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Happy “there’s a new Kong-Godzilla movie this week” to all who celebrate!
Stock Report
Houston, we’re getting very close
The weekend is over. We’re drunk and hungoverfrom the NCAA Tournament(Go Aztecs!), so there’s this weird, sleepy haze around this week as we await the Sweet Sixteen in March Madness. But you know whatdoesn’tsleep? The NBA Stock Market we made up for the newsletter every Monday! Let’s check out the latest trends to show you where to invest your time and invaluable Bounce bucks.
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Jalen Green and the Rocketshave officially reached Threat Level Midnight with their Play-In Tournament push in the West.After the Warriors lost yesterday— which moved Houston (35-35, 11th in West) within a game of catching 10th-place Golden State (36-34) — Draymond Green said, “I don’t give a damn about the Rockets.” I know the Warriors have gotten the best of the Rockets this past decade, but Draymond might want to start giving a damnthisseason. The Rockets have won eight straight games, and 22-year-old Green continues to light up the scoreboard like we’d expect from a No. 2 overall pick.The Rockets might really pull this off.
The Wolveshave won five of their last six games to stay within striking distance of the No. 1 seed. They are a game behind Denver, which they play on Friday of this week. Anthony Edwards has been a superstar. Also, Naz Reid continues to show why the Wolves believed and invested in him when they already had Rudy Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns.
The Cavsshould have no shame about losing to the Heat, but giving up 121 points to Miami’s mediocre offense and losing by 37 capped off a terrible multi-week stretch. Cleveland is 2-5 in its last seven games, and the team’s typically staunch defense has been Swiss cheese. The Cavs handled injuries well all season long,but that issue is starting to catch up to them. They’re only a half game ahead of New York for the No. 3 seed.
The Raptors’tank job keeps on giving. Toronto would probably claim its losses are due to injuries and trades, which would be a decent point. But the Raptors keep their pick if it’s in the top six in the draft and have now lost 10 straight games to fall into that selection zone. Lottery chicanery could still send that pick to the Spurs, yet this 10-game losing streak iswhat the Raptors want and need.
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Miles “Deuce” McBride minutes.Five minutes and 21 seconds. You’re probably saying to yourself, “That’s not a lot of minutes for Knicks guard Deuce McBride to play over his last three games.” But that 5:21 is actually thetotal amount of game time the 23-year-old McBride has been on the bench during that stretch, which has seen the third-year guard log 46:31, 44:08 and 48 minutes of time, respectively.Tom Thibodeau has found his new Jimmy Butler.
Playing rookies.This weekend, the Blazers did something that’s now happened only twice in the last 50 years. They started nothing but rookies in a game. In a spirited 114-111 loss to Denver Saturday night, the Blazers started Scoot Henderson, Rayan Rupert, Kris Murray, Toumani Camara and Duop Reath. The only other time it’s happened was the last game of April 26, 2012, when the Warriors started Charles Jenkins, Klay Thompson, Mickell Gladness, Chris Wright and Jeremy Tyler.
Tampering Back?
Are the Knicks courting Mikal Bridges?
I find tampering to be both productive and hilarious, so it might surprise you that I’d play hall monitor here.However, the league sort of doesn’t feel that way, so it occasionally decides to investigate and report potential tampering situations.The NBA already “busted” the Knicks for a second-round pickin relation to their signing of Jalen Brunson a couple years ago.The league looked at the contact and stalking by the Knicks, including hiring Brunson’s father to the coaching staff, and slapped them on the wrist by taking the pick.
Well, the Knicks have been vindicated in their pursuit of Brunson by the incredible results since he joined. They’ve since added Josh Hart and Donte DiVincenzo to the mix, making the Knicks resemble those Villanova teams these guys starred on. But there’s one missing member of those teams — a member who plays in New York but not for the Knicks. It’s Nets forward Mikal Bridges.
After the Knicks beat the Nets this weekend, Knicks forward Josh Hart compared Bridges watching his old Nova teammates to an infamous internet Spongebob Squarepants meme.Via Kristian Winfield:
“It’s like that SpongeBob meme when Squidward is looking out the window and he sees SpongeBob and Patrick having fun. [Mikal] is Squidward.”
Nets fans, fear not.Bridges is under contract for another two seasons after this one.And even then, it’s unlikely the Knicks would have cap space in the summer of 2026, when Bridges will be an unrestricted free agent. And yet … stranger things have happened when players switch teams. And you know those ‘Nova group chats will heavily shame Bridges for not being part of the ‘Nova Knicks.
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Maybe Hart, Brunson and company convince Bridges to try to force a trade someday soon, which could make the league subpoena for some group chat transcripts.But even then, if it costs the Knicks a draft pick or two, wouldn’t it be totally worth it?I know Julius Randle was having a good season before the shoulder injury, but if you moved him for Bridges and whatever sweeteners come with that move, it would be difficult not to be all-in on this Knicks squad.
A tamperer can dream, right?
Goodbye, Grizzlies
Memphis has been eliminated
The Memphis Grizzlies went from hoping Ja Morant could come back and save their seasonto just waiting for it to end. Now that they’ve been mathematically eliminated from the Play-In Tournament, let’s take a look at what’s ahead for them this summer.
Memphis’ bright spot from this season?GG Jackson and Vince Williams Jr. both had breakout performances for the Grizzlies this season. We saw some good play from Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr., but Ja Morant not being able to be on the court for more than nine games doomed ultimately them.
Key free agents for Memphis:Luke Kennard ($14.7m team option), Yuta Watanabe ($2.6m player option), Lamar Stevens
Biggest position to address:They need some big-man depth and outside shooting after sporting the second-worst 3-point shooting percentage in the league. And they no longer have Steven Adams in the mix. He was an important part of their defense.
What’s the draft pick situation?They have their own first-round pick.
Will they have cap space?Not even close. They’re actually on pace to be a luxury tax team, so we might see them moving or finding their way out of a decent-sized salary. Maybe they decide to not exercise Kennard’s team option?
2023-24 yearbook quote:“Ain’t no fun when the rabbit got the gun.”
Bounce Passes
The Spurs and Victor Wembanyama aregoing to make it work.
Seth Partnow breaks downwhy scoring has plummeted lately.
NBA players were absolutely wrongabout Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau.
Screen Game (All times Eastern)
- Main Screen:76ers–Kings (10 p.m. NBA TV). Both teams are trying to avoid their respective Play-In Tournaments.
- Second Screen:Suns-Spurs (8 p.m.). This game will determine for, stupid people, if Wemby is better than Bol Bol.
- League Pass Game of the Night:Pacers–Clippers (10:30 p.m.). Indiana just gave up 150 points to the Lakers. Can the Clippers have the same luck?Full schedule here.
(Top photo: Nathaniel S. Butler / Getty Images)
Zach Harper is a staff writer for The Athletic, covering the NBA. Zach joined The Athletic after covering the NBA for ESPN.com, CBS Sports and FRS Sports since 2009. He also hosts radio for SiriusXM NBA and SiriusXM Mad Dog Sports Radio. Follow Zach on Twitter @talkhoops
