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In return to where his NBA path began, Trent Jr. has chance to show his evolution

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PORTLAND — There aren’t too many places in the NBA Gary Trent Jr. can go where he doesn’t see a familiar face.

Even though he’s only in his fourth NBA season, the league feels like a village to him. It’s the product of having a father who played nine seasons in the league and on four different teams; of being on an NBA fast-track himself, from starring at Prolific Prep in Napa, California, to dominating in the EYBL in summers and then blowing up as a freshman a Duke in his one season there.

The NBA doesn’t feel so strange when you feel like you know or know of everyone in it.

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“Now the league is like musical chairs. Coaches end up everywhere. A couple coaches I had here in Portland, now they’re in Detroit or Orlando,” Trent Jr. said Monday. “… Everyone just moves around.”

But Trent’s return to Portland is a little different. It’s where he started his NBA career, rising from a second-round pick who appeared in just 15 games as a rookie in 2018-19 to a quality reserve on a team that aspired to make the NBA Finals.

It was the Trail Blazers’ ambitions rather than Trent’s shortcomings that encouraged Portland to send the six-foot-five shooting guard to the Raptors for Norm Powell last season.

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They saw Powell as an older, more experienced and better fit alongside veterans Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum. The Raptors liked that they were getting a younger player with some upside they could likely sign at a more reasonable price than Powell.

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Monday night is the first game for the Raptors in Portland since the deal at the March 25 trade deadline last season.

“I haven’t been here since I got traded, actually,” said Trent at the Raptors pre-game shootaround at Modo Center.

Being back brings back warm memories.

“[I] really just learned a lot,” he said. “First coming in as a rookie, as a second-round pick, I learned how to work. I learned the basics of how to be a pro here, I always had a certain foundation, certain thoughts on certain things I was taught growing up.

“[But] when get here first-hand, you can actually see it. When I first came here, I wasn’t playing right away, just still hard work, a lot of running on treadmills and wearing suits, I didn’t even have my warm-up on, a lot of those days. [But] just grateful for all my time here, all the things I learned here made me who I am right now and the player that I am right now.”

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The deal has worked out well for both sides. Powell has certainly held up his end of the bargain in Portland. He’s continued his development as one of the NBA’s best three-point shooters, a trajectory he started on in earnest during the 2019-20 season when he connected on 39.9 per cent of his threes on 5.3 attempts a game. He was shooting 43.9 per cent on 6.4 attempts in 2020-21 when he was traded. He’s shooting 44.8 per cent on 4.8 attempts so far this season while averaging 17.1 points a game in 12 starts.

The Blazers signed Powell to a five-year deal for $90 million this past summer, which is decent value for what should be the prime years of one of the league’s best shooters and a good locker-room presence.

But the Raptors think they have something good in Trent, especially since he doesn’t turn 23 until January. They signed him for a three-years and $54 million this past summer, a deal that could bite them because the third-year is a player option, meaning if Trent continues to develop he could be a free agent again in summer of 2023.

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The deal has proven both validating and motivating.

“One-thousand per cent. Obviously, if you sign a certain deal like that, there’s obviously certain expectations, certain things that you need to do [and] the job you need to fill,” he said. “There’s a lot that comes with it but it’s everything that I asked for, everything I wanted. [Now I’ll] continue to just improve and show what I can do.”

He’s already shown he’s a more active defender than Toronto thought they were getting. He leads the NBA in total deflections through 14 games and is second in the league in loose balls recovered, each of which plays directly into the high-risk, high-reward defensive system the Raptors want to play.

And offensively there is growth too. Funny enough his three-point shooting hasn’t quite reached the 40-per-cent mark he put up during his three seasons in Portland – Trent Jr. is shooting just 35.3 per cent from deep on seven attempts a game in his 31 games as a Raptor – but there has been some development in other areas. His assist percentage is on its way to a career-high and he’s shooting 53.8 per cent on long twos – shots from 16-feet and out to the three-point line. It’s not an ideal shot to take – lay-ups and threes are always preferred – but on a Raptors team where half-court options have been limited at times, Trent’s ability to create his own mid-range looks and score them has been a nice-to-have.

With Fred VanVleet a game-time decision against Portland and with the Raptors in need of creators in any case, Trent Jr. is willing to help fill the void wherever needed.

