NBA News: Mavs eying former MVP, Young-McMillian feud, Anthony Davis

Morning Hoop Heads! Here’s the latest news from around the NBA:

NBA News: The San Antonio Spurs are in a freefall.

As losers of 16 out of their last 17 games, including an active 11-game losing streak, the San Antonio Spurs are really going through it right now. This is after they started the season 5-2 but are now 6-18 and have the NBA’s third-worst record. Just yesterday, they were hammered by a shorthanded Phoenix Suns team, losing by 35 points.

Part of their issues are a myriad of injuries to key rotation players, particularly shooters Josh Richardson and Doug McDermott, and their best player, Keldon Johnson, is playing particularly poorly. He’s only averaging 15.3 points on 29.6% shooting (yes, you read that correctly), and his high-arcing rainbow shot just isn’t falling.

As the losses continue to pile up, the Spurs may look to move some of their veterans in hopes of adding more assets while also maintaining their place in the bottom three. Doing so would guarantee them a 14% chance at the first pick in the NBA draft, which would be tied for the highest odds. If the Spurs land the first or second pick, then all of this will have been worth it for them.

NBA News: The Trae Young-McMillian feud.

There has been speculation that Atlanta Hawks head coach Nate McMillan is on the hot seat. However, that was just speculation until Shams Charnia and Sam Amick broke the news that there was an incident between him and star point guard Trae Young.

"Young was receiving treatment on his right shoulder, sources say McMillan asked him whether he would participate in shootaround, receive treatment during walk-through and play in the game against the Nuggets. But Young made it clear that he wanted to focus solely on his treatment while missing shootaround and deciding later in the day whether he would play."

According to Charnia and Amick, McMillian gave him an ultimatum: come off the bench or not show up. Young chose not to attend his team’s game. Young choosing that route isn’t exactly a great look, and people within the Hawks apparently are questioning Young’s leadership abilities as a result.

As for McMillan, the Hawks are only hovering around 500 after making a move to acquire star guard Dejounte Murray in the offseason. Having a strained relationship with his best player probably doesn’t help his job security. Of course, Young has a part to play in the situation too, and perhaps his and Murray’s lackluster on-court conduct was part of the reason he and McMillian had a disagreement in the first place.

NBA News: Jaylen Brown and the Boston Celtics are on fire.

The Boston Celtics have the best record in the NBA, and Jayson Tatum is an MVP candidate, while Jaylen Brown is becoming a superstar in his own right. Over the Boston Celtics’ last 10 games, he’s
averaging an impressive 28.3 points, 7 rebounds, and 3.9 assists per game while shooting 55.1% from the field.

More importantly, the Celtics are 8-2 during that span, and at 19-5, they are winning nearly 80% of their games. They’re doing this by absolutely smoking opposing defenses with a 120.1 offensive rating, which would be an NBA record if it stands.

This is a result of them having a plethora of knockdown shooters and having two players that are in the top 10 in scoring while having crazy efficiency seasons. Brown upping his game to a new level has made the Brown-Tatum pairing the best one-two punch in the NBA this season, with the two combining to average 57.2 points, 14.9 rebounds, and 7.9 assists per game.

All this is being done with coach Joe Mazzula assuming the reigns while the team’s head coach is suspended for the season. Who would’ve thought?

NBA News: Anthony Davis

The player formerly known as “street clothes,” Anthony Davis, has been balling of late. I was joking about the first part, but not about the second. In fact, he’s having a career year, averaging 28.6 points, 12.8 rebounds, which leads the NBA, and 2.4 blocks.

Moreover, Davis’ dominance has helped the Los Angeles Lakers rebound from an ugly 2-10 start, and they are now 8-2 in their last 10 games and 10-12 overall.

The Lakers have a brutal December schedule, but Davis’ performance and that of the Lakers as they enter a make-or-break stretch gives them a fighting chance to make the playoffs.

NBA News: Derrick Rose to the Dallas Mavericks?

The Dallas Mavericks are in need of more ballhandling and playmaking to try and take pressure off Luka Doncic, and a new rumor suggests that they may try to acquire former league MVP, Derrick Rose. Rose has fallen out of the New York Knicks rotation, but he can still be a productive player and may not cost the Mavericks more than a couple of second-round picks.

If that is indeed the case, then Dallas should strongly consider trading for him, especially with the team being just 11-11 and trending in the wrong direction. That’s all for now, hoops heads!