2017 November | Hoops Rumors

Community Shootaround: Derrick Rose’s Future

November 25th, 2017 at 11:25am CST by marksuleymanov

It’s that time of the year when Derrick Rose‘s health brings up questions about how much longer his battered body can sustain the rigors of an NBA season. We noted yesterday that Rose is currently away from the Cavaliers and evaluating his NBA future. A source told ESPN that the former NBA Most Valuable Player is “tired of being hurt and it’s taking a toll on him mentally.”

Rose, 29, showed he can still score this season as he averaged 14.3 PPG in seven starts for Cleveland. But Rose has not suited up for the Cavaliers since November 7 and was expected to miss 2-3 weeks with an ankle sprain. The Cavaliers have experimented with several different lineups in Rose’s absence. The good news is that Isaiah Thomas, who was acquired in the Kyrie Irving trade, is making progress in his rehab from a hip injury.

“I don’t think it means too much for the team, but I think more importantly as one of his brothers, that’s somebody we got to know these last couple months,” LeBron James said about Rose’s injury (via Cleveland.com’s Joe Vardon). “We want, whatever he decides to do, we want the best for him. At the end of the day, you can’t substitute nothing for happiness.”

Head coach Tyronn Lue said he has communicated Rose and despite all the reports, expects the point guard to return at some point. If Rose were to retire, it would also have massive financial ramifications. While his NBA deal is a one-year, $2.1MM veteran’s minimum deal, Rose still has approximately seven years and $80MM left on his endorsement deal with Adidas, according to ESPN’s Nick DePaula. If the former Bulls standout were to file retirement paperwork, he would not receive a full payout from the endorsement deal, DePaul writes.

Rose entered the 2017/18 season with confidence. Last season in New York, Rose played in 64 games and averaged 18.0 PPG, his best work since his MVP season in Chicago. The Cavaliers made a minimal investment and Rose said to Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press that he will prove he can still be an impactful asset.

“When I get on a good team and I’m still hooping the same way, what are you going to say then?” Rose said. “The only thing that you’ll can say is that I can still play.”

Rose has shown he can still play but has not proven he can stay healthy.

What do you think? Do you think Rose will suit up for the Cleveland again this season? Is it smart for him to walk away from a lucrative endorsement deal? If he does resume his career, what would be the best way to manage his workload?

Pacific Notes: Ingram, Lakers, Bell

November 25th, 2017 at 10:21am CST by marksuleymanov

Lakers second-year forward Brandon Ingram has displayed improvements through the team’s first 19 games. Last year’s second overall pick in the draft is averaging 14.7 PPG, 5.4 RPG, and 3.0 APG in 33.8 minutes — all of those numbers up from his rookie season. As Bill Oram of the Orange County Register writes, Ingram feels there is a lot more progress to be made.

“I think I have some more to show,” Ingram said. “This summer I was super confident in what I wanted to do this season, and I don’t think it’s all came yet.”

Oram mentions in the article that while rookie Lonzo Ball has generated most of the Lakers’ headlines, Ingram has generated most the team’s efficiency. At 8-11, the Lakers occupy 10th place in the Western Conference and are not considered a playoff team. However, if the Duke product develops into the player the team believes he can be, they will have at least one reliable anchor in the lineup.

Check out other news around the Pacific Division:

Mark Heisler of the Orange County Register outlines the Lakers’ rebuilding approach, likening it to the 76ers mantra of “Trust the Process.” The team has secured several first-round picks in recent years, including Ingram, Ball, Julius Randle, D’Angelo Russell, Larry Nance Jr., and Kyle Kuzma. Russell was traded to the Nets over the offseason but the other young assets remain in the fold. Heisler notes that the Lakers’ plan to compete will have to include luring a big name free agent such as LeBron James. For that to happen, he adds, the current roster will have to show it has sustainable potential.
Warriors rookie Jordan Bell has played sparingly this season but after the Warriors paid $3.5MM to acquire him from the Bulls after the NBA Draft, he has used it as motivation, Mark Medina of The Mercury News writes. “I use it as motivation as far as me playing for this team, and how much effort and money they spent to try to get me,” Bell said. “They already have such a great team over here and are so deep. But they obviously want me. I use that as motivation. So, now I got to show people that I’m worth the $3.5 million they spent to get me.”

