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Western Notes: Durant, Beal, Rockets, Giannis, Marshall, Pelicans

November 20th, 2024 at 4:06pm CST by Luke Adams

There’s optimism that Kevin Durant will be able to return from his left calf strain at some point next week, according to Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter video link), who suggests the Suns star could be back on the court as soon as Tuesday for an NBA Cup matchup with the Lakers.

There’s also optimism that Bradley Beal, who is dealing with a left calf strain of his own, will be able to return at some point next week, says Charania.

After taking on the Knicks on Wednesday in Phoenix, the Suns will have five days off before facing the Lakers, so if Durant can make it back for that Tuesday game, he’ll only be sidelined for one more contest. That would be great news for the Suns, who got off to an 8-1 start with Durant in the lineup and have gone 1-5 since he went down.

Here are a few more notes from around the Western Conference:

The Rockets aren’t interested in breaking up their core to acquire Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, sources tell Kelly Iko of The Athletic (Twitter link). The report is presumably a response to Marc Stein saying that rival teams are keeping an eye on Houston as a possible Antetokounmpo suitor should he become available. However, given that Giannis isn’t actually available and Houston’s “core” isn’t precisely defined, it reads less like the Rockets are taking a hard-line position they’ll stick to in hypothetical negotiations down the road and more like they simply want to express how highly they value their young players.
Mavericks forward Naji Marshall admitted he was “a little bit excited” to play the Pelicans on Tuesday, since it was his first time since entering the NBA that he got a chance to face a former team, writes Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News. Marshall, who had 15 points and three steals as Dallas secured a blowout win, said he has enjoyed seeing several former teammates who arrived in New Orleans around the same time as him secure contract extensions. “It’s crazy to see how it panned out,” Marshall said, per Christian Clark of NOLA.com. “Herb (Jones) is somebody. Jose (Alvarado). Trey (Murphy). Me. It’s a blessing. It’s something you dream about literally. When we were kids, wondering if we were going to be here or not. To see it all pan out and go in our favor is amazing.”
Reinforcements should be coming soon for the injury-plagued Pelicans, according to Will Guillory of The Athletic, who says CJ McCollum could be back as soon as this Friday, with Jones and Jordan Hawkins to follow in the coming weeks. There’s hope that the team will be mostly healthy early next month, Guillory writes, though Alvarado’s and Zion Williamson‘s absences will likely extend beyond that. As Guillory details, if and when the Pelicans get back to full strength, the pressure will be on head coach Willie Green to get the team back into playoff contention.

Jazz To Sign David Jones To Two-Way Contract

November 20th, 2024 at 2:57pm CST by Luke Adams

The Jazz and free agent wing David Jones have agreed to a two-way contract, agents Deirunas Visockas and Guillermo Bermejo tell Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).

Jones had a highly productive junior campaign for Memphis in 2023/24, averaging 21.8 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 2.2 steals per game on .459/.380/.797 shooting in 32 contests (32.3 MPG). A native of the Dominican Republic, Jones had previous collegiate stops at DePaul and St. John’s before transferring to the Tigers.

Shortly after going undrafted in June, Jones agreed to an two-way deal with the Sixers and played for Philadelphia’s Summer League teams in both Salt Lake City and Las Vegas, averaging 9.1 PPG, 5.6 RPG, and 1.6 SPG in seven games (18.2 MPG). However, he was waived by the 76ers in September, just ahead of training camp, when the team needed to open up a two-way slot for Lester Quinones.

Jones began his first professional season playing for the Mexico City Capitanes in the G League this fall. He averaged 21.3 PPG, 6.3 RPG, and 3.5 APG on .475/.316/.789 shooting in his first four NBAGL outings.

Utah doesn’t currently have a two-way slot available, so the club will have to waive one of its current two-way players (Jason Preston, Micah Potter, or Oscar Tshiebwe) in order to make room for Jones.

Injury Notes: Hartenstein, Pelicans, N. Powell, P. Williams

November 20th, 2024 at 2:03pm CST by Luke Adams

One of the top free agent acquisitions of the summer could make his debut for his new team as soon as Wednesday night. As Tim MacMahon of ESPN relays (via Twitter), Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein has been upgraded to questionable for the first time this season.