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“[It’s] just knowing your role. Always having to be ready, on your p’s and q’s, knowing what your teammates need you to do,” he said. “If [Pascal Siakam] is out, I might need to rebound more. If Freddie’s out, I might need to do more on the ball and help guys get going, that type of thing. Just depends on the situation and the scenario.”

“… You don’t want to be pigeonholed. You don’t just want to do one thing. You want to do everything for your team. A million per cent. The more you can do, the better you are and your team is.”

Trent Jr. started his path in Portland, and now that he’s returned he’s got a chance to show how his game has evolved.

“It’s cool,” he said. “Whenever you see old faces, old friends that helped you along the way and see where you’re at now and how you’ve continued to grow, it’s a beautiful thing.”



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Mark Jackson Is Reportedly Landing A Job With NBA Franchise

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(Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

 

It’s been a while since we saw Mark Jackson working for an NBA franchise.

The former guard and Golden State Warriors coach had struggled to find a new opportunity, eventually landing a job in broadcasting.

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And now that Knicks legend Walt Frazier is reportedly looking to take a lesser role with the organization and not work on road games, it seems like he’s poised to get back to the league.

According to a report by Andrew Marchand of The New York Post (via NBA Central), Jackson will join the Knicks’ broadcast team starting next season.

Jackson played for the organization and is still beloved and respected by the fan base, so there are some obvious ties there.

He doesn’t get enough credit for setting the foundation for the Warriors’ dynasty, which is why some of his former pupils often mention him and give him praise and flowers for his impact on their success.

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There have been multiple reports about his workplace behavior being the only reason why he hasn’t gotten another opportunity to be a coach, especially considering how much he’s lobbied to try and get back on the bench.

That may not happen any time soon, but at least he can stay close to the game he loves.

Moreover, the Knicks are expected to play in some meaningful games next season.

They got a lot better with Jalen Brunson’s arrival, and they figure to be even more competitive in his second year taking the reins of Tom Thibodeau’s offense.

The post Mark Jackson Is Reportedly Landing A Job With NBA Franchise appeared first on The Cold Wire.

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‘I had to believe’: How Blue Jays’ Bichette transformed himself at shortstop

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TORONTO — Bo Bichette surprised Luis Rivera during the early days of spring training this year. The shortstop had spent the past several seasons working meticulously on specific drills with the Toronto Blue Jays infield instructor but told Rivera in February he felt it was time to move on from them.

One such exercise involved Bichette kneeling while Rivera fired ground balls toward him. That was designed to strengthen his hand-eye coordination and soften his hands. Another drill worked to improve Bichette’s internal clock by having him field balls at his position while Rivera yelled out numbers from a giant timer positioned by home plate. 

Entering his fifth MLB season, Bichette felt he’d grown and was ready for something new. He told Rivera he’d like to focus primarily on fielding and throwing at game speed. 

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“It’s not practice — it’s just repetition of whatever can happen in games,” Rivera says, echoing the old adage, perfect practice makes perfect.

The coach was immediately on board with Bichette’s request and so they got to work on establishing a routine that would guide the shortstop through a season in which he’s taken his glovework to the next level. 

“We were talking [recently] about how hard it was for him last year mentally that most of the errors he was making was because he didn’t trust himself,” says Rivera. “He didn’t have confidence. And, now, his confidence is over the roof.”

Adds Bichette: “It’s just understanding that I’m capable of doing it and then going out there and doing it.”  

The Bo Bichette who takes the field in the post-season this October for the Blue Jays is the best defensive version he’s ever been. That didn’t happen by chance, though. It’s the culmination of years of behind-the-scenes work that set a strong foundation for his self-belief to bloom.  

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When the Blue Jays selected Bichette in the second round of the 2016 draft, there were no questions about the high-school player’s most valuable tool.

“We knew there was a ton of talent and upside in the bat,” says Blue Jays field coordinator Gil Kim, who was the organization’s director of player development at the time. “We knew it was a kid who absolutely loved the game and loved to compete. And we also knew there was a player who had not dedicated a lot of time to his defence. 

“And there were definitely questions on whether he would remain at shortstop, whether he would play second base, whether there was a potential move to the outfield,” continues Kim. 

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“There were a lot of questions regarding his defensive future.”

The Blue Jays immediately installed Bichette at short upon his rookie ball assignment in the summer of 2016 and made the decision to give him as much rope as possible to stay at the position. Bichette responded by working steadfastly on every area of his defence. 

