2018 December | Hoops Rumors

LeBron James To Undergo MRI On Injured Groin

December 26th, 2018 at 9:00am CST by marksuleymanov

LeBron James left the Lakers‘ 127-101 Christmas Day win over the Warriors with an injured left groin in the third quarter and did not return. Cameras caught James telling Lakers trainers that he “felt a pop” in his groin region.

An initial exam on James revealed “all is intact” and that he suffered a “slight groin strain,” per Yahoo Sports’ Chris B. Haynes (Twitter link). James told reporters after the game he will undergo an MRI on Wednesday and did not rule out playing on Thursday against the Kings.

“I don’t know,” James said, per ESPN. “See what the MRI says and see how I feel for the rest of the day today. And I will be all around the clock tomorrow on rehabbing. And we will see how I feel on Thursday when we go to [Sacramento].”

The soon-to-be 34-year-old James exited Tuesday’s win with 17 points, 13 rebounds and 5 assists in 21 minutes of action. In 34 games this season, James has averaged 27.3 PPG, 8.3 RPG and 7.1 APG for the Lakers.

If James were forced to miss any prolonged stretch, it would be a critical blow to Los Angeles, which sports a 20-14 record following their win over the defending NBA champions. James has been the model of health and consistency, appearing fewer than 69 or fewer games in just two of his 15 NBA seasons entering the 2018/19 campaign. One of those years was the lockout-shortened 2011/12 season.

“I take a lot of pride in [staying healthy], so that is why it pissed me off not being able to go back into the game,” James said. “It’s more than anything being available to my teammates, to my coaching staff; that is something I take more personal than anything. Hopefully, it is not a long thing and I can get back on the floor as soon as possible.”

Atlantic Notes: Celtics, Siakam, Trier

December 25th, 2018 at 9:21pm CST by Austin Kent

A pair of closed-door meetings have helped the Celtics snap a funk that cost them three straight games earlier this week. Since re-committing to communicating effectively, the club has won big against the Hornets and again against the Sixers on Christmas Day.

A. Sherrod Blakeley of NBC Sports Boston wrote about the process that resulted in the Celtics deciding they needed to do a better job of keeping on the same page as one another.

“We’re just looking to help one another out, pick each other up. When we’re playing like that, we’re a tough team to beat,” Celtics guard Marcus Smart said.

The Celtics currently sit fifth in the Eastern Conference with a 20-13 record.

There’s more out of the Atlantic Division:

Despite the fact that he’s been sidelined with a shoulder injury and that fellow Nets rookie Rodions Kurucs has dominated the headlines, Dzanan Musa remains a big part of the club’s plans heading forward, a Nets Daily report suggests.
The Raptors have bumped Serge Ibaka to the five and will make use of Greg Monroe to fill the void left by Jonas Valanciunas but versatile forward Pascal Siakam will also take on new responsibilities at center, Doug Smith of The Toronto Star writes.
The Knicks have been without Allonzo Trier for much of December but it didn’t take long for the undrafted rookie sensation to remind the club what they were missing while he was sidelined. Jonathan Lehman of The New York Post writes about Trier’s return to the lineup.

Southwest Notes: Davis, Smith Jr., Cuban

December 25th, 2018 at 5:50pm CST by Austin Kent

There’s no imminent news that would ruin Christmas dinner for Pelicans fans per se, but Kevin Garnett believes that Anthony Davis to the Lakers “has to happen.”

Martin Rogers of USA Today spoke with the former All-Star about the rumors that LeBron James is courting the Pelicans’ superstar center. Garnett, of course, strung together a Hall of Fame-worthy career as a lone wolf in Minnesota before a 2007 trade put him in a position to win a title with the Celtics.

“Anthony Davis playing in New Orleans, I don’t want to say they are wasted days, but they are non-days,” Garnett said. “He needs to be somewhere where he can be with another guy and they can have a run at a championship. He has been [with the Pelicans] long enough. It is time for a change now. This is it. No better time to do this.”

There’s more out of the Southwest Division:

The struggling Pelicans blew a 19-point first-half lead and lost to the upstart Kings this week. Point guard Jrue Holiday thinks that the squad and the coaching staff need to get on the same page. “It’s kind of the same story for us,” Holiday told Michael Wagaman of The Associated Press. “Between the coaches and the players, we have to get on the same page when it comes down to the last four minutes.“
The Mavs have only employed the services of Dennis Smith Jr. once since December 4. Fortunately, Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News write, the sophomore has shown great progress from his wrist injury and plans to be back in the lineup before the new year.
Mavs owner Mark Cuban and forward Harrison Barnes plan to chat to clear the air after coming away with different stances on a contentious comment made by the former. Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News wrote about Cuban’s implication that American-born players failed to learn fundamental basketball skills at a young age as well as their European counterparts.

With ‘Improvement’ To Range Of Motion, Markelle Fultz Eyes Return This Season

December 25th, 2018 at 3:39pm CST by Austin Kent

While the Sixers‘ front office was supposedly uncertain whether or not Markelle Fultz would be available to return to their lineup this season, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports that the second-year guard does plan to suit up in 2018/19.