Hartenstein appeared in three preseason games with the Thunder last month, but fractured his left hand just before the regular season began. At the time, the club said he would be reevaluated in about five-to-six weeks. That was just under five weeks ago, so if Hartenstein is activated for Wednesday’s matchup with Portland, he would beat his initial recovery timeline.

It’s worth noting that after Wednesday’s game, Oklahoma City will have four days off before beginning a four-game road trip on Monday in Sacramento, so if Hartenstein doesn’t play vs. Portland, he’ll have a few more days to gear up for his season debut. His return will be a major boon to a Thunder team that has also been missing centers Chet Holmgren and Jaylin Williams due to injuries and could badly use a frontcourt presence.

Here are a few more health-related updates from around the NBA:

The Pelicans‘ injured list continues to grow. Already missing six regulars, the team has ruled out Brandon Ingram (bilateral ankle sprain) and Trey Murphy (right hamstring injury management) for the second end of a back-to-back set on Wednesday vs. Cleveland, per a team release. Rookie center Yves Missi, who has started the club’s past 10 games, is listed as questionable due to left shoulder soreness.
Clippers wing Norman Powell, who has been the team’s leading scorer so far this season with 23.3 points per game, has been ruled out for Wednesday’s game vs. Orlando due to a left hamstring strain, tweets Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN. It’s not yet known whether Powell will have to miss additional time beyond that contest.
Bulls forward Patrick Williams will miss Wednesday’s game in Milwaukee, having returned to Chicago prior to the end of the team’s road trip in order to undergo imaging on his sore left foot (story via ESPN). The Bulls dubbed the testing as precautionary and it doesn’t sound like they believe there’s any real cause for concern, but it’s worth noting that Williams underwent surgery on that same foot in February.

Raptors Notes: Barnes, Brown, Walter, Olynyk, Poeltl, More

November 20th, 2024 at 1:03pm CST by Luke Adams

Raptors star Scottie Barnes, who has been out since October due to an orbital bone fracture, appears to be nearing a return. The All-Star forward has been cleared for contact and was a full participant in practice on Wednesday, according to Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca (Twitter link), who says it sounds like Barnes will be listed as questionable to play vs. Minnesota on Thursday.

Although Barnes’ right eye is still red, he told reporters that he’s no longer feeling pain in the eye like he was in the days after the injury. His plan is to wear protective goggles as a precaution, which he admitted is “going to take some getting used to” (Twitter link via Lewenberg).

Two more injured Raptors players fully participated in practice on Wednesday too, according to Lewenberg (Twitter link), though he says Bruce Brown (knee) and Ja’Kobe Walter (shoulder) will require longer ramp-up periods than Barnes. That’s especially true for Brown, who has been on the shelf since undergoing knee surgery in September.

Kelly Olynyk (back) and Immanuel Quickley (elbow) remain sidelined for Toronto, but Olynyk was a limited participant in practice on Wednesday, Lewenberg adds.

We have more on the Raptors:

