2017 March | Hoops Rumors

NBA D-League Assignments/Recalls: 3/29/17

March 29th, 2017 at 3:33pm CST by Luke Adams

Here are Wednesday’s D-League assignments and recalls from around the NBA:

Point guard Cameron Payne is back with the Bulls, having been recalled from the D-League following Windy City’s win on Tuesday, the club announced today in a press release. Payne was instrumental in last night’s win, scoring a team-high 20 points to go along with nine assists, five rebounds, and five steals.
The Rockets have sent Troy Williams and Isaiah Taylor to the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, according to Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle, who notes (via Twitter) that rookie big man Chinanu Onuaku will stay on the NBA roster to start the team’s road trip.
The Raptors have recalled Bruno Caboclo and Pascal Siakam from their D-League affiliate, the team announced today (via Twitter). Neither the Raptors nor the Raptors 905 are in action until Thursday, so we’ll see if the duo sticks with the NBA club for that game.

Draft Updates: Eubanks, Trimble, Simmons

March 29th, 2017 at 2:54pm CST by Luke Adams

Oregon State center Drew Eubanks has decided to enter his name into the 2017 draft pool, according to Shams Charania of The Vertical. A sophomore who is ranked 90th on Jonathan Givony’s big board at DraftExpress, Eubanks is keeping his options open by not hiring an agent, so it’s possible he’ll return to school for his junior year. He’ll have until May 24 to weigh his options and decide whether or not to withdraw.

Meanwhile, Eubanks’ teammate, sophomore shooting guard Stephen Thompson, will also test the draft waters, per Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Thompson ranks 75th on DraftExpress’ list of top sophomores, 54 spots behind Eubanks, so it would be a surprise if he doesn’t eventually withdraw his name and return to Oregon State for the 2017/18 season.

Here are a few more draft decisions worth noting:

Maryland junior point guard Melo Trimble has decided to enter the draft and will forgo his remaining NCAA eligibility by hiring an agent, per Jeff Ermann of 247Sports.com. Trimble tested the waters a year ago, but has decided to go pro this year. He’s ranked 92nd on the DraftExpress big board.
Ohio guard Jaaron Simmons announced this week that he intends to enter the 2017 draft, according to a press release from the school. The 22-year-old point guard won’t hire an agent, giving him a chance to withdraw later and return to Ohio for his senior year.
Providence forward Rodney Bullock will declare for the draft without hiring an agent, Goodman reports (via Twitter). Bullock, a junior, averaged 15.7 PPG and 6.4 RPG in 33 games this past season.
LIU Brooklyn freshman Jashaun Agosto announced on Twitter that he’s declaring for the 2017 draft. The 5’11” guard isn’t expected to be drafted.

Warriors Issue Health Update On Kevin Durant

March 29th, 2017 at 2:12pm CST by Luke Adams

The Warriors have made an announcement regarding Kevin Durant‘s recovery from the knee injury that has sidelined him for the last four weeks, confirming that a return to game action prior to the end of the regular season is still in play (Twitter link).

According to the team, Durant has made “very good progress” and hasn’t experienced any setbacks. He’s participating in non-contact basketball drills and the team’s plan is to intensify his “level of movement” over the next few days. The Warriors says their star forward will be re-evaluated in about seven to 10 days, at which point he may be nearing a return.

It has been four weeks since the Warriors announced Durant suffered a Grade 2 MCL sprain and a tibial bone bruise. Golden State lost five of its first seven games after Durant went down, but have rebounded in a major way since then — the club is currently on an eight-game win streak.

Although the Warriors likely won’t need Durant to lock up the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference, it would still be a great sign for his chances of making a major impact in the playoffs if he can get back on the court for at least a couple regular season contests in April. ESPN’s Marc Stein, who reported last week that Durant could return before the playoffs, tweets that the most likely comeback window is during the Dubs’ final three home games.

Durant may be on a minutes restriction when he gets back in the lineup, as we heard over the weekend.

Edmond Sumner Enters 2017 NBA Draft

March 29th, 2017 at 1:47pm CST by Luke Adams

Xavier point guard Edmond Sumner has decided to enter the 2017 NBA draft, he announced this week on Twitter. Sumner is a sophomore, so he could test the waters and withdraw his name by May’s deadline, but his statement makes it sound as if he’s committed to going pro this year.

“After weighing my options with my family, I have decided to enter the 2017 NBA draft, fulfilling a lifelong dream,” Sumner said, noting that the decision was a difficult one because of his love for Xavier. “I want to thank Coach Mack and the rest of the staff for believing in me and giving me a chance when no one did! I’ll always be grateful for that.”

