Drafted in the first round of the 2009 NBA Draft, Gibson remained with the Bulls for 8 years. While he may not have put up all-star statistics in Chicago, averaging 9.4 points and 6.4 rebounds, his value and legacy to the franchise are palpable. 

Gibson enjoyed special moments in the United Center, playing alongside all-time Bulls greats Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah. The 37-year-old was a consistent contributor during the Bulls’ 62-win and conference finals season in 2011-12 and during the 2013-14 season when he was runner-up for Most Improved Player (averaging 13 points and 6.8 rebounds).

Hard-working and loyal, Gibson was a steady supporter, a confidante, and a respected leader in the Bulls’ locker room. One of the most beloved players by coaches, teammates, and fans, Chicago never fails to make Gibson feels special during his “homecoming” games.

“The love stays the same. The love gets better and better every time”, Gibson said Wednesday after losing 111-115 in Chicago, per MSN. 

Despite the loss, Gibson had a special feeling being back in United Center while Bulls fans gave him love.

The vet returns to Chicago on February 26th.

The post Taj Gibson On ‘the Love’ He Gets From Chicago Bulls Fans appeared first on SLAM.

The team has relied on Max Strus and Duncan Robinson to handle the load at the power forward slot, but the team looks to be losing hope in their defensive powers as reports suggest the Heat are looking at trade suitors.

“Kyle Kuzma and Taj Gibson aren’t the only potential moves that the Heat have been linked to recently,” according to Heavy.com’s Thomas Darro. “Link them to PJ Washington from the Charlotte Hornets, as well as finalizing a reunion between Crowder and the Heat. But another has been Bojan Bogdanovic from the Detroit Pistons and Lauri Markkanen from the Utah Jazz.”

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Kuzma of the Washington Wizards is off to a fantastic start to the young season as he’s averaging 19.7 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.3 blocks, and a staggering shooting at 46.5 percent from the field and 40.0 percent from beyond the arc. His size and length could turn him into a problem under the talented Heat coaching staff, but Heat President Pat Riley always keeps the door open to other options.

Washington is a restricted free agent this upcoming off-season due to the inability to negotiate a contract extension. The Hornets may be focused on providing their star point guard LaMelo Ball an enormous deal for the 2024 season, leaving little cap space to work for Washington.

The Heat wouldn’t mind one-year rentals, especially when there’s a lot of talent that needs to be proven out of the group. The 24-year-old would add the floor spacing, agility, and defensive intangibles that much up well against star rivals like Jaylen Brown, Khris Middleton and Demar Derozan.

Finally, the reunion Heat fans would welcome with open arms. Not too long ago, Phoenix Suns’ Jae Crowder was part of the resilient 2020 Heat squad that, as a 5th seed, went six games against the eventual champion Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Finals. The chemistry on display, both offensive and defensively, is in no way bound to be lost in just the two seasons apart.

With this possibly being his 10th straight playoff appearance, a reunion with the Heat opens the door to a final run at a championship.

The post REPORT: Heat Linked to Kyle Kuzma, P.J Washington, and Jae Crowder appeared first on SLAM.

According to Josh Robbins of The Athletic, when Sheppard was asked if this year’s Wizards team was a playoff team on paper, the Wizards exec said: “I think we just continue to improve. Obviously, that’s everybody’s goal: to make the playoffs. I think we’ve got to see the improvement on the defensive end. I think we addressed that this summer. You find out in the winter what you did in the summer.”

The Wizards made some interesting moves this off-season, trading Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Ish Smith to the Denver Nuggets for Will Barton and Monte Morris. Unseld stated that he had seen an “immediate impact” coming from Morris.

“He’s a connector,” Unseld said. “And he’s a guy that, I’m not sure how, but around the league, everyone knows Monte, and he does a terrific job of ingratiating himself beyond just between the lines. He’s obviously a point guard at heart. He prides himself on running the team, and I think that’s going to be a huge benefit to this group because he’s going to know what the group needs at the right time.”

Some other noteworthy off-season additions Washington made include acquiring Delon Wright and Taj Gibson and using their 10th pick in the 2022 NBA Draft to secure Johnny Davis.

“I think all the guys that are new to our roster bring a whole different mentality may be in terms of their expectations of themselves,” said Sheppard. “Walking in the door, defining themselves as players, it’s obvious that they don’t have to tell you about it. They show you.”

It seems Washington’s coach and front office staff took the steps they felt were necessary to drastically improve the team’s chemistry issues and move forward from last season’s struggles. With the 2022-2023 NBA Season set to tip off in just a few more weeks, the clock is ticking to see if this Wizards team can back up these words.

The post Wizards Are ‘Hopeful’ Their Off-Season Moves Will Lead to a Playoff Appearance appeared first on SLAM.

After Beal opted out of signing his player-option, the three-time All-Star emphatically answered that question when he signed a five-year extension, a deal that includes the 10th ever no-trade clause, to play for the Wizards until 2027. Beal signed the max contract following a season cut short due to wrist surgery, where he averaged 23.2 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 6.6 assists per game on 45.1 percent shooting from the field.

Beal’s signing marked an interesting debate on NBA Twitter. For many, loyalty to where you first played and winning a title with them make a player legendary. However, by today’s player-empowerment standards, players are expected to be willing to leave and team up to create the best scenario to win a title.

“I feel like if I win a championship here in D.C., the grind of it, with everything I’ve been through, all the adversity and ups & downs, that would make a win that much sweeter, make me appreciate it that much more. I do love the grind.” Beal said per Haute Living Magazine.

Players like Beal, Damian Lillard, or four-time champ Stephen Curry who remain loyal to their first teams, are uncommon. Beal is here to say that none of that outside noise matters, and his goal remains the same. To lead the Wizards to their first championship run since winning it all in 1978.

“People always look at me like I’m crazy, but I have a huge desire to want to make it work here and win here. This is the team that drafted me. They’re super loyal; I have a great relationship with ownership and a great relationship with our front office.”

The deal makes Beal not only the face of the franchise for the long haul but also the leader of a team filled with new faces after the Wizards signed Taj Gibson and Delon Wright and drafted Johnny Davis 10th overall in the 2022 NBA Draft.

Heading into 2022-23, the Wizards will look to return to the playoffs led by a potentially dangerous 1-2 punch headlined by Beal and Kristaps Porzingis as the anchor in the paint. The Wizards last made the playoffs in 2021, led by Beal and Russell Westbrook.

“Plus, there’s not a lot of chances in the careers of NBA players to be notated as the franchise guy, you know? To be able to have that opportunity, to be able to be in a position to where I can write my own story, that’s everything.”

By the time Beal suffered a season-ending wrist injury in February, the season was washed. Beal and the Wizards started the season hot, owned the top record in the East for a moment, and had a top 5 defense. That sweet moment was short-lived, though. The team went through a cold December, losing three games in a row twice. They lost six straight in January as well. The Wizards finished the season 35-47, good for 12th in the East.

The key is to figure out how to make that early-season success consistent. A tall task that Beal and Coach Wes Unseld Jr. will have to figure out.

The post Bradley Beal Speaks On What It Would Mean to Win a Title in D.C. appeared first on SLAM.

On Thursday night, the Knicks decided to travel down the road and play for the future and traded the 11th overall pick to OKC for three heavily first-round picks and moved Kemba Walker to Detroit via a three-time trade that included the Hornets. The Pistons also received the draft rights to former Memphis big man Jalen Duren.

What the Knicks did tonight:

NYK trades 11th pick to OKC

OKC trades 3 firsts (23 DEN, DET, WASH) to NYK

NYK then trades 23 DEN, 4 seconds to CHA for 13th pick

NYK then trade 13th pick & Kemba Walker to DET for MKE’s 25 first

NYK trades 11, Kemba, 4 2nds & gets 3 future 1sts

— Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) June 24, 2022

The Knicks’ draft night moves left their front office with about $16 million in cap space depending on if they move Ryan Arcidiacono and Taj Gibson off their books. The question now becomes, do President Leon Rose and GM Scott Perry have enough to make a run at restricted free agent Brunson.

Brunson is coming off a season where he averaged 16.3 points and 4.8 assists per game on 37.3 percent shooting from beyond the arc. He dismantled the Utah Jazz in the playoffs while running mate Luka Doncic was out with a calf injury. He continued to play a pivotal role in the Mavs’ run to the Western Conference Finals.

If the Knicks cannot acquire Brunson this summer, they’re reportedly expected to target Malcolm Brogdon during free agency.

Thursday’s night decision has disappointed many New York fans, most notably their two most high-profile fans in Stephen A Smith and legendary filmmaker Spike Lee.

IT HAPPENED AGAIN! pic.twitter.com/TVqqb6bg8o

— Stephen A Smith (@stephenasmith) June 24, 2022

There was enough fan confusion that Rose felt it was necessary to give a statement and say that the front office remains focused on “strategic and thoughtful” as they attempt to build the Knicks back into a relevant threat for an NBA title.

Knicks President Leon Rose on last night’s draft activity. pic.twitter.com/E2JEIbRzbG

— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) June 24, 2022

Moving forward, it’ll be interesting to see what the Knicks do this summer, and moving forward. Knicks fans and the franchise remain in the hunt for their first Finals appearance since 1999 and their first title since 1973.

The post New York Knicks Respond to Draft Decision Backlash appeared first on SLAM.

The Hawks took down the Knicks 117-111, led by a 45 point-performance by Young to go along with eight assists. He knocked down 13 of his 25 shots and went 7-for-15 from deep, all with a chorus of boos coming from the crowd throughout the night.

Young’s performance was memorable not only in the box score, but with absurd plays such as this fourth-quarter crossover against Taj Gibson.

Young has become something of a New York City “villain” since his playoff series against the Knicks last season, but, as he told SLAMKicks last September in his KICKS 24 cover story, he’s always embraced the negativity.

“You ain’t got no choice but to hear it when a whole arena is chanting ‘F you.’ That’s just fun. Me, I’m a competitive person in whatever I’m doing. Anytime somebody’s talking trash, whether it’s my little brother, my dad, or a random person playing pick-up ball with me, I’m going to be the same way. That’s just my mindset. I’ve had this approach with everything I’ve done up until now. And I ain’t gonna change anytime soon, for sure.”

After the Hawks win on Tuesday night, Young took to Twitter to celebrate.

Following the game, he talked to reporters, including the AP’s Brian Mahoney, about how his and the rest of the team’s mindset gave them an edge to win.

“I think the swag and what we were able to do on the court tonight and the energy we had in the huddle, I knew it was just us versus everybody tonight,” Young said. “And I think if we have that type of mindset each and every game, we’re going to give ourselves a chance to win.”

Last night’s win pushed the Hawks’ record to an even 36-36, 10th best in the Eastern Conference. The loss for the Knicks leaves them at 30-42, 12th in the conference.

The post ‘Hold That L’: Trae Young Drops 45 Points in Electric Return to MSG appeared first on SLAM.

Gibson sprained his ankle in the first half of the New York Knicks’ 104-113 loss against the visiting Toronto Raptors.

Gibson’s injury had forced Knicks rookie Jericho Sims to play in the place of Nerlens Noel ls who has been out for seven straight games.

Coach Tom Thibodeau says he didn’t have a sense of the severity of Gibson’s injury and Noel warmed up and “couldn’t give it a go” according to Fred Katz of the Athletic Reports.

According to Katz, Thibodeau says that Gibson did practice on Tuesday and that both he and Noel, who Thibs says “missed practice for personal reasons,” will travel with the team when they play the Pacers on Wednesday. They’ll both be listed as questionable.

Taj Gibson participated in practice today, Thibodeau says. Nerlens Noel missed practice for personal reasons. They’ll both travel to Indiana for tomorrow’s game, where they’ll be questionable.

— Fred Katz (@FredKatz) November 2, 2021

The post Knicks’ Taj Gibson Suffers Sprain Ankle Against Raptors appeared first on SLAM.

According to ESPN Stats and Info, Barrett became the youngest player in Knicks’ history with 35 points on 65% shooting in a game. But it was in crunch time where he scored 9 points in the final minute and 33 seconds with an assist to Taj Gibson, who finished the play with a major dunk that impressed head coach Tom Thibodeau via the New York Daily News.

“He was terrific—all-around game,” Tom Thibodeau said of Barrett. “Start to finish. Clutch shots, great hustle, great effort. Rebounding the ball. Tough shots. Got downhill. We needed it.” 

Barrett returned the sentiments by giving a shoutout to Thibodeau: “That was Thibs. He was running those plays for me in the end of the game. That’s the type of player I am. I was happy I was able to show that today.”

RJ Barrett BUCKETS@RjBarrett6 drops a career-high 35 PTS (16 in Q4) as the @nyknicks improve to 5-1 on the season! pic.twitter.com/RlakYdq0EP

— NBA (@NBA) October 31, 2021

Despite his electric performance, Barrett was still critical of his defense: “It was definitely a good game overall offensively,” he said. “I was terrible on defense today, that was not good. But like I said, we were able to get the win and that’s most important.”

The New York Knicks look to improve on their League best 5-1 record against Toronto on Monday.

The post Tom Thibodeau Praises RJ Barrett After Performance Against the Pelicans appeared first on SLAM.

“Fort Greene [has] so much culture, but at the same time, it’s the trenches, too. That’s what makes it special,” says Gibson. “Ingersoll Houses were always rough. It was always a tough place to grow up. You had so many legendary guys that came out of Fort Greene. Growing up in Fort Greene taught me a lot of life lessons, and it built a lot of strong character. I remember my first day coming outside alone, I had like two fights. Two fights! As soon as I came out by myself, I was fighting. But the people I was fighting were the same people who grew into some of the closest friends I ever had in my life. That’s just kind of hood politics for you.”

As fate would have it, Prince and Gibson both ended up getting drafted to Chicago—Gibson to the Bulls in ’09 and Prince to the Sky in ’10. With the Fort Greene natives hooping in the same city once again, they connected often and reminisced on playing at the same school gym, PS 265. By the time the holidays came around in 2010, though, they decided it was time to return and look out. They launched the Taj Gibson and Epiphanny Prince Christmas Giveback that winter and ran youth tournaments in Fort Greene the following summer. Ever since, Gibson has been operating an array of programs in the area year-round through his foundation. Basketball tournaments, bookbag giveaways, bike drives, coat drives, computer giveaways, workshops, food delivery for the elderly. You name it. 

“What motivated me is, one of my best friends, Charles Wynn, when I first got drafted, he passed away tragically from gun violence. He was always telling me that once we get on, we gotta come back and do what’s right,” the 6-9 vet says. “At first, it just started out with tournaments, but as the years went on, it changed to something totally different, to where now I was raising kids that turned into adults. They appreciated the tournaments, the workshops, and it just took off. You’re dealing with kids that don’t have a father at home, a mother at home. You start making sure kids get home safe. You’re dealing with death in the family, where you might have to step in and be that newfound father they never knew they had.”

In August, the Taj Gibson Foundation helped put together the Ed “Booger” Smith Classic, named after the FG native and streetball legend who was featured in the Soul in the Hole documentary and appeared in the iconic He Got Game. In the summer of 2020, Gibson also returned to the same Ingersoll playground he used to hoop at and where he got his first dunk, and helped refurbish the deteriorating blacktop.  

“It was a great thing for the community because we were able to give people jobs while we were fixing the court, and actually pay them,” Gibson recalls. “That was the biggest thing for me. We’re trying to do more courts and developments around Brooklyn, and while we’re doing that [also] give people jobs.”

“I look at all the trials and tribulations it took to get here. A lot of good friends I lost growing up that I had a lot of good childhood memories with on that court,” Gibson adds. “It’s always bittersweet because you look at what you’ve gained and what you’ve lost.”

Photos via MarsMedia and Getty Images.

The post Taj Gibson is on a Mission to Give Back to His Community in Fort Greene, Brooklyn appeared first on SLAM.

The NBPA has shared with SLAM the following 2021 NBPA PVA NextGen Winners:

• The Locksmith Award – Bryce Cash, NC
  • This award is dedicated to the lockdown defender who anchors the team defensively with his or her presence and energy
• The Mr. / Ms. Clutch Award – Dylan Andrews, CA
  • This award is designed for the go-to player who is ready to step up and hit the big shot when the clock is winding down and the game is on the line
• The Best Signature Move, Presented by HSS – Sebastian Reed, GA
  • This award is for the player whose signature move dominates the league’s defenders over and over again
• The People’s Champ Award – Chris Peoples, OH
  • This award is dedicated to the player who gives as much off the court as they do on it, always striving to make his or her community better through service and advocacy
• The Sneaker Champ Award – Jaylnn Robinson, NY
  • This award is dedicated to the player with the best sneaker style on and off the court 

The winners of PVA NextGen are invited to attend an exclusive virtual award ceremony with NBPA member Taj Gibson and will receive special NBPA gift bags filled with NBPA merch, including a tee, mini ball, and signed player card.

For more information about PVA Next Gen, visit www.nbpa.com/pvanextgen.

The post NBPA Announces the Winners of First-Ever Players’ Voice Awards NextGen appeared first on SLAM.

Now, the Knicks and Gibson have reached an agreement to adjust the terms of the contract from the one-year, minimum-salary to a two-year, $10.1 million deal according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

Taj Gibson’s deal with the Knicks has been restructured, agent Mark Bartelstein of @PrioritySports tells ESPN: Gibson will now sign a two-year, $10.1M deal to return to New York. He had originally agreed to a one-year deal.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) August 17, 2021

New York likely had renounced their Early Bird rights on Gibson to maximize their cap flexibility to sign free agents such as Kemba Walker, Derrick Rose, Evan Fournier, Nerlens Noel and Alec Burks. Now they will use their midlevel exception to complete the contract.

It’s considered a win-win for all parties. Gibson gets rewarded for his locker-room mentorship over the last two seasons, and the Knicks have a more tradable contract on the books maintaining their cap flexibility.

Through two seasons with the Knicks, Gibson averaged 5.8 points and 4.8 rebounds a game.

The post New York Knicks Restructure Taj Gibson’s Contract to A Two Year Deal appeared first on SLAM.

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the New York Knicks star forward has agreed to a four-year, $117 million contract extension after a stellar 2020-21 campaign.

In his second season with the Knicks, Randle would go on to averaged 24.1 points, 10.2 rebounds and 6.0 assists per game, winning the NBA’s Most Improved Player award while being nominated to the second-team All-NBA and leading New York to the fourth seed in the East after an almost decade-long drought from the playoffs

This extension now increases Randle’s overall contract to five years and $140 million.

If Randle can maintain his caliber of play from last season, this contract is undoubtedly a steal. Of all players who qualified for the First or Second All-NBA team last season, Randle has the cheapest annual salary at $27.3 million, over $2 million less than the next player. 

Average annual salaries for players that made the First or Second Team All-NBA last season:

Giannis: $45.6 million
Lillard: $44.0 million
LeBron: 42.8 million
Harden: $42.8M
Embiid: $29.5M
Jokic: $29.5M
Chris Paul: $30M
Steph: $40.2M
Durant: $41.0 M

Julius Randle: $27.3 million

— Tommy Beer (@TommyBeer) August 5, 2021

Randle could have postponed signing this extension until the end of next season, and potentially received an offer worth over $200 million. However, agreeing to this extension affords New York a great deal of financial flexibility in order to build a roster around Randle for the future, showing impressive foresight from both parties.

The Knicks have already begun that process this offseason; they have signed guards Evan Fournier and Kemba Walker and resigned much of the core that helped lead the Knicks to the playoffs last year — including Nerlens Noel, Taj Gibson and Alec Burks.

Now, with Randle signed for the foreseeable future, the Knicks will likely see their eyes on more than just a playoff bid.

The post REPORT: Julius Randle Agrees to $117 Million Extension with Knicks appeared first on SLAM.

As first reported by Ian Begley of SNY, Taj Gibson has agreed to a one-year, $2.7 million deal to return to the Knicks. While he isn’t as impactful of a player as some of their other signings over the past 24 hours, Gibson is an extremely important piece of the rocker as a locker room mentor.

Through two seasons with the Knicks, Gibson has started in 59 of his 107 games, averaging 5.8 points and 4.8 rebounds per contest. After a disappointing first round exit in the recent postseason, New York is looking to take the next step and have another successful season upcoming.

The post Taj Gibson Returning To Knicks on One-Year Deal appeared first on SLAM.

Thibodeau is the first Knicks coach to win the award since Pat Riley in 1993.

What a season.

Congratulations to our leader, Tom Thibodeau, on being named the 2020-21 NBA Coach of the Year. pic.twitter.com/aXHXku4t2i

— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) June 7, 2021

Before the season began, many media outlets and commentators predicted the Knicks would be the worst team in the League. However, under Thibodeau, the Knicks won 41 games and finished as the fourth seed in the East. 

The Connecticut native barely squeaked by Suns head coach Monty Williams (Thibodeau had 351 total points to Williams 340, even as Williams had two more first-place votes). 

This is Tom Thibodeau’s second NBA Coach of the Year award (first was 2010-11 with Chicago). Thibodeau is the first coach to win the award in his first year with two franchises and he’s the first Knick to win it since Pat Riley in 1993. Here is the NBA Coach of the Year voting: pic.twitter.com/pybbjQJCOi

— Ian Begley (@IanBegley) June 7, 2021

In an interview with the Inside the NBA crew on TNT on Tuesday, Thibodeau attributed the team’s success in large part to Julius Randle, who recently won the Most Improved Player award, and the various veterans—such as Taj Gibson, Derrick Rose, and Reggie Bullock—who helped set the tone and mentor the young players.

“The whole team, from top to bottom, they were very special, they were very tight, hard-working and gave everything they had each and every day,” he said. 

The post New York Knicks’ Tom Thibodeau Named NBA Coach of the Year appeared first on SLAM.

After the Boston Celtics lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday, 102-94, the New Yorks Knicks officially clinched its first playoff-berth since 2013 as the No.6 seed in the Eastern Conference.

The last time the Knicks made an appearance in the postseason was seven years ago during the 2012-13 season. Led by Carmelo Anthony, the Knicks faced a tough Indiana Pacers team equipped with Paul George, Roy Hibbert, and Lance Stephenson. New York went on to lose the series, 2-4.

Now, years later, a newfound sense of hope has shined over Madison Square Garden. The Knicks have proved the doubters and naysayers wrong all year, even starting the season off with a 5-3 record. Although it may be a small and easily overlook achievement, these dubs were against some powerhouse teams like the Utah Jazz, Milwaukee Bucks, and the Indiana Pacers.

Although the franchise’s success can be attributed to the entire roster, one key component has been none other than Randle. The NBA All-Star has popped off this season, averaging a career-high 24.0 points per game, as well as 5.9 assists and 10.3 rebounds. Playing alongside RJ Barrett, rookies Obi Toppin and Immanuel Quickley, and NBA vets like Derrick Rose and Taj Gibson, the Knicks have found their rhythm this season and succeeded, despite doubts.

They truly are bringing toughness back to MSG.

The New York Knicks will host the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday night at 7:30 pm.

The post The New York Knicks are Headed to the Playoffs For the First Time Since 2013 appeared first on SLAM.

It is in this moment that 19-year-old rookie RJ Barrett, in a scenario very similar to a high school freshman entering the cafeteria for lunch for the very first time, finds himself looking around the plane for a place to sit. He eventually turns to Julius Randle, who is entering his sixth year in the NBA and therefore is already sitting in his preferred spot, and asks if he could join him.     

“He didn’t really know where to sit. He came and was like, Is it cool if I sit right here? And I was like, Hell no! Nah, I’m joking. I was like, Yeah, of course, man. I’ve always sat on the same place on the plane my whole career. He sat next to me and it’s just kind of been our thing…First day, and ever since then, hasn’t changed,” says Randle. “They have the table where the guys play cards. I’ve always sat to the left of the table—directly there. I sit there and [RJ] sits by the window.”

Julius, who knew exactly what it was like to be a top draft pick headed to a big city with tons of expectations and very little patience after being selected with the seventh pick in the 2014 NBA Draft by the Los Angeles Lakers, became the perfect mentor for Barrett. Whether fate or just pure coincidence, it’s impossible to trace back the grand return of the New York Knicks to relevance this season without looking at how Randle and Barrett sprouted in The Garden by developing a strong chemistry that extends beyond the hardwood. One that seems to have started on (or at the very least facilitated by) an October flight in 2019.

“We’ve been sitting beside each other since day one. Just cracking jokes…We can play cards, we listen to music, we do all that at the front of the plane. It kind of just happened and we just stuck with it,” says Barrett. “We’ve always just had an understanding with each other. Sitting together at the beginning kind of helped me because I was the rookie coming in. So, it was like [a] big brother just helping me out. We even watch film together on the plane, showing me little things.”

That plane seating decision may have not seemed like a big deal at the time, but it helped pave the way for the creation of the most important Knicks duo in recent memory. The Knicks are back. The most valued franchise in the NBA is making noise again. A real foundation is now in place, with Randle and Barrett at the center of it.

Order your copy of SLAM 232 featuring Julius Randle and RJ Barrett now.