Southwest Notes: Barnes, Kleber, Rockets

November 24th, 2017 at 10:30pm CST by Austin Kent

The Mavs have a new go-to guy after decades of relying on Dirk Nowitzki to shoot the ball in the final minutes of close ball games. As Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News writes, this week Harrison Barnes experienced first-hand what that can mean.

After missing a potential game-winner on Monday night, the 25-year-old forward banked home a winner on Wednesday. The Mavs’ new No. 1 threat will have to soon get accustomed to both the highs and lows of getting the final shot.

“When the team trusts you to have the ball in your hands late in the game and you miss a shot like that, you kind of beat yourself up a little,” Barnes, who averages 19.5 points and 7.1 rebounds per game for the Mavs, said. “But you have to move on. So when you come to [the Wednesday game], and to make that shot, it felt great.”

There’s more from the Southwest Division:

Don’t mistake Harrison Barnes‘ banked-in Wednesday night winner for anything more than luck, Matt Mosley of The Dallas Morning News adds in a question-and-answer with readers. Although he notes that Barnes’ “clutch” stats are actually pretty strong, he views him as more of a No. 2 or No. 3 option for the Mavs, long-term.
The Mavs slotted Maxi Kleber into their starting lineup four games ago and have been pleased with the result. Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News writes that the undrafted rookie has played just 16 minutes per game since moving into the starting lineup but has done a solid job making sure that the team doesn’t get off to slow starts, an issue that had occasionally plagued them.
The Rockets opted to keep two-way guard Briante Weber with the big league club, as well as forward Troy Williams so that they have more manpower available at practice and late in blowout games, Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle writes. Yes, that’s a big enough concern for head coach Mike D’Antoni to legitimately plan around. Nine of Houston’s 14 wins so far this season have been by at least 15 points.

NBA G League Assignments/Recalls: 11/24/17

November 24th, 2017 at 9:02pm CST by Austin Kent

Here are the G League moves from around the NBA today:

The Rockets have assigned big man Zhou Qi to their G League affiliate, Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle tweets. Qi will land with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers after showcasing some of his potential with the big league club on Wednesday.
The Grizzlies assigned Ivan Rabb to the Memphis Hustle, the team tweeted. Rabb has averaged 21.3 points and 11.3 rebounds per game for the G League affiliate this season.
The Nets have assigned Isaiah Whitehead to their G League affiliate in Long Island, the team announced in a press release. Whitehead has averaged 3.6 points per game with the big league club and scored 26 points in his lone G League game this season.

New York Notes: Baker, Mozgov, Hardaway Jr.

November 24th, 2017 at 7:30pm CST by Austin Kent

After emerging as one of the few bright spots on a chaotic Knicks team last season, Ron Baker‘s role has shrunk dramatically of late. As Marc Berman of the New York Post writes, after starting the season sluggishly, head coach Jeff Hornacek has run with Jarrett Jack and Frank Ntilikina at the point guard position.

Baker famously landed an $8MM, two-year contract over the course of the summer after signing as an undrafted free agent in 2016. Last year, his rookie campaign with the Knicks, Baker averaged 4.1 points and 2.1 assists per game.

While Hornacek seems to have an affinity for Baker due to their similar college backgrounds, the 24-year-old Knicks guard hasn’t seen on-court action since October 24.

There’s more from New York this evening:

The Knicks knew that they needed to go big if they wanted to submit an offer sheet for Tim Hardaway Jr. that the Hawks wouldn’t just match, Marc Berman of the New York Post writes. At the end of the day, Atlanta’s supposed threshold for matching was significantly lower than the $71MM that he signed for.
The Nets are making a concerted effort to rest Timofey Mozgov after a busy offseason, a Nets Daily report states. Mozgov, who played 20 games with Team Russia this summer, has sat out of action since November 14.
Former pupil Steve Kerr defended some of Phil Jackson‘s executive decisions, Anthony Rieber of NewsDay writes. The Warriors head coach pointed out that his former Bulls coach was wise to draft Kristaps Porzingis and Frank Ntilikina during his tenure with the Knicks, giving him credit for hiring Jeff Hornacek as well.

