Five Things We Learned in NBA Monday: Video game Klay Thompson kill Grizzlies chance of two seed

By Kurt HelinApr 14, 2015, 2:57 AM EDT

If you watch closely every night in the NBA you can learn a little something. We know you are busy and can’t keep up with every game, so we’re here to help with those lessons from another night in the Association. Here’s what you missed while thinking it’s ridiculous music performances from late-night shows may no longer be available online…

1) Video game Klay Thompson showed up Monday and took away the two seed from Memphis. A few weeks ago, it would have seemed impossible that the Grizzlies wouldn’t finish with a top three seed. But things started happening. First the Memphis schedule down the stretch was brutal. Then came the injuries, with Mike Conley among others out. Then Monday night Klay Thompson happened — video game Klay showed up and dropped 26 points on the Grizzlies in the second quarter.

Thompson finished with 42, and the Warriors did what they do, winning handily. This was bad for Memphis. What the loss means is the Grizzlies cannot win the Southwest division, and with that will not be the two seed. San Antonio now controls that destiny (if they beat the Pelicans Wednesday the Spurs get the two seed). With this loss, combined with the Clippers and Rockets winning, Memphis fell all the way to the six seed. Which is likely where they land when the playoffs start, but it’s still wide open.

2) Thunder, Pelicans remain tied for eight seed in West, but you’d rather be OKC right now. The Oklahoma City Thunder got to have Russell Westbrook and they needed him — he scored 36 points, and the Thunder beat the banged-up Trail Blazers (who keep dropping like flies). The Thunder and Pelicans remain tied for the eight seed after New Orleans dropped struggling Minnesota (that’s 11 straight losses for the Timberwolves). The Pelicans own the tiebreaker, but you’d rather be in OKC’s shoes right now. Why? The Pelicans’ final game Wednesday is against the Spurs — and if San Antonio wins it gets the two seed. Gregg Popovich isn’t resting his big guns, and the Spurs have won 11 in a row. The Thunder’s final game is against those Timberwolves.

3) The Boston Celtics are in the playoffs. Chicago beat Brooklyn, which the Bulls needed to do to have a shot at the three seed in the East (but Toronto controls their own destiny, win Tuesday and Wednesday, and the Raptors get the three seed). What the Bulls’ win also means is Boston is in the playoffs. They will be either the seven or eight seed (likely seven to face Cleveland), but they are in. Credit Brad Stevens, who has got his young team to buy into a system where they move the ball on offense (and play better defense than they did earlier in the season). This was not the plan for the Celtics this season, but that they did it is impressive. And it will be a great experience for Marcus Smart, Kelly Olynyk, and the rest of the young Celtics to taste postseason play. For four games.

4) Pacers, not Nets, now control their own destiny for eight seed in East. This is the other thing the Bulls beating the Nets Monday means — Indiana controls its own destiny. Win out, and they get the eight seed in the East and a shot at Atlanta. Of course, that’s easier said than done with Washington and Memphis on a back-to-back, but it’s possible.

5) LeBron James drops another triple-double. Because he can. Just a reminder that LeBron James is very, very good at this basketball thing. Cleveland beat Detroit in a game without playoff implications, but LeBron was entertaining putting up a line of 21 points, 10 rebounds, and 11 assists. He’s playoff ready.

Report: Knicks, Hart agree to extend opt-in date for his contract, hinting at possible extension

By Kurt HelinJun 25, 2023, 8:55 AM EDT

Selcuk Acar/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

Tom Thibodeau and the Knicks want Josh Hart back next season — as they should, he was a perfect fit for them. Hart has said he wants to stay a Knick but expected to opt out of his $12.9 million next season to secure a bigger payday.

However, in a sign that the Knicks and Hart may be close to an opt-in and extend situation, the team and player agreed to push his opt-out date back to Thursday, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

ESPN Sources: Josh Hart and the Knicks have agreed to extend a midnight ET deadline for his $12.9M player option until Thursday. Hart, a key trade deadline addition to the Knicks, is a priority to retain on a new deal.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 25, 2023

Hart averaged 10.2 points while shooting 51.9% from 3 with seven rebounds a game after being traded to the Knicks last season, forming an impressive second unit with Immanuel Quickley. Hart is a key two-way role player likely to get offers in the $20 million a year range. As he has earned a little more than $33 million for his entire six-year career up to this point, this next contract is his big shot and he shouldn’t leave money on the table.

If Hart opts into his $12.9 million for next season, the Knicks can offer him a four-year, $81 million extension after that (making the total value of his contract five years, about $94 million). Essentially, Hart would take a little less next season to stay with the Knicks but would get the security of years at a fair market value on the back end. The Knicks lock up a key role player for five years and keep some financial flexibility in the short term. Plus, should the Knicks need to pivot (or trade for a star player), that size contract is very movable.

The question is, does that work for Hart, or would he rather test the open market? We should find out by Thursday.

Tobias Harris’ father/agent says 76ers have not used ‘assassin scorer’ son properly

By Kurt HelinJun 24, 2023, 9:11 PM EDT

Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images

NBA teams are used to dealing with parents who have strong opinions about how their son should be used — or is being misused — in the rotation. Teams know how to walk the line between letting the parents vent and shrugging them off — even the loud ones.

Torrel Harris, the father of Tobias Harris, is a little different because Torrel is also the CEO of Unique Sports Management International and the agent for his son. Torrel was recently on the “Business of Sports” podcast, with Bloomberg’s Michael Barr and Damian Sassower, and talked about how now-fired coach Doc Rivers and the 76ers used his son (hat tip Liberty Ballers). Does Torrel think Philadelphia uses his son properly?

