What the New York Knicks and Los Angeles Clippers could trade to acquire Detroit Pistons guard Derrick Rose.
The Knicks are “engaged in active talks” to acquire Derrick Rose from the Pistons, while the Clippers and other teams have also expressed interest, as The Athletic reported.
Knicks guard Frank Ntilikina has come up in those trade discussions, according to SNY. Ntilikina earns $6.2 million this season and is eligible for an $8.3 million qualifying offer and restricted free agency this offseason. If the Pistons acquired Ntilikina, he’d form a French trio with Killian Hayes and Sekou Doumbouya.
The Knicks also have 10 combined second-round picks during the 2022-27 drafts to dangle as trade bait to acquire Rose from the rebuilding Pistons.
Rose is on the books for $7.7 million this season and will become an unrestricted free agent this summer. However, any team acquiring Rose before the trade deadline would inherit his Early Bird Rights. That allows a team to offer up to 175 percent of Rose’s previous salary, which comes to $13.4 million, without using cap space. One caveat is that a new contract for Rose must run for at least two years.
Those Early Bird Rights could appeal more to a team like the Clippers, given their salary cap situation. The Clippers are right at the hard cap, so they either have to trade equal salary or decrease salary in a trade. A potential offer of Lou Williams and Mfiondu Kabengele theoretically could make sense from a salary cap perspective. The Clippers also have three of Detroit’s second-round picks from 2024-26, which they acquired in the Luke Kennard trade.
For the Knicks, acquiring Rose would signal the Knicks are fortifying themselves for a run at the playoffs. Despite many predicting a lottery finish for New York before the season, the Knicks have surpassed expectations and enter Sunday seventh in the East and only 1.5 games back of the fifth seed.
Coach Tom Thibodeau has always been fond of Rose. The pair have been together for parts of seven combined seasons together with the Bulls and Timberwolves. Rose became the league’s youngest MVP under the tutelage of Thibodeau, and the pair was also together on Team USA.
The loyalty and bond between Thibodeau and Rose extend beyond the court, as Rose told me in November 2018 on the Timberwolves.
“I think he believed in me,” Rose said. “Coming and bouncing from team to team these last two years and having coaches that – I’ve played for coaches that are cool to play for, but it’s different than having a coach that really believes in you. For him, I can say that he honestly cares about me and believes in me, so that means a lot.”
If the Knicks acquired Rose, it would mean a reduced role for current starter Elfrid Payton. It’s also unclear what an acquisition would mean for Immanuel Quickley, who has been a bright spot for the Knicks, ranking second on the team in player efficiency rating (18.45) and third in our HoopsHype Rookie of the Year rankings. Thibodeau has been bullish on Quickley’s attitude, approach, and ability to shoot as a scoring threat with the second unit thus far.
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Information from HoopsHype capologist Yossi Gozlan was used in this story
You can follow Michael Scotto on Twitter:@MikeAScotto
The New York Knicks are off to a hot start and their latest move to sign big man Taj Gibson is yet another smart decision by Leon Rose.
The New York Knicks are off to a hot start and their latest move to sign big man Taj Gibson is yet another smart decision by Leon Rose.
Gibson, who was born and raised nearby in Brooklyn, is a well-respected vet who played for the Knicks last season. So the core members of the franchise like RJ Barrett and Mitchell Robinson are already familiar with Gibson, a trusted and familiar face for these players.
More importantly, however, Gibson brings several years of experience playing under Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau — including stretches from 2010 until 2015 on the Chicago Bulls and 2017 until 2017 on the Minnesota Timberwolves.
For a team loaded with young players, a longtime “Thibs guy” like Gibson can lend a hand as a translator in the locker room for the famously intense coach. He can also serve as an extension of the coach when he is on the floor considering the expertise he brings in knowing the philosophies and rhythms of a Thibodeau-style team.
Tom Thibodeau coached Taj Gibson during seven combined seasons with the Chicago Bulls and Minnesota Timberwolves. Thibs has always praised Gibson as a pro on and off the court. https://t.co/BlHPkB1HF6
Following injuries to Obi Toppin and Nerlens Noel, the Knicks have had an incredibly thin frontcourt. As a response, big man Julius Randle is currently the league’s leader in minutes per game and has played more than 60 percent of possible minutes for New York. Thibodeau is infamous for wearing down his players with too much playing time and Gibson can offer some relief for Randle as the season progresses.
