NEW YORK KNICKS Moderadores: tiko5, hastrakan, der König81

[cebemaniaco]

ESPN Staff Writer
Celtics assistant Jay Larranaga interviewed for the New York Knicks coaching vacancy last week between Games 3 and 4 of Boston's first-round series vs. the Milwaukee Bucks. "They're in the middle of their process. We're in the middle of our process. I appreciated them coming out here. Obviously all my focus is on the Milwaukee Bucks."

[cebemaniaco]

Hawks GM Travis Schlenk said at a news conference in Atlanta on Thursday the official divorce with Mike Budenholzer was “harmonious” and “was as mutual as a parting can be.’’

“Coach Bud didn’t quit on this group, our players didn’t quit on him,’’ Schlenk said. “He wants to move forward with his career.”

That could be with the Knicks, who interviewed Budenholzer in New York on Sunday while he was still under contract with the Hawks.

Budenholzer’s name is an unexpected addition to the Knicks’ coaching search and his divorce makes for a smoother path. Sources have indicated the 2015 Coach of the Year made a strong impression on Knicks president Steve Mills and GM Scott Perry, who are in Europe talking to David Blatt and scouting lottery pick Luka Doncic.

Budenholzer views the Knicks as his ”top choice,” but it’s unclear if more teams get in the mix now that no compensation will be needed. Presumably, a club wouldn’t have to match Budenholzer’s contract — which had two years and more than $13 million left on it. The Bucks could be lurking as they face elimination Thursday against the Celtics and are run by interim coach Joe Prunty. Moving into a new arena and with a proven roster led by Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Bucks appear the better job, but another NBA source said Budenholzer’s preference is the Knicks.

Budenholzer was disillusioned with the Hawks’ direction, believing the franchise would be in tank mode for another two seasons after posting a 24-58 record this past season.

An NBA source said Budenholzer regards the Knicks as closer to winning, though the uncertainty of Kristaps Porzingis’ return casts a pall over the franchise.

If the Knicks don’t hire Budenholzer, it would likely be because they aren’t sure he would be satisfied with their version of a rebuild. But the biggest thing Budenholzer has going for him — aside that he’s from Gregg Popovich’s coaching tree — is turning around the career of Tim Hardaway Jr., coaching him two seasons in Atlanta and making him into an all-around player worthy of a $71 million contract. The Hawks didn’t match the contract, but that may not have been Budenholzer’s call.

Schlenk would not go into the specifics of Budenholzer’s desire to move on, nor the Hawks’ willingness. But it’s apparent Atlanta owners are happy to be freed of at least some of his money in a financial settlement.

When the season ended, Schlenk figured Budenholzer would be their coach next season, but then several conversations took place the past two weeks that led to this divorce. Budenholzer, whose run in Atlanta lasted five seasons, including four playoff berths, was also granted permission to talk to the Suns but pulled his name from consideration — perhaps over money.

“We had several conversations and this was best for him and his career and the right time for the Hawks the way we are,’’ Schlenk said. “It wasn’t negative on either side. It’s time for both of us to move forward.’’

Schlenk wouldn’t address the financial settlement, but it is believed his new contract would be deducted from what Atlanta owes him.

The Atlanta GM felt he “didn’t have a bad relationship” with Budenholzer. However, Schlenk didn’t hire him and took his personnel power away from him when hired from Golden State last summer.

“One of the things that’s important is having a coach who will connect and develop our young players,’’ Schlenk said. “This doesn’t change our plan. We’re going to continue to develop our young players and build through our draft and look to gather assets and maintain financial flexibility. It doesn’t change our plan.

“I want to have a great relationship no matter the head coach. We’re going to find the right head coach for the Hawks. That coach will have the same job description as I do and that’s to try to bring a championship to the Atlanta Hawks.”

David Fizdale, a top candidate for the Knicks, may enter the Hawks mix. He’s a former assistant in Atlanta under Mike Woodson, who is a long-shot Knicks choice.

Noticias positivas desde Atlanta... Bud estaría por la labor de venir aquí y coger el toro por los cuernos.

[sotero_18]

Importantísimo que ganen hoy los Bucks y fuercen el 7o.

¿Lo de Bud y los Bucks se ha dicho en algún sitio? Porque creo que no pasa de meras suposiciones... estando el equipo en playoffs...

Lo último que he visto es que Fizdale tiene todos los números de ir allí.

Y también parece casi confirmado que se ha borrado para fichar por los Suns del mismo modo que Budenholzer. Curioso lo de Phoenix, parecen los Knicks del desierto.

[jamesharden13]

Bud quiere hacer que los Knicks vuelvan a Playoffs. Y le pone palote hacerlo. Eso junto con ser una franquicia seria.

