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Month: November 2024

LeBron James “Didn’t Give Much Thought” To Nuggets’ Pursuit

November 27th, 2018 at 5:22pm CST by ChrisCrouse

The Nuggets wanted a meeting with LeBron James during the offseason when the four-time MVP was a free agent, but they were unsuccessful in their pursuit. Team president Josh Kroenke did get the chance to discuss the potential pairing with James over the phone during the offseason.

“[Kroenke] discussed [coming to the Nuggets] a couple times to me,” James said during shootaround before the Lakers/Nuggets tilt. “Also he sent those throwback jerseys, I think they’re wearing them tonight. The white ones? With the mountains, I believe, that’s on it. Said, ‘You’d look good in one of these.’”

James and Kroenke have been friends for years, though it wasn’t enough to make James consider moving to Denver.

“We’ve been on vacation, things of that nature — we have a great friendship,” James said. “But I didn’t give it much thought.”

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Southwest Notes: House, Davis, Grizzlies, Bzdelik

November 27th, 2018 at 3:58pm CST by Luke Adams

Just hours after signing with the Rockets on Monday, Danuel House was thrown into the fire, logging 28 minutes in the team’s overtime loss to Washington. While House only posted four points in his first game as a Rocket and the club couldn’t get a victory, the Houston native is excited to be playing for his hometown team, writes Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle.

“It’s huge,” House said of his new contract with the Rockets. “I didn’t want to break the news to my family quite yet. Going back home, I’m from Houston, it’s going to be huge. It’s an honor. Showing my little cousins and the people around me to never give up and continue to fight. Life can throw you down, but you have to be judged by how you stand up.”

Although House has now appeared in regular season games for three NBA teams since going undrafted out of Texas A&M in 2016, he has spent a good chunk of his professional career in the G League, playing last season and this year for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, Houston’s NBAGL affiliate. This is the first time he has been under contract with the Rockets.

Here’s more from around the Southwest division:

  • Asked on Monday about how the Pelicans are dealing with Anthony Davis trade speculation, head coach Alvin Gentry suggested that he’s not even thinking about that, as Steve Bulpett of The Boston Herald relays. “That’s what you guys talk about,” Gentry said of the Davis chatter. “We don’t talk about it. So he’s here. He’s playing on our team. We’re trying to win games. That’s the only thing that matters right now. It’s not anything that I’m going to have a say-so in or anything else, so we don’t bother about it.”
  • Tim MacMahon of ESPN.com takes an in-depth look at how the Grit ‘n’ Grind 2.0 philosophy is working out for the Grizzlies, who are managing to pile up wins despite ranking dead-last in the NBA in points per game.
  • Rockets assistant coach Jeff Bzdelik officially returned to the team on a full-time basis last Friday, as Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle details. The return of Houston’s defensive specialist hasn’t exactly had an immediate impact — the Rockets have lost all three games since Bzdelik has been back on the bench, surrendering 122.7 PPG in Detroit, Cleveland, and Washington.
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Latest On Markelle Fultz

November 27th, 2018 at 2:39pm CST by Luke Adams

Multiple reports on Monday indicated that the Sixers likely won’t be providing an update on Markelle Fultz‘s status until later this week. The second-year point guard is visiting multiple specialists this week as those doctors attempt to determine what sort of physical issues are plaguing Fultz’s shoulder and wrist.

It will be interesting to see what sort of diagnoses those specialists provide, since not everyone is convinced that Fultz’s problems are physical. According to John Gonzalez of The Ringer, one team source asserted this week that Fultz’s issues are “definitely the yips,” while a source close to the former No. 1 pick insisted he’s hurt and is being bothered by a thumb injury.

In the view of Jordan Greer of The Sporting News, the Sixers and Fultz’s camp aren’t just at odds over whether his problems are physical or mental — the two sides also seem to be moving in opposite directions based on what’s best for the 20-year-old and what’s best for the team, according to Greer, who suggests that an “ugly divorce” may be on the horizon.

For their part, the 76ers have said that they expect Fultz to reclaim a role off the bench once he’s ready to get back on the court. However, Gonzalez is unconvinced that the Sixers are confident that will happen, or if they even want it to happen.

