Category: NBA

Mavericks Sign Jason Kidd to Multi-Year Contract Extension
6 May 24 Jimm Sallivan

Mavericks Sign Jason Kidd to Multi-Year Contract Extension

The Dallas Mavericks are celebrating their first round series win over the Los Angeles Clippers by locking down the coach who helped them get there. On Monday, the franchise announced they had reached an agreement on a multi-year contract extension with Jason Kidd.

Kidd, fresh off his third series win as head coach in Dallas, has been with the organization since the 2021-'22 season. In his first year at the helm he got an unmatched level of defensive buy-in from Luka Dončić and it resulted in a Western Conference finals appearance; there, the Mavs would fall to the eventual champion Golden State Warriors.

Kidd's squad stumbled in his second season at the helm. They finished 38-44, 11th in the West, despite trading for Kyrie Irving halfway through the year. But it's safe to stay they bounced back. Doncic and Irving's partnership blossomed under Kidd and a series of moves at the trade deadline finally gave Dallas the ideal roster to surround the two superstars. The Mavericks wrapped up the 2023-'24 season with a 50-32 record, finished fifth in the West, and beat the Clippers in six games to move on to the second round of the postseason.

Extremely good vibes in Dallas, in other words. Great business sense by Kidd to negotiate his extension right now.

"We are excited to have coach Kidd continue to lead our team throughout the coming years with this well-earned contract extension," team governor Patrick Dumont said in the release. "Kidd led our team to two playoff appearances in three seasons, and we are looking forward to his leadership in continuing to build and grow this already great franchise."

"I have known Jason for a long time, and I cannot think of a better, more qualified candidate to lead this team going forward," general manager Nico Harrison said. "As a former NBA Champion Hall of Fame player, Jason brings a wealth of experience and expertise to this role which cannot be duplicated. He has earned the trust and respect of our players and that of so many across the league, and I look forward to working alongside him as we continue to build upon the culture and foundation of success he's helped foster throughout his tenure as head coach."

Kidd's gone 140-96 in three seasons in Dallas and is now on board for a few more years. The pressure to deliver is always high when coaching a talent of Dončić's caliber, and Kidd has been rewarded for doing just that. He can now look ahead to the team's next series against the Oklahoma City Thunder with job security fully ensured.

Dallas Mavericks, Jason Kidd, NBA
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Charles Barkley Has Simple Reason for Wanting LeBron James to Retire Soon
6 May 24 Jimm Sallivan

Charles Barkley Has Simple Reason for Wanting LeBron James to Retire Soon

As Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James mulls an uncertain future, there's one respected NBA voice who hopes he decides to call it quits soon.

TNT analyst, Inside the NBA personality and Hall of Famer Charles Barkley, during an appearance on former NFL star and ESPN analyst Shannon Sharpe's podcast Club Shay Shay this past Wednesday, explained why he hopes James, who left his future up in the air following the Lakers' elimination from the playoffs this past week, announces his retirement sooner rather than later.

"I hope he retires soon because I hated the way I retired," Barkley said.

Barkley, to the amusement of Sharpe, then recalled his own realization of when it was time to stop playing professional basketball.

"I remember telling myself my last two years, 'Ok, I'm going to get myself in great shape, I'm going to have a good year, then I'm going to retire.'" "Then I figured out, like, playing against air... Everybody is good against air. Everybody is great against air," Barkley said, going on to explain that he just couldn't compete against younger players anymore.

Barkley finally explained that he hopes James "retires while he can still play."

James, who will turn 40 in December, declined to answer when asked about his plans for the 2024-25 season following the Lakers' loss to the Denver Nuggets last week. The four-time NBA champion surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on the NBA's all-time scoring list during the 2022-23 season, then proceeded to average 25.7 points, 8.3 assists and 7.3 rebounds per game while shooting 54 percent from the field in 71 games played this season.

In short, James is still playing at a very high level. But Barkley's comments are undoubtedly food for thought for the Akron, Ohio native.

Charles Barkley, LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers, NBA
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Cavaliers Rally Past Magic to Win First Playoff Series Without LeBron James in Over Three Decades
5 May 24 Jimm Sallivan

Cavaliers Rally Past Magic to Win First Playoff Series Without LeBron James in Over Three Decades

To tell the story of the Cleveland Cavaliers is—with a few exceptions—to tell the story of now-Los Angeles Lakers and former Cavaliers forward LeBron James. The NBA's longtime leading scorer was the architect of all five of the team's conference titles and every one of their playoff series wins since 1993...

...until Sunday. After going down by 18 during a nightmarish first half, Cleveland rallied past the Orlando Magic 106-94 to advance to the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Boston Celtics.