It’s a Thursday afternoon in late April and RJ Barrett is sitting in his home office in White Plains, NY. The team is enjoying a day off, 16 hours after winning at home in overtime against the Atlanta Hawks in the second game of a back-to-back. Randle dropped 40. The Knicks extended their winning streak to eight—their longest streak in seven years. The team has moved up to sole possession of the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference on this day. With less than a month to go in the regular season, the thought of the Knicks being in the playoffs for the first time since 2013 seems like a real possibility. It’s been eight years. The city is buzzing.

There’s a lot to be excited about, and RJ is cheesing hard when he joins us via Zoom from his home.

“I feel like we were the only ones that kind of believed in ourselves. No one thought we were going to be here,” says Barrett. “No one thought we were going to be in this position except for us. Even making the playoffs, we’re very excited for that. It’s not just about making the playoffs. We want to go far. We want to try to win championships. That’s what we’re about.”

“From the media’s standpoint, I could certainly understand how we would be ahead of schedule,” says Randle. “For me—unless you’re, like, the Lakers or Brooklyn [where] it’s championship or bust in their minds, probably—I came to this season with an open mind. We had a new front office. Guys I was really familiar with were Wes [William Wesley] and Leon [Rose]. New coaching staff, different players. So, it’s hard to really put a cap on what you can be. I just tried to come into the season with an open mind. I wanted to improve as a player and really put my best foot forward as far as how I could help the team. Quickly, as the season started in training camp and as the season went on, I could tell things were a lot different [and that] we had a chance to be good if we just trust in each other, believe in each other and follow Thibs’ lead.”

It was in July of 2017 when Barrett first caught the attention of Randle. At the time, Randle had just completed his third year in the League and was enjoying his offseason in L.A. when one day he decided to tune in to the U19 FIBA World Cup in Egypt. The real draw for the former Kentucky star was that his former head coach John Calipari was coaching the American team. As a true Big Blue Nation supporter and overall student of the game, Randle tuned it to root for his guy. It was the tourney’s semifinals and Team USA was facing off against Canada. Barrett, only 17 years old at the time, ended up dropping 38 points, 13 rebounds and 5 rebounds while leading Canada to a shocking 99-87 upset victory over the United States.

It marked the first time that an American team of any age group had lost a game in international competition in six years, while also being the first time ever that a Canadian men’s basketball team had claimed gold at any level. Randle vividly remembers his thoughts after watching that contest.

“I watched that game. He went crazy. I remember he got a 30-ball,” recalls Randle. “I was like, That kid is going to be special! I could tell right away. You don’t just see that happening.”

Beyond the career-high production from Randle and the second-year leap from Barrett, there’s a visible overall culture shift with this team, one that everyone has bought in on. Head coach Tom Thibodeau’s teams have always been known for their hard-nosed defense and grittiness. As of late April, the team ranks No. 1 in the NBA in fewest points allowed (104.7 per game) as well as No. 1 in fewest made field goals by opponents (38.0 per game). For reference, the franchise ranked 17th in points allowed last season (112.3 ppg). In their largest margin blowout win in 25 years—by 44 points against the Detroit Pistons on the road—in early April, the orange and blue didn’t allow a single field goal to the Pistons starters in the first quarter; that hasn’t happened in 22 years.

“We’re a team that we go back to the gym at night. Almost every night. We’re always working before practice, after practice. Come back again at night. We land somewhere, we all go to the gym now. We’re always in the gym. That’s been showing out there on the court…This is a very special team. And I feel like we’re the start of something good in New York Knicks basketball again,” says Barrett. “I think our team describes New York. I think we’re tough, gritty, resilient. And we go in with our hard hat and work hard every day.”

Adds Randle, “After the first game of preseason, honestly, I saw it was different. And then I think the third game of the preseason, when we played Cleveland back-to-back, I was like, Oh, nah, we got a chance to do something or surprise people! We went to Indiana, played them tough—should’ve won the game. And from that point on, I’m like, Yo, just keep building! I really wasn’t focused on the wins and losses. We were just trying to focus on building our identity of who we were as a team. Confidence for a team is everything. That’s really what happened with us. Game by game, our confidence just grew to where every game we come in [and] we expect to win the game.”   

For Randle, the journey has taken him from four rebuilding years with the Lakers (tough years where the team finished 30 or more games under .500 in three of those) to then one season in New Orleans, where he enjoyed some of the best numbers of his career but nonetheless missed the playoffs. He opted out of the second year of a two-year deal with the Pelicans in the summer of 2019 and ultimately took a leap of faith in signing with the rebuilding Knicks. After a tough first season as a team in New York, Randle is now averaging career highs in points (24.2) and rebounds (10.3) as of press time. He’s been filling up the stat sheet, becoming the first Knick in over three decades to record multiple triple-doubles in a season. He got his first All-Star nod in March and is now gearing up for some playoff action—the first of his career.

“I had never seen [Julius] in person before, so when I [first] saw him I actually was like, This dude is 6-9, 250!” says Barrett while bursting out laughing. “My favorite stories are just him working hard. Us landing somewhere and [he’s] always going to the gym. He just became an All-Star, and he was in New York working after the All-Star Game before anybody even got back….As soon as he gets to the arena, he has his headphones on. He’s kind of just in a zone. He doesn’t really speak until we get on the court.”

For RJ, who’s still only 20 years old, his first 18+ months in the League have been a rollercoaster. As the third pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, which became the Knicks’ highest draft pick since Hall of Famer Patrick Ewing went number one in 1985, he saw his share of ups and downs as a rookie. The team was losing. A lot. The head coach was fired. The team president was fired. Although many jumped at the opportunity to critique his shooting numbers, he still showed glimpses of what could be. There were a couple of 27-point performances. He became the first Knicks rookie in 40 years to post a 15-15-5 stat line. He was third (behind only Zion Williamson and Ja Morant) in scoring among all rookies—and yet somehow was absurdly snubbed from the NBA All-Rookie Team.

Not only are his averages and shooting percentages up across the board this season (posting 17.6 points and 5.8 boards as of press time), there’s an aura and swagger to him. He’s become a fan favorite in the Big Apple.

“This year he’s just a complete—I wouldn’t say 180 [degrees], but as far as his mentality, he doesn’t let things affect him,” says Randle of Barrett. “He’s very steady, confident and knows who he is as a player, and he’s just been proving it.”

A few days after our Zoom calls with both guys, the Knicks winning streak came to an end following a loss to Phoenix at home. The streak topped off at nine—the team’s second best stretch in 25 years. The vibe in the city remained unchanged, though. This time it just feels different.

Yes, the Carmelo Anthony-led 2012-13 team did indeed make it to the second round of the playoffs, but that squad never had a sustainable young core to build a future around. Therefore, that era came and went so fast, still leaving the franchise with the worst record in the League over a 20-year span when Randle joined in 2019. This team, though, hasn’t even scratched the surface. From Immanuel Quickley having one of the best rookie seasons in the Association, to Mitchell Robinson and Nerlens Noel becoming major defensive forces in the paint, it’s been a well-balanced mix to complement vets like Derrick Rose, Reggie Bullock, Alec Burks, Elfrid Payton and Taj Gibson.

Players on other teams, from LeBron James to Marcus Morris, have taken to Twitter to acknowledge the resurgence of the team. “And the league is simply better off when the Knicks are winning,” LeBron tweeted on April 22. Yet, being patient and realistic is very important here—one thing that Randle and Barrett constantly preached during our call.

“We’re aware of [the excitement]. We hear it. You can’t really escape it. We hear it but that’s not where our focus is. We have a game-to-game focus. Thibs does an amazing job of preparing us from game to game,” says Randle. “Our game to game attention to detail and focus, it’s different than any team I’ve ever been on.”

“[Thibs] came in and he was just very honest from the beginning. He told us, We have a long way to go but we’re going to try to turn this around. And that’s exactly what we’ve done,” says Barrett. “Honestly, I’m not really surprised. We worked too hard. We work so hard and we have no egos. I feel like we deserve everything that is happening right now but we know that we have a long way to go.”

—

Action photos credits via Getty.

Portraits by Niko Rodriguez and Kevin Clark at the New York Knicks. Follow Niko on Instagram @technicalbasis, and Kevin on Insta @kevin_clarkk.

The post Julius Randle and RJ Barrett are Bringing Toughness Back to MSG appeared first on SLAM.

Heading into April, New York now finds themselves in their first playoff chase since the 2012-13 season, back when Carmelo Anthony’s jerseys were orange and blue rather than red and black and Mike Woodson was a head coach in the NBA, rather than his alma mater.

Unfortunately for the Knicks, they’ll be without their starting center Mitchell Robinson for the stretch as the prized shot-blocker underwent a successful surgery on his fractured right foot on Monday, the team announces.

The injury occurred on Sunday, when the Knicks were in Milwaukee facing the Bucks.

Going for a steal in the opening period, Robinson got tangled up with Bucks center Brook Lopez and then immediately struggled to put any weight on his right foot, in obvious discomfort.

Robinson, 22-years-old, has shown plenty of potential and growth in his short career. In 31 games this year, Robinson was averaging 8.3 points, 8.1 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game while shooting .653 percent from the field.

It’s a tough break for Robinson as this will now be his second surgery on the season. Robinson also underwent surgery in February, in order to repair a fractured right hand.

Due to what’s been a close-knit locker room for New York, Robinson’s injury hit his teammates hard. The camaraderie couldn’t have been more evident when sports announcer Mike Breen informed Knicks veteran guard Derrick Rose the significances of his teammates injury.

In the short term, Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau and his staff will have to rely on veterans Taj Gibson and Nerlens Noel to continue to fill the void during Robinson’s absence.

Another possibility for the Knicks is to sign a player to one of their two open roster spots, although the number of high-quality free agent centers dwindled over the past week.

The post Mitchell Robinson Undergoes Successful Surgery to Repair Fractured Foot appeared first on SLAM.

Having one of their more quiet offseasons in the last few years may actually be a good thing, as the franchise has been known to make desperation signings.

Knicks Roster Additions

Biggest Acquisitions

• Obi Toppin: Considered to be one of the most NBA-ready prospects in the 2020 NBA Draft, Obi Toppin will join Kevin Knox and R.J. Barrett as the team’s most recent lottery picks and hopeful franchise cornerstones. Highly athletic, with a high basketball IQ and a well-rounded offensive game, look for Toppin to be a highlight machine in the Big Apple.
• Austin Rivers: The Knicks have long been looking for a point guard but with high-profile floor generals linked to New York — as usual — it was surprising to see that Austin Rivers had reached an agreement with them. A steadily developing player throughout his NBA career, Rivers is a jack-of-all-trades, master-of-none type of contributor that should fit well within their starting lineup.

Knicks Roster Subtractions

Biggest Losses

• Bobby Portis: Bobby Portis has had better seasons than his 2019-20 campaign with the New York Knicks, as he found his shot attempts and rebounding opportunities. Still, he’s a big man that can make a Montrezl Harrell-level impact.
• Taj Gibson: A grizzled veteran who plays with toughness and a mean streak on defense, Taj Gibson is surprisingly still available; maybe the Knicks bring him back if they’re unsure that 33-year-old Wayne Ellington could replace his experience.

All NBA Team Offseason Summaries

The post New York Knicks: Offseason Summary 2020 appeared first on SLAM.

While no moves can be made official until Nov. 22, it’s rare that deals that have been agreed to fall apart, so that means this list of the best players still available should be mandatory reading for anybody looking to make sense of the rest of the offseason.

For a recap of all the signings that have already gone down, hit our archive. Note that I’ve also been updating our original feature breaking down the free agent class with signings and agreements as they’re reported.

Top 2020 NBA Free Agents Remaining

The post Top 2020 NBA Free Agents Remaining appeared first on SLAM.

Gibson was set to enter the second year of his two-year, $20 million deal that he signed with the Knicks before the start of last season. For a team looking to continue to create more cap space in order to re-tool the roster, decisions like this had to be made.

New York will still pay a $1 million cap hit for Gibson but that’s a far cry the $9.5 million that it would have been.

At age 34 in a limited role, Gibson produced 6.1 points and 4.3 rebounds per game on a Knicks team that valued his veteran leadership last season. Set to enter free agency, he now has the chance to join another team and be an asset on the court as well as off.

The post Taj Gibson Waived by Knicks appeared first on SLAM.

In addition to a summary for each of the 30 teams (accessible in the link grid below), we’ve also tiered the top NBA free agents league-wide and published a general comparison of all teams’ cap space. Follow @SLAMnewswire on Twitter for constant offseason updates as we head into free agency.

Projected Roster Players

Projected Free Agents

Projected Dead Money

Projected Renouncements/Waivers

2020 NBA Draft Picks

Exceptions Available

• Room Exception – $4,767,000

Key Offseason Decisions

• What do the Knicks do with four non-guaranteed players? Reggie Bullock ($4.2M), Elfrid Payton ($8M), Taj Gibson ($9.45M) and Wayne Ellington ($8M) are each guaranteed $1M. If the Knicks want to maximize their cap space this offseason, they’ll let each go. If doesn’t mean their time is over in New York either, as the club could re-sign any of them.
• Did Damyean Dotson do enough to get a qualifying offer? Dotson is a swing decision for New York. If the Knicks make him a restricted free agent, he’ll eat into cap space. If not, he could get an offer as an unrestricted target.

Projected Team Salary

$64,036,244

It’s not a great summer to have a lot of cap space. The free agent market is pretty barren of stars, but the Knicks can still make the most of a lot of flexibility. New York could be in the market to trade for a star, or maybe even two. They can also pivot, extend the rebuild another year and eat a couple of bad contracts. That would bring in assets for the Knicks in terms of draft picks and/or young players. It all really hinges on what happens with the non-guaranteed contract for the four veterans who are guaranteed just $1M apiece. (@KeithSmithNBA)

Cap Space Forecast

$42,408,826 (2^nd out of 30)

Team Salary Cap Outlooks

The post New York Knicks: Salary Cap Space 2020 appeared first on SLAM.

We’ve listed the entire roster with comparisons to last year’s launch rating below. We’ve also identified some general NBA 2K21 ratings trends for the league as a whole.

Knicks NBA 2K21 Ratings

View the NBA 2K21 player ratings for other teams below.

The post New York Knicks: NBA 2K21 Ratings appeared first on SLAM.

While the franchise’s new front office is eager to lock in an official head coach for the first time since David Fizdale was dispatched in December, incumbent interim coach Mike Miller figures to have a shot at the job as well.

The Knicks have been pleased with Miller’s run as the interim coach and will interview him as well when the formal coaching search begins.

According to The Athletic, the Knicks’ timeline for when their search begins could hinge on whether or not they’re among the teams whose seasons will resume if teams begin playing again after the hiatus.

Thibodeau’s most memorable stint as a head coach would be his five-year run with the Chicago Bulls between 2010 and 2015 but his most recent includes a brief stint with the Minnesota Timberwolves, during which he acquired Jimmy Butler and led the Wolves to the postseason.

Over the course of his career managing mostly established rosters, Thibodeau has enjoyed a .589 win percentage and made the postseason in six of his seven full seasons.

He’s a defensive-first coach that wasn’t afraid to lean on familiar players during his time with the Wolves. One of those players, Taj Gibson, is coincidentally already on the Knicks roster.

The post Tom Thibodeau Tops List Of Knicks’ Coaching Candidates appeared first on SLAM.

Also included in the team-by-team breakdowns are all partial/non-guaranteed players for the 2020-21 season, essentially expanding the list to include any individual that could plausibly hit free agency this summer.

Related: CBA Explained – Different types of NBA free agency

Boston Celtics

Brooklyn Nets

New York Knicks

Philadelphia 76ers

Toronto Raptors

The post 2020 NBA Free Agent List – Atlantic Division appeared first on SLAM.

Leon Rose will start his new job as President of the New York Knicks on March 1, Marc Stein of the New York Times reports. Rose was first rumored to be the Knicks choice to run their basketball operations just ahead of the NBA trade deadline in early-February.

Rose will be making the transition from the agent side of the basketball world to the front office side. As an agent, Rose has represented superstar players like Allen Iverson, Dwyane Wade, Chris Paul, Carmelo Anthony, Joel Embiid and Karl-Anthony Towns.

Now, as he leads the Knicks’ roster building efforts, Rose will be across the table in negotiations with superstar players.

When reports broke that Rose was going to takeover leading New York’s front office, he was rumored to have William Wesley joining him in the endeavor. Better known as “Worldwide Wes”, Wesley has been connected to Rose going back over 30 years. Rose acknowledged in 2005 that he had been Wesley’s attorney for over 20 years to that point.

As talks for Rose to take over the Knicks continued, it was determined that Wesley would not be joining him in the front office. Wesley will reportedly remain a consultant to Rose, but will not join New York in any sort of formal capacity.

Rose will be the latest in a line of agents that have made the jump to lead NBA front offices. In recent years, Neil Olshey, Bob Myers and Rob Pelinka have all switched sides. Olshey has built consistent playoff teams in Portland and with the Los Angeles Clippers. Myers built a dynasty with the Golden State Warriors and Pelinka has the Los Angeles Lakers currently on top of the Western Conference.

Rose has the backing of the NBA’s biggest market, but he’ll have to reverse a long trend of losing. The 2019-20 season will mark the seventh-straight season the Knicks will miss out on the NBA playoffs. Overall, New York has made the postseason just four times over the last 19 seasons.

Among Rose’s first decisions will be to figure out which of his players are long-term fits around RJ Barrett, Mitchell Robinson and Kevin Knox. The previous front office tandem of Steve Mills and Scott Perry signed several veterans to short-term contracts that only run through the 2020-21 season. Several of those players have only small guarantees for next season, including Reggie Bullock, Wayne Ellington, Taj Gibson and Elfrid Payton.

Rose will also have to decide if Dennis Smith Jr. or Frank Ntilikina is the Knicks point guard of the future. Both are under contract for next season, before restricted free agency looms in the summer of 2021. While both Smith and Ntilikina have had flashes of brilliance in their first three years, neither has established himself as a sure thing in the lead ballhandler role.

New York could have up to $44.6M in cap space this summer, pending decisions on picking up the guarantees for Bullock, Ellington, Gibson and Payton and the team option for Bobby Portis. It’s a weak free class, but the Knicks could have the spending power to chase one or two of the handful of impact free agents available. For example, Rose will be in position to extend a big offer sheet to restricted free agent Brandon Ingram of the New Orleans Pelicans, should Ingram and the Pels not be able to come to an agreement on a new contract.

In addition, after years of minimal draft capital due to failed trades, New York owns all their own first-rounds picks moving forward. The Knicks also have an extra 2020 first-round pick from the Clippers (from the Marcus Morris trade at this year’s deadline) and two future first-round picks coming from the Dallas Mavericks from the Kristaps Porzingis trade. While the 2020 draft projects as weaker than recent years, New York is well-positioned to take advantage in future years.

Leon Rose will start his new job with his hands full. If he can re-energize Knicks fans and return the winnings ways to New York, Rose will get Madison Square Garden rocking again. It’s been far too long since the Knicks were a real destination. Maybe Rose, and his deep connections across the NBA, is the guy to finally change that.

The post Leon Rose To Start As Knicks President On March 1st appeared first on SLAM.

In this post, just one of a series of 30, we’ll break down the reports that have started to trickle out about Knicks players that may or may not be on the move. While there’s no guarantee when it comes to a league as wild as the modern NBA, it doesn’t hurt to brush up on each squad’s roster as the deadline draws near.

Players Unlikely To Be Traded

• R.J. Barrett
• Mitchell Robinson

The list of untouchables for New York likely shrinks to zero should a star somehow try to finesse his way to the city via trade. Short of that scenario, the Knicks are keeping R.J. Barrett and Mitchell Robinson long-term as building blocks for the future. 

The No. 3 pick from the 2019 NBA Draft hasn’t been the most efficient player in the league but he’s shown flashes of a potential star through the first half of the season. Robinson, who was selected with the No. 36 overall pick a year ago, likely would be a top-10 pick if NBA clubs were granted a re-do of that 2018 draft. Both players give the Knicks faithful some hope for the future.

Biggest Name Available On Market

• Marcus Morris

On a team with numerous power forward, Marcus Morris was expected to be an odd fit. It had been years since he had proven the ability to play the three efficiently, having practically moved to the four full-time during his Boston stint, and it wasn’t clear what the Knicks’ intentions were with regard to his rotation spot. However, Morris has embraced his role as a high-usage wing. At age 30, he’s put forth a career-high player efficiency rating, leading the team in NBA Math’s offensive points added, while creating a potential market for his services that wasn’t there over the summer.

New York could sell high on Morris (the Sixers and Clippers are said to be interested) and some speculate that the franchise could get a first-rounder for him in return. Yet, Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News hears that the Knicks would prefer to trade Bobby Portis over Morris and some members of the organization believe that Morris could be a long-term fit with the club, Ian Begley of SNY.TV writes.

Despite some recent success, New York projects to be deep in the lottery again and it seems more likely than not that the team will deal Morris, who is on an expiring deal.

Logical Trade Pieces

• Bobby Portis
• Taj Gibson
• Wayne Ellington
• Frank Ntilikina

The report signaling the team would like to trade Portis over Morris is concerning for the big man’s future in the big city. He signed a two-year, $30.8MM contract (team option in 2020-21) over the summer but has seen his role dwindle compared to past stops. His 21.3 minutes per game are his lowest since the 2016-17 season. Portis, like fellow free agent additions Taj Gibson and Wayne Ellington, has been eligible to be traded since Dec. 15.

While Ntilikina turned heads at the World Cup over the offseason, he remains a holdover from the Phil Jackson regime that has yet to average more than 22 minutes per game. The Knicks haven’t hid efforts to find other long-term solutions at point guard, as evidenced by the subsequent acquisitions of Smith Jr. and Payton.

Trades Are Possible

• Julius Randle
• Elfrid Payton
• Dennis Smith Jr.
• Kevin Knox
• Reggie Bullock
• Allonzo Trier
• Damyean Dotson
• Ignas Brazdelkis

Julius Randle has seen a resurgence under interim coach Mike Miller. Some around the league believe the Knicks would be open to moving the big man, according to Newsday’s Steve Popper. Elfrid Payton has taken control of the starting point guard position in New York, though he’s not tethered to the franchise. His salary for next season ($8M) is non-guaranteed. There were rumors that Dennis Smith Jr. wanted a trade, though the point guard publicly squashed those reports. Kevin Knox, who was selected with the no. 9 overall pick in the 2018 draft, has essentially been a role player in New York. He could have more opportunities if the team deals away some players at the deadline. Reggie Bullock recently returned from a neck injury. The wing is making just $4M this season and will make $4.2M next year, though that salary is non-guaranteed. Alonzo Trier re-signed with the club this offseason and hasn’t carved out a spot in the rotation this year. Prior to the season, Ignas Brazdelkis spoke about how he felt he could compete for the Rookie of the Year award. To date, he’s played eight games for the Knicks.

The post 2020 NBA Trade Deadline Primer: New York Knicks appeared first on SLAM.

The Knicks’ PR department, in their infinite wisdom, took the bait and put out a denial (which RJ was quick to mock.)

Meanwhile, current Knicks players are still telling reporters that making the postseason remains a possibility.

Per The NY Post:

“I see a lot of similarities to that [Miami] team,’’ Ellington said. “We were 11-30, flipped the whole thing and went 30-11 to finish the season. I don’t plan on going 11-30, but I think we’ll have breakthrough sooner or later.”

The Knicks, who have lost three straight to fall to 4-13, play their last game before Thanksgiving on Wednesday in Toronto against the defending-champion Raptors (11-4), who are still very good without Kawhi Leonard and dominate the Knicks at AirCanada Centre with six straight wins.

“You got to look at the circumstances we’re in,” starting center Taj Gibson said. “We’re in the East. Nobody’s running away. Maybe the top four teams. We’re still optimistic. If we get three wins in a row, you’re right back in the hunt.”

Related Kevin Durant and Richard Jefferson Clap Back at One Another

The post Knicks: No Contract Offered to Richard Jefferson in 2018 or 2019 appeared first on SLAM.

Deng played ten seasons with the Bulls since the 2014 NBA Draft and has bounced around several contenders over the course of the past five campaigns.

Most recently Deng caught on with Tom Thibodeau’s Minnesota Timberwolves, a franchise with no shortage of Windy City alums.

Deng averaged 16.1 points and 6.4 rebounds per game over the course of his time with the Bulls and was part of the iconic Eastern Conference Finalist squad that challenged the Miami Heat back in 2011.

Deng averaged 18.9 points and 7.1 rebounds per contest in his third season with the franchise and became a mainstay in Chicago alongside teammates Derrick Rose, Joakim Noah and Taj Gibson.

The post Luol Deng Inks Symbolic Deal To Retire As Chicago Bull appeared first on SLAM.

Morris, 30, was whistled for a Flagrant 2 foul after swinging an elbow at Washington Wizards forward Justin Anderson and bopping the ball off his head.

The fiery big man says New York is determined to flex their muscles as a team this season.

Per Newsday:

Morris smiled broadly and high-fived fans as he headed to the locker room, unaware that he could face a regular season suspension for the infraction.

“Am I concerned? I mean, if it’s preseason,” Morris said. “I mean I would be concerned if it was regular season. I wouldn’t want to miss any regular season games. If that was regular season I wouldn’t have done that. My team needs me. I’ve got to be smart, set a better example. But like I said in the beginning, we’re not taking any [expletive]. So it is what it is.”

