houston Rockets have agreed to trade Carmelo Anthony and cash to the Chicago Bulls, league sources tell ESPN.
KC Johnson: Carmelo Anthony is unlikely to remain member of Bulls, per source.
Jonathan Feigen: Rockets will waive James Nunnally today to open the roster spot for Kenneth Faried. Were unable to deal Carmelo Anthony in time to open the roster spot, source said. Chance to bring Nunnally back once the spot opens, but that has not been determined, per source.
Albert Nahmad: Kenneth Faried is set to clear waivers at 5:00 pm EST today. If the Rockets want to sign him before tonight’s game, they’ll need to first clear a roster spot. If they can’t find a Carmelo Anthony trade in that span of time, they’ll just terminate James Nunnally’s 10-day contract.
Bobby Marks: Some finances re: Carmelo Anthony Salary owed by Houston: $214K (league picks up $881K balance) Houston tax savings w/trade: $2.647M Distribution lost per team by helping Houston: $60K Cash remaining to send: $2.1M
The Rockets are aggressively working to find a trade for the exiled Carmelo Anthony before Monday’s 5 p.m. ET deadline to clear a roster spot for Faried, league sources said.
Thunder coach Billy Donovan, whose team will play at the Garden on Monday afternoon, could never find a way to turn Anthony productive alongside Russell Westbrook and Paul George. Still, Donovan went to bat for his former player. “I think he can contribute. I think it’s based on what role teams need to fill and how can he help the team in that role,” Donovan said. “Every team may need something different. I don’t think you can necessarily put him in a role that’s going to be the same for every team. But he’s a smart enough guy, he’s a bright enough guy. I think winning is important enough to him.”
He never accepted his limitations and still viewed himself as an All-Star. At his next stop, he’ll have to come to grips with being a specialist. “I think for him, he’s obviously been an incredible isolation player and he’s been an incredible player in the mid-post,” Donovan said. “And I think with a lot of the analytic stuff, people look at that and say the game has passed him by because of the way he plays. … But the one thing about it, he’s been elite and great in the midrange for most of his career. He’s got a skillset that can certainly help some teams.”
Carmelo Anthony’s NBA career might not be over after all. According to two sources with knowledge of Anthony’s situation, the exiled 10-time All-Star who remains on the Houston Rockets roster has multiple options available and is expected to pick one before the Feb. 7 trade deadline. There is no clarity as to whether he would be traded in these scenarios or waived and subsequently signed, but there are strong signs that he will play in the NBA again.
The Lakers, who have a full roster and would have to waive someone to sign him if he was waived, continue to be tied to Anthony more than any other team. But according to a Lakers source, the fact that the roster is full is not a small obstacle. Not only is it unclear how they would clear the roster spot to add Anthony, or if there’s a possible trade to be made there with the Rockets, but a source close to James said Anthony’s conditioning and the overall state of his game are considered key factors here in terms of convincing the Lakers to add the player who had the worst season of his career with the Thunder and wasn’t any better with the Rockets.
The Wizards maintain they have no plans to pursue Anthony despite being mentioned last week as a potential destination for the former All-Star who grew up largely in Baltimore, Md.
The teams most often mentioned as potential landing spots for Anthony — Philadelphia and LeBron James’s Lakers — have resisted the idea thus far. Charlotte has likewise passed to date, despite rumbles that the Hornets would naturally consider him given Anthony’s long association through with the Hornets’ owner Michael Jordan through Jordan Brand.
Alykhan Bijani: Zhou Qi getting waived has nothing to do with Carmelo Anthony and his situation, per source. #Rockets still working on finding a solution on Melo, including possible trades or outright waiving him.
LeBron wants 'Melo in Los Angeles?
LeBron James would like to get Carmelo Anthony to Los Angeles with him on the Lakers, a league source told The Athletic. Anthony, 34, is estranged from the Houston Rockets – still on their payroll for the league-minimum $2.4 million but gone from the team after the two sides decided he was not a fit after just 10 games. He can’t be traded until at least Dec. 15, and sources said there had been no request made by James to Lakers president Magic Johnson or general manager Rob Pelinka to make a deal for his friend. Nor would there be.
But James and his camp still believe Anthony can play, that there could be a place for him as a contributor on a Lakers’ team that is young and continues to battle injuries. Brandon Ingram is the latest casualty. His sprained left ankle will keep him for at least the next two games.
In the coming days, it will become clear if any market still exists for Anthony, whether it’s L.A. or elsewhere. Multiple league executives questioned it to The Athletic. “Not really, no,” said one rival exec, granted anonymity to discuss the Lakers’ situation. “If LeBron really wants him, it might not matter. Magic should fight him on it. I know I would.”