Debe ser el mayor reto al que se ha enfrentado.

[sotero_18]

Bud quiere hacer que los Knicks vuelvan a Playoffs. Y le pone palote hacerlo. Eso junto con ser una franquicia seria.

Debe ser el mayor reto al que se ha enfrentado.

Si viene es porque le vamos a enterrar en dinero. Nadie le va a ofrecer el puesto de Coach + GM y en NY es donde puede seguir cobrando el dineral que tenia en Atlanta. Y me parece totalmente respetable y lógico.

El amor a los colores y los retos no me los creo demasiado en NBA.

[cebemaniaco]

Dice Karmele que se han vuelto a reunir con Blatt, se vieron el martes y hoy...

Marc Berman
@NYPost_Berman

Source says Knicks president Steve Mills and GM Scott Perry met with David Blatt today in Europe.

Second time he's interviewed with Knicks.

Esta previsto que mañana vuelvan para NY... Curioso que se hayan visto dos veces con Blatt antes de su regreso.

[Sergio Perez Anagnostou]

Dice Karmele que se han vuelto a reunir con Blatt, se vieron el martes y hoy...

Marc Berman
@NYPost_Berman

Source says Knicks president Steve Mills and GM Scott Perry met with David Blatt today in Europe.

Second time he's interviewed with Knicks.

Esta previsto que mañana vuelvan para NY... Curioso que se hayan visto dos veces con Blatt antes de su regreso.

El segundo de día de ruta por Estambul XD

[sotero_18]

Dice Karmele que se han vuelto a reunir con Blatt, se vieron el martes y hoy...

Marc Berman
@NYPost_Berman

Source says Knicks president Steve Mills and GM Scott Perry met with David Blatt today in Europe.

Second time he's interviewed with Knicks.

Esta previsto que mañana vuelvan para NY... Curioso que se hayan visto dos veces con Blatt antes de su regreso.

Paga Dolan

Es una putada que po Bud nos pueda saber a poco un entrenador con el nivel de Blatt.

[Anthony Bonner]

CJ a cambio de Ntelequita y el pick9 -protegido top3 -....ya están tardando. Y es que para cuadrar eso hay que poner el salario Hardaway, salario que no nos sacamos de encima ni poniendo tres primeras rondas sobre la mesa
Sobre Kanter expiring, pues no es tradeable, porque Knicks pretende ir a FA 2019, con lo cual no quiere asumir salarios, sino liberar salarios.

[Schmoove]

Si Kanter ejerce la PO a partir de cuándo se le puede tradear?

Puede ser una pieza interesante para más de un equipo. Interior sólido para segundas unidades o titular en equipos bien trabajados defensivamente que es expiring.

Sin ir más lejor equipos como Portland si no renuevan a Nurkic pueden necesitar algo para tirar un año a la espera de liberar a turner+meyers y hacer retooling 2 años antes q terminen contrato Lillard+CJ

[Sergio Perez Anagnostou]

Bucks fuerzan el séptimo.

[nyknicker]

Dice Karmele que se han vuelto a reunir con Blatt, se vieron el martes y hoy...

Marc Berman
@NYPost_Berman

Source says Knicks president Steve Mills and GM Scott Perry met with David Blatt today in Europe.

Second time he's interviewed with Knicks.

Esta previsto que mañana vuelvan para NY... Curioso que se hayan visto dos veces con Blatt antes de su regreso.

Paga Dolan

Es una putada que po Bud nos pueda saber a poco un entrenador con el nivel de Blatt.

Tal y como están las cosas, si no es Bud el próximo entrenador el que venga jamás será lo suficientemente buen entrenador. Además si Bud se va a los Bucks, y empiezan a disputar finales de conferencia, contra Boston y Sixers, la gente dirá, ese coach era el que debió ser nuestro. Y lo cierto es que en los próximos 2-3 años, cualquier entrenador que vaya a los Bucks hará mejor papel que el nuestro.

Si a la no-contratación, añadimos que el escogido es Blatt, que Lebron le puso la cruz, que viene de europa y además amigo de Mills, dando a entender que Perry ha sido sobrepasado. Digamos que ya empezará con prensa y gran parte de los aficionados en contra, por no ser la opción ideal.

[cebemaniaco]

Sigue sin saltar ninguna otra noticia sobre Bud y lo ultimo que se ha sabido en estas ultimas horas es la doble reunion con Blatt en Europa...

Si bien todo el mundo dice que Bud podria ver con muy buenos ojos el reto de venir a NY, no es menos cierto que Bud ya dejo caer su interes por el puesto de los Bucks a primeros de Abril y se sigue diciendo que hay que ver que pasa con los Spurs y Popovich.