Realistically, even though the vet may not bring a ton of long-term value to the roster with his play, you still know what to expect when Gibson is on the court. Thibodeau will not have to coach Gibson or teach him new skills nor will he ever have to worry about his development.
Since coming into the league, he has brought tenacity no matter where he has played. Gibson is a hard-nosed glass cleaner whose teams have always had a better offensive rebound percent when he has been on the court. This helps to give his teammates second-chance opportunities after missed field goals.
Some fans may have concerns about potentially releasing Omari Spellman, who never played a game for the franchise but was a first-round pick just two years ago. But the truth of the matter is that the Knicks never added Spellman because of what they expected from him as a player.
Looking back, during the offseason, the Knicks used their cap space to acquire Ed Davis. The allure of that move was never to play Davis, rather, it was the two future second-round picks the Jazz sent to get off his contract.
Another shrewd/smart move here by the Knicks.
Obtain a pair of second second-rounders to take on Ed Davis contract. Then flip Davis for another second-round selection.
Good bit of business by Leon Rose and Brock Aller. Maximizing cap space https://t.co/9yUqOLwmtr
New York then flipped Davis to the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for Spellman and Jacob Evans. Once again, however, this move was primarily inspired by the asset-gathering of adding yet another future second-rounder that Minnesota included in the deal. Evans, who was also a first-round pick in 2018, was waived before the season began.
It may have come as a surprise that the Knicks didn’t re-sign Gibson during the offseason, especially considering Thibodeau was hired to lead the squad. But if he had been on the roster the whole time, they may not have had the roster space to acquire Davis, Spellman and Evans — who net their front office three future draft picks.
If they had just re-signed Gibson outright during the offseason, they would have had three fewer assets in their toolkit. By waiting, they still get to have Gibson on their roster as a veteran presence for this exciting and otherwise fairly young squad.
We already knew that New York Knicks big Julius Randle could score and rebound. But few saw him taking the leap to become a point forward.
We already knew that New York Knicks big Julius Randle could score and rebound. But few saw him taking the leap to become a point forward.
One of the biggest surprises of the season is that Randle is currently leading the Knicks in assists, averaging more than seven per game. As a member of one of the eight teams to not participate in the bubble, Randle had quite a long offseason to improve his game. So what has led to the emergence of Randle as someone who is now able to create for others?
The first place to look is personnel, considering New York had a massive facelift that could change the way the team plays. Not only was Tom Thibodeau brought in as head coach but Kenny Payne was also added as an assistant coach. Payne, known as the big man whisperer because of his prowess for coaching centers during his 10-year tenure with Kentucky, worked with Randle in college.
Around the time of the hiring, Knicks beat reporter Marc Berman reported that Randle “loves Kenny” and that Payne was a “huge part” of Randle’s early development. Randle tweeted that nobody is “more committed” to the players than Payne.
Kenny Payne is a big man whisperer of sorts. There are a lot of things he does well in terms of developing players and relating to them. This is a good fit for the young bigs on the Knicks.
Payne has described his longtime philosophy as “move like a guard, finish like a big” and his track record is a perfect example.
Former standouts in the frontcourt at Kentucky like Anthony Davis, Karl-Anthony Towns and Bam Adebayo have all shown far above-average playmaking skills for their position. Even Randle, who recorded 3.1 assists per game in 2019-20, has had a moderately effective career as a playmaker since coming into the league.
Randle recently spoke about his comfort playing with the ball in his hands (via SNY):
“That’s the thing about basketball, positions are interchangeable, it’s positionless. As long as we’re playing the right way and moving the ball, that’s all that matters.”
During each of his previous four seasons, per Cleaning the Glass, Randle’s assist percentage has ranked in the 86th percentile or better among big men.
While that rate had never been above 20.0 percent, it currently sits at 31.6 percent. That ranks second-best among all players at his position, trailing only Nikola Jokic.
Some of the most exciting moments of the year for New York have featured Randle dancing around with dazzling post moves, showing off spins leading into beautiful passes.