Bobby Marks: Carmelo Anthony like most free agents signed this summer have a Dec. 15 trade restriction. Still a month away for Anthony to be moved in a deal.
Bobby Marks: The rules of CBA prohibits Atlanta and Oklahoma City from claiming, signing or trading for Carmelo Anthony. Atlanta is on the list because Anthony had his contract amended back in July.
Bobby Marks: Carmelo Anthony will not be waived until all conditions are met with the trade (reporting and passing a physical, except for Anthony). However, all three teams/players had a six day head start to get the ball rolling on the above conditions.
Royce Young: Something to note even though Thunder and Melo are going separate ways, OKC has deep appreciation for his professionalism/communication with them throughout the process.
Zach Lowe: The two sides haggled over protections on that pick, sources say. OKC pushed for top-20 protected, but ATL got friendlier protections (lottery protected) in the end — likely by rerouting Muscala to a third team instead of OKC.
David Aldridge: Sixers got involved with deal after Nemanja Bjelica pulled out of verbal agreement to sign with Philly. It left a need for another big/floor stretcher which @Mike Muscala (@PL_MBB !) can help fill. Career 38 percent shooter from three with Hawks.
Royce Young: Also of note: The Thunder created a $10.8 million trade exception in the Carmelo Anthony deal.
Keith Pompey: Multiple league sources said the three-team trade is not expected to be completed in the coming days. One of the sources said that’s because the #Sixers are working on another move.
The Hawks will have to waive Antonius Cleveland to make the deal work. Trade might not be made official for several days.
Oklahoma City was able to accomplish two things by trading Carmelo Anthony to Atlanta, improve the roster while saving $73M this season. The Thunder will now see their projected luxury tax bill drop from $150M to $88.8M, a savings of $62M.
In addition, Oklahoma City will save an additional $11M in salary savings with the Dennis Schroder $15.5M contract and the $1.5M cap hit of Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot. The Thunder now have a payroll of $148.7M, down from $159.6M.
As part of a three-team deal, the Oklahoma City Thunder have reached an agreement to trade forward Carmelo Anthony and a top-14 protected 2022 first-round draft pick to the Atlanta Hawks for guard Dennis Schroder, two people with knowledge of the situation told USA TODAY Sports.
The Hawks plan to waive Anthony, who will then become a free agent after he clears waivers. Atlanta has the ability to absorb Anthony’s contract, but the price for taking him off Oklahoma City’s roster was a first-round draft pick – a good move for Hawks general manager Travis Schlenk who is rebuilding the roster.
The Oklahoma City Thunder have agreed to trade Carmelo Anthony and a protected 2022 first-round pick to the Atlanta Hawks for point guard Dennis Schroder and Mike Muscala, league sources tell ESPN.
Royce Young: The pick the Thunder are sending the Hawks is 2022 lottery protected first rounder (1-14). If it doesn’t convey, it’ll become two second rounders.
Shams Charania: Sources: As part of multi-team Carmelo Anthony/Dennis Schröder deal, Atlanta’s Mike Muscala will go to Philadelphia, 76ers’ Timothé Luwawu-Cabarrot will be traded to Oklahoma City and 76ers’ Justin Anderson to Atlanta.
Adrian Wojnarowski: Oklahoma City has agreed to trade Carmelo Anthony and a protected 2022 first-round pick to Atlanta for point guard Dennis Schroder and Mike Muscala, league sources tell ESPN. Anthony will be waived, and he will join team of his choice. Rockets are frontrunner.
Chris Vivlamore: It’s a three team trade. Muscala will got to Philly. Justin Anderson will come to Hawks. Carmelo will be bought out. Won’t be a Hawk. Timothé Luwawu-Cabarrot will got to OKC.
Adrian Wojnarowski: Anthony will get his entire $27.9M in the buyout and waiver with Hawks. It could take a few days to work thru logistics on trade. ‘Melo met with Rockets and Heat in Las Vegas. Again, Rockets are the frontrunner.
Adrian Wojnarowski: Tremendous save for OKC: Thunder get massive salary and luxury tax savings — nearly $100M — w/o stretching Anthony’s $28M. That deal would’ve left $9M-plus on books next three years, so Schroder $15.5M per year becomes bargain — and an asset that could stay or be traded again.
Anthony and the Thunder are working in conjunction to part ways. The Thunder has until Aug. 31 to waive Anthony and stretch the $27.9 million he’s owed in the final season of his contract over three years.
Oklahoma City has until then to seek a trade with Anthony, and the Thunder is engaging in talks with teams. Anthony is waiving his no-trade clause, with the understanding that if he’s not sent to a team he approves, it’ll buy him out and make him a free agent.
In advance of an inevitable – if not imminent – parting, the Oklahoma City Thunder granted Carmelo Anthony permission to meet with prospective teams, including the Houston Rockets and Miami Heat, league sources told ESPN. Anthony and his representatives met with Rockets and Heat officials at the site of the NBA Summer League in recent days, league sources told ESPN.
