UNCASVILLE, CT - SEPTEMBER 10: Rick Adelman addresses the media during the Class of 2021 Press Conference as part of the 2021 Basketball Hall of Fame Enshrinement Ceremony on September 10, 2021 at the Cabaret Theatre at Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Connecticut. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2021 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The NBA lost a Hall of Famer on Monday, and one with ties to the Golden State Warriors. According to an announcement from the National Basketball Coaches Association, the legendary Rick Adelman has died at the age of 79.
Adelman was a head coach for a whopping 23 NBA seasons, while also spending six years as an assistant coach. He coached five different franchises and amassed a record of 1,042-749, and sits 10th all-time in the win column. Adelman made the playoffs 16 different times, and finished with a 79-78 record, which included winning the Western Conference twice while with the Portland Trail Blazers.
The basketball lifer spent two seasons at the helm for the Warriors, coaching them to a 36-46 record in 1995-96, and a 30-52 record in 1996-97, before being fired. While those records aren’t very good, they were better than before he took over, as the Dubs went 26-56 the season before hiring Adelman.
While Adelman was best known for his lengthy coaching career, he also played in the NBA. After starring at Loyola Marymount, where he was a WCC Player of the Year winner, Adelman was drafted in the seventh round of the 1968 draft by the San Diego Rockets. He spent seven years as a point guard in the NBA, and played for five different franchises.
In 2021, Adelman was inducted into the Hall of Fame. In 2023, he was honored by the Coaches Association with the Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award.
While Adelman is no longer with us, his legacy lives on in the NBA. His son David — one of six children — is currently the head coach of the Denver Nuggets.
Rick Adelman, the winningest coach in Sacramento Kings history and Basketball Hall of Famer, has died.
He was 79. His cause of death is unknown.
Adelman, a Lynwood, Calif. native who starred at Pius X High School in Downey outside of Los Angeles, led the Kings to the playoffs in all eight of his seasons at the helm from 1998-2006.
His 395 wins are the most in franchise history, and his 1,042 regular-seasons wins are 10th-most among coaches in NBA history.
Rick Adelman, the winningest coach in Kings history, had died at the age of 79. NBAE via Getty Images
“The Sacramento Kings organization is deeply saddened by the passing of Rick Adelman, a beloved coach whose leadership, character, and vision helped define an era of Kings basketball that inspired our city and captivated fans around the world,” the team wrote on X.
“During his eight seasons in Sacramento, he led the team to unprecedented success and helped create some of the most memorable moments in franchise history. For an entire generation of Kings fans, Coach Adelman represented the very best of Sacramento basketball, and he will be remembered for the way he inspired those around him – with humility, integrity, kindness, and an unwavering belief in the power of teamwork. His leadership helped establish a culture that continues to resonate throughout our organization today.
“Our thoughts are with Mary Kay, his family, friends, former players, and all who loved him.”
Rick Adelman (r.) talks to Kings guard Mike Bibby (l.) in 2006. NBAE via Getty Images
Adelman, drafted by the San Diego Rockets out of Loyola Marymount in 1968, played parts of seven NBA seasons for the Rockets, Trail Blazers, Bulls, New Orleans Jazz and Kansas City-Omaha Kings.
He began his coaching career at Chemeketa Community College in 1977 before joining the Trail Blazers as an assistant in 1983. He took over as Portland’s head coach in 1989, leading them to the NBA Finals twice; they lost to the Pistons in 1990 and the Bulls in 1992.
After he was fired in 1994, Adelman sat out a year before taking over the Warriors gig in 1995. He was fired after two disappointing seasons before getting the Kings job in 1998.
The Kings went 16 years without a playoff appearance after Adelman left, and they haven’t won a playof series since 2004.
“Adelman will be remembered not only as a coach and a player, but also as a mentor to so many in the basketball community,” the NBA Coaches Association wrote on X.
SAN ANTONIO — The final frontier awaits. What the Knicks have dreamt of since childhood, what they’ve chased as men.
On a team that won the Eastern Conference for the first time in 27 years and is seeking its first title in 53 years, OG Anunoby is the only player with a ring, but he has never played a minute in the NBA Finals. Jordan Clarkson made the trip with the 2018 Cavaliers, but barely saw the floor in Cleveland’s four-game sweep against Golden State.
