Category: NBA

Mannix: How teams are viewing Celtics ahead of pivotal offseason originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The Boston Celtics might be the most fascinating franchise ahead of what could be a very exciting NBA offseason.

The Celtics are one of three teams in the second apron, and based on what their roster could cost next season, it would make sense to shed some salary this summer and create future flexibility.

With superstar forward Jayson Tatum sidelined as he starts a lengthy recovery from Achilles surgery, the Celtics could choose one of several different paths. Do they make a couple minor changes and try to remain competitive in a weak Eastern Conference next season? Or do they take a bit of a step back, make moves with an eye toward the future and look to be a serious contender two seasons from now?

And what does the rest of the league think of the Celtics’ dilemma?

Sports Illustrated’s Chris Mannix answered that question Wednesday on NBC Sports Boston’s The Off C’Season YouTube show.

“Whenever I talk to teams about Boston, they’re almost viewed as a target where they’ve got a little something for everybody,” Mannix said. “If you want a wing player, you can try to pull Sam Hauser out of there. If you need a defensive-minded guard, Jrue Holiday is available. I just think teams are waiting to see how deep the cuts with Boston are going to go. We all know they’re going to slice away some of this payroll.”

Which players could be available if the Celtics are looking to shed salary?

“Hauser, to me, is the most likely candidate to go, just because you have (Baylor) Scheierman there to effectively fill his role,” Mannix said. “I think they’d love to find a home for Jrue Holiday, just because of the contract and where they are as a team. (Kristaps) Porzingis, who knows? I don’t think they want to take on contracts that go on longer than Porzingis’ deal, but he’s certainly available.

“Teams I’ve talked to just aren’t fully sure what Boston wants to do. Do they want to just nibble around the fringes and get under the second apron, or do they really want to reboot this thing, take that full gap year, and go into 2026-27 with Jayson Tatum and some other stuff as the centerpiece of the team?”

Hauser is about to enter the first season of a four-year extension worth $45 million. He is a career 42 percent 3-point shooter and can hold his own defensively. Hauser’s quality outside shooting and modest salary could make him attractive to a bunch of teams.

Holiday has two more years, plus a 2027-28 player option, left on his contract with an average annual salary of $33.6 million. The veteran guard is still a decent scorer, is a very good defensive player and has plenty of championship experience.

Porzingis is entering the final year of his contract with a $30.7 million salary cap hit. The veteran center is a good 3-point shooter and a strong interior defender, but he’s not very durable. Porzingis has played in 99 of a possible 164 regular season games since joining the Celtics.

The Celtics ran it back with their championship roster in 2024-25, and just like the previous five defending champions, they didn’t make it past the second round of the playoffs. Now the hard part has arrived. How will Brad Stevens and his front office staff tweak the roster? It’ll be exciting to watch it all unfold.

Watch the full episode of The Off C’Season in the video below:

Livingston believes Steph injury ‘robbed' Warriors in Wolves series originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Just about a month removed from Steph Curry’s Grade 1 hamstring strain in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals, the “what if” still remains for the Warriors.

Curry’s former teammate, Shaun Livingston, agrees with most fans in saying that the Warriors would have had a chance to defeat the Minnesota Timberwolves had the injury not occurred.

“They definitely have a shot,” Livingston told NBC Sports Bay Area’s Monte Poole on Wednesday. “There’s no question about it. He changes the game, he changes the series and the outlook and the way you strategize for the team.”

The Warriors won Game 1 of the series against Minnesota before dropping the next four games sans Curry.

The 11-time NBA All-Star averaged 24.0 points, 5.7 assists and 5.9 rebounds per game in the Warriors’ first-round series against the Houston Rockets and was locked in Game 1 against the Timberwolves, as he had 13 points in just 13 minutes played prior to sustaining the injury.

“When you have guys that go down like that, it’s just, again, there’s so many ripple effects that come out of a player going down,” Livingston told Poole. “Just all these different second and third order effects, you know, to a guy going down. So, I really feel like obviously the Warriors were robbed in that series with injuries. They put a valiant effort up but again we’ll never know because injuries are just a part of the game.”

Curry, 37, racked up four championships with the Warriors, but the chance at a fifth title run this past season could be a “what if” that’s brought up for the foreseeable future.

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When the Knicks first paired Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns, the offensive possibilities seemed endless. Brunson is one of the best shot creators in the NBA and has elevated as a three-point shooter, especially off the dribble.

Towns is one of the best shooting big men in NBA history. And the stats show it. Towns shot 42 percent from deep during the 2024-25 season and is a career 40 percent shooter from three. The pairing of the two All-Stars worked in a general sense. New York won 51 games and advanced to the Conference Finals.