The Thunder are working on trade scenarios where Anthony, 34, would be moved as an expiring contract and be waived, becoming a free agent once his $27.9 million 2017-18 salary clears waivers. Oklahoma City needs Anthony’s permission to waive his no-trade clause, which he has done to facilitate his exit, league sources said.
Thunder are working on trade scenarios where Anthony, 34, would be moved as an expiring contract and be waived, becoming a free agent once his $28M clears waivers. OKC needs the Anthony’s permission to waive no-trade clause, which he has done to facilitate his exit, sources said.
Tim Reynolds: Sources: Sam Presti has been in meetings “all day,” trying to bring some sort of resolution to the Carmelo Anthony saga. (And that should surprise no one, but it makes me wonder if the finish line is in sight.)
The Thunder could waive and stretch Anthony’s $27.9 million salary — saving the franchise $107 million in salary and tax — within the next 7-10 days should they be able unable to find a trade, league sources said. The Rockets will be a premium consideration for Anthony — along with the Miami Heat, league sources said.
Albert Nahmad: Lakers, Rockets and Heat are expected to have interest in Carmelo Anthony, per @Adrian Wojnarowski. All have roughly same amount to offer – anywhere from $2.4M minimum salary to around $5M, which in turn could be the range of a potential buyout with OKC if he were to have mutual interest.
Oklahoma City can use the stretch provision on Anthony’s $27.9 million contract to eliminate a staggering $107 million off the team’s 2018-19 payroll and tax bill, but the Thunder first plan to pursue trade possibilities with teams looking to acquire a massive expire deal to salary cap space in July 2019 free agency.
The stretch provision would slash $90 million in tax, dropping the Thunder’s bill from $150 million to $60 million. The stretch provision spreads Anthony’s salary annually onto the Thunder’s cap for $9.3 million over three years.
Thunder, Carmelo Anthony to part ways this summer
The massive financial implications of Anthony opting into his $27.9 million contract for the 2018-19 season — coupled with a mutual understanding that his scaled back role isn’t what he had signed up for to play with Oklahoma City — have dictated that the two sides will part ways sometime this summer, league sources told ESPN.
As the Oklahoma City Thunder navigate an historic $310 million payroll and luxury tax bill, the franchise’s front office is working through scenarios that will culminate in the inevitable this summer: An ending to the brief Carmelo Anthony partnership, which could deliver the Thunder over $100 million in cost savings.
Steve Kyler: Some Draft Scuttle from@New York – The Houston Rockets apparently are exploring a trade that would get them a mid-lottery pick. Rockets apparently tried to get players in for workouts yesterday and today.
What might be more pressing is the issue with Anthony. While the Thunder want to keep George long-term, they’d very much like to find a way to rid themselves of Anthony, who could not find a role with the team and did not inspire confidence with his unwillingness to sacrifice, highlighted by his insistence that he would not come off the bench.
Anthony, whom the Knicks traded away in September, has an opt-out for next season worth $28 million. Anthony, 33, said money may not be a deciding factor because he’s already made a ton in his career. “I’m going to reiterate one thing because it’s important,’’ Presti said Wednesday in a press conference. “His comments at the end of the year are not reflective of his approach this year. He put both feet into that. He has to decide if he wants to do another year of trying to be a stretch player.”
Eric Pincus: “Then I’ve had other people who have suggested that he’ll opt in and then accept a trade, because he has that no-trade clause. So Sam Presti would then have to find a trade for that $28 million, which is not an easy thing to do, because you have to match salaries.”
It doesn’t matter now, but Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni says he would have been fine with coaching Carmelo Anthony in Houston. “Oh yeah. We all get a little bit, hopefully, better at what we do. And it’s a whole different situation and we know that James (Harden) and Chris (Paul) are good friends (of Carmelo’s) so it’s a whole different thing,” D’Antoni said Monday. “Actually after New York, we went to USA Baskteball and we won a gold medal again so it’s not like it’s anything new.” Anthony and D’Antoni weren’t exactly on the same page at the end of D’Antoni’s Knicks tenure. D’Antoni acknowledged in an ESPN The Magazine story that he quit in 2012 after Anthony told the team it needed to choose between he and D’Antoni. Anthony’s preferred trade destination over the summer was Houston, but he ended up being dealt to Oklahoma City.
