2017 November | Hoops Rumors

Community Shootaround: Top 20 NBA Players

November 23rd, 2017 at 11:58am CST by Luke Adams

In a Friday episode of The Bill Simmons Podcast for The Ringer last week, Simmons and guest Joe House discussed and debated which players should be considered the NBA’s best at this point, ultimately putting together a top-20 list.

The rankings were for the 2017/18 season only, so factors like contract status and long-term potential weren’t taken into account. That means Karl-Anthony Towns, whose defensive game is still a work in progress, didn’t make the cut, even though virtually every NBA general manager would take him over many of the players on this list if they were starting a franchise from scratch.

The podcast is worth listening to in full to hear Simmons’ and House’s arguments for and against certain players, but here’s the list they ultimately settled on (they mistakenly included 21 players instead of 20):

LeBron James (Cavaliers)
Kevin Durant (Warriors)
James Harden (Rockets)
Giannis Antetokounmpo (Bucks)
Kawhi Leonard (Spurs)
Stephen Curry (Warriors)
Anthony Davis (Pelicans)
Russell Westbrook (Thunder)
Kyrie Irving (Celtics)
DeMarcus Cousins (Pelicans)
Draymond Green (Warriors)
Klay Thompson (Warriors)
Kristaps Porzingis (Knicks)
Ben Simmons (Sixers)
Blake Griffin (Clippers)
Joel Embiid (Sixers)
Paul George (Thunder)
Marc Gasol (Grizzlies)
Nikola Jokic (Nuggets)
Chris Paul (Rockets)
Andre Drummond (Pistons)

In addition to Towns, players who missed the cut included John Wall (Wizards), DeMar DeRozan (Raptors), Jimmy Butler (Timberwolves), Mike Conley (Grizzlies), Rudy Gobert (Jazz), Isaiah Thomas (Cavaliers), Damian Lillard (Trail Blazers), and many others.

As Simmons noted several times during the podcast, the list is subject to change over the course of the season, and it’s possible they might make a few tweaks to it already, just a few days after the fact — by season’s end, it will likely look much different. If Embiid stays healthy for the full season, for instance, it’s easy to envision him moving up a few spots. For now though, those are their picks for the NBA’s 20 (or 21) best players.

What do you think? Do you agree in general with the list, perhaps quibbling with a few rankings here and there, or would your own top-20 list look drastically different? Which players in Simmons’ and House’s list do you think are undeserving of inclusion, and which players who missed the cut should be added?

Jump into the comment section below to share your thoughts!

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Community Shootaround

Pacific Notes: Randle, Monroe, Clippers, Fox

November 23rd, 2017 at 10:43am CST by Luke Adams

Lakers power forward Julius Randle was displaced from his starting role by Larry Nance Jr. heading into the season, and continued to come off the bench while Nance has been sidelined, with Kyle Kuzma moving into the starting lineup. However, Randle has been making a case for a larger role with his play as of late, writes Bill Oram of The Orange County Register.

In his last nine games, Randle has averaged 13.4 PPG and 8.2 RPG in just 25.0 minutes per contest. He’s also playing well next to starting center Brook Lopez, a pairing the Lakers weren’t necessarily bullish on entering the 2017/18 campaign.

“It works well with Brook because Brook spaces the floor so he kind of turns into the space ‘four,'” Lakers head coach Luke Walton said. “And Julius can still do all that dynamic rolling hat he does and switch defensively. We’ll keep fooling with that. … They’ve been playing well together, but I also think Julius is playing at a much higher level than he was back then (in training camp), too. There’s a lot of factors that go into it, but they look good together.”