Only Mikal Bridges has seen significant action on this stage, starting for the Suns in the 2021 NBA Finals.
Phoenix entered that series against Milwaukee as the favorite and won the first two games by double digits, leaving the level-headed swingman uncharacteristically overconfident that he would be adding another ring to his collection from Villanova.
Knicks guard Mikal Bridges celebrates after a 3-pointer during the second half of Game 3 in the Eastern Conference finals NBA basketball playoffs series against the Cleveland Cavaliers. AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki
“I remember going up 2-0 [and] I thought we was good,” Bridges told teammates Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart on the “Roommates Show” in 2024. “We ’bout to win the chip, especially in the West, especially then, the West all had tough teams. East, we were like, whatever … We go see Milwaukee, we’re over here like, ‘Pfft.’ I’m like, ‘It’s light. It’s the East. It’s Milwaukee. I know they got Giannis [Antetokounmpo] and obviously they got hoopers, but the West is tougher than the East.’ We’re like, ‘We good.’ Go up 2-0, we’re looking like, ‘Exactly. This is what we’ve been talking about. It’s the East, bruh. We’re about to win this.’ And then they went on to win four straight. I just couldn’t believe it.”
Bridges was a big reason the Suns were in position to win their first NBA title, scoring 27 points in Game 2 to put his team in control. But the former Villanova star disappeared in the final four games, averaging just over four shots per game despite hitting 53 percent from the field and nearly 43 percent on 3-pointers in the series.
Mikal Bridges #25 of the Phoenix Suns looks on during Game 6 of the 2021 NBA Finals on June 20, 2021 at Fiserv Forum. NBAE via Getty Images
Five years later, Bridges, 29, has put his fingerprints all over the Knicks’ dominant postseason run. Since being benched during a scoreless performance in Game 3 of the first-round series against Atlanta, he has demonstrated newfound aggressiveness, averaging 18.7 points (shooting over 62 percent from the field) while shutting down multiple All-Star guards on the other end of the floor.
Bridges has helped the Knicks build one of the longest postseason winning streaks of all time (11), along with the largest point differential (+19.4 per game) of any team ever to reach the NBA Finals.
But a title will never be taken for granted again.
“[There are] a lot of questions, a lot of talk about how great we are, how great we’ve been,” Bridges recently said. “It doesn’t matter. We just got to worry about being ourselves and stay locked in.
“It’s great to get there, but that’s not our main goal.”
Long-time former NBA coach and Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame enshrinee Rick Adelman died Monday, June 1, the NBA Coaches Association (NBCA) announced. Adelman was 79.
His 1,791 games coaches ranks 12th all-time, and his total for victories ranks 10th.
“The Sacramento Kings organization is deeply saddened by the passing of Rick Adelman, a beloved coach whose leadership, character, and vision helped define an era of Kings basketball that inspired our city and captivated fans around the world,” the team said Monday in a statement.
“During his eight seasons in Sacramento, he led the team to unprecedented success and helped create some of the most memorable moments in franchise history. For an entire generation of Kings fans, Coach Adelman represented the very best of Sacramento basketball, and he will be remembered for the way he inspired those around him – with humility, integrity, kindness, and an unwavering belief in the power of teamwork."
The membership of the National Basketball Coaches Association joins the NBA family in mourning the passing of legendary Head Coach and Hall of Famer, Rick Adelman.
Rick Adelman coached in the NBA for 29 years, serving as a Head Coach for 23 seasons with the Portland Trail… pic.twitter.com/ksRQzGkF9Z
Adelman led the Trail Blazers, who featured star players like Clyde Drexler and Terry Porter, to two NBA Finals appearances, in 1990 and 1992.
The father of current Denver Nuggets head coach David Adelman, Rick also played seven seasons in the NBA for the San Diego Rockets, Portland Trail Blazers, Chicago Bulls, New Orleans Jazz and Kansas City-Omaha Kings.
As a player, Adelman averaged 7.7 points, 2.4 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game, across 462 appearances.
Adelman was inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame in 2021, and he received the NBCA Chuck Daly Lifetime Achievement Award in 2023.