Carmelo Anthony: Thank you to All My Fans who supported me through Thick and Thin. And those who continued to support The Knicks regardless of the outcome. Thank You to Jim Dolan and the Knicks organization and all the hardworking people that don’t get the credit they deserve. And most importantly, Thank you to the City of New York for allowing me to represent OUR city. 7eace be with you
Carmelo Anthony: New York equipped me to make it in any other place in the world. It taught me how to Be Comfortable with Being Uncomfortable. Saying Goodbye is the hardest thing to do. I never thought I would, especially to you. No one will ever take your place. It’s hard to find someone like you, so know you will always be missed. You helped me laugh. You dried my tears. Because of you, I have no fears. You came into my life and I was blessed. It’s time to raise my hand and say goodbye. It’s not the end, because like I’ve always said, NYC ‘til the end.
The New York Knickerbockers announced today that the team has acquired center Enes Kanter, forward Doug McDermott and Chicago’s 2018 second-round draft pick from the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for forward Carmelo Anthony. “This is a deal we feel works for both this franchise and Carmelo. We thank him for his seven seasons in a Knicks uniform and all that he accomplished off the court for the City of New York by using his platform to address social issues,” President Steve Mills said. “We will continue to focus on this team looking forward towards the immediate and long-term future. As we have said recently, this is a new beginning for the New York Knicks.”
The team did not speak directly with Anthony before agreeing Saturday to a trade that would send center Enes Kanter, forward Doug McDermott and the Chicago Bulls’ 2018 second-round pick to the New York Knicks in exchange for the 10-time All-Star. Anthony moving to power forward, handling the ball less, becoming the third option — all of which seem like inevitabilities — is a natural understanding. That’s the Thunder’s hope, at least.
But Anthony picked Oklahoma City knowing the circumstances. He’s aware that reigning MVP Russell Westbrook, someone who actually might like shooting more than he does, still presides over the team. He just so happens to know four-time All-Star Paul George. He and Westbrook played an integral role in convincing Anthony to come join them in Oklahoma. He knows the deal, and he waived a no-trade clause to come to OKC en lieu of the big names already present, en lieu of the small market.
Fred Katz: VIDEO: Carmelo Anthony has officially landed in Oklahoma City.
Fred Katz: Saw some wondering: The Thunder did not add protections to the Chicago second-rounder they sent to the Knicks. Pick remains unprotected.
“Carmelo was a mentor to me,” Porzingis said. “He was a big brother from day one. I texted him to tell him I appreciated that I was able to learn from him. Having him around was important for me. I respect him a lot. I also told him that if he doesn’t bring his Rolls Royce with him, I’ll take care of it.”
The New York Knicks sought Tristan Thompson in a potential trade for Carmelo Anthony with the Cavaliers and were rebuffed, two sources told cleveland.com. The Knicks wanted Thompson, 26, a center who like James is represented by Rich Paul. The Cavs told them no. Thompson is under contract for three more seasons, beginning at $16.4 million this year. Cleveland was willing to do a deal that would’ve cleared some contracts off the books, such as sending Iman Shumpert ($11 million this year) and others.
As Paul George sat back in his dining room chair on Saturday afternoon, a gray Nike shirt on his back and the Carmelo Anthony trade on his mind, he pondered what it all meant for an Oklahoma City Thunder team that has recovered so nicely from the loss of Kevin Durant last summer. “This feels like a championship team,” George told USA TODAY Sports. “I’m in a good place. I know Russ (Westbrook) is in a good place. Melo is motivated more than ever…You put us three together, who all have something to prove still, (and) we’re going to be a special team.”
Kristaps Porzingis has volunteered to care for Carmelo Anthony’s Rolls Royce should Anthony decide not to bring his luxury automobile to Oklahoma City. As for the franchise Carmelo is leaving behind, Porzingis is confident that the Knicks are in good hands as well. “I am ready for the challenge,” Porzingis told the Daily News in his first interview since returning to the United States on Saturday. “I’ve been preparing myself for this moment.”
“Well Russ and Melo, they’ve had a relationship far longer and way before me and Melo had a relationship,” George said. “Those two have been on USA teams, and then when I got the chance to play with Melo on the USA team. I expressed (and) he expressed how much we wanted to play alongside each other in an NBA uniform. And then when we both were presented this opportunity this summer, and knowing Melo wanted to opt out and wanted to move on, we’ve connected. We talked, and he expressed again – ‘Hey, I would love to come join you guys and be a part of what you guys have got going there.’ And then from there, it’s a no-brainer. We run with it, and it came to life.”
Carmelo Anthony would not have reported to training camp on Monday had the Knicks not agreed to a deal to swap him to Oklahoma City for Enes Kanter, Doug McDermott and a 2018 second-rounder on Saturday, I have been informed.
“I’m happy for him. It doesn’t change my views to who we are as a team,” Draymond Green told The Undefeated. “But I’m happy for him, definitely. I don’t hate OKC. They hate me. I don’t hate them. I don’t care. You’re adding a guy who can give you 20 [points] a night. It is definitely going to make you better. I think it definitely helps them.”