Here is what head coach Tom Thibodeau said when he was asked about the playmaking flashes from Randle (via SNY):
“He has a pretty good understanding of his teammates and what their strengths are. And he’s playing unselfishly and that’s probably the biggest thing.”
Thibodeau is absolutely right in noting how unselfish his big man has been. Randle, who passed the ball on 31.3 percent of drives in 2019-20, has now dished on 60.0 percent for draw-and-kick opportunities since the new season began.
Similarly, during his 17 elbow touches so far this season, Randle has taken just three field-goal attempts but has passed the ball 12 times. In fact, operating on the elbow, he has seven assists and just one turnover thus far.
Julius Randle is averaging 7.2 assists and 10.5 rebounds per game.
Per @bball_ref, He’s just fifth player in the last 40 years to average more than 7 dimes and 10 boards thru the first 6 games of a season.
The other four are: Larry Bird, Scottie Pippen, Kevin Garnett, Giannis
Meanwhile, not only could reuniting with Payne have lit a spark in Randle, but the focused coaching can help on-court decision-making as well. For example, it seems that the biggest overall difference in year-over-year usage is that Randle is now far more willing to pass out of the double-team.
Randle is currently averaging 8.3 post-ups per game, via NBA.com, which currently ranks as the third-most in the Eastern Conference. One of the reasons that Randle has been successful as a passer is because when he posts up, he consistently draws quite a bit of attention from his opposing defenders.
When that happens, teammates with shooting touch like veteran Reggie Bullock have found a lot of extra space on the perimeter. Bullock recently spoke about what he has seen from his teammate (via SNY):
“[Randle has been] in great position to be able to find other players when they collapse on him on defense. He’s a talented offensive player that’s going to draw double teams. I think this year he’s doing the right thing, finding his teammates, not forcing anything … He’s one of the leaders on this team and we need for him to make plays for others.”
Randle has not always been someone willing to make that pass, which had led to costly turnovers. Before this season, according to our research, Randle had averaged 1.6 post-up passes and 0.4 post-up assists per 36 minutes. The big man opted for a pass on just 32.6 percent of his post-ups.
This year, however, he has been a far more willing distributor out of the post. Randle is currently averaging 4.3 passes and 1.1 assists per 36 during these situations, passing on 54.0 percent of these plays.
Here is how it comes together when it happens during a game:
The pass that he delivered above was particularly impressive, reacting quickly and then finding RJ Barrett in the corner. Randle recently explained that he simply trusts that his teammates will be in the right spots (via SNY):
“We don’t have to second-guess where we’re going to be on the floor. We have great spacing and if the defense is collapsing, I can depend on whoever it is to cut or to be in the right [place] and just make the easy play. We’re all just trying to make the easy play, the right play, and play for each other unselfishly.”
Meanwhile, considering that he is an incredibly physical player as well, Randle has also shown that he is fearless.
Randle has welcomed the chance to post up someone as intimidating as Giannis Antetokounmpo, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year and back-to-back MVP, and still find an open man from long range.
Overall, when looking at the most prolific passers last season, few names on the leaderboard will be much of a surprise. The two players with the most were Nikola Jokic (75.2) and Ben Simmons (70.6) while other stars like Luka Doncic (62.4) and LeBron James (62.1) were near the top as well.
Jokic (83.3) still remains in the pole spot so far this year. But considering Randle (67.8) has the fourth-most thus far, his usage suggests he will likely continue playing with the ball in his hands.
He will need a tighter handle, as he is still turning the ball over far too often. However, as the season progresses, don’t be surprised if Randle keeps putting up unexpectedly high assist numbers.
Take a look at the latest intel HoopsHype has gathered from some of the other top free-agent agreements of the day.
The second day of NBA free agency had several top free agents agree to new deals, including Gordon Hayward, who agreed to a four-year, $120 million deal with the Charlotte Hornets. As HoopsHype reported before the start of free agency, the Hornets were going to make a strong push to land Hayward.
Below is a look at the latest intel HoopsHype has gathered from some of the other top free-agent agreements of the day.
With the draft upon us and free agency at the end of the week, here’s a look at the latest intel HoopsHype has gathered. * The Oklahoma City Thunder , who just acquired Kelly Oubre Jr. , is looking to flip him for a first-round pick, league sources …
With the draft upon us and free agency at the end of the week, here’s a look at the latest intel HoopsHype has gathered.
