According to Marc Berman, David Blatt’s contract with the Knicks has expired and the two sides have decided to part ways.
Blatt joined the Knicks front office as basketball operations consultant last December.
Knicks and David Blatt will part ways as his consulting agreement has expired, The Post has learned. He leaves on good terms with new president Leon Rose. Was brought in originally by president Steve Mills, former Princeton teammate.
— Marc Berman (@NYPost_Berman) April 15, 2020
Kansas sophomore point guard Devon Dotson announced he’s declaring for the NBA draft.
Dotson plans on staying in the draft, according to Stadium’s Jeff Goodman.
Fonte: Devon Dotson Instagram.
The Chicago Bulls have moved John Paxson to an advisory role and GM Gar Forman has been dismissed after the official hiring of Arturas Karnisovas as Executive Vice President of basketball operations.
Fonte: Marc Stein.
The Chicago Bulls announced today that the team has hired Arturas Karnisovas (Car-NISH-O-Vas) as Executive Vice President – Basketball Operations. In this role, Karnisovas will be responsible for all decisions made in Chicago’s basketball operations department.
“Arturas is one of the most respected basketball executives in the NBA. His resumé speaks for itself. I am thrilled that he is now a member of the Bulls,” said team President & COO Michael Reinsdorf. “As the new head of basketball operations, I am confident that his vision, ability to lead and experience helping build winning teams in Houston and Denver will serve him well here. I am very pleased to welcome him and his family to the City of Chicago and have him officially join our organization.”
Karnisovas, 48, comes to the Bulls with nearly two decades of front-office experience, where he played a key role in the construction of championship contenders with the Denver Nuggets and the Houston Rockets. He most recently served as General Manager of the Denver Nuggets. Hired by Denver as the team’s Assistant General Manager in 2013, he was promoted to Assistant General Manager and Vice President of Basketball Operations in 2016-17, before being elevated to General Manager in 2018.
“This is the height of a dream for me, and I am prepared for the challenge that it presents,” said Karnisovas. “I grew up watching the Chicago Bulls. They represented American basketball and the NBA to a kid from Lithuania. I’ve always had a love for this franchise and to be a part of it and influence its revival is a privilege. I want to thank Jerry and Michael Reinsdorf and the entire Bulls organization for presenting me with this opportunity and welcoming me and my family to Chicago.”
During his time with the Nuggets, some of the notable players the team drafted were Nikola Jokic (41st overall, 2014), Jamal Murray (seventh overall, 2017) and Michael Porter Jr. (14th overall, 2018). Karnisovas also played a role in the free-agent signing of Paul Millsap. Prior to this season’s suspension of the NBA schedule, the Nuggets were on pace to improve their winning percentage for a fifth consecutive season. While with Denver, he was also involved with USA Basketball, serving as an International Personnel Scout for the 2014 FIBA World Cup squad that claimed gold in Spain.
He spent five years with the Houston Rockets (2008-13), starting as their Director of Global Scouting before being elevated to Director of Scouting. During his time in Houston, the team drafted Marcus Morris (14th overall, 2011) and Chandler Parsons (38th overall, 2011). In that same span, the Rockets also traded for Kyle Lowry, Goran Dragić and James Harden. Prior to his term with the Rockets, he worked more than four years at the NBA (2003-08) in its basketball operations division.
Karnisovas enjoyed a storied international career, where he played for Barcelona, Bologna, Olympiakos and Athens. He helped his team advance to the Euroleague Final Four on three occasions, and he claimed FIBA’s European Player of the Year in 1996 while with Barcelona. He also was a three-time Spanish League champion with Barcelona (1996, 1997, 2001). As a member of Olympiakos Piraeus in the 1997 McDonald’s Championship in Paris, he scored 19 points against the Chicago Bulls. In 1992, and again in 1996, he led his native Lithuania to bronze medals in the Summer Olympics.
A native of Klaipėda, Lithuania, Karnisovas came to the United States in 1990 at the age of 18. He played for P.J. Carlesimo at Seton Hall, where he became the first player from the Soviet Union to play college basketball in the United States. He went on to enjoy a decorated career for the Pirates, where he was a four-year starter and helped the Hall claim two Big East Tournament titles and make four trips to the NCAA Tournament. He finished his collegiate career with 1,509 points and was a two-time Big East Basketball Scholar-Athlete of the Year. In 2016, he received Seton Hall’s Most Distinguished Alumnus Award, the university’s most prestigious alumni award which is presented to an individual who has been recognized as an outstanding leader in his or her professional field.
He and his wife, Gina, have two sons, Eric and Michael.
A formal introductory press conference will be held at a later date.
Fonte: Chicago Bulls.