With President Donald Trump’s tweet and the Golden State Warriors’ first practice on his mind, Stephen Curry didn’t learn that Carmelo Anthony was joining Russell Westbrook, Paul George and the Oklahoma City Thunder via trade until hours after it was agreed upon Saturday. “I heard [the trade] happened right before practice, but I was out on the court. My phone was blowing up, anyways, for other reasons. I learned about it right as I was coming out here to talk to the media,” Curry said after practice at the Warriors’ training facility on Saturday afternoon.
“I don’t even know about this trade,” Curry said. “I just heard about this trade 10 seconds ago. So, they got Kanter and … I guess I am happy [for Anthony] because I know he wanted to get out and be in a situation where he felt like what he was doing on the court was actually productive. It’s going to be wild to see that trio of guys together. It’s just crazy how the West is getting stronger and stronger. It should be another tough matchup when we play them.”
Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim says Phil Jackson “chased” Carmelo Anthony out of New York and that the forward’s addition automatically makes the Oklahoma City Thunder a threat to the Golden State Warriors in the NBA’s Western Conference. “They’ve got two top-10 players [in Russell Westbrook and Paul George] and Carmelo, who’s No. 60 or whatever they got him rated,” Boeheim, who coached Anthony to the 2003 NCAA championship, told SNY.tv by phone on Saturday. “I think he’s still a top player, and I think Russell and Paul George make it easier for him to be able to do what he does.”
Asked if he thinks Anthony regrets not making the Knicks a championship contender after arriving in 2011, Boeheim said he did. “Yeah, he loved New York,” he said. “He wanted to come to New York, he wanted to get it done in New York. And he did everything he could to do it, and I don’t think he ever wanted to leave New York. “I think Phil Jackson chased him out, and didn’t leave him a good alternative. But I think both organizations came out of this good.”
Boeheim told ZAGSBLOG last week he believes Jackson hurt the Knicks’ bargaining position by making it known he wanted to trade Anthony. “I think he did, but I think these guys [Knicks president Steve Mills and GM Scott Perry] salvaged it,” Boeheim said Saturday. “Everybody knew they had to make a move by Monday. They just couldn’t go to training camp in this circumstance so I think they pulled off a good trade.”
Thunder general manager Sam Presti and Knicks GM Scott Perry had been talking on and off about a possible deal for weeks. Talks intensified in the 24 hours before Saturday’s agreement, league sources said. As training camp loomed next week, Perry increasingly wanted no part of the circus that awaited his franchise with media day and Anthony’s arrival both on Monday. Around the organization and Anthony, there was a belief that the unresolved saga would become a suffocating daily issue. Perry started to feel the urgency of making a deal on Friday, and engaged Oklahoma City in more serious dialogue, league sources said.
Once Anthony expanded his list of teams to include Cleveland and Oklahoma City within the past 10 days, Perry had more flexibility to move Anthony. Perry remained in contact with Portland Trail Blazers president of basketball operations Neil Olshey, who had the most versatile array of assets for New York and motivation to make the deal — but, ultimately, Anthony would not accept a trade to the Pacific Northwest. Anthony was intrigued with a potential partnership with Damian Lillard, CJ McCollum and Jusuf Nurkic, and the stability and track record of the front office and coaching staff in Portland, but did not want to make such a dramatic geographic shift, league sources said.
New York had been willing to do an Anthony deal with his preferred choice, Houston, that included Eric Gordon and Trevor Ariza, but the Rockets consistently rejected that idea, league sources said. Houston had become the focus of Anthony’s trade request after the Rockets acquired All-Star guard Chris Paul, a close friend, in late June. But Houston needed a deal to include forward Ryan Anderson, who has three years and $60 million left on his contract.
Cleveland’s package included Iman Shumpert and Channing Frye, and would’ve needed to be supplemented with minimum veterans, league sources said. Cleveland would never have considered including its 2018 first-round pick via Brooklyn, league sources said. New York had been pursuing a future first-round pick from Oklahoma City, but the Thunder were unable to acquire one as part of a larger deal for New York, according to league sources.
February 21, 2020 | 4:49 am EST Update
Harris, who scored 12 points Thursday, will be a restricted free agent this summer, and due to make a raise on his team-friendly $7.6 million deal. The sweet-shooting wing played alongside Irving in Cleveland as a rookie, but he essentially grew up in Brooklyn. He blossomed into a starter and won the 3-point title last season. He’s hoping to re-sign with the Nets, with the lure of playing a full season alongside the likes of Irving and Durant on a contender a strong one. And if he has a disappointment from this season, it’s that both stars, along with LeVert and others, have been in and out of an injury-riddled Nets lineup.