As Randle – who is on a contract year – makes a push for more minutes, let’s round up a few more items from around the Pacific…

Greg Monroe has been impressive since making his debut for the Suns earlier this month, as Cody Cunningham of Suns.com details. It’s a small sample, but the veteran center’s per-36 numbers (21.7 points; 12.4 rebounds) and FG% (.619) with Phoenix are the best marks of his career. Monroe’s play could boost his trade value a little, with the Suns potentially looking to move him in the coming weeks or months.
In an Insider-only piece for ESPN.com, Kevin Pelton takes a closer look at the slumping Clippers, exploring whether it makes sense for the team to trade some potential 2018 free agents before the deadline if their struggles continue. DeAndre Jordan, Lou Williams, Montrezl Harrell, and Willie Reed are among L.A.’s free-agents-to-be.
Kings rookie De’Aaron Fox will have dates against the Suns, Lakers, Celtics, and Sixers circled on his calendar for the foreseeable future, writes Jason Jones of The Sacramento Bee. Those are the four clubs that passed on Fox in the 2017 draft, and the young point guard wants to show them what they missed out on. “I’m happy with my situation, but at the end of the day those teams had the chance and opportunity to draft me,” Fox said.

Hoops Rumors Glossary: Non-Bird Rights

November 23rd, 2017 at 9:02am CST by Luke Adams

Players and teams have to meet certain criteria to earn Bird rights and Early Bird rights, but Non-Bird rights are something of a given. They apply to a player who has spent a single season or less with his team, as long as he finishes the season on an NBA roster. Teams can also claim Non-Bird rights on Early Bird free agents if they renounce them. The primary utility in doing so would be so that the team could sign the free agent to a one-year contract, a move that’s not permitted via Early Bird rights.

Teams are eligible to sign their own free agents using the Non-Bird exception for a salary starting at 120% of the player’s previous salary, 120% of the minimum salary, or the amount of a qualifying offer (if the player is a restricted free agent), whichever is greatest. Contracts can be for up to four years, with 5% annual raises.

The cap hold for a Non-Bird player is 120% of his previous salary, unless the previous salary was the minimum. In that case, the cap hold is equivalent to the two-year veteran’s minimum salary, which in 2018/19 will be $1,499,698.

The salary limitations that apply to Non-Bird rights are more severe than those pertaining to Bird rights or Early Bird rights, so in many cases, the Non-Bird exception isn’t enough to retain a well-regarded free agent. For instance, the Heat had Non-Bird rights for James Johnson and Dion Waiters this past summer, since those players had signed one-year deals with Miami in 2016.

The Heat technically would have been able to use Non-Bird rights to go over the cap to sign Johnson and Waiters, but because their 2016/17 salaries were only about $4MM and $3MM, respectively, the club’s ability to offer raises using the Non-Bird exception was extremely limited — 120% of Johnson’s previous salary was just $4.8MM, which wouldn’t have been a competitive offer. In order to get up to the $14MM and $11MM respective starting salaries that Johnson and Waiters received on their new contracts, Miami had to use cap space.

Holding Non-Bird rights on their top free agents didn’t help the Heat, but there are cases in which the exception proves useful. Nene, for example, signed a three-year, $10.95MM deal with the Rockets this offseason using his Non-Bird rights. Nene had initially signed a one-year, $2,898,000 contract with Houston in 2016, so the Non-Bird exception allowed the team to give him 120% of that amount ($3,477,600) in the first year of his new contract, without having to dip into the mid-level or bi-annual exception.

Note: This is a Hoops Rumors Glossary entry. Our glossary posts will explain specific rules relating to trades, free agency, or other aspects of the NBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement. Larry Coon’s Salary Cap FAQ was used in the creation of this post.

Earlier versions of this post were published in 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015 by Luke Adams and Chuck Myron.

NBA G League Assignments/Recalls: 11/22/17

November 22nd, 2017 at 11:04pm CST by Luke Adams

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

11:04pm:

The Hawks have assigned swingman Nicolas Brussino to their Erie affiliate, the team announced in an email. He has played two games with the Hawks and four with the BayHawks this season.