Guard Donovan Mitchell paced the Cavaliers with 39 points, nine rebounds and five assists, while forward Paolo Banchero tallied 38 points and 16 rebounds in defeat.

The last time Cleveland advanced in a playoffs without James, it defeated the New Jersey Nets three games to two in a best-of-five first round series—losing to guard Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls in the conference semifinals.

The Magic led the Cavaliers 49-31 with 4:17 left in the first half. Orlando's blown lead is the largest in a Game 7 since the NBA began tracking play-by-play data in 1997.

Cleveland Cavaliers, LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers, NBA, Orlando Magic
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Jontay Porter Scandal Could Spark Changes to NBA Player Props
3 May 24 Jimm Sallivan

Jontay Porter Scandal Could Spark Changes to NBA Player Props

If the over/under on the number of betting scandals it would take a professional sports league to reexamine its gambling ties was set at 1.5, the under would have hit.

Following the lifetime ban of Toronto Raptors forward Jontay Porter, the NBA is in discussions with sportsbook partners to figure out some changes that might prevent another scandal.

According to ESPN, the NBA is looking for ways to tweak betting menus including, "prohibiting betting on players on two-way contracts between the G League and the NBA," and "not allowing bets on the 'under' on a player prop."

However, there are concerns that limiting what consumers can gamble on might push them back into the arms of unregulated sportsbooks. For example, the kind of off-the-books bookie that took the action of Shohei Ohtani's translator, Ippei Mizuhara.

Legalized sports gambling has been spreading rapidly since the Supreme Court struck down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act 2018. While 38 states (plus the District of Colombia) have legalized gambling, there are still plenty of states dragging their feet to get involved. Possibly because there are so many kinks to work out where it is legal.

In the meantime, leagues are desperate to find ways to keep something like the Porter situation from happening again because there's so much money at stake. Where once we were inundated with daily fantasy sports ads, we're now subject to nonstop legal gambling ads. Sportsbooks advertise everywhere and there's a huge push to make gambling more accessible everywhere. It's where all the money is right now, and it's new and exciting and everyone wants to be involved and no one wants to miss out.

Things like the Porter scandal put it all at risk. That's why leagues have to do whatever they can to make sure it doesn't happen again. Even if they know deep down it probably will.

ESPN, Jontay Porter, NBA, Shohei Ohtani
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Lakers Firing Coach Darvin Ham Led to NBA Fans Posting Endless Memes
3 May 24 Jimm Sallivan

Lakers Firing Coach Darvin Ham Led to NBA Fans Posting Endless Memes

The Los Angeles Lakers officially will begin their search for a new head coach after parting ways with Darvin Ham on Friday after two seasons.

Ham, who reportedly had two years remaining on his contract, led the Lakers to a 90–74 record over two seasons and guided the team to the Western Conference finals last year.

However, Ham was often criticized by Lakers fans throughout his tenure for constantly tinkering with starting lineups and rotations amid the team's shortcomings. Los Angeles fell well short of competing for an NBA title this season, finishing with the Western Conference's seventh-bet record and losing to the Denver Nuggets in the first round.

It was no surprise, then, when Ham's dismissal resulted in an avalanche of reactions and memes posted to social media:

The Lakers reportedly will target Mike Budenholzer, Kenny Atkinson, JJ Redick and—if he becomes available—Ty Lue, among others, to fill their coaching vacancy.

Darvin Ham, Los Angeles Lakers, NBA
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How Darvin Ham Stacks Up in Lakers' Coaching History
3 May 24 Jimm Sallivan

How Darvin Ham Stacks Up in Lakers’ Coaching History

The Los Angeles Lakers fired coach Darvin Ham on Friday. The decision comes three days after the franchise was eliminated in the first round of the 2024 NBA playoffs by the defending champion Denver Nuggets.

While it is no great shame to lose to Nikola Jokić and a very good Nuggets team, Ham was on the hot seat all season long due to some questionable coaching decisions, especially in regards to the starting lineup. Paired with the sky-high expectations that come with coaching a LeBron James-led outfit, the change is not entirely shocking.

The Lakers will now begin the search for the 29th head coach in franchise history. Before looking ahead, however, it is important to look back and contextualize Ham's tenure at the helm. How does he stack up to his counterparts throughout franchise history?

Lakers' Coaching History

With his dismissal on Friday, Ham will officially finish his Lakers career boasting a regular season record of 90–74. His 90 wins put him 14th all-time in franchise history, more than Mike D'Antoni but fewer than Joe Mullaney. The all-time leader in Lakers history is— you guessed it— Phil Jackson, who recorded 610 victories in his dominant years with the franchise.