At first, there was a focus on his physical development and fielding technique, including first-step reactions, agility, speed and footwork. The organization then challenged him with individualized routines, such as the kneeling short-hop hand drills he continued in the big leagues with Rivera. There was also work that isolated specific actions, such as backhands, as well as first-step drills where he’d react to balls being thrown at random. 

The Blue Jays threw a lot at him in those early days and he rose to the challenge each time. 

“He was always very convicted in his ability to play shortstop,” says Kim. “He really wanted to prove to other people that he could do it. And when Bo puts his mind to something and decides he’s going to do it, he usually has success doing it.”

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One of Kim’s favourite stories from Bichette’s time in the minors came in 2018 during the double-A championship series. Bichette had made it known he wanted to improve on balls to his right and worked on that all season with New Hampshire Fisher Cats manager John Schneider and positional coach Andy Fermin. 

Kim was in attendance during the final series against Akron and remembers a ball hit between short and third. 

“[Bichette] made an absolutely phenomenal play and gunned the guy out at first base,” recalls Kim. “And I remember I was behind the plate looking down and Schneider and Fermin were looking right at me. It was one of those moments when you’re like, ‘Wow, this is why you believe in this kid.’ 

“It’s because he expresses this one year ago that he wanted to get better at plays like that. And here he is in a championship series executing that play. And then they obviously went on to win that series.”

Bichette reached the majors in 2019 and was by no means a finished defensive product. Questions about his long-term future at the position continued to dog him over his first few seasons, and those doubts weren’t silenced when he tied for the major-league lead with 24 errors in 2021 and was second in baseball with 23 the following campaign.  

Defensive metrics have also never been kind to Bichette. His career Outs Above Average is -18 and even this season, in which he’s vastly improved, it stands at -2. 

“I see the routine plays,” says Blue Jays manager Schneider. “I see a guy that plays every day and works consistently. There are so many things that go into those metrics — first step or arm strength or transfer, and everyone does it a little bit differently. So, I think for him and for us, we’re looking for consistency and he’s been all of that. What I look at is outs are outs.”

Bichette has also been tireless in his search for knowledge. The list of names associated with his development is seemingly endless. There was Schneider and Fermin in the minors, along with coach Danny Solano and minor-league manager Cesar Martin. He’s also worked out with former big-league shortstops Barry Larkin and Miguel Cairo and was heavily influenced by former Blue Jays teammate Marcus Semien.  

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Another name involved in shaping Bichette: Troy Tulowitzki. Bichette has trained with the former Blue Jays shortstop during off-seasons and Rivera says one mantra from the gifted defender particularly stuck with Bichette.  

“If you cut down on your throwing errors, you cut down on half of your errors,” Rivera says. 

Bichette seems to have internalized that this season through his game-speed practices and Rivera says the results are unquestionable.

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There was a point during the campaign where the coach noticed it had been weeks since Bichette committed an error [he made just eight total in 2023]. That’s when it began to dawn on him that Bichette had indeed turned a corner. 

“His throwing has improved 100 per cent,” says Rivera. “When I watch him work on his throwing and watch him during the games, most of the throws are at the [first baseman’s] chest.”

When reflecting on his evolution as a shortstop, Bichette believes the difference lies less in mechanics and more on mindset. 

“Experience, slowing the game down and trusting myself,” says Bichette. “I knew that if I was going to be the defender I wanted to be, I had to believe in myself and stop trying to be perfect.”

While the 25-year-old acknowledges he’s a different defensive player now than in years past, Bichette adds that he’s still improving. 

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“I think I can be one of the best — if not the best — defensive shortstops in the league,” says Bichette. “There’s more room to grow. I can get more athletic and make better plays and cover more ground so that’s something I’ll focus on when the time comes. I think I have range, but I just think that I can be better.”

The Blue Jays coaching staff believes part of what has made a difference for him is simply time. He played his 500th MLB game at shortstop on Thursday and that longevity has inevitably brought comfort. Repetition and exposure at big-league level has helped him slow the game down. 

That extended time period has also allowed Bichette to grow into his own skin. He’s built a sound fundamental base and absorbed as much as he could from others, eventually discarding what hasn’t worked for him. 

That last part was perhaps the toughest step, but Bichette seems to have cleared the hurdle. 

“Mentally, he finally decided and finally realized who he is as an infielder,” says Rivera. “He tried different things before from different people and, finally, he’s like, ‘This is going to be me, this is me right now.’ And the guy who’s playing shortstop is him. He’s not trying to be like somebody else.” 

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