2:55pm:

After playing key roles in the Rio Grande Valley Vipers’ 138-124 win on Tuesday night, Troy Williams and Zhou Qi have been recalled to the Rockets, the team announced today (via Twitter). Williams scored a team-high 26 points for Houston’s G League affiliate last night, while Zhou had 18 points and four blocks.
The Lakers‘ NBA and G League teams are both in action tonight, and it appears rookie big man Thomas Bryant will suit up for L.A.’s affiliate rather than accompanying the NBA squad to Sacramento. Bryant was assigned today to the South Bay Lakers, according to a press release.
Rookie guard Furkan Korkmaz has been recalled to the NBA by the Sixers, the team announced today in a press release. Korkmaz had a big game for the Delaware 87ers on Tuesday, recording 27 points and eight rebounds in a loss to the Wisconsin Herd.
The Pistons have recalled Henry Ellenson from the G League, according to a team release. Ellenson poured in 31 points to go along with 10 rebounds for the Grand Rapids Drive on Tuesday night.

Northwest Notes: Millsap, Summer League, Thunder

November 22nd, 2017 at 10:57pm CST by Arthur Hill

Nuggets forward Paul Millsap is exploring alternatives to wrist surgery that would keep him out of action for about three months, according to Gina Mizell of The Denver Post. The four-time All-Star, who came to Denver this summer on a three-year contract worth more than $90MM, has been diagnosed with a torn ligament in his left wrist.

Coach Mike Malone said today that Millsap is “going to talk to some other doctors, get some other opinions before we make a decision on what the best course of action is.” However, he added that the team is preparing for a long stretch without its second-leading scorer. Millsap is averaging 15.3 points and 6.2 rebounds in 16 games.

There’s more from the Northwest Division:

In the wake of the Magic’s decision to cancel the Orlando Summer League for next year, Jazz officials plan to continue the competition in Utah, tweets Ben Dowsett of Basketball Insiders. Next year will mark the fourth season for the event, which is much smaller than the leagues in Las Vegas and Orlando. The Jazz were joined this year by the Celtics, Sixers and Spurs.
The Thunder’s star players are remaining calm despite their slow start, relays Sam Amick of USA Today. Oklahoma City was expected to be among the elite teams in the West after a pair of offseason trades united Paul George and Carmelo Anthony with Russell Westbrook, but OKC remains under .500. “I think they all understand that they can’t do it by themselves, and I think they all realize that from the situations they’re coming from, that now, ‘How do we figure out how to do it together?’” said coach Billy Donovan. “In order to compete at the highest level, you’ve got to have several really good players on your team. And there may be some truth to that, but I think people think that all of a sudden you take a collection of talent and just throw it together [and it works].”
The offseason moves have solidified the faith that Westbrook has in the organization, relays Royce Young of ESPN. Westbrook, who added stability to the Thunder by agreeing to extensions the past two summers, is a huge proponent of GM Sam Presti. “He’s done an amazing job. He’s done a great job ever since I’ve been here,” Westbrook said. “He’s finding ways to constantly keep making us a better team. … You definitely are very, very thankful to have somebody like that in charge of making those decisions.”

Texas Notes: Noel, Leonard, Anderson, Weber

November 22nd, 2017 at 9:46pm CST by Arthur Hill

Nerlens Noel will regret turning down the Mavericks‘ four-year, $72MM offer this summer, states Newy Scruggs in a chat for The Dallas Morning News. Scruggs contends Noel is not viewed as a hard worker by the organization, which has lowered his standing with coach Rick Carlisle. Noel has slipped into a reserve role, starting just six of the 17 games he has played this season.

Noel was hoping for a maximum offer, either from the Mavs or another team, when he entered restricted free agency in July. But nothing in that neighborhood materialized and Noel opted to accept Dallas’ $4,187,598 qualifying offer and try his luck as an unrestricted free agent next year. Scruggs said he expects Noel to be traded before the February deadline.

There’s more NBA news from the Lone Star State:

