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But the 2006 finals remains Dwyane Wade’s basketball masterpiece, one that saw him join Michael Jordan (1993), Rick Barry (1967) and Elgin Baylor (1962) as the only players with four consecutive 35-point games in the league’s championship series. From Games 3 through 6, Wade scored 16 more points in the paint than any Mavericks player. “Bottom line, in the finals, it was kind of Jordan-esque. It really was,” Mourning told The Athletic of Wade’s performance. “He averaged almost 40 points a game in the finals. That’s getting it done. And it just took the others to kind of come together and do their part — you know, me, Shaq, (James) Posey, J-Dub (Jason Williams), Udonis (Haslem), and Antoine Walker, all of us. “We contributed in our own little ways from that perspective, but D-Wade was phenomenal to watch. He threw us on his shoulders. He just carried us.”
Speaking of Plan Bs, league sources say the Portland Trail Blazers would have serious interest in Brown if the Celtics made him available. The Blazers have been among the suitors for Antetokounmpo since the February trade deadline but appear to be on the outside looking in at the moment. Also, league sources say the Minnesota Timberwolves — whose pursuit of Antetokounmpo also appears to have cooled — have strong interest in the Celtics’ Derrick White.
In Memphis, Ja Morant was once the superstar whose uncertain future we analyzed at every turn. And then, somewhere along the line, the noise around him went quiet. Yet league sources say the Grizzlies are hopeful that Morant will be some team’s Plan B when the dust settles on Antetokounmpo’s situation. The Heat, in particular, have long been known to have serious interest in the 26-year-old, two-time All-Star. The thinking, it seems, is that Miami’s potential package might reset the market that has otherwise been extremely soft for Morant.
I’m sticking with Dybantsa here, but sources say that Washington continues due diligence and that the Wizards haven’t made a decision yet. One thing that has been made clear in recent days is that the team is doing a lot of research into Darryn Peterson to understand everything it needs to know about him. However, sources have also said not to read too much into the fact that Peterson is not currently scheduled to go to the Utah Jazz to work out; they don’t think that means the Wizards have made an undisclosed promise to pick Peterson.
League sources believe Wilson would be an easy pick for Chicago if he gets to No. 4. The Bulls worked out other players, including Darius Acuff Jr., Kingston Flemings, and Nate Ament, but it would be a significant upset if any of them were selected here.
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Burries is the name I hear the most with Dallas, though, with sources around the lottery trying to determine why he’s not working out in as many places as you’d expect. There’s a lot of enthusiasm for Burries among teams who want to try to win next season, as he’s seen as a tough guard who can dribble, pass and shoot who will also defend at a high level with physicality.
Sources have recently brought up Mara’s conditioning more regularly, wondering if he’ll be more than a 25-minute-per-game guy at his peak. Michigan did an excellent job utilizing him in short stints to keep him fresh, allowing him to be at his best throughout the season. Coaches won’t be as excited about that luxury in the uptempo NBA, but don’t expect to see Mara slip out of the top 14.
The Los Angeles Police Department on Friday released body camera footage of an officer shooting and killing of a woman’s pet dog in an incident that has sparked an international outcry and raised questions about police use of force. The 2-year-old golden saint berdoodle, named Jameson, was shot dead by a police officer last Saturday outside the door of an apartment where he and another officer had arrived to investigate reports of a woman screaming, the police department said earlier this week. It was later found that the woman, Marie Marseille, was celebrating the New York Knicks winning the N.B.A. championship.
Similarly, league sources say the Minnesota Timberwolves — whose Antetokounmpo pursuit also appears to have cooled — have strong interest in the Celtics’ Derrick White.
Then again, the Celtics’ desperation level simply isn’t at the level of the Heat’s. By all accounts, Boston could forge ahead with the Brown-Jayson Tatum dynamic duo and look for other ways to upgrade the frontcourt. To that end, league sources say the Celtics are among the many teams with interest in the New Orleans Pelicans’ Trey Murphy III (if they don’t land Antetokounmpo).
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The Celtics have gone to great lengths to avoid the elephant in the room here, but Jaylen Brown would need to be part of any deal for Antetokounmpo. And if Boston had its way, it seems, the conversation would start and end there with a one-for-one swap of fellow All-Stars who are still in their respective primes (Antetokounmpo is 31; Brown is 29). Lest anyone forgets, Brown is coming off his best season yet, finishing sixth in MVP voting. It’s unclear if the Bucks would look to build around Brown as a centerpiece, as many rival executives have recently predicted, or perhaps rebuild by sending him elsewhere for young players and picks. But whichever path they might select, it’s widely believed that Brown alone wouldn’t be enough for Milwaukee.
League sources say Detroit Pistons big man Isaiah Stewart is available. The Pistons, in search of additional shooting and playmakers, appear ready to rely on seventh-year big man Paul Reed in an increased role. Stewart has two years and a combined $30 million left on his deal (team option in the second season). Detroit, which is believed to be among the suitors for Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves if he makes it to unrestricted free agency, is also said to be interested in the Oklahoma City Thunder’s Isaiah Joe.
Without the roster filled out, it’s unclear how Graham’s and Splitter’s shared vision will play out on the court. Among the few noteworthy assets he inherited, Splitter believes in Matas Buzelis. Not seemingly one to guarantee anything, Splitter still detailed prioritizing the 2024 first-rounder. “I’ve been studying him more and more, getting to know him,” Splitter said. “We’re gonna work every day to get him to be the best player he can be. I think nobody knows yet what is his ceiling. “He’s a guy that learns fast. That’s what people have said to me. He’s going to continue to get better physically, he’s going to continue to shoot better, he’s going to read better, become a better defender. We see him as a very complete player (on) both ends.”
The Clippers have also had discussions about trading down, although sources indicate that they do seem set on making an early draft selection this year.