Brunson (26.0 points) and Towns (24.4 points) both made All-NBA teams and were productive on the floor. But beyond the individual stats, Brunson and Towns didn’t find ideal balance. Both players seemed like two ships passing in the night.

Initially, the Brunson-Towns pick-and-roll was a massive success as New York’s offense was ranked first in offensive efficiency through the first 20 games. However, the team ran fewer of the action as the season progressed. There were some factors hindering the pick-and-roll. With Josh Hart on the floor with both stars, teams would have their centers check Hart and wings defend Towns. Also, Brunson and Towns both seemed more comfortable attacking in isolation or off the drive.

That strategic adjustment allowed teams to switch defensively on the Brunson and Towns pick-and-roll. New York’s offense faded as the season wore on, falling to just 16th in offensive efficiency after the start of the calendar year. It felt like both stars were playing in separate cubicles and not interacting on the floor. Brunson only assisted Towns five times during the Eastern Conference Finals.

Defensive challenges

An even larger concern for the duo was on the defensive end. Both Brunson and Towns are limited defenders. New York was able to reach a passable 13th in defensive efficiency during the regular season. The rest of the Knicks’ core seven-man rotation are plus defenders. New York’s starting lineup asks players like OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges to make up for the limitations of their two stars.

Opposing teams emphasized going after both Brunson and Towns all year long. Defense was an issue for Towns throughout the postseason, as he looked lost at times defending the pick-and-roll. The center was often in no man’s land, backing up towards the basket and conceding open looks to players like Jayson Tatum and Tyrese Haliburton at various points of the playoffs. New York’s season essentially ended with Haliburton hunting Towns over and over again for midrange floaters down the stretch of Game 6.

In the playoffs, New York was outscored by 3.39 points per 100 possessions in 493 minutes with both Brunson and Towns playing together according to PBP Stats. Lineups with just one of either player on the floor were more effective.

After the Knicks let go of head coach Tom Thibodeau on Tuesday afternoon, the next head coach in line will face a tall task. They will have to find a way to optimize Brunson and Towns where both players are able to be their best selves on offense and fit together.

New York’s defense will always have a ceiling based on Brunson and Towns’ deficiencies on that end of the floor. But improving the offense—which ranked fifth during the regular season—is possible. There’s some low-hanging fruit. New York doesn’t generate many three-pointers. Under Thibodeau, the Knicks didn't rely on ball movement often. Finding a better way to utilize both stars would be a step in the right direction. New York could feature more five-out lineups with shooting to open up space for drives.

That should be one of the first things the Knicks look at as they pursue candidates. For the next Knicks head coach, finding the right balance for both Brunson and Towns will be the deciding factor in the franchise’s quest to win an NBA championship.

Draymond believes he's the greatest defender in NBA history originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Warriors icon Draymond Green revealed his top-five list of the NBA’s all-time defenders on Wednesday and initially crowned himself the greatest.

“What you should understand about me is that I think I’m number one on that list,” Green declared on the latest edition of the “Draymond Green Show” podcast. “However, I think top five, to go in order, I’m really not a fan of those.”

Though Green shared his list, explaining that there is no order or science to it.

“But who I would regard as my top five defenders of all time? I definitely put myself in that list; Ben Wallace is on that list; in my opinion, Tony Allen is on that list; Tim Duncan is on that list. And the last one on that list? … My fifth would go to – who I did have the opportunity to see very young in my life, but more film around him – Hakeem Olajuwon.”

Green undoubtedly has a strong case for the top spot on his own stacked list.

The 13-year Golden State veteran has found his way onto nine All-Defensive teams and was the 2016-17 Defensive Player of the Year and steals leader. Green has quarterbacked the Warriors’ defense to four NBA championships, too, and also is a four-time All-Star because of his two-way prowess during the franchise’s dynastic era.

Meanwhile, Wallace, Allen, Duncan and Olajuwon all were like Green as defenders, making his choices clearer. They were leaders who gave opposing offenses fits every time they laced ‘em up, just like Green still does to the game’s best scorers and facilitators today.

Green mentioned two other NBA greats who come to mind when considering the game’s greatest defenders, but he mentioned they weren’t included in his list.

“Also, understand that I’m not including Wilt Chamberlain; I’m not including Bill Russell,” Green said. “I didn’t see them play. I have the utmost respect for those guys – the pioneers – the utmost respect. But I’d be lying to you if I’m like, ‘Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain.’ Like, I’d be just going off of stats, and I don’t love when people do that, because there’s an eye test, and I haven’t seen enough of their games to say that. 

“So, understand I’m not excluding them – I was born in 1990, and that’s my only reason for not including them. Saying all of that … my top five in no particular order: myself, Tim Duncan, Ben Wallace, Hakeem and Tony Allen.”