“Personally, I don’t think so. The reason I say that, well Tobias is an assassin scorer. I mean they can’t stop him. Nobody in the league can stop him. So he’s proven that over his career even when he was with the Clippers he was an assassin scorer….

“And then [L.A.] traded him ’cause they got too good… So they traded him to the Sixers. Ever since the Sixers,’ they put him in the corner.”

Harris can get buckets, but he was the fourth option for the 76ers and Doc Rivers last season, and likely would be again for Nick Nurse. Harris is behind MVP Joel Embiid, James Harden (who likely re-signs) and Tyrese Maxey in the pecking order. Harris averaged 14.7 points and 5.7 rebounds a game last season, with an impressive 60.2 true shooting percentage. The concern from the 76ers perspective isn’t as much Harris’ role or production, it’s paying their fourth option $39.3 million next season (29% of the salary cap for the fourth option is unsustainable with the new CBA).

Which is why the 76ers have explored trading Harris, who is entering the final year of this contract. There is plenty of interest in the veteran, with the Suns, Cavaliers, Mavericks, Jazz, Cavaliers, Pacers and Pistons all expressing interest around the draft, reports Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer.

The challenge is the Sixers don’t want just to shed salary, they are contenders and want people who can help them win back — and GM Daryl Morey is asking for “outrageous packages in return.” For example, Pompey reports Morey asked the Cavaliers for Jarrett Allen, Evan Mobley and a draft pick (a laughably ridiculous offer). While 76ers fans could argue that is just the always high starting point of the talks, Pompey also reports other teams feel Morey “isn’t negotiating in good faith.”

As for all the Harris for Deandre Ayton rumors, the Suns are not down with that.

This is incredible just total BS. Suns have no interest. Once again – I do NOT expect them to trade Ayton. https://t.co/XNaH2cczZ0

— John Gambadoro (@Gambo987) June 25, 2023

Take all of this with a grain of salt, everyone is spinning things right now, including sources from teams trying to trade for Harris. However, Morey trying to drive an unreasonable bargain is not out of character. If the 76ers re-sign Harden at market value they will be deep into the luxury tax and above the second apron, which may make trading Harris more of a priority.

It sounds like Harris’ agent/father would be good with a trade to a team putting the ball in his son’s hands, especially in a contract year.

Knicks decline $15.6 million option on Derrick Rose, making him a free agent

By Kurt HelinJun 24, 2023, 1:30 PM EDT

John W. McDonough/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images

Derrick Rose is still a Tom Thibodeau favorite and, by all accounts, was a strong and steadying voice in the Knicks locker room last season.

However, at age 34 and after 14 NBA seasons, he’s not the same player and this season fell out of the Knicks rotation. That’s why the Knicks have declined Rose’s $15.6 million player option for next season, making the veteran a free agent. This move was not a surprise, but Steve Prosper of Newsday broke that it would be official.

Knicks will not exercise option on Derrick Rose's contract. Rose was beloved by Thibs and the organization, had a diminished role on the court but was a pro throughout his benching, a voice in the locker room, and this will give him a chance to explore available opportunities.

— Steve Popper (@StevePopper) June 24, 2023

The Knicks can re-sign Rose on a far more affordable contract and that is not out of the question, according to Fred Katz of The Athletic.

It would not be surprising to see the Knicks or another team snap up Rose on a veteran minimum contract to be a steadying voice in the locker room and a third or fourth point guard on the roster. Rose is someone many of the younger players in the league grew up watching — back when Rose was an MVP and All-NBA level player — and is the model of putting in the work to get back on the court after injuries. He can be a good influence in the right young locker room. Or back in New York.

Paolo Banchero commits to play for USA at 2023 World Cup

By Kurt HelinJun 24, 2023, 12:31 PM EDT

Megan Briggs/Getty Images

As recently as a year ago, Paolo Banchero talked about playing for Italy this summer at the World Cup (his mother holds Italian citizenship and Banchero has an Italian passport).

But in a coup, the NBA Rookie of the Year reportedly has changed his mind and will now represent the USA this summer, a story broken by Shams Charania and Joe Varden of The Athletic.

Orlando’s Paolo Banchero – the NBA’s Rookie of the Year – has committed to play for Team USA’s national team at the FIBA World Cup in the Philippines this summer, sources tell me and @joevardon.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 24, 2023

As a big who can handle the ball and create his own shot, Banchero’s game should fit well in the international style of play, although coach Steve Kerr will hope he shoots better than 29.8% from 3 (as he did last season for Orlando). Banchero knows how to get downhill and finish, especially in transition, and Kerr wants his team to run a lot in this tournament.

We now know all but one of the 12-man roster expected to represent the USA this summer. Here is the roster as we know it:

Paolo Banchero
Mikal Bridges
Jalen Brunson
Anthony Edwards
Tyrese Haliburton
Brandon Ingram
Jaren Jackson Jr.
Cam Johnson
Walker Kessler
Bobby Portis
Austin Reaves

The roster almost feels like a who’s who of rising stars in the NBA, but it lacks international experience — not one of those players has ever suited up in a World Cup or Olympics before.

The World Cup tips off in late August in the Philippines, Japan and Indonesia, and is the primary qualifier for the Paris Olympics. A total of 32 teams from around the globe will descend on those countries — Team USA will play all its games in Manilla — and begin play in the group stage, where the teams are divided into eight groups of four. The top two teams in each group advance to the 16-team, tournament-style knockout round. The USA is in Group C with Greece (likely led by Giannis Antetokounmpo), New Zealand and Jordan.

The USA will conduct a training camp in Las Vegas in August, after which they will play Puerto Rico in an exhibition before heading to Abu Dhabi and, eventually, the World Cup.

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