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich told reporters he has never seen an injury like the one that is keeping Kawhi Leonard out of action, relays Michael C. Wright of ESPN. Leonard is dealing with quadriceps tendinopathy, which has prevented him from taking the court all season, even in practice, and there’s still no definitive timetable for his return. Popovich had better news about Tony Parker, who also has a quadriceps injury that dates back to last season’s Western Conference semifinals. Parker has said he hopes to return in November, and it sounds like that may be possible. “For real, sooner than later,” Popovich said tonight. “And I’m serious. I’m being honest.”
Leonard’s injury has created an opportunity for fourth-year swingman Kyle Anderson, who is getting serious minutes for the first time in his career. Anderson has started all 18 games, and Popovich plans to keep him in the rotation even when Leonard returns, tweets Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News. “When Kawhi does come back, I’ve got some figuring out to do,” Popovich said. “[Anderson] should still be on the court, somehow or another.”
After signing a two-way deal with the Rockets last month, Briante Weber is eager to make the most of his latest shot at the NBA, writes Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle. Weber, the leading scorer for Houston’s G League affiliate in Rio Grande Valley, was called up to the Rockets today for the first time since joining the organization. He previously played for the Grizzlies, Heat, Warriors and Hornets, but never spent more than 13 games with any of those teams. “I’ve been prepared,” Weber said. “It’s just about the opportunity. That’s all it’s about, me taking advantage of the opportunity when I get in. I’ve always been prepared. It’s just basketball.”

Community Shootaround: DeAndre Jordan

November 22nd, 2017 at 8:33pm CST by Arthur Hill

A disastrous November got even rougher for the Clippers today with the news that Patrick Beverley will miss the rest of the season after undergoing knee surgery.

Beverley’s return Monday after missing five games was supposed to help L.A. right its ship. Instead, doctors determined that he needed surgery for a microfracture and a meniscus injury. His rehab is expected to take nine months.

With fellow opening-night backcourt starter Milos Teodosic sidelined indefinitely with a plantar fascia injury to his left foot and Danilo Gallinari out with a strained left glute, the Clippers have cratered. They entered tonight’s game with a nine-game losing streak and a 5-11 record.

Amid all this misery comes a report from Tim Bontemps of The Washington Post that several teams have made inquiries about center DeAndre Jordan. The 10-year veteran remains one of the league’s best rebounders and shot blockers, but there’s no guarantee his future will be in L.A. Jordan has a player option for next season worth nearly $24.12MM and could be tempted to test the market come July.

Jordan’s decision will go a long way in shaping the future of the franchise. The Clippers could have roughly $40MM in cap space next summer if Jordan, Teodosic, Austin Rivers and Wesley Johnson all opt out, or they could be well above the cap if everyone opts in. Beverley’s salary of slightly more than $5MM for 2018/19 is non-guaranteed, so it’s not certain that the team will bring him back.

The Clippers could wait for Jordan to determine their fate or they could make that decision themselves with a trade. L.A. is only two games out of a playoff spot, but it’s hard to envision a quick turnaround with Beverley already lost for the season and the other injuries continuing to linger.

What do you think? Should the Clippers try to trade Jordan now and get some young talent to rebuild around Blake Griffin or should they hold onto him and the other veterans and hope to turn the season around? Please leave your thoughts in the comments section below.

Southeast Notes: Isaac, Vogel, Olynyk, Monk

November 22nd, 2017 at 7:24pm CST by Arthur Hill

Magic forward Jonathan Isaac is missing his fifth straight game tonight with a sprained ankle, but the team hopes to have him back by the end of its current road trip, writes Josh Robbins of The Orlando Sentinel. The sixth player take in this year’s draft, Isaac has averaged 6.1 points and 4.4 rebounds in his first 12 NBA games. At 6’10”, he is tall and versatile enough to defend several positions.

“You hate to say you’re missing a 20-year-old rookie, but we are,” Magic coach Frank Vogel said. “He’s a dynamic player, especially on the defensive end, and he’s missed. But every single team in the league has got guys out.” Orlando is starting a four-game road trip tonight that will run through Monday.