Fair enough.

Green wasn’t alive to witness the greatness of Chamberlain and Russell. But he has been around to see Wallace, Allen, Duncan, Olajuwon and, of course, himself flourish on the defensive side of the court.

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The Knicks have kept their fans on their toes over the past year, once again rocking headlines on Tuesday afternoon when they fired head coach Tom Thibodeau after five of the winningest seasons in recent franchise history.

Now eyes turn to a potential replacement who can take the team to the next level.

Here are the pros and cons of some of the potential candidates...

Johnnie Bryant

Pros: 

-Bryant is a highly respected player development coach, having forged strong bonds with guys over the course of his career, notably Donovan Mitchell while in Utah.
-He spent four seasons in New York as an associate head coach under Tom Thibodeau, watching him lay this foundation that he would get a chance to build further off.
-Having coached under Quin Snyder and Kenny Atkinson has given him a front row look at some of the NBA’s best offensive schemers. 

Cons:

-First-time head coach risk. For a team trying to elevate beyond a legend like Thibodeau and crack the Finals, it’s inherently a big swing to go with a newcomer to the position.
-His relative newness and player-first mentality may not be the strongman approach needed to get the most out of this contending core, and he would be working in a high-pressure New York environment.

Kenny Atkinson

Pros: 

-Renowned player development coach who has elevated the games of Evan Mobley recently and the plucky pre-big-three Brooklyn Nets.
-High-level offensive mind whose hiring boosted the Cleveland Cavaliers record from 48 wins in 2024 to 64 in 2025.
-Over 20 years of coaching experience, including under Steve Kerr and Tyronn Lue.

Cons:

-Untested as a head coach in deep playoff runs, his Cavaliers team flamed out in the 2025 postseason.
-Was fired from the Nets in part due to struggles with managing star personalities. 

Mike Malone

Pros:

-2023 NBA championship winning coach with over 30 years of experience.
-Strong defensive coach with high-level winning mentality. 
-Was a Knicks assistant from 2001-2005, so some experience coaching this franchise under his belt.

Cons:

-Has been critiqued for many of the things that got Thibodeau dismissed, such as a lack of adaptability and unwillingness to play and develop young players. 
-May not bring enough of a shakeup offensively, was similarly reliant on a one-man show in his time in Denver.

Jay Wright

Pros:

-Two-time NCAA champion with Villanova, known for building championship cultures.-Coached Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart and Mikal Bridges at the collegiate level.

Cons:

-No NBA head coaching experience.-Transitions from the college level for any name are hit-or-miss.

Jeff Van Gundy

Pros:

-Fan favorite, deep roots with the Knicks including leading them to a 1999 Finals appearance.-Decades of coaching experience, including long playoff runs and dealing with multiple high-profile personalities.

Cons:

-Hasn’t been an NBA head coach since 2007-May be some concerns with transitioning to the modern game.

Mike Brown

Pros:

-Over 25 years of NBA coaching experience, including two Coach of the Year awards-Known for being player-first with a strong defensive mindset.

Cons:

-Shaky playoff resume, lots of cases of underperformance.-May not bring the offensive innovation the Knicks need.

Mike Budenholzer

Pros:

-NBA champion in 2021 and architect of the starless 60-win 2014-15 Atlanta Hawks team, two-time Coach of the Year. -Descends from the Spurs' coaching tree under Gregg Popovich and has seen his assistants grow into strong NBA coaches themselves.

Cons:

-Often on the brink of dismissal.-Similarly to Thibodeau, he has struggled with in-game adjustments during high-level playoff series.

Suns hiring Cavaliers assistant Jordan Ott as next head coach: Report originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Phoenix Suns’ coaching carousel has made another stop.

Phoenix is hiring Cleveland Cavaliers assistant Jordan Ott to be the franchise’s next head coach, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported on Wednesday.

Ott and fellow Cavs assistant Johnnie Bryant reportedly were among the finalists for the Suns’ head coaching job. Suns star Devin Booker was involved in the hiring process and had Ott as his top choice, Charania reported.

Ott will become the Suns’ eighth head coach since the franchise selected Booker in the first round of the 2015 NBA Draft. Only one of Ott’s predecessors has held onto his position for more than two years (Monty Williams, 2019-23).

Phoenix has fired its head coach after each of the last three seasons. Williams was fired after a second straight second-round playoff exit in 2022-23, Frank Vogel was one-and-done after a first-round playoff defeat in 2023-24 and Mike Budenholzer’s lone season with the team resulted in a 36-46 record with no playoff berth.