The Knicks don’t have the shooting or speed to play the style of the NBA’s best run-and-gun teams. So rather than try to match up, they stocked the roster with size and an old-school mentality.

“Yeah. You’re going to see a lot of that,” Morris said. “Every time I’m on the court, it’s bully-ball. I’m going to use that to my advantage. Guys like Bobby Portis, you know that Julius Randle’s a bulldog, Taj Gibson, Allonzo [Trier], [RJ Barrett], we got a lot of guys, man, to keep throwing at people. I think it’s going to be a very, very fun year and it’s going to be surprising.”

Related Knicks, Marcus Morris Plan To Sign One-Year, $15M Deal

The post Marcus Morris: Knicks ‘Not Taking Any Sh*t’ appeared first on SLAM.

Below is a list of the contract types the New York Knicks have heading into training camp. This resource will be updated as players are signed and waived. Check back often to see if your team’s roster configuration has changed.

New York Knicks

For a complete list of all the NBA teams and links to each team’s roster breakdown, check out our 2019 NBA Training Camp Roster index. Follow the curators of this database, Chris Crouse and Austin Kent, on Twitter.

More NBA Training Camp Rosters

The post New York Knicks Roster Count: 2019 Training Camp appeared first on SLAM.

We’ve broken down the overall ratings for each player and sorted them by team so that you can see how your squad stacks up against the rest of the league.

New York Knicks NBA 2K20 Ratings

This table is updated as of Nov. 22, 2019

Can’t get enough 2K? SLAM’s dedicated gaming channel, @SLAMftw, is blowing up. Hit us with your best uploads and watch our streams!

More NBA 2K20 Ratings

The post NBA 2K20 Ratings: New York Knicks appeared first on SLAM.

This list is maintained by @AustinKent. Please forward any omissions, clarifications or helpful reminders about how the alphabet works to him on Twitter.

The post 2019 NBA Free Agency Tracker appeared first on SLAM.

During his half-season stint with Washington, Portis averaged 14.3 points and 8.6 rebounds per game. He’ll slot into a suddenly crowded Knicks from court that also contains fellow newcomers Julius Randle and Taj Gibson.

Portis is a restricted free agent so there’s still the chance that the Wizards would match an offer sheet that he signs but Candace Buckner of the Washington Post tweets that there’s been a sense that the two parties were going to move on.

The post Knicks To Sign Bobby Portis To Two-Year, $31 Million Deal appeared first on SLAM.

More to come.

The post Knicks Agree To Two-Year Deal With Taj Gibson appeared first on SLAM.

Toronto tied its franchise-record 3s made with 21, as Kyle Lowry hit six triples to finish with 24 points. Pascal Siakam, a MIP candidate, had 20 points. Danny Green finished with 15 points.

Pistons 131 (34-31), Bulls 108 (19-49)

Detroit scored 42 points in the third quarter in the rout to win five straight. Four Pistons starters finished in double digits – Blake Griffin (28 points), Reggie Jackson (21 points), Andre Drummond (18 points) and Wayne Ellington (13 points). Langston Galloway added 21 points off the bench.

Sixers 106 (42-25), Pacers 86 (42-25)

Joel Embiid, who returned after missing the last eight games with a sore knee, finished with a team-high 33 points and 12 rebounds. Tobias Harris had 16 points and Ben Simmons had 15. Philly moved into the third place in the Eastern Conference with the win.

Hawks 128 (23-45), Pelicans 116 (30-39)

Kevin Huerter led all scorers with 27 points and John Collins posted a double-double (23 points, 10 rebounds). Alex Len added 19 points and was a rebound short of a double-double, and Trae Young had 10 points and 10 dimes.

Grizzlies 105 (28-40), Magic 97 (31-37)

Mike Conley scored 14 of his 26 points in the fourth quarter, as Memphis closed the game on a 17-2 run. Avery Bradley had 21 points. CJ Miles, Joakim Noah and Delon Wright had a combined 33 bench points.

Rockets 94 (41-25), Mavericks 93 (27-39)

Chris Paul came up huge on the final possession of the game, blocking Jalen Brunson’s shot as time expired. Paul, who finished with nine points and nine assists, ranks No. 7 on the All-Time Assist Leaders list after passing Isaiah Thomas. Eric Gordon posted a team-high 26 points and James Harden had 20 points.

Timberwolves 103 (32-35), Knicks 92 (13-54)

With no Karl-Anthony Towns, Taj Gibson (25 points) filled in the void on the offensive side. Jeff Teague finished with 20 points and Keita Bates-Diop put up 18 points.

Spurs 121 (38-29), Bucks 114 (50-17)

LaMarcus Aldridge and DeMar DeRozan combined for 57 points on Sunday night. Marco Bellineli scored 16 points off the bench. The Spurs have now won five straight.

Suns 115 (16-52), Warriors 111 (45-21)

Devin Booker posted a game-high 37 points and 11 assists on the road in Oakland. Kelly Oubre had 22 points, Deandre Ayton had 18 points and nine boards. Golden State struggled to get it going from the 3-point line, shooting 10-43 from behind the arc. Kevin Durant (25 points) went to the locker room after rolling his ankle and didn’t return to the game.

The post Post Up: Devin Booker Scores 37 Points as Suns Stun Warriors 🔥 appeared first on SLAM.

Paul George continues to prove that he deserves to be in the MVP conversation. George scored 45 points in 50 minutes as the Thunder battled the Jazz to the last second in a double overtime thriller.

It was George who iced the game for his team with a floater with only 0.8 seconds left on the clock.

Teammate Russell Westbrook added 43 points before fouling out in the first overtime.

Spurs 117 (33-27), Raptors 120 (44-16)

DeMar DeRozan’s return to Toronto did not disappoint. However, it was the Raptors who prevailed thanks to Kawhi Leonard‘s steal from DeRozan and subsequent layup to put Toronto ahead for good. DeRozan finished with 23 points; Leonard finished with 25 points.

After the game, noted best friends DeRozan and Kyle Lowry embraced.

Wizards 110 (24-35), Hornets 123 (28-30)

Bradley Beal’s 46 points were all for not as Charlotte overcame Washington at home. Kemba Walker led his team with 27 points and 11 assists in the win.

Pelicans 111 (26-34), Pacers 126 (39-20)

New Orleans simply couldn’t muster enough offense to beat the Pacers in Indiana. Recent free-agent signing Wesley Matthews led his new team to the win with 24 points on 6-of-11 shooting from deep.

Bulls 110 (15-44), Magic 109 (27-33)

Lauri Markkanen stepped up to the free throw line with 1.5 seconds left and a chance to put the Bulls ahead — he did just that, sinking two of three free throws to put Chicago ahead for good. The second-year forward led the Bulls in scoring with 25 points.

Pistons 125 (27-30), Hawks 122 (19-40)

Thon Maker iced the game for Detroit with a 3-pointer with under 20 seconds left that pushed the Pistons ahead for the win. Andre Drummond finished with 26 points and 21 rebounds while Reggie Jackson led the team with 32 points.

Timberwolves 115 (28-30), Knicks 104 (11-48)

Derrick Rose (20 points) and Taj Gibson (19 points) paced the Wolves in their road win over the Knicks. Allonzo Trier and Damyean Dotson each scored 20 points for New York.

Clippers 112 (33-27), Grizzlies 106 (23-37)

Montrezl Harrell continued his impressive season with 30 points on 11-of-14 shooting from the field in a win at Memphis. Mike Conley led the Grizzlies with 25 points and 10 assists.

Nuggets 114 (40-18), Mavericks 104 (26-32)

Denver enjoyed an all-around scoring effort as seven players scored in double digits, led by Nikola Jokic with 19 points. Jalen Brunson put in 22 points for the Mavs as Luka Doncic sat due to right ankle soreness.

RELATED: DeMar DeRozan Details the Moment He Found Out About Trade to San Antonio

The post Post Up: Raptors Steal Win Over Spurs in DeMar DeRozan’s Return appeared first on SLAM.

Rose says it was “about damn time” he nailed a game-winner for the T-Wolves.

Probably hard to state how badly the Wolves needed this win tonight.

Derrick Rose got it for them https://t.co/zHk5bHUmhC via @pioneerpress

— jace frederick (@JaceFrederick) January 21, 2019

Rose scored 29 of his game-high 31 points in the second half.

Per The Pioneer Press:

“It’s about damn time I made one of those,” Rose said.

It’s about time the Wolves (22-24) won a home game against a not-that-great opponent. Over the past month, they had lost at Target Center to Atlanta, Detroit, Dallas and San Antonio. After the latter, they acknowledged a sense of urgency. Yet for much of Sunday’s game, they gave the Suns (11-37) whatever shot they wanted and didn’t shoot particularly well themselves.

“He was great. He got to his spots, he got it going. He gave us a huge boost,” interim coach Ryan Saunders said. “And, obviously, he played heavy minutes all at once. So he was really good. We needed all of it tonight.”

[Taj] Gibson said Rose “needed” that last shot. Rose was lamenting a free throw missed just prior, and Gibson assured Rose he’d get another shot. He did, and he capitalized.

“It felt good,” Rose said. “At the same time, it gave me more confidence.”

Related
Post Up: Derrick Rose Hits Step-Back Game-Winner Against Suns

The post ‘It’s About Damn Time’: Derrick Rose Drills Game-Winner vs Suns appeared first on SLAM.

Rose, who drilled a career-high seven 3-pointers en route to 31 points, says it’s a call he’s resigned to not getting.

Thibodeau thought Derrick Rose was fouled on final shot, so did Gibson. Rose? "For you to ask the question, you had to see something, you feel me? No disrespect, but they're not going to give me that call. They haven't been giving me that call. So I just got to get used to it."

— Chris Hine (@ChristopherHine) November 8, 2018

The Los Angeles Lakers held off the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves 114-110.

Per the Star Tribune:

“I want to see that play, it looked like he got hit,” Tom Thibodeau said. “So, I don’t know. I want to take a look at that. From my angle, it looked like he got hit on that play.”

Taj Gibson was more certain.

“He definitely got fouled” Gibson said. “I thought it was on target, but he got nudged. Tyson did hit his hand, but the refs are going to call what they’re going to call.”

It was only one of two misses for Rose from behind the 3-point line all night. He hit a career-high seven 3-pointers to score 31 points as the Wolves hit a franchise record 20 3-pointers. The Wolves may have lost, but Wednesday was another step in the career resurgence of Rose, who had 50 points against the Jazz last week.

“They’re giving me shots that I’ve been working on the whole summer,” Rose said. “[Thibodeau] believe in me, my teammates believe in me to take those shots.”

The post Derrick Rose Cries Foul on Game-Winning Attempt vs Lakers appeared first on SLAM.

Rose says it was his “only way back” into the NBA.

"They just don't know me." — Former NBA MVP Derrick Rose opens up on overcoming injuries and adversity; awkwardness playing with LeBron; leaving Cavs/Knicks; Tom Thibodeau; and why "the game got a hold on me." https://t.co/I275JQxxMo

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 31, 2018

Per The Athletic:

“I was just trying to make it back to the league, man,” Rose said. “I had to sign with a team that I had battled with for four or five years. I played with a player I battled with for four or five years in LeBron.

“Come on, man. It was super awkward, but that was my only way back.”

The 30-year-old guard lasted just 16 games with the Cavs—averaging 9.8 points in 19.3 minutes per game—and has since regained his mojo with the Minnesota Timberwolves:

“It’s relaxing now, bro. It was a different league when I was doing that. It was just different. You can’t do it by yourself anymore. Coming here, I think coming off the bench and Thibs uses me for offense, defense. Him having that confidence in me to throw me out there and say, ‘You’re going to stick DeMar (DeRozan), you’re going to stick this person.’ I’m all for it just to show the young guys how to succeed.

“I don’t look back. Coming here, I don’t have to look back, dude. I got Lu (Luol Deng) here, I got Taj (Gibson) here, I got Jimmy (Butler) here. I feel like I’m a different player. To adapt to this league now, you got to be able to shoot, period. I feel my game is more controlled and I have better pace to my game. I’m not out of control and reckless. I’ve matured as a player, but it’s going to take the public seeing me more and seeing the team win more.”

Related
Tom Thibodeau: Healthy Derrick Rose ‘One of the Best Players in the League’

The post Derrick Rose Found it ‘Super Awkward’ Playing With LeBron James appeared first on SLAM.

Rose has been stellar to start the season, and says he’s been piecing his game together the last few years.

Teammate Taj Gibson says he’s seen flashes the former MVP displayed during their Chicago Bulls days together.

Per the Pioneer Press:

“To do the things that he’s done, it’s says a lot about who he is,” Thibodeau said. “As long as he’s healthy, he’ll be one of the best players in the league.”

That’s high praise for any player.

“Oh wow, he said that?” Rose said when asked about Thibodeau’s comment. “That’s another compliment.”

When asked if he has the confidence he can be in that echelon, Rose said, “That’s why I’m here.”

“Early in my career, I stated what I was going to do,” Rose said. “Now I just want to let my game speak for itself. When I’m out there, I think my peers know, but the media is probably catching up. But I feel like my peers give me the respect that I deserve.”

Related
Most Guys Would Have Been Retired’: Derrick Rose is Still Hooping

The post Tom Thibodeau: Healthy Derrick Rose ‘One of the Best Players in the League’ appeared first on SLAM.

Taj Gibson spent a lot of time with Butler this summer, and was floored when the news landed.

Taj Gibson and Derrick Rose have been through a lot with Jimmy Butler over the years. They want to support him no matter what he decides but they’re even a little surprised how quickly the news of his trade demand came down. https://t.co/FfEFButNqj

— Nick Friedell (@NickFriedell) September 29, 2018

Derrick Rose was also surprised that Butler’s relationship with the Timberwolves had deteriorated to the point of no return.

Per ESPN:

“At the end of the day, you’ve got to look at it from a player’s standpoint and a business standpoint,” Gibson told ESPN after Friday’s practice. “He’s trying to do what he got to do, but everybody’s calling him. It’s more of a [situation where] I’ve got to go see him kind of thing. But I worked out with him all summer, so when I said what I meant, it was like a right hook. I didn’t see it coming. I didn’t know. I thought — it looked like from everything things were going good. But sometimes it’s a money aspect, and fans and different players got to understand that. I understand that with being in the league for so many years, but got to try to just see what we can do.

“… One thing about everybody who’s here, from the coaching staff, players, everybody’s familiar with each other, we’ve been through a lot together, so we just got to keep trying.”

Gibson, who has a close relationship with Butler dating to their time with the Chicago Bulls, said he has tried to give Butler space to make his decisions over the past couple of weeks. Despite Timberwolves coach Tom Thibodeau’s best efforts to keep his team focused on the present, the Butler saga remains at the forefront of the minds of players and coaches.

“Now in the NBA, everybody has a little bit of freedom to do a little more of what they want,” Rose told ESPN. “And he’s expressing that he don’t want to be here and he want to go somewhere else. I mean, Kawhi [Leonard] did it last year, didn’t he? Like he just didn’t play. Jimmy just came out and said he didn’t want to play here. I had so much [stuff] going on, I couldn’t even focus on what was really going on with the team. I signed early, and I left everything up to Thibs. [Butler’s trade demand] was just a surprise, not only to me, I think to everyone that he wanted to leave. … I didn’t know what the situation is. I just didn’t know it was that bad. Even being here, I didn’t know it was that bad.”

Related
Report: Timberwolves’ Asking Price for Jimmy Butler Is Too High

The post ‘It Was Like a Right Hook’: Jimmy Butler’s Teammates Surprised By Trade Demand appeared first on SLAM.

After playing just 13 minutes last season, Deng reached a $7.5 million buyout agreement with the Lakers earlier this month.

In Minnesota, Deng, 33, will re-join former Bulls teammates Jimmy Butler, Derrick Rose and Taj Gibson under coach Tom Thibodeau.

Free agent forward Luol Deng met with Minnesota president/coach Tom Thibodeau today and sides are finalizing a one-year deal, league sources tell ESPN.

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) September 10, 2018

RELATED:
Report: Luol Deng, Lakers Agree to Buyout

The post Report: Luol Deng Agrees To 1-Year Deal with Wolves appeared first on SLAM.

• MVP: James Harden
• People’s Champ (Best Use of Platform): LeBron James
• Most Respected: Vince Carter
• Best Side Hustle (Best Off-Court Endeavors): Russell Westbrook
• Mr. Clutch: Damian Lillard
• Sneaker Champ: PJ Tucker
• Leader of the New School (Best Rookie): Donovan Mitchell
• Locksmith (Best Defender): Rudy Gobert
• Freshest (Fit King): Russell Westbrook
• Toughest to Guard: James Harden
• X-Factor (Best Off The Bench): Lou Williams

Each team had a player voted as its “backbone,” with the results below.

• Atlanta Hawks: Kent Bazemore
• Boston Celtics: Marcus Smart
• Brooklyn Nets: Rondae Hollis-Jefferson
• Charlotte Hornets: Kemba Walker
• Chicago Bulls: Bobby Portis
• Cleveland Cavaliers: LeBron James
• Dallas Mavericks: Wesley Matthews
• Denver Nuggets: Richard Jefferson
• Detroit Pistons: Andre Drummond
• Golden State Warriors: Draymond Green
• Houston Rockets: PJ Tucker
• Indiana Pacers: Victor Oladipo
• Los Angeles Clippers: DeAndre Jordan
• Los Angeles Lakers: Julius Randle
• Memphis Grizzlies: Marc Gasol
• Miami Heat: Udonis Haslem
• Milwaukee Bucks: Giannis Antetokounmpo
• Minnesota Timberwolves: Taj Gibson
• New Orleans Pelicans: Anthony Davis
• New York Knicks: Enes Kanter
• Oklahoma City Thunder: Nick Collison
• Orlando Magic: Marreese Speights
• Philadelphia 76ers: TJ McConnell
• Phoenix Suns: Alan Williams
• Portland Trail Blazers: Damian Lillard
• Sacramento Kings: Vince Carter
• San Antonio Spurs: LaMarcus Aldridge
• Toronto Raptors: Kyle Lowry
• Utah Jazz: Jae Crowder
• Washington Wizards: John Wall

The post James Harden Wins MVP, Donovan Mitchell Takes Rookie of the Year in NBPA Awards 🏆 appeared first on SLAM.

New addition Marco Belinelli was a spark plug off the bench as the Sixers ran out to an 18-point halftime lead. Joel Embiid led all players with 28 points and 14 rebounds.

Knicks 112 (24-37), Celtics 121 (42-19)

Trey Burke dropped his second straight 26-point game, but it wasn’t enough as Kyrie Irving led the Celtics with 31 points, nine rebounds and eight assists as he put on a show in the arena he grew up just half an hour away from. Jaylen Brown added 24 points on 10-of-17 shooting for the Celtics.

Kyrie makes getting buckets look so easy… (via @celtics) https://t.co/sbdvC5akUY

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) February 25, 2018

Kyrie Irving with the KILLER crossover in MSG (via @TheRenderNBA) https://t.co/3hR2CmIDMr

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) February 25, 2018

Grizzlies 89 (18-40), Heat 115 (31-29)

The 26-point advantage set the mark for Miami’s largest win of the season thus far as six players scored at least 13 points. Tyler Johnson led the way with 23 for the Heat and Andrew Harrison dropped 17 for the Grizzlies.

DWYANE WADE BUCKETS FOREVER (and ever and ever)

(via @MiamiHEAT) https://t.co/qL9pcYp6a5

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) February 25, 2018

BAM ADEBAYO HAS THEM CAROLINA KID HOPS (via @nba) pic.twitter.com/M7Jnalb4HF

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) February 25, 2018

Thunder 80 (34-27), Warriors 112 (46-14)

The Thunder led 59-58 with 7:18 to go in the third quarter, but an insane run jumpstarted by Nick Young (16 points in 18 minutes) kept Oklahoma City from earning its third win of the season against Golden State. Kevin Durant led the Warriors with 28 points against his former team while the Thunder’s “Big 3” of Russell Westbrook, Carmelo Anthony and Paul George shot just 11-of-46 from the field.

NBA Twitter was popping as Anthony got into small altercations with Durant and Green, Westbrook shoved Young and Zaza Pachulia dove on top of Westbrook’s knees.

OKAY KD (via @nba) pic.twitter.com/ZUGOCuZlC2

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) February 25, 2018

Melo and KD getting HEATED (via @DefPenHoops) pic.twitter.com/2tir7bwLdU

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) February 25, 2018

Dirty or accidental? pic.twitter.com/Yq47Qh2BtI

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) February 25, 2018

Bulls (20-39), Timberwolves 122 (37-26)

There was question if the Timberwolves could still be a playoff team after Jimmy Butler’s meniscus injury, but if Saturday was any indication, Minnesota has a solid shot to stay competitive as five different players (Jamal Crawford, Taj Gibson, Andrew Wiggins, Karl-Anthony Towns and Jeff Teague) scored at least 19 points to thrash the Bulls. Zach LaVine scored 21 against his former team for Chicago.

Trail Blazers 106 (34-26), Suns 104 (18-43)

It’s not uncommon to find the ball in Dame Lillard’s hands as the clock ticks down in the fourth quarter and Saturday was no different and Lillard delivered again, crossing up Elfrid Payton as he drove inside for the winning bucket right before the buzzer. Lillard finished with 23 points. Devin Booker led the Suns with 18.

DAME LILLARD FOR THE WIN (via @nba) pic.twitter.com/eRX0zxawJV

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) February 25, 2018

Mavericks 90 (18-42), Jazz 97 (31-29)

There may not be a hotter team in the NBA than the Jazz, who won the 12th game of its last 14. Rookie phenom and defending dunk contest champ Donovan Mitchell scored a team-high 25 points. Joe Ingles (12 points, eight assists) appeared in his 200th consecutive game, the third-longest active streak in the NBA.

HARRISON BARNES POSTER (via @dallasmavs) pic.twitter.com/qoel04srjf

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) February 25, 2018

Lakers 113 (25-34), Kings 108 (18-41)

It was a career night for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope as he hit eight 3s en route to a 34-point performance. Buddy Hield hit five 3s off the bench for the Kings.

Vince Carter has got to be the dopest 41-year-old in the (via @nba) pic.twitter.com/f2PDifgYvw

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) February 25, 2018

The post Post Up: Warriors Crush Thunder, Dame Lillard Hits Winner in Phoenix appeared first on SLAM.

If you’re a fan of the Nuggets and numbers, it was a night to remember. Nikola Jokic notched the first halftime triple-double since 2016 en route to a 30-point, 15-rebound and 17-assist night. It was the quickest triple-double over the past 20 seasons, beating Russell Westbrook’s former mark by a whole 80 seconds–Jokic hit the mark with 1:54 to go in the second quarter. He joined Magic Johnson and James Harden as the third player to ever notch a 30-15-17 night.

As a team, Denver caught fire from behind the arc as it tied a franchise-high in made 3s with 24.

Giannis Antetekounmpo led the Bucks 36 points, 11 rebounds and 13 assists.

Nikola Jokic is really 6’10” and throwing behind the back passes like it’s nothing (via @Nuggets) https://t.co/OHQcBPWPH9

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) February 16, 2018

Lakers 111 (23-34), Timberwolves 119 (36-25)

Three different Timberwolves had 20-point nights, and it wasn’t all of the usual suspects either: Jimmy Butler (24), Jeff Teague (20) and Taj Gibson (28).

Julius Randle led the Lakers with 23 points.

DEATH, TAXES AND JAMAL CRAWFORD BUCKETS FOREVER (via @Timberwolves) https://t.co/easHt7igqb

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) February 16, 2018

The post Post Up: Nikola Jokic Records Historic Night Before All-Star Break appeared first on SLAM.

In a matchup of the NBA’s two young unicorns, Joel Embiid stole the show with a 25-point, 16-rebound performance to lead Philly to a W at MSG. The win snapped the 76ers’ five-game losing streak. Embiid and Kristaps Porzingis (22 points, 7 rebounds) both played well but Embiid’s late corner three put the Knicks away.

KP wasn’t even the best Knick on the floor, as Enes Kanter (31 points, 22 rebounds) dominated the paint and the glass in his most impressive game in a Knicks uniform. The Knicks shot just 40 percent from the field and everyone other than Courtney Lee (20 points) really struggled from three.

JJ Redick, who has been limited by injury for the last couple of weeks, made a bunch of big shots down the stretch en route to an efficient 24 points on 10 shots. Rookie of the Year candidate Ben Simmons wasn’t able to get going on offense but his steal and fast break jam in the fourth quarter swung momentum back in Philly’s favor.

And he just did it again! Just might be the dagger (via @NBA) pic.twitter.com/8z1qAlMwGy

— SLAM Magazine (@SLAMonline) December 25, 2017

Warriors 99 (27-7), Cavaliers 92 (24-10)

The annual Finals rematch was without a few key stars — mainly Steph Curry and Isaiah Thomas — but it was still a close one right to the end. Kevin Love (31 points, 18 rebounds) led the way for the Cavs as LeBron was uncharacteristically sloppy with the ball, committing seven turnovers. He was also blocked on a few late-game drives by Kevin Durant that featured a lot of hard contact, yet no foul calls.