Known for empowering bigs to be more involved in the passing game, Adelman helped evolve NBA offenses to showcase off-ball movement. He also allowed his players to read defenses in real time and play off of each other based on the looks the opposition was giving.
His “corners” offense was an evolution of the Princeton offense and sought big men to anchor the offense from the top of the key, where wings could cut to the basket.
Adelman became most known for his success with the Kings, where he used big men Chris Webber and Vlade Divac to help create a free-flowing offense, with guards like Jason Williams, Peja Stojaković and Doug Christie providing highlight plays.
In the five seasons from 1998-2003, the Kings never finished lower than third in points per game and were first in pace in four of those seasons.
It’s a style Adelman’s son is keeping alive today with the Nuggets and three-time Most Valuable Player Nikola Jokić.
DALLAS, TX - NOVEMBER 25: The exterior of the American Airlines Center prior to a game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Indiana Pacers on November 25, 2008 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2008 NBAE (Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
The Dallas Mavericks are moving arenas.
Following the conclusion of the 2030-2031 season — which marks the end of the team’s 30-year lease with the city of Dallas — the Mavericks will move north to where the old Valley View Mall used to be in northern Dallas to play their home games.
The Mavericks moved to the American Airlines Center in 2001 after leaving Reunion Arena for a “state of the art arena.” The team entered into a co-lease with the Dallas Stars to play their home games there for 30 seasons with team options to extend throughout the agreement. The team informed the city today that it would not be renewing its lease and purchased 104 acres of land where the old mall used to be.
The Stars have been in talks in recent weeks to move to an arena in Plano as well, completely deserting downtown and leaving it with only one major sports team — the Dallas Wings. The Wings currently play home games in Arlington’s College Park Center but will reportedly move to downtown Dallas for the 2027 season.
There had been speculation over the last few months that Dallas City Hall could be a new location for an arena that would keep the team in downtown Dallas where it’s been since the team’s inception in 1980, but the City Council has dragged its feet in recent meetings over whether to demolish the building or invest in renovating the structure for City Council use.
The Mavericks were done waiting.
The move ends an era in downtown Dallas sports history. The Mavericks will have played their first 51 seasons of basketball in the area before moving north in 2031 to build an entertainment district and new arena that the Dallas Morning News estimates could impact the city’s sports landscape for decades.
The team plans to build a new corporate headquarters, training facility, a luxury hotel, and a separate 5,000-seat theater for concerts and smaller sporting events, DMN reported Monday.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Stephen Curry has a new long-term shoe and apparel deal with Chinese sportswear company Li-Ning.
The Golden State star's Curry Brand announced Monday the partnership to keep building Curry's global reach in basketball, golf and lifestyle. Curry and Li-Ning will team up on brand creation and product development along with sports culture initiatives with what they called “a shared commitment to inspiring the next generation of athletes around the world.”
Curry called it "the partnership of a lifetime.” He wore the Li-Ning shoes of both Dwyane Wade and teammate Jimmy Butler earlier this year during what was considered a sneaker free-agency process.
The 38-year-old Curry parted ways with Under Armour last November after more than a decade, then began wearing different shoes almost nightly the rest of the season — pulling pairs from a large crate parked by his locker at Chase Center.
Mamdani signed an executive order on June 1 declaring that bedtimes had been "repealed" during the series as they "should not impede the ability of New York's Cutest to cheer for the Knicks and watch every second."
He was joined at the signing ceremony by a group of children clad in Knicks colors who "signed" the order with their handprints.
"As Mayor, you’re forced to make many difficult decisions. This was not one of them," Mamdani said in a post on X, adding "Go Knicks."
Every game in the series between the Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs is set to start at 8:30 p.m. ET. Games 1, 3 and 4 are on school nights. If needed, Game 6 will also be on a school night as the Knicks try to win the best-of-seven series.
When was the last time the Knicks made the finals?
It is the first time the Knicks have made the finals since 1999, when they were bested by the Tim Duncan and David Robinson-led Spurs in five games.
The end of the 27-year drought has largely united the basketball-mad city with Mike Greenberg, host of ESPN’s "Get Up", previously telling USA TODAY Sports that "the Knicks being in the Finals is bigger in New York than the Super Bowl.”
Steph Curry continues to connect from long range. Even when it comes to shoe deals.