While Toronto’s decision to trade a lightly protected 2024 first-round pick in a package for Jakob Poeltl at the 2023 deadline looks like a mistake in retrospect, that’s certainly no fault of the veteran center, who has been playing some of the best basketball of his career as of late, writes Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca. Poeltl is averaging career highs in points (17.1) and rebounds (11.9) per game this season and has been more of a threat on offense than he showed in his first eight NBA seasons. “I mean, maybe there’s a little bit of a mindset change with me personally, but I think, more than anything, the reason why I feel like I’m getting more opportunities is just within the flow of our offense, our guys are finding me,” he said. “There are situations when I’m catching in rhythm because I’m getting a couple of easy ones.”
Within the same Sportsnet.ca story, Grange notes that Poeltl’s strong play this fall could boost his value as a trade chip, but suggests the Raptors might be better off keeping the big man. As Grange explains, a healthy version of the current roster, perhaps with another prospect added via the 2025 draft lottery, has a chance to be competitive sooner rather than later.
Despite their 3-12 start, the Raptors can’t be too upset about how the first month of the season has played out, as Grange and Lewenberg detail in a pair of stories. The vibes in the locker room are still positive, individual players – including 2023 lottery pick Gradey Dick – are making positive strides, the team has been competitive in most of its losses, and they seem to be buying into the way that head coach Darko Rajakovic wants to play.
While RJ Barrett‘s shooting percentages are down so far this season (.422 FG%, .338 3PT%), the forward’s passing ability has been a pleasant surprise, writes Eric Koreen of The Athletic. With primary play-makers Quickley and Barnes battling injuries, Barrett is averaging 6.5 assists, well above his career rate coming into this season (2.9 APG).
Eugene Omoruyi, who appeared in 87 total NBA games for four teams from 2021-24, has signed a G League contract and has been acquired off waivers by the Raptors 905, Toronto’s NBAGL affiliate. As Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca tweets, Omoruyi – who grew up near Toronto – opted to join the G League in the hopes that he could land with his hometown team. The 6’7″ forward has averaged 5.7 points and 2.3 rebounds in 12.1 minutes per game with the Mavericks, Thunder, Pistons, and Wizards since going undrafted out of Oregon in 2021.

Pelicans Sign Elfrid Payton, Waive Jaylen Nowell

November 20th, 2024 at 12:34pm CST by Luke Adams

12:34pm: The Pelicans have officially signed Payton and waived Nowell, the team confirmed in a press release. As expected, Payton’s deal is non-guaranteed, tweets Christian Clark of NOLA.com.

7:19am: The Pelicans and free agent guard Elfrid Payton have agreed to a deal, agent Darrell Comer tells Shams Charania of ESPN.

As Charania notes, the agreement will reunite Payton and Pelicans head coach Willie Green, who were teammates on the Magic during the 2014/15 season, Green’s last as a player — and Payton’s first.

The 10th overall pick in the 2014 draft, Payton has 500 regular season appearances under his belt across eight NBA seasons with the Magic, Suns, Pelicans, and Knicks. However, he hasn’t been on a regular season roster since suiting up for Phoenix during the 2021/22 season. The 30-year-old played in Puerto Rico in 2023 and then spent last season with the Indiana Mad Ants, the Pacers’ G League affiliate.

A Louisiana native who played college ball for the Ragin’ Cajuns in Lafayette, Payton has never been a great shooter, with career averages of 44.7% from the floor and 28.7% from beyond the arc. However, he’s a talented ball-handler and play-maker who averaged 10.1 points, 5.7 assists, and 4.0 rebounds in 26.8 minutes per game over the course of his NBA career.

Payton was briefly in camp with the Pelicans last month and joined their G League affiliate, the Birmingham Squadron, to start the season.

While it appears that New Orleans could qualify for a hardship exception as a result of injuries to Dejounte Murray (hand), Herbert Jones (shoulder), Zion Williamson (hamstring), CJ McCollum (thigh), Jose Alvarado (hamstring), and Jordan Hawkins (back), Charania reports that the team is waiving Jaylen Nowell in order to create a spot on the 15-man roster for Payton.

That suggests that the Pelicans either expect some of their injured players to return within the next couple weeks or want to avoid pushing their payroll into luxury tax territory.

Nowell averaged 8.4 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 2.3 assists in 21.0 minutes per game during eight outings with the Pelicans, posting a shooting line of just .356/.296/.636. He had been on a non-guaranteed contract, so the Pelicans will take on a modest cap hit for the time he spent on the roster. If he’s officially waived on Wednesday, Nowell’s cap charge will work out to $278,782.

The details of Payton’s deal have yet to be reported, but it will likely be a non-guaranteed minimum-salary contract like Nowell’s.

Community Shootaround: 2024/25 NBA Rookie Class

November 20th, 2024 at 11:32am CST by Luke Adams

Leading up to the 2024 NBA draft, we heard over and over again that the class didn’t feature the type of star-level talent at the top that we’d seen in recent years, when No. 1 overall picks like Victor Wembanyama and Paolo Banchero went on to earn Rookie of the Year awards. The common refrain was that some of 2024’s top prospects had the ability to eventually become impact players, but none were likely to be immediate difference-makers.