Ott has been coaching in the NBA since 2012. His previous stops include the Brooklyn Nets, Los Angeles Lakers and Cavaliers.

One player Ott may not get the opportunity to coach in Phoenix is Kevin Durant. The 15-time All-Star is expected to have a “robust market of approximately four to six seriously interested teams this offseason,” Charania reported.

Draymond offers brutally honest NBA Finals take after Knicks' loss originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

You either win an NBA championship, or go home empty-handed. There is no consolation prize.

A team might make it all the way to the end, but if they don’t win, they’re in the same boat as the 28 other teams who are trying to figure out what they need to do to successfully scale the NBA mountaintop.

Warriors forward Draymond Green knows a thing or two — or four — about winning a championship, but he also is familiar with the sting of losing in the NBA Finals, and explained on the latest episode of “The Draymond Green Show with Baron Davis” podcast a brutally-honest perspective on teams, like the New York Knicks, for example, who found themselves close to reaching the Finals before losing to the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference finals, but were not close to hoisting the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy.

“If you want me to be quite honest with you, I personally think making it to the NBA Finals is one of the worst seasons you can have,” Green said. “And the reason being … going to the NBA Finals and winning a championship, those two things are so far apart. You can get to the NBA Finals and not be close to winning an NBA championship.

“Making it to a conference finals, you’re so far away from winning a championship, and it looks like it’s close because you’re one series away.”

The Knicks, just like the Minnesota Timberwolves, who lost to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference finals, had a successful season. By most accounts. However, without that championship trophy, Green believes those teams are left doing a similar level of soul-searching as other teams around the league.

“Even if the Knicks made it to the NBA Finals and didn’t win it, that’s not some accomplishment to me,” Green added. “You get nothing for making the NBA Finals except a couple tens of thousands of dollars more than the conference final loser and you get another three weeks short of summer.

“You walk with nothing. The [other] team goes on and celebrates and has this incredible summer and you’re kind of left stuck trying to figure out ‘Were we really close? Do we need to run it back with this team? What’s the tweak we need to make?'”

That soul-searching in the wake of disappointment might lead a team down the wrong path.

“‘You’re kind of left in this position of ‘Ahh, maybe we’re one tweak away.’ But what you should understand about this thing is one tweak could actually, it’s like Jenga sometimes, one tweak on a roster could make the whole thing fall.”

Could that one wrong tweak be the Knicks firing coach Tom Thibodeau on Tuesday, for example?

While New York and Minnesota might be kicking themselves for failing to make the Finals, either the Pacers or the Thunder soon will be in the same boat, regardless of if they made it all the way.

“Yeah, making it to the Finals is great, but if you don’t win it, it’s almost worse,” Green concluded. “You might as well have lost in the first round.”

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I was in Oklahoma City last month as the Thunder clinched their Western Conference semi-final against the Nuggets in Game 7, and saw first-hand the Thunder run Denver off the court. The game wasn’t even close. The Thunder outplayed them on both sides of the court.

Defensively, Thunder coach Mark Daigneault put the 6ft 5in Alex Caruso on in the 6ft 11in Nikola Jokić and, surprisingly, it worked. With Chet Holmgren or Isaiah Hartenstein providing help-side support, I watched a frustrated Jokić struggle to get to his spots. His usual tricks – flopping, drawing fouls – didn’t work. The Thunder defense moved in perfect sync, and it completely disrupted Denver’s rhythm.

It was absolutely beautiful to watch. The Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was named league MVP shortly afterwards, beating Jokić into second, and he thoroughly deserved the award.

Their superior defense was on display again in the Western Conference finals against the Minnesota Timberwolves. In the Game 5 win that sealed the Thunder’s progress to the NBA finals, I watched them destroy the Timberwolves and defense was once again the key. Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards described the Thunder’s defense as: “One string, 15 puppets on one string.”

Related: The New York Knicks’ season is over, but a divisive inquest has only just begun

That’s what’s driven their rise all year. In a league where defense is often overlooked or criticized, the Thunder have made it their identity. And now, they’re just four wins away from an NBA title.

But as I have been enjoying this current Thunder team, I can’t help but think back to the Thunder team I played for in 2010.

The Thunder are heavily favored to beat the Indiana Pacers in the NBA finals, which start on Thursday, and they are the youngest team to ever make the finals since … the Thunder did so with a whole different cast in 2012. But I can say with 100% confidence, that if the Thunder kept that team – with Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, James Harden, and Serge Ibaka – they would have won multiple championships.