Mark Jackson: “That’s a foul. Can I get a amen?”

— SLAM Magazine (@SLAMonline) December 25, 2017

KD was incredible, dropping 25 to go with seven boards and five blocks. He and Klay Thompson (24 points, 7 rebounds) were the Warriors’ big scorers in a game mostly decided by big defensive stands as opposed to sparkling offensive plays. Cleveland shot just 32 percent from the field but made 15 threes to stick around.

Wizards 111 (19-15), Celtics 103 (27-10)

Another back-and-forth affair on a Christmas filled with close games. Washington led for much of the first three quarters behind its dominant backcourt of John Wall (21 points, 14 assists) and Bradley Beal (25 points, 8 rebounds) before the Celtics took a five-point lead midway through the final frame on a Kyrie triple.

Highlights time! Bradley Beal led the way in our #NBAXmas win with 25 points. Here are his buckets.

RT to #NBAVote! #DCFamily pic.twitter.com/LTzhHZYez3

— Washington Wizards (@WashWizards) December 26, 2017

Then Wall, Beal and Kelly Oubre Jr combined for a 12-0 run that regained the lead for the Wizards and put this one out of reach. Oubre added 16 points off the bench. Kyrie and Jayson Tatum (20 points each) got their scoring done and the Celtics shot over 48 percent as a team, but they committed 16 turnovers which allowed the Wiz to take 12 more field goals attempts and 11 more free throws. That would be the difference.

Thunder 112 (19-15), Rockets 107 (25-7)

It seems like the Thunder is finally getting into a groove. After 30 or so games of up-and-down play filled with confusing losses and big wins, OKC is beginning to look like the star-powered team Sam Presti put together on paper this summer. Russ (31 points, 6 rebounds, 11 assists), Paul George (24 points) and Melo (20 points) were on the same page offensively and Steven Adams (15 points, 10 rebounds) did his thing down low.

On the other side, James Harden (29 points on 7-of-18 shooting, 8 rebounds, 14 assists) got his points but did so in a much less efficient way than Mike D’Antoni would like. With the Thunder shooting over 54 percent from the field, just Harden to that output was a win. Trevor Ariza and Eric Gordon (20 points each) helped bear the scoring burden but it wasn’t enough and the Rockets had no answer for the Thunder’s Big Three.

“Unbelievable day” @russwest44 after the night win over . Thunder’s 5th straight. Longest current streak of W’s in Western Conf. #NBAVote pic.twitter.com/HDoENRn28B

— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) December 26, 2017

Timberwolves 121 (21-13), Lakers 104 (11-21)

L.A. didn’t have both Lonzo Ball and Brandon Ingram due to injury, forcing Kyle Kuzma (31 points in 41 minutes) into the starting lineup and the unquestioned No. 1 role on offense. He did about as good as possible considering that Minnesota threw Taj Gibson on him most of the day. Still, it wasn’t enough as the Lakers kept having to come back from deficits and, eventually, ran out of gas in the fourth quarter. Julius Randle was effective off the bench, scoring 16 points and grabbing seven rebounds in 19 minutes.

11-0 run, that’s quite a chunk!
Courtesy of this KAT thunderous dunk! pic.twitter.com/ihqGiJLVTs

— Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) December 26, 2017

As for Thibs’ squad, the concern about the elevated minutes of guys like Jimmy Butler and Karl-Anthony Towns is still there but the on-court issues from the start of the season have worked themselves out on both ends of the floor. Five Timberwolves scored 16+ points, with Butler (23 points, 8 assists) and Towns (21 points, 10 rebounds) serving as the focal points. Each played 40 or minutes too though, which is a worry for Minnesota as the postseason draws closer. For now, things are pretty good for the Northwest Division’s leading team.

The post Post Up: Christmas Feastin’ appeared first on SLAM.

The Minnesota Timberwolves “need to get in better shape if we’re tired,” suggests Butler.

Butler: "I think we need to get in better shape if we’re tired. Do whatever it takes for this team, this organization to win. If you’re tired, run some extra laps after practice.”

— Jon Krawczynski (@JonKrawczynski) December 13, 2017

Karl-Anthony Towns logged 48 minutes and Butler was on the court for 45 minutes in Tuesday night’s 118-112 overtime loss to the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves.

Per the Star Tribune:

“We need to get in better shape if we’re tired,” [Butler] said. “Do whatever it takes for this team, for this organization to win. If you’re tired, run some extra laps after practice.”

 

Wolves coach Tom Thibodeau steadfastly shortened his bench rotation to essentially three players these last two weeks while reserve forward Nemanja Bjelica has missed nine games because of sprained foot and a healthy Shabazz Muhammad has been dropped from it altogether.

 

“Minutes are minutes,” [Taj] Gibson said. “You just have to play through them. The game was about runs. I don’t know, you can say it’s the minutes, you can say a lot of different things.”

The post Jimmy Butler: Fatigue No Excuse for Minnesota appeared first on SLAM.

The Cavs trailed by nine at the half and by five going into the fourth quarter, but LeBron James hit a critical three with 16 seconds to go to keep Cleveland’s winning streak alive. LeBron was, simply, LeBron on Wednesday, nearly pouring on a triple-double with 32 points, 11 rebounds, and nine assists. Zach Randolph had 18 points and 10 boards for the Kings. The Cavs have now matched a franchise record with 13 consecutive wins.

LeClutch. (via @cavs) pic.twitter.com/FM09pkgAxj

— SLAM Magazine (@SLAMonline) December 7, 2017

Pacers 98 (14-11), Bulls 96 (3-20)

Victor Oladipo‘s three with 31 seconds left gave Indiana a one-point lead as the Pacers overcame a 14-point deficit heading into the fourth quarter to win. Indiana used a 13-2 run midway through the final quarter to draw close, but did not go ahead for the first time until Oladipo’s late heroics. He finished with a game-high 27 points, but did miss a free throw in the final seconds. While that didn’t make a difference on the scoreboard, it meant Oladipo had to put in some extra work postgame. Kris Dunn had 18 points, six rebounds, and six assists to lead the Bulls.

This @VicOladipo sequence gave us the lead for good.#PacersWin pic.twitter.com/xVDl9q9Awn

— Indiana Pacers (@Pacers) December 7, 2017

Magic 110 (11-15), Hawks 106 (5-19) (OT)

Not to be out-done by the Pacers and Cavs, the Magic used a three from D.J. Augustin with six seconds left in regulation to force overtime, where they eventually handed the Hawks their 19th loss. The two teams went back-and-forth in the extra session until Elfrid Payton put Orlando ahead for good on a dunk with 1:36 to go. The Magic eventually went up by five and held on, answering every Atlanta basket. Evan Fournier had 27 and was one of three Orlando players with 20-or-more points. Dennis Schroder had 26 for the Hawks.

From a spot on the floor far, far away, D.J. Augustin sends us to OVERTIME!

: @FOXSportsFL pic.twitter.com/6SW6No6R8T

— Orlando Magic (@OrlandoMagic) December 7, 2017

Knicks 99 (12-12), Grizzlies 88 (8-16)

Kristaps Porzingis returned and scored 18 points, while Courtney Lee had a game-high 24 to make up for the still-absent Tim Hardaway Jr. Lee’s performance provided a nice lift for a team that came into the night having lost five of its last six. Marc Gasol had 17 points and eight rebounds to lead Memphis.

Steal + Slam pic.twitter.com/WS9C0KK4p6

— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) December 7, 2017

Celtics 97 (22-4), Mavericks 90 (7-18)

The Celtics opened the fourth quarter on a 10-0 run to take a lead they never relinquished and earn their fourth win in a row. Kyrie Irving led the way with 23 points on 10-18 shooting, while Al Horford and Jayson Tatum each had 17. Harrison Barnes had 19 to lead the Mavericks.

Irving with the english! pic.twitter.com/0cWILi6FM2

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) December 7, 2017

Warriors 101 (20-6), Hornets 87 (9-14)

Kevin Durant‘s triple-double (35 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists) was more than enough as the short-handed Warriors won their fifth in a row and improved to 12-3 on the road. With Stephen Curry and Draymond Green both nursing injuries, Durant got the Warriors going early with a little help from Klay Thompson, who pitched in with 22 points. Kemba Walker led the Hornets with 24.

Bucks 104 (13-10), Pistons 100 (14-10)

The Bucks started the fourth quarter on a 14-1 run to break a tie and take control on Giannis Antetokounmpo‘s 23rd birthday. The Greek Freak celebrated in style with 25 points and 10 rebounds, leading six Bucks players in double figures. For the Pistons, Andre Drummond had another 20-20 game, this time with 27 points (12-16 shooting) and 20 boards.

Just call it a pass to Giannis (via @bucks) pic.twitter.com/oSHgvCixFP

— SLAM Magazine (@SLAMonline) December 7, 2017

Pelicans 123 (13-12), Nuggets 114 (13-11)

There have been two 40-point, 20-rebound performances this season in the NBA. DeMarcus Cousins has both of them. Boogie went for 40 and 22 on Wednesday to lead a Pelicans team still playing without Anthony Davis. As for the Nuggets, Gary Harris led the way with 24 points.

Boogie’s doing work in New Orleans!

He tallies a double-double (19 PTS, 10 REBS) in the first half!

Halftime: #DoItBig 67 / #MileHighBasketball 66 pic.twitter.com/3GLsxNS8W2

— NBA (@NBA) December 7, 2017

Spurs 117 (17-8), Heat 105 (11-13)

The Spurs shot 53 percent and seven players scored in double figures as they used a balanced attack to beat the Heat. LaMarcus Aldridge led the way with 18 points while Bryn Forbes (17) and Rudy Gay (16) were close behind. Tyler Johnson had 25 and Dion Waiters had 22 for the Heat. It was San Antonio’s eight-straight win over Miami.

That Manu step-back is art (via @spurs) pic.twitter.com/MhBxE7KyLw

— SLAM Magazine (@SLAMonline) December 7, 2017

Timberwolves 113 (15-11), Clippers 107 (8-15)

Karl-Anthony Towns had 21 points and 12 rebounds to notch his league-high 20th double-double on the season. He and Taj Gibson (16 points, 14 rebounds) led all five Timberwolves starters in double figures as Minnesota handed the Clippers their fourth loss in a row. Austin Rivers and Lou Williams each had 23 points for the Clippers, while DeAndre Jordan had 18 points and 21 rebounds.

I’m all the way up pic.twitter.com/Sg8biJgfDU

— Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) December 7, 2017

The post Post Up: In The Clutch appeared first on SLAM.

In a story by ESPN’s Nick Friedell, Gibson said Rose just needs time to think and adjust.

Thibs and Taj are hopeful that Derrick Rose can find the joy within his game again as he decides what his next professional step will be. https://t.co/OMVlA4ADBP

— Nick Friedell (@NickFriedell) November 30, 2017

Gibson said he is confident that with a little bit of space to clear his head, Rose will get back on the floor at some point in the near future.

 

“Derrick is a good thinker,” Gibson said. “He thinks a lot. He’s a real smart guy, so if he needs to get away, let him get away, let him adjust, and he’ll come back. He’s a tough guy. He’s from Chicago, man.”

RELATED:
Report: Derrick Rose is ‘Deliberating’ His Future, In Contact with Cavs Front Office

The post Taj Gibson on Derrick Rose: ‘He’ll Come Back’ appeared first on SLAM.

They’ve been overshadowed a bit by the Celtics, but the Stan Van Gundy-led Pistons might be the biggest surprise team in the Eastern Conference. With the throttling of Phoenix, Detroit moved just two games behind Boston and won a third-straight game. Tobias Harris (20 points, 7 rebounds), Avery Bradley (20 points) and Reggie Jackson (23 points, 5 assists) led the way.

Dish Smith to Dre for the #DetroitMuscle. #PistonsNow pic.twitter.com/JYAT111dsT

— Detroit Pistons (@DetroitPistons) November 30, 2017

Andre Drummond scored 13 points and notched 7 boards, but took on more of a distributor role in this one, posting 7 dimes from the center position. He also became the first player in the NBA this season to reach 300 rebounds. What makes Detroit so scary is that, on any given night, a different player can be the main guy.

Last season, the Pistons’ offense would bog down often when Drummond was dealing with foul trouble or just not playing well. But, Harris has been playing at an All-Star level and the addition of Bradley has given Detroit a solid shooter who is a lockdown defender. It doesn’t hurt that Jackson is finally feeling comfortable in Stan Van’s system.

Magic 121 (9-13), Thunder 108 (8-12)

Orlando snapped a 9-game losing streak as the Thunder keep struggling to get on the same page. It was close most of the way until the Magic broke away during the second half. Aaron Gordon did most of the damage, exploding for 40 points and 15 rebounds. He did it with dunks, threes (6-for-12 beyond the arc) and defense (4 steals).

Results are in for @Double0AG‘s windmill: , , , , pic.twitter.com/iirB1ZA86X

— Orlando Magic (@OrlandoMagic) November 30, 2017

People were never worried with AG’s athleticism or high-flying ability, it was his questionable jumpshot that limited his ceiling as a big-time scorer. That’s not too much of a concern anymore. Elfrid Payton helped out with an efficient 19 points and stuffed the stat sheet with 5 boards, 6 assists and 4 steals. After a quick start, the Magic have cooled down considerably so they needed this one.

MVP Russ showed up in Orlando with 37 points and 11 rebounds, but the Thunder bench scored just 16 points and Carmelo Anthony was 5-for-16 from the field. As a team, OKC shot under 40 percent and let the Magic make 59 percent of their shots. That combo isn’t going to result in wins too often.

76ers 118 (12-8), Wizards 113 (11-10)

Already without John Wall (knee), the Wizards lost Bradley Beal to a facial contusion a few minutes into the game and kind of slogged through the opening half as a result. They trailed 58-40 at the break, as Embiid and Simmons took over (the pair combined for 56 points, 32 rebounds and a crazy 47 free throw attempts).

Look at @JoelEmbiid showing off for the fam! (via @sixers) pic.twitter.com/l8acnHYUaz

— SLAM Magazine (@SLAMonline) November 30, 2017

Beal would return and helped Washington fight back with a 48-point fourth quarter to make this a game. The Wizards were within 116-113 with 11 seconds to play. But, they couldn’t grab a key defensive rebound and didn’t have a chance to cut the deficit any further. Three Wizards (Beal, Kelly Oubre Jr. and Jodie Meeks) scored 20+ points in the loss.

Something interesting: Washington used a Hack-a-Simmons strategy in the final frame to aid the comeback effort, and it worked perfectly. Simmons took 24 free throws in the fourth quarter — an NBA record — and was just 15-of-29 at the charity stripe overall. Have a feeling we’ll see other teams do the same when they play Philly.

Raptors 126 (13-7), Hornets 113 (8-12)

Entering tonight, Toronto was 6-1 at home and Charlotte was 1-8 on the road. So, it wasn’t much of a surprise that the Raptors scored 71 first half points and cruised to an easy W as Kemba Walker, sat with a bruised shoulder. Both Kyle Lowry (36 points, 6 assists) and DeMar DeRozan (30 points, 6 assists) had monster games.

Lowry had the honor of being interviewed after the game by the 6 God himself.

Drake asking the tough questions (via @Ananth_Pandian) pic.twitter.com/wezmhwKcao

— SLAM Magazine (@SLAMonline) November 30, 2017

You could make the argument that Lowry and DeRozan make up the East’s best backcourt, and both have seemingly been unleashed this season as they make three-pointers more of a focus. When they each are feeling good on offense, it’s really hard to stop this Raptors squad.

Kemba is the heart and soul of the Hornets, so when they don’t have him, other guys need to step up. Dwight Howard did that tonight, needing just 12 shots to post a 22-point, 10-rebound double-double (and posterize Serge Ibaka). He was the only Charlotte starter to do much. Jeremy Lamb and Frank Kaminsky each added 18 points off the bench.

Knicks 115 (11-10), Heat 86 (10-11)

Disaster almost struck the Knicks in the first quarter, as Kristaps Porzingis turned his ankle badly while trying to grab a loose ball. KP wouldn’t return, but the team announced that x-rays were negative and it was only a sprain. Even without their star, the Knicks crushed Miami, outscoring the Heat by 21 in the first half and winning each quarter.

Let’s see the shimmy pic.twitter.com/6heEVCY0Ob

— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) November 30, 2017

New York snapped a three-game skid and got back to the high-energy, unselfish play that helped the Knicks surprise people in the early going. Enes Kanter (22 points, 14 rebounds) took advantage of Hassan Whiteside (knee) being out of the lineup. Jeff Hornacek got contributions from his entire roster, as all 13 Knicks to play made at least one field goal en route to a 60% team shooting day.

Rockets 118 (17-4), Pacers 97 (12-10)

Houston ends November with a 12-1 record in the month, with 11 of those wins coming by 14 or more points (the only holdout: a 117-113 W over the Cavaliers). Since Chris Paul came back from his knee injury, the Rockets have won six straight. They started slow against Indiana but outscored the Pacers by double digits in the second and third quarters to open up a big lead.

The Rockets’ entire starting lineup hit double figures, with James Harden putting up a casual near triple-double (29 points, 8 rebounds, 10 assists) to just 1 turnover. At this point, Beard is looking like the MVP frontrunner as Houston sports the Western Conference’s top record. He has these mega-games on an almost nightly basis and, like LeBron, they’re starting to feel unremarkable in that “transcendent star” type of way.

Also, look at this ball movement and that first pass. Incredible:

The pass
The ball movement
The basket pic.twitter.com/YHj21Z3sTb

— Houston Rockets (@HoustonRockets) November 30, 2017

Timberwolves 120 (13-9), Pelicans 102 (11-10)

For the second night in a row, a star player was ejected for the first time in their career. Yesterday, it was LeBron and tonight, it was Anthony Davis. At the time AD was tossed, Minnesota led 46-43. The Timberwolves then outscored New Orleans 74-59 the rest of the way.

Minnesota won this game down low, outrebounding the Pelicans by 16 with both Karl-Anthony Towns and Taj Gibson putting up double-doubles. Andrew Wiggins led the scoring charge, dropping 28 points on an efficient 18 shots. He also had 5 dimes, which is nice to see from a guy struggling to diversify his offensive game. Oh, and an enormous block too.

“I’m sorry I’m not sorry,” – Andrew Wiggins (and Demi Lovato) pic.twitter.com/2HMSfSLsir

— Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) November 30, 2017

Jrue Holiday scored 27 to pace New Orleans, which also got 17 points, 10 rebounds and 6 assists from DeMarcus Cousins. Scoring wasn’t the problem for the Pelicans tonight, it was their defense. Minnesota shot 58 percent from the field and had 30 assists.

Nets 109 (8-13), Mavericks 104 (5-17)

Down their top two point guards as well as Allen Crabbe and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson due to injury, the Nets have needed different guys to step up almost every night. In Dallas, it was DeMarre Carroll and Trevor Booker. Carroll — picked up this offseason in a salary dump from the Raptors — knocked down 4 threes while Booker, a free agent this summer, posted a 16-point, 10-rebound double-double and had some huge tip-outs down the stretch that turned into offensive boards.

After missing last game, @DeMarreCarroll1 bounced back and put up a team-high 22 points pic.twitter.com/sDjlMRSqdS

— Brooklyn Nets (@BrooklynNets) November 30, 2017

Brooklyn withstood a terrible free throw shooting day (14-of-25) to beat the Mavericks, mostly behind the play of guys like Carroll, Spencer Dinwiddie and Joe Harris, all of whom were unceremoniously discarded by their previous teams.

Things are looking bleak for the Mavericks, who are just 3-10 at home and heading toward a sub-20 win season. Harrison Barnes scored 17 points to go with 8 rebounds and 6 assists while rookie forward Maxi Kleber scored a career-high 16.

Spurs 104 (14-7), Grizzlies 95 (7-13)

The Grizzlies, in their first game post-David Fizdale, hung around with the Spurs all night but LaMarcus Aldridge was too much. LMA scored 41 points on 17-for-24 shooting to take down depleted Memphis, which was led by Tyreke Evans‘ 22. Aldridge played so well that Gregg Popovich said nice things about him after the game.

Coach Pop on LaMarcus: “He’s been an All Star.” pic.twitter.com/j8qPyZ4EUs

— San Antonio Spurs (@spurs) November 30, 2017

Tony Parker added 10 points and 5 assists in his second game back from injury. That’s nine straight losses for the Grizzlies.

Warriors 127 (15-6), Lakers 123 (8-12) / OT

This was probably the most fun game of the whole 10-game slate. The Dubs took the lead early but the Lakers — behind 41 points from reserves Jordan Clarkson and Julius Randle — surged back in the second quarter to go ahead at the half. L.A. and Golden State went back and forth down the stretch before Kentavious Caldwell-Pope‘s three-point play gave the Lakers a 109-106 edge.

Back-to-back #SPLASH by @StephenCurry30 (@NBCSAuthentic) pic.twitter.com/01tPnhDqxR

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) November 30, 2017

But, 10 seconds later, Kevin Durant (29 points) drilled a contested three to tie it up. Both sides missed potential game-winners before the defending champs took over in the extra period. Steph Curry (28 points) knocked down back-to-back threes to build a cushion and, despite some great shot-making from Brandon Ingram, it held up.

Photo courtesy of Getty Images

The post Post Up: In Overdrive appeared first on SLAM.

Minnesota’s big three responded to a disheartening loss on Friday night by going out and putting numbers on the board. Karl-Anthony Towns went off for 32 points and 12 rebounds, Jimmy Butler scored 25 points and Andrew Wiggins added 21 points.

KAT (32 PTS, 12 REBS) tallies his league-leading 16th double-double of the season in the @Timberwolves' W! #AllEyesNorth pic.twitter.com/fVWWOhFRCk

— NBA (@NBA) November 26, 2017

Taj Gibson pulled down 14 rebounds (7 offensive and 7 defensive) to help the Timberwolves bully the Suns on the glass. The big three combined to score 78 total points. Besides winning the glass, the Wolves also came up with 12 steals that led to 30 points off turnovers.

For the Suns, Mike James came off the bench to score 26 points while Devin Booker sat with an injured right big toe.

Heat 100 (10-9), Bulls 93 (3-15)

The Heat scored just seven points in the first quarter, the fewest in team history for an opening period. But they got cooking in the second and fourth quarters, scoring a combined 74 points in those frames.

Miami had only five players for the entirety of the fourth and Goran Dragic had 14 of his 24 points in those 12 minutes. James Johnson added 11 points, too, and they shot 67 percent to close the game out and win their third straight.

Dragic scores 24 PTS, including 14 in the fourth, to propel the @MiamiHeat to their 3rd straight victory! #HEATCulture pic.twitter.com/IIVvd1MSHX

— NBA (@NBA) November 26, 2017

Nets 98 (6-12), Grizzlies 88 (7-12)

The Grizzlies have lost eight in a row. Despite a tie game at halftime, Memphis lost tonight’s third quarter, 32-18, and never made it back into the game. The Grizzlies haven’t lost eight straight since February 11-March 3, 2009, according to NBA.com.

DeMarre Carroll scored a season-best 24 points for the Nets.

DeMarre Carroll lifts the @BrooklynNets to victory with a season-high 24 PTS! #WeGoHard pic.twitter.com/BxJIHhqnIP

— NBA (@NBA) November 27, 2017

The post Post Up: Run With the Wolves appeared first on SLAM.

One way to ice a win: let your rookie score 16 of your team’s first 18 points in the fourth quarter. That’s what Malik Monk did, coming off the bench to score 25 points on 5-8 shooting from three. Then there was Kemba Walker, who provided his nightly share of highlights.

Kemba’s just showing off now (via @hornets) pic.twitter.com/OHh2mdCPb4

— SLAM Magazine (@SLAMonline) November 1, 2017

Oh, and for Milwaukee, Khris Middelton had 43 points and seven assists. Not a bad night, despite the loss.

Pacers 124 (5-3), Cavaliers 107 (3-5)

A players-only meeting yesterday didn’t help stop the Cavs’ slow start to the season. Cleveland lost its fourth straight game, this time at the hands of a Pacers team that out-scored the Cavs by 10 in the fourth quarter to pull away. LeBron had 33 points and 11 assists, but that wasn’t enough against an Indiana team that had three players with 23-or-more points — Victor Oladipo (23 points, seven assists), Darren Collison (25 points, eight assists, five rebounds), and Thaddeus Young (26 points, 12-18 shooting).

JEFF GREEN! (via @nba) pic.twitter.com/NlAIQ8Ufy3

— SLAM Magazine (@SLAMonline) November 1, 2017

76ers 119 (4-4), Hawks 109 (1-7)

Joel Embiid had 21 points and 12 rebounds, and Robert Covington had 22 more to help the 76ers outlast the Hawks. With the win, the Sixers are now 4-4 and have won three straight games — a fact that caused fans to chant “Trust the Process” in the game’s waning minutes.

