May 21, 2021
Welcome to the Morning Shootaround, where every weekday you’ll get a fresh, topical column from one of
’s NBA writers: Howard Beck on Mondays, Chris Mannix on Tuesdays, Michael Pina on Wednesdays, Chris Herring on Thursdays and Rohan Nadkarni on Fridays.
NBPA executive director Michele Roberts has a very discrete definition of retirement. The search for Roberts’ successor as head of the NBA union was announced last year. before the pandemic quickly ended any hopes of a painless sendoff. Roberts’ term as the union head extends to next summer, when she’s expected to finally end what would be an eight-year tenure.
May 20, 2021
Welcome to the Morning Shootaround, where every weekday you’ll get a fresh, topical column from one of
’s NBA writers: Howard Beck on Mondays, Chris Mannix on Tuesdays, Michael Pina on Wednesdays, Chris Herring on Thursdays and Rohan Nadkarni on Fridays.
We make a lot of predictions in this business, for obvious reasons: Predictions are fun! Fans love debating them! And, well, you keep clicking on them! Predictions are wonderfully cheap content. Getting them “right” is almost immaterial no one remembers, no one cares (least of all me).
But it’s been a rough year for the NBA’s prediction-industrial complex, with a compressed schedule, fanless games, player quarantines, injured superstars and general weirdness from the moment the season tipped off Dec. 22. Take a look at the standings. Very little this season was predictable.
May 13, 2021
Welcome to the Morning Shootaround, where every weekday you’ll get a fresh, topical column from one of
’s NBA writers: Howard Beck on Mondays, Chris Mannix on Tuesdays, Michael Pina on Wednesdays, Chris Herring on Thursdays and Rohan Nadkarni on Fridays.
We all know the NBA season was hanging in the balance about a year ago. But even before the league’s coronavirus-related stoppage, Cam Payne’s NBA career seemed to be hanging by the flimsiest of threads, too.
By the summer of 2020, it had been almost a year and a half since the point guard had played in an NBA game. His last stop had been a January 19 stint with the Cavaliers, where he was let go after a pair of 10-day deals. Leading up to that point, between foot injuries and poor, inconsistent play, the former first-rounder had been an inefficient disappointment, washing out with both the Thunder and the Bulls.
May 11, 2021
Welcome to the Morning Shootaround, where every weekday you’ll get a fresh, topical column from one of
’s NBA writers: Howard Beck on Mondays, Chris Mannix on Tuesdays, Michael Pina on Wednesdays, Chris Herring on Thursdays and Rohan Nadkarni on Fridays.
Russell Westbrook wanted to talk about anything other than Oscar Robertson’s triple-double record as he approached the milestone in recent weeks.
Every probe from reporters was met with a chuckle or an admonishing shake of the head, followed by a quick dismissal. Westbrook made sure to note his reverence for the Big O, but frankly, more pressing concerns awaited. For perhaps the most singularly focused player in league history, triple-double No. 182 didn’t necessarily hold any special significance.
May 10, 2021
Welcome to the Morning Shootaround, where every weekday you’ll get a fresh, topical column from one of
’s NBA writers: Howard Beck on Mondays, Chris Mannix on Tuesdays, Michael Pina on Wednesdays, Chris Herring on Thursdays and Rohan Nadkarni on Fridays.
Over the last three weeks, De’Aaron Fox has endured headaches, body aches, chills and a serious case of restlessness, while helplessly watching his Kings fade from the playoff race without him.
A particularly potent strain of the coronavirus walloped Fox on April 22 and has kept the Kings’ star point guard quarantined at home ever since. (He is expected to be cleared for basketball activities soon, assuming he passes NBA protocols.) In the meantime, Sacramento lost rookie stud Tyrese Haliburton to a season-ending knee injury.