Damian Lillard has been upgraded to questionable for Game 2 of the Milwaukee Bucks’ first round series against the Indiana Pacers.
Lillard has not played since March 18, with what was eventually diagnosed as deep vein thrombosis. The veteran point guard has been on blood thinners, but was recently cleared to begin contact practices ahead of the playoffs.
The Bucks enter Game 2 on Tuesday trailing 0-1 to the Pacers.
The Atlanta Hawks have fired Landry Fields as general manager.
The Hawks will begin the search for a President of Basketball Operations and have hired Sportsology Group, a leading provider of strategic advisory and operational support in the sports industry, to direct the process.
Onsi Saleh has been promoted to general manager of the Atlanta Hawks and will oversee all day-to-day basketball operations for the team, effective immediately.
The Hawks finished the season with a 40-42 (.488) record and did not make the playoffs for a second consecutive season.
“Every offseason we evaluate how we operate and ways we can improve our organization. As we enter this pivotal offseason, we have several complex decisions ahead of us, and we are committed to providing the human and financial resources needed to ensure that we navigate these decisions with a high level of precision and foresight. Adding an accomplished, senior-level leader to provide strategic direction and structure as well as partnering with Onsi and our talented front office is a top priority,” Principal Owner Tony Ressler said.
“I would genuinely like to thank Landry for his leadership during his time with us. Landry made our franchise better and left contributions that have positioned us for growth. I am grateful for his dedication and wish him success in his next endeavor.”
Prior to arriving in Atlanta in May 2024, Saleh spent the previous three seasons with the Golden State Warriors, including their 2022 NBA Championship team, and ending his tenure as its vice president of basketball strategy & team counsel.
Before Golden State, Saleh spent five years with the San Antonio Spurs, finishing as the team’s director of strategy & process/chief of staff.
Duke forward Cooper Flagg has declared as an early entry candidate for the 2025 NBA Draft. Flagg announced his decision to leave for the draft via social media.
The Blue Devils freshman is the consensus first overall pick in the draft. Flagg averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.4 blocks per game this season. He shot 48% from the field, including 38.5% on 3.6 three-point attempts per game.
Flagg was the John Wooden Award winner in his lone season at Duke. Since he reclassified and graduated early from Montverde Academy, Flagg will be only 18 when he’s draft. He won’t turn 19 years old until late-December of his rookie season.
The NBA Draft Lottery will be held on Monday, May 12 to determine who has the first overall pick. The Utah Jazz, Washington Wizards and Charlotte Hornets all have 14% odds of landing the first pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.
