NBA Rumors: Kings GM Monte McNair Expected to Receive New Contract in Early 2023
Dec 19, 2022
SACRAMENTO, CA - JUNE 21: Mike Brown the new Head Coach of the Sacramento Kings and GM Monte McNair pose for a photo after a press conference on June 21, 2022 at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2022 NBAE (Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images)
The Sacramento Kings are reportedly expected to sign general manager Monte McNair to a contract extension.
NBA insider Marc Stein reported the new deal will likely be announced in early 2023.
McNair is in the final season of a contract he originally signed in September 2020.
The Kings have not had a winning season during McNair's tenure, but they're in the midst of a promising turnaround. They currently sit 16-12 heading into Monday's game against the Charlotte Hornets and are in fifth place in the wide-open Western Conference.
Sacramento is 2.5 games out of being the No. 1 seed in the West and only five games ahead of the 13th-place Oklahoma City Thunder. The narrow race could be playing a part in ownership slow-playing McNair's contract extension. The Kings are a quick skid away from turning a promising season into another Kangs catastrophe.
The installation of Mike Brown as head coach has been a clear win for McNair, but there have been several questionable calls along the way. Including Tyrese Haliburton in a trade for Domantas Sabonis will never look smart regardless of how well Sabonis is playing, and first-round pick Keegan Murray has not been a consistent force despite being drafted in part for his potential for instant impact.
With Jaden Ivey and Bennedict Mathurin looking like better prospects at a younger age, it's fair to wonder if McNair made the right call.
With that said, even a modicum of success is better than the complete lack of it that the Kings have been dealing with for nearly two full decades. McNair has done enough to earn an extension, even if it isn't a particularly long one.
Donovan Mitchell Says He Doesn't Think He 'Did Enough' to Have Jazz Jersey Retired
Dec 19, 2022
PHOENIX, AZ - FEBRUARY 27: Donovan Mitchell #45 of the Utah Jazz smiles during the game against the Phoenix Suns on February 27, 2022 at Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2022 NBAE (Photo by Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty Images)
While he enjoyed a good run in his five years with the franchise, Cleveland Cavaliers star Donovan Mitchell doesn't believe his No. 45 jersey should be immortalized by the Utah Jazz.
"I don't think I did enough," he said in an interview with Andscape's Marc J. Spears. "I hold myself to a high standard. Now, other people may feel that it should. I'd be happy and forever grateful, honored and blessed for sure for that to happen. But I don't think I've done enough in five years to have my jersey up there with Karl [Malone], John [Stockton], Pistol Pete [Maravich] and Darrell Griffith. I got a long way in my career to go to continue to be better."
Perhaps Mitchell's career will come full circle and he'll return to Utah one day. Assuming he never plays another game for the Jazz, it's tough to find much wrong with his assessment.
The Jazz enjoyed plenty of regular season success with the partnership of Mitchell and Rudy Gobert, but they never advanced past the Western Conference semifinals. As a result, Mitchell doesn't have the team accolades that could catapult him into the franchise legend tier.
Kawhi Leonard, for example, was only with the Toronto Raptors for one year but could plausibly see his No. 2 jersey hanging in the rafters because he helped lead the Raptors to their first NBA title.
Because of his relatively limited time in Salt Lake City—at least within the context of retiring his jersey—Mitchell doesn't have the counting stats, either. His 8,234 points are eighth all time and he didn't crack the top 10 in assists, games played, total minutes or win shares, per Basketball Reference.
Seven players have had their numbers retired by the Jazz: Adrian Dantley, Pete Maravich, John Stockton, Karl Malone, Jeff Hornacek, Darrell Griffith and Mark Eaton. All seven left bigger legacies in Utah than Mitchell.
Malone and Stockton are the two best players in franchise history.
Hornacek didn't put up big numbers, nor was he ever an All-Star in Utah, but he did play a key role on the teams that reached the 1997 and 1998 NBA Finals.