Rolling #TheProcess pic.twitter.com/9jtM1NoN5s

— Joel Embiid (@JoelEmbiid) November 2, 2017

Suns 122 (4-4), Wizards 116 (4-3)

TJ Warren and Bradley Beal each had 40-point games, but it was Warren who got just a little more help as his Suns overcame a 22-point deficit to win on the road. Warren scored 28 of his 40 in the second half and did so on 16-22 shooting. The Suns led by just a point with three minutes to go, but a 7-0 run over the next two minutes put Phoenix in control.

Book it. #SunsAt50 pic.twitter.com/6X59VNPXbl

— NBA (@NBA) November 2, 2017

Celtics 113 (6-2), Kings 86 (1-7)

Jaylen Brown’s second-year surge continued to the tune of 22 points on 7-8 shooting on Wednesday. Kyrie Irving matched Brown’s point total and the two combined to shoot 9-15 from three. With Sacramento hanging around through the first half, Boston pulled away in the third quarter, outscoring the Kings 31-15. The Celtics have now won six straight after an 0-2 start to the year.

Heat 97 (3-4), Bulls 91 (1-5)

Lauri Markkanen (25 points, eight rebounds) continues to be a bright spot for the Bulls, but Chicago fell to 1-5 with a loss to the Heat in a back-and-forth game. Miami led by 10 after one quarter, but the Bulls pulled within two at halftime. It wasn’t until the Heat went on an 8-0 run early in the fourth quarter that they finally built a cushion. Goran Dragic had 20 points for the Heat, while Hassan Whiteside had 13 points and 14 rebounds. Kris Dunn had 11 points, seven rebounds, and five assists off the bench for Chicago. Two of those points came on this dunk:

Kris Dunn takes flight! (via @nba) pic.twitter.com/nWtX2Z0FXG

— SLAM Magazine (@SLAMonline) November 2, 2017

Rockets 119 (6-3), Knicks 97 (3-4)

The Rockets got their shooting stroke back, using a 16-0 run in the second quarter and 19 made threes for the game to rout the Knicks at Madison Square Garden. James Harden had 31 points, including six threes and nine assists in the win, as all five Rocket starters scored in double figures. Tim Hardaway Jr. had 23 points and seven rebounds to lead the Knicks.

Magic 101 (6-2), Grizzlies 99 (5-3)

Just a few seconds after Marc Gasol gave the Grizzlies the lead, Aaron Gordon answered with what ended up being the game-winning three to lift the Magic to another win. Gordon finished the game with 19 points and Evan Fournier had 22 more, and Orlando has now won five of its last six games. Tyreke Evans came off the bench to lead all scorers with 32 for the Grizzlies.

#MagicWin and improve to 6-2 on the season! pic.twitter.com/8cPt1XnY9n

— Orlando Magic (@OrlandoMagic) November 2, 2017

Timberwolves 104 (5-3), Pelicans 98 (3-5)

Jimmy Butler scored Minnesota’s final six points, providing the difference in the game for the Timberwolves. The first two of those came with 34 seconds to go, breaking a 98-98 tie. He led six Timberwolves in double figures with 23 points, while Taj Gibson had 11 points and 12 rebounds. DeMarcus Cousins had 35 points, nine rebounds, six assists, and six steals for the Pelicans. He also shot 5-10 from beyond the arc.

Is it as easy as it looks, @22wiggins? pic.twitter.com/HlBek2B6sV

— Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) November 2, 2017

Nuggets 129 (4-4), Raptors 111 (4-3)

The Nuggets outscored the Raptors by a combined 33 points in the first and third quarters to coast to their fourth win of the year. They shot 53 percent for the game and made 50 percent of their threes, led by 24 points (8-10 shooting) from Jamal Murray. Nikola Jokic just missed a triple-double, tallying eight points, 10 assists, and 16 rebounds. For the Raptors, no player scored more than 14 (Norman Powell), but all 13 players to see action had at least two field goals.

Jazz 112 (5-3), Trail Blazers 103 (4-4) (OT)

Neither team ever led by double digits in a game that featured 17 lead changes and 14 ties. But overtime belonged to the Jazz, who scored eight of the first 10 points in the extra session. That overtime, however, was only possible because of a Rudy Gobert block of Damian Lillard as time expired in regulation. Ricky Rubio went 11-11 from the line to score 30 points while Donovan Mitchell came off the bench to pour on a career-high 28. Lillard had 33 points, 10 rebounds, and eight assists for the Trail Blazers.

Rudy doing Rudy things – tonight’s @AFCU Instant Rewind! #PORatUTA pic.twitter.com/64DI1Q6MDE

— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) November 2, 2017

Clippers 119 (5-2), Mavericks 98 (1-8)

Blake Griffin did a little bit of everything with 20 points, seven assists, and six rebounds as the Clippers routed the Mavericks. Veteran Lou Williams turned in his second consecutive 17-point performance, doing so in just 18 minutes of action. Dennis Smith Jr. continued his stellar start to his career, leading Dallas with 18 points, two of which coming on this:

Give him the lane and watch what happens (via @nba) pic.twitter.com/CecP5JvBV8

— SLAM Magazine (@SLAMonline) November 2, 2017

The post Post Up: Cleveland Drops Fourth Straight appeared first on SLAM.

The Nets were able to hold off a fourth quarter comeback attempt from the Hawks after D’Angelo Russell stepped up to hit a pair of clutch jumpers. Russell, who had 10 dimes, was part of a balanced scoring effort by the Brooklyn boys. He and Caris LeVert both scored 16 points, DeMarre Carroll put in 17 and Allen Crabbe added 20 off the bench.

D-Lo Caris. Young Nets out and running (via @NBATV) pic.twitter.com/ZKbczSxq6s

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) October 22, 2017

Dennis Schroder went down with an ankle injury in the fourth quarter.

Timberwolves 115 (2-1), Thunder 113 (1-2)

Russell Westbrook was just about unstoppable in the fourth quarter. His 15 fourth quarter points spearheaded the Thunder’s comeback after they were losing 88-75 after the third.

Westbrook ended up with 31 points, complemented by 23 from Carmelo Anthony and 14 from Paul George. Carmelo hit a three-ball from the left wing with 5.1 seconds remaining to give OKC a one-point lead. But Andrew Wiggins wasn’t going to be denied. He pulled up from just inside halfcourt and banked in a buzzer-beating jumpshot to give the Timberwolves the win.

Andrew Wiggins goes glass to send the Thunder home!!! (via @nbatv) pic.twitter.com/4GlkaMVuaQ

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) October 23, 2017

He and Karl-Anthony Towns both scored 27 for Minnesota. They were helped out by 19 points and 9 assists from Jeff Teague, 15 points and 6 assists from Jimmy Butler and 11 points and 10 rebounds from Taj Gibson.

Pelicans 119 (1-2), Lakers 112 (1-2)

Jordan Clarkson led a furious comeback, an extended 29-6 run, that helped the Lakers overcome a 22-point deficit to take a five-point lead in the fourth. The Pelicans opened up their lead throughout the first three quarters by pounding the paint and giving Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins plenty of touches.

Nah, how'd AD pull this off? (via @nbatv) pic.twitter.com/BVpeDzJKru

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) October 23, 2017

But Clarkson, Kyle Kuzma and Julius Randle didn’t quit. It took big shots from E’Twaun Moore and Jameer Nelson (in his first game with the Pels) to put the Lakers down.

Davis finished with 27 points, 17 rebounds, 4 steals and 3 blocks, Cousins added 22 points, 11 rebounds and 8 assists. The young Lakers got plenty of contributions in the losing effort. Clarkson had 24 points and 5 dimes off the bench, while Kuzma scored 20 points and Lonzo Ball filled up the stat sheet, registering 13 assists, 8 rebounds and 8 points.

The post Post Up: Timberwolves Escape Oklahoma City appeared first on SLAM.

Who will own press conferences this season?

Russell Westbrook had this on lock last season, and will likely repeat, but there will be some stiff competition. KD seems to give less and less of a damn with each passing interview. James Harden always brings out ridiculous outfits—though his postgame quotes leave something to be desired. LeBron is LeBron. The dark horse, though, might be Dion Waiters. If you’ve been following him on social media at all this summer, you’ve seen a man that is feeling himself on a whole new level. Add the fact that the Heat has a real shot to get back to the playoffs and we should be seeing and hearing from Philly Cheese plenty this season. —Peter Walsh, Senior Editor

When will the Sixers take over the NBA?

So we can all agree that we might as well hand the 2018 Larry O’Brien trophy over to the Warriors right now, right? Right. But that doesn’t mean this season will be without intrigue—for example, how long before the post-Process FEDS take over the NBA? Embiid, Simmons and Fultz have as much potential as any young core we’ve seen in years. Can they stay healthy and fulfill all those lofty expectations, making fans forget all the ugly years that led to this point? We won’t know that answer for years. This season, though, should provide a hint of what’s to come. —Yaron Weitzman, Senior Writer

Is this the year Giannis Antetokounmpo explodes?

After a breakout season that saw him emerge into an All-Star and become the first player in NBA history to finish the regular season in the top 20 in total points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks, it is clear that Giannis is now a fan favorite in the League. The question moving forward is whether the 22-year-old can become a legitimate contender in the MVP conversation. —Franklyn Calle, Associate Editor

Can the Warriors get…better?

Honestly? I didn’t think the Warriors were gonna win the Championship last year. Not for lack of talent—I just didn’t think they’d put it all together in KD’s first year. More of a Year 2 thing. I was wrong, but it doesn’t mean the Dubs won’t improve, with Durant further acclimating to GSW’s system and all that. They won’t go for 73+ wins—they’ve hopefully learned why attempting such a feat is a pretty terrible idea—but they’ll play more together, more as a unit. Which is to say, more unbeatable. Yikes. —Adam Figman, Editor-in-Chief

How will the Chris Paul-James Harden era play out in H-Town?

While Chris Paul opted in to the final year of his contract to join the Rockets, CP3 is far from committing long term to Houston. The 32-year-old will be an unrestricted free agent after this season, giving him an easy out if the partnership with Harden doesn’t go as planned. But all signs have been positive so far. Harden and Paul have been in constant communication since the June 28 trade and have played together in the Drew League, Black Ops in NYC and at UCLA pickup runs.—Ryne Nelson, Senior Editor

How will social media continue to change the League?

Raise your hand if you thought 10 years ago that social media would play a major role in the NBA. Waiting…nobody, right? But here we are. This past offseason, CJ McCollum posted a picture of Carmelo Anthony in a Blazers jersey on Instagram, and Rudy Gobert traded playful jabs with Isaiah Thomas on Twitter. When the Kyrie Irving trade went down, if you weren’t on Twitter, you were missing out on countless news items, jokes, memes and hours of entertainment. Brandon Ingram and Lonzo Ball even set the Lakers army on a war path because of a player’s video game rating. What a time. —Max Resetar, Associate Editor

Are the T-Wolves ready?

Are we sure this is even a debate? Minnesota’s starting five—Jeff Teague, Andrew Wiggins, Jimmy Butler, Taj Gibson and Karl-Anthony Towns—is perfectly balanced. It has youth and experience, scoring and selflessness, speed and defense. Reserve Jamal Crawford can bail the team out if need be, and there’s plenty of front-court depth, too. It may take a minute to jell, but soon enough, this team is gonna cook. —Leo Sepkowitz, Senior Writer

—

Photos via Getty Images

The post Story To Tell appeared first on SLAM.

Averaging 25.1 points per game last season, which ranked No. 1 among centers and tied Kevin Durant for 12th overall in the League, the Piscataway, NJ, native proved that he was indeed everything he was touted to be when he was selected with the No. 1 pick in the 2015 NBA Draft. Points aside, he also finished top 10 among centers in rebounds (12.3 per night), assists (2.7 per game), free throws and field goals.

Last season he became the first player in NBA history to reach 2,000 points, 1,000 rebounds and 100 three-pointers in a single season while also breaking Kevin Love’s single-season scoring record. He stood behind only Pau and Marc Gasol in three-point shooting percentage among centers.

KAT finished with a double-double in 62 of last season’s 82 games.

Following two years of steady progress and growing into the team’s go-to option, this season will bring KAT into new territory. After being the leader (at age 21) of the youngest team in the NBA last season, some offseason acquisitions by the Timberwolves have suddenly brought in playoffs expectations upon Towns and company. The veteran additions from this summer include all-star Jimmy Butler, Jeff Teague, Jamal Crawford and Taj Gibson.

Despite averaging 25 and 12 for the season, Kat was snubbed from the All-NBA team selections in the spring. Clippers center DeAndre Jordan beat him out by just four points. The seven-footer took to social media in the aftermath to say that “being disrespected is nothing new” to him. And in an interview with Sporting News a month later regarding the snub, he added:

“You know what, it did a little bit, it did a little damage to me. But that’s all right, because it is all about team success. You’ve got to win. You’ve got to win to be respected in this league. You have to do little things, there are things we can do as a team. We have to come back as a stronger team and win in the playoffs, because the playoffs are the most important thing.”

The playoffs are a milestone that Minnesota fans have been looking to claim for over a decade. The franchise hasn’t played in a postseason game since 2004. After only winning 31 games last season, Las Vegas has the Wolves at over/under 48.5 victories this year.

The impact this summer’s additions ultimately have on KAT’s production will be interesting to watch unfold. There are some that fear it might lead to him having fewer touches and shots. Will there be spacing issues that could arise? Is ball sharing a concern?

While those may be some of the trepidations, there are plenty of positives as well on the flipside. The Timberwolves were known for not being all that great on defense last season and having added someone like Butler can certainly help in that department. Also, adding some veterans will certainly help out a young team that in many occasions couldn’t close out games last year. The new pieces will also be taking a load off KAT’s shoulders on both ends of the floor.

In the end, as is the case with just about any of the League’s star players, KAT’s career will be judged on just how much winning he ultimately was able to accumulate. And so while we can debate all day on the impact the additions will have on KAT’s stat lines this coming season, it’s the wins and losses column that may ultimately decide where he really ranks among the League’s best.

Previous Rankings:
2016: No. 20
2015: Not Ranked

Rankings are based on expected contribution in 2017-18—to players’ team, the NBA and the game.

No. 50 – Dion Waiters
No. 49 – Ben Simmons 
No. 48 – Brook Lopez
No. 47 — Harrison Barnes
No. 46 — Jrue Holiday
No. 45 — Lonzo Ball
No. 44 — Myles Turner
No. 43 — Goran Dragic
No. 42 — Andre Drummond
No. 41 — Al Horford
No. 40 — LaMarcus Aldridge
No. 39 — Kevin Love
No. 38 — Paul Millsap
No. 37 — Hassan Whiteside
No. 36 — Andrew Wiggins
No. 35 — Marc Gasol
No. 34 – DeAndre Jordan
No. 33 — Bradley Beal
No. 32 — Kemba Walker
No. 31 — CJ McCollum
No. 30 — Devin Booker
No. 29 — Nikola Jokic
No. 28 — Joel Embiid
No. 27 — Mike Conley 
No. 26 — Kyle Lowry
No. 25 — Rudy Gobert
No. 24 — Gordon Hayward
No. 23 — Kristaps Porzingis
No. 22 — Carmelo Anthony
No. 21 — DeMar DeRozan
No. 20 — Blake Griffin
No. 19 — Draymond Green
No. 18 — Chris Paul
No. 17 — Klay Thompson
No. 16 — Jimmy Butler
No. 15 — Isaiah Thomas 

The post SLAM Top 50: Karl-Anthony Towns, No. 14 appeared first on SLAM.

The offseason was a busy one for Teague who, in addition to heading to a new team in a new city, opened up a multipurpose training facility—called The Factory —in Indianapolis. The 34,200-square-foot center opened in August and has 18 basketball hoops, an indoor football field and space for volleyball, dance, baseball and other sports.

It’s the latest collaboration between construction company A M King, Sports Med Properties and D1 Sports Training to be run by a NBA player. Chris Paul, a fellow Wake Forest product, operates his own facility in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

Teague talked to SLAM about how D1 Indianapolis came to be, what it was like to play a season in his native Indianapolis and why he chose to sign with the Timberwolves.

SLAM: What was it like playing for your hometown Pacers last season? Similar or different to what you expected?

Jeff Teague: It was fun, it was different having people there at every single game. Other than that, it was a pretty similar situation to that in Atlanta. Family didn’t really bother me or anything, they just kind of stuck to themselves. It was just a transition having them at every game.

SLAM: What was it about the Timberwolves that that made you want to sign with them?

JT: They were the first team to call me, they were really interested in me. They have the young talent but they picked up some vets, like Jamal (Crawford), Taj (Gibson) and Jimmy (Butler). They’re really good and have a chance to be special, I know they haven’t been to the playoffs in awhile—like 15 or 16 years (Thirteen years — Ed.)—so I wanted to be part of something special that’s growing.

SLAM: Tom Thibodeau’s reputation kind of precedes himself. What have you heard about him from guys who played for him?

JT: A lot of hard work, and I imagine a lot of defensive drills. Everyone’s telling me he’s a hard-nosed coach who’s expecting the best out of his players. He wants to win and I can respect that.

SLAM: You mentioned Jamal Crawford. As one of the more prominent and well-respected vets around the League, what do you think it is about him that people seem to be attracted to?

JT: He’s a really good guy, first and foremost. He’s willing to help anyone, he was my vet in Atlanta and made sure that I was ok and tried to help me with anything possible. Besides being a great basketball player and one of the best sixth men ever, he’s one of the best teammates ever. I knew he’d play for a really long time and, as you can see, he’s still continuing his career into his 17th season.

SLAM: How long has the training center been in the works? Was it something you thought of while you were in high school or college, wanting to give back to Indianapolis in that way?

JT: I never really thought about it in high school or college, but when I made it to the NBA I thought it would be cool to have a place where you can go play at any time and to help kids get better on their game.

SLAM: Did the idea come up during your year with the Pacers or back in Atlanta with the Hawks?

JT: I’ve been thinking about it since I was in Atlanta. Indiana’s always been home for me and has a special place in my heart, so I knew I would go back there. I’ve seen Mo Williams and those guys have gyms, and it’s cool to see how they were able to develop kids and help others in their area, and I wanted to do the same thing.

SLAM: Did you have a lot of say in the design of the facility and its features?

JT: It was more of my dad. I let him handle most of those kind of things.

SLAM: Chris Paul has his own facility down in North Carolina. Did you talk to him at all throughout the construction of D1 Indy?

JT: We didn’t really talk to each other at all. I just partnered up with a close friend of mine, a business partner, and he helped me put it all together. We just made it happen.

SLAM: There are a lot of current NBA players from Indianapolis, such as you and Eric Gordon and others. Do you think the city is on the rise in terms of producing basketball talent?

JT: I think the talent pool is very deep, we continue to put out really talented players and teams every year. It’s been going on for a couple of years now, maybe 10 or 11 years, when we started getting a lot of people drafted and playing well in the NBA. The kids now in high school, with skills trainers and other places to develop their skills, are only going to get better.

SLAM: Growing up, did you have facilities like this one to work at or were you mostly playing outside on playgrounds in Indianapolis?

JT: I played outside, I had nothing like this. We didn’t have trainers, we didn’t have people working on your bodies and things like that. We just hooped and played outside, worked on our games that way and it was more fun. We didn’t really play inside until middle school. Times have changed and high school guys are almost getting the NBA treatment when it comes to workouts.

Related
Jeff Teague Agrees To 3-Year, $57 Million Deal With Wolves
Jeff Teague Is Living In His Parents’ Basement

The post Jeff Teague on His New Training Facility, Playing At Home and the Timberwolves appeared first on SLAM.

With Kobe Bryant playing defense, Wiggins took two dribbles, gave a little shoulder fake and buried a turnaround jumper to cut the deficit to three as Bryant tried to contest the shot. The two exchanged words on the opposite end of the court, and Bryant, who made a myriad of those mid-range jumpers throughout his career, told Wiggins how much that move—from the dribbles to the shot to the back-peddling—looked familiar.

Wiggins finished the night with 30, but the Wolves would end up losing. Despite the outcome, Wolves fans could appreciate the fact the 2014 No. 1 Draft pick, who landed in Minnesota after a trade that sent Kevin Love to Cleveland, was going at Bryant. Now, when Wiggins is on the floor, shots like the one he hit over Bryant have become the norm.

In 2015, Wiggins first made his #SLAMTop50 debut at No. 38 and moved up to No. 31 last year, but comes in at 36 on this year’s list. As he prepares to enter his fourth season, two things (OK, one for sure right now) will look different: his teammates and his contract.

This offseason, the Wolves acquired Jeff Teague, Jamal Crawford, Jimmy Butler and Taj Gibson—four veterans with experience in the Playoffs, a place Wiggins and Karl-Anthony Towns have yet to visit. The last time the Wolves played in the postseason, Wiggins and Towns were in elementary school. With the new additions, the Wolves could potentially be in a position to break the 14-year drought.

In regards to his contract, reports came out in July that the Wolves were working on something along the lines of a five-year, $148 million extension. Glen Taylor, the team’s owner, told the Associated Press that the 22-year-old star “can’t be paid for what he’s doing today,” and that he needs 100 percent commitment—especially with his defense and rebounding—before going forward with the process to give Wiggins the max.

At 6-8 with a seven-foot wingspan, Wiggins has all the intangibles to be in the discussion for top two-way players under 25, but his play on the defensive side still raises some concerns. The positive to this is that during training camp, which is right around the corner, he can soak up knowledge from someone like Butler who knows a thing or two about defense.

In terms of rebounding, there’s no question Wiggins can easily grab eight to 10 boards a game, but he averaged a mere four rebounds per game last season. Will Wiggins make it a priority to up his rebounding numbers this season? Not sure. Many can argue that guys like Gibson, Towns, Gorgui Dieng and Cole Aldrich, the team’s key assets in the paint, already fulfill all of the rebounding duties.

When it comes to points, Wiggins has excelled in that field since he entered the League after spending one year at Kansas. Last season, he averaged a career-high 24 ppg, shooting 45 percent from the field and 35 percent from deep while playing 37 mpg. Wiggins ranked in the top 10 last season in two-point field goals made. Also, 23 percent of his points came from the mid-range area, as he shoots 44 percent from the left side of the court—his bread and butter.

In shots 10 to 16 feet from the basket, Wiggins shot 36.5 percent, and 38 percent on shots further than that, according to Basketball Reference. With Teague and Butler on the team, more opportunities for Wiggins to get more looks from the 3-point line will likely open up when Teague collapses the defense on dribble-drives and Butler hits the extra pass on the perimeter. In regards to corner threes, Wiggins shot 45 percent from the right side and 30 percent from the left side, respectively.

Although the Timberwolves won’t be under the same media microscope as the Cavaliers, Celtics, Rockets and Thunder, they’ll have tabs kept on them to see if the organization benefitted from its offseason acquisitions, or if Wiggins was deserving of getting all those M’s (assuming he gets the max).

Previous Rankings:
2016: No. 31
2015: No. 38
2014: Not Ranked

Rankings are based on expected contribution in 2017-18—to players’ team, the NBA and the game.

No. 50 – Dion Waiters
No. 49 – Ben Simmons 
No. 48 – Brook Lopez
No. 47 — Harrison Barnes
No. 46 — Jrue Holiday
No. 45 — Lonzo Ball
No. 44 — Myles Turner
No. 43 — Goran Dragic
No. 42 — Andre Drummond
No. 41 — Al Horford
No. 40 — LaMarcus Aldridge
No. 39 — Kevin Love
No. 38 — Paul Millsap
No. 37 — Hassan Whiteside

The post SLAM Top 50: Andrew Wiggins, No. 36 appeared first on SLAM.

They were joined by Tony Snell, Taj Gibson and Joakim Noah.

Check out the highlights from today! @DwyaneWade @JimmyButler @Yg_Trece @TonySnell20 @TajGibson22 @JoakimNoah @AthleticGaines @ChrisJHoops pic.twitter.com/rPqK7fJOQi

— Cassy Athena (@cassyathena) September 9, 2017

Ahead of his first season with the Thunder, George has been going hard in the gym, and says he “came a long way this summer.”

Per The Oklahoman:

On a sandy stretch of about 200 yards, George and other [Ryan] Capretta clients do interval workouts, sprints, plyometric movements.

 

“It’s called a sand dune, but it’s basically like a sand mountain,” Capretta said in a phone interview last week. “You’re racing up this hill, and it’s an a**-kicker. It crushes you.”

 

That’s been the gist of the summer of George.

 

“About a week” after the Pacers lost to the Cavaliers in the NBA Playoffs, Capretta said, George was at the Proactive facility in Westlake Village. Weeks before he was traded to the Thunder, George was formulating a plan to attack his offseason.

 

“He’s thoroughly excited for the season,” Capretta said. “He’s getting a fresh start. He’s got a lot of confidence in what (the Thunder) are gonna do. When you talk to him about it, he lights up.”

The post Paul George, Jimmy Butler and Dwyane Wade in Pickup Run appeared first on SLAM.

Last season, Rondo played a major role in bringing together a divided Bulls locker room in time for a hard-fought playoff series.

Rondo infamously called out Jimmy Butler and Dwyane Wade in an instagram post, and ultimately earned both player’s respect.

I wanna say thank you to @RajonRondo for putting any personal history we had behind us from the Boston days. I enjoyed learning from you!