Central Notes: Dunn, Wade, Joseph

November 24th, 2017 at 6:07pm CST by Austin Kent

Without much of an opportunity to show what he was capable of as a rookie, Kris Dunn‘s production with the Bulls in his sophomore season has been particularly intriguing. As Spencer Davies of Basketball Insiders writes, Dunn has been given a larger role than he saw with the Timberwolves and that’s paying off on both sides of the ball.

Not only has Dunn’s playing time increased with the Bulls, his role in the offense has too. The guard is averaging three-times the field-goal attempts that he put up last season and his percentage has climbed with increased usage.

Davies also notes that Dunn’s presence has had a drastic impact on the Bulls’ defensive success. While the team struggles in general with their defense, the club allows 6.9 fewer points per possession when Dunn is on the floor.

There’s more from the Central Division:

The Cavaliers would consider moving Tristan Thompson for DeAndre Jordan if such an opportunity presented itself, Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com writes in a question-and-answer with readers but the Cavs wouldn’t likely seriously pursue the Clippers big man unless they were convinced he was the missing piece necessary to take down Golden State.
Bench anchor Dwyane Wade is enjoying his time with the Cavaliers‘ second-unit, Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com writes. The 35-year-old has embraced the role of guiding the team’s attack off the pine.
The Pacers had long envied Cory Joseph before acquiring him this past offseason, Michael Grange of Sportsnet writes. “We’re very pleased with Cory. He’s always been a guy I’ve liked since he was playing in San Antonio and couple of years ago he had a real good series against us, played really well and was a big factor in the playoffs against us,” head coach Nate McMillan said, as the guard made his first appearance in Toronto following the deal.

Southeast Notes: Wall, Hezonja, Olynyk

November 24th, 2017 at 4:43pm CST by Austin Kent

The Wizards may be without John Wall this weekend, Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington writes. The point guard continues to experience discomfort in his knee and underwent an MRI on it this afternoon.

“John is definitely going to be questionable tomorrow,” Wizards head coach Scott Brooks said. “We’ll see how he feels [Saturday morning] and then make a decision from there.”

The knee issues can be traced back to two weekends ago when members of the Wizards training staff administered a pair of IVs to help Wall recover from migraines and a general sickness. That fluid, however, collected in his knee.

The problem, Wall says, is that his mobility hasn’t returned despite having already had the fluid drained. If it doesn’t return soon, the 27-year-old All-Star who missed the team’s Friday afternoon practice, could miss his third game of the young NBA season.

There’s more out of the Southeast Division:

Despite their best efforts, the Magic didn’t find a taker for Mario Hezonja prior to October 31, Zach Lowe of ESPN writes. That date is significant because the team was forced to decide whether or not to extend the swingman through 2018/19. When no trade materialized, the club declined the option. Now, Lowe writes, a team should buy low on the project and see if they can develop him into a serviceable rotation player. Despite going fifth overall in the 2015 NBA Draft, the 22-year-old has averaged just 5.3 points through his first three seasons.
At this point in the season, Kelly Olynyk is not projected to hit the 1,700-minute plateau that would trigger an extra $1MM in salary, Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel writes. The big man is averaging 18.5 minutes per game for the Heat so far in 2017/18.
Backup forward Mike Scott has thrived in his first year with the Wizards. The 29-year-old has averaged 8.6 points and 3.4 rebounds per game off the bench in Washington and the man he replaces in the starting lineup has taken notice of his playing style. “I think he’s trying to steal my game,” Markieff Morris joked. “We kind of resemble each other a lot more than what I thought before he got here.“

Fantasy Hoops: Evans, KCP, Bledsoe, Lamb

November 24th, 2017 at 3:30pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Tyreke Evans is enjoying a resurgence in Memphis, fueled by his ability to stay on the court, his talent, and the Grizzlies presenting him with a prominent role off the bench. He ranks third on the team with a usage rate of 26.2 and his 17.9 points per game only trails Marc Gasol among those who call the FedExForum home.

Evans’ one-year, $3.3MM pact is one of the NBA’s best bargains from this past offseason and he’s providing just as much value to fantasy owners as he is to Memphis. In ESPN leagues, he was drafted on average with the No. 140 pick, meaning many fantasy owners either nabbed him in the last round of their draft or scooped him off waivers early on.