Here’s more on Fultz:

  • The trust that Fultz’s camp had in the Sixers has waned, according to Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders. League sources who have inquired on Fultz tell Kyler that they don’t think the former top pick will be on Philadelphia’s roster beyond this season’s trade deadline.
  • Following up on his report that the Cavaliers have inquired on Fultz, Sam Amico of AmicoHoops.net says those conversations weren’t “serious,” but the two teams left the door open to talk later, and probably will do so. According to Kyler, the Cavs are believed to have discussed a deal centered around Kyle Korver and a draft pick.
  • After speaking to several league executives, John Gonzalez of The Ringer believes that even getting a late first-round pick or early second-rounder in a trade for Fultz might be a tall order for the Sixers.
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Devin Booker Wants To Build Super-Team In Phoenix

November 27th, 2018 at 1:37pm CST by Luke Adams

The 4-15 Suns are the only team in a hyper-competitive Western Conference that hasn’t won at least nine games already this season. However, while Phoenix may not be ready to contend in the West quite yet, Devin Booker is thinking big after signing a five-year contract extension with the franchise over the summer, as he tells Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports.

“I’d like to build a super-team. I’d like the super-team to come to me,” Booker said. “If that’s through free agency, people seeing what we have here with the big fella [Deandre Ayton] and myself and wanting to join in on that, to reach higher heights, then I’m with that.”

Phoenix hasn’t won more than 24 games in a season since 2014/15 and looks like a good bet to finish at the bottom of the Western Conference once again in 2018/19. Still, Booker’s “super-team” goals aren’t quite as outlandish as the club’s spot in the standings might suggest.

As Booker alludes to, the Suns already have two long-term cornerstones in place — Booker is 22 years old and is under contract for five years beyond this season, while Ayton is 20 years old and in his rookie season.

The club is also fairly flexible in terms of its salary cap outlook. Ryan Anderson still has one year left on his pricey contract after this season, but otherwise, the only players on Phoenix’s books beyond 2018/19 are Booker, Ayton, Josh Jackson, Mikal Bridges, T.J. Warren, Elie Okobo, and De’Anthony Melton. On top of all that, the Suns should have another top draft pick to work with in 2019.

With Booker and Ayton locked up for the next several years and likely to keep getting better, the Suns have plenty of time to figure out how to fill out their roster with the pieces necessary to return to contention. Landing a star player via trade or free agency within the next year or two would accelerate the team’s timeline, and it sounds like Booker would like to go that route.

“It’s my job to speed up that plan and have the team believe we can move forward with me as a center point,” Booker told Goodwill.

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Cash Sent, Received In NBA Trades For 2018/19

November 27th, 2018 at 12:21pm CST by Luke Adams

During each NBA league year, teams face limits on the amount of cash they can send out and receive in trades. Once they reach those limits, they’re no longer permitted to include cash in a deal until the following league year.

For the 2018/19 NBA season, the limit is $5,243,000. The limits on sending and receiving cash are separate and aren’t dependent on one another, so if a team sends out $5,243,000 in one trade, then receives $5,243,000 in another, they aren’t back to square one — they’ve reached both limits for the season.

Since July 1, 14 trades have included cash. The money attached to some of those deals is extremely minimal — in one Mavericks/Clippers swap, Dallas received just $50K from Los Angeles. In other cases though, the money included in a trade can be a major factor. For instance, the fact that the Nets paid the Hornets $5MM in the deal that sent Dwight Howard to Brooklyn and Timofey Mozgov to Charlotte certainly helped incentivize the Hornets to make the move.

We’ll use the space below to track each team’s cash sent and received in trades for the 2018/19 season, updating the info as necessary for the 2019 trade deadline and the first part of the 2019 offseason. These totals will reset once the calendar turns to July 2019 and the ’19/20 league year begins.

Atlanta Hawks

  • Cash available to send: $5,243,000
  • Cash available to receive: $0
    • Received $2,055,910 from Celtics.
    • Received $1,880,000 from Heat.
    • Received $1,307,090 from Warriors.

Boston Celtics

  • Cash available to send: $2,737,090
  • Cash available to receive: $5,243,000

Brooklyn Nets

  • Cash available to send: $243,000
  • Cash available to receive: $5,243,000

Charlotte Hornets

  • Cash available to send: $5,243,000
  • Cash available to receive: $0
    • Received $5,000,000 from Nets.
    • Received $243,000 from Thunder.