The Golden State Warriors star signed a 10-year endorsement contract with Chinese company Li-Ning, according to ESPN’s Sham Charania, citing industry sources on Monday, June 1.
During Curry’s 17-year NBA career, he has remained loyal to the Warriors but been more flexible with his endorsement deals.
Curry began his NBA career in 2009 with a Nike deal that lasted four years. He left the Swoosh for Under Armour, and that relationship lasted until Curry and the company parted ways in 2025.
Now Curry is taking his brand overseas by signing what ESPN characterized as “landmark’’ deal at Li-Ning that “expands his Curry Brand venture globally.’’
The deal, according to ESPN, will include basketball products, athleisure lifestyle wear, a full golf line and the ability for Curry to sign male and female athletes under his brand.
Jimmy Butler and Dwayne Wade are two of Li-Ning’s clients.
We may only be a couple of days away from a fascinating NBA Finals, but the league's offseason rumor mill is starting to spin faster and faster as we move towards the NBA Draft, when we can expect some big moves —likely starting with a decision about the headliner this summer, Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Here are the latest rumors.
Miami, Portland pushing for Antetokounmpo
While Antetokounmpo may be the biggest name in the rumor mill — and the first domino that has to fall this offseason — the buzz continues to be that the market for him is a bit tepid so far.
After the Cavaliers were swept out of the playoffs by the Knicks, speculation about them jumping in the Antetokounmpo mix started to pop up, with Evan Mobley as the star player headed back to Milwaukee. However there are people in Cleveland's brain trust who are "vehemently" against trading Mobley — a 24-year-old former Defensive Player of the Year — reports Chris Fedor at Cleveland.com.
The Cavs love Mobley, they believe in him and there are multiple members of the Cleveland brain trust that would be vehemently against a Giannis-Mobley swap, as the 2025 Defensive Player of the Year and Second-Team All-NBA selection is viewed as not only a future star but also a proverbial safety net when it comes to another rebuild.
No Cavaliers. With New York about to tip off in the NBA Finals, it is not about to blow up its roster for Antetokounmpo. So far, two teams are pushing their way to the front of the line, reports Marc Stein at The Stein Line.
More and more, with sources saying Miami and Portland are already in pursuit, Antetokounmpo's future is increasingly expected to be resolved over the next few weeks in conjunction with NBA Draft proceedings.
There reportedly is some level of mutual interest between the Heat and Antetokounmpo. No doubt Portland's new owner is pushing for this but there is no way Antetokounmpo is jumping to a play-in team in the West.
Lu Dort to become available?
Oklahoma City's price tag is about to skyrocket — it will be the most expensive team in the NBA next season as the max contract extensions for Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams kick in. With that, there will be some cost-cutting.
Look for Lu Dort to be the odd man out, league sources told NBC Sports. Dort has a $17.7 million team option and is an elite perimeter defender, but on a roster with Alex Caruso, Cason Wallace and a host of other good defenders, OKC can handle the loss. The Thunder can either trade him or just outright release him. That, plus a renegotiation of Isaiah Hartenstein's contract are two easy steps to save a lot of money in OKC.
We're not the only ones hearing this. While sticking up for Chet Holmgren on Run It Back, Lou Williams said, "Lu Dort will be the adjustment."
Nuggets may look to trade Christian Braun, Cam Johnson
As Nuggets president Josh Kroenke said after his team was eliminated in the first round, every player who is not a Serbian native who loves horses could be traded this summer.
That said, Christian Braun was always the most likely to be on the move because other players are locked in (Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray are on max deals, Aaron Gordon's new extension kicks in next season) and how clear the value of Payton Watson to Denver was shown by his absence during that playoff loss. Marc Stein talked about that in his latest newsletter.
There is a growing belief leaguewide that the Nuggets will explore their potential trade options with Christian Braun as well as Cam Johnson in a bid to create financial flexibility for matching offers to restricted free agent Peyton Watson and perhaps further retooling of Nikola Jokić's supporting cast.
Clippers might trade down in draft
The Clippers lucked into the No. 5 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft as part of the Ivica Zubac trade with Indiana — but they may not keep it.
