Missed this week’s biggest NBA headlines? We’ve got a recap for you. Here are some of the most noteworthy stories from the last seven days:
The Hornets are reportedly open to moving Kemba Walker. That certainly doesn’t mean that Walker is a lock to be moved by February 8, or that Charlotte even wants to make a deal. But the Hornets recognize that attaching their star point guard to one or more of their less desirable contracts may be the quickest and most effective way to kickstart a rebuild.
Kawhi Leonard has been ruled out indefinitely due to right quadriceps tendinopathy. The Spurs forward returned from the same injury last month, but never looked quite right, missing games frequently even after getting back in the lineup. Head coach Gregg Popovich said Leonard’s injury “hasn’t responded the way we wanted it to,” so the superstar will focus on rehabbing his quad for the foreseeable future.
The deadline for teams to sign players to two-way contracts has now passed. That means that the 59 players currently on two-way deals are reasonably safe, since they can’t be replaced. Kay Felder, Demetrius Jackson, and Mike James were among the players with NBA experience who inked new two-way deals before Monday’s deadline.
Nikola Mirotic and 15 other players became eligible to be traded. In addition to being the deadline for two-way signings, Monday was also the day that trade restrictions lifted on several players who signed new contracts in the offseason. Of those players, Mirotic was the most notable, since the Bulls forward has been the subject of a number of trade rumors this season.
Trevor Ariza and Gerald Green received two-game suspensions as a result of an altercation in Los Angeles. NBA Twitter was abuzz late on Monday night as reports surfaced that multiple Rockets players had tried to get into the Clippers‘ locker room after a testy game in L.A. Chris Paul, James Harden, Austin Rivers, and Blake Griffin escaped without suspensions. While the incident wasn’t the biggest NBA story of the week, the various details (including a supposed “secret hallway” used by the Rockets to get to the Clips’ locker room) made it perhaps the most entertaining.
Here are 10 more NBA headlines from the last week worth noting:
- The Kings have begun to sit two veteran players per game as they focus on the future.
- Jazz swingman Thabo Sefolosha will miss the rest of the 2017/18 season due to a knee injury.
- The Cavaliers are believed to be eyeing George Hill, DeAndre Jordan, and Lou Williams as they explore potential trades.
- The Knicks signed Trey Burke to a rest-of-season deal after waiving Ramon Sessions.
- The Bulls are reportedly gauging trade interest in point guard Jerian Grant.
- Jazz guard Rodney Hood was identified as a possible trade candidate.
- The Kings have shut down 2017 first-rounder Harry Giles for the rest of the 2017/18 campaign.
- Jarell Eddie and Nigel Hayes signed 10-day contracts with the Celtics and Lakers, respectively.
- Pistons big man Jon Leuer underwent season-ending surgery on his troublesome left ankle.
- The deadline to apply for a disabled player exception passed on Monday. The Pelicans and Nets had their requests for DPEs granted; we’re still waiting for updates on requests by the Heat and Pistons.