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Listen to what LeBron James told Lonzo Ball on court (video)

By Dan FeldmanDec 15, 2017, 12:00 PM EDT
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LeBron James‘ on-court conversation with Lonzo Ball after the Cavaliers beat the Lakers last night quickly became a fascination.

With LeBron-to-the-Lakers rumors – fueled by Ball himself – swirling, did LeBron tip his plans for free agency?

Here’s what LeBron said after the game:

LeBron:

I don’t see the reaction, because I don’t get involved in it. I don’t do it to get a reaction.

I do it because he’s said over and over since he was growing up and who he modeled his game after. And who was his favorite player? And it was me, and I was humbled by that. So me wishing him a happy birthday was kind of a salute back to him.

I see all the stupid noise that happens, and I can’t buy a place in L.A. I can’t live in L.A. It’s funny noise. But I don’t get involved in it, because when I post things, I don’t look at comments. I’m so far removed of the white noise and the noise doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter to me.

Were you mentoring Ball or giving him advice? LeBron:

None of y’all business.

Unfortunately for LeBron, a microphone picked up most of the conversation (hat tip: reddit user IT-3):

LeBron, best I can tell:

Find your zone and just stay f—ing locked in. The media is going to ask you what I told you right now. Tell them nothing. Just be aggressive every single day.

It’s white noise to you. That’s all it is. Alright? Let’s go.

LeBron was never going to say something controversial in front of all those cameras. He knows better, especially after attention drawn by his on-court conversation with Dwyane Wade a few years ago.

Unsurprisingly, LeBron’s words directly to Ball mirror what he told the media after the game. There’s no secret plot here – just someone who has been in the spotlight for years trying to help someone going through it now.

AP source: Cavs interviewing 4 assistants for coaching job

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Associated PressMay 12, 2019, 10:00 AM EDT
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CLEVELAND (AP) — The Cavs’ coaching search has picked up speed.

Cleveland is meeting with four NBA assistants this weekend in Denver to try and fill its coaching vacancy, a person familiar with the team’s plans told The Associated Press.

The Cavaliers met Friday night with Denver assistant Jordi Fernandez and interviewed Orlando’s Steve Hetzel on Saturday, according to the person who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the talks.

The person says the team also has meetings scheduled with Nuggets assistant Wes Unseld Jr. and Portland’s David Vanterpool.

The Cavs would still like to meet with Trail Blazers assistant Nate Tibbetts, the person said.

Fernandez is believed to be a front-runner for the job because of his previous connections with Cleveland. The 36-year-old He started his coaching career with the Cavaliers in 2009. He has experience in player development and he’s the kind of young coach who could mesh easily with t a young team.

Hetzel also has worked for the Cavs, first as the team’s video coordinator and then coach of the G League Canton Charge. Prior to his time with Cleveland, Hetzel was a developmental coach with Detroit.

He was an assistant for four seasons in Charlotte under Steve Clifford before joining him with the Magic.

Unseld, whose father is a Hall of Fame player, is Denver coach Michael Malone’s top assistant. He’s been with the Nuggets since 2015 and has been credited with the club’s major defensive improvement.

The 46-year-old Vanterpool has been with the Trail Blazers since 2012.

The Cavaliers have been looking for a coach since parting ways with Larry Drew after a 19-63 season, the club’s first after LeBron James left as a free agent. Drew took over six games into the season after Tyronn Lue was fired.

Cleveland’s taking a methodical approach with its coaching search, which is unlikely to wrap up before Tuesday’s NBA draft lottery. The team has already met with Dallas assistant coach Jamahl Mosely, Miami assistant Juwan Howard, former Memphis coach J.B. Bickerstaff, Utah assistant Alex Jensen and San Antonio’s Ettore Messina and Ime Udoka.

 

Warriors owner Joe Lacob reiterates he wants to keep Thompson, Curry on Warriors “forever”

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By Kurt HelinMay 12, 2019, 7:55 AM EDT
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A report this week that free agent to be Klay Thompson is unhappy getting the “crumbs” behind Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant set off a familiar dance. One we seem to do annually.

First, the player denies it, as Thompson did. Then someone from the organization, in this case Steve Kerr, comes out and says they plan to keep him.

Then finally owner Joe Lacob, the guy who has to cut the checks — including a big one to the league for the luxury tax — comes out and says he will pay to keep the team together. Right on cue, Lacob spoke with Nick Friedell of
ESPN about his dynamic backcourt of Thompson and Curry.

“Obviously, my intention is to keep them as part of our organization forever,” Lacob told ESPN. “That’s our goal. We’ll see what happens.”

Later Lacob added this about Thompson.

“I have a special bond with him. I always have. He’s the first player, since I bought the team, that we drafted. The very first one. And I just have always felt an incredible attachment. People make fun of me a little bit — I always say I love Klay. I love Klay. I just do. He’s so real. He’s so real. There’s no B.S. And there’s something about him, I have a very special relationship with him.”

Thompson will have options this summer, teams from New York to Los Angeles (a couple of them in both of those markets) would have interest in his services. When Thompson hit the game-sealing three in Game 6 in Houston with :36 seconds left, Thompson pointed at Lacob after the shot. On Twitter, people wanted to make that Thompson telling Lacob “pay me my money,” although Thompson said it was just living in the moment.

Thompson will get paid. Sources have told NBCSports.com all season that Thompson would stay if the Warriors max him out, and that Lacob and management plan to do exactly that.

If what Thompson wants is more touches, we’ll just have to see what happens with Kevin Durant’s free agency before making any predictions. However, if he leaves — and that is an “if” still — a lot of shots just opened up.

Either way, we know the dance of words with Thompson, now it will just come down to actions on July 1.