Writing about the idea that Oklahoma City could trade up near the top of the draft (don't bet on it, teams don't want to help out the Thunder and their GM Sam Presti isn't going to overpay to get this done), Kevin O’Connor at Yahoo Sports wrote about the Clippers.
League sources widely expect the Clippers to listen to trade-down offers for the fifth pick.
There continues to be hesitation about all things Clippers as we wait for the NBA's investigation into alleged salary cap circumvention to conclude and a punishment to be handed down. (There is zero chance those investigation results drop during the NBA Finals, Adam Silver does not want to upstage these games.)
Steph Curry announces 10-year shoe deal after leaving Under Armour.
Stephen Curry ended his sneaker free agency Monday by signing a massive new deal with Li-Ning that will expand Curry Brand on a global scale.
According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, the Golden State Warriors superstar has signed a 10-year “landmark” shoe deal with Chinese company Li-Ning, a move that officially ends his brief period on the open market and expands his Curry Brand venture on a global scale.
Steph Curry announces 10-year shoe deal after leaving Under Armour. Getty Images
Per Charania, the agreement “extends his Curry Brand venture globally and encompasses basketball products, athleisure, the ability for Curry to sign athletes under his brand, and a full golf line,” giving Curry unprecedented control and reach within the performance and lifestyle space.
Curry confirmed the partnership on social media, marking the next chapter of a signature brand that began after he parted ways with Under Armour following a 13-year run. In November, he announced he had moved on from that partnership as an opportunity for broader growth rather than a reset.
“Under Armour believed in me early in my career and gave me the space to build something much bigger and more impactful than a shoe,” Curry said in a previous statement. “I’ll always be grateful for that… I’m excited for a future that’s focused on aggressive growth.”
Charania also reported Curry chose Li-Ning over several competing offers after testing shoes tied to NBA peers, including Jimmy Butler and Dwyane Wade, both of whom are associated with the brand.
Li-Ning’s growing NBA footprint already includes players like CJ McCollum and D’Angelo Russell, along with Wade as a longtime ambassador, as the company continues expanding its global sports and lifestyle presence.
Curry missed about two months with a right knee injury, but returned to play for the Warriors in early April. He finished the remainder of the regular season and participated in the team’s play-in games.
Against the Clippers he logged 35 points, one rebound, and four assists. He shot an incredibly efficient 12-for-23 from the field (including 7-for-12 from 3-point range), sparking a massive fourth-quarter comeback to win 126-121, but struggled to find his usual magic in the Warriors losing effort against the Suns. He shot 4-for-16 from the field and 3-10 from beyond the arc.
Isaiah Hartenstein almost had the chance to face off with his former Knicks teammates in the NBA Finals.
The Thunder took the Spurs down to the wire in their quest for back-to-back titles, but they were ultimately defeated in seven games in the Western Conference Finals.
So now, instead, Hartenstein will be stuck watching the action from home.
While he’d obviously rather be going head-to-head against his good friends on the biggest stage, he’s going to be rooting for them to get the job done.
“I’m happy for them,” he said in his end of season interview. “I got there when they were kind of getting back on track and redoing everything a little bit, so what Leon Rose and all of those guys did, to now be in the Finals is cool to see.
“Yeah I’d rather be playing against them, but I’m rooting for them right now -- there’s a lot of guys that I know and I’m still pretty close with over there, so I’m happy for them.”
Hartenstein took his game to another level during his two seasons with the Knicks, and he parlayed that into a big money three-year deal upon hitting free agency.
The big man was able to carry that success into his first two years with the Thunder, securing his first ring and averaging 10.3 points and 10.1 boards as part of their ferocious frontcourt.
He faces a bit of an uncertain future in OKC, though, with the final year of his pact being a $28.5M team option.
If declined, Hartenstein could find himself on the open market once again this offseason.
DALLAS (AP) — The Dallas Mavericks have a preliminary agreement on a site for a new arena that would move the club out of downtown for the first time in 2031, a year after the franchise's 50th anniversary.
The Mavericks said Monday the agreement is for 104 acres on the former site of a mall about 10 miles north of downtown. Demolition of Valley View Mall in north Dallas was completed three years ago.
The team also was considering a downtown site at the current location of City Hall. The Dallas City Council is deep into deliberations over whether to renovate or replace that building.