If we could assume good health, Evans would be a clear top-50 option going forward, and maybe even a top-40 player. Given his injury history though, his season-long value becomes less certain. That doesn’t mean you should necessarily sell high on him, but be aware of the risk and evaluate offers accordingly.

Here’s more fantasy analysis and notes:

Consistency has always been an issue for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, but it appears the Lakers‘ $18MM man has addressed some of his woes — he’s shooting a career-high from the field (42.5%) and from behind the arc (35.1%). While neither of those rates are otherworldly, they aren’t going to kill you as they have in the past. Caldwell-Pope is averaging 14.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.8 steals over his past 10 games and with his percentages coming in at a respectable level, his value rises for those playing in Roto leagues.
It’s clear that Eric Bledsoe is going to continue to have a heavy role in Bucks‘ offense going forward. Since arriving in Milwaukee earlier this month, Bledsoe has a 27.6 usage rate, which puts him ahead of Paul George, Harrison Barnes, and Ben Simmons – among others – during that stretch.
Nicolas Batum re-injured his elbow on Wednesday night and won’t play in Friday’s game against the Cavs. Jeremy Lamb, who will start for the Hornets at the three, should be in fantasy lineups both in daily and in season-long leagues for tonight’s tilt. Cleveland has given up the most points per game to opposing small forwards, allowing them to shoot 50% from the field, which is the worst mark in the league. In 12 starts this season, Lamb is averaging 16.7 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.2 assists per contest while shooting 45.7% from behind the arc.

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

Statistics are current through Friday morning. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Terrence Jones Waived By Chinese Team

November 24th, 2017 at 2:43pm CST by Luke Adams

After getting kicked out of practice and leaving the Qingdao Eagles earlier this week, veteran big man Terrence Jones has now been waived by the Chinese team, per international basketball reporter David Pick (Twitter link). The Eagles signed former Knicks second-round pick Maciej Lampe to take Jones’ place on their roster, Pick notes.

Jones, who signed a one-year deal back in July to play in China this season, only lasted about three weeks on his new club’s roster. In nine CBA games, the 25-year-old power forward averaged 22.3 PPG, 11.2 RPG, and 2.3 BPG.

Jones had been hoping to parlay a strong performance in China into another NBA opportunity, but his stint with Qingdao seems unlikely to generate a whole lot of interest stateside. While Jones’ numbers are good, they aren’t as eye-popping as the averages posted in China by some other former NBAers — Jared Sullinger, for instance, is recording 34.0 PPG and 15.6 RPG this season for the Shenzhen Leopards. It also sounds like Jones isn’t leaving the Eagles on good terms, which would be a red flag for potential suitors.

The 18th overall pick in the 2012 draft, Jones spent his first four NBA seasons with the Rockets, flashing some potential during his time in Houston. However, the Rockets opted not to re-sign him and he spent last season with the Pelicans and the Bucks. He was waived by both teams before ultimately making the move overseas in the offseason.

Derrick Rose Away From Cavs, Evaluating Future

November 24th, 2017 at 1:30pm CST by Luke Adams

Derrick Rose, sidelined since November 7 with an ankle injury, isn’t currently with the Cavaliers and is evaluating his future in basketball, according to Adrian Wojnarowski and Dave McMenamin of ESPN.

Rose, who has been away from the Cavs for the better part of a week, has been plagued by health problems since winning the NBA’s MVP award in 2011, averaging just 38 games played over the last six seasons, not including this year. Those ongoing injury issues have the veteran point guard feeling overwhelmed, per Wojnarowski and McMenamin.

“He’s tired of being hurt and it’s taking a toll on him mentally,” one Cavaliers source told ESPN.

Rose, 29, signed a one-year, minimum salary contract with the Cavaliers over the summer, and was thrust into the team’s starting lineup when Kyrie Irving was traded to the Celtics, with Isaiah Thomas still recovering from his hip injury. However, Rose has been limited to just seven games so far, averaging 14.3 PPG and a career-worst 1.7 APG in those contests.

As a member of the Knicks last season, Rose unexpectedly left the team at one point to return to Chicago and missed a game, failing to explain his absence until after the fact. He was fined for that departure and apologized to his teammates when he returned. However, this isn’t a repeat of that situation — a Cavs spokesman tells ESPN that Rose’s current absence is excused.

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