[RELATED: 2024 NBA Draft Results]

So far, that has certainly been the case for the players drafted with the top few picks in June.

Hawks forward Zaccharie Risacher, the No. 1 overall pick, is shooting just 38.6% from the field and 25.0% on three-pointers. Wizards center Alex Sarr is among the NBA’s leaders in blocked shots (2.1 per game), but the No. 2 overall pick has been ineffective on offense, with a 35.1% field goal percentage, including 20.3% from beyond the arc. No. 3 pick Reed Sheppard has found playing time hard to come by with the Rockets and has averaged a modest 3.7 points in 11.9 minutes per game.

Still, while the top 2024 picks aren’t exactly off to red-hot starts, there are a handful of rookies who have exceeded expectations this fall. A pair of non-lottery selections lead the way — Jared McCain of the Sixers and Dalton Knecht of the Lakers, who were drafted 16th and 17th respectively, are already making teams regret passing on them.

McCain has been one of the few bright spots for a 2-11 Sixers team, averaging 25.2 points per game on .482/.441/1.000 shooting in six appearances since becoming a regular rotation player. Knecht had a monster night on Tuesday to lead the Lakers over the Jazz, racking up 37 points and matching an NBA rookie record with nine three-pointers. He has now averaged 24.3 PPG on .673/.677/.857 shooting in his past four outings.

After Tuesday’s game, LeBron James was asked about Knecht and admitted that the Lakers drafting him at No. 17 was less about the scouting department finding a diamond in the rough and more about L.A. lucking out, as Dave McMenamin of ESPN relays.

“The other 16 teams f—ed it up,” James said. “Did anybody watch him? S–t. … You don’t ‘find’ an SEC player of the year.”

Besides McCain and Knecht, there are a few other rookies who have stood out in the early going. The Grizzlies have two of them, with lottery pick Zach Edey averaging 11.1 points and 6.9 rebounds per game as the team’s primary center and second-rounder Jaylen Wells chipping in 11.5 PPG with a .368 3PT% as a rotation mainstay.

Wizards guard Carlton Carrington (10.4 PPG, 5.0 APG, .389 3PT%), Jazz big man Kyle Filipowski (7.5 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 2.2 APG), and Suns defensive ace Ryan Dunn are among the other rookies who have made positive first impressions.

We want to know what you think. Have the results through the season’s first four weeks made your change your Rookie of the Year prediction? Are you concerned about any of the top picks in this year’s class or do you think it’s just a matter of time until they start making strides (and shots)? Do you expect McCain and Knecht to continue playing at – or even anywhere near – their current levels? Which player looks to you like the steal of the 2024 draft?

Head to the comment section below to weigh in with your thoughts on this year’s NBA rookie class!

Grizzlies Notes: Edey, Williams, Injuries, Draymond, Jenkins

November 20th, 2024 at 10:04am CST by Luke Adams

A left ankle sprain forced Grizzlies center Zach Edey to the inactive list for Tuesday’s game against Denver and will keep him sidelined for more time beyond that. Speaking to reporters ahead of Tuesday’s contest, head coach Taylor Jenkins said that Edey would be considered “week-to-week” as a result of his ankle injury (Twitter link via Michael Wallace of Grizzlies.com).

That’s a somewhat vague timeline, but it suggests Edey will miss at least Wednesday’s game vs. Philadelphia and Saturday’s matchup with the Bulls. Memphis will be in action on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday next week, so we’ll see if the rookie big man is able to make it back for any of those contests.