[gussman]

Por qué iba a dejar Bud Atlanta para venir a Nueva York?

Quiero decir que para tankear ya está bien donde está, no?

Supongo que si renuncia a 7 kilos en Atlanta será para ir aún equipo donde pueda tratar de competir ya mismo.

[jamesharden13]

Yo ya lo he dicho antes... Me parece perfecto e ideal un coach como Bud. Eso si, si no viene, hay otros que pueden hacerlo bien. Mientras no sea Marc Jackson la alternativa, todo será correcto en ese camino.

Por cierto, un artículo interesante sobre lo que piensa hacer Chicago Bulls con la agencia libre y que nos puede dar una idea sobre lo que se puede hacer aquí. http://www.nbcsports.com/chicago/bulls/ ... ree-agency

NBA Buzz: Should the Bulls pursue Paul George in free agency?

Anyone who watched the Oklahoma City Thunder implode in Game 4 of their first-round series against Utah Monday night probably had the same thought run through their mind. “Paul George is so out of there.”

Speculation about George signing a max free agent deal with his hometown Lakers has been running wild since the All-Star forward forced a trade out of Indiana last summer. And, who can forget the scene of George’s parents sitting in the front row at Staples Center cheering on their son as he played a strong game against the Lakers earlier this season?

But if we’ve learned anything through the years watching top level free agents make decisions on their future, it’s that it’s almost impossible to predict what factors will turn out to be most important.

Take the George free agency for example. Sure, he’s talked openly about his desire to play in southern California and his love of the Lakers and Kobe Bryant through the years. But what if LeBron James decides to take his talents to L.A. this summer? Will George be happy playing secnd fiddle to “the king” in his own hometown (if the Lakers can create cap space for a second max contract), or will he look for a better option to showcase his game and his brand?

That’s where the Bulls could come in.

John Paxson said in his season ending news conference it’s unlikely the Bulls would be major players in free agency this year, but he also said he never wanted to go through another season like the one his team had just endured, and that the front office will always be on the lookout for opportunities to add a star player to the mix.

With Zach LaVine’s cap hold and the salary slots included for the sixtth and 22nd picks in this year’s draft, the Bulls would have around $73 million in salary commitments for next season, leaving them just enough space to fit in the first season of a max contract offer for George. And even if they wind up just a little bit shy of a max slot, they could easily create more space by trading one of their back-up point guards or another reserve player.

Would George be receptive to a Bulls offer? Hard to say. The Lakers are obviously his first option and he might also consider the Clippers and 76ers. Doc Rivers would have to do some salary cap gymnastics to make a run at George, but Philadelphia will be in position to sign a major free agent outright, and the thought of George joining forces with Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons would be scary for the other Eastern Conference contenders.

After years of toiling in Indianapolis, it’s hard to imagine George being interested in joining a rebuild in Chicago, but as I mentioned earlier, stranger things have happened in free agency.

The assumption in league circles is the Bulls will wait until 2019 to make their big move when players like Klay Thompson, Kawhi Leonard and Kyrie Irving could be on the market, and might consider signing with the Bulls after watching another year of development from LaVine, Lauri Markkanen and Kris Dunn.

But Paxson couldn’t have been more transparent in describing the mental pain he endured watching his team play for the best possible draft position during a 27-55 season, so he’s not going to pass up on a chance to add a franchise player if one suddenly becomes available this summer.

Paul George signing with the Bulls is an extreme long shot, but it’s not totally impossible.

AROUND THE ASSOCIATION

The biggest surprise in round one of the playoffs has to be the Pelicans’ 4-0 sweep of Portland. After losing DeMarcus Cousins to a season-ending injury, not many people expected New Orleans to even make the playoffs, much less win a series.

But Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry designed a new offensive system, utilizing a three-guard offense of Jrue Holiday and former Bulls Rajon Rondo and E’Twaun Moore to get the ball to superstar big man Anthony Davis, with another ex-Bull, Niko Mirotic providing floor spacing as a third scoring option.

Add to that the almost annual transformation of Rondo into an elite playoff performer, and all of a sudden the Pelicans are dangerous. Granted, they’ll probably come up short in the next round against Golden State, but casual basketball fans are finally getting a chance to see just how good Davis is playing on a national stage. He’s a top 5 talent, who has consistently pledged his loyalty to the organization that originally drafted him.

Assuming the Pelicans re-sign Cousins this summer, it will be interesting to find out what the ceiling might be for this team that seemed to be treading water just a few short months ago.