Mavericks CEO Rick Welts has said the club wanted to have the potential site settled by July in order to be able to complete construction of a new arena by 2031, when the lease with American Airlines Center expires.
Welts and Mavericks governor Patrick Dumont have made it clear for nearly two years that they wanted the club to stay in Dallas, and they wanted to build a basketball-only arena.
The Mavericks and their co-tenant, the NHL's Dallas Stars, are in a legal dispute related to arena relocations for both franchises. The Stars are considering whether to remain in American Airlines Center or build their own arena in Dallas or one of the suburbs.
The Mavericks brought Welts out of retirement with the intention of putting him in charge of the arena project. Before he retired, Welts led the Golden State Warriors' move to the Chase Center in San Francisco after that franchise had spent the previous 50 years in Oakland.
“We have the opportunity to create a vibrant mixed-use destination anchored by a state-of-the-art arena, along with restaurants, entertainment options, public green spaces and family-friendly experiences,” the team said in a statement. “Done thoughtfully and with community engagement, a project of this scale will serve as a meaningful economic catalyst for Dallas and its residents.”
The Mavericks spent their first 21 years at Reunion Arena in the southwest corner of downtown before moving to the AAC a little more than a mile to the north.
One of the sport’s great play-by-play men had to turn down the chance to once again call an NBA game for NBC.
Legendary Knicks announcer Marv Albert, 84, stayed away from the mic even though NBC was interested in bringing him back for a night, as it has often leaned into the nostalgia for the return of NBA games to the network this season. He was offered to call a regular-season game between the 76ers and Spurs,
“It’s funny because NBC had myself and Bob Costas do the opens at the start of the season. And then they wanted me to do a game. I couldn’t do it,” Albert told Sports Illustrated. “I’ve had some voice issues. So, I couldn’t do it, but it would have been nice to do.”
Marv Albert calling a Knicks game on the radio in 1999 New York Post
Albert has still followed the season closely, including the Knicks’ run to their first NBA Finals since 1999, where they will get a rematch with the Spurs.
He was around Knicks basketball on the mic for many of their important moments. Albert was on the radio call for the 1970 and 1973 championship teams and was the play-by-play man for the 1994 NBA Finals for NBC, which the Knicks lost in seven games to the Rockets.
Marv Albert at a boxing event Getty Images
Albert believes that if the Knicks win the championships, the celebration in New York City will be incredible.
“It’ll be over the top,” Albert said. “I remember in ’70, they had a celebration at Gracie Mansion. I remember it was a huge crowd. There were a lot of people who showed up. It was huge. If they win this time around, it’s gonna be off the charts. It’ll be crazy.”
Albert has been around the Knicks since 1963. After graduating from Syracuse University, he called his first game on the radio while his mentor, Marty Glickman, was away in Europe. He became a full-time broadcaster in 1967 and held that position for 37 years before being let go in 2004.
Albert spent 22 years working for NBA over two stints from 1977-1997 and 1999-2002. He also worked for TNT, and the Brooklyn Nets on YES. In 2014, he was inducted into the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association Hall of Fame.
May 9, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Detroit Pistons forward Duncan Robinson (55) reacts after a play against the Cleveland Cavaliers during the second half of game three in the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
There’s beauty in the Pistons being a physical, gritty team in a city like Detroit, and I certainly have bias towards the modern game, but Trajan Langdon and JB Bickerstaff both have to create more opportunities for the long ball this summer.
The Concept of Spacing
To me, spacing is an unselfish act on the basketball court. It’s an attempt to keep distance from the ball or teammates in order to give them the best chance at creating a scoring opportunity. It can pull the help defender far enough away to create a driving lane for your teammate, or it can create an open catch-and-shoot look if the help defender drops into the paint – it’s a win-win situation.
It’s what makes a drive-and-kick offense look so pretty. Last night, Stephon Castle passed Alex Caruso on his way to the rim and drew the help of Chet Holmgren. He kicked it to Keldon Johnson in the corner who found De’Aaron Fox for the open three while the Thunder defense was left scrambling. That’s pretty spacing.