* The Oklahoma City Thunder, who just acquired Kelly Oubre Jr., is looking to flip him for a first-round pick, league sources told HoopsHype. He’s entering the final year of his contract this season. As noted in our HoopsHype players most likely to be traded story, following the Chris Paul and Dennis Schroeder trades, executives believe the Thunder will continue to explore the trade market on their veterans, including Steven Adams. With Al Horfordreportedly on his way to the Thunder, Adams could be on the move sooner than later.
* The Los Angeles Clippers, who currently own the 57th overall pick, are looking to buy a pick and move up in the draft, league sources told HoopsHype.
* As noted a week ago on the HoopsHype podcast, the Boston Celtics are looking to upgrade in the frontcourt and are eyeing trading up in the draft to get Onyeka Okongwu or even James Wiseman, HoopsHype has learned the Celtics called as high as the Golden State Warriors at No. 2 overall to gauge trade interest. Marcus Smart was made available, but talks didn’t escalate.
Once the dust settles from the draft, the focus will shift to free agency right around the corner, where there are several developments.
* Gordon Hayward is the first major domino some free agents are waiting to fall. With the Atlanta Hawks trying to acquire Hayward, as Yahoo Sports reported, it could dilute the money available on the market even more. If Hayward ends up leaving Boston, it could open up the possibility for a sign-and-trade there for a free agent.
* Atlanta also has interest in Danilo Gallinari, one of HoopsHype’s top-ranked free agents this offseason,as the team looks to make a push for the playoffs next season, league sources told HoopsHype.
* The Miami Heatpreviously showed interest in the Italian forward at the trade deadline. If Giannis Antetokounmpo signs an extension with Milwaukee, some around the league expect Miami to extend Bam Adebayo, try to bring back Goran Dragic, and upgrade at forward. That could open the door for Gallinari to land with Miami as a free agent on a multi-year deal. At the trade deadline, Miami didn’t want to tie up a ton of money for the next offseason to chase Antetokounmpo. However, Milwaukee’s pending acquisitions of Jrue Holiday and Bogdan Bogdanovic has many convinced that Antetokounmpo isn’t going anywhere. If the Bogdanovic sign-and-trade falls through, as The Athletic reported could happen, it’s unclear what it’ll mean for Antetokounmpo’s future.
* Another Miami note, Heat center Kelly Olynyk is exercising his player option, as expected, a league source told HoopsHype.
* The Dallas Mavericks also had interest at the trade deadline in Gallinari and have been shopping their 18th overall pick. With Thunder GM Sam Presti collecting as many first-round picks as he can, the Mavericks can use their pick to facilitate a sign-and-trade.
As Gallinari noted during an appearance on the HoopsHype podcast, he and New York Knicks President Leon Rose remain close. If the Knicks can land a star point guard like Russell Westbrook on the trade market, it would increase the chances of New York going after Gallinari in free agency. Another relationship that’s worth noting is Detroit Pistons Vice Chairman Arn Tellem previously represented Gallinari when he was an agent. Currently, Arn’s son, Michael Tellem of CAA Sports, represents Gallinari. However, both teams are headed for a rebuilding season, which would lessen their desire to make a run at Gallinari.
* The Hawks also had plans to make a big run at Joe Harris in free agency, but rival executives expect him to remain with the Brooklyn Nets and land a three or four-year deal worth an average of $18 million annually. The Charlotte Hornets were another team who had Harris on their wish list, but the team is expected to pivot towards less expensive guards who can provide veteran leadership and shooting off the bench instead.
* The Hawks have also been heavily linked to Rajon Rondo, who they view as a potential veteran mentor and backup to Trae Young. A multi-year deal could entice Rondo to join the rebuilding Hawks, HoopsHype has learned.
* Another veteran who could be changing teams is Paul Millsap. The Ringer reported Millsap is an expected target of the Portland Trail Blazers. Some NBA talent evaluators believe Millsap could be worth Portland’s mid-level exception this offseason.
* Finally, the Memphis Grizzlies will extend a qualifying offer to De’Anthony Melton. The 22-year-old guard becomes a restricted free agent this offseason. He’s a noteworthy player who could draw an offer sheet from another team this offseason.