Ham's 164 games coached from the bench puts him in a five-way tie for 10th in Lakers franchise history. The other coaches with 164 games exactly under their belt are the aforementioned Mullaney, Butch van Breda Kolff, Mike Dunleavy Sr., and Byron Scott. For fans of HBO's Winning Time, Paul Westhead is next on the list with 161 games coached. The all-time leader for the organization in this category is, once again, Jackson with 902 games coached.

In terms of winning percentage, Ham will finish his time in Los Angeles clocking in at .549. That ranks 19th all-time in Lakers history, ahead of Randy Pfund (.452) and behind Rudy Tomjanovich (.558). Technically speaking, the franchise leader in winning percentage is Bernie Bickerstaff, who went 4–1 back in 2013 and thus owns an even .800 winning percentage. However, among coaches with more than 10 games coached, Pat Riley leads with .733.

Ham's playoff record is not quite as flattering in the light of the giants who came before him, although he did avoid the ignominy of becoming the 11th coach in Lakers history to not coach a single playoff game. His 21 postseason appearances are good for 12th all-time, but his 9–12 record (a winning percentage of .429) slots him 13th. Jackson leads all Lakers coaches with 118 playoff wins but Riley won at a better clip, posting a winning percentage of .685 during his tenure.

As the numbers suggest, Ham had a fine run as head coach of the Lakers. It was not drenched in glory but it also wasn't drenched in failure. A decidedly average tenure, and one that came to an end on Friday.

Darvin Ham, LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers, NBA
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Darvin Ham's Contract With Lakers Had Multiple Years Left
3 May 24 Jimm Sallivan

Darvin Ham’s Contract With Lakers Had Multiple Years Left

The Los Angeles Lakers will be led by the eighth different coach since 2010-11 next year, as the team fired Darvin Ham on Friday.

Ham led the Lakers through troubled waters to start the year to qualify for the NBA Play-In Tournament only to ultimately lose to the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the postseason.

Earlier in the year, the Lakers won the inaugural In-Season Tournament, but the Lakers went 3–10 in the games following that victory.

The Lakers under Ham made it to the Western Conference finals in his debut season with the team in 2022-23.

Ham, for his part, will get his paychecks from the Lakers for the foreseeable future even if his team facilities badge is denied access.

Ham was fired with two full years left on his contract. He signed a four-year deal at $5 million per year according to The Athletic, and the team will "assume" that, according to the report.

The now-former Lakers head coach's contract was on the smaller side of NBA coaches. Steve Kerr gets $17.5 million annually, Gregg Popovich earns a $16 million salary, and Erik Spoelstra is paid $15 million. It's unclear if the relative bargain Los Angeles had Ham played into their decision to move on and hire a new leader.

Ham is now free to pursue other opportunities in the coaching ranks, whether that be at the head coaching or assistant ranks, a capacity in which he worked for several seasons before being hired by the Lakers.

Darvin Ham, Los Angeles Lakers, NBA
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Celtics' Payton Pritchard Reveals Why He Wears Sabrina Ionescu's Signature Shoes
3 May 24 Jimm Sallivan

Celtics’ Payton Pritchard Reveals Why He Wears Sabrina Ionescu’s Signature Shoes

Payton Pritchard and the Boston Celtics are currently awaiting the end of the Orlando Magic - Cleveland Cavaliers series to learn their opponent for the upcoming Eastern Conference semifinal series.

While everyone waits for the unofficial NBA TV series to wrap up on national television sometime this weekend, the local press gets to ask whatever questions they don't have time for when there are actual games to talk about, which is probably why someone finally asked Pritchard about his sneakers.

Prtichard wears Sabrina Ionescu's signature Nike shoes. Pritchard and Ionescu both went to Oregon as freshmen in 2016 and played all four years in Eugene before turning pro.

Ionescu was selected with the first pick of the 2020 WNBA draft, while Pritchard was taken 26th by the Celtics. While Pritchard doesn't have his own signature shoe, at least he found a comfortable one with his friend's name on it.

Pritchard is not the only NBA player rocking the Sabrina's. During All-Star Weekend, Dallas Mavericks center Dereck Lively II revealed that he had an exciting exchange with Ionescu about her shoes. She thanked him for wearing them while he thanked her for making them so comfortable.

That's some solid word-of-mouth. Not only does Ionescu have the skill and profile to be featured during NBA All-Star Saturday, but she also has got the footwear to back it up.

And if she has it her way, more WNBA players will get signature shoes. If they're half as comfortable as hers apparently are, that's a good thing for all basketball players.

