2018 December | Hoops Rumors

Sixers Notes: Fultz, Z. Smith, Roster Depth, Embiid

December 23rd, 2018 at 8:59am CST by Arthur Hill

With Markelle Fultz‘s status as uncertain as ever, Sixers GM Elton Brand admitted Saturday he’s not sure if the second-year guard will play again this season, writes Sarah Todd of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Fultz, who hasn’t seen game action since November 19, has been diagnosed with neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome. He is doing rehab work away from the team, and there’s no timetable for a possible return.

“He’s in L.A. with Judy Seto, … who Kobe [Bryant] swears by, progressing well,” Brand said. “He’ll be with us on Christmas, with his family. … Our staff, or someone from the organization has been in touch with him daily, or someone in his camp daily.”

Brand added that another update is expected after the holidays as team doctors re-evaluate his condition. The top pick in last year’s draft, Fultz had started 15 of 19 games and was averaging 8.2 PPG before being sidelined by the injury.

There’s more this morning out of Philadelphia:

Brand has more definite news about this year’s first-rounder, Zhaire Smith, who hasn’t played yet this season, Todd relays in the same story. Smith had surgery on his left foot in August, then had his rehab interrupted by complications from a peanut allergy, but Brand said the organization expects him to be ready before the season ends. “Zhaire is in the gym every morning, early in the morning, sometimes 5 a.m. He’s in good spirits,” Brand said. “He’ll have another test on his foot after the holiday and we expect to see him back this season. Not this year, but this season.” Smith will likely be sent to the Sixers’ G League team in Delaware when he is ready to return.
Brand expects to make at least one more move to add roster depth before the February 7 trade deadline, Todd adds. Philadelphia gave up some depth when it sent Robert Covington and Dario Saric to Minnesota to acquire Jimmy Butler. Brand agrees with coach Brett Brown that the team could use another perimeter defender. “We’re not a finished product right now,” he stated. We’re going to get better.”
Since the Butler deal, the Sixers have relied on Joel Embiid to provide more 3-point shooting, but the center wants to make that a smaller part of his offensive game, relays ESPN’s Tim Bontemps. “I don’t like shooting 3s,” Embiid said. “I only do it because of the spacing that we have, and sometimes I have to take them.”

Raptors Notes: Leonard, Anunoby, Miles

December 22nd, 2018 at 10:02pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Raptors are about ready to start playing Kawhi Leonard in back-to-back games, relays Tim Bontemps of ESPN. Leonard was limited to nine games last season with a quad injury and Toronto hasn’t used him on consecutive nights since acquiring him in an offseason trade. However, coach Nick Nurse told reporters tonight that it will happen soon.

“I think we are there,” Nurse said. “I think, after we get here to the new year, we’ll be there. No promises, but I think we’re there.”

Leonard is posting MVP-level numbers in his first season in Toronto, averaging 26.8 points, 8.4 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.8 steals per game. He was inactive tonight after scoring 37 points Friday. It’s the ninth game he has missed this season, with five of those being classified as “load management.” The next back-to-back on the Raptors’ schedule will be January 5 and 6 against the Bucks and Pacers.

There’s more from north of the border:

Leonard is still bitter over a comment from Kevin Durant four years ago, which could provide complications for any team hoping to add both star free agents, according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst. After Leonard was named MVP of the 2014 Finals, Durant seemed to dismiss the accomplishment, saying he was a product of the Spurs’ system.
OG Anunoby provided a glimpse of the talent that some people have been raving about in Friday’s win over the Cavaliers, writes Doug Smith of The Toronto Star. Starting for the fourth time this season, Anunoby tied his career highs with 21 points and eight rebounds. “I was planning on his growth being really a big leap forward this year,” Nurse said before the game. “For any number of reasons it hasn’t happened yet, but I still believe in the guy. I still believe we’re going to see that.” Anunoby is a versatile defender in addition to his offensive skills, but Smith notes that it’s hard to carve out minutes for him when the lineup is fully healthy.
Norman Powell‘s return from injury could squeeze C.J. Miles out of the rotation, tweets Josh Lewenberg of TSN Sports. The 31-year-old has seen his production regress in his second season with Toronto, averaging 5.1 PPG in 28 games while shooting .315 from the floor and .286 from 3-point range. He has an $8.73MM player option for next season.

NBA G League Assignments/Recalls: 12/22/18

December 22nd, 2018 at 9:02pm CST by Arthur Hill

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

The Suns have recalled rookie guard Elie Okobo from their affiliate in Northern Arizona, the team announced on its website. The second-round pick spent five games in the G League in his second assignment of the season, posting an 18.6/4.2/7.4 line.
The Timberwolves tweeted that small forward Keita Bates-Diop has been recalled from Iowa. He is averaging 17.5 points and 9.0 rebounds in 13 G League games.
The Hawks recalled forward Alex Poythress from their Erie affiliate, tweets Chris Vivlamore of The Atlanta Journal Constitution.