You can follow Michael Scotto on Twitter:@MikeAScotto
https://omny.fm/shows/the-hoopshype-podcast-with-alex-kennedy/danilo-gallinari-on-free-agency-knicks-mike-d-anto/embed On the latest episode of the HoopsHype podcast, Michael Scotto is joined by Danilo Gallinari, who is one of the top unrestricted …
On the latest episode of the HoopsHype podcast, Michael Scotto is joined by Danilo Gallinari, who is one of the top unrestricted free agents entering the market this offseason. Gallinari discussed his upcoming free agency, including what he’s looking for from a team and the possibility of re-signing with the Oklahoma City Thunder. He recalled memories of playing for the New York Knicks and what he thinks his former agent, Leon Rose, will do as Knicks President. The Italian forward talked about playing alongside Chris Paul, playing for Billy Donovan, Mike D’Antoni, and George Karl. The 32-year-old veteran also opened up about his injury-prone label, whether he’s underrated, his desire to play in the Olympics, and more. Listen to the podcast above or check out a transcribed version below.
Have you been doing anything different besides weights? Have you been doing yoga, pilates?
Danilo Gallinari: I do a lot more yoga and pilates. I do a lot of MMA, mixed martial arts. Those are the three things I do the most. Then, I work out here in Denver with Steve Hess, who used to be my trainer when I was with the Nuggets. Those four things together with the schedule is pretty busy. For fun, when I have time, I play some golf.
These past two years for you, you’ve been healthier than at any other point in your career and shooting over 40 percent from three back-to-back years. What have you done in your mind to overcome those early injuries when you were younger?
DG: First of all, I think all the workouts and knowing my body better. I wish I knew my body like that when I came into the league at 19. Knowing different people and different workouts. Now, I have my team. If I want to do a workout here, I go with Steve. I have my MMA trainer. I have my pilates courses and my yoga trainer. That’s a huge difference. I think team-wise, in the past few years, I think having everybody on the same page from the coaches to the trainers to the strength coach when everybody is on the same page, you can schedule the season and workouts way better. I think that was a big part of my successful seasons.
During your career to this point, some people have labeled you as injury-prone, but over the past two seasons, you’ve played more games than guys like Paul George, LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Kawhi Leonard, to name a few. What do you say to people who consider you injury-prone at this point in your career?
DG:I don’t understand why they do that. Honestly, a huge problem was when I first came into the league as a rookie. I had back surgery, which was a big injury right away. When you come from Europe, and you have to show who you are right away, you get injured and get that stereotype on your shoulders. That was the beginning. But honestly, in my career, I’ve had small injuries that everyone has. I only had two big injuries, which was the back my first year and the ACL back in 2013 when I was in Denver. I honestly don’t understand why I have this injury-prone stigma on my shoulders, but it’s just not true. It’s not facts. The facts are different. I’m very healthy, and I’ve been playing seasons with no problems playing almost every game. Most of the games I didn’t play is because it was a team decision to rest and not being injured.
Do you feel that you’re underrated in a sense or appropriately rated? What do you think of your value around the league?
DG:Maybe, yes, a little bit underrated if I think about it. The thing is that it might be a perception from the fans, but people in basketball, coaches, analytics, and everybody know what the value is, what’s going on and what I can bring to the table every night for the past 12-13 years.
You and the Oklahoma City Thunder made the playoffs and gave the Houston Rockets a great series in the first round. What were your thoughts on OKC’s season this year, playing alongside Chris Paul, and what you guys were able to do?
DG:I think maybe the best definition is miracle seasons, last year and this year. Nobody expected us to do what we did. It’s not just that. They expected us to win maybe like 30 games, 33 games I remember when I was in LA (Clippers), and this year even worse (with OKC). That’s what I mean when I talk about being underrated. That’s when that talk comes to my mind because the seasons were amazing seasons. We did something that wasn’t expected by anybody. I think they were both miracle seasons because we did not just go to the playoffs, but I thought when I was in LA we won two games against Golden State when of course everyone thought it was going to be 4-0. We did a miracle come back, the best in NBA history from being down 31. Then, you go into this season where not just we made the playoffs, but we were fifth, we went to Game 7 with Houston, and I honestly thought we should have won that series. Amazing miracle seasons.