Boston Celtics, NBA, Payton Pritchard, Sabrina Ionescu, WNBA
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ESPN Analyst Claims Jalen Brunson Could Be Greatest Player in Knicks Franchise History
3 May 24 Jimm Sallivan

ESPN Analyst Claims Jalen Brunson Could Be Greatest Player in Knicks Franchise History

On Thursday night the New York Knicks moved on to the second round of the 2024 NBA playoffs by way of a 118-115 win in Game 6 over the Philadelphia 76ers. Jalen Brunson was magnificent once again, recording 41 points (including 14 points in the fourth quarter) to put the persistent Sixers away. ESPN analyst Jay Williams was so in awe of his performance he went on Friday morning's episode of Get Up to sing the point guard's praises.

He may have gone a bit far, though. Even for the most diehard of Knicks fans. Williams said he believes Brunson will go down as one of the greatest Knicks of all-time— if not the greatest.

Brunson has been incredibly impressive and the marks he's hit as noted by the chyron are historic. However, Williams himself acknowledges he may be getting a bit over his skis by speaking so highly of Brunson's place in franchise history when he hasn't won a championship yet. Patrick Ewing didn't get one but Walt Frazier and Willis Reed both did. Even the most ardent Brunson supporter would balk at arguing Brunson is above any of those three in the franchise hierarchy as of now.

This sort of Brunson-mania is completely understandable through the lens of recent Knicks history. The organization was desperately searching for a new face of the franchise for nearly five years after Carmelo Anthony left and hadn't been seriously competitive in nearly a decade. The years between Ewing's retirement and the Melo trade aren't even worth discussing in this space. The Knicks were seriously lacking in 21st century legends before Brunson came along.

And he is perfect for the Knicks, just like franchise faces of old. Anthony was a walking highlight reel but didn't draw the love of the more gritty, earn every inch segment of the fanbase in the same way Brunson has. Knicks fans love a grinder and Brunson, if anything, is exactly that. Plus, before Brunson signed the best point guard to grace Madison Square Garden was 2007-'08 Stephon Marbury and he didn't win a single playoff series. It's been a while.

Brunson is very exciting to watch and feels tailor-made for the New York Knicks. He's still a long ways off from the heights reached by Frazier and Willis and even Ewing. A great first round series makes a franchise legend not, but perhaps this is the year when that changes.

ESPN, Jalen Brunson, NBA, New York Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers
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Patrick Beverley Refused to Talk to a Reporter Who Wasn't Subscribed to His Podcast
3 May 24 Jimm Sallivan

Patrick Beverley Refused to Talk to a Reporter Who Wasn’t Subscribed to His Podcast

The Milwaukee Bucks' ill-fated 2023-2024 season came to an end on Thursday night as the Indiana Pacers eliminated them from the playoffs. The Pacers won, 120-98, sending the Giannis Antotenkounmpo-less Bucks home in six games. Pacers guards Tyrese Haliburton, Andrew Nembhard and TJ McConnell combined for 51 points and 23 assists. Their counterpart, Patrick Beverley, played a team-high 40 minutes, equaled his season average with six points, and threw a basketball at a fan.

After the game the media gathered around Beverley's locker to talk to the team's sixth-leading postseason scorer. That was when Beverley looked at ESPN's Malinda Adams and asked if she subscribed to his podcast and informed her that she could not interview him if she didn't.

She laughed it off, likely assuming he was joking, but he actually wasn't. So Beverley then pushed her microphone away and said, "Can you move that mic, please? Or just get out the circle, please for me, please ma'am. If you're not subscribed to my pod I'd appreciate that." She then walked away.

Beverley's unprofessional, childish, and quite frankly, lame request has been widely condemned in the media, but the most shocking part is that this apparently wasn't a one-time thing. According to CBS Sports' Jack Maloney, Beverley "has refused to talk to any of us in Milwaukee who do not subscribe to his podcast since he arrived at the trade deadline."

Some people in the comments (never read the comments!) are arguing that since it's free and easy to subscribe to the podcast, media members should just do what Beverley asks (or just lie about it!), but that misses every possible point. First of all, the NBA has rules about media availability and nowhere in those rules does it say a media member needs anything but a credential to get access. Smashing that subscribe button certainly isn't a requirement.

Most importantly, this is just kind of sad. Sad for Beverley, who needs to force people to subscribe to his podcast. Sad for any media member who caved to this ridiculous demand. And especially sad for anyone who has to listen to his reaction when he's told he's definitely not allowed to do this.

ESPN, Indiana Pacers, Milwaukee Bucks, NBA, Patrick Beverley
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