Tensions have started to boil around the league as club’s set out on the long haul that is the second-half of the NBA season. This week, among locker room drama in the Eastern Conference, several players were brought in on 10-day contracts. Here’s a Week In Review:
News
- The D-League will expand to Mississippi in 2017/18, that team being affiliated with and managed by the Grizzlies. Subsequently, the Timberwolves, who have been without any one-to-one affiliation, will affiliate with Memphis’ former affiliate in Iowa.
- The Jazz will remain in Utah for generations thanks to the current ownership’s decision to put the team in a legacy trust.
- A frustrated LeBron James publicly insisted that the Cavaliers acquire a point guard. (Although the team may be waiting for a reason). The forward has also butted heads with management over the team’s payroll.
- A mediocre 2016/17 season could influence Dwyane Wade to look somewhere other than with the Bulls in free agency this summer.
- Post-game comments from Dwyane Wade and Jimmy Butler have caused a stir in the Bulls locker room. The pair questioned the integrity of their teammates. Not long after, point guard Rajon Rondo fired back at the two via a now infamous Instagram post.
- After a two-year absence, Larry Sanders is ready to return to basketball. He worked out with the Celtics this week.
- With assault charges stemming from an altercation at a nightclub against him, Kings forward Matt Barnes has decided to turn himself in.
Injuries
- There was cause for concern when Joel Embiid went down with a bruised knee this week, but the Sixers took the cautious approach with their rookie big man. Embiid took three games off but was back in action on Friday night.
- Second-year Lakers point guard D’Angelo Russell tweaked his right leg and will spend 1-2 weeks on the sidelines. Russell is said to have strained his calf and sprained his right MCL.
- A setback in Jeremy Lin‘s recovery from a hamstring injury could shelf the newly acquired Nets guard for 3-5 more week.
- Sidelined since mid-December, Clippers forward Blake Griffin returned to the court this week.
- Guard Jodie Meeks will undergo thumb surgery and is out of action for the Magic indefinitely.
- While punching a chair in frustration, Thunder big man Enes Kanter fractured his forearm. He’ll be sidelined 6-8 weeks.
- After successful Achilles surgery, Kings forward Rudy Gay is expected to be healthy in time for training camp next season.
Rumors
- Both the Bulls and Knicks are among teams said to be interested in Timberwolves point guard Ricky Rubio. One team that isn’t? The Pistons. Head coach Stan Van Gundy vehemently denied reports that Rubio would be dealt for Reggie Jackson.
- The Cavaliers have supposedly rejected a deal that would involve them shipping Kevin Love to the Knicks in exchange for Carmelo Anthony. The Knicks are also said to have been in touch with the Clippers and Celtics.
- If the Clippers and Knicks were to work out a deal for Carmelo Anthony, as at least one executive expects, Austin Rivers could be involved. The two teams may need to find a third trading partner to make something work, however.
- The Celtics and Magic have apparently discussed a trade that would send Nikola Vucevic north.
- Two point guards said to be in play for the Cavaliers are Shelvin Mack and Jameer Nelson.
Transactions
- The Spurs signed center Joel Anthony to a 10-day contract.
- The Nuggets claimed Mo Williams off of waivers. (Why?)
- The Mavs signed Pierre Jackson to a second 10-day contract.
- The Nuggets signed Johnny O’Bryant III to a 10-day contract.
- The Heat signed Okaro White to his second 10-day contract.
- The Suns signed Ronnie Price to a 10-day contract.
- The Hawks signed Lamar Patterson to a 10-day contract.
- The Mavs waived an injured Pierre Jackson and then signed point guard Yogi Ferrell to a 10-day contract.