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Month: November 2024

Festus Ezeli Undergoes Knee Surgery

March 8th, 2017 at 11:32am CST by Arthur Hill

MARCH 8, 11:32am: Ezeli has undergone surgery on his left knee and has been officially ruled out for the remained of the 2016/17 season, the Trail Blazers announced today in a press release.

MARCH 4, 10:01pm: A cadaver donor will be used in Ezeli’s surgery, according to Chris Haynes of ESPN.com. Ezeli had been awaiting a donor for months, but because he is 6’11” it wasn’t easy to find a match.

A doctor recently submitted the name of a potential donor, and the surgery has been set for an undetermined day next week. Ezeli is believed to be the first NBA player ever to rely on a cadaver donor for an operation.

Haynes notes that NFL quarterback Carson Palmer had a cadaver donor when he tore the ACL and MCL in his left knee in the 2006 playoffs. Palmer was able to return to the field for the start of the following season.

Ezeli’s recovery time is projected to be much longer, with one source saying it could take up to a year.

6:05pm: Festus Ezeli will undergo surgery next week to fix his left knee, the Trail Blazers posted on their website.

President of basketball operations Neil Olshey made the announcement, saying Ezeli’s operation will be performed by Dr. Robert LaPrade at the Steadman Clinic in Vail, Colorado.

Ezeli hasn’t played this season after signing a two-year, $15MM deal with Portland last summer. He had offseason surgery on the knee, but it started hurting again early in training camp. He announced in December that he was considering another operation because he believes his long-term health is at stake.

Ezeli’s contract creates the possibility that he will never play a game for the Blazers. He is owed $7.73MM for 2017/18, but only $1MM of that is guaranteed through the end of June. With the Blazers possibly looking at luxury tax payments next season, Ezeli’s deal seems like a good way to save money, either by waiving him or trading him. Portland reportedly tried hard to find a taker for Ezeli before last week’s trade deadline.

The 26-year-old center is in his fourth NBA season. He averaged 4.2 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.0 blocks per game during three years in Golden State.

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Lakers Rumors: Magic, Buss Family, Cousins

March 8th, 2017 at 10:29am CST by Luke Adams

The Lakers officially named Magic Johnson an advisor at the start of February, but in the weeks leading up to his promotion, Johnson wasn’t being kept apprised of the goings-on in the team’s front office, according to ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne. As Shelburne details in her inside look at the Lakers’ front office shakeup, Jim Buss and Mitch Kupchak continued to run team business without integrating Johnson or even informing him of what they were planning.

In one case, that meant conducting a workout with Larry Sanders without inviting Johnson to attend. It also meant that Johnson had to inquire about trade calls on his own, since Buss and Kupchak weren’t telling him about them, let alone asking his opinion. The fact that Johnson wasn’t been involved in the decision-making process was one reason why president Jeanie Buss felt it was necessary to make a change just days before the trade deadline, writes Shelburne.

Let’s round up a few other Lakers items, including more from Shelburne’s piece…

  • Another key factor in Jeanie Buss‘ decision to oust Jim Buss and Kupchak in favor of Johnson was the way DeMarcus Cousins talks with the Kings were handled. According to Shelburne, Johnson received a call from Sacramento GM Vlade Divac, but since Magic was still just a consultant at that point, he referred Divac to Buss and Kupchak. Divac wanted to move quickly on a Cousins deal and was meeting with Pelicans GM Dell Demps in person at the All-Star Game in New Orleans, but could only talk to Buss and Kupchak on the phone, slowing negotiations.
  • As Shelburne explains, Jeanie Buss wanted a heads-up if the Lakers were discussing any of their three previous lottery picks – Brandon Ingram, D’Angelo Russell, and Julius Randle – in trade talks. The talks with the Kings involved two of those three players, but Jeanie and Magic were kept out of the loop until Sacramento had essentially finalized a deal with New Orleans.
  • According to Shelburne, the Jazz had offered a first-round pick for Lou Williams before Johnson took over as the Lakers’ president of basketball operations, but that proposal was off the table by the time he was promoted.
  • Shelburne’s piece includes several more interesting items about Lakers ownership, the tension between the Buss brothers and Johnson, and a possible role for Kobe Bryant, among other topics, so it’s worth checking out in full.
  • Speaking of Kobe, the future Hall-of-Famer publicly endorsed the Lakers’ choice of his former agent Rob Pelinka for general manager (Twitter link). Head coach Luke Walton is “excited” to begin working with Pelinka, as Mark Medina of The O.C. Register details.
  • Legal experts say that Jeanie Buss is well positioned to retain control of the Lakers franchise even if her brothers attempt to oust her, writes Nathan Fenno of The Los Angeles Times. Shelburne’s report suggests that Janie Buss believes Jim and Johnny Buss hope to eventually cash out.
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Mavericks Notes: Curry, Roster, Parsons, Powell

March 8th, 2017 at 8:56am CST by Luke Adams

After getting off to a very sluggish start this season, the Mavericks have shown real promise for the future in recent months, writes Tim MacMahon of ESPN.com. Mavs owner Mark Cuban said earlier this week that he likes the current roster, despite the fact that the team remains below .500.