Dantley was a six-time All-Star with the Jazz and ranks third in points.
Eaton led the NBA in blocks in four seasons and was a two-time Defensive Player of the Year and a five-time All-Defensive honoree.
Griffith and Maravich have the fourth- and seventh-most points among Jazz players, and they would've achieved even more if their careers hadn't been adversely impacted by injuries.
Nobody has assumed the No. 45 jersey since Mitchell's trade to the Cavs, and it might be a while before anyone wears it since it isn't a common number. But it will nonetheless be there for the taking for the foreseeable future.
NBA Issues 1st Checks to Former ABA Players: 'So Much Bigger Than Many Expected'
Dec 19, 2022
PHILADELPHIA, PA - NOVEMBER 18: A detailed view of the NBA logo prior to the game between the Milwaukee Bucks and Philadelphia 76ers at the Wells Fargo Center on November 18, 2022 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
The NBA issued its first round of checks to former American Basketball Association players this month.
The NBA and the National Basketball Players Association agreed in July to pay former ABA players $24.5 million after years of advocacy by nonprofit foundation Dropping Dimes. As Dana Hunsinger Benbow of the Indianapolis Star noted at the time and in a new report Monday, the agreement "ended a years-long battle between the league and Dropping Dimes, who had argued that these ABA players blazed the trail for what the NBA game is today—fast-paced and flashy with three-point shots and slam dunk contests. And they deserved a pension for that."
The NBA deemed that 115 players who played three or more years in the ABA or combined in the ABA and NBA were eligible for "recognition payments," not pensions.
Scott Tartar, the co-founder and president of Dropping Dimes, described former players' reactions to the payments this month: "They were all literally sitting around going, 'What the hell?' These checks were so much bigger than many expected."
Tartar called the timing "a Christmas miracle."
ESPN: Suns Employees Say Misconduct Within Organization Went Beyond Robert Sarver
Dec 19, 2022
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - OCTOBER 13: Phoenix Suns and Mercury owner Robert Sarver attends Game Two of the 2021 WNBA Finals at Footprint Center on October 13, 2021 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Mercury defeated the Sky 91-86 in overtime. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Some employees within the Phoenix Suns believe majority governor Robert Sarver wasn't the only person responsible for fostering a toxic environment within the organization, according to ESPN's Baxter Holmes.
One source told Holmes that Sarver "created the culture" and other high-ranking team executives "upheld it":
"In interviews with more than two dozen current and former Suns employees, ESPN confirmed specific accounts of alleged misconduct by [team president Jason Rowley] and other Suns executives in the report — and uncovered additional allegations, including verbal abuse of employees, mistreatment of pregnant and postpartum employees, and other instances of retaliation and intimidation."
The NBA commissioned the law firm of Wachtell Lipton to investigate the workplace atmosphere of the Suns after Holmes first published an in-depth report into the matter in November 2021.
The firm found that Sarver "engaged in conduct that clearly violated common workplace standards, as reflected in team and League rules and policies." That included using the N-word on at least five occasions, verbal mistreatment of employees and demonstrating "inequitable conduct toward female employees."
As a result of the inquiry, Sarver was fined $10 million and suspended from all league-related business for one year, a punishment many felt was too light given the severity of the allegations.
Amid continued scrutiny, the 61-year-old announced in September he planned to sell the Suns and the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury.
In general, Sarver was singled out for his behavior, but the Wachtell Lipton report alluded to issues beyond ownership:
"Many witnesses nonetheless expressed the view that Sarver was responsible for the problematic behavior of other employees and the HR department's defects because of the 'tone at the top' he set through his own conduct. This hypothesis is difficult to test, but it warrants mention because so many witnesses advanced it in such consistent terms. Many current and former executives and employees told investigators they believed Sarver's conduct had a trickle-down effect: he behaved poorly toward his direct reports, and those reports in turn felt they had license to mistreat their own reports."