On the other side of that series, losing four straight playoff games could signal major changes ahead for Portland. The backcourt duo of Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum is one of the league’s best, but the Blazers are capped out and have to make a decision on signing restricted free agent center Jusuf Nurkic.

Portland was one of the biggest offenders in the Wild West free agent chase in 2016 after the new tv contracts ushered in a $20 million spike in the salary cap. The Blazers signed Evan Turner, Allen Crabbe and Myers Leonard to ridiculously inflated contracts and then overpaid free agent forward Mo Harkless the following summer.

General Manager Neil Olshey was able to unload Crabbe’s contract in a deal with Brooklyn, but the Blazers are already over next year’s projected salary cap with the contracts already on the books, making it extremely difficult to improve the team’s frontcourt.

So, would Portland consider trading McCollum or Lillard for a package of young players and picks? Lillard just had his best season and is a fixture in Portland, so it’s unlikely he would be moved. But if Olshey decides the current roster has maxed out, he might explore trading McCollum to bring in the reinforcements the Blazers need to contend in the brutally tough West.Similarly, what’s next for Tom Thibodeau and the “Timber-Bulls” after they get eliminated by top seeded Houston in round one?

It’s been fun watching Derrick Rose re-kindle memories of his MVP past with his end to end attacks and twisting finishes at the rim. Rose has averaged around 15 points off the bench in the series, probably earning an invitation back to be a rotation player for Minnesota next season.

But what about the uneasy alliance between Jimmy Butler and the TWolves young stars Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins? Butler has one guaranteed season left on his contract, but in an interview with the Sun-Times' Joe Cowley, Butler admitted it’s been tough watching players who don’t share his passion for winning and constantly working to improve their games. Don’t be surprised if Jimmy isn’t already planning his exit strategy with an eye towards Los Angeles.

Butler also said in the Cowley article he has a lot of love for the Reinsdorf family and wouldn’t rule out finishing his career in a Bulls uniform. Now that sounds like an even bigger long shot than my Paul George idea, but after all this is the NBA!

Just visualize Kevin Garnett screaming in his on court interview after the Celtics won the NBA title in 2008. “Anything’s possible!”

[cebemaniaco]

Por qué iba a dejar Bud Atlanta para venir a Nueva York?

Segun se ha filtrado en prensa, le gusta el proyecto, el reto de construir algo reconocible en NY, le gusta la ciudad, obviamente la pasta pero si de verdad hay un equipo como Milwaukee que tambien le hace tilin, es dificil entender el por que de quedarse con los Knicks cuando los Bucks tienen varios pasos dados sobre nosotros en cuanto a proyecto.

De momento de Bud solo se ha sabido que se iba a reunir con Suns pero renuncio a verse las caras con ellos, se reunio con Perry y Mills y a partir de ahi, ha forzado la situacion para liberarse de su contrato y que no haya que dar compensacion a los Hawks. No ha trascendido otra entrevista de Bud con ningun tecnico y muchos dicen que ya tiene apalabrado algo con algun equipo, surgiendo Knicks y Bucks como principales candidatos. Aun siguen manteniendo periodistas de renombre, que la opcion primera de Bud son los Knicks...

[cebemaniaco]

Isola on fire...

The San Antonio Spurs are said to be "head over heels with" Kristaps Porzingis.

If the Spurs were to trade Kawhi Leonard to the New York Knicks, they would require Porzingis and a first round pick back for him.

Porzingis is recovering from a torn ACL and will become eligible for an extension this offseason.

FRANK ISOLA/NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

En su favor decir simplemente que este rumor no es nuevo... ya el pasado verano, con todo el lío de la escapada de Porzi y sus desavenencias con Phil, ya se dijo que los Spurs podrían plantearse un Kawhi por Porzi...

[sotero_18]

Parece que la cosa se clarifica, en nuestro particular casting rollo Gran Hermano quedan como finalistas Budenholzer y Blatt.

Según Stein (Muy fiable) la cosa queda entre los dos. Prefiero Bud pero son dos candidatos para estar muy tranquilos. Supongo que en los próximas dias sabremos nuestro futuro entrenador.

En el fondo da la sensación que teniamos razón desde hace meses, iba a ser Blatt pero el nombre de Budenholzer ha alterado los planes previos por ser un candidato tan ideal para la franquicia.
El tema de entrevistar a todo ser vivo con pasado Knickerbocker ha sido mas para buscar asistentes y contentar agentes que otra cosa.

[cebemaniaco]

Donovan Mitchell madre del amor hermoso... que bestialidad.

Los Pacers barriendo a los Cavs, +34, para forzar el 7°...

[Art94]

Al final el big three de Okc ha dado asquete tanto en PO como en gran parte de la RS. No me centro en Carmelo porque no quiero parecer un hater