— DWade (@DwyaneWade) June 30, 2017

While guesting on the Open Run Podcast, one of Rondo’s former Bulls teammates, Taj Gibson, was asked to describe Rondo with just one word.

Gibson replied with the ultimate compliment (starting at 36:51):

Describe Rajon Rondo in one word. Whatever pops into your head.

 

Gibson: “President. He could run for President.”

Rondo has said that he wants to coach after his playing career.

If he ever has bigger aspirations, he’ll have the support of plenty of his peers.

RELATED:
Rajon Rondo Blasts Jimmy Butler and Dwyane Wade on Instagram

The post Taj Gibson: Rajon Rondo Could Run for President appeared first on SLAM.

Spurs free agent Dewayne Dedmon has agreed to a deal with the Atlanta Hawks, league sources tell The Vertical.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 12, 2017

The deal includes a player option in the second season.

Dedmon had a significant role on the Spurs last year, averaging 5.1 points and 6.5 rebounds per game.

Related
WATCH: Dewayne Dedmon Posterizes Taj Gibson

The post Dewayne Dedmon Agrees to 2-Year, $14 Million Deal With Hawks appeared first on SLAM.

Oklahoma City used its full midlevel exception to sign Patterson, who shot 37% from three-point range last season.

Per ESPN:

The commitment eliminates the Thunder from contention for free-agent forward Rudy Gay, who visited with the organization over the weekend. Gay is searching for a larger deal than the Thunder were able to pay him, with Miami, Utah, San Antonio and Brooklyn among the teams still interested, league sources said.

 

For Oklahoma City, Patterson, 28, is the ideal replacement in the starting lineup for Taj Gibson who left for Minnesota in free agency.

 

Patterson leaves Toronto for Oklahoma City, where general manager Sam Presti sees Patterson as a floor spacer alongside NBA MVP Russell Westbrook and the team’s new All-Star forward Paul George. Patterson chose the Thunder as an opportunity to stay with a contending franchise and play along All-Star players, which he did with Toronto the past four seasons. In seven NBA seasons, Patterson has averaged 7.9 points and 4.7 rebounds per game.

Related
2017 NBA Free Agent Tracker

The post Patrick Patterson Agrees to 3-Year, $16.4 Million Deal with Thunder appeared first on SLAM.

Free agent Taj Gibson has agreed to a two-year, $28M deal with Minnesota, league sources tell The Vertical.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 2, 2017

Gibson is the second Chicago Bull to join Thibs in Minnesota this offseason. Star guard Jimmy Butler was traded to Minnesota for Zach Lavine, Kris Dunn and the No. 7 overall pick, which turned out to be Arizona big man Lauri Markkanen. Gibson, who is 32 years old, averaged 10,8 points and 6.2 boards while playing for the Bulls and Thunder last season.

The post Taj Gibson Agrees To 2-Year, $28 Million Deal With Timberwolves appeared first on SLAM.

Undoubtedly influenced by the Warriors’ dominance last season, teams have been making big acquisitions to counter the reigning champions.

As usual, we’ve broken down the NBA free agent signings into two categories: “On The Move” and “Staying Put.”

Below is a comprehensive look at the agreements made since the free-agency period began at midnight on July 1. Everything is a verbal agreement until the moratorium period ends on July 7.

Let us know in the comments who you think has had the best and worst offseason so far!

ON THE MOVE

Gordon Hayward: 4-year, $128 million deal with Celtics

Paul Millsap: 3-year, $90 million deal with Nuggets

Jeff Teague: 3-year, $57 million deal with Wolves

George Hill: 3-year, $57 million deal with Kings

JJ Redick: 1-year, $23 million deal with Sixers

Taj Gibson: 2-year, $28 million deal with Timberwolves

Danilo Gallinari: 3-year, $65 million deal with Clippers

Rudy Gay: 2-year, $17 million deal with Spurs

Jonathon Simmons: 3-year, $20 million deal with Magic

PJ Tucker: 4-year, $32 million deal with Rockets

Nick Young: 1-year, $5.2 million deal with Warriors

Omri Casspi: 1-year deal with Warriors

Langston Galloway: 3-year, $21 million deal with Pistons

Zach Randolph: 2-year, $24 million deal with Kings

Vince Carter: 1-year, $8 million deal with Kings

Patrick Patterson: 3-year, $16.7 million deal with Thunder

Kelly Olynyk: 4-year, $50-plus million deal with Heat

Darren Collison: 2-year, $20 million deal with Pacers

Ben McLemore: 2-year, $10.7 million deal with Grizzlies

Justin Holiday: 2-year, $9 million deal with Bulls

Tyreke Evans: 1-year, $3.3 million deal with Grizzlies

Jodie Meeks: 2-year, $7 million deal with Wizards

Bojan Bogdanovic: 2-year, $21 million deal with Pacers

Amir Johnson: 1-year, $11 million deal with Sixers

Michael Carter-Williams: 1-year, $2.7 million deal with Hornets

Jose Calderon: 1-year, $2.3 million deal with Cavaliers

Arron Afflalo: 1-year, $2.3 million deal with Magic

Zhou Qi: Multiyear deal with Rockets

Mike Scott: Veteran’s minimum deal with Wizards

Jamal Crawford: two-year, $8.9 million deal with Timberwolves

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope: 1-year, $18 million deal with Lakers

Dewayne Dedmon: 2-year, $14 million deal with Hawks

Ramon Sessions: 1-year, $2.3 million deal with Knicks

Terrence Jones: 1-year, $2 million deal in China

Brandon Jennings: 1-year, $1.5 million deal in China

Ian Clark: 1-year, $1.6 million deal with Pelicans

Michael Beasley: 1-year deal with Knicks

STAYING PUT

Stephen Curry: 5-year, $201 million deal with Warriors

Kevin Durant: 2-year, $53 million deal with Warriors

Blake Griffin: 5-year, $173 million deal with Clippers

Jrue Holiday: 5-year, $126 million deal with Pelicans

Kyle Lowry: 3-year, $100 million deal with Raptors

Serge Ibaka: 3-year, $65 million deal with Raptors

Dion Waiters: 4-year, $52 million deal with Heat

Andre Iguodala: 3-year, $48 million deal with Warriors

James Johnson: 4-year, $60 million deal with Heat

Joe Ingles: 4-year, $52 million deal with Jazz

Patty Mills: 4-year, $50 million deal with Spurs

Tony Snell: 4-year, $46 million deal with Bucks

Cristiano Felicio: 4-year, $32 million deal with Bulls

Mason Plumlee: 3-year, $41 million with Nuggets

Shaun Livingston: 3-year, $24 million deal with Warriors

Kyle Korver: 3-year, $22 million deal with Cavs

Nene: 3-year, $11 million deal with Rockets

JaMychal Green: 2-year, $17 million deal with Grizzlies

Manu Ginobili: 2-year, $5 million with Spurs

David West: 1-year deal with Warriors

Andre Roberson: 3-year, $30 million deal with OKC

Mike Muscala: 2-year, $10 million deal with Hawks

Otto Porter: four-year, $106.5 million deal with the Wizards

The post 2017 NBA Free Agent Tracker appeared first on SLAM.

When the replay showed on the jumbotron, Pop belted out his frustration with a hearty “WHAT THE F***!”

This is hardly the first time Harden has drawn a precarious foul.

Earlier this season, Draymond Green said that Harden‘s strategy of scoops his arms into defenders to draw the foul should be in violation of the League’s “Unnatural Acts” rule.

Back in February, Harden climbed on top of Michael Carter-Williams’ back—fouling out the Bulls guard with 1:49 left in overtime.

https://youtu.be/-XfidMLyZyk

Basketball Breakdown recently made a video that depicts Harden’s uncanny ability to draw fouls, including his three-point shot foul and scoop move:

RELATED:
Gregg Popovich Calls Kawhi Leonard the NBA’s Best Player

The post WATCH: Gregg Popovich Yells ‘WTF’ After James Harden Draws Bogus Foul appeared first on SLAM.

Roberson was particularly emotional postgame. Didn't wanna talk about the hacking. Wasn't angry with the questions, just seemed sad.

— Fred Katz (@FredKatz) April 23, 2017

Russell Westbrook says he didn’t catch a glimpse of the mockery, but he was not amused by the idea of “guys that don’t play” making fun of his Thunder teammate.

Westbrook on the Rockets' bench laughing at Roberson as he missed free throws: pic.twitter.com/lan4oQ7f1s

— Royce Young (@royceyoung) April 24, 2017

Houston holds a 3-1 series lead and will host OKC for Game 5 Tuesday night.

Per the Norman Transcript:

It was yet another game the Thunder let slip away, another one that they controlled a double-digit lead in the third quarter, another one they couldn’t close.

 

“We were a team that somebody came back on 3-1 against us,” small forward Andre Roberson said, referencing Golden State’s 2016 Western Conference Finals comeback. “Why can’t we be the person to come back?”

 

“Nothing’s really changed in the games we’ve been playing,” power forward Taj Gibson said. “We jump out on them. We’re pushing the pace. We always have a nice lead, about 10-point lead, 13-point lead. And then our momentum kinda drops.”

The post Russell Westbrook Calls Out Laughing Rockets Players appeared first on SLAM.

Clint Capela finds a way on @NBAonTNT! pic.twitter.com/wmNCGsBYVI

— NBA (@NBA) April 17, 2017

Yea… Clint Capela somehow made this pic.twitter.com/voctcOUs0E

— The Crossover (@TheCrossover) April 17, 2017

AND-ONE!

The post WATCH: Clint Capela Converts Ridiculous And-One appeared first on SLAM.

Jason Kidd on what season will be remembered for if Russell Westbrook averages a triple-double, doesn't win MVP: "I think he'd be cheated." pic.twitter.com/yG97B57ACc

— Erik Horne (@ErikHorneOK) April 4, 2017

Westbrook tied Oscar Roberston’s 55-year NBA record Tuesday night with his 41st triple-double.

An emotional Russ talked about what it meant for him to now be mentioned alongside one of the League’s greatest legends.

Russell Westbrook talking about cherishing Tuesday's moment. One of first times he's brought up his soon-to-be-born son: pic.twitter.com/h4dHqnMf5z

— Erik Horne (@ErikHorneOK) April 5, 2017

Westbrook w/ props to Oscar Robertson. "The things he did to allow me to play the game of basketball, I think that's more important." pic.twitter.com/ZQRvdYsfhw

— Erik Horne (@ErikHorneOK) April 5, 2017

Per the AP:

“It’s one of those nights, a special night, and something I definitely will never forget,” he said. “I’m just truly honored to do it here, especially in Oklahoma City.”

 

Westbrook finished with 12 points, 13 rebounds and 13 assists to help the Thunder beat the Milwaukee Bucks 110-79. He clinched his seventh straight triple-double on an assist to Taj Gibson with 9:17 left in the third quarter.

 

“It’s something that I could never dream about growing up in the inner city of Los Angeles,” he said. “I never dreamed about a moment like this, to be able to be on this stage.”

The post Jason Kidd: Russell Westbrook Would Be ‘Cheated’ With No MVP appeared first on SLAM.

Brooklyn showing love for The Brodie. pic.twitter.com/XCPxRBJ2bB

— SLAM Magazine (@SLAMonline) March 15, 2017

Westbrook’s 33rd triple-double of the season led the OKC Thunder past the Nets 122-104.

Russ finished with 25 points, 19 assists and 12 rebounds.

Per the AP:

He was caught off guard by the appreciation from what was a mostly full and lively crowd despite a winter storm that pounded New York on Tuesday. Fans rewarded him with “MVP! MVP!” chants and even yelled to him how many rebounds he needed for his triple-double.

 

He finally got it with 4:50 left on a missed shot by Brook Lopez. Teammate Taj Gibson was in better rebounding position, but appeared to turn so Westbrook could grab it for the 70th triple-double of his career.

 

“I wanted him to get the triple-double,” Gibson said. “I leaned away. I wanted him to get it.”

The post Nets Fans Chant ‘MVP’ During Russell Westbrook’s 33rd Triple-Double appeared first on SLAM.

The Thunder had trimmed Portland’s lead to 110-109 with 17 seconds remaining, but the Blazers managed to hold on.

Portland newcomer Jusuf Nurkic finished 18 points, 12 rebounds, a career-high six assists and five blocks.

Per the AP:

“Even though it got scary there at the end, we were still able to calm ourselves down and get the win,” said Damian Lillard, who finished with 33 points.

 

Russell Westbrook scored 45 on 12-of-36 shooting for the Thunder, who had their four-game winning streak snapped. Oklahoma City newcomer Taj Gibson added 15 points, including a high-arching buzzer-beater from 61 feet away to put the Thunder up 60-57 at halftime.

 

“Difference tonight was we just couldn’t make our shots,” Westbrook said. “We missed the same shots that we’ve been making every game.”

The post Russell Westbrook and Damian Lillard Do Battle in Portland appeared first on SLAM.

It’s time to update the highlight reel. Peep the video above to see Gibson nail the best three-pointer of his career.

Video courtesy of Ximo Pierto

The post Taj Gibson Drills Long Range Bomb appeared first on SLAM.

After being traded from Oklahoma City to Chicago, Anthony Morrow decided to wear No. 1 as his new jersey number—and was quickly met with angry comments from fans on his Instagram and Twitter accounts.

https://twitter.com/Dillionaire21/status/835291298986872834

Everyone flood Anthony Morrow's Instagram with Derrick Rose. Morrow should not wear #1 https://t.co/bnppJAb9gF

— Jakob Stutz (@jakobstutz4) February 24, 2017

To side-step any lingering bad feelings, Morrow announced that he will change his jersey number.

https://twitter.com/MrAnthonyMorrow/status/835348732925329408

https://twitter.com/MrAnthonyMorrow/status/835349192629452800

It’s the second time in just five months that a Bull has changed his number from Rose’s No. 1 after experiencing fan backlash.

Michael Carter-Williams did the same in October.

RELATED:
Michael Carter-Williams Passes on Derrick Rose’s Old Number to Avoid Controversy in Chicago

The post Anthony Morrow Won’t Wear Derrick Rose’s No. 1 After Fan Backlash appeared first on SLAM.

Though Joel Embiid is still out with a left knee contusion, but it didn’t matter tonight. Robert Coington (25 points, 10 rebounds), Dario Saric (20 points, 11 rebounds) and Richaun Holmes (12 points, 10 rebounds) all had double-doubles and four other Sixers scored at least 10 points. Sergio Rodriguez and TJ McConnell both dished 8 assists. Bradley Beal scored 40 points and John Wall had 29 points, 14 assists and 8 rebounds, but Philly took the lead in the second quarter and didn’t give it up after.

Pacers 102 (30-28), Grizzlies 92 (34-25)

The Grizzlies couldn’t find their offense and the Pacers couldn’t miss. The Pacers also grabbed 50 rebounds and held the Grizzlies to 33% shooting from distance. Indy led by 27, getting 17 points from CJ Miles, 10 assists from Jeff Teague and 10 rebounds from Lavoy Allen. Paul George shot 3-12, finishing with 9 points, 9 rebounds and 4 assists.

Raptors 107 (34-24), Celtics 97 (37-21)

Kyle Lowry sat out with an injured wrist and the Celtics quickly built a 17-point lead in the first half. They held the Raps to 18 points in the first quarter and held a 10-point halftime advantage.

But then DeMar DeRozan woke up. He delivered emotionally charged buckets, scoring 12 points in both the third and fourth quarters. PJ Tucker, Serge Ibaka and DeMarre Carroll played with heart and Patrick Patterson nailed a huge three. With 2 minutes left in the fourth, the Raptors were up five.

DeRozan scored a career-best 43 points, adding 5 rebounds and 5 assists. Ibaka had 15 points and 7 boards, Patterson and Cory Joseph each scored 11. The Raptors outscored the Celtics 62-42 in the second half, shooting 52% while holding Boston to 35% shooting. Isaiah Thomas had 20 points in the loss.

Bulls 128 (29-29), Suns 121 (18-40)

There were 13 lead changes and seven ties. The Suns led for most of the game, but the Bulls wouldn’t go away. They rallied from an 11-point fourth quarter deficit to force overtime. In the fourth and OT, both Jimmy Butler and Dwyane Wade scored 14 points. Butler finished with 22 and 9 assists and Wade had 23.

In overtime, experience won out for the Bulls. They were 6-9 from the floor, 7-8 from the foul line and had 0 turnovers. Butler and Wade took turns getting buckets, until Wade dunked the dagger on Alex Len’s head.

35-year-old @DwyaneWade with the dagger dunk. pic.twitter.com/ak3xHQHaBf

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) February 25, 2017

Jazz 109 (36-22), Bucks 95 (25-31)

Despite 33 points, 12 rebounds and 5 steals from Giannis Antetokounmpo, Gordon Hayward wasn’t letting the Jazz lose. He had three monster dunks and scored 29 points to go along with 19 from both Derrick Favors and George Hill. Rudy Gobert had 15 points and 16 boards. Utah led from the first quarter, getting more rebounds, assists, steals and blocks than Milwaukee. The Bucks had their three-game winning streak snapped.

Gordie gets up again! pic.twitter.com/1WBr4PW43f

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) February 25, 2017

Thunder 110 (33-25), Lakers 93 (19-40)

It took Russell Westbrook just 17 minutes of action to record his 28th triple-double of the season. The Brodie eventually put up 18 rebounds, 17 assists and 17 points. Taj Gibson and Doug McDermott made their debuts with OKC, combining for 20 points. Enes Kanter played for the first time since January 25. In his 18 minutes, he scored 4 points. Steven Adams had 10 rebounds, while Alex Abrines and Andre Roberson both scored 19. The Lakers shot 7-35 from three-point range.

Wolves 97 (23-35), Mavs 84 (22-35)

Andrew Wiggins and Karl-Anthony Towns dominated. Wiggins had 27 (16 straight 20-plus games for him), KAT had 26 and 18 boards, Ricky Rubio threw 14 assists and scored 13 points. Seth Curry scored 31 points, Harrison Barnes had 20, but the Mavs were outgunned. The Wolves shot 52% from the field, won the rebounding battle 44-35 and the assist battle 24-16.

Heat 108 (26-32), Hawks 90 (32-25)

Miami had six players score in double-figures. Tyler Johnson finished with 23.The first quarter was close, then the Heat pulled away to lead by as much as 26. Atlanta had just 14 assists, compared to Miami’s 30. The Heat are now two games out of the eighth seed in the East.

Nuggets 129 (26-32), Nets 109 (9-48)

For the 18th time this season, the Nuggets scored 120 or more. They got a career-high 25 from young Gary Harris, 24 from Wilson Chandler, 20 from Danilo Gallinari. The Nuggets scored 62 points in the paint, hit 14 three’s and 32 dimes on 49 field goals. They scored 24 on the Nets’ 19 turnovers, too. Mason Plumlee came off the bench to get 12 points, 12 rebounds and 8 assists against his former team. After the first quarter, Denver led by as much as 32.

Spurs 105 (44-13), Clippers 97 (35-23)

Kawhi Leonard scored 21 points despite foul trouble and the Spurs shook off the rust from a nine-day layoff to beat the Los Angeles Clippers 105-97 on Friday night for their third straight win, shooting just 34% from deep. They pulled down 51 rebounds and blocked 7 shots, too.

Pau Gasol added 17 points and 11 rebounds off the bench in his return from a 15-game absence because of a fractured finger. LaMarcus Aldridge had 15 points and 11 rebounds and Dewayne Dedmon grabbed 12 rebounds.

Chris Paul played for the first time in 14 games. He had 17 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists.

Kawhi right down the lane. pic.twitter.com/zyQwUkrZQp

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) February 25, 2017

The post Post Up: The North is Strong appeared first on SLAM.

In their first game with the Thunder, Taj Gibson scored 12 points and Doug McDermott added 8 points. (via @okcthunder) pic.twitter.com/qq0BMAAenS

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) February 25, 2017

Video courtesy of FreeDawkins

The post Russell Westbrook Goes for 17 Points, 18 Rebounds, 17 Assists appeared first on SLAM.

In their first game with the Thunder, Taj Gibson scored 12 points and Doug McDermott added 8 points. (via @okcthunder) pic.twitter.com/qq0BMAAenS

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) February 25, 2017

Related 
Taj Gibson is a Real One

The post WATCH: Taj Gibson Gets First Bucket in OKC appeared first on SLAM.

Video courtesy of Ximo Pierto

The post Brandon Ingram Posterizes Taj Gibson appeared first on SLAM.

Sources: OKC and Chicago are nearing agreement on a trade to send package centered on Cameron Payne for Doug McDermott and Taj Gibson.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 23, 2017

OKC sending Joffrey Lauvergne and Anthony Morrow, w/ CHI sending '18 second-round pick with McDermott and Gibson, sources tell @TheVertical.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 23, 2017

With McDermott, the Thunder add shooting to a roster that currently ranks 29th in the League in 3-point shooting percentage. McDermott is a career 40 percent 3-point shooter. For the Bulls, the addition of Cam Payne likely means that one of Michael Carter-Williams or Rajon Rondo will no longer be on the team next season. The Thunder will also receive a 2018 second-round pick.

For all news and updates on news, follow the 2017 Trade Deadline Tracker.

Related
2017 Trade Deadline Tracker

The post Bulls Trade Doug McDermott and Taj Gibson to Thunder For Cam Payne, Joffrey Lauvergne and Anthony Morrow appeared first on SLAM.

Below is a comprehensive look at the agreements made since Portland and Denver unofficially kicked things off by swapping Mason Plumlee for Jusuf Nurkic on February 12.

Let us know in the comments who you think has had the best and worst trade deadline so far!

Sunday, February 12:

Blazers Trade Mason Plumlee to Nuggets For Jusuf Nurkic

Monday, February 13:

Cavaliers Trade Chris Andersen, Cash to Hornets

Tuesday, February 14:

Magic Trade Serge Ibaka to Raptors For Terrence Ross, First-Round Pick

Sunday, February 19:

Kings Trade DeMarcus Cousins To Pelicans For Buddy Hield, Tyreke Evans, Lanston Galloway, First-, Second-Round Picks

Tuesday, February 21:

Lakers Trade Lou Williams to Rockets For Corey Brewer

Wednesday, February 22:

Nets Trade Bojan Bogdanovic to Wizards For First-Round Pick

Sixers Trade Ersan Ilyasova to Hawks For Tiago Splitter, Second-Round Pick

Thursday, February 23:

Sixers Trade Nerlens Noel to Mavericks For Andrew Bogut, Justin Anderson, First-Round Pick

Rockets Trade KJ McDaniels To Nets

Bucks Trade Roy Hibbert To Nuggets

Bulls Trade Doug McDermott, Taj Gibson To Thunder For Cam Payne, Joffrey Lauvergne, Anthony Morrow, Second-Round Pick

Hawks Trade Mike Scott To Suns

Rockets Trade Tyler Ennis To Lakers For Marcelo Huertas

Suns Trade PJ Tucker To Raptors For Jared Sullinger, Second-Round Picks

The post 2017 NBA Trade Deadline Tracker appeared first on SLAM.

We lead off with LeBron James who broke out a new colorway of his Nike LeBron 14. This golden-yellow number paired nicely with the team’s alternate road uniforms. Kyrie Irving was spotted in warmups with a white based Nike Kyrie 3 with the shoe’s normally textured upper and Swoosh popped in red before taking the floor in a white/gold number.

Jimmy Butler donned a white/red toe Air Jordan XXXI against the Raptors while teammate Taj Gibson had arguably the night’s best red sneaker as he rocked the adidas D Lillard 2 done in several red tones. DeMar DeRozan brought out his previously seen – but still very dope – Nike Kobe A.D. also in red.

Peep the rest of NBA Valentine’s Day night in sneakers in our latest recap.

Related
Post Up: Valentine’s Day Hoops

The post NBA Kicks of the Night appeared first on SLAM.

Harden climbed on top of Carter-Williams’ back, and the refs called a foul on the Bulls guard—his sixth of the game.

https://youtu.be/ATQ7qGo8CJo

Harden, who held been held to 12-33 from the field, went on score 6 straight points to lead Houston to a 121-117 win.

Afterward, Bulls forward Taj Gibson defended Carter-Williams. Via ESPN:

“[Harden] gets so many calls his way, it’s ridiculous sometimes,” Gibson said. “I guess we got to call ‘referee hotline.’ There were some rough calls late, we had some guys who learned a lot tonight.”

(The “referee hotline” is a real thing. As part of the new Collective Bargaining Agreement, NBA players now have a hotline to call to complain about the work of NBA refs.)

Crazily enough, this was not Harden’s first time pulling this particular stunt. He jumped on Jrue Holiday’s back in March of 2016, and Holiday was called for the foul.

https://youtu.be/0zP7haK0DOc

Harden leaned his weight on top of Stephen Curry earlier this season as well.

RELATED:
James Harden: ‘I Don’t Look to Get Fouled, as People Might Think I Do’

The post Taj Gibson: ‘We Got To Call ‘Referee Hotline’ About James Harden Climbing on Defender’s Back appeared first on SLAM.