[RELATED: 2017 NBA draft early entrants list]

Sumner, 21, enjoyed a breakout year in 2016/17, averaging 14.3 PPG, 4.8 APG, and 4.2 RPG, while shooting a career-best 47.9% from the field. However, his season was cut short by a torn ACL, which he suffered in January.

The injury will complicate Sumner’s draft stock somewhat this June. Experts consider him a potential second-round pick, but it’s possible he won’t be drafted if teams are at all concerned about his knee.

DraftExpress views Sumner as the 10th-best prospect among sophomores, penciling him in as a borderline first-round pick in the 2018 draft. Meanwhile, the 6’5″ guard ranks 68th on Chad Ford’s top 100 list at ESPN.com.

Joakim Noah’s Suspension To Begin On Wednesday

March 29th, 2017 at 12:41pm CST by Luke Adams

Joakim Noah will serve the first game of his 20-game suspension on Wednesday night, according to Ian Begley of ESPN.com, who reports (via Twitter) that an independent, NBA-approved doctor has medically cleared Noah. The veteran Knicks center received his suspension two games ago, but wasn’t eligible to begin serving it until he was deemed physically able to play.

Had it not been for the suspension, the Knicks likely would’ve been happy to let Noah take the rest of the season to recover from his left knee injury, shutting him down for now and focusing on getting him healthy for next season. In that scenario though, the 32-year-old would have had to serve all 20 games in 2017/18. By receiving medical clearance now, Noah will be able to serve eight games this season, leaving 12 for the fall.

Noah, who received his ban for violating the NBA’s anti-drug program, said this week that the substance for which he tested positive was intended to help with his rehab, but was not approved by the Knicks.

Pacers Waive Rodney Stuckey

March 29th, 2017 at 11:31am CST by Luke Adams

11:31am: The Pacers have officially waived Stuckey, the team announced today in a press release.

9:38am: The Pacers are waiving injured guard Rodney Stuckey, reports Shams Charania of The Vertical (via Twitter). The news comes on the heels of Stuckey suffering a left patellar tendon strain, which is expected to sideline him for four to six weeks.

Stuckey’s contract situation was a motivating factor for the Pacers here, since he had an unusual option for the 2017/18 season. In most cases, player options represent guaranteed money (unless the player opts out), but Stuckey’s $7MM player option for next year was more of a mutual option. As Charania notes, by waiving the veteran guard prior to April 10, Indiana won’t be on the hook for any of his salary for 2017/18.

While Stuckey should be ready to return to action by the end of April or start of May, he’s unlikely to land with another team this season, so he could get a head start on free agency for next year, assuming he clears waivers. If he’s formally waived today, the former first-round pick would clear waivers on Friday.

Stuckey, who will turn 31 next month, is coming off perhaps his worst NBA season. In 39 games, he averaged 7.2 PPG and shot just 37.3% from the field — both marks are career-lows. Even if he had stayed healthy, Stuckey may have been a candidate to be cut before season’s end, in order to get the Pacers off the hook for next year’s salary.

With Stuckey headed to the waiver wire, the Pacers will open up a spot on their roster at a time when they could use some added depth. Regular rotation players Al Jefferson and Glenn Robinson III are also on the shelf with injuries as Indiana makes a late-season push to clinch a playoff spot. The team will have the opportunity to add someone new to its roster on either a 10-day contract or a rest-of-season deal.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Mavs Re-Sign Jarrod Uthoff, Part With Manny Harris

March 29th, 2017 at 10:55am CST by Luke Adams

10:55am: The Mavericks have officially announced their new deal with Uthoff. It’s a multiyear pact, according to the team, which probably means next season will be non-guaranteed, as I speculated below.

10:14am: Two players on their second 10-day contracts with the Mavericks saw those deals expire overnight, and one of the two will be sticking with the club. According to ESPN’s Marc Stein (via Twitter), the Mavs intend to sign Jarrod Uthoff to a rest-of-season contract. However, Manny Harris will return to Dallas’ D-League affiliate, the Texas Legends.

Uthoff, who will turn 24 this spring, saw very limited action in just two games with the Mavericks, and has yet to score his first NBA point. Still, the team apparently liked what it saw from Uthoff in practice and wants to keep him in Dallas. Although Stein doesn’t offer any specific contract details, I imagine Uthoff’s new contract will include a non-guaranteed salary for 2017/18, giving the Mavs to keep the 6’9″ forward at the minimum salary next season.

As for Harris, the 27-year-old saw a little more action than Uthoff during his 20 days in Dallas, averaging 2.0 PPG and 2.3 RPG in four contests (6.3 MPG). His return to the D-League will be a boost for the Legends — he had been averaging 26.0 PPG and 7.6 RPG for the Mavs’ affiliate.