Former Bulls and Timberwolves coach Tom Thibodeau is confident he’ll get a coaching job next season and has been asking around the league for advice on picking the best opportunity, according to Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News.
Thibodeau has been without a coaching job since he was fired by Minnesota in 2018-19. Meanwhile, he’s been an NBA analyst for ESPN.
Fonte: New York Daily News.
Oklahoma City vice president Troy Weaver declined to be apart of the second round of interviews for the then-vacant Chicago Bulls vice president of basketball operations role because he felt it was a “token offer,” sources told Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated.
Weaver was told that the Bulls were already expected to hire Arturas Karnisovas for the role. Several African-American executives from around the league were frustrated with the Bulls hiring process for the position.
Fonte: Marc J Spears.
The New Orleans Pelicans are interested in Maccabi Tel Aviv guard Elijah Bryant, an Israeli league source told Emiliano Carchia of Sportando.
The guard out of BYU this year played 46 games for Maccabi tel Aviv between Euroleague and Winner League, with averages of 9 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.1 assist, shooting 46% from the field, 36% from beyond the arc and 80% from the foul line.
Bryant played the 2019 Las Vegas Summer league for the Milwaukee Bucks (14.2 points, 3.2 assist, 53% FG, 50% 3p, 83% FT)
The New Orleans Pelicans are interested in Maccabi Tel Aviv guard Elijah Bryant, an Israeli league source told @Sportando.
Bryant averaged 9.9ppg in Winner League and 8.4ppg in EuroLeague this season— Emiliano Carchia (@Carchia) April 11, 2020
Greek guard Georgios Kalaitzakis has declared for the 2020 NBA draft, he told ESPN’s Jonathan Givony.
Kalaitzakis, the No. 96 prospect in the ESPN Top 100, played in the Lithuanian LKL this season, averaging 12.2 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game for Nevezis.
Fonte: ESPN.
Duke big man Vernon Carey Jr. has declared for the 2020 NBA Draft. Stadium’s Jeff Goodman reports Carey is expected to stay in the draft.
Carey is the No. 28 prospect in ESPN’s Top 100.
Fonte: Vernon Carey Twitter.
Kahlil Whitney is entering the 2020 NBA draft and hiring an agent, he told ESPN’s Jonathan Givony.
Whitney played 18 games before dropping out of Kentucky this season.
Fonte: Jonathan Givony.
According to Jason Jones of The Athletic, re-signing restricted free agent Bogdan Bogdanovic will be the top priority for the Sacramento Kings.
Jones says the Kings intend to match any offer sheet from another team, should Bogdanovic sign one.
Fonte: The Athletic.
The Bulls are hiring Pelicans executive JJ Polk as assistant general manager under head of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas, sources tell Shams Charania of the Athletic.
Fonte: Shams Charania.
Junior College standout and Louisville commit Jay Scrubb, who said he’s declared for the NBA draft, is signing with an NBPA agent and will forgo his remaining college eligibility, his father Jason Scrubb told Evan Daniels of 247Sports.
Scrubb averaged 21.9 points, 6.8 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game this past season at Logan.
Fonte: Evan Daniels.
The NBA will pay players full paychecks on April 15th, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
The NBA and NBPA have been negotiating withholding a percentage of salaries for players for upcoming paycheck dates. The league would keep a percentage of salaries based on canceled games.
The next payment due to players is on May 1st.
Fonte: Adrian Wojnarowski.
The Chicago Bulls have interviewed Danny Ferry and Wes Wilcox for their basketball operations leading role, according to K.C. Johnson and Adrian Wojnarowski.
The Bulls are looking for a new leader to run the basketball operations.
Former GM Danny Ferry interviewed for the Bulls lead executive position, per sources.
— K.C. Johnson (@KCJHoop) April 8, 2020
Former Atlanta Hawks GM Wes Wilcox interviewed for the Chicago Bulls Executive VP of Basketball Operations job today, sources tell ESPN. Wilcox helped build an Eastern Conference contender with the Hawks. Wilcox is currently an analyst with NBA-TV.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) April 8, 2020
The Chicago Bulls have received permission to interview Denver Nuggets general manager Arturas Karnisovas and Utah Jazz general manager Justin Zanik for their basketball operations leading role, according to K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago.
According to Johnson, other candidates could be Orlando Magic assistant general manager Matt Lloyd and Los Angeles Clippers assistant general manager Trent Redden.
Fonte: NBC Sports Chicago.
Louisville forward Jordan Nwora is entering the 2020 NBA draft. He has signed with Priority Sports agent Mark Bartelstein, according to Jake Weingarten.
Nwora is the No. 39 prospect in ESPN’s Top 100.
Fonte: Jake Weingarten.