In one example, a female employee told Wachtell Lipton she encountered resistance when trying to get her maternity leave approved. Shortly after returning to work, she was fired. Wachtell Lipton said that "male team executives tried to terminate the female employee while she was on leave" but chose to wait based on advice from a female supervisor.
According to Holmes, Rowley was one of the male executives who wanted to fire the employee while she was on leave.
Wachtell Lipton also cited an "institutional failure" in 2019 after a female employee reported having her buttocks grabbed by a representative of a team sponsor on a work trip. Not only did the Suns fail to take any action against the sponsor representative, despite the female employee reporting the incident, she also had to continue working at events with the representative.
Holmes reported that Rowley, chief revenue officer Dan Costello, general counsel Melissa Goldenberg and Kyle Pottinger, the senior vice president of ticket sales and service, were aware of the allegation.
In a statement to Holmes, the Suns said his reporting had "factual inaccuracies and/or [was] deprived of important context necessary to understand the totality of situations that are complicated and matters of some dispute."
In terms of potential consequences for powerful officials within the organization, Holmes cited one hurdle.
Per the ESPN report, interim governor Sam Garvin doesn't have the authority to unilaterally fire Rowley, Costello or chief financial officer Jim Pitman. Sarver's written approval is needed to make any changes to the roles of CEO, CRO and CFO.
The Suns issued a statement in response to the report:
NBA spokesperson Mike Bass told Holmes the league is continuing to look into alleged employee misconduct within the Suns.
"Both the sales process of the Phoenix Suns and Mercury and the review of alleged misconduct by others at the organization are ongoing," he said. "That review will remain an internal personnel matter."
LeBron James Says 'I'm Not in the Front Office' amid Lakers Trade Rumors, AD's Injury
Dec 19, 2022
LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 18: LeBron James #6 of the Los Angeles Lakers, Anthony Davis #3, and Patrick Beverly #21 look on during the game against the Washington Wizards on December 18, 2022 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2022 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images)
The Los Angeles Lakers may need to make some moves to be a legitimate playoff threat as they attempt to overcome their slow start to the season and a foot injury to Anthony Davis, but LeBron James made it clear he isn't the one who will be doing the wheeling and dealing.
"Not a question for me," James told reporters when asked if he was worried the front office would hesitate to make a trade with Davis sidelined. "I have no idea. When I'm playing, I show up, prepare, go to work and get my guys ready to go win a basketball game. I play the game. I'm not in the front office, so we'll see. But I'm focused on the game and us trying to win basketball games, especially when I'm out on the floor."
The Lakers escaped Sunday's matchup against the Washington Wizards with a 119-117 win thanks to Thomas Bryant's late basket on a broken play, but they are facing an uphill battle in the coming weeks.
Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium reported "Davis is expected to miss at least one month."
The timing is particularly troublesome for Los Angeles, which was just starting to play better basketball after a 2-10 start, in large part because of Davis. It is now 13-16 on the campaign, and Davis is averaging 27.4 points, 12.1 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game.
Therein lies the predicament the front office will now have to juggle ahead of the Feb. 9 trade deadline.
Any team with James and Davis on it is theoretically a threat to compete for a deep playoff run, so adding via trade may be the path it chooses. However, the Lakers are also in 12th place in the Western Conference standings and could fall even further with Davis out.
This could be shaping up to be something of a lost season, and mortgaging future assets may not be worth it for the organization even though the 37-year-old James will surely be thinking about winning in the present.
Jovan Buha of The Athletic noted "over the past few years, James has been vocal against the notion that he has a significant hand in building his teams' rosters," which could have contributed to his answer when asked about the front office's decision-making process.
Yet much of the discussion still revolves around him, especially since he has a player option for the 2024-25 season and could choose to go elsewhere if he is not pleased with the direction the Lakers are headed.
For now, the Purple and Gold will look to build on Sunday's win and their 3-1 record in the last four games as they hit the road to face the Phoenix Suns on Monday.
