Новости за 10.04.2023

Grant Williams played a crucial role in the Boston Celtics’ Finals run last season. Selected 22nd in the 2019 draft, Williams has not only become a key player in the Celtics’ rotation but also earned a seat at the table of CBA negotiations as a vice president of the NBPA. After declining a four-year, $50 million extension, Williams decided to bet on himself for a more lucrative deal this upcoming summer.

X-rays and further imaging taken today at Mayo Clinic Square by Dr. Kelechi Okoroha on Jaden McDaniels revealed fractures of his third and fourth metacarpals. He has been placed in a cast and will be out indefinitely. Further updates to his progress will be provided when available.
Source: NBA.com

Charlotte Hornets coach Steve Clifford said it’s critical for the team to start winning if it intends to keep star point guard LaMelo Ball, who is considered a cornerstone of the franchise. Ball, the No. 3 overall draft pick in 2020, never has been in a playoff game. Charlotte hasn’t been to the postseason in seven years, the longest streak in the NBA.
Source: Associated Press @ ESPN

Pat McAfee: “The Mavericks number one priority this summer is bringing back Kyrie Irving.. Beyond that this team needs to add some more talent around Luka and Kyrie” @ShamsCharania #PMSLive
Source: Twitter

Pat McAfee: “From what I’m told the Pelicans don’t think Zion Williamson is even close to getting back on the floor.. There’s no expectation from the Pelicans that he’ll be on the court at any point in the first round of the playoffs” ~ @ShamsCharania #PMSLive
Source: Twitter

Josh Robbins: Kristaps Porziņģis on his free-agent future: “I feel at home here. … I love the city.”
Source: Twitter @JoshuaBRobbins

Ohm Youngmisuk: On Podcast P, Paul George says he’s shedded crutches for a brace on sprained knee. There remains no timeline for return: “I’ve been feeling better. I’ve been working my butt, grinding literally every day… I’m gonna give it every chance I got man. It’s coming down to the wire.”
Source: Twitter @NotoriousOHM

There is the reality, too, that Doncic has a contract that will pay him $215 million over five years, and gives him very little leverage in seeking a trade from Dallas. “The Mavericks are not going there, and everyone knows it,” a Western Conference executive told Heavy. “There is just no way. The only way he can force a trade is to sit out like Ben Simmons did and anyone who knows anything about Luka knows he is not going to do that. There’s just no way.
Source: Sean Deveney @ Heavy.com

Doncic, according to sources, has not been very active in the Mavericks’ decision-making process—and has no desire to change that. But around the league, teams are watching for the moment when Doncic gets fed up with the Mavs. “It is more just wishing than reality,” one Eastern Conference GM told Heavy Sports. “But there is definitely a thought process of this happening eventually, and it being a matter of when and not if. But the truth is, we were saying that about Giannis, too, and that certainly changed. Читать дальше...

The Timberwolves defeated the New Orleans Pelicans to secure the eighth seed in the West, but team officials are weighing whether to keep Rudy Gobert off the trip to Los Angeles on Monday, sources said.
Source: Adrian Wojnarowski, Andrew Lopez @ ESPN

While Luka Doncic pushed back on the possibility of him eventually looking to leave Dallas, he expressed the need for the Mavs to have a productive offseason to position themselves to be competitive again. “Something’s gotta change, for sure,” Doncic said. “I mean, last year we went to Western Conference finals. We were having fun. I always talk about the chemistry we had. It was great. But something’s gotta change for sure.”
Source: Tim MacMahon @ ESPN

Rudy Gobert: Emotions got the best of me today. I should not have reacted the way i did regardless of what was said. I wanna apologize to the fans, the organisation and particularly to Kyle, who is someone that i truly love and respect as a teammate.
Source: Twitter @rudygobert27

The tension between Rudy Gobert and Kyle Anderson spilled over to the halftime locker room as well, with the two having a heated verbal exchange, multiple sources with direct knowledge of the events have told The Athletic. Anderson and Gobert confronted each other, and multiple sources said Anderson challenged the center at one point saying, “I’ll knock your a– out.” Teammates quickly separated them before anything turned physical. Timberwolves veteran Mike Conley Jr. served as a vital factor in calming down the halftime locker room... Читать дальше...

Dane Moore: Kyle Anderson when asked if he and Rudy Gobert can make up and play together going forward: “Ah, yeah. It is what it is, and move forward. We want to win games. It is what it is. It ain’t the first time someone has swung on me. It is what it is. We keep it in house.”
Source: Twitter @DaneMooreNBA

Adrian Wojnarowski: ESPN Sources: Minnesota’s Rudy Gobert escalated a verbal argument to a physical encounter after Kyle Anderson told him to “Shut the f— up, bitch.” The disagreement started with Anderson telling Gobert to block some shots, Gobert telling him to grab a rebound – and ended with a…
Source: Twitter @wojespn

Draymond Green: Insecurity is always loud…
Source: Twitter @Money23Green

Sean Highkin: Jerami Grant says the same thing Damian Lillard said about his free agency this summer: he expects to be back.
Source: Twitter @highkin

Tim MacMahon: Kyrie Irving declined to do an exit interview with the Dallas media. Other Mavs, including Luka Doncic, did exit interviews today.
Source: Twitter @espn_macmahon

Adrian Wojnarowski: Minnesota Timberwolves F Jaden McDaniels — who was seen punching a wall on his way to the halftime locker room – has a fractured hand, sources tell ESPN.
Source: Twitter @wojespn

Tim MacMahon: Luka Doncic: “I’m happy here, so there’s nothing to worry [about].”
Source: Twitter @espn_macmahon

Tim MacMahon: Luka Doncic on the Mavs’ decision to pull the plug Friday night: “I didn’t like it. That’s it.”
Source: Twitter @espn_macmahon

Sean Highkin: Damian Lillard: “I don’t have much of an appetite for building with guys 2 and 3 years away and not really go after it.”
Source: Twitter @highkin

NBA on ESPN: Mason Plumlee and Bones Hyland got into it on the Clippers bench. pic.twitter.com/q9OqienLLt
Source: Twitter @ESPNNBA