Klutch Sports Group: We are excited to welcome @ISO_ZO ! #Klutch
Kyle Neubeck: Embiid was asked about free throws at the podium and he took a moment to praise teammate Ben Simmons, who he says has shown tremendous work ethic by being so good at the free throw line recently
Kyle Neubeck: Embiid says the first half of the season he was trying to make everyone feel comfortable, but right now he wants to prove he’s the best player in the world, and that starts with dominating the paint. “If I have to get three second calls and offensive fouls, so what?”
StatMuse: Trae Young is the third youngest player in NBA history with a 50-point game in a win. 20y, 52d — Brandon Jennings 21y, 22d — LeBron James 21y, 154d — Trae Young pic.twitter.com/bOEUFaBSet
Every year during that stretch, Smart has been to the playoffs, and he played in the Eastern Conference Finals twice. But in his opinion, this Celtics team has the best shot at a title since he arrived. “(Other teams were) potential contenders, but not as much of a contender as this team is,” Smart told MassLive on Wednesday. “I’ve had some where we thought, ‘Maybe we can go.’ That run that we had with Isaiah Thomas, we thought we were a pretty good team, even the two years ago team where we made it to the Eastern Conference Finals, but this year is just a different feeling. We really got that sense of ‘We really, really, really, really have a chance this year,’ and it’s very evident to us. I think it’s starting to be evident to people around the league, and it’s evident to fans around the league.”
Isaiah Thomas: But the biggest memory for me was when Kobe and I sat down after every game of my series against the Chicago Bulls in 2017 and watched film together. I had my people send the film to him and he’d look it over. Then, we’d be on speaker phone and he’d be telling me everything that he saw, breaking the game down the way he would if he was in the series. I think that’s why he started doing that Detail show with ESPN because it was basically just like that, but it was just me and him. I was going through one of the toughest times in my life with the passing of my sister and he took the time out of his day to help me. We were on the phone for about an hour-and-a-half to two hours the day after every game, looking over the film and seeing how I’d adjust for the next playoff game. It was so surreal. It didn’t seem real that Kobe Bryant was really on the phone with me, helping through playoff situations. That was probably my biggest memory of Kobe, taking the time to really be there and help me. He saw what kind of path I was going on and he saw something special in me. For him to nickname me “Mighty IT” and help me so much and to have Player-Edition Kobe shoes, it was a dream come true. I’ve always dreamed of that and it actually came true.
StatMuse: Khris Middleton this season: 20.6 PPG 50.4 FG% 44.5 3P% 90.3 FT% The only other player in NBA history with 20 PPG on 50/44/90 shooting in a season is Steph Curry in his unanimous MVP season. pic.twitter.com/caEiQcvmmE
DeMarcus Cousins knows now that he shouldn’t have played for the Warriors in last year’s NBA Finals, but the center said Thursday that he doesn’t regret his decision to rush back from a torn left quadriceps. “I was terrible in the Finals. I was a one-legged bandit on the floor, but I wanted to be a part of it,” Cousins said on Showtime’s “All the Smoke” podcast with Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson. “In the Finals, you play hurt. If you can go, you can go. That’s when you lay your body on the line. I went out there and gave it what I had. The results were unfortunate. … I wasn’t supposed to be on the floor.”
Although he averaged just 8.3 points and 4.7 rebounds in the championship series, Cousins said he doesn’t regret his decision. “I had no business on the floor. None, whatsoever,” he said. “… I just kept telling myself: ‘This is what I’ve played for my entire life: to be on this stage and have this opportunity. Whatever I’ve got to do to be a part of that, I’m going to do it.’ I don’t even know how I did it, honestly.”
“I don’t make those decisions, but from my personal standpoint, dealing with him on a daily basis has been absolutely amazing while he interacts with us, how he coaches the game — everything.,” Randle said. “We’ve responded really well to him and he’s done a great job.” Since he replaced Fizdale with Dec. 7’s 104-103 loss to the Pacers, Miller is 13-20 through his first 33 games in charge of the Knicks. Over that span, Randle has been an instant beneficiary of Miller’s tweaks.
“I think, just knowing him and his personality, he doesn’t pay attention to it — he’s focused on us every day, preparing us the best way he can and I really think that’s, honestly, his focus,” Randle said of the possibility that the Knicks replace Miller. “I know, for me, as a competitor and as a player, we deal with it in a different aspect of free agency and trade rumors and all that type of stuff and I don’t focus on it, man. Just focus on the task at hand and NBA is kind of one of those things — you just go with the flow and when something happens, you adjust to it. But he’s been amazing every day, just as far as his focus and what he’s doing.”
It’s permanent, as much as the Cavs’ head coaching job is permanent. Much like with John, it’s hard to find anyone who will say a bad word about J.B. He has an impeccable reputation around the league. His dad works for the Cavs. He’s been around the NBA for 15 years. He gets it. I wish him all the best, but he has an uphill battle with this organization.