There’s more news from the Southeast Division:

Vogel considered making a lineup change, but decided to keep the same starting five for tonight to allow his point guards to get more comfortable in their return from injuries, Robbins adds in the same story. Elfrid Payton and D.J. Augustin both missed time with hamstring problems, with Payton coming back November 13 and Augustin returning Saturday. “[We’re] staying the course right now,” Vogel said. “I think we’re still dealing with not having been at full strength and we’re trying to keep guys in their roles while we try to achieve that.”
Pat Riley’s decisions to bring back most of last season’s roster and use future cap room on a small number of players aren’t working out so far, writes Manny Navarro of The Miami Herald. Miami is off to a 7-9 start and there are concerns that the current roster doesn’t fit well together. The problems have been particularly acute in the second half of games, where the Heat rank last in the league in scoring, field goal percentage and 3-point shooting. The worst move of the offseason appears to be the four-year, $50 million deal for Kelly Olynyk, who at 18.4 minutes per game is playing less than in any of his four seasons in Boston.
Hornets coach Steve Clifford believes the lack of a team “identity” contributed to a recent six-game losing streak, relays Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer. Charlotte snapped that slide Saturday as Clifford juggled the rotation, which included benching rookie guard Malik Monk for the first time this season. “You lose six in a row and the defense has been bad,” Clifford explained. “It’s not Malik’s fault, it’s just his position; [Michael Carter-Williams is] a difference-maker defensively.”

Kendall Marshall Finished With G League

November 22nd, 2017 at 5:59pm CST by Arthur Hill

Kendall Marshall, who played for four teams in four NBA seasons, has decided to retire from the G League, tweets Chris Reichert of 2 Ways and 10 Days. It’s not clear if this means Marshall is just leaving the league or if he is done with basketball completely, although 26 would be an early age to retire for someone with no recent major injuries.

The point guard was waived by the Bucks in early October and has been playing for the Agua Caliente Clippers. He appeared in three games, averaging 4.0 points and 2.7 assists in 14.2 minutes. Marshall has previous G League experience in Bakersfield, Delaware and Reno.

The 13th selection in the 2012 draft, Marshall was never able to find a long-term NBA home. He spent a year with the Suns before being traded just before the start of the 2013/14 season to the Wizards, who waived him three days later. He was picked up by the Lakers, then spent partial seasons with the Bucks and Sixers. The Jazz traded for Marshall and waived him on the same day in August of 2016, and he hasn’t found an NBA job since.

Marshall was part of the U.S. team that captured the gold medal at this summer’s FIBA AmeriCup tournament.

Clippers’ Patrick Beverley Out For Season

November 22nd, 2017 at 4:48pm CST by Luke Adams

4:48pm: The news has gone from bad to worse for Beverley and the Clippers, according to Wojnarowski, who reports that the point guard will miss the rest of the season. Per Wojnarowski, Beverley’s right knee surgery included a repair of a microfracture and a meniscus injury. His estimated recovery time is nine months.

The Clippers are now eligible to apply for a disabled player exception, which would give the team a little extra spending flexibility to replace Beverley. If granted, the DPE would be worth about $2.76MM, half of his 2017/18 salary. Given their record and their proximity to the tax line, however, the Clips may not be eager to spend more on this year’s roster.

11:19am: Clippers point guard Patrick Beverley returned to the court on Monday after missing five games with a right knee injury, but that knee ailment will force him out of action again. League sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN that Beverley has undergone a surgical procedure on his troublesome right knee, and the veteran’s recovery timetable is unclear.

Brad Turner of The Los Angeles Times, who first reported that Beverley was being sent back to Los Angeles because of knee issues, confirmed that the 29-year-old underwent surgery in L.A. Turner also doesn’t have a specific timeline to pass along for Beverley’s recovery, but says the Clips’ starting point guard will be out “for a while” (Twitter links). Wojnarowski confirms, via sources, that Beverley will miss “a significant amount of time.”

The update is terrible news for Beverley, who had been off to a solid start with his new team early on this season. In 11 games, the former Rocket was averaging career highs in PPG (12.2), SPG (1.7), and 3PT% (.400), among other categories.

It’s also very bad news for the Clippers, who have been mired in a downward spiral since opening the season with four straight wins. Heading into Wednesday night’s game against the Hawks, the Clips have lost nine consecutive games, and they’ll be without both Beverley and Danilo Gallinari, two of their key offseason acquisitions.

Milos Teodosic remains sidelined with a foot injury too, so the Clippers’ backcourt will be shorthanded for the foreseeable future. Austin Rivers and Lou Williams will be in line for larger roles, while rookies Sindarius Thornwell and Jawun Evans are also good bets to receive regular minutes.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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