Do you think you can help a team that maybe isn’t considered a playoff team similar to what you did with OKC and the Clippers in exceeding expectations?
DG:For sure. I have enough confidence that whatever I do or wherever I go, that’s what’s going to happen. We did it in LA, and we did it in OKC two years in a row. The feeling and confidence that I have makes me think that for sure, it’s something I can do, and we can do with a team.
Were you surprised Billy Donovan and OKC parted ways?
DG:I don’t know, maybe a little surprised, but I understood both situations. I understand the NBA and the NBA business, so I talked to the team, I talked to Sam (Presti), I talked to Billy, and I think that was something that could’ve happened in the same way that it could’ve happened that he signed back with OKC. I’m very happy for Billy because it was a great season for him and the whole team. He did an amazing job. I had a great time with him. It was great to work with him.
Looking ahead to free agency, when they let go of Billy, does anything like that affect your decision of whether you could return to OKC in free agency? What do you think about the possibility of coming back to OKC next year?
DG:I would consider it for sure. I think as a player when you have such a great time with the team, and you go through what we’ve been through this season living this amazing miracle season, of course, I’d love to run it back and spend some more time in OKC. When you have this winning season, you always want to be on a winning team, and so, of course, I’d consider it. I think not just Billy, but also Sam, everything started with Sam. I thought Sam did a great job of building that team and also being on the same page as the players. He’s a guy that you can talk to him every day, and he was a guy that was very honest with me since the beginning of the season. I have a great relationship with him too.
When you get towards free agency, what are you looking for from whichever team you end up signing with? What’s on your checklist as a free agent?
DG:I think the best thing about free agency is that, especially in my situation, you have to look at everything. The part I love is that I have the chance to look at everything. Honestly, I don’t have one direction or one thing that I’m looking at. In your career, you can’t be a free agent every year. When it happens, for me, it’s this summer, I want to take my time and look at everything.
This is a chance for you in your early 30s to get a big contract, whether it’s long- or short-term. Are you looking to lock up something long-term coming off the past two healthiest seasons in your career?
DG:That’s definitely a thought. At the same time, because we don’t know and nobody knows the dates, how it’s going to look, and what’s going to happen next season, the long-term is an option, but everything is an option. Of course, the long-term is very good, but at the same time, because of the uncertainty we’re living in, I want to see everything that’s going on.
What was that experience like playing with Chris Paul?
DG:One of the best players that I ever played with. Definitely one of the best point guards, if not the best point guard that I ever played with. It was great to play with him, especially because the guy has a very high IQ. He knows how to play basketball. For a guy like me and the way that I play the game, he made my life way easier. He likes to talk and is always communicating. He’s very straight forward. We were on the same page the very first day we started working together during training camp. Also, being the only two guys over 30 on this very young team, we had to be on the same page.
What was it like for you and Chris trying to lead these young guys and your message throughout the season?
DG: I honestly loved it. I love working with the younger guys and being the guy they look up to and listen to you. You work with them every day, and you see them improving. What happened with Shai (Gilgeous-Alexander), what happened with (Darius) Bazley, and all these young guys working every day, listening, and following the right path and advice, I think, is something that I’d love to keep doing, and I love to do.
What’s going through your mind being a free agent during COVID-19?
DG:It’s a mix of feelings. There is a feeling of excitement about free agency. At the same time, when I think about COVID and all the things I’ve been through with my country and the stuff I did for my country and Oklahoma, the quarantine and the numbers that are going up right now, it’s not easy. It’s a tough situation. I’m always optimistic and have positive thoughts, but at the same time, it’s not an easy situation. I don’t know when or how we’re going to get through it. Nobody knows. I just hope everybody stays safe and takes care of themselves, follow the instructions and rules.
With CAA, you work with Michael Tellem, and you also worked with Leon Rose, who went to the Knicks. When you think of Leon, what do you think of him as a basketball person?
DG:The first thing that I think about Leon is the relationship that we have. When I think about the Knicks, I can say they got the right guy. I’m very happy for him and the Knicks. It doesn’t matter if he’s an agent if he’s a GM, president, or whatever he’s going to be. We have a great relationship, and he did such a great job for me working with him. I wish him the best in everything he’s going to do. Knowing him, I think he’s going to make sure that he succeeds in every career that he’s going to do.
