The Knicks may have room for two more players, but Marc Stein says the expectation is they’ll only use one of those openings. That could change if New York decides to move another guaranteed contract and create more flexibility.
One name tied to that opening is James Wiseman, and Stein points out a built-in connection: Mike Brown was on the Warriors’ staff when Wiseman was drafted. Brown is also said to be a fan of the 6-foot-11 center, who would fit a clear need as the Knicks’ third big.
Wiseman’s career has been interrupted by injuries and stops and starts. He has played only five games over the past two seasons combined, though he did appear in 63 games for Detroit in 2023/24, when he averaged 7.1 points and 5.3 rebounds in 17.3 minutes per game.
Stein’s latest newsletter also says Gabe Vincent could have taken a training camp deal with the Knicks similar to the ones signed by Konchar and Brown, but opted to wait for a more definite opportunity instead. Vincent spent last season with both the Lakers and Hawks, putting up 4.4 points per game while shooting .392/.338/.836.
On the Kawhi Leonard front, Stein reports that the Clippers were not prepared to offer him an extension, a decision that helped push things toward his move to Toronto. That comes after earlier reporting that Leonard and the Raptors were in advanced talks on a contract extension, with the biggest possible deal reaching two years and more than $125 million.
Stein also says the Mavericks are close to naming a new head of their medical staff after parting ways with Johan Bilsborough following last season. Canadian former soccer player Nico Berg is expected to get the job, even though his only NBA experience came as a consultant with the Wolves more than a decade ago. Since then, he has worked as a consultant for teams in the NFL, NHL and Premier League, and he also previously worked with Alex McKechnie, the vice president of Player Health and Performance for the Raptors, which gives him a direct link to Mavs president Masai Ujiri.
In Other News...
Dereck Lively Stands Between The Mavs And A Scary Young Frontcourt
The Mavericks have reason to feel better about their long-term frontcourt picture after watching young talent start to stack up around Cooper Flagg and Morez Johnson Jr. If those two continue to develop as expected, the idea of a big, athletic, modern trio starts to look less like a theory and more like a foundation. Dereck Lively II is the piece that could make it click, giving Dallas the rim protection, vertical spacing and defensive anchor that can let the others play off him.
Livelys value is obvious, but so is the uncertainty that comes with counting on him to stay on the floor. His health will shape how the Mavericks map out the next phase of the roster, especially with the teams direction still subject to change and Kyrie Irvings future part of that larger conversation. Dallas can imagine a frontcourt built around youth and size, but the path from promising idea to dependable core runs straight through Livelys availability. [Read more 🡒]
Kyrie Irvings Return Could Change Everything For Cooper Flagg
The Mavericks enter a very different stretch than the one Cooper Flagg experienced in his rookie season, with Masai Ujiri taking over as general manager and Dusty May now on the bench. Flagg already showed he can handle the spotlight, but the roster around him is shifting in ways that could make his second year look much different, especially with Kyrie Irving set to rejoin the mix after his injury absence and Zaccharie Risacher also being evaluated as part of the bigger picture.
Irving's return matters because Dallas is no longer trying to build around a lone young centerpiece. Flagg had to navigate his first season without that kind of veteran backcourt partner, and the Mavericks now believe Irving's presence can help ease some of the pressure on their rookie star while giving the offense another layer of creativity. The real question is how quickly the fit takes shape and whether the new-look roster can turn all that promise into something more than just a talented collection of moving parts. [Read more 🡒]
Mavericks Finally Fixed One Backcourt Problem But Another Doubt Looms
Training camp is coming early for the Mavericks because of their international preseason schedule, and the first thing to notice is how much attention has gone into the shooting guard spot. Dallas reshaped the room by waiving Klay Thompson, moving A.J. Johnson, and keeping Max Christie and John Poulakidas, while also adding Zaccharie Risacher and Tarik Biberovic in an effort to fix a three-point shooting issue that hurt the team last season.
Christie looks like the likeliest starter, with Biberovic and Risacher in line for bench minutes if they can earn them, and Caleb Martin remains a possible option there because of what he brings defensively. Even after the front offices cleanup, though, the backcourt still carries a familiar Dallas question: whether the team has enough reliable two-way production at the position, or whether it is counting on one more swing than it can comfortably afford. [Read more 🡒]