From USA TODAY:

“Thank God he finally said something,” Wade told reporters. “LeBron — a lot of guys take a lot of shots at him. For whatever reason, he’s always been, of all of the great players in the game, he just has kept his mouth closed and continued to focus on what he need to. But it’s about time he said something. Guys ride on him, especially ex-players. When you got a history — when you can go and Google your history — you need to be a little careful of what you say.”

Wade said that he liked that LeBron called out Barkley and that “that guy on TV” should should up:

“Sometimes, when guys get a microphone in front of their face, they just talk and talk and talk and forget about their history. We all make that mistake, especially that guy on TV (Barkley), he’s acting like he just walked on water. I like the fact that ‘Bron called him out and told him about himself a little bit. Humble yourself. LeBron is who he is, we all have flaws, but when your flaws are a little bit more, you should shut up.”

Related
Taj Gibson: Younger Bulls Players Want Dwyane Wade to Practice More

The post Dwyane Wade: Charles Barkley ‘Should Shut Up’ appeared first on SLAM.

More from ESPN:

“That’s one of the things in the meeting: Young guys just want a little bit more from him,” Gibson said, noting that Wade practiced Saturday. “And he brung it today. He pushed the young guys. And that’s a sign that that meeting did a little something.

 
“It’s all about positive. We’re not trying to have any negative aspects, anything like that. We got everybody against us right now. The only people who are going to help us out of this is ourselves. And we understand that. And [executive VP John Paxson] said it in the meeting yesterday, too.”

Wade, who is 35 years old, has had his practice schedule and minutes per game monitored throughout the season. Fred Hoiberg came out and said that Wade has been practicing regularly over the past few weeks:

“As far as practice today, Wade has been practicing,” Hoiberg said Saturday. “He’s been practicing the last couple weeks pretty much every day that we’ve had off. He’s been a good influence, I think, for the young guys.”

Related
Rajon Rondo: Dwyane Leads His Way, I Lead My Way

The post Taj Gibson: Younger Bulls Players Want Dwyane Wade to Practice More appeared first on SLAM.

Devin Booker tied his career-high with 39 points in the Suns’ second straight game in Mexico City. Booker, who had scored 28 fourth quarter points in Thursday’s loss to the Mavericks, is now averaging a torrid 31 points on 54.9% shooting over his last five games. As teammate Jared Dudley pointed out, Booker has taken to Mexico City quite well.

The new mayor of Mexico City @DevinBook aka El Booko!!!! That boy still hot on this plane https://t.co/ESskQIW2NF

— Jared Dudley (@JaredDudley619) January 15, 2017

Kawhi Leonard dropped 38 points, while Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker combined for 30 in the close loss. As Adam Silver indicated early Saturday, the NBA is looking to build upon their growing market in Mexico City.

“The next step before we start talking about a franchise in Mexico City is to bring more games here, and we have this two regular-season games and whether we bring additional regular-season games next season or do some sort of tournament with several teams playing each other, that is something that we are looking at.”

Clippers 113 (28-14), Lakers 97 (15-29)

DeAndre Jordan was locked in, scoring 24 points with 21 rebounds in the Clippers’ sixth straight W. Chris Paul connected with Jordan on several lobs, including this funny interaction:

The Lakers finished strong, tallying 58 second half points. Jordan Clarkson spearheaded the team’s scoring, recording 21 points off the bench. Despite each receiving starting roles, Metta World Peace and Ivan Zubac combined for just six minutes of court time.

Bulls 107 (20-21), Pelicans 99 (16-25)

Jimmy Butler returned to the Bulls’ lineup in a big way, scoring 28 points with four steals after missing the last three games with a flu. Buckets had scored 20+ points in the six games leading up to his illness, and – as evidenced by Saturday’s performance – he’s clearly back at full strength. Dwyane Wade added 22 points, while Taj Gibson double-doubled (16r, 15p). Anthony Davis, who had missed the Pelicans’ last game against the Nets with a bruised hip, was stellar in his return to the court; scoring 36 points with 14 boards.

Dwyane Wade starts the fourth 5-5 scoring 11 #Bulls points. #Clutch #NBAVote pic.twitter.com/mkEarjX6DA

— Chicago Bulls (@chicagobulls) January 14, 2017

Wizards 109 (20-19), 76ers 93 (12-26)

Just when it appeared Jahlil Okafor was exiled from Brett Brown’s rotation, the former Blue Devil dropped a game-high 26 points with nine boards. The Joel Embiid-less 76ers were unable to top the Wizards, however, as John Wall went for 25 points, seven boards, and seven dimes over 30 minutes. Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot had the best game of his young NBA career, scoring 12 points with six boards and a pair of assists. While he only scored two points on the night, Nik Stauskas provided a memorable highlight by crossing up Kelly Oubre Jr.

https://vine.co/v/53XEPwlH7TO

Jazz 114 (26-16), Magic 107 (17-25)

Gordon Hayward scored a team-high 23 points and Rudy Gobert posted a monster double-double (19p, 19r), but Quin Snyder’s Jazz will be focused on Rodney Hood’s health after Saturday’s W. Hood hit the ground hard late in the fourth quarter, suffering a hyperextended right knee.

https://youtu.be/jZMf3tPVGZE

The Magic scored a season-high first quarter points, but were unable to capitalize on their momentum; scoring 42 in the second half. Elfrid Payton had a huge game off the bench while D.J. Augustin went scoreless in a starting role.

Elfrid Payton with the throwdown! https://t.co/dIpcMAKiIo

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) January 15, 2017

The post Post Up: New Mayor of Mexico City appeared first on SLAM.

Nic Batum registered the night’s first big game. He racked up 20 points, 11 rebounds, 10 assists, 1 block and 1 steal. It’s his first trip-dub of the season and the Hornets third straight win. Kemba Walker had 20 and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist had 12 points, 9 rebounds and 4 blocks.

Both Robin Lopez and Taj Gibson were ejected late in the game for retaliating to what they thought was dirty play. Jimmy Butler did his best to keep Chicago in it, scoring 26, but he couldn’t get the Bulls to recover from their 38% shooting from the field.

Damn, RoLo. https://t.co/p8RhdzDHEf

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) December 24, 2016

Magic 109 (14-18), Lakers 90 (11-22)

The Magic set a franchise record with 9 blocked shots in the first quarter. The Lakers never got close after that. They shot just 35% for the game.

The @OrlandoMagic set a franchise record with 9 blocks in the first quarter. pic.twitter.com/pKeq6cgkWq

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) December 24, 2016

For Orlando, Elfrid Payton had 25 points and 9 dimes. He was backed up by four other Magic players in double-figures. They never trailed and built as much as a 25-point lead.

Cavs 119 (22-6), Nets 99 (7-22)

Gotta feel bad for the Nets. 24 hours after they surrendered a 16-point lead to the Warriors, they get absolutely jumped by the Cavs. LeBron James scored 19, Kevin Love grabbed 15 boards and Kyrie Irving dished out 10 assists. The wine & gold led by as many as 46 at one point. This one was never a contest. The Nets have now lost five in a row.

The King making his presence felt. https://t.co/waT7NUgwhc

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) December 24, 2016

Thunder 117 (18-12), Celtics 112 (17-13)

Russell Westbrook isn’t human. He’s a basketball robot sent from the future to change the way we think about hoops. He went off for 45 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists in Boston. Isaiah Thomas had a masterful 34 points and 10 dimes, but it doesn’t matter because Russ just sucks up all the life that’s around him on the floor. He’s become a force. He stepped up huge in the clutch, scoring OKC’s final 15 points of the game. ROBOT.

Dagger. https://t.co/QIN4CBoFIJ

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) December 24, 2016

Warriors 119 (27-4), Pistons 113 (14-18)

This game was tied with 1:31 left. Draymond Green broke free for his first basket of the night and the Warriors were able to hold on. Kevin Durant shot 13-18 for 32 points and Stephen Curry had 25 and 8 assists. JaVale McGee chipped in 15 off the bench.

The Pistons forced 23 turnovers, the most that the Warriors have coughed up this season. Tobias Harris had 26 and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope had 25. Despite the turnovers, the Dubs shot 55% and overcame 18 lead changes and 10 ties.

Steph https://t.co/W4M0piiiqo

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) December 24, 2016

Bucks 123 (14-14), Wizards 96 (13-16)

Giannis Antetokounmpo’s getting better by the day. The Greek Freak scored a career-high 39 tonight, to go along with 8 rebounds and 6 assists. He was hitting midrange pullups, driving finger-rolls, sweeping baby hooks. He was dunking on folks. He did it all. There was no way he was going to let the Bucks lose this game. Jabari Parker added an efficient 21 points and 8 ‘bounds, while Greg Monroe pulled down 11 rebounds and Malcolm Brogdon had 7 assists. The Bucks shot 56% from the field, 24-27 from the line and led by as many as 31. John Wall had 18 and 10 in the loss.

.@Giannis_An34 was flying! https://t.co/qRpKqZshP2

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) December 24, 2016

Grizzlies 115 (20-12), Rockets 109 (22-9)

The Grizzlies showed up late, using a 21-5 fourth quarter run to take the lead from the Rockets. Mike Conley had 24 and Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph both scored 16.

Jarrell Martin gettin' up for the putback. https://t.co/aOz8Hbc0Mi

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) December 24, 2016

Ryan Anderson shot 8-14 from distance on his way to 31 points. James Harden had 17 assists, 16 points, 9 turnovers and 7 rebounds.

Pelicans 91 (11-21), Heat 87 (10-21)

Even though the Pelicans haven’t been able to win consistently, Anthony Davis is still balling. The Brow had a career-best 22 rebounds to go with his 28 points and 4 blocks. He shot 10-17 from the field, out-dueling Hassan Whiteside’s 10 points and 18 rebounds.

The Heat had a 14-point lead in the third and the Brow had 19 of his points and 14 of his rebounds in the second half. Jrue Holiday and Langston Galloway helped Davis. The Pels scored 37 points in the last 16 minutes to seal it.

Kings 109 (13-17), Wolves 105 (9-20)

Zach LaVine hit 40 points for the first time in his career, also making 7 three-pointers, which is another personal best. He’s proving himself to be a dynamic offensive threat, capable of scoring binges.

But DeMarcus Cousins is also a beast. Kinfolk had 21 of his 32 in the second half, and also had 7 rebounds, 7 assists, 4 steals and 2 blocks. He led the Kings back from a 9-point second half deficit. Sac-Town hit a season-high 15 treys, with 5 coming from Anthony Tolliver’s cannon.

But @boogiecousins is 6-11. Is he allowed to cross people up? Isn't that unfair? https://t.co/zadtYsk6Ca

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) December 24, 2016

Hawks 109 (15-15), Nuggets 108 (12-18)

The Hawks were down 108-100 with 1:38 left. In that final stretch, they didn’t make a single field goal. Instead, they shot 9-9 from the free throw line to secure a very strange road win. Paul Millsap made the g0-ahead buckets after getting fouled on a jumper from the left baseline with 6 seconds left. He had 20, Dennis Schroeder had 27 for Atlanta, who was without Dwight Howard.

Raptors 104 (21-8), Jazz 98 (18-13)

After missing most of the third quarter because of a busted lip that required stitches, Kyle Lowry delivered one of his best quarters. He shot 9-10 in the final frame, scoring 19 of his 36. He was devastating. He got to the rack, hit a three from the parking lot and hit backbreaking middies. The 36 points (15-20 shooting) is a season-high for Lowry. Gordon Hayward had 23 for Utah. The Jazz lost a 5-point fourth quarter advantage.

Suns 123 (9-21), Sixers 116 (7-22)

The Suns shot 12-26 from distance and 27-37 from the line. Behind a combined 47 points and 17 assists from Eric Bledsoe and Devin Booker, they survived 27 points and 7 boards from Joel Embiid.

Spurs 110 (24-6), Blazers 90 (13-19)

Kawhi Leonard hit 5 three-balls to finish with 33 points. It’s his eighth game of 30 or more this season. He was 9-15 from the field and 5-7 from deep. As a team, the Spurs shot 12-20 from outside the arc and 20-21 at the foul line. They had more steals, blocks and rebounds than the Blazers and Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum only scored a combined 32 points. The Blazers have now lost five in a row.

Patty –> Kawhi. https://t.co/KytLTzfmJM

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) December 24, 2016

Mavs 90 (9-21), Clippers 88 (22-9)

Harrison Barnes sank the game-winning bucket with 3 seconds remaining to give him 24 points on the game. Deron Williams had 12 points and 9 assists and Dirk Nowitzki made his return after sitting the previous 14 games because of a strained right Achilles. He dropped a light 17 points in 14 minutes, but he didn’t play at all in the second half.

Game-winner for @hbarnes! https://t.co/q7ggOGMJ7n

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) December 24, 2016

The Clippers were without Chris Paul and Blake Griffin. Austin Rivers picked up the scoring slack, drilling 4 three-pointers on his way to 16 points. Jamal Crawford had 26 points. DeAndre Jordan pulled down 17 rebounds but only had 7 points. JJ Redick also struggled, scoring 11 points.

So good to see Dirk back on the court. https://t.co/4yK5PBPC4m

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) December 24, 2016

The post Post Up: Stat Sheet Stuffing appeared first on SLAM.

Aaron Gordon got buckets in this one, shooting a solid 9-14 for 20 points. Evan Fournier, Jeff Green and Serge Ibaka all had 16 for the Magic. As a team, Orlando shot 47% from the field and 13-26 from downtown. Joel Embiid had his fifth double-double of the year, finishing with 25 points and 10 ‘bounds. It wasn’t enough to overcome a deficit that grew to as much as 29.

Celtics 97 (11-8), Kings 92 (7-13)

Al Horford had 26 points, 8 rebounds and 6 blocks in this one, outlasting DeMarcus Cousins’ 28 points, 9 rebounds and 4 blocks. The big men battled all night and the game was eventually decided when Cousins attempted to draw a foul against Horford with the Kings trailing 95-92 late in the fourth. When the refs didn’t call it, the C’s clinched the game with Horford’s free-throws.

Raptors 113 (13-6), Lakers 80 (10-11)

Kyle Lowry started out on fire. He was the spark for Toronto’s 41-point second quarter. They never looked back after that, getting a season-high 33 point win. Lowry hit 6 three-pointers, as many as the entire Lakers team. Norm Powell and DeMar DeRozan both scored 16 for the Raptors. LA shot only 34% for the game. Brandon Ingram set a career-high with 17 points.

Norm! https://t.co/oRACg3dXxJ

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) December 3, 2016

Knicks 118 (10-9), Wolves 114 (5-14)

Karl-Anthony Towns went off for 47 points when these teams played each other a few days ago. And even though he was on fiya, the Knicks pulled out that W. KAT only had 20 tonight. Zach LaVine also had 23 for Minny, who put up a fight all game.

Without Joakim Noah, Queens native Kyle O’Quinn stepped up huge for the Knicks. He contributed 20 points, 13 rebounds and infectious energy and passion to the ‘Bockers. Carmelo Anthony had 29 and Derrick Rose added 24.

The Wolves grabbed a one-point lead with 6:33 left, but buckets from O’Quinn and Rose got the Knicks a 110-104 advantage with 2:11 remaining. They held on with free-throws from there on out.

Bulls 111 (11-7), Cavs 105 (13-5)

The Bulls got major stats from Jimmy Butler (28 points and 8 rebounds and 8 assists), a triple-double from Rajon Rondo (15 points, 11 boards and 12 dimes), 23 points and 11 (on 10-13 shooting) from Taj Gibson, and all their life from Dwyane Wade, who contributed way more than just his 24 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists.

Wade continually went at LeBron James, establishing the Bulls’ attitude for the night. Chicago flipped a one-point Cavs lead at half to an eight-point Bulls advantage after three. They survived surges from Cleveland thanks to their 78 points-in-the-paint and 49-33 rebounding advantage.

.@DwyaneWade going at @KingJames. https://t.co/U5YQU2AdFq

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) December 3, 2016

The Cavs have now lost three in a row. LeBron James led Cleveland with 27 points and 13 assists (and 8 turnovers). After the game he said, “Last year is last year. After ring night is over with, now it’s a new season and everybody is gunning for us every night and we have to understand that. The honeymoon stage is over.”

Clippers 114 (16-5), Pelicans 96 (7-13)

The Clippers wrapped up their 10-day road trip with a 27 points and 10 rebounds from Blake Griffin and 17 points and 13 assists from Chris Paul. Even without JJ Redick (rest), Los Angeles just outworked the Pelicans. Anthony Davis hurt his right shoulder in the first. He came back to the game but couldn’t dominate enough to stop the Clippers. LA made 10 three’s, New Orleans made only 5.

Pistons 121 (11-10), Hawks 85 (10-10)

The Pistons tied a franchise-record with 17 three-pointers. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope nailed 5 from distance, leading the team with 23 points. He was one of eight Pistons to score in double-figures. 10 of the 12 Pistons to get in the game scored.

This was a clinic on both ends. Detroit had 54 rebounds to Atlanta’s 32. The Hawks shot 6-24 from three, and just 36% overall. At one point, Detroit was up by 37.

Atlanta’s now dropped five straight. Dennis Schroder had 17 points and 11 assists. Dwight Howard had 2 points, 6 rebounds and 2 turnovers in 25 minutes.

Spurs 107 (16-4), Wizards 105 (6-12)

John Wall and Bradley Beal showed up big time for the Wizards. Beal had 23, shooting 5-5 from distance. John Wall had 17 points and 15 dimes, with only 3 turnovers. They both hit clutch shots and were in the game till the very end despite just 17 bench points.

In the end, though, Kawhi Leonard was like, “Nah, time for you to lose now, Washington.” The Klaw hit a Kobe-esque fadeaway with 6 seconds on the clock to win the game. Otto Porter missed a potential game-tying floater. Pau Gasol and LaMarcus Aldridge both scored 19 for the Spurs.

Kawhi wins it with the fadeaway. (via @spurs) pic.twitter.com/SC6ozXTfBT

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) December 3, 2016

Rockets 128 (13-7), Nuggets 110 (7-12)

Less than 24 hours after playing double-overtime in Oakland, against the stacked Warriors, Houston scored 42 in the first quarter. It was over after that. Three’s were raining down from everywhere. On misses or makes, the Rockets were pushing the ball up the court. James Harden was the catalyst, Ryan Anderson and Eric Gordon were the backbreakers. Anderson scored 16 in the first half, Gordon drove the knife in, finishing the game with 18.

Then there was the play on Sam Dekker, Clint Capela and Montrezl Harrell, who were passing and playing defense like they were possessed. Dekker scored 17, Capela had 13 and Harrell’s 8 points don’t do him justice.

The Rockets shot 45-89 for the game, drilling 17 three’s. Denver just couldn’t keep up, losing the battle at the three-point stripe and free-throw line.

Is T-Mac right about the Rockets? https://t.co/aSMIVhUTCf

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) December 3, 2016

The post Post Up: Who Gon Stop Us? appeared first on SLAM.

According to Bill Duffy, Noah isn’t planning to bolt.

Bill Duffy, Noah's agent: "Joakim and I speak on daily about his future. There has been zero indication he doesn't wish to return to Bulls."

— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) May 25, 2016

Bill Duffy, Joakim Noah's agent: "Joakim has great respect for the city, the fans and the organization."

— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) May 25, 2016

For what it’s worth, Bulls executive vice president John Paxson said he wants to re-sign the veteran big man, and team owner Jerry Reinsdorf loves his game.

Per the Chicago Tribune:

The Bulls are under no illusion that re-signing Noah will be easy, if that’s the path they choose. Noah, as team-first an athlete as one will find, wants a starting role and a chance to win a championship. […] And it’s well-documented Noah didn’t love that Fred Hoiberg concocted a story last October about Noah wanting to come off the bench. That relationship improved as the season progressed, though, especially because Noah did tell Hoiberg he enjoyed playing with Taj Gibson — although Noah expected to be finishing games.

 

But Noah’s appreciation for being a one-franchise player is genuine, as is his love for the city in which his Noah’s Arc Foundation has done extensive work promoting nonviolence initiatives for youth.

 

Beyond Paxson’s strong feelings for Noah, Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf long has had a strong relationship with the franchise’s emotional leader. Beyond his on-court contributions, Noah has been one of the more active community service-minded players in franchise history. […] “We are going to sit down with Jo and his agent,” Paxson said in April. “In situations like this, it’s got to be right for both sides. Anyone who has spoken to either (general manager) Gar (Forman) or me about Joakim, they know how we feel about him. He represents a lot that we believe in. To me, he’s one of the most genuine people I’ve ever been around in this business.”

The post Agent: Joakim Noah Gave ‘Zero Indication’ He Wants to Leave Chicago appeared first on SLAM.

Now an unrestricted free agent for the first time in his career, Joakim Noah has reportedly been telling his teammates that he’s done with the Bulls.

Relegated to limited minutes off the bench, Noah struggled through one of his worst campaigns in 2015-16—playing in just 29 games and averaging a career-worst 4.3 points on just 38.3 percent shooting.

After a dislocated left shoulder ended his season in January, Noah watched the Bulls attempt to trade him prior to the February deadline.

The Bulls reportedly want to bring Noah back, but they may have burned too many bridges with their former First-Team All-NBA center.

From the Chicago Sun-Times:

Joakim Noah may have belted out his last primal scream in a Bulls uniform.

 

According to a Bulls player, Noah has been telling teammates the last few weeks that he was done with the organization once free agency begins, and “has no trust in the front office getting this in the right direction.’’

 

[…]

 

What was offered up, however, was the fact that there seems to be a complete mistrust that multiple players have toward general manager Gar Forman, with Noah leading the way.

The post Report: Joakim Noah Told Teammates He’s ‘Done’ With Bulls appeared first on SLAM.

The 21-year-old Chicago native is one of the illest up-and-coming emcees in the game, with a Shyne-like baritone and a spine-chilling South Side perspective permeating his lyrics.

But a proper rap moniker—especially one with a story—can also make a world of difference in a young artist’s career. And Lil Bibby is one of the best.

He’s between shows on Pusha T’s Darkest Before Dawn Tour when he calls us to share his love for hoops and explain how he earned his stage name.

“I would say up until I was about 15, I was heavy into basketball,” he says. “I used to play every day, all day when I was a kid. I used to watch it, I used to collect cards—the whole basketball lifestyle.”

Growing up, Bibby made the rounds at local courts in Chi-Town’s South Shore neighborhood, in an area known as Terror Town.

“I used to have crazy handles,” he says. “I used to make people fall on concrete.”

Bibby’s favorite players were Dirk, T-Mac, Kobe, Melo and LeBron. In terms of his own game, Bibby—who is also the voice behind lifestyle brand 47’s great Black 5s campaign featuring Taj Gibson and Chase Adams that SLAM co-produced recently—says he was more Jason Kidd. But when Bibby was in middle school, his friend Fazo made a different point guard comparison, which had a deep, long-lasting effect.

“When Mike Bibby played for the Kings with Chris Webber, Doug Christie, Vlade Divac—you remember that team? That’s when homeboy started calling me Bibby, because he said I looked like him,” he says. “And on top of that, I had the three-point shot like Bibby. And I really don’t think I look like no Mike Bibby, man. Bibby didn’t even have hair! I don’t know how my homeboy came up with that.”

Fazo passed away shortly after bestowing the nickname. “I just ran with it after he passed away,” Bibby says. “I just stuck with it, and everybody in the whole neighborhood just started calling me Bibby.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19hwq3T6g2M

Midway through our interview, Bibby’s friend and tour partner G Herbo (the two have collaborated on numerous tracks including “Kill Shit,” “My Hood” and “Play They Role”) hops on speakerphone and the two young rappers start talking shit about an upcoming game of 1-on-1.

“Look who just walked in—G Herbo,” Bibby said. “We’re supposed to be playing one-on-one for 2 grand soon. This man is pigeon-toed and slow-footed. He can’t stay in front of me, and we’re finna get it on camera.”

The conversation then turns to Stephen Curry.

“His shit is like on another level. It’s like he just mastered the handles and the shot. He’s unguardable,” Bibby says. “You can’t steal the ball, you can’t stay in front of him, and then you have to jump at every pump fake because his shot is so quick. And he can hit it from anywhere. He’s the best player in the League right now.”

Bibby recently paid his respects to the reigning MVP by releasing a track called “Steph,” a booming, blacktop anthem over a haunting, piano-driven instrumental from producer Ryan Ryu. Perhaps the most impressive feat on the song is Bibby’s ability to switch flows like a lane switch on Lake Shore Drive.

“I freestyled the whole thing—I don’t know what I was feeling at the moment,” Bibby says. “A lot of people counted [Curry] out, but I’ve been a fan since he was in college.”

Safe to say that Bibby, a baby-faced assassin in his own right, has a future bright like Steph’s.

—

Photo courtesy of Kemosabe Records

The post Like Mike appeared first on SLAM.

Though his outfit may suit his calm, cool and collected demeanor, Twelvyy’s live show is anything but tranquil. The 26-year-old Bronx/Harlem native performs with a certain, unquantifiable tenacity that earns him rap game John Starks status in the eyes of many.

We sat down with Twelvyy post-show to discuss the Knicks, college hoops and upcoming A$AP releases. Among the man also know as 212 Mel’s early influences were Em, Cam’ron and Snoop—now, he’s looking to pave his own legacy alongside his partners: Rocky, Ferg, Nast, Ant and the rest of the Mob.

