News, notes and observations from a busy Monday in the NBA …
LeBron to Le Knicks? LeBron James shook up the basketball landscape this summer when he left Los Angeles for Philadelphia. But, according to James, he nearly took his talents a little further north up the I-95 corridor. At 76ers media day, James told ESPN he “had visions” of finishing his career playing at Madison Square Garden. But, said James, after the Knicks knocked off the Spurs to win the NBA championship, “I was like, 'Hey, I can't.' I couldn't do it."
Instead, James is embracing a different challenge. James struck an optimistic tone in his first appearance in a Sixers uniform. He praised the headspace the team was in entering camp. “Everybody's kind of on the same page of the direction that the organization wants to be in,” said James. He shrugged off questions about his role as “Whatever the team needs for me to do. I think the luxury of my game is that I can do everything. Literally I can do everything.” And he reiterated his primary reason for signing with Philadelphia. “I didn't leave my family to lose in the second round,” James said. “I know that for sure. So work needs to be done and I'm ready to put the work in.”
Of Joel Embiid, James struck a familiar tone: “Obviously we all know that for him,” James said, “it's just been about health.” Embiid played 38 games for Philadelphia last season. He has not played more than 39 since the 2022-23 season. Keeping Embiid on the floor, James said, would be a key to the 76ers’ success.
“How can he stay healthy to be the best version of himself, be the best version of himself to be the best version of us as a team?” opined James. “And I've seen, he’s put in a lot of work on his body, put in a lot of work in his game, a lot of work on his mental this offseason. So that is a big upside, not only for us as his teammates, but I guarantee it is for him.”
A deep sigh of relief in Denver. Two minutes into his media availability, Nikola JokiÄ gave Nuggets fans what they have been waiting for, confirming that he intends to re-sign with Denver after this season. “I’m going to sign next year,” JokiÄ said, adding “if they want me.” JokiÄ confirmed that the decision not to sign an extension this offseason was purely a business one. Indeed, by passing on the extension JokiÄ can sign a five-year, $360 million-ish deal next summer. For you math majors, that’s an average of $72 million per season.
How will JokiÄ spend his twilight NBA years? The answer to that is more muddled. Denver peeled off another piece of its core this past summer, flipping Peyton Watson for a 2031 first-round pick. They signed DeMar DeRozan but it’s hard to see a 37-year-old midrange shooter moving the needle. The Nuggets prioritized continuity, EVP of basketball operations Ben Tenzer said, fighting any urge to overreact to a disappointing first-round playoff exit.
On Monday, JokiÄ sounded fully invested in Denver’s direction. After getting eliminated by Minnesota, JokiÄ raised eyebrows when he said the team wasn’t close to winning. JokiÄ didn’t exactly walk that comment back, but addressing reporters he expressed confidence the team would be able to compete.
“Of course my reaction is going to be we are not close because I was mad at me, rather myself, coaches, players, team,” JokiÄ said. “Because I think we don't have so much time and I think that we don't appreciate when we have a good team or we have a chance when we have an opportunity. And I heard [Nuggets coach David Adelman] said, ‘If you're in the mix, you have a chance.’ So as long as we are a mix and hopefully we can stay healthy, I think that's something that hopefully we can do a much better job as individuals, as players, as a team staff and as an organization to somehow be more ready. Not ready, just to be available.”
The Duren Dilemma. If you were looking for optimism that the contract standoff between the Pistons and All-NBA center Jalen Duren could be nearing an end, you didn’t get it on Monday. Trajan Langdon, Detroit’s president of basketball operations, was largely complimentary of Duren, calling the 6’10” center “a huge reason for our success the last two seasons” and declaring the team “was excited to have him back, when he gets back.” As for what it will take to get him there … there wasn’t much.
Here’s what it will take: Money, and more of it than the $200 million the Pistons are reportedly willing to pay Duren over the next five seasons. Clearly, Duren and his representatives believe there is more cash out there. Sacramento and Milwaukee have interest in Duren, a source confirmed, and likely would plus-up the offer if Detroit was willing to play ball on a sign-and-trade.
The Pistons, to this point, are not. Detroit has been steadfast in its unwillingness to deal Duren, sources say, believing they have offered market value for the 22-year old center. Which leaves a decision for Duren. Does he accept the Pistons deal? Or does he bet on himself–again–and sign the one-year, $9.6 million qualifying offer? The latter option will cost him millions in unrecoverable income but set him up to be an unrestricted free agent next summer. Stay tuned.
A Dilling-dud. Charlotte quietly waived ex-lottery pick Rob Dillingham on Monday, ending (for now) Dillingham’s disappointing two-year NBA run. Dillingham, the eighth pick in 2024, never got traction in Minnesota, losing the confidence of the Wolves’ coaching staff early. Minnesota offloaded him to Chicago in a deal for Ayo Dosunmu last February. The Bulls flipped Dillingham for Buddy Hield, with the Buzz cutting ties with him soon after.
For sure, Dillingham has been a bust. He shot 39.6% between the Timberwolves and Bulls last season, connecting on just 31.6% of his threes. Still, at 21 Dillingham is very young and has the kind of speed NBA teams like at the position. It surprised me that Charlotte, which traded LaMelo Ball this past summer, was so eager to cut ties.
For context, I asked an NBA scout where things went wrong with Dillingham.
“When he lost the staff in Minnesota, it was over,” the scout said. “Their view, they thought they have Mike Conley, this kid will learn from Mike, and he'll kind of transition as Mike Conley. It'd be the same type of guard Mike is, that speed push guard who would learn from Mike and then take the reins from Mike and then Mike would back him up for a little. None of that stuff worked out.
“Look, he’s very light. And I think they felt like he didn't have the point guard instincts that they were hoping for because he played more of a scorer in college than a point guard. And I think Mike aged out before Rob was ready, because Mike that last year wasn't even playing. But if I was Charlotte, I'd be giving him a shot. I mean, speed guards in this league right now are usable.”
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