Hoops Rumors has you covered in the event you missed any of this past week’s (Happy New Year!) headlines from around the NBA. Here are some of the most noteworthy stories from the last 7 days.
Tomorrow is the last day for teams to waive players on non-guaranteed contracts before those players’ contracts become guaranteed for the remainder of the 2017/18 season. As a result, several teams have already come out and reported that they plan to retain certain players beyond the deadline, thereby guaranteeing (albeit unofficially) those players’ salaries for the remainder of the season. As it currently stands, the following players will reportedly not be waived:
- The Rockets will guarantee the non-guaranteed contract of Gerald Green.
- The Jazz will guarantee the non-guaranteed contract of Raul Neto.
- The Hawks will guarantee the non-guaranteed contracts of Tyler Cavanaugh and Isaiah Taylor.
- The Magic will guarantee the non-guaranteed contract of Khem Birch.
In other news, Isaiah Thomas made his return for the defending Eastern Conference Champions in the Cavaliers‘ win over Portland on Tuesday. Thomas came off the bench and, as part of his continued treatment, did not play Wednesday against his former team in Boston. However, Thomas is expected to start tonight against Orlando. In his first game back, Thomas went off for 17 points in only 19 minutes.
Rockets star guard and MVP candidate James Harden will be sidelined for at least another week, if not more, after suffering a Grade 2 hamstring strain in the team’s double-overtime victory over the Lakers last Sunday. Despite the injury, Harden still managed to post 40 points and 11 assists.
Warriors point guard and two-time MVP Stephen Curry returned to action last Saturday night in the Warriors’ win over Memphis. Curry, who had missed 11 games with a sprained right ankle, scored 38 points in only 26 minutes of action in Golden State’s victory.
Here are 11 more headlines from around the NBA last week.
- Former Knicks forward Mindaugas Kuzminskas has signed with Olimpia Milano of Italy’s Lega Basket Serie A.
- Former Hawks forward Nicolas Brussino has signed with CB Gran Canaria of Spain’s Liga ACB.
- The Heat waived shooting guard Matt Williams and signed small forward Derrick Jones to his now vacant two-way contract.
- In response to a missed call that potentially cost the Thunder a win against the Bucks, the NBA is going to consider potential solutions on late game out-of-bounds replays.
- Blazers All-Star point guard Damian Lillard returned to action Tuesday after missing nearly two weeks with a hamstring injury
- The Wizards waived one their two-way players – rookie forward Michael Young.
- Turns out that the Spurs were serious contenders for Kyrie Irving this summer, but ultimately failed to have the draft assets so coveted by Cleveland that Boston possesed.
- The Knicks are considering signing former first-round pick and current G League star Trey Burke to an NBA deal.
- Despite signing a lucrative three-year, $57MM deal with the Kings this summer, George Hill is having a difficult time adjusting to his new role.
- The Clippers signed Tyrone Wallace to a two-way deal after waiving two-way contributor Jamil Wilson.
- The Sixers signed former first-round pick James Young to a two-way contract after waiving guard Jacob Pullen.