“We basically went from 4-17 to, all right, this squad has got some real potential,” Cuban said. “We did it on the back of undrafted free agents and one trade. There’s a lot to be said for that.”

As the 27-36 Mavs, who currently sit 10th in the West and two games behind the No. 8 Nuggets, continue to push for a playoff spot, let’s check in on a few more items out of Dallas…

  • Within MacMahon’s piece linked above, Cuban also raved about Seth Curry, who is enjoying a breakout year in Dallas this season. In 59 games, the lesser-known Curry brother has averaged 12.9 PPG with a .487/.435/.831 shooting line. “We want him to be [with us] forever,” Cuban said. “He’s our kind of guy — shoots, plays hard defensively, great in the locker room. We call him Swaggy Swag. High swag level, low volume level. Those kind of guys are good. Swaggy Swag’s a keeper.”
  • For his part, Curry sounds optimistic about the future for the Mavericks: “As long as we continue to play well and turn the season around like we are, I don’t see why this wouldn’t be a nucleus that would get better and continue to be better as a team.”
  • As MacMahon details, Cuban also weighed in on Chandler Parsons‘ struggles in Memphis this year, admitting that he’s somewhat conflicted watching his old friend endure the worst season of his NBA career. “I feel bad for him. As a friend, I feel bad for him,” Cuban said. “As an opponent, thrilled to death. That’s par for the course for me. I know he’s struggling, I know it’s hard on him. You don’t like to see your friends go through that, but that’s just the NBA. Happens to everybody.”
  • In a chat with Mavs fans, Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News explores several topics, including whether Dwight Powell will still have a real role with the franchise going forward, now that Nerlens Noel is in the mix.
  • In case you missed it on Tuesday, Chris Crouse of Hoops Rumors examined how Cuban and the Mavs have built their roster around Dirk Nowitzki.
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Fantasy Hoops: Holmes, Ulis, Cauley-Stein

March 7th, 2017 at 10:54pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Hoops Rumors is examining the fantasy basketball landscape in order to help you dominate the competition. Check back weekly for more analysis.

Players To Target

Injuries and trade deadline deals have impacted the fantasy world. Finding undervalued players is key in daily fantasy and in season-long leagues, it could help you find a contributor on the waiver wire before your league-mates do. Here are some players to keep an eye on:

  • Richaun Holmes has a dozen blocks since the All-Star break, which is behind only Rudy Gobert and Giannis Antetokounmpo for most in the league. Holmes has seen an uptick in minutes since the Sixers traded away Nerlens Noel. He makes a nice daily fantasy play when Jahlil Okafor sits and with Philadelphia’s propensity to be “cautious” with injuries, Holmes could become valuable down the stretch in season-long leagues.
  • Jordan Clarkson is averaging nearly three more shot attempts per game since the Lakers traded away Lou Williams. Before the trade, Clarkson played approximately 75% of his minutes next to Williams, as I mentioned in a recent edition of Fantasy Hoops. In addition getting up more shots, Clarkson is averaging more points, steals, assists and minutes per contest than he was prior to the deal.
  • Tyler Ulis is making a case for March’s Western Conference Rookie of the Month award, but I’m not adding him yet in season-long leagues. There are likely stronger options available on your league’s waiver wire with Cory Joseph being a player to target. Toronto’s point guard is averaging 11.8 points and 4.7 assists per game since Lowry hit the sideline and he’s available in nearly 80% of ESPN leagues.
  • Willie Cauley-Stein is still available in 70% of ESPN leagues, though that figure should be much lower. The big man has taken on a significant role in Sacramento since DeMarcus Cousins‘ departure. He has 13.2 points and 6.2 rebounds while adding at least a steal and block per game over his last six contests.
  • Tyreke Evans is scoring 13.2 points per game in Sacramento after only scoring 9.5 per game in New Orleans. He’s not playing back-to-back, so his value is limited in season-long leagues, but he could be a nice option in daily formats on nights where he hits the floor.

Fantasy questions? Take to the comment section below or tweet me at @CW_Crouse.

Statistics are current through Tuesday afternoon.

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How The Mavericks Build Around Dirk Nowitzki

March 7th, 2017 at 9:28pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Mark Cuban and the Mavericks have always been different. When everyone zigs, Cuban wants to zag—a practice that has contributed to his success in the business would. Dallas has employed that strategy with mixed results since he’s taken team control. However, the Shark Tank star is quick to tell people that the Mavs had a streak of 11 straight campaigns with at least 50 wins during his tenure as the owner of the franchise.

