The NBA just went through a 14 hour whirlwind that is usually reserved for trade deadlines or the opening of free agency.
Starting about midway through the third quarter of last night’s Game 5 between the Milwaukee Bucks and Brooklyn Nets, and ending right about the time you got back from lunch, we were hit with an avalanche of breaking news across the league. Kevin Durant might have ruined the Milwaukee Bucks, the playoffs lost two more All-Stars, two more coaching vacancies opened up, and I think I hear a flushing sound coming from one superstar’s franchise.
Here’s a look at what’s going on, and how it might impact the Boston Celtics.
What happened: Durant went supernova and single-handedly beat the Milwaukee Bucks in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Semis.
How it might impact Boston: Milwaukee is the most panicky good team in the league, and they absolutely crumbled down the stretch. There is equal blame to go around, but if the Bucks crumble again, then Mike Budenholzer’s job could be on the line.
If you missed the game, I could not make this more clear: Milwaukee was in total control, and once Durant started making shots, the Bucks devolved into panicked isolation with nary an adjustment on either end of the floor. All Milwaukee had to do was calm down and make some shots of their own, but instead they soiled themselves.
If Budenholzer gets canned, the Boston job suddenly falls behind the Milwaukee job as the most coveted in the league. Sure, an incoming coach could get to work with Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, but getting Giannis Antetokounmpo in his prime is just too tantalizing to pass up. This could put some pressure on Brad Stevens to make an offer to someone soon rather than risk a top choice escaping to somewhere else.
It also could keep Brooklyn’s hopes alive, and give them a chance at a championship. While they’d still be contenders no matter what next season, a loss in the Semis just adds some weight to next season. Any added pressure on the Nets is a good thing for Boston because it could lead to something like a breakup, or a coaching decision, or anything that adds negativity to that locker room.
A win brings ring-chasing vets, the types that might be helpful for Boston to sign, to Brooklyn hoping to ride the coattails of a super team. They might go anyway, but a loss could leave a sour taste in the mouths of notoriously sensitive superstars.
What happened: The New Orleans Pelicans and Washington Wizards parted ways with Stan Van Gundy and Scott Brooks
How this might impact Boston: While these jobs probably don’t rise past Boston on the “most desirable,” scale, there does exist a chance to work with Zion Williamson or Bradley Beal and Russell Westbrook.
A candidate could look at the Pelicans job as a chance to hitch a wagon to a future superstar in a small market and ride that rocket to the top. The Wizards job is certainly less appealing but if the coach can come in and win over the notoriously loyal Beal, then there could be some security there. Also, considering owner Ted Leonsis' aversion to firing people, this could be a more forgiving spot than others.
Does this mean Boston might miss out on a top candidate? Maybe not, but also it does mean that there is added competition and the Celtics can’t try to lowball someone they want if another team is willing to be competitive financially. Boston might be a better option, but that doesn’t mean these new openings are bad options.
What happened: Kawhi Leonard appears to have suffered an ACL injury and could miss the rest of the playoffs ... or worse.
How this might impact Boston: No one is saying it right now, but if the worst fears of a torn ACL are realized, then that will mean surgery and rehab that will cost him much of next season. That means the Clippers, who are running desperately low on trade options, need to find some scoring.
Enter Kemba Walker.
I’ve been beating the drum for a trade with the Clippers for a while now. If they lose Kawhi, then a roll of the dice on Walker makes even more sense for the Clippers. Walker can try to help hold down the fort alongside Paul George and then become a more complementary player when Leonard returns late next season.
The Celtics could even try to pry Terance Mann from them in this deal and try to turn him into a solid backup point guard to Marcus Smart. That might be a stretch, but the NBA is all about picking on desperate teams, and the Clippers would certainly be desperate. Either way, Walker might be the best player the Clippers could get for the spare parts they have. A long-term Leonard injury pushes these two potential trade partners even closer together.
What happened: The Dallas Mavericks and GM Donnie Nelson have parted ways.
How this might impact Boston: This one is admittedly a bit far-fetched, but it does, at least, raise an eyebrow.
A report this week detailed a growing rift between Luka Doncic and Haralabos Voulgaris, a former gambler turned Mavs front office guy. His actual role is sort of vague, and according to the story, Voulgaris had Mark Cuban’s ear, and thus a big voice in the organization.
Two days later, Walsh is out, leading to a lot of speculation that Walsh was the source of the story and he wanted to drop an embarrassing bomb on Cuban on his way out. Voulgaris is now rumored to be on his way out, too, leaving the Mavs front office in a bit of a shambles.
Does this mean anything in the short term? Probably not. Doncic made first-team All-NBA and thus will get his super-max extension. The team will try to figure out a sensible roster around him and hopefully ride his superstar power to deep playoff runs.
However, let’s not discount the possibility that damage has been done to the relationship between the Mavs and their MVP candidate. If they can’t get a handle on this front-office dysfunction, every other team in the NBA will be lining up for a chance to raid the Mavs should Doncic decide he wants out.
This is a long-term play, but one worth watching.