Amar'e Stoudemire Releases Statement on Arrest, Allegation He Assaulted His Daughter
Dec 19, 2022
IMAGE DISTRIBUTED FOR CENOTE TEQUILA - NBA All-Star, Amar'e Stoudemire, attends the global launch of Cenote Tequila on Wednesday, March 14, 2018 in Miami. (Jesus Aranguren/AP Images for Cenote Tequila)
Former NBA player Amar'e Stoudemire denied the allegations he assaulted his daughter in a statement posted Sunday on Instagram:
"As the investigation unfolds, the facts will show the allegations to be groundless as my daughter's medical condition is not the result of being assaulted by a father who is nearly 7 feet tall and weighs 250 pounds. I could never see myself assaulting any person, especially my children. I respect, protect, and love my family, especially my children."
Stoudemire was arrested Sunday night and charged with one count of misdemeanor battery, according to David J. Neal and David Ovalle of the Miami Herald.
According to the report, one of his daughters told police that he "punched her in the jaw and slapped her hard enough to draw blood."
Stoudemire's ex-wife, Alexis, said she received a photo and a "plea for help" from her daughter, who was spending the evening with Amar'e. After police were called, Stoudemire reportedly told them his daughter was "was sad because she received a whooping from him for being disrespectful and a liar."
The arresting officer wrote in the report that they "observed blood stains on the victim's sweater and sweatpants."
The report does not indicate which daughter Stoudemire allegedly assaulted. Stoudemire has four children, including his 14-year-old and 17-year-old daughters.
Stoudemire, 40, spent 14 years in the NBA, earning six All-Star selections and the 2002-03 Rookie of the Year award. He spent two seasons on the Brooklyn Nets staff as a player development assistant before stepping away this past offseason.
Zach LaVine Says Bulls Are 'Embarrassed' After 4th Straight Loss, Wolves Dropping 150
Dec 19, 2022
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - DECEMBER 18: Zach LaVine #8 of the Chicago Bulls stands on the court before the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves on December 18, 2022 at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2022 NBAE (Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images)
Chicago Bulls star Zach LaVine gave an honest assessment of the team after the 150-126 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves:
Zach LaVine following the Bulls’ fourth-straight loss, which dropped them to 11-18: “It’s frustrating for all of us. I know it’s frustrating for the fans. It’s embarrassing. We’re all a little embarrassed about it.” pic.twitter.com/3eU6dniY4i
"It's tough, especially when things are going bad," LaVine said. "Even when you try to do something good, it goes bad."
The Bulls defense has been a major issue lately, and Minnesota set a franchise record for points in a game on Sunday. Anthony Edwards led the way with 37 points as the Timberwolves shot 65.5 percent from the field and 23-of-43 from three-point range.
With its fourth straight loss, Chicago fell to 11-18 on the season.
A year after finishing sixth in the Eastern Conference, the Bulls are now in 11th place. They would miss even the play-in tournament based on the current standings.
The Bulls clearly need to turn things around in a hurry, but LaVine doesn't appear to have any answers amid the current struggles.
Thomas Bryant's GW Dunk Thrills NBA Twitter as LeBron James, Lakers Beat Wizards
Dec 19, 2022
LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 18: Thomas Bryant #31 of the Los Angeles Lakers drives to the basket during the game against the Washington Wizards on December 18, 2022 at Crypto.Com Arena in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2022 NBAE (Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images)
Sunday's incredible sports slate had one more unbelievable finish.
On a day when the men's World Cup final went into penalty shootouts, and nine different NFL games were decided by a single score, the Los Angeles Lakers added some drama of their own with a Thomas Bryant game-winner.
Bryant, who is playing a larger role for the Purple and Gold with Anthony Davis sidelined by a foot injury, scored off a LeBron James assist that came off a broken play. Kyle Kuzma then missed a three-pointer on the other end, and Los Angeles escaped with a 119-117 victory over the Washington Wizards.