Fultz has joined the Sixers for their Christmas Day game against the Celtics today, accompanying his teammates for the first time in three weeks.

Wojnarowski reports that Fultz does plan to leave the squad again in order to continue his rehabilitation in Los Angeles but has, per his agent Raymond Brothers, seen an improvement in his range of motion since beginning to work to address his Thoracic Outlet Syndrome diagnosis.

Not surprisingly, Fultz and Brothers intend to let the former first overall pick work his way back to 100% before being thrust back into the lineup but they do expect that milestone to come before the end of the 2018/19 campaign.

Wojnarowski notes that the club has fielded trade offers for the 20-year-old but that they are interested in seeing how he fares throughout the course of his rehabilitation.

Pacific Notes: Kings, Durant, Zubac

December 25th, 2018 at 3:13pm CST by Austin Kent

The Kings haven’t necessarily solidified a spot in the deep Western Conference playoff picture but there’s still reason to celebrate given their 18-15 record at this point in the season. Jason Jones of The Athletic examines how the team has drastically improved in 2018/19.

The Kings have benefited from the monstrous strides De’Aaron Fox and Buddy Hield have taken this season. That backcourt, Jones writes, is emerging as one of the most fun to watch in the NBA.

Of course contributions from other young veterans like Willie Cauley-Stein and Bogdan Bogdanovic have helped the Kings at least appear to turn a corner early on.

There’s more out of the Pacific Division today:

Potential free agent Kevin Durant hasn’t exactly tipped his hand as to what he plans to do this summer but he did tell Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports that he wants to make sure he can get “as much money as [he] can on his next deal.” The Warriors are the only team eligible to offer him a five-year max contract, worth around $221MM. That’s one year and nearly $60MM more than any other team.
Although he can’t vote for his own player, Suns coach Igor Kokoskov told Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic and the rest of the media that he thinks more people should consider Deandre Ayton when discussing potential Rookie of the Year winners. In his last five games, Ayton has averaged 22.8 points and 15.6 rebounds per game.
While it’s not always easy to find three pure centers minutes in a regulation basketball match, that’s one problem Lakers coach Luke Walton will be happy to welcome after two solid spot starts from third-stringer Ivica Zubac this week. The third-year center dropped 16 and 11 on the Pelicans on last Friday and followed that up with 19 points and four blocks against the Grizzlies on Saturday. “Luke’s always been saying to me that he trusts me,” the 21-year-old big man told Broderick Turner of The Los Angeles Times. “If there’s a chance to put me on the floor, he’s gonna put me there and he’s gonna always trust me like every other player on the team. I’ve been doing the same stuff every day”.

Rockets Notes: Rivers, Paul, Knight, Mbah A Moute

December 25th, 2018 at 2:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

Austin Rivers is downplaying talk of a feud with Chris Paul during their five years as Clippers teammates, relays Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle. Rivers, who officially signed with the Rockets yesterday, points out that he never would have been welcome in Houston if Paul hadn’t agreed to the move.

“I have no problems with Chris, as you guys will see,” Rivers said. “Obviously, if I had a problem with Chris I wouldn’t be here. Chris has a huge input on this team as he should. He’s a Hall of Fame point guard. If that was that serious, I wouldn’t be here. That will show you that’s not real.”

Paul’s latest hamstring injury, suffered last Thursday, opened the door for Rivers to become a Rocket. Houston needs backcourt help with Paul out of action for at least two weeks, and Rivers was looking for playing time on a contending team after agreeing to a buyout with the Suns, who acquired him from the Wizards earlier this month.

“This is a team I always admired and wanted to play for with (coach Mike) D’Antoni and the way they play, getting up and down,” Rivers added. “It’s a very fitting place.”

There’s more today from Houston:

Even though he just joined the team and hasn’t played in more than a week, Rivers won’t be on a minutes restriction as he makes his debut with the Rockets today, tweets Houston play-by-play man Craig Ackerman.
The addition of Rivers will cut into Brandon Knight‘s playing time, but that was the plan all along, Feigen writes in a question-and-answer column. Knight missed a year and a half with an ACL tear and only had a couple of practices before taking the court. The Rockets intended to bring him along slowly and didn’t want to increase his minutes because of Paul’s injury.
Rockets management had concerns about the condition of Luc Mbah a Moute‘s shoulder, which limited what they were willing to offer him in free agency, Feigen adds in the same piece. Mbah a Moute, who got $4.3MM to rejoin the Clippers, has only played four games this season, but it has been a knee issue rather than the shoulder that has limited him.

Knicks Notes: Porzingis, Thomas, Durant, Knox

December 25th, 2018 at 12:42pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Knicks will wait until February to make a decision on Kristaps Porzingis‘ playing status, but teammate Lance Thomas tells Marc Berman of The New York Post that the Latvian star can’t wait to get back on the court. Porzingis is still recovering from an ACL tear last February, and Thomas offers behind-the-scenes insight into his rehab efforts.