Players who know the value of spacing know the value of three-point shooting. It takes a confident player to prioritize scoring from behind the arc – see 2025 Malik Beasley. Detroit’s young core enjoys scoring at the rim (or has yet to develop a jump shot) and they need complementary players that want to create room for them. Look at the spacing Jared McCain provided on this made three last night:
He might’ve had a cut to the rim for a layup attempt, but McCain instead sticks to what he does best and knocks down an open corner three. He basically has his hands up and ready to shoot from the time he crosses halfcourt. Detroit needs more guys like this – guys that want to take the majority of their shots from deep.
Detroit’s Spacing
With two non-shooters in the starting lineup, Detroit doesn’t have the type of spacing that San Antonio or Oklahoma City does. The Pistons were one of the best teams at scoring inside this season, but they need to find a better balance on the court.
The paint was packed during the postseason. Against Cleveland, one of Cade’s many turnovers came on a possession where he didn’t have a shooter in the corner. With both Ausar and Duren collapsing for an offensive rebound chance, Cunningham didn’t have someone to kick it out to. Compare this to the Spurs clip above where they had a shooter in the corner.
Here’s another Cade TO and one that I wouldn’t put the blame on him. Caris LeVert walks from the corner to block to set an off-ball screen on his own man (?) and it just ends up putting an extra defender right in Cunningham’s way. LeVert had no understanding of spacing as he actively hurt the offense on this possession.
This last one humored me. Ron Holland puts his hands out towards Daniss Jenkins and Tobias Harris to ensured they’re spaced out, but things get cramped quick as Cade misses Ron on the 45 cut.
You can’t knock a player for playing towards his strengths. You can’t knock a coach for putting a player in a position to play towards his strengths. If you’re confident in scoring inside, you’re going to try to get to the rim – as you should!
However, this summer, Trajan Langdon needs to find guys that are confident in letting it fly.
The shot diet of the Pistons needs to have more balance. Detroit was 29/30 in three-point attempts in the regular season and 14/16 throughout the playoffs. They were 5/16 in percentage, however, and that felt like a surprise to me given their spacing struggles in the postseason. Halfcourt offense can become predictable when a shot from outside isn’t feared.
I looked at the top-10 guys in the rotation to see where they were getting majority of their attempts from. I wanted to know what percentage of their shots were two-pointers vs what percentage were three-pointers. To me, it helps give an idea on where a player prioritizes scoring on the court. Here’s what I found:
Player
Minutes Per Game
%FGA 2PT
%FGA 3PT
Cade Cunningham
34.9
69.2%
30.8%
Jalen Duren
28.2
100.0%
0.0%
Tobias Harris
27.7
66.2%
33.8%
Duncan Robinson
27.4
23.2%
76.8%
Ausar Thompson
26.0
95.8%
4.2%
Isaiah Stewart
22.7
70.1%
29.9%
Daniss Jenkins
20.2
65.7%
34.3%
Ron Holland
19.9
63.6%
36.4%
Caris LeVert
19.2
54.0%
46.0%
Javonte Green
17.6
40.3%
59.7%
Only Duncan Robinson and Javonte Green attempted more threes than twos among guys in their main rotation. With Green being Detroit’s 10th-man, Robinson was the only real floor spacer and he was brought off the bench for the final two games. This can’t be the case next year.
This is also why Tobias Harris needs to move to a bench role as Detroit looks to move forward with their core of Cunningham, Thompson, and Duren. While they don’t need someone who shoots as many threes as Robinson, they do need a forward who’s a scoring threat from deep. Play finishers that can knock down a three after a Cade drive-and-kick need to be a priority this summer.
Compare the roster with potential offseason targets for Detroit:
Player
%FGA 2PT
%FGA 3PT
Ayo Dosunmu
62.1%
37.9%
CJ McCollum
55.9%
44.1%
Coby White
49.0%
51.0%
Jabari Smith Jr
49.9%
50.1%
Jrue Holiday
48.9%
51.1%
Kawhi Leonard
64.6%
35.4%
Myles Turner
40.6%
59.4%
Naz Reid
48.6%
51.4%
Norman Powell
54.2%
45.8%
Rui Hachimura
56.1%
43.9%
Trey Murphy III
46.2%
53.8%
I’m all game for adding two 50/50 scorers around the young core. We’ll get into offseason target previews later, but my personal favorites would be Jrue Holiday and Naz Reid.
