NBA Notebook: Kyrie NYC Mandate, Dame’s Recovery & Knicks Done With Kemba?
The return of the NBA regular season is upon us with a loaded Thursday slate of action. There's been plenty of intriguing storylines to follow around the league trickling over from the end of the All-Star break.
Here are some of the top storylines from around the league with our NBA Notebook:
Kyrie Irving May Soon Get To Play Home Games
The long anticipated Ben Simmons trade finally came at the Feb. 10 deadline. Now, the main lingering storyline that needs a resolution ahead of the playoffs is Kyrie Irving's availability for Brooklyn Nets home games. James Harden is gone now, and the team has been sorely underachieving.
There's more the Nets must sort through than just Irving's status to becoming a full-time player. The return to competition for Kevin Durant and Ben Simmons are key priorities as well, and neither will be ready to play in the team's first game back. When both players will be able to return is a key question, along with the ongoing injury concerns with Joe Harris.
The sentiment surrounding the New York City COVID-19 vaccine mandate is that it has softened significantly as of late. In fact, Mayor Eric Adams even stated a willingness for a change of course in the near future when discussing the mandate at a recent news conference.
“I can’t wait to get it done,” New York City Mayor Eric Adams said at a recent news conference.
“Every morning I meet with my health professionals. I’ve always stated I’m going to follow the science. I’m not going to get ahead of the science because I’m ready to get ahead of all of this and get back to normalcy.
“They’re giving us clear instructions (and) benchmarks. We’re going to follow those benchmarks. But I look forward in the next few weeks going to a real transformation.”
Currently, the Nets hold a 31-28 record and are eighth in the Eastern Conference standings with a 2.5 game lead over the Charlotte Hornets and Atlanta Hawks after going 2-8 in their previous 10 games. There isn't time to waste for Durant and Simmons to return to the lineup with Irving still being a part-time player at the moment.
The Nets did end up being the team to sign Goran Dragic long after the Dallas Mavericks had been expected to be his eventual landing spot. Dragic should add needed depth, but again, there's no full fix to not having Irving available on a regular basis.
Even if Irving is able to play at Barclays Center, it should be noted that he could still run into an issue with the COVID-19 vaccine mandate in a potential road play-in matchup against the Toronto Raptors.
Kemba Walker To Sit Out Rest Of Season
Despite much excitement about Kemba Walker joining the New York Knicks to be the 'hometown hero' they've long sought, it has been a failure. The team holds a 25-34 record coming out of the All-Star break, which is good for just 12th in the Eastern Conference standings.
According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, Walker and the Knicks have agreed that he will be sidelined for the duration of the season. This now marks the second time this season where reporting has surfaced about New York ultimately doing away with Walker, one way or another.
“The New York Knicks and guard Kemba Walker have agreed that the four-time All-Star will be sidelined for the remainder of the team’s schedule, allowing him to work out in preparation for the 2022-23 season, sources told ESPN on Wednesday.”
There have always been concerns about Walker's ability to be a net neutral on defense. He is a smaller guard that struggles to contain at the point of attack and doesn't necessarily offer much for impact. Now, the impact on offense just isn't being offered to make up for it.
Perhaps a team with a more capable defense to cover Walker up could use a trade exception or just take a flier on him by sending out an unfavorable contract of their own. It should at least help Walker's outlook to be traded that he will be on an expiring contract next season.
On a side note, the Mavericks were expected to be the team to land Walker before Al Horford's decision to depart from the Boston Celtics to sign with the Philadelphia 76ers. For reference, Walker signed a four-year, $141 million contract with Boston in the summer of 2019. It's safe to say, Dallas made out quite well by not landing him then.
Damian Lillard's Recovery From Surgery
The Portland Trail Blazers are in a transition period after moving CJ McCollum, Norman Powell, and Robert Covington at the trade deadline. Still, the focus is to build around Damian Lillard, but as he remains sidelined, the team is maximizing lottery odds and the development of Anfernee Simons.
The Blazers made their moves to part with higher-cost players in order to reconfigure the roster in needed ways, but also to pay Simons, who will be a restricted free agent after a breakout campaign.
Based on an interview with Draymond Green, it sure sounds as though Lillard will remain sidelined through the remainder of the season with how poor of an outlook the Blazers face to make much noise in the playoff this season. Doing so would maximize Portland's odds to be in position to select a difference-making prospect in the draft.
“When I first had the surgery, I was more optimistic,” Lillard said. “But I think where we are right now and what we need to happen for us to be able to take full advantage of the opportunity we created with all the moves we made, I don’t even think that’s the play to make. I ain’t a thousand percent sure, but at this point I’m not sure how much sense it’d make.”
One of the benefits of the Blazers' moves has been the opening up of significant cap space to add talent around Lillard. He is confident in the team's ability to attract talent given.
“No offense, but people going to Oklahoma City, bro,” Lillard said to a cackling Green. “People going to Milwaukee….Portland ain’t what people think it is—otherwise I wouldn’t be living here so long.”
Regardless, there will still be attention placed on an eventual change of heart from Lillard when it comes to looking to play elsewhere. Barring a significant overhaul to the roster, it may be too tough for the Blazers to pull off the moves necessary to contend.