Simply winning often is not the goal; Cuban wants championships. During this year’s MIT Sloan Conference, which Hoops Rumors attended, Cuban was asked whether he would take a dominant three-year window where his team wins championships or a stretch of 10-15 years where his team has a slight chance of winning the championship every year. He quickly took the championships option with one caveat.

“If I knew I was going to get three rings and just be horrible the rest of the way, I’d probably take the three rings and then try to change the agreement,” Cuban said. “Rings are the thing. I want a really big ring.”

Dallas is extremely unlikely to win a championship this season and without a true Superstar in his prime, the Mavs have to be even more meticulous with their roster moves. They have to find contributors like Yogi Ferrell and Dorian Finney-Smith from the free agent scraps. This year, that task was slightly easier for those teams that are better at evaluating talent

The Celtics entered the 2016 draft with eight selections. The Suns had five, while the Nuggets had four. Those three teams plus Philadelphia (three selections) held one-third of the draft picks. The Mavs went into the draft knowing that those team couldn’t possibly roster that many rookies, so it would lead to teams reaching on international and draft-and-stash prospects or trading away picks. Some of those teams would end up taking the best available player willing to be a draft-and-stash prospect rather than selecting the the top remaining talent.

“To us, it was more of a 70-player draft than a 60-player draft,” Cuban said. “What happened after 60 was just as valuable as having [an early second-round draft pick]”

If the league redistributed the picks to mirror what teams would have in an average year, players like Ferrell and Finney-Smith are likely drafted. Ben Bentil is likely still on the team that drafted him. Yet, because of the unique distribution of picks, those players are available on the market.

Quinn Cook is another player who would merit consideration if the teams were drafting players for 60 immediate NBA roster spots. Cook’s 10-day deal with Dallas expires tonight, though Cuban recently told Hoops Rumors that the organization likes the guard’s game and he could have a future with the team beyond the current deal.

Earlier this season, it appeared that the Mavericks would be better served to scrap the winning objectives this season, tank, and try their luck next year with a top draft pick aboard. Such life is not an option when you have future Hall of Famer Dirk Nowitzki on the team. The organization wants to build the team of the future around its aging superstar. The signing of Harrison Barnes along with the team’s influx of youth should allow Nowitzki to take on a lighter load as he creeps toward 40 years old. Cuban insinuated that the German big man will continue playing past that point.

“Dirk will be the Satchel Paige of the NBA,” Cuban told Nate Silver during the conference’s Shark Vs. Fox panel.

Paige famously played more seasons than any baseball player in history. He retired at the age of 47, though he made a special, three inning appearance at the age of 59 in which he only gave up one hit.

Could Nowitzki play more seasons than any player in NBA history? Kevin Willis currently owns that accomplishment with 21 seasons in the league, which means Nowitzki would need to play for three seasons beyond the 2016/17 campaign to have sole possession of the record. The man who became just the sixth player ever to score 30,000 points is going to end his career with multiple records and since he plays for such an innovative organization, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him add the longevity feat to his impressive resume.

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Central Notes: Bulls, Middleton, Beasley

March 7th, 2017 at 7:04pm CST by Austin Kent

Although some Bulls fans may have clamored for a youth movement in Chicago, the team saw first-hand that their young core may not be ready for primetime just yet, Nick Friedell of ESPN writes. Briefly in Monday’s loss to the Pistons, the Bulls trotted out a lineup of Denzel Valentine, Jerian Grant, Paul Zipser, Bobby Portis and Cristiano Felicio but the offense quickly stalle, resulting in the prompt reinstatement of star forward Jimmy Butler.

Friedell explains that the vaunted trio of Portis, Valentine and recently acquired Cameron Payne may not be reliable enough offensively, citing their struggles against Detroit as an example of what life would be like for Bulls fans without Butler or Dwyane Wade there to steer the ship. Should Wade leave via free agency this summer and Butler get traded, there could be more nights just like Monday in the future.

Payne, brought over from the Thunder in the Taj Gibson trade, hasn’t been particularly effective in a Bulls uniform, K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune writes in his own piece, highlighting the supposed “pure” point guard’s abundance of field goal attempts. Head coach Fred Hoiberg echoed the sentiment. “He took a couple shots that he maybe could’ve got one more bounce to the rim or kicked out for a shot,” Hoiberg said. “This is really the first meaningful big minutes that he’s getting in this league. And it’s all valuable experience for him. And he’s not afraid of the moment. He’s going to give you everything he has.”

