TITLE: Mavericks put Klay Thompson on LaMelo Ball; Spurs eye Stephon Castle’s return; Rockets to extend starters’ minutes
SLUG: mavericks-thompson-spurs-castle-rockets-rotations
CONTENT:
Dallas Mavericks
Head coach Jason Kidd assigned veteran guard Klay Thompson to defend Hornets star LaMelo Ball in Saturday’s preseason game, seeking a fresh look at his defensive options. Kidd said Ball “has the ball 90 percent of the time,” making the matchup a useful gauge of Thompson’s stamina and versatility. While Dallas does not plan to give Thompson that responsibility every night, Kidd noted the 34-year-old “can still compete at that level.”
The Mavericks also added longtime NBA guard and assistant coach Howard Eisley to their front office as a scout, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. Eisley most recently worked under Juwan Howard at Michigan and previously served as an assistant with the Knicks, Wizards and Clippers.
San Antonio Spurs
Reigning Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle is expected to make his preseason debut on Monday, Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News reported. Castle missed San Antonio’s first three exhibition games after sustaining a right knee contusion during an intrasquad scrimmage earlier this month. With starting point guard De’Aaron Fox projected to miss the beginning of the regular season, the Spurs plan to open the year with Castle running the offense.
Houston Rockets
Head coach Ime Udoka intends to expand his starters’ workload into the mid-20s or low-30s in minutes as Houston wraps up preseason play on Tuesday and Thursday, Danielle Lerner of the Houston Chronicle wrote. The Rockets also expect to introduce more detailed offensive and defensive schemes this week as they finalize regular-season rotations.
Source: Hoops Wire