Here’s more out of Memphis:

In just his third game back after missing the start of the season due to a left tibial stress reaction, Grizzlies wing Vince Williams exited Tuesday’s loss in the second quarter due to a right ankle injury, writes Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal. It’s not yet clear if the injury will cause Williams to miss additional games, but I’d be a little surprised if he suits up for Wednesday’s contest vs. the Sixers.
Injuries to Edey, Williams, and star point guard Ja Morant have been setbacks for a Grizzlies team that was finally on the verge of getting healthier, but Memphis players remain confident in their ability to withstand the plague of injuries and remain firmly in the playoff mix, Cole writes for The Commercial Appeal. “I feel like that’s been one of our stronger assets to our group — just staying together and weathering the storm,” Desmond Bane said. “And they will be back. It takes time. … When they’re back, everything gonna be clicking.”
Scotty Pippen Jr. added that he believes the Grizzlies’ unfortunate run of injuries since the start of the 2023/24 season has just been a matter of bad luck. “I have been other places before, and over here, we are definitely taking care of our bodies,” Pippen said. “The trainers, everyone is on top of it. … A lot of these are just freak injuries. I don’t want to say it’s anything we are doing because everyone is in the weight room and everyone is taking care of their bodies — cold tub, hot tub, all of that.”
In the latest episode of the Draymond Green Show (YouTube link), Warriors forward Draymond Green took aim at the Grizzlies, their head coach, and their rookie center, as Jonah Dylan of The Memphis Commercial Appeal relays. Green referred to Jenkins as “too emotional” and claimed he sets a bad example for his team, criticizing the Grizzlies’ head coach for his post-game comments about a foul Green committed on Edey that was later upgraded to a flagrant 1. “(Jenkins was) crying about a little take foul on the big man (Edey), so what he’s going to do in turn is cry,” Green said. “He’s supposed to protect Ja Morant. You’re setting him up to where Ja Morant’s going to be protecting him. He’s a big man. If (Jenkins) didn’t come out crying for his big man, who then came out crying, he’s big enough to possibly have fooled people that he could be a little tough. And now nobody believes him.”

Pacers Sign Center Moses Brown

November 20th, 2024 at 9:43am CST by Dana Gauruder

NOVEMBER 20: The Pacers have officially signed Brown, per NBA.com’s transaction log. The expectation is that he’ll be active in Houston vs. the Rockets on Wednesday, tweets Dopirak.

NOVEMBER 18: The Pacers are filling their roster opening by signing center Moses Brown, Shams Charania of ESPN tweets.

Indiana has essentially been going with a 12-man roster, not including two-way players, after centers James Wiseman and Isaiah Jackson suffered season-ending Achilles tears. Brown will provide much-needed depth in that area. Starting center Myles Turner is currently dealing with calf soreness.

Brown is expected to join Indiana on Wednesday, Dustin Dopirak of the Indianapolis Star tweets. The big man’s contract will be non-guaranteed, ESPN’s Bobby Marks tweets, meaning he’ll make $13,939 every day he’s on the roster.

Brown had been on the roster of the Westchester Knicks, New York’s G League affiliate. Brown was signed and waived by the Knicks in October on an Exhibit 10 deal.

Brown hasn’t stuck with an NBA team for more than a single season since making his debut in 2019, but he has racked up 150 regular season appearances in stints with the Trail Blazers (twice), Thunder, Mavericks, Cavaliers, Clippers, and Nets. He holds career averages of 5.2 points and 5.0 rebounds in 11.9 minutes per game.

Brown spent the 2023/24 campaign under contract with the Trail Blazers, appearing in 22 games and posting averages of 3.4 PPG and 3.9 RPG in 9.1 MPG.

Nuggets Notes: Jokic, Westbrook, Cancar, Murray

November 20th, 2024 at 8:40am CST by Luke Adams

After a pair of dismal performances in New Orleans and Memphis during the first two games of a Nikola Jokic-less road trip, the Nuggets bounced back on Tuesday, securing a 12-point victory in a rematch with the Grizzlies. It was a group effort, writes Bennett Durando of The Denver Post, with Jamal Murray, Michael Porter Jr., Christian Braun, and Russell Westbrook among those who had strong showings and made up for the absence of the three-time MVP, who has been out for personal reasons.

“We’re not always going to have the luxury of being able to rely on one person,” Nuggets forward Peyton Watson said prior to the game. “… Without him, our mindset should change. I don’t think that it should stay the same. I think we should all take it upon ourselves that we have more responsibility. … I think that’s something that’s a privilege, being able to be in these situations and be counted on and have the pressure on us.”