Did you see that Drummond said he never wanted out if Beilein stayed? Jason Lloyd: I did. And I can appreciate and respect Andre defending himself. However, we stand by every word of our reporting and retract nothing. I’m not getting into a social media fight with a player. That serves no one well. I’d be happy to talk to him privately about our reporting when the opportunity presents itself.
NBA star Carmelo Anthony just listed his luxury Manhattan property overlooking New York City’s High Line park. The former New York Knicks player, 35 — who left the team to play for the Oklahoma City Thunder, briefly the Houston Rockets, and now, the Portland Trail Blazers — is asking for $12.85 million for the five-bedroom, four-bathroom condo located in the Chelsea neighborhood. Kevin Mallen and Michael Graves of Compass hold the listing.
I don’t think the NBA is concerned, but I believe the league and other owners had a lot of questions about the stability of ownership following Dan Gilbert’s stroke. Dan is on the mend and is scheduled to make a speaking appearance Friday in Detroit. That’s wonderful to hear. I’ve been extremely critical of his ownership style over the years, but I’m thrilled to know he’s doing better physically. But he still has a long, LONG way to go.
The 10-year veteran addressed the criminal charges that have since been dropped stemming from an audio recording in which Cousins’ ex-girlfriend alleges he threatened to shoot her in the head when it became apparent their child was not going to be present for Cousins’ wedding. “It’s an unfortunate situation. So, you know, I had a special moment in my life. I wanted all my family to be there. A little piece of happiness going through whatever I’m going through. Things didn’t work out the way I wanted it to for my day. I was little upset. So I said some things I shouldn’t have said but that person knew where it was coming from,” Cousins said on the podcast. “I mean, I’ve seen a lot of things, heard a lot of stuff — don’t get me wrong, I’m 100 percent against domestic violence. Like, 100 percent. I watched my mother go through that as a child. So when it comes to that, I’m the first advocate for that. But with that being said, I said the wrong thing. Heat of the moment. We’ve all done it. … We’ve all done it. … “My mama’s said way worse, you know what I’m saying? But when it comes to your kids, it’s a whole other situation and I’m pretty sure anybody with kids can speak on that. But it was still wrong.”
A youth org. claims LeBron James straight-up jacked their “More Than An Athlete” slogan for his Uninterrupted brand … and now they want more than $33 MIL to make things right! Game Plan — a Maryland based nonprofit, which guides young athletes to achieve professional success in an out of sports — claims they’ve been using the slogan “I Am More Than an Athlete” since 2016 and they obtained the trademark in 2018.
LeBron’s Uninterrupted has responded to the lawsuit, telling TMZ Sports … “The complaint filed by Game Plan today is meritless and contains numerous factual inaccuracies. Uninterrupted owns prior rights in and to the ‘More Than An Athlete’ trademark.”
Ben Gordon: There was a point in time when I thought about killing myself every single day for about six weeks. I would be up on the roof of my apartment building at four o’ clock in the morning, just pacing to the edge of the ledge, looking over — pacing back and forth, back and forth — just thinking, I’m really about to do it, B. I’m about to escape from all this shit.
Ben Gordon: This was right after my last year in the league, and I was living in a brownstone up in Harlem. I had lost my career, my identity, and my family all pretty much simultaneously. I was manic-depressive. I wasn’t eating. I wasn’t sleeping. And when I say I wasn’t sleeping, it was like a whole different level of insomnia. Every night, I’d wake up at the same time, like clockwork. And that’s when the demons would come out. When you’re up all night and it’s quiet and it’s just you alone with your deepest thoughts — that’s when the darkness really starts to take over your whole psyche.
Ben Gordon: So the only thing left to do was to get out of purgatory. I was obsessed with killing myself. It’s all I researched, all I thought about. One night my panic attacks got so bad that all I could think about was escape. Man, I’m telling you….. you become like an animal. It’s instinctive. Escape, escape, escape, escape. I took one of those heavyweight jump ropes — the thick rubber ones — and I tied it around my neck. Got a chair. And I hung myself, for real.
Ben Gordon: It got so bad that they had me committed to a mental hospital, and the problem was that I didn’t even understand why it was happening. It was like in the movies. I’m in some white room, and I got doctors and nurses strapping me down on a bed. They got the scrubs on and the gloves on, and they’re sticking needles in my arms, and cutting my pants off at the waist. It was terrifying. I just remember begging them not to hurt me, and really believing that this was all happening for no reason. Really believing that this was all some misunderstanding, and they had the wrong person.