What do you remember about those Knicks teams at the start of your career?
DG: When you are an athlete, you always remember the winning seasons and the good times when you’re winning. My third season was very exciting. We had very good talent, a good team, and great guys. STAT (Amare Stoudemire) was a great guy. I loved playing with him. Raymond Felton was our point guard, and he was playing great. We had my guy Wilson Chandler. We had Timofey Mozgov. We had a very good team, and we were doing great. I’ve experienced the city is a little different when you win than when you lose. To experience New York and the Garden when you win, it’s different, and it’s pretty cool.
Do you ever wonder what could’ve been with that team before the trade to Denver for Carmelo Anthony?
DG: Yeah, sometimes I think about it with my family and my friends. We think about what happened that year or what could’ve happened that year. The only thing I think about is we could’ve had a lot of fun, not just for that season, but for many more years. I’ve got to say, I went from New York when we were winning, and I came to Denver and had some amazing times here in Denver with coach (George) Karl and the winning seasons that we had. When you win, every city is amazing, especially in New York.
What was it like playing for George Karl?
DG: I had a great relationship, and I still have a great relationship. I actually talked to him last week. He’s here in Denver. As a coach and a guy, I had a great time. He’s maybe the definition in the States, maybe you guys would say he’s an old school coach. I don’t know what that means, but I’ve heard that before. He’s a guy that tells you straight up what he thinks, and he makes you work and practice a lot, but the results were great when I was there together with him.
Oct 14, 2019; Dallas, TX, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder forward (8) dribbles as Dallas Mavericks guard (55) defends during the first quarter at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
What are your goals for the rest of your career?
DG:A lot of things. I definitely want to keep playing the way I’ve been playing and be a key player for a franchise. I want to be able to help these young guys that are growing up and some amazing talents. The goal, of course, as a player is to win.
Have you thought about what you’d do after you hang up your sneakers?
DG: I honestly haven’t thought about it yet. With this new challenge that I have in my life with the baby coming, the main goal is to be a family guy and a great father. I grew up in an amazing family, and I want to reproduce the same thing my parents gave me and showed me. That’s the first goal I have in mind.
When you came to the USA, and Mike D’Antoni was your coach, what did you think of him as a coach in the league?
DG:A lot of great times. Mike was key for me because he was able to help me throughout the transition from Europe to the NBA, which isn’t an easy transition. Him playing in Europe all his career and coaching in Europe too, it was very easy for me to adapt too. I have to thank him for that. He’s a very good coach. He has his own style. He’s always going to bring that style wherever he goes. It’s a very exciting style. For a guy like me that plays a lot from the three-point line, if you’re a good three-point shooter to play for him is always great.
Do you think D’Antoni will be back as a head coach later this year or down the road?
DG:For sure. In my view of the NBA and the coaching situation, he has to have a team. The way that he coaches and the way that he approaches basketball, I think the NBA and basketball need him. He’s great to have as a coach. I think he’s going to find a place for sure.
Have you noticed any young Italian players in Italy or in the USA that can be the future of Italian basketball?
DG:I hope so. I think there are some Italian players that are playing in college right now that have good talent and some good Italian players that play for my former team in Milan. I think we have some good young players coming up. Being away from Italy for all these years, I don’t have or follow that much. I don’t have a lot of names. It’s good every summer to come back and play for the national team and see the new guys coming up. It’s a great test for me to see them and test them out every time I go back.
Have you thought of playing for the Italian National Team in 2021 and the Olympics down the road?
DG:For sure. I never played in the Olympics, so that’s a goal of mine with the national team. It’s something I’d like to achieve. I honestly think I have a lot of years left with them because I wanted to give my country and my fans what they deserve. I haven’t been able to do that yet, so that’s something that when I think about the summer, it’s something that’s in my mind every time, and I’m very focused on that because we need to achieve something with this group of guys that have been together for more than 10 years.
Have you talked about that with Marco Belinelli and the other Italians?
DG:That’s something we talk about all the time when we’re together for dinner or lunch, even in the group chat. We are separate here in the States, but when it’s summertime, and it’s time to get back together, it’s something we really like, and we want to do as much as we can.