Back in 2009-2010, when I was part of the roster, the Thunder were extremely young. Scott Brooks was the coach. It was James Harden’s rookie year. I remember when I first met him, he shook my hand and said: “Nice to meet you sir. I grew up watching you play in college with Syracuse. You was blocking everything and dunking everything”

That’s when I realized I was now the old man in the room. But it also hit me – Harden was in the same position I’d once been in when I joined the Washington Wizards as a rookie, meeting guys like Michael Jordan, Patrick Ewing, Charles Oakley and Christian Laettner.

Throughout that season, myself, Kevin Ollie and Nick Collison, who were some of the elder statesmen on the team, would sit and watch the younger guys, shaking our heads and saying, “These young cats have no idea how good they are going to be”.

It all started with KD.

He was the youngest player to ever lead the league in scoring at the time. And his work ethic was something I had never seen before.

I remember after one practice, KD was doing this drill he liked – playing one-on-one against an invisible defender. But he went at it with the intensity of someone competing in the NBA finals. Every move was as sharp and deliberate as possible. Everything was at game speed.

After practice, we all went in – showered, ate, got treatment, talked. Some of the coaches watched film with players. Then we came back out to the court, and KD was still out there, going full speed with his one-on-one moves. Dripping with sweat. He’d been at it for nearly two hours.

I had never seen that kind of focus before. But when the team’s star is working that hard, everyone else falls in line-and that’s exactly what happened. The whole team rose to his level. Even after someone had a big game, they were back in the gym the next day, working like they’d just lost. They were running defensive slides and drills in the middle of the season, when most teams were cutting practice time.

Harden fell right in line and worked hard every day. Even when he made rookie mistakes, he picked up the work ethic quickly. It was clear – if KD didn’t have a problem being criticized, Harden couldn’t either.

I watched Harden study KD closely – how hard he worked on his shot, his offensive moves, his cuts to the basket, how he moved without the ball. Even after dropping 40 the night before, KD went right back to work. And Harden noticed.

Then there was Russell Westbrook – fearless, relentless. He trained harder than anyone and played like a Tasmanian devil, all intensity and energy. He’d pick up full court, never taking a play off. I remember Coach Brooks telling the staff, “If we don’t get this guy to slow down, he’s going to wear himself out.” But he never did. He just kept going – full speed, all the time.

Westbrook was being mentored by Maurice Cheeks, who really took him under his wing, guiding and encouraging him. I remember hearing them talk on the plane after games – you could feel the intensity and passion in Russ’s voice. That hunger was real, and it was going to take him far. And it did.

Then there was Jeff Green – one of the most underappreciated players on that Thunder team, in my opinion. He was an integral part of their success. He never complained about shots, touches, or a lack of recognition. He just showed up and did his job. Too quick for most power forwards, too strong for most small forwards, and incredibly efficient. He didn’t back down from anyone. And his ability to guard positions 2 through 5 made him invaluable.

Ibaka was young, athletic, and raw – but he was soaking everything in. He watched KD’s work ethic, Westbrook’s intensity, Green’s professionalism, Harden’s shooting (he even did all the shooting drills Harden did on his own time), and Thabo Sefolosha’s defensive awareness. Thabo, by the way, was also a key part of that team.

Let me be clear: I’m not placing blame on the organization or any player for why this group didn’t stay together and become a dynasty. But the talent was there. And they were only going to get better. This will go down as one of the biggest what-ifs in NBA history – not if they would’ve won a title together, but how many they could have won if they’d stayed together.

This current OKC team has similar levels of talent. But this time, there’s a real chance to finish what they started. And with the NBA finals starting Thursday, they have the chance to begin a championship run – one that could last for years.

• Etan Thomas played in the NBA from 2000 through 2011. He is a published poet, activist and motivational speaker

How Duke guard Sion James fits mold of prospect Warriors want in 2025 NBA Draft originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Youth was the way for the Duke Blue Devils’ men’s basketball team this past season. Their oldest starter, a fifth-year graduate student senior, could be a match for the Warriors with their second-round draft pick in three weeks.

Duke’s three freshmen, Cooper Flagg, Kon Knueppel, and Khaman Maluach, are all likely to be top-10 picks in the 2025 NBA Draft. The trio led the storied program to their best season under coach Jon Scheyer, reaching the Final Four and losing in devastating fashion down the stretch to Houston. Still, their 35-4 record matched Coach K’s final championship team a decade ago in 2015. They left their mark in their one and only season in Durham. 

So did Sion James. 

The Georgia native spent his first four years of college at Tulane, where he progressively improved over time. Season by season, James had higher points per game and rebounds per game. By his fourth-year junior season, James averaged 14.0 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.7 steals per game while turning himself into a 38.1 percent 3-point shooter. After four years, James finally started seeing the vision of being an NBA prospect. 

“I really started to see it by the time I got to the end of my time at Tulane,” James said Tuesday at Chase Center. “I started to recognize that I was just continually improving and that the NBA dream wasn’t as far-fetched.”