Bryant notched a double-double of 16 points and 10 rebounds, while James finished with 33 points, nine assists and seven rebounds. The King also had a go-ahead dunk in the final 30 seconds, although Bradley Beal answered on the other end with two free throws.
Los Angeles is still an ugly 13-16 on the season, but it has played much better of late following a 2-10 start.
Maintaining this momentum will be a tall order, though, considering Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium reported Davis is expected to be sidelined for "at least one month" with the foot injury.
Bryant is expected to be the primary fill-in, and he certainly proved he could come through in the big moments in such a role on Sunday.
Nuggets' Nikola Jokić Wows Ja Morant, Twitter with Monster Triple-Double vs. Hornets
Dec 19, 2022
Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic gestures after being clled for a foul in the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Charlotte Hornets, Sunday, Dec. 18, 2022, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Throughout the early part of the 2022-23 season, the NBA MVP conversation has centered on players like Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum and Dallas Mavericks phenom Luka Dončić.
It seemed like Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokić was being left out of the discussion, but his performance on Sunday against the Charlotte Hornets reminded everyone why he was named MVP in each of the past two seasons.
Jokić had a monster triple-double with 40 points, 27 rebounds and 10 assists to propel the Nuggets to a 119-115 win at Ball Arena. The 27-year-old grabbed 20 boards in the first half alone and shot 13-of-26 from the field in the victory. It was his second 40-point outing in his past three games.
NBA Twitter was blown away by Jokić's performance on Sunday:
Really hope Nikola Jokić wins a third consecutive MVP. There was so much negativity surrounding his last two seasons and pure ignorance when the discussion turned into "advanced stats are stupid, watch the game" nonsense.
He's one of the most impactful bigs ever, full stop.
The Nuggets opened the month of December with three straight losses, leading many to question whether they can compete against the elite teams in the Western Conference. However, Denver has reeled off wins in four of its past five games, and Jokić has been a major reason why.
After a somewhat slow start to the season, the Serbian seems to have found a groove in recent weeks. During this month, he's averaging 29.6 points, 11.6 rebounds and 9.1 assists on 63.0 percent shooting from the field.
Jokić will look to keep up his dominance when the Nuggets (18-11) host the Memphis Grizzlies (19-10) in a marquee primetime matchup on Tuesday night.
Damian Lillard Says He's 2nd-Best Shooter in NBA History After Stephen Curry
Dec 18, 2022
HOUSTON, TEXAS - DECEMBER 17: Damian Lillard #0 of the Portland Trail Blazers controls the ball against the Houston Rockets during the second half at Toyota Center on December 17, 2022 in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
Everyone knows Stephen Curry is the best shooter in NBA history, but Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard believes he is the second-best after passing the 18,000 point mark in Saturday's game against the Houston Rockets.
Lillard said, via Casey Holdahl of the team's website:
I always see stuff on social media where they talk about the greatest shooters of all-time and they always act like it's just crazy for people to mention me. I think for how many threes I've made, for how consistent I make them, the level of difficulty that I shoot threes with over years and years and years, I just think it's kind of crazy people don't mention me in those discussions.
Obviously I think Steph is the greatest ever, but I think after him, I don't see why I'm not clear-cut in that discussion, not just by makes, but how I shoot it, how I make tough ones all the time, how easy I shoot the ball. I'm looking forward to keep climbing that list so once I get up there in that top two, top three, I'm curious to see what people will say about me as a shooter at that point.
Lillard is certainly up there among some of the best shooters in league history. But saying he's the second-best shooter might be an overstatement, especially when considering the likes of Ray Allen, Klay Thompson, Kevin Durant, Dirk Nowitzki, Reggie Miller, Larry Bird and others.
That said, Lillard's impact is undeniable. In 18 games this season, he's averaging 28.3 points while shooting 45.1 percent from the floor and 39.8 percent from deep.