Do you feel that you’re the face of Italian basketball, and is there a pressure that comes with that?
DG:There is pressure, but I like it. That’s something that I always wanted. To be the face or the model for the young Italian players is a goal that I had when I was a little kid. Now, I’m here, and I love it. Of course, it’s a lot of responsibility, but you don’t play basketball for 40 years. You only play basketball for a short amount of time. If you don’t want to deal with the responsibility, you need to change jobs.
Have you kept tabs on Nico Mannion, Arizona’s point guard?
DG:Yeah. I’ve been following him, especially last year. I haven’t met him yet. He played a couple of games for the Italian national team. He did very well. If he can help me and my team achieve something special, I can’t wait.
What was the experience like for you inside the bubble?
DG:I always say the NBA did an amazing job the way they were able to set up everything in such a short amount of time. It was amazing. They set up everything perfectly from the testing to the activities off the court we could do, the gyms to practice, the timing of the games.
We don’t know if there will be fans in the stands. Have you thought about what next season could look like?
DG:Of course, I’d like to get back to normal, but if I understand the situation and we need to play in another bubble, I will do it. Of course, we would love to get back to normal to play in front of regular fans.
You can follow Michael Scotto on Twitter:@MikeAScotto
The Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers have former agents running their front offices. The New York Knicks may follow that model.
The Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers have former agents running their front offices. The New York Knicks may follow that model.
Golden State hired Wasserman Media Group’s Bob Myers back in 2011 while Los Angeles brought on Landmark Sports founder Rob Pelinka in 2017. Both have since been promoted to become president of basketball operations for those marquee franchises.
New York moved on from their president of basketball operations Steve Mills on Tuesday morning, per reports. Mills began working with the Knicks in 2003 and took over as their president of basketball operations in July 2017.
ESPN Sources with @ramonashelburne: Knicks owner Jim Dolan is already considering a front office model that is working with Golden State (Bob Myers) and the Lakers (Rob Pelinka): Hiring a top basketball executive out of the player agent ranks.
General manager Scott Perry will take over his role in the interim, per several reports. But according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Ramona Shelburne, the Knicks’ ownership group is considering replacing Mills with an NBPA certified agent.
SNY’s Ian Begley reported that CAA’s Austin Brown (co-head of basketball for the company) is one of the agents being considered for the position.
Brown currently represents last year’s No. 1 pick ZionWilliamson. Other clients include former NBA All-Star D’Angelo Russell (who has been linked to New York in recent trade rumors), Donovan Mitchell, Jaren Jackson Jr., Kyle Kuzma and various other prominent players.
This would follow a trend for the Knicks, who were known to be swayed by the agency when Carmelo Anthony (represented by CAA’s Leon Rose) was the star player for the team.
Here is what Kurt Helin wrote about the connections to the agency at the time (via NBC Sports):
“If you listen to the scuttlebutt around the league, Andrea Bargnani is a Knick because he is a CAA/Leon Rose client just like ‘Melo (why else would you take on that contract?). Why did the Knicks give a roster spot to Chris Smith, JR’s brother? CAA. That’s just the tip of the rumor iceberg.”
Before 13-time NBA champion Phil Jackson took over basketball operations for the Knicks in 2014, he “vowed to relinquish the team’s close ties” with the prominent agency.
Phil, on the team's CAA ties: "Those won't hold weight with me."
Their former head coach Mike Woodson, who was represented by CAA, was fired by the organization just a few weeks after the comments by Jackson. JR Smith, a former CAA client, was traded by the Knicks to the Cleveland Cavaliers a few months later. Bargnani played just one more season for New York under Jackson’s leadership.
While the team publicly distanced themselves from CAA’s influence over the past few years, it is no surprise to see them considering Brown or another agent, considering Myers and Pelinka have had success in their current roles.
For what it is worth: Across town and in a different league back in October 2018, the New York Mets hired former CAA Co-Head of Baseball Brodie Van Wagenen as their general manager back in 2018. Before joining the franchise, he represented several players (e.g. Yoenis Cespedes, Jacob DeGrom, Robinson Cano and even minor leaguer Tim Tebow) on the team.