Season-high 13 tonight for @SionJames14 in 34 minutes pic.twitter.com/OHFqvcDr3J

— Duke Men’s Basketball (@DukeMBB) January 28, 2025

His mission wasn’t complete. To put the kind of stamp James wanted on his college career and to set himself up for the most success at the next level, he transferred to Duke to join a star-studded cast for his fifth and final college season. James was a standout at the NBA Draft Combine and has been meeting with a handful of teams since. His latest stop was in San Francisco, where James was part of a pre-draft workout Tuesday on the Warriors’ practice court. 

When James really started to watch the NBA and analyze it deeply, the Warriors were in the midst of their dynasty. Pictures of stars like Steph Curry, Kevin Durant, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson celebrating championships are inspiring for all, James included. Looking at the current construction of the Warriors, James knows he’d be an instant fit. 

“I’d be awesome,” James said. “I’d love to. It’s really cool watching how everything works out. I think it’d be a great fit, and as the process continues to go and I continue working on my game, we’ll see how it all plays out.” 

The 6-foot-5 shooting guard/wing fits the mold of what the Warriors are looking for. James will be 23 years old in December and wouldn’t be a project after playing 153 college games, including 139 starts. The Warriors need size and shooting everywhere. Size isn’t just a 7-foot center. The Warriors need positional size up and down the roster. 

Every team is on the hunt for a defensive-minded wing who can let it rip from deep. James checks both boxes. 

Shooting always came secondary for him. James was a 28 percent 3-point shooter as a freshman, 33.3 percent as a sophomore and went back down to 31.7 percent in his third year. He shot just 68.9 percent from the free-throw line over four years at Tulane. Then in his one year as a Blue Devil, James had a 41.3 3-point percentage and made 81 percent of his free throws. 

“It was something that was a weakness of mine early on, and I’ve worked really hard to make it a strength. It’s really just come from dedication,” James said. “From shooting every day and working every day and knowing that the work will pay off.

“And it really started to my last two years in school. I feel like I didn’t really do anything different. I just started making the opportunities that I got, and I’ve got an opportunity to keep going from here.”

Being a trusted 3-point shooter came with a whole lot of reps and work. As did building an NBA body. 

James began college at 185 pounds. He left at 220, looking more like a rangy outside linebacker who can drop into coverage than a lanky hooper. His strength and defensive acumen caught some eyes at the combine with multiple steals and swipe downs during the scrimmage portion. 

James, in the first scrimmage, put together 10 points, four steals and one blocked shot. The next day, he registered seven points with another four steals and three blocked shots in his second scrimmage.

Sion James has been a defensive stalwart in today’s combine scrimmages.

6’6, 8’4 reach — exceptional instinct, physicality + defensive playmaking on display. A surefire impact player that’ll be a STEAL in the 2nd round. pic.twitter.com/YCz4i9lM7T

— Mohamed (@mcfNBA) May 15, 2025

The playoffs are the proof in the pudding right now. Players at James’ size with his experience, defensive tenacity and ability to knock down an open three simply bring more wins than losses. 

“The Pacers are a prime example I can think of right off the top,” James said. “You’ve got multiple guys who are all under the ball handlers every single possession, making their life hard. It takes will to do that, but it also takes the physical profile and I’m lucky that I’ve been blessed with that and also been able to develop that over time. It’s really just trying to be that kind of player, someone who makes life hard for opposing players. 

“The Celtics had guys like that last year during their run with Jrue Holiday and Derrick White in the backcourt. Those are guys I’ve been watching as well. Holiday is especially someone who can really get up into the ball and make it hard for opposing players.”

If Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy wants more of his alma mater to represent Golden State, James, an ACC All-Defense selection, makes plenty of sense when the Warriors are on the clock at No. 41 overall as a possible second-round steal who can contribute right away.

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Celtics player spotlight: Can Xavier Tillman fill larger role in 2025-26? originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Xavier Tillman Sr. was acquired by the Boston Celtics before the 2024 NBA trade deadline, and he gave them some good minutes in the playoffs during their championship run.

But he was not able to build on that momentum during the 2024-25 campaign.

Tillman was limited to just 33 games for the Celtics this past season. He appeared in 54 games between the C’s and Grizzlies in 2023-24.

What can we expect from Tillman going forward?

As we continue our “Celtics Player Spotlight” series, let’s recap Tillman’s 2024-25 season and analyze how he fits into Boston’s lineup for 2025-26:

2024-25 Season Recap

Despite the Celtics losing Kristaps Porzingis for 40 games and managing 39-year-old veteran Al Horford’s workload, Tillman still wasn’t able to carve out a consistent role in the frontcourt. He averaged 13.7 minutes, 4.0 points and 2.7 rebounds per game in 20 appearances for Boston post-trade deadline in 2023-24, but those numbers dipped to 7.0 minutes, 1.0 point and 1.3 rebounds per game this season.