The NBPA has postponed today’s conference call with player agents until Tuesday, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
The topics covered are expected to include the current negotiations with the NBA on salaries based on possibility of canceling games.
Fonte: Adrian Wojnarowski.
Stanford freshman guard Tyrell Terry announced that he’s entering the 2020 NBA draft.
Terry averaged 14.7 points per game while shooting 41% from 3-point range this season.
— Tyrell Terry (@tyterry05) April 6, 2020
Belgian prospect Joel Ekamba has decided to enter the 2020 NBA Draft, a source told Sportando.
The guard born in 2001, with a 6’9 wingspan, spent the season in LNP Espoirs with Limoges where he averaged 13 points per game adding 3.2 rebounds and 2 assists.
Ekamba spent the 2019-2020 season in Belgian league with Belfius Mons-Hainaut.
He averaged 8 points at Under 19 European Championship Division B in 2019.
Freshman guard Nico Mannion has not decided yet whether to enter or not the NBA draft.
The Italian-American spoke with Repubblica.
”Entering the NBA draft is a possibility but I have to think about it. I will decide in the upcoming days” Mannion said.
Mannion is projected in the second half of the 1st round.
French point guard Theo Maledon has declared for the 2020 NBA Draft, he told ESPN’s Jonathan Givony.
Maledon averaged 7.1 points and 2.3 assists per game for ASVEL in the EuroLeague and French Jeep Elite.
Fonte: ESPN.
Chicago Bulls forward Lauri Markkanen was unhappy with the organization and his role, according to Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times.
“Make no mistake about it, third-year big man Lauri Markkanen was one unhappy camper before the coronavirus put the NBA on hiatus,” Cowley wrote. “Unhappy enough that if the direction of the organization was going to stay unchanged, he’d rather be elsewhere.”
Fonte: Chicago Sun-Times.
Indiana Pacers general manager Chad Buchanan declined an opportunity to interview with the Chicago Bulls, sources told Shams Charania of The Athletic.
The Bulls’ original list of four candidates for their top executive job is down to Toronto’s Bobby Webster, Miami’s Adam Simon, and Denver’s Arturas Karnisovas.
Fonte: Shams Charania.
The Bulls are planning to seek permission to interview also Indiana Pacers’ Chad Buchanan and Miami Heats’s Adam Simon for lead basketball operations position, sources tell The Athletic’s Darnell Mayberry.
Chicago will not pursue OKC’s Sam Presti or Toronto’s Masai Ujiri, according to sources, and does not plan to go player agent route.
The NBA is exploring the feasibility of holding its entire playoffs in Las Vegas, according to sources who spoke with Sports Illustrated. The league has held its Summer League in Las Vegas since 2004, which has led the NBA to have relationships with hotels and arenas in the city.
With quarantining the players and staff in one location being the only current viable solution for playing games, Las Vegas is the only city the NBA is currently seriously considering. “We all want to play. But we all know we can’t play until things are dramatically different,” said one high ranking executive from a playoff team.
Fonte: Sports Illustrated.
Tom Thibodeau is expected to be a candidate for both the head coaching vacancies of the New York Knicks and Brooklyn Nets, according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst.
“Thibodeau, I believe, is going to be a candidate for the Knicks’ job as well,” said Windhorst on his podcast. “He’s got a really good working relationship with Leon Rose and Wes Wesley. I know Wes hasn’t been named anything official with the Knicks, but trust me, he will be involved. That connection will matter.”
Fonte: Brian Windhorst.
NBA executives still hope they can arrange a one-site 16-team playoff with a five-to-seven-game regular season as a warmup, all conducted without fans in attendance, according to New York Post’s Marc Berman.
“They’re very determined to have a champion,” one industry source said. The playoffs could be reduced to best-of-three series for the duration of the playoffs, while a single-elimination format has been all but ruled out and would only be considered as a last resort.
Las Vegas, Orlando, Atlantic City, Hawaii and Louisville have been mentioned as possible place to host the playoffs. The NBA hasn’t ruled out the possibility of canceling the season altogether.
Fonte: Marc Berman.
Georgetown sophomore guard Mac McClung announced he’s entering the 2020 NBA draft.
McClung told ESPN’s Jonathan Givony that he has signed with an NBA/NCAA certified agent which gives him an opportunity to go through the pre-draft process while also maintaining his college eligibility.
Fonte: ESPN.
The 2020 NBA draft could be pushed to August or September in the event the season resumes in the summer, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
“Any scenario where the draft happens, it’s very likely going to be still be at the back end of the playoffs, and you would still have a time when you would have the draft and free agency,” Wojnarowski said. “So potentially if the season is resumed at some point and the league is playing in July and August and maybe even into September, it’s possible you don’t have a draft and free agency until those finals are over.”
Fonte: Forbes.