Tony Jones

2 weeks ago | nba.com | Tony Jones

Editor’s Note: Read more NBA coverage from The Athletic here. The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the NBA or its teams. * * *With each thrilling win, and with each step they take closer to achieving the first NBA title in franchise history, the Indiana Pacers are slowly testing our ability to consume and analyze the game of basketball. For so long, we’ve been conditioned to look at champions and great teams a certain way, with a certain formula and infrastructure.

3 weeks ago | basketball.realgm.com | Tony Jones

Austin Ainge met with the media for the first time since being announced at the president of basketball operations for the Utah Jazz. One of the questions Ainge was asked about was if the Jazz would continue to manipulate playing time in an effort to tank for draft position. Ainge was concise, but clear in his answer. "You won’t see that this year," Ainge said. Over the last three seasons, Utah has pivoted towards draft position at various points in the season.

1 month ago | nba.com | Tony Jones

Editor’s Note: Read more NBA coverage from The Athletic here. The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the NBA or its teams. * * *MINNEAPOLIS — With the NBA’s Most Valuable Player award already in tow, and a pivotal Game 4 of the Western Conference finals on the docket, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander didn’t overreact to the importance of it all. A Game 3 in which he looked like anything but an MVP could have turned into a significant speed bump for him and the Oklahoma City Thunder.

1 month ago | basketball.realgm.com | Tony Jones |Sam Amick

Sources with the Denver Nuggets told The Athletic after Game 7 that the landscape of the NBA has changed around their core over the past few years. The Nuggets had been chasing top-heavy superteams, but now teams like the Oklahoma City Thunder and Minnesota Timberwolves have a mix of stars and also depth. The Nuggets already had a thin rotation and that was accentuated by injuries to Michael Porter Jr. and Aaron Gordon during the playoffs.

1 month ago | basketball.realgm.com | Tony Jones |Sam Amick

In addition to dealing with the regular aftermath of their season coming to an end, the Denver Nuggets have some important decisions to make within the team's leadership. Both Ben Tenzer and David Adelman are in interim roles as general manager and head coach, respectively. Tenzer will reportedly be given a chance to become the team's permanent general manager. He took over for Calvin Booth, when the former GM was fired late in the regular season.