Tillman went from getting real minutes in the 2024 NBA Finals to only appearing in one playoff game this season — the end of Game 6 against the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Tillman shot just 24.5 percent from the field and 15.6 percent from 3-point range. He hasn’t provided much offense at all, and his inability to be even somewhat of a threat from beyond the arc is concerning.

Tillman is an above-average defender who’s versatile enough to guard players on the perimeter and handle centers in the paint. But for him to earn a regular spot in the rotation, he has to give the C’s some kind of offensive spark off the bench.

Contract details

Tillman has one more year left on his contract. His salary cap hit for 2025-26 is $2.55 million, per Spotrac.

Eric Canha-Imagn Images

Potential roles for 2025-26

Scenario 1: Tillman helps C’s address lack of frontcourt depth

Tillman played a meaningful role in the Grizzlies’ playoff rotation two years ago, and he was given playoff minutes for the Celtics in 2023-24. He has shown an ability to be a useful player off the bench.

The Celtics could be lacking in frontcourt depth next season if Al Horford and/or Luke Kornet depart in free agency. In that case, Tillman likely would compete with Neemias Queta for more minutes.

Scenario 2: Tillman’s offense continues to struggle, role is mostly unchanged

The Joe Mazzulla-led Celtics take a ton of 3-pointers. They set league records this season for 3-point shots attempted and made. But you don’t have to be a lights-out shooter to thrive in this system — Luke Kornet has become a very effective player despite shooting almost no 3-pointers.

The difference with Kornet is that he’s able to score in other ways, particularly on pick-and-roll plays and lobs. Tillman has not shown that kind of ability on a consistent basis in Boston.

If Tillman worked on his 3-point shot in the offseason and was able to hit around 30 percent of his attempts next season, that would make him a lot more playable. Shooting 24.5 percent from the floor and 15.4 percent from 3-point range isn’t going to cut it.

Final thoughts

The Celtics shouldn’t give up on Tillman. When healthy, he can play 10-15 minutes per game and provide good defense and maybe a little scoring. He’s also making very little money, which is valuable to a team like the Celtics that has an expensive roster in the second apron. The C’s need as many low-cost contributors as they can get.

A few thoughts on the Knicks relieving Tom Thibodeau of his duties and what’s next for the franchise...

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It’s hard to remember now, but things weren’t going well in Jalen Brunson’s first few weeks as a Knick. In early December of 2022, Luka Doncic and the Mavericks embarrassed the Knicks at home, outscoring New York by 26 in the third quarter of an easy win. The Knicks had lost six of eight and were getting booed at The Garden. They hosted Donovan Mitchell and the Cavaliers the next night. Thibodeau’s job was certainly on the line at that point. If Thibodeau was going down, team president Leon Rose was going down with him, according to people familiar with the matter.

The Knicks beat the Cavs that night and reeled off eight straight wins, changing the season and changing the immediate fate of Rose and Thibodeau.

You know how things played out from there. Behind Brunson, New York went on to win its first playoff series in 10 years that spring, beating the Cavs in the first round.

They won a first-round series the next season and won two series this spring, making the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in 25 years.

So why did Rose fire Thibodeau three days after the end of the Knicks’ most successful season in decades? Why was he willing to go down with Thibodeau in 2022 but willing to separate himself from the coach less than three seasons later?

The word out of the Knicks on Tuesday was that the team needed a new voice. They appreciated everything Thibodeau had done, but they didn’t view him as the right coach to get them to their ultimate goal: an NBA title.

“Everything now is looked at that way; it’s about winning (a championship),” one person familiar with the decision said.

ROSE’S CALL?

The decision, ultimately, was Rose’s to make. Yes, owner James Dolan supported the decision to fire Thibodeau. I understand, based on past history, why Knicks fans would think Dolan was being heavy-handed here. He has a long history of getting overly involved in basketball decisions. For what it’s worth, I think he stopped forcing his executives to make decisions once Phil Jackson came aboard as team president. Dolan obviously cares about all moves made and holds his teams to a high standard. But he didn’t force Rose to make a decision that the team president wasn’t comfortable with. IF Rose didn’t want to fire Thibodeau, he would have resigned alongside his head coach on Tuesday.

He didn’t do that, which tells you that he wasn’t forced to do anything against his will here.