There’s more out of the Central Division tonight:

  • After battling back from a ruptured hamstring that required surgery, Khris Middleton has wasted no time getting into a rhythm beyond the arc for the Bucks, Alex Boeder of Bucks.com writes. All of Middleton’s shooting numbers since he returned nine games ago are outpacing his career averages.
  • The Pacers have put an emphasis on putting smaller lineups on the floor of late with mixed results, Nate Taylor of the Indianapolis Star writes. Since the implementation of the changes the team has shot better from the field but struggled on defense.
  • Injured Bucks forward Michael Beasley will be out at least two more weeks, Charles Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel tweets. Beasley, sidelined with a hyperextended knee, will be re-evaluated at that time.
  • The Cavaliers are in danger, Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com, more so now that Andrew Bogut has broken his leg and will miss the remainder of the 2016/17 season. Injuries, coupled with upcoming road games, general fatigue and lingering defensive woes could spell trouble for the squad, he writes.
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NBA D-League Assignments/Recalls: 3/7/17

March 7th, 2017 at 6:04pm CST by Austin Kent

Here are the D-League transactions from today:

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Lakers Formally Hire Rob Pelinka As GM

March 7th, 2017 at 5:11pm CST by Austin Kent

The Lakers have officially hired general manager Rob Pelinka, a press release on Lakers.com confirms. The two parties came to terms on an agreement on February 21 but the former sports agent could not be formally hired until he was officially divested from his sports agency.

“Rob’s knowledge of the NBA landscape and the CBA, as well as his relationships with GMs around the league, are invaluable,” said Magic Johnson, Lakers President of Basketball Operations. “After running a successful sports agency and as someone who truly understands the inner workings of salary caps and player negotiations, he will bring the additional skills and experience needed in the Lakers executive office.”

Pelinka had previously been the agent of a number of current NBA players including the likes of James Harden and Buddy Hield but that case load has been split up and reassigned to fellow members of the Landmark Sports agency.

Pelinka’s most notable client, of course, is recently retired Kobe Bryant. That inherent familiarity with the Lakers and how the organization does business should allow him to hit the ground running with his new team.

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Southeast Notes: Schroder, Ellington, Oubre Jr.

March 7th, 2017 at 4:57pm CST by Austin Kent

A mid-game argument resulting in an ugly defensive breakdown has some questioning the team harmony in the Hawks‘ lockerroom. In addition to a spat with Dwight Howard, 23-year-old point guard Dennis Schroder is said to have engaged with head coach Mike Budenholzer too, Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution writes.

While Schroder and Howard were caught on camera arguing about a Howard turnover the previous possession, Stephen Curry wasted no time calling for the inbound pass and draining a three. The basket put the Warriors in front and they would go on to win the game. Shortly after the incident, Schroder – who at that point had led the Hawks in scoring with 23 points – was benched by Budenholzer for the remainder of the contest.

“We need to learn to play together and stay together for 48 minutes,” Budenholzer said of his Hawks. “That is something that is important to us.”

Vivlamore reminds readers that this isn’t the first time the Hawks have punished Schroder. When the guard returned to Atlanta late after the All-Star Break, he was suspended for one game. In that situation, Schroder cited passport complications as the reason for his delay.

Worth noting, Schroder has posted a photo of himself and Howard on Instagram and Twitter, a likely attempt to bury the hatchet, publicly at least.

There’s more out of the Southeast Division:

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And-Ones: Draft, D. Smith, Ball, Sixers, Webb

March 7th, 2017 at 3:56pm CST by Luke Adams

It’s still a little early for NBA prospects to start formally declaring for the 2017 NBA draft, but there’s “no question” that North Carolina State freshman Dennis Smith Jr. will be among the players who enter, a source tells Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv (Twitter link). According to Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News (Twitter link), the Timberwolves had multiple people, including assistant GM Noah Croom, in attendance to watch N.C. State play Clemson at this week’s ACC tournament — Smith certainly would have been a player of interest in that game.

Here are a few more odds and ends from across the NBA:

  • Lavar Ball, the father of UCLA freshman Lonzo Ball, has made headlines by boasting about his son’s potential, and NBA executives have to take Lavar’s presence into consideration when evaluating Lonzo, writes Sean Deveney of The Sporting News. “That is going to be another thing to look at when it comes to due diligence before the draft,” one GM told Deveney. “How does he handle his dad — is it just something he laughs about, or is it real pressure on him?”
  • Sixers cornerstones Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid won’t play again for the team this season, but will they be ready to contribute in Summer League action in July? Head coach Brett Brown believes it’s “too early to make that judgment,” though he acknowledges that it’s something the team is considering. Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer has the quotes and the details.
  • James Webb III, who has been with the Delaware 87ers as an affiliate player this season after being waived by the Sixers in the fall, has fractured his right ankle and will be sidelined for the rest of the D-League season, the team announced today in a press release. A camp invitee who received a $65K guarantee from Philadelphia, Webb has averaged 13.1 PPG and 9.3 RPG in 39 NBADL games.
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