Chicago Bulls

  • Cash available to send: $5,243,000
  • Cash available to receive: $0

Cleveland Cavaliers

  • Cash available to send: $5,243,000
  • Cash available to receive: $3,995,506

Read more

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Jimmer Fredette Hoping For NBA Opportunity

November 27th, 2018 at 10:50am CST by Luke Adams

Former 10th overall pick Jimmer Fredette hasn’t appeared in an NBA game since March of 2016, but he tells Bryan Kalbrosky of HoopsHype that he’s still hoping to receive another shot from an NBA team. And he’s confident that if he gets that shot, he’ll take full advantage of it.

“I want to have another opportunity in the NBA because there is some unfinished business for me there,” Fredette said. “After this season is over, I want another NBA chance. This time, I’ll succeed.

“I feel really good about how I am playing,” he continued. “I know that if I get a chance, I will take advantage of it and be successful and help a team win. I’m excited to see what the future holds. I’m going to finish my contract in China this season and be the best I can be for my team. But after that, I will see what is out there and try to be on a roster for the NBA postseason.”

A highly touted sharpshooter out of BYU, Fredette was drafted in 2011 and subsequently played a total of 235 games for the Kings, Bulls, Pelicans, and Knicks over the next five seasons. He never hit his stride in the NBA, as his strong three-point numbers (.381 career 3PT%) weren’t enough to earn him a consistent role anywhere.

However, Fredette has revitalized his career over the last two seasons in China, putting up gaudy numbers for the Shangai Sharks, including a recent 75-point outburst. The 29-year-old tells Kalbrosky that his confidence is “at an all-time high” and that he’s better than he’s ever been as a basketball player. And as he points out, his skill set would probably fit in well in the modern-day NBA.

“I definitely get that itch when I watch NBA games, I know that I can be out there,” Fredette said. “They’re shooting so many three-pointers and so much of it has to do with space, movement and transition. During half-court sets, they’re looking to space and drive and shoot and that plays into my skill set so well. It’s absolutely my style. I see their offensive systems and everyone can use another shooter, another scorer.”

The Chinese Basketball Association season ends before the NBA season does, so Fredette could have a chance to catch on with a team down the stretch in the spring. If that doesn’t pan out, he figures to explore the market in search of an NBA offer during the 2019 offseason.

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Bradley Beal, Agent Deny That Beal Wants Trade

November 27th, 2018 at 9:44am CST by Luke Adams

After a report surfaced on Monday suggesting that Bradley Beal wants out of Washington, the shooting guard and his agent both came out and strongly denied that rumor.

“That is absolutely not true,” agent Mark Bartelstein said of the report that Beal wants to be traded, per Candace Buckner of The Washington Post (Twitter links). “The only sources that would know Brad thinking’s are Brad and myself. And Brad’s focus is 100% on helping the Wizards play consistent, winning basketball.”

Meanwhile, Beal himself addressed the subject after the Wizards’ win over the Rockets on Monday night, speaking to Dennis Scott of NBA TV (video link) in an on-court interview.

“That’s nonsense,” Beal said. “I heard it earlier before the game and I was like, ‘If it didn’t come from the horse’s mouth, it wasn’t me.’ I got this Washington jersey on, I come in and work every day, until otherwise. This is where I want to be. I’m going to continue to show up and continue to work and continue, continue to get wins for us.”

While it may be true that Beal hasn’t asked to be traded and isn’t looking to leave D.C. as soon as possible, there have been plenty of indications that he’s not entirely happy with the Wizards. According to reports on the contentious team practice that took place earlier this month, Beal went on a tirade that day about the team’s culture, telling team officials that he’d been dealing with it “for seven years.” He also reportedly criticized GM Ernie Grunfeld during that practice.

Former Wizards beat writer J. Michael, who now covers the Pacers for The Indianapolis Star, tweeted earlier this month that front offices around the league believe Beal isn’t interested in staying with the Wizards beyond his current contract. Michael didn’t go so far as to say that Beal wants to be traded, but after Monday’s report surfaced, he noted (via Twitter) that the 25-year-old has long been frustrated by the situation in Washington.

Regardless of how he feels about the Wizards, Beal remains under contract through 2021 and seems unlikely to go anywhere anytime soon. While Washington’s front office is reportedly willing to listen to inquiries on any of its players, the price tag for Beal would be astronomical, as he’s the club’s most valuable asset.