With Uthoff returning and Harris on his way out, the Mavs will have one open spot on their 15-man roster, so they could take a flier on another 10-day prospect.

Paul George: Pacers Have ‘No Sense Of Urgency’

March 29th, 2017 at 8:44am CST by Luke Adams

Having lost a winnable home game to the lottery-bound Timberwolves on Tuesday night, the Pacers have slipped to seventh in the Eastern Conference standings, and are just two games ahead of the No. 9 Bulls as they look to secure a playoff spot. The team’s latest performance was a frustrating one for star forward Paul George, who expressed his displeasure in comments after the game, as Nate Taylor of The Indianapolis Star details.

“There’s no urgency, no sense of urgency, no winning pride,” George said (Twitter link). “This locker room is just not pissed off enough.”

“We should have a professional approach, man, and defend our home court, especially to a team that’s not even in the playoffs,” George added. “That’s what it comes down to. As a team, we’ve got to have a grit and we’ve got to own up, man up.”

George, who also suggested he didn’t get the ball enough late in the loss to the Wolves, is hardly the only player to publicly express frustration with his team’s performance this year. However, given the 26-year-old’s contract situation, any comments to that effect will be given extra scrutiny.

After this season, George has just one year left on his contract with the Pacers, and reports have suggested that the Lakers have piqued his interest as a possible free agent destination. Pacers president Larry Bird has indicated – both publicly and privately – that he’ll do all he can to keep George in Indiana, but if the 2016/17 campaign ends poorly for the team, trade speculation figures to run rampant this summer.

The Pacers have a challenging stretch of games on tap as they look to lock down a postseason berth. They’ll be back in action tonight in Memphis, then will play the Raptors, Cavaliers, and Raptors again. Assuming they’re still hanging onto a playoff spot after that stretch, the Pacers will be in a decent position to finish strong, with games against the Bucks, Magic, Sixers, and Hawks to close the regular season.

How Pau Gasol Is Fitting In With The Spurs

March 28th, 2017 at 11:07pm CST by ChrisCrouse

The Spurs signed Pau Gasol to a two-year, $30MM deal over the summer and he began the year in the starting lineup, something he’s done at every stop during his career. Yet, since coming back from a hand injury in February, he’s come off the bench. That’s not something that bothers the big man; he’s more concerned with winning.

“Right now we’re the second-best record in the league and we’re in a good spot,” Gasol said (via Jon Krawczynski of the Associated Press). “That was the key reason why I came here.”

His 3-point range is giving the Spurs exactly what they need as they get set for another playoff run. He’s taking more shots from behind the arc (making 53,5% of them) than he has during any season in his entire career. “I’m trying to survive in this league that is evolving continuously,” Gasol said recently. Gasol’s ability to shoot from long-range has allowed LaMarcus Aldridge to thrive from inside the arc, Krawczynski notes.

Gregg Popovich didn’t intend for Gasol to play away from the basketball as much. “We didn’t sit him down and say now Pau, part of your role is going to be [shooting 3s],” Popovich said. “But it’s sort of evolved with the spacing and the way we do things with LaMarcus out there. It just evolved that way. He’s been successful at it so we just kind of let it roll.”

Gasol’s contract contains a player option for the 2017/18 campaign, meaning the Spaniard ostensibly could become a free agent again this offseason. However, it was previously reported that he intends to opt in and stay with the team. “My intention is to continue here, and to be here as long as I can,” Gasol said earlier this season.

The former No. 3 overall pick has been a great fit in San Antonio. He’s helped the team claim a record of 57-16, which is the second-best mark in the league.

The only team with a better record: the Warriors. The Spurs are one of two franchises that Golden State has not beaten this season (the Wizards are the other team, though the Warriors host them next weekend). The Spurs won the first two meetings and they’ll play again on Wednesday night. If San Antonio makes it three straight against the defending Western Conference champs, Gasol may not get much attention, but he’ll deserve credit for how he’s altered his game for the betterment of the team.

NBA D-League Assignments/Recalls: 3/28/17

March 28th, 2017 at 10:07pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Check out Tuesday’s D-League assignment and recalls from around the league:

The Raptors have assigned Bruno Caboclo, Pascal Siakam and Fred VanVleet to the Raptors 905, per the team’s Twitter feed. Toronto has since recalled Van Fleet (Twitter feed).
The Knicks have assigned Maurice Ndour, Marshall Plumlee and Chasson Randle to the Westchester Knicks, according to the team’s Twitter feed. Each of the three players saw one minute of NBA action on Monday in New York’s win over Detroit.
The Bulls have assigned Cameron Payne to the Windy City Bulls, according to a team press release. Payne, who was sent to Chicago in the Taj Gibson deal, has seen 140 minutes with the NBA club since arriving in town.

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