Head coach Michael Malone, who said before the game that he wasn’t sure whether or not Jokic would be available when the Nuggets return home on Friday to host the Mavericks, also stressed the importance of learning to win when the superstar center isn’t available.

“All we talked about all day long is: ‘We’ve lost two in a row, and don’t waste on energy on who’s not here; we have enough talent in the room to get the job done,'” Malone said, per Durando.

Here’s more on the Nuggets:

Westbrook finished Tuesday’s win with 12 points, 10 rebounds, and 14 assists, making him the first player in NBA history to reach 200 career triple-doubles (story via ESPN.com). “It’s hard to put into words,” teammate Julian Strawther said of the accomplishment. “Two-hundred triple-doubles is a lot. I don’t even know if I’ve got 200 career games.” It’s possible Westbrook’s record will eventually be broken by a current teammate — Jokic ranks fourth on the league’s all-time triple-double list with 136.
Nuggets forward Vlatko Cancar exited Tuesday’s game in the second quarter due to a left knee sprain and didn’t return, as Durando details for The Denver Post. It’s the same knee in which he tore his ACL last summer. Asked after the game if there’s any fear of another tear, Malone said he had yet to speak to the medical staff. “I would hate to be premature with any speculation in terms of what happened,” the Nuggets’ coach said. “When I spoke to him at halftime, he was in good spirits. He seemed to be fairly pain-free. It just felt a little uncomfortable when he came down. So we’ll get with our training staff, and we’ll kind of get a better idea of what’s going on with that. And hopefully it’s nothing major and we can get him back out there, because I thought Vlatko with that second unit was really, really effective.” Prior to the injury, Cancar had scored five points and grabbed four rebounds in 11 minutes of action.
Murray, who signed a four-year, maximum-salary extension this offseason, had struggled entering Tuesday’s game, averaging 17.3 points per game on 39.9% shooting (30.2% on three-pointers). The standout guard enjoyed one of his best nights of the season in Memphis on Tuesday, pouring in 27 points on 10-of-20 shooting. Speaking to Tony Jones of The Athletic, Murray said he’s fully healthy and just needs to be more assertive offensively. “I take full accountability,” Murray said of his recent slump. “It’s not easy when you aren’t playing well. It hasn’t been easy with guys like Nikola and Aaron (Gordon) out. We were fully capable of winning these last games. But, for me, I have to play better. I have to take account for that. It starts with me.”

Southeast Notes: Wizards Losing Streak, Johnson, Carter Jr., Butler

November 19th, 2024 at 9:46pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Wizards have lost eight straight and their last two outings were particularly ugly. They were blown out by Detroit and New York by a combined 48 points. Head coach Brian Keefe took ownership for the poor performances.

“I’m the leader of this team. I’m the head coach of this team,” Keefe said, per Varun Shankar of the Washington Post. “So I’ll take the responsibility for the last two nights, not playing up to the competitive disposition that we should be playing with, especially defensively. That will be addressed as a group, and we will get better. But that wasn’t … what our standards were, and we have to own that and we have to look at ourselves and we have to get better.”

We have more from the Southeast Division:

Hawks forward Jalen Johnson is listed as questionable to play against Golden State on Wednesday due to left lateral lower leg inflammation, Lauren Williams of the Atlanta Journal Constitution tweets. Johnson missed the Hawks’ win at Sacramento on Monday. He’s averaging 19.4 points, 9.9 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game this season after signing a five-year, $150MM extension prior to the season.
Magic center Wendell Carter Jr. has been upgraded to questionable for the team’s road game against the Clippers on Wednesday, beat reporter Dan Savage tweets. Carter, who signed a three-year extension last month, hasn’t played since Nov. 3 due to left foot plantar fasciitis.
Heat forward Jimmy Butler missed four consecutive games due to a sprained right ankle. He was dominant in his return against Philadelphia on Monday, pouring in 30 points while adding 10 rebounds and five assists, Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald writes. “We know what the expectation is when he’s healthy,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “… He really set the tone by imposing his physical will on the game.” Staying on the court has been the issue for Butler. He has missed 20 or more regular-season games in three of the last four seasons, which is why the front office showed reluctance during the offseason to discuss a maximum-salary extension with him.