SLAM: What was your initial reaction when the Knicks drafted Kristaps Porzingis?

A$AP Twelvyy: My reaction was, ‘Who the fuck is that?’ I think I was in Europe with Joey Bada$$ and Nyck Caution. And Nyck Caution is a huge Knick fan. He’s also a great basketball player and a great rapper. Shout out to Pro Era. He was like ‘Yo man, we just got Porzingis.’ And me and him was just talking, laughing. And then [Porzingis] started ballin’, and I was just like, Whoa. He’s cool though.

SLAM: With another losing season for the Knicks in the books, what are your feelings about the team at this stage?

AT: Lil B blessed the Knicks for me when I was with him not too long ago, and that’s all that needs to be said.

SLAM: That means you guys are going to win the ‘chip in like, two years, then.

AT: That’s a fact! Shout out to Lil B. Ayo, and Golden State? Look, don’t get me wrong, but I feel like the Cleveland Cavaliers are gon’ take it this year. [The Warriors] are gonna run out of juice soon.

SLAM: If you could pick a starting five of your favorite Knicks players of all-time, what would it be?

AT: Just ‘cuz I like him, I’d have Charlie Ward run the 1, Allan Houston at the 2, at the 3 I would have [Latrell] Sprewell, 4 Carmelo, and 5 [Patrick] Ewing. But it’s like I’m forgetting Anthony Mason and Charles Oakley, so those are my backups.

SLAM: What moment pops into your mind when you think of growing up as a Knicks fan in the ’90s?

AT: I ain’t gon’ lie, because I wasn’t fuckin’ with the Knicks. Like, how was Patrick Ewing getting dogged like that? How’d he miss that layup and shit? I was mad.

SLAM: You mean when he missed off the back rim against the Pacers in Game 7?

AT: Yeah. I ain’t gon’ lie, I’m a huge Kobe fan, so I was a huge Lakers fan.

SLAM: His career is over this week.

AT: Right before the [Achilles] injury, I got to see him the game before that, bro. Against Minnesota. Bro, it was like God just let me do that. I was like ‘Word?’ Then he got hurt and I was like, ‘Wow. He’ll never be the same.’ Then he got hurt again, and I was like, ‘Oh, now it’s over.’

SLAM: What’s your own game like? Did you play growing up, either organized or pickup?

AT: I used to play AAU for Kips Bay in the Bronx on the same team as Kemba Walker. Kemba Walker is incredible. I was heavy into basketball. I don’t know if y’all know Corey Fisher—he went to Villanova a few years back. I was at the pick-up game when he scored 105 points. I went to the game with him. So I’ve been around basketball my whole life. Like I said, I was a point forward. I’ve got good vision, and I’ll find the open man.

SLAM: What can you tell me about that day when Corey Fisher dropped 105? 

AT: It was at Watson, at the Watson Basketball Classic. Every time he pulled up from the three it was just money. I was just smoking like ‘Whoaaa.’ I was blasted, and it was just incredible. It was before the cell phones and all that. You had to have been there and been watching the game.

SLAM: Do you have any memories from Rucker Park or any other legendary court in the city?

AT: Nah, I wasn’t really going to Rucker like that. I would go to Kingdome—Kingdome was real popular. My memory from that was me and Yams smoking right behind the bench when Puff Daddy was coaching.

SLAM: Who are your favorite players in the league currently?

AT: Paul George, Brandon Knight, TJ Warren. I ain’t gon’ lie, I like the whole Phoenix Suns roster. [Eric] Bledsoe’s nice, [Devin] Booker’s gonna be great. I like the Heat, I like my man Justise Winslow—that’s my guy right there. It’s great for him. He’s gonna learn some shit from D-Wade and Pat Riley. They might go deep in the playoffs. I’m thinking that’s gonna be the Eastern Conference Finals more than likely—Heat versus Cavs. And I got the Cavs winning, but I know it’s gonna be a battle. Hopefully Kyrie gets his head in the game.

SLAM: Have any players reached out to the Mob and been like, ‘We really fuck with your music?’

AT: Ayo I love Wilson Chandler. That’s my brother. He’s really like my brother. TJ Warren my n****. Taj Gibson my n****. Justise Winslow my n****. My guys. I fuck with Zach LaVine. I’m really on some showin’ love to the young generation—the kids in college. Isaiah Briscoe is my favorite college player right now. I’m sad Kentucky lost so early [in the Tournament], but sometimes you gotta lose to win.

SLAM: I heard that you wanted to go to Michigan when you were younger. As a New York native, how’d you become a Michigan fan?

AT: I guess it was the Fab Five shit. The black-on-black Nikes, the black socks, the baggy shorts. Maybe that’s why I didn’t play ball too well ‘cuz it was like, if I had the Big East mentality I’d probably still be ballin’ today.

SLAM: I see you’ve got the bred Jordan Is on. What other kicks are in your current rotation?

AT: I just keep Is. I got ’99 IVs, I got ’99 Vs. I used to shit on n****s. But I don’t see no joy in it no more. I see everybody being crabs in the bucket with it. It’s like ‘Oh, I got these joints, I got these.’ And it’s like, all this shit ain’t that hard to find if you wanna look for it, people. And the prices n****s be paying for sneakers is like, what I paid for my ‘99s cheap! $250. Y’all paying thousands of dollars for these bumass—sneaker game dead, bro. I just wear Js or Nikes. I keep it Is or Air Max 90s. Air Max Zero is the best sneaker out right now.

SLAM: You just put out the track “Presidents” with Rocky and Nast as part of the Wavy Wednesday series. Are these songs you’ve been sitting on or are they brand new?

AT: Half and half. Half were brand new, and half have been sitting in the vault for three or four years. ‘Presidents’ was supposed to be on the first Mob tape, so I’d say ‘Presidents’ is 2013. So all these records are pretty, pretty vintage at this point. Pretty classic, pretty sat on. You just let the energy of the record build itself. You don’t speak on it, you just leave it. That’s how we do—there’s no pressure. Everybody says ‘pressure makes diamonds,’ but also pressure causes confusion. We do shit on our own time.

SLAM: What’s up next for you and the rest of the A$AP Mob?

AT: We got the Cozy Tapes, then we got Ferg’s album, Always Strive and Prosper, and then my project, 2127301090. My project has been done for years, bro. If I’d have rushed it before, I probably would’ve fell on my face. So now it’s perfect timing. It sounds like an album, so I’ll probably run with it as an album. I ain’t got no fear of it not selling as much. But I got phenomenal music on it. The quality is outstanding. I’m not looking for the money. I’m looking for the message. I wanna know that I touched you in a way that you’ll remember me forever. As with “Last Year Being Broke,” that’s something that you can live by every day or every year.

—

Photo credit: Nolan Persons

The post Q+A: A$AP Twelvyy appeared first on SLAM.

Butler, 26, could be headed for offseason knee surgery.

Bulls obviously in position where they have to look at, listen to everything.But point is: Would need to be significant offer to move Butler

— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) March 31, 2016

Just prior to last month’s trade deadline, the Boston Celtics reportedly made Chicago—currently out of the Playoff picture—an offer for Butler, but those talks never went anywhere.

Per the Chicago Tribune:

Speaking of Butler, the Boston Herald reported the Celtics engaged the Bulls in talks centered on the two-time All-Star near the Feb. 18 trade deadline. A source said the Celtics offered future picks and current reserves and discussion ended quickly.

The post Will the Bulls Consider a Potential Jimmy Butler Trade? appeared first on SLAM.

More of Dedmon’s work from Saturday’s W:

Impressive performance @d_dedmon3! https://t.co/qKPAIt5EGB

— Orlando Magic (@OrlandoMagic) March 27, 2016

The post WATCH: Dewayne Dedmon Posterizes Taj Gibson appeared first on SLAM.

If Jimmy Butler has offseason knee surgery, it'll be news to his inner circle & doctors who declared knee to be structurally fine.

— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) March 25, 2016

Butler, who admits that he’s been hurting the team with his play since returning from a stint on the Chillin’ List, says he’s hopeful that a surgical procedure won’t be necessary this summer.

The Bulls are reeling and currently sit on the outside of the Playoff picture.

Per the Chicago Sun-Times:

According to a source, Butler was told that exploratory surgery on the knee was in play as soon as the season comes to an end. […] And while he was initially vague when asked about it, the All-Star didn’t take that scenario off the table.

 

“Maybe. I hope not,” Butler said. “Is my knee the same as it was before the injury? No. But I want to play, man. And at times I feel like I’m hurting this team. That’s the most disappointing part because I’m not the player I was. I don’t know if there’s something really wrong in there, but it’s not really right, either. But I’ll be fine. I have to figure out a way to help us win playing with this. That’s all I’m worried about.”

 

He was averaging 22.4 points and 5.2 rebounds per game before the knee betrayed him and shooting 46 percent from the field. Since making his return, however, he was averaging 15.8 points and 5.0 rebounds while shooting a dismal 39 percent from the field. […] “I think it’s getting over the mental right now,” Butler said of the knee. “It’s more mental. And usually I can get into the gym and get into it, but the way these games are coming on the schedule, you’ve got to rest your body. That’s the hardest part. I don’t want this offseason to start early, that’s for sure. But if [the playoffs don’t] happen, I can get back into the gym and work on what I need to do. Right now I have to do it in the game and do it under fire. It’s just not reacting like I want it to.”

The post Jimmy Butler Hopes to Avoid Knee Surgery appeared first on SLAM.

Gibson says he’s tired of losing to “trash teams”, and that people now look forward to facing Chicago.

Derrick Rose was the lone bright spot for the Bulls last night, finishing (often acrobatically) with 30 points.

Per ESPN:

“Hell yeah, I’m embarrassed,” Gibson said after the Bulls’ 106-94 defeat. “I take pride in wearing this jersey. I love wearing the Bulls jersey. Especially what we’ve been through, I take pride in playing for Chicago. When I wear that jersey, I try to go out there and play my heart out. And it’s frustrating when we come up short, and we look at ourselves, we’re losing to … I don’t want to criticize any[body], [but] trash teams. Everybody’s in the NBA for a reason, but we’re playing against teams that are not playing for anything, and we’re just laying down. It feels like now we’re a target. It feels like teams are not taking us serious.

 

“Teams are more eager to play us. [In years prior,] it was vice versa. They knew we were coming in to punch people in the face and keep playing. It’s just, it’s hard, man. It really eats me up inside. It’s really hard to sleep at night knowing it’s coming down to the wire, and our effort isn’t there. It’s really frustrating.”

 

Gibson’s emotion came on the heels of another dismal performance against the lowly Knicks. The Bulls now find themselves 1.5 games out of the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference with 11 regular-season games left. […] “Tonight, I’ve never been so frustrated and mad before,” Gibson said. “It was disappointing, man, just real disappointing. I’m just tired of having these same talks with [the media] every night. About how we got to do better. … [Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg’s] right. We got to look ourselves [in the mirror]. I look at myself in the mirror every night, and I try to do different things every night. Still got how many more games left? We’ve got 11 more games left. It’s really do or die, and it’s really frustrating. We got to want it. We got to want it. Sometimes I feel we want it, sometimes I don’t know if we’re kidding ourselves or not.”

The post Taj Gibson: Bulls are Losing to ‘Trash Teams’ appeared first on SLAM.

Twenty-three points down against the San Antonio Spurs—the team that just beat the League’s best Golden State Warriors over the weekend? Yeah, good luck, Hornets.

Lo and behold, Charlotte rallied back behind Jeremy Lin’s 29 points to steal the win away from the Spurs. Fifteen of Linsanity’s points came in the fourth quarter alone as the home team took care of business.

Cavaliers 124 (50-20), Nuggets 91 (29-42)

Jusuf Nurkic mighta had his moment with this block on LeBron James, but the Cavs most certainly had the last laugh, as they beat the visiting Denver Nuggets by 33 points on Monday night at the Q. LeBron finished with a triple-double of 33 points, 11 boards and 11 assists in Cleveland’s 50th win of the season.

Pacers 91 (37-33), Sixers 75 (9-62)

Paul George led Indy with 15 points to get the win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday night. With the win, the Pacers sit in the 7th spot in the Eastern Conference, a half game ahead of the Bulls. Monta Ellis added 13 in the win, and Ian Mahinmi finished with 12 points and 10 rebounds.

Celtics 107 (41-30), Magic 96 (29-41)

Isaiah Thomas tallied 28 points and 7 assists as the Boston Celtics beat the Orlando Magic on Monday. Avery Bradley added in his own 22 to get Boston back-to-back wins and hand the Magic their fourth straight loss.

Pistons 92 (37-34), Bucks 91 (30-41)

The Detroit Pistons overcame a 17-point deficit to win against the Milwaukee Bucks in Motor City. The game came down to the wire, and it was Andre Drummond’s tip that ended up being a game-winner for Detroit.

Wizards 117 (35-35), Hawks 102 (41-30)

The win over the Hawks on Monday night was the Wizards’ fifth straight. John Wall scored 27 points and dished out 14 assists, while Bradley Beal added 25 to lead the Wiz to victory to keep them in the Eastern Conference’s Playoffs picture.

Bulls 109 (36-33), Kings 102 (27-43)

In his return after missing four games, Pau Gasol put up a solid double-double of 14 points and 14 rebounds. Eighteen points apiece came from Derrick Rose and Taj Gibson as the Bulls took care of the Kings.

Warriors 109 (63-7), Timberwolves 104 (22-48)

After losing to the Spurs over the weekend, the Golden State Warriors bounced back with a win in Minnesota against the Timberwolves. Draymond Green had the pretty stat line of 24 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 blocks and 3 steals in the victory. Both Ricky Rubio (20 points, 11 assists) and Karl-Anthony Towns (24 points, 11 rebounds) finished with double-doubles on the night.

Grizzlies 103 (41-30), Suns 97 (19-51)

The Grizzlies overcame a 13-point deficit against the Suns on Monday night, led by Lance Stephenson’s 16 points off the bench to earn back-to-back wins after having lost four straight. Devin Booker led the Suns with 18 points in the loss.

The post Post Up: Clutch City appeared first on SLAM.

“I have these discussions with my teammates every day and I ask myself at night, What is it that I do that has me so blessed to still be here?”

It’s a humble ponder, but in Gibson’s case, the answers are not all that difficult. He’s been consistent and he’s been a great teammate. Just does his damn job, something far easier said than done in a League riddled with the vices of fame, money, endorsements and egos.

“In the NBA, it’s easy for guys to say, ‘I wanna be a good teammate,’ but it’s really tough because there’s so much animosity and guys are getting so much money,” says the seven-year vet. “I always had the philosophy that positive energy brings a positive impact.”

Energy has indeed been his calling card, along with defense, rebounding and screening–aka “dirty work.” You won’t catch him in an All-Star Game, won’t find him on ESPN’s Top 10 very often, and he probably isn’t on your fantasy roster. But the intangibles he brings help win games, and Gibson’s been a stable part of a Bulls unit that’s collected more than 300 Ws over the last six years.

“Sometimes I enjoy it, sometimes my body is a little banged up,” he says. “But I know my teammates and coaching staff appreciate it because we talk about it in film. What people don’t understand is that behind closed doors, we hold each other accountable. After my career is over, I want guys to be able to say that I was a hell of a player to go into battle with.”

While they sit in the postseason mix the Eastern Conference, the Bulls have also been among the most inconsistent teams this season. Gibson, however, has been a steady cog. He’s shooting a career-best 53 percent from the field and getting 8 points, 7 boards and a block that you can pencil in for him just about every single night.

The consistency garnered him the trust of first-year Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg. On December 9, Gibson was permanently entered into the starting lineup for the first time since his rookie campaign and provided some much-needed zeal that helped the Bulls win four of their next five.

“I approach every game like I’m a rookie in the aspect that every game is another opportunity to prove that I can play and that I’ve earned every minute I’ve gotten,” he says. “Every starting opportunity I’ve gotten, I’ve played. That comes from being tested, staying ready and being poised and patient.”

Pau Gasol, one of Gibson’s starting mates, has been around not just his share of great players, but plenty of conceited ones, too.

“Luckily, there’s some guys [in this League] that don’t put themselves before the team,” Gasol says. “Taj is one. He’s been around and understands we all have to sacrifice individually on some level for the team.”

For most players, the career path to the NBA starts with being a nationally renowned prep star followed by a stint in college as their team’s primary offensive option. Once setting foot in the L, the accolades, attention and scoring opportunities players grew used to cease to exist. That culture shock can complicate one’s transition, but Gibson was already well-versed in how to play his part.

In three years at USC, he played for former NBA coach Tim Floyd and alongside highly touted Nick Young, OJ Mayo and DeMar DeRozan. He was All-Conference twice and Defensive POY once, but he guesses the last time he’s led his team in scoring was high school. It’s an achievement he can’t immediately recall.

“In the NBA, everybody is a specialist at one or two things,” he says. “You have to figure out what you do great. That’s what helps you stick around in the League for a long time.”

Gibson was never highly rated in high school. Hasheem Thabeet, Jonny Flynn, Earl Clark, Austin Daye and Byron Mullens were drafted before Gibson was selected 26th in 2009. None of the above have suited up this season, though, while the NY product is a critical part of a Playoff team.

What separates prospects from pros? “I was always coachable,” Gibson says. “I had a lot of coaches curse me out on a daily basis, but I was one of those kids that had to suck it up. I come from Fort Greene, Brooklyn, where everything is tough. I had to fight my way to the court, so when I got there, I appreciated it.”

Situations and surroundings play a role, too, and Gibson credits Nate Robinson and Kurt Thomas as two vets who guided him early in his career and showed him how to prepare mentally and physically. He’s taken on a similar role with rookie Bobby Portis.

“He’s a blue-collar guy that gives it his all every day just like me,” Portis says. “He plays with a lot of heart. Something that he tells me every day is to lock in, and if your shot’s not falling, just play hard. I’ve seen it with him—he’s a dog on the court and an anchor on defense.”

Gibson’s game has an old-school feel. He’s not a perimeter-oriented 4-man hovering beyond the three-point arc; he’s a throwback bruiser who goes hard in the paint. It’s a style that’s made him an ideal candidate to connect with ’47, a Boston-based lifestyle sports brand that recently collaborated with the Black Fives Foundation to create hat and apparel collections paying homage to the all-Black teams of the pre-1950s. Gibson, who recently came on as an ambassador for the brand, will appear in ’47’s latest content rollout.

“Taj is from Brooklyn, which is where a lot of this history comes from,” ’47’s Consumer Marketing Manager Ryan Johnson says. “He’s a well-spoken guy with a good head on his shoulders, a solid player that’s a bit underrated that does a really good job and could start on a lot of teams in the League.”

Gibson has been on the winning end of a solid career, earned the respect of his peers and is now repping the pioneers of the game. Not a bad résumé for a 30-year-old with more than a few seasons left.

“I’ve always loved basketball for the small things: being on a good team, playing for the guy next to you,” says Gibson. “I appreciate going back to New York and seeing guys in street tournaments. We’re able to connect from playing together when we were 13. We can still relate and talk about those good times—that’s why I love the game. These relationships will last me forever.”

The post Real One appeared first on SLAM.

Bryant, who takes enormous pride in being considered an a-hole by teammates and foes alike, says he hung up his Olympic Gold Medal from the 2008 Beijing Games—during which he famously ran over his Laker teammate in the final tilt between the USA and Spain—in Gasol’s locker in order to push the big fella’s buttons (and it evidently worked.)

It was all love Sunday night for The Black Mamba in his final trip as a player to the Windy City, as Gasol introduced him and and fans showered with applause throughout the Bulls’ 126-115 win.

Pau Gasol introduces Kobe Bryant tonight in Chicago. https://t.co/6VaezapTrn

— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) February 22, 2016

Kobe & Pau sharing the floor for the last time pic.twitter.com/fTvNgKoaLt

— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) February 22, 2016

Per the Chicago Tribune and Lakers’ team website:

Kobe Bryant made the 15th and final United Center appearance of his 20-year, eventual Hall of Famer career Sunday night, complete with book-ended standing ovations. Even Derrick Rose and Taj Gibson were among those clapping when Bryant checked out with 45.3 seconds left.

 

Rose and Bryant shared a moment pregame in which Bryant posed for pictures with Rose’s son. The star-struck quality to the night extended beyond fans to players. […] “Like, c’mon now, for a little kid that’s 3, being able to meet Kobe, it’s surreal,” Rose said. “Of course he doesn’t know how big the moment is. But for him to have that in the archives is pretty cool.”

 

Though the Lakers fell, 126-115, Bryant was nonetheless able to enjoy his final time on the floor with the man he won two championships with in 2009 and 2010. […] “We’re like brothers,” Bryant said. “It’s so strange: We always thought we’d be retiring on the same team and going out together. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case. But to have him do that at the beginning of the game means so much to me.”

Related
Kobe Bryant Says ‘L.A. Didn’t Really Appreciate’ Pau Gasol

The post Kobe Bryant Hung His Gold Medal in Pau Gasol’s Locker for Motivation appeared first on SLAM.

Earlier in the day, the Cavs acquired Channing Frye in a three-team deal, sending away longtime fan favorite Anderson Varejao.

Kyrie Irving added 19 points and four assists in the win, and did this to poor Taj Gibson:

The Bulls are on a five-game losing skid.

Per the Akron Beacon Journal;

The Cavs at least in part had the Warriors in mind when they acquired Channing Frye on Thursday. This wasn’t a move based solely on Golden State’s personnel, but it certainly helps. Now they can go small and keep a (near) 7-footer on the floor. Now they can play with five shooters when necessary. Now they hope they’ve addressed their problem of inconsistent bench scoring.

 

Richard Jefferson played 14 minutes Thursday against the Bulls. It could be awhile before he plays that many minutes again. Frye is expected to essentially replace Jefferson as the ninth man in the rotation, while also chewing into Timofey Mozgov’s minutes at center. James, however, said minutes shouldn’t be anyone’s concern. […] “When you have a professional ball club, ego is left out the door,” James said. “When you’re trying to win a championship, it doesn’t matter. If I need to sacrifice three or four of my minutes for someone else to play in order for us to win a championship, I’ll do it. So it’s not even about that. That should be the last thing we should worry about.”

 

Coach Tyronn Lue has mentioned multiple times that the Cavs need to spend these last two months fixing a defense that has suddenly become incredibly leaky. Lue liked the physicality with which the Cavs played Thursday, but they were also facing a downtrodden Bulls team that is fairly dysfunctional. Still, they limited the Bulls to 95 points and 40 percent shooting, which has to be considered an improvement. […] The Cavs are no longer the bruising, physical, defensive behemoth they were last season when they smothered teams all the way to the Finals. They still have all those parts and can play that way when necessary, but when (Kevin) Love and Irving are both right, they’re a team that is going to score a lot and give up a lot. It’s also part of the reason Frye was acquired. The Cavs believe they’re going to have to score a lot of points to win playoff games based on how they’re constructed.

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Different take. Either way, shopping or listening, Bulls are looking for rotation player and 1st-rd pick for Pau/Taj https://t.co/fkNOuYHEn4

— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) February 17, 2016

Hoiberg on why trade deadline gets busy: "People lie until the last 48 hours."

— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) February 17, 2016

Gasol, 35, can head into unrestricted free agency this summer by opting out of his current deal.

The Bulls have also reportedly dangled forward Taj Gibson in trade talks.

Per Yahoo!:

The Chicago Bulls are aggressively shopping All-Star forward Pau Gasol, league sources said.

 

Gasol, 35, can opt out of his contract this summer and become an unrestricted free agent, and Bulls general manager Gar Forman seems determined to move him before Thursday’s trade deadline with the hope of bringing back value.

 

Gasol is expected to decline the player option on the $7.4 million owed him in 2016-17. […] Gasol is averaging 17 points and 10.9 rebounds for the struggling Bulls.

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’47, a sports lifestyle brand based out of Boston, has a likeminded admiration for history, evident in their namesake as the company was established in 1947. “Our company, our product, everything we do ties back to our history in sports,” says ’47 co-owner, Steven D’Angelo, who owns ’47 with his three brothers and father Arthur, one of two twins who founded the company.

Chicago and its rich culture became a perfect backdrop to share the inspiration behind the collaborative line—the first time a retail product was ever created under license with a not-for-profit organization.

“This whole journey has been about bringing the story and the lessons of the Black Fives back to life,” says Executive Director for the Black Fives Foundation, Claude Johnson. “Bronzeville is a euphemism for all black communities, so we took our story there. Black Fives Era teams made a living but they also played for something bigger—their successes could uplift their neighborhoods and their causes. Today’s players are doing that, so there’s an inspiring relevance to this history.”

Taj Gibson of the Bulls, Bobby Simmons, local artist Swopes and some aspiring ball players meet outside the Wabash Avenue YMCA in Bronzeville, home to the original Globetrotters: The Savoy Big Five circa 1928. An original poem written by Joekenneth Museau and voiceover from Chicago Rapper Lil Bibby capture the impact of the Black Fives in a video collab with SLAM, which you can watch above.

The Black Fives x ’47 Collection is available exclusively at select Lids stores.

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