Ben Gordon: And that’s when I started disassociating myself completely from Ben Gordon. I was convinced that I was a clone. That this body I’m in is not my real body. It can’t be. My spirit is trapped inside this clone body that’s bugging right now. I created a whole different name for this person. I had a different email address and phone number for him. I was emailing people telling them that I had a different name, like, “Yo — it’s really me. Don’t tell nobody!”
At first, I thought it was useless. What’s some older white lady gonna know about what I’m going through? How’s she going to tell me anything? She can’t tell me NOTHING! Well … she didn’t. She barely said a word as a matter of fact. But I got to sit in my chair and just talk my shit. And you know what? It felt pretty good. I ended up doing an extra six months of therapy, all on my own. Not because I had to. But just because I thought, “You know what? I’m actually fucking with this!”
February 20, 2020 | 9:03 pm EST Update
Mark Medina: Warriors formally determine that Klay Thompson won’t return at all this season. But Warriors expect Thompson to return when training camp begins in late September. They had anticipated early this season the possibility Klay wouldn’t play at all this season
Connor Letourneau: Steve Kerr on the possibility of Klay Thompson returning in time for the Tokyo Olympics: “It’s still a possibility. We haven’t really discussed it.”
Mark Berman: Agent Mark Bartelstein (@prioritysports) on @DeMarre Carroll joining the #Rockets:”They’re a championship contender.He fits in perfectly with the style of ball they play.Daryl & Mike aggressively pursued him. He’s got a lot in the tank & he’s really excited to get the opportunity”
Dusty Hannahs back to Memphis
The Grizzlies are expected to sign Memphis Hustle guard Dusty Hannahs to a 10-day contract, according to a source familiar with the situation.
Hannahs, who is in his third season with the Hustle, was signed to a 10-day contract by the Grizzlies last March. He made his NBA debut on March 31 against the Clippers and appeared in a total of two games before being waived on April 4.
Kane Pitman: Bucks beat Pistons 126-106 and improve to 47-8 on the season. Giannis finished with 33 points and 16 rebounds, while Khris Middleton 28 points and 8 boards. Up next will be another meeting with Philadelphia.
February 20, 2020 | 8:09 pm EST Update
Giannis likely to stay in Milwaukee?
There’s little doubt that Giannis Antetokounmpo, reigning and likely repeat MVP, has every reason to stick around in Milwaukee over the long term. The Bucks have a sparkling new downtown arena and a state-of-the-art practice facility, a long way from the state of play when Antetokounmpo arrived—back then, the Bucks were in the mostly moribund Bradley Center and practiced on the grounds of a Catholic Diocese headquarters in St. Francis, a few miles south of Milwaukee.
As one general manager told Heavy.com, “It’s hard to imagine him leaving the situation he is in. It’s a longshot he leaves. They’ve been very confident all along that he will want to stay in Milwaukee. They’ve never acted like a team that was panicking to make things happen.”
The Bucks have made things very easy for Antetokounmpo to stay. According to several executives around the league, though, other teams do think they have a shot at prying him from Milwaukee and have made plans around a potential play for Antetokounmpo.
Marc Stein: Thompson, though, remains in contention for a spot on the United States’ 12-man roster for the Tokyo Olympics. @usabasketball will finalize that roster in June and Klay is said to be making good progress in his recovery from a torn left ACL in Game 6 of last season’s NBA Finals
Rick Bonnell: Among the things @Charlotte Hornets general manager Mitch Kupchak mentioned yesterday: That @Bismack Biyombo has really helped himself, heading into free agency, with his play this season — that whether it’s here or elsewhere, he’s shown he’s still an NBA player.
Christian Clark: Brandon Ingram is not listed on New Orleans’ injury report. He missed the final three games before the All-Star break with a right ankle sprain. Pelicans will have all their heavy hitters.
February 20, 2020 | 7:09 pm EST Update
Candace Buckner: Tonight at #Wizards bowling event. John Wall was asked when did he get to the point to feeling OK if he doesn’t play this year: “That was my plan from the start.” Wall went to describe how he learned from DeMarcus Cousins, one year of rehab from an Achilles injury isn’t enough
Ryan Ward: #Lakers’ status update for the first game (vs. #Grizzlies): Anthony Davis (sprained right index finger) is PROBABLE.
Mike McGraw: Boylen was asked which of the injured players would return first. He didn’t give a definitive answer, but did mention Otto Porter before Wendell Carter, which I thought was surprising. #Bulls
Mike McGraw: Chatted with Wendell Carter in locker room. He said he’s very close but didn’t want to make any predictions, taking it day by day; still feeling a persistent dull pain in the ankle. #Bulls
Darnell Mayberry: Jim Boylen says Chandler Hutchison had a setback with his problematic shoulder. Says Hutchison hasn’t done anything the last two days after getting hit in the last game at Washington. “To say he’s day to day is probably a stretch. It’s probably more than that,” Boylen said.