Pacific Notes: Oubre, Suns, West, Jordan

December 22nd, 2018 at 8:05pm CST by Arthur Hill

Kelly Oubre has no regrets from the three-plus years he spent with the Wizards, telling Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic, “I gave everybody my all, man.” Oubre was traded to the Suns last week, but with the team on a road trip, he still hasn’t been to Phoenix. He made his return to Washington tonight and sounds like he’s not fully sold on the Wizards’ decision to unload him.

“I could go into theories of why (GM) Ernie (Grunfeld) and (VP of basketball operations) Tommy (Sheppard) did what they did, but at the end of the day, it’s not my job to,” Oubre said. “I’m on the business aspect of it and I’ve got to make home in Phoenix.”

Oubre was a victim of the salary structure in Washington. He will be a restricted free agent next summer and the team was concerned about being able to match a sizable offer because of luxury tax implications. Oubre is now part of the rebuilding process in Phoenix, which he doesn’t believe will need a long time to be successful.

“ It’s not necessarily age. I don’t really believe in age,” he said. “If your mind is strong enough, you can do anything, no matter how old you are.”

There’s more from the Pacific Division:

Defense has sparked the Suns in their four-game winning streak, writes Cody Cunningham of NBA.com, which is ironic because the team just traded one of its best defenders in Trevor Ariza. Phoenix is allowing teams to shoot just 41.3% in those four games and became the first team in history to hold back-to-back opponents to 20% or worse from 3-point range.
The injury to Damian Jones accentuates the Warriors‘ loss of veteran big man David West, who retired after last season, writes Tim Kawakami of The Athletic. Golden State’s center rotation has fallen apart as Jordan Bell has been a disappointment and Kevon Looney hasn’t fit well with the reserves. The Warriors plan to give Draymond Green more minutes at center until DeMarcus Cousins is ready to return from his Achilles injury.
In an interview with Mirjam Swanson of The Orange County Register, Clippers coach Doc Rivers looks back on the day three years ago that a contingent from the team visited free agent center DeAndre Jordan to change his mind about signing with the Mavericks. “It was a weird day, but I think it was far weirder on the outside of the room than on the inside of the room,” Rivers said. “I mean, basically D.J. basically told us he was staying within five seconds.”

Ex-Hawk Josh Magette To Play In Spain

December 22nd, 2018 at 7:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

Former Hawks guard Josh Magette has found a new home in the EuroLeague, tweets Michael Scotto of The Athletic.

Magette has agreed to a deal with Gran Canaria in Spain. He signed with Cedevita Zagreb in Croatia over the summer, but was released in November.

The 29-year-old got into 18 games last season as a two-way player for Atlanta, averaging 2.6 points and 3.2 assists per night. His numbers were much better in the G League at 15.1 PPG and 10.2 APG.

The Hawks elected not to tender a qualifying offer to Magette after the end of last season. He joined the Warriors’ Summer League team, but wasn’t in training camp with anyone.

LeBron James, Anthony Davis Meet For Post-Game Dinner

December 22nd, 2018 at 6:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

LeBron James shrugged off accusations of tampering involving Pelicans star Anthony Davis last night, then emphasized the point by meeting Davis for a post-game meal, reports Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports.

James led the Lakers to a win in his first meeting with Davis since saying earlier this week that he would be “amazing” to have as a teammate. Some small-market GMs objected to James’ comments and a league-wide trend of players in big cities openly recruiting other stars, but James dismissed their concerns after Friday’s game.

“They can’t control me at all,” he told reporters. “And I play by the rules.”

Rumors that Davis might eventually join the Lakers began to grow this summer as LeBron signed in L.A. and Davis abandoned his former agency in favor of Klutch Sports, which also represents James.

Davis is eligible for a potential record-setting contract next summer through the Designated Player Veteran Extension that could be worth up to as much as $239.54MM over five seasons. The Pelicans will surely make the offer, but there’s no guarantee Davis will accept. He has a player option in 2020, so New Orleans could be in the position of having to make a trade to avoid the risk of losing him with no return.

Davis hasn’t given an indication of which way he’s leaning on the DPVE, but said the ability to compete for a title will have a greater impact on his decision than cash.

“I’d take legacy over money,” Davis said after Friday’s game. “I want to have a legacy. All my people that look up to me, the younger kids, I want them to know about AD’s legacy. Championships, the things I do in the community, being a good teammate, playing hard. All that stuff matters the most to me. Don’t get me wrong, money is amazing. But I think in that sense, money or legacy, I think my legacy will win that battle every time.”

Davis has only reached the playoffs twice since the Pelicans drafted him in 2012. They were swept in the first round in 2015 and knocked out in the second round last season. With a 15-18 record this year, there’s no guarantee of another postseason trip.

In public comments, Davis has remained very supportive of the Pelicans, frequently mentioning his ties to the New Orleans community. However, sources tell Haynes that he has received advice to eventually move on from players on other teams and even a few of his teammates.