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Teams Have Inquired On Knicks’ Damyean Dotson

November 27th, 2018 at 8:53am CST by Luke Adams

At least a couple NBA teams have approached the Knicks to inquire on Damyean Dotson‘s potential availability, a source tells Marc Berman of The New York Post.

Berman’s report gives no indication that the Knicks are looking to trade Dotson, but he suggests the team may have to consider a move by February’s trade deadline, given the 24-year-old’s role and contract situation.

A starter for nine Knicks games this season, Dotson has recently fallen out of the rotation, having not seen any action since November 18. As Berman observes, minutes may be even harder to come by for Dotson when Courtney Lee returns from his neck injury, which is expected to happen in the near future.

Berman also points out that the drafting of Dotson was spearheaded by former team president Phil Jackson and his top adviser, Clarence Gaines, meaning the current management group may not be as invested in seeing the 6’6″ guard succeed in New York.

After earning a $1.38MM salary this season, Dotson will remain under contract for one more season, with a non-guaranteed $1.62MM salary for 2019/20. The Knicks figure to go star-shopping this summer, and if they want to maximize their potential cap room, Dotson would likely become expendable. As such, trading him this season to a club that would want to lock in that modest ’19/20 salary could be a win-win for the player and the team.

In 15 games (26.9 MPG) for the Knicks so far this season, Dotson has posted 10.1 PPG and 4.5 RPG with a .431/.323/.636 shooting line.

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Pacific Notes: Curry, Beal, Rondo, Kokoskov

November 26th, 2018 at 10:55pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Warriors point guard and two-time MVP Stephen Curry could be back in action this week, according to an NBA.com post. He will go through a full practice on Tuesday with the possibility of playing against the Raptors on Thursday, coach Steve Kerr told the media. Curry has missed 10 consecutive games with a left groin strain.

We have more news from around the Pacific Division:

  • Any potential Lakers trade for Wizards guard Bradley Beal would likely have Brandon Ingram as its centerpiece, according to Eric Pincus in a Bleacher Report column. Los Angeles probably wouldn’t agree to deal Ingram plus either Lonzo Ball, Kyle Kuzma or Josh Hart, Pincus opines. However, a package of Ingram, Rajon Rondo and Michael Beasley would add up to enough salary to absorb Beal’s hefty contract. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope couldn’t be substituted for Rondo unless he agreed to the deal, due to a quirk in rules regarding players who re-sign one-year contracts, Pincus adds.
  • The Lakers’ offense has suffered without Rondo, who is currently out with a broken hand, Joey Ramirez of the team’s website reports. The Lakers ranked fourth in scoring (116.9 ppg) and fifth in assists (26.0) before Rondo’s injury, but are 22nd in points (106.6) and 29th in assists (18.6) in the first five games without him. Rondo has been cleared for non-basketball activities but is still several weeks away from returning, Ramirez adds.
  • Suns first-year coach Igor Kokoskov believes his days as an assistant in Detroit were pivotal in his coaching career, as he explained to Chris McCosky of the Detroit News. He was a young coach with the Pistons when they reached the Eastern Conference Finals on a regular basis. “I had the privilege of being with Larry Brown for two years and Flip Saunders for three years,” Kokoskov told McCosky. “I was very fortunate to learn from those great coaches and those great players. Just being a part of that group, with those guys all in their prime, I had a chance to steal the best from those guys. I learned a lot. Especially when you are winning.”
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NBA G League Assignments/Recalls: 11/26/18

November 26th, 2018 at 9:19pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Here are Monday’s G League assignments and recalls from across the NBA:

  • The Wizards recalled rookie swingman Troy Brown Jr. from the Capital City Go Go, the team’s PR department tweets. Brown Jr. recorded 19 points, seven rebounds, six assists and three steals in a victory over Canton on Sunday. Brown was the 15th overall pick in the draft.
  • The Clippers assigned second-year shooting guard Sindarius Thornwell to the Agua Caliente Clippers, the team’s PR department tweets. Thornwell averaged 17.5 PPG in two G League games this season and has also made six brief appearances with the NBA club. He started against the Santa Cruz Warriors on Monday.
  • The Pelicans recalled rookie forward Kenrich Williams from the Westchester Knicks, according to a team press release. Williams appeared in two games for the Knicks under the G League’s flex system, averaging 14.5 PPG, 14.5 RPG and 4.5 APG in 29.4 MPG. He’s also appeared in five games for New Orleans.
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