Three things to watch in Denver/Portland, Philadelphia/Toronto Game 7s

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By Kurt HelinMay 11, 2019, 10:59 PM EDT
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It’s a high stakes Sunday for the NBA.

Two Game 7s with much more on the line than trips to the next round.

Toronto and Philadelphia both went all-in on winning this season, gambling on big time free agents to be who could put them over the top, and if they did then those stars may want to stay. The Raptors have Kawhi Leonard, Philadelphia has Jimmy Butler and Tobias Harris. Plus, Sixers coach Brett Brown may need to win to hold on to his job.

Denver and Portland see themselves as the teams who have got next in the West, franchises poised to rise up as Golden State fades away. A trip to the Western Conference Finals would be validation, fall short and there will need to be some soul searching.

The NBA has got the drama on Mothers’ Day, but what is it going to take to win those games? Here are three things to keep an eye on.

1) Will the Raptors knock down their threes and give Kawhi Leonard some help? Leonard has been the best player in the East this postseason, a beast that justifies both the Raptors gamble on him and the way they managed his minutes — or, more accurately, let him manage his own minutes — during the regular season. Leonard has averaged 33.7 points with a 67.7 true shooting percentage, plus 10.2 rebounds and 4.2 assists a game against Philadelphia this series.

Toronto’s defense has more and more been to throw multiple defenders at Leonard, trying not to let him beat them.

Which puts the pressure on everyone around Leonard — Pascal Siakam, Kyle Lowry, Danny Green, and Marc Gasol. Philly’s defense is willing to give up threes, and when Toronto has hit them it has won. The above foursome has shot 38.3 percent from three in Toronto’s wins and 26.2 percent in the losses (on almost the same number of attempts).

For all the crazy things that can happen in a Game 7, the goal is still simply to put the ball in the basket. If the Raptors can do that from three, they will win. If they miss, particularly early on, it could lead to….

2) Will Ben Simmons get some early transition buckets, start playing downhill, and be a force in Game 7? Joel Embiid is the lynchpin for everything in Philly — he is +80 through six games in a series where his team has been outscored by 17 points overall. Embiid is the Sixers’ rock. Jimmy Butler has been Philadelphia’s best player and their go-to pick-and-roll ball handler in this series, and he has been brilliant (and endeared himself to Sixers fans).

However, Ben Simmons may be the bellwether. He got early opportunities in Game 6 in transition where he is most dangerous, that got him confident and aggressive, and from there he went on to 21 points on 9-of-13 shooting. He led the blowout Game 6 win.

“We just missed so many shots early and they were just playing off the rebound so often,” Raptors coach Nick Nurse said after Game 6. “They were getting the rebound and pushing it out on us, and we didn’t do a great job in transition.”

Jared Dudley was not wrong, Simmons can fade into the background in the halfcourt. With Butler dominating the ball, Simmons slides into the dunker position and can see very few touches from there. Then he gets passive on offense, and it spirals.

If Simmons is getting out in transition early and being aggressive, it’s an excellent sign for Philadelphia.

3) Is Rodney Hood the third scorer Portland needs to win? Damian Lillard is going to get his, he’s one of the best scorers in the sport — and he’s clutch. He was made for Game 7s. Which is why Denver is going to work to get the ball out of his hands, and this is why C.J. McCollum has been so critical for Portland in this series.

However, Portland will need scoring from a third source to win on the road, and that may be Rodney Hood. He had 25 points on 8-of-12 shooting in Game 6 and was the MVP of the night. He’s had a few games like that these playoffs, having found a role on this Portland team that eluded him in Cleveland and Utah last season.

If Hood gets going again, Portland has a chance.

Denver vs. Portland has been the tightest of second-round series and what separates the teams in this game — Paul Millsap having a good night, Nikola Jokic diming guys up, Lillard going off, Hood having a night — may come down to the slightest of things. This has been the most entertaining second-round series, in part because neither team can really stop the other, but if one side finds just a little defense that may be the deciding factor.

 

Do Sixers need to win Game 7 to save Brett Brown’s job?

Associated Press
By Kurt HelinMay 11, 2019, 9:01 PM EDT
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Sixers fans have had the pitchforks and torches out for Brett Brown for a long time now.

Thing is, he’s done a good job this season. The mode shifted instantly from development to “win now” with the addition of Jimmy Butler and Tobias Harris (costing the team’s assets), but those changes — combined with injuries/load management that forced vital players out of the lineup (we’re looking at you, Joel Embiid) — made chemistry a challenge. Still, Philadelphia, with a shallow roster, is in a Game 7 with a Toronto team many picked to come out of the East. They are in that deciding game in part because Brown has been the better coach in this series.

None of that may matter to Philly GM Elton Brand, who did not hire Brown. Marc Stein of the New York Times has this report:

Beyond the uncertain fates of Butler, Harris and the sharpshooting J.J. Redick [all free agents this July], rumblings in league coaching circles have grown louder by the day that 76ers Coach Brett Brown needs an N.B.A. finals berth to keep his job. Brown, I’m told, has little chance of surviving a second-round exit.

Three thoughts:

• If you wanted him to make the Finals, he needed a better roster. When healthy the Sixers have the best starting five in the East, but beyond that it drops off fast, leaving little room for Brown to match up and maneuver. Philadelphia is what it is.

• Either you think Brown is good enough to coach this team, or you do not. Basing his future on the randomness of a Game 7 — or making the Finals with an outmatched roster — is not how to make a sound decision. If you don’t think he’s right for the guy, let him go and get your guy.

• Who is Philadelphia getting that is better? If you think there’s a deep pool of great coaches in waiting, go look at the Lakers’ coaching search and get back to me.

If Philadelphia fires Brown whenever the Sixers’ season ends he will not be out of work long.