Haynes describes Davis as “intrigued” at the thought of playing in Los Angeles, where he bought a $7.5MM house over the summer.

Lakers fans did their best to encourage Davis by giving him a standing ovation during pre-game introductions. He recently got a similar welcome from Boston, which appears to be L.A.’s main competition if the Pelicans ever decide to trade Davis.

Team In Turkey “Seriously Pursuing” Milos Teodosic

December 22nd, 2018 at 4:41pm CST by Arthur Hill

A Turkish team is ready to welcome Clippers guard Milos Teodosic if he’s serious about leaving the NBA, relays Emiliano Carchia of Sportando.

Anadolu Efes Istanbul is “seriously pursuing” Teodosic, according to Carchia, although he would have to reach a buyout agreement with the Clippers before signing anywhere else. L.A. is paying Teodisic $6.3MM this season and can extend a $7.875MM qualifying offer next summer.

Teodosic, a former EuroLeague star, said last month he wasn’t sure if he wanted to finish out the current NBA season because of reduced playing time. He is seeing just 10 minutes per night through 15 games, way down from 25.2 minutes as a rookie. The Clippers’ backcourt got more crowded this year as Patrick Beverley and Avery Bradley both returned from injuries and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was added through the draft.

Teodosic and the Clippers had opportunities to terminate their relationship over the offseason, but both elected to extend it for another year. He exercised a player option in June, but it only carried a $2.1MM guarantee through July 15, meaning the team could have saved $4.2MM by waiving him before that date.

Celtics’ Al Horford Listed As Probable For Sunday

December 22nd, 2018 at 3:55pm CST by marksuleymanov

The Celtics may get a needed jolt to the lineup on Sunday as center Al Horford has been upgraded to probable for the team’s game against the Hornets, the team announced.

Horford has missed the Celtics’ last seven games with, during which time Boston has gone 4-3. However, the Celtics have lost their last three games, which prompted a team meeting following a 13-point loss to the Bucks at home on Friday.

In 22 games this season, Horford has averaged 12.4 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 3.4 APG and shot 49.1% from the field. With Aron Baynes sidelined, the Celtics have missed the presence of an experienced big man on defense, which Horford — along with rookie Robert Williams — would provide upon his return.

Despite the recent struggles, the Celtics still wield an 18-13 record, good for a fifth place in the Eastern Conference. With a healthy Horford in tow, Boston would be in good position to snap out of the three-game losing streak.

Timberwolves’ Jeff Teague To Miss At Least One More Week

December 22nd, 2018 at 2:23pm CST by marksuleymanov

The Timberwolves will be without point guard Jeff Teague for at least another 7 to 10 days as he deals with a left ankle injury, according to Chris Hine of the Star Tribune. Minnesota has been without Teague since last Saturday when the pain of the injured ankle became too significant, Hine writes.

“It was tough, just trying to fight through it,” Teague said. “That last game in Phoenix, I just couldn’t move. The pain was just too bad. Just trying to do some things to get right.”

Teague said he originally injured the ankle on Nov. 12, the same game he came back from a six-game absence dealing with a left knee contusion. In 23 games this season, Teague has averaged 11.6 PPG and a career-high 8.3 APG for the Timberwolves.

In his absence, Minnesota has been more reliant on Derrick Rose, who’s in the midst of a renaissance year. Rose is averaging 18.6 PPG, his highest total since the 2012-13 season, and shooting a career-best 46.9% from three-point range.

Mills: I Don’t Know I Would Have Signed Joakim Noah

December 22nd, 2018 at 12:55pm CST by marksuleymanov

With the Joakim Noah era in New York over, front office brass is not only thrilled the oft-injured center is gone but giving second thoughts to signing him, Marc Berman of the New York Post writes. Knicks president Steve Mills discussed the divorce from Noah and his take on the original four-year, $72MM given to the former All-Star in the summer of 2016.

“Obviously I’m disappointed it worked out the way it worked out,” Mills said. “I don’t know that, had it been just my decision, I don’t know that I would have signed him.”

Mills was the Knicks’ general manager and worked underneath then-president Phil Jackson when Noah was brought onboard. The 33-year-old battled injuries in his first season with New York, appearing in 46 games. Noah played just seven more games last season before being suspended following an altercation with former New York coach Jeff Hornacek.

In a recent interview, Noah admitted that he partied too much while a member of the Knicks and that he was “too lit” for New York. The Knicks used the stretch provision on the remainder of his contract and waived the veteran before the start of the season.

Noah joined the Grizzlies — who he called the perfect fit at this stage in his career — and through eight games, is averaging 4.9 PPG and 3.4 RPG for Memphis off the bench.

“There was a reason why we thought that this was the best thing for the culture and the environment of our team,” Mills said. “When the speculation was why don’t we handle Joakim one way and we decided to handle it a different way, there was a reason why we handled it the way we decided to handle it.”

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