MONEY, MONEY, MONEY

The Knicks are obviously making a big bet here. The bet is that the next coach they hire will get them to the next level. The bet is that this decision is worth the $30-plus million to the franchise. That’s the amount of guaranteed money Thibodeau had left on his contract, which was extended last summer.

At least $30 million. That gives you an idea of how strongly Rose felt about the decision and the degree to which Dolan supported it.

MEETING OF THE MINDS

As SNY noted Sunday, the Knicks conducted a review of players and coaches in the post-mortem of this season. The setup of these meetings was different than the traditional exit meeting. Based on what I know, these exit meetings are traditionally conducted by the leading executive. Each player meets individually with the top executive. Sometimes other front office members are present. I’ve heard of at least two instances where the head coach was present.

But this assessment was different. It didn’t involve all of the players. Only a select few were interviewed. I believe Thibodeau was interviewed as well as members of his coaching staff. Dolan was present as well.

So this was less an exit meeting and more of an assessment of what went wrong and what needed to be fixed. Obviously, the end result was Thibodeau getting let go.

So what happens next?

CANDIDATES?

Former Knicks associate head coach Johnnie Bryant is a finalist for the Phoenix Suns job, according to reports. The Suns are reportedly going to make a decision by the end of the week. If you connect the dots, it’s easy to wonder if the Knicks timed the firing of Thibodeau in a way that would allow them to hire Bryant. In talking to people in touch with the team on Tuesday, I don’t think the two events were tied together. I would be surprised if the Knicks made a decision on their next head coach by the end of this week.

Does that mean Bryant isn’t a priority in their search? It could. People in touch with the team recently also downplay the idea of Mike Malone being a slam-dunk hire here.

What about Jay Wright? I don’t see it. Neither does someone who has spent a lot of time around him recently.

My early read is that Dan Hurley isn’t at the top of New York’s initial list. So who is? Marc Stein reported late Tuesday that Ime Udoka and Jason Kidd are two coaches who are said to intrigue the Knicks. Udoka is a name that I’d heard as well. To hire Udoka, the Knicks would have to get permission from Houston and give the Rockets compensation to let Udoka out of his deal.

I can’t see Dallas even entertaining the idea of letting Kidd go.

Knicks executive Gersson Rosas hired Chris Finch in Minnesota. But the Timberwolves just reached consecutive Western Conference Finals under Finch. Why would they allow him to leave?

The Knicks have to have plans that don’t involve a current head coach leaving his team. Mike Brown, Frank Vogel, Mike Budenholzer, Monty Williams and Taylor Jenkins are among coaches with experience who are available. Jeff Van Gundy is back in coaching, but I would bet a significant amount of money that Van Gundy wouldn’t take the job even if he were offered it. Why would he take a job that was vacated by his close friend?

WHAT ABOUT THE CURRENT STAFF/RICK BRUNSON?

The follow-up question from many media members on Tuesday was about the future of Rick Brunson, Jalen’s father and Thibodeau’s lead assistant. I can’t see the Knicks forcing any coach to keep Brunson. But I also don’t think they would have to force the issue. If you’re a new head coach and you want to connect with the face of your franchise, would you want to piss him off by firing his dad? It doesn’t strike me as a logical move.

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR THE ROSTER/PURSUIT OF GIANNIS?

That’s unclear. Even before Thibodeau was fired, it seemed that the most likely path for the Knicks was to add a rotation player or two via free agency. The pie-in-the-sky scenario is the Knicks trading for Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo. But that was the case before the firing of Thibodeau. As it was, the odds of New York landing Antetokounmpo were not good. To make a deal happen, Antetokounmpo would have to request a trade and ask Milwaukee to send him specifically to New York. Milwaukee would have to work with Antetokounmpo on sending him to New York while eschewing stronger offers from other teams. So there are several massive hurdles in the way of Antetokounmpo to New York. The Knicks, like every other NBA team, will monitor the Antetokounmpo situation. But so much has to fall into place for them to have a shot at landing him.

What about Kevin Durant? I believe that it’s unlikely that the Knicks would ultimately pull the trigger on a trade for him.

FREE MEALS FOR THIBS

Whether you loved Thibodeau, hated him or fell somewhere in between, you have to acknowledge the strong record he had in New York. The Knicks reached the conference final this season for the first time in 25 years. They won 50-plus games in consecutive seasons for the first time since 1993-94 and 1994-95. They made the playoffs in four of Thibodeau’s five seasons. They also won at least one playoff series in three consecutive seasons. From 2000-01 to 2019-20, the Knicks had won just one playoff series in total. So even Thibodeau’s biggest detractor would acknowledge that he helped build a winning culture here.

If the Knicks and their next head coach win the title, Thibodeau should be among the group of players/coaches/execs who never have to pay for a meal in New York again.

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