“He’s working really hard, man,’’ Thomas said. “He’s in there before everybody. He’s there when everybody leaves. While we practice, he just has that itch. You can just tell — seeing us compete so hard in practice. He comes to me and says, ‘Man, I can’t wait. I got the itch.’ He grabs a basketball on the side and starts dribbling it. He’s working really hard. I know he’s very anxious getting back on the court.”

Team president Steve Mills provided an update on Porzingis’ condition Friday, explaining that he has started doing 45-minute, one-on-one drills with coaches. The team plans to gradually increase his activity level until he can participate in full practices, hopefully before re-examining him in mid-February. He is expected to have a minutes restriction of about 20 per game if he does return.

“I would love to [play with him this season],’’ Thomas said. “He’s been [my] teammate since he’s been in the NBA. I would love nothing more than to be able to lace it up with him again. He also needs to do what’s best for him. It’s an injury you don’t want to mess around with, especially the type of year he had right before it, an All-Star caliber year. We want to make sure he comes back and he’s confident with all his movements and mentally carefree.”

There’s more today from New York:

The Knicks are preparing to make an aggressive run at Kevin Durant next summer, according to Frank Isola of The Athletic. Isola states that Durant will be the team’s top target in free agency, and several league executives at last week’s G League Showcase believe New York will be in the running to sign him. Isola’s comments come as part of an examination of Mills and how he has been able to survive with the organization.
Kevin Knox appears to have worked through his first experience with the “rookie wall,” writes Brian Mahoney of the Associated Press. Knox has rediscovered his scoring touch, pouring in 20.3 PPG over the past seven games. “I knew at some point it was going to kick back in for him, I just didn’t know when, and now we’re seeing the kid that we thought we had,” Knicks coach David Fizdale said. “The kid’s talented. He’ll hit some more pitfalls this year, that’s just part of the deal, but the one thing that’s encouraging is that he’s starting to see things a lot more clear and do some things that can be determined as big-time.”
The Knicks are the latest franchise to emphasize the importance of players getting enough sleep, relays Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic.

Jim Boylen Solidifies Position With Bulls

December 25th, 2018 at 11:20am CST by Arthur Hill

With a potential player revolt now behind him, new coach Jim Boylen seems to have the Bulls headed in the right direction and may be in position for an extension this summer, according to Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times.

Boylen has enjoyed the full support of team management since taking over after the firing of Fred Hoiberg three weeks ago. He was empowered to bring toughness that many believed was lacking under Hoiberg, and it appears the players are starting to buy in. Chicago has won three of its last five games, including a victory in San Antonio.

“I have been in the league awhile,’’ Boylen said about his relationship with the front office. “If the time comes where they need my support, I’ll be there for them all night long. Whatever they need. We are connected. Never felt more supported in anything in my life and I appreciate it.’’

Cowley adds that Boylen, who wasn’t given an interim title when he took over the job, is almost certain to return next season, with or without an extension. However, that’s not true for everyone as the Bulls are expected to be active in trade talks through the February 7 deadline. Here’s the status of several players currently on the roster, according to Cowley:

It’s no secret Chicago wants to move Jabari Parker, who was an expensive free agent addition over the summer. Parker was pulled from the rotation shortly after Boylen took over and hasn’t played at all since December 13.
Robin Lopez could be a backup center for a contender and has an expiring contract worth nearly $14.4MM, but Cowley doesn’t expect the Bulls to get more than a second-round pick in return. Justin Holiday, with a $4.4MM expiring deal, may also be in demand.
Kris Dunn‘s improved play of late may keep him in Chicago. Part of the return in the trade that sent Jimmy Butler to Minnesota, Dunn is working toward “core status” with the organization. He will be eligible for a contract extension next summer.

Rajon Rondo Wanted To Stay In New Orleans

December 25th, 2018 at 10:01am CST by Arthur Hill

Rajon Rondo has changed teams in each of the past four offseasons, but he tells Marc J. Spears of the Undefeated he would have remained with the Pelicans if the team had made an offer. Rondo played a key role in helping New Orleans win 48 games last year and reach the second round of the playoffs. In addition to posting an 8.3/4.0/8.2 line, he became a locker room leader on a young team without much postseason experience.

“The Pelicans could have got a deal if they wanted me, but obviously they went in a different direction,” Rondo said. “They had money. But they didn’t want to sign ‘Cuz’ [DeMarcus Cousins] and they didn’t want to sign me.”

Rondo, who wound up with the Lakers, adds that he spoke with Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry frequently over the summer and misses playing for him. New Orleans brought in Elfrid Payton instead of keeping Rondo and signed Julius Randle instead of Cousins, but is off to a 15-19 start and is 14th in the West.

Rondo addresses a host of other subjects in a lengthy interview with Spears:

On his decision to sign with the Lakers and play alongside LeBron James:

“The last couple of years, the Lakers have been calling. I had a meeting with them two years ago with the role to come here and back up Lonzo [Ball] for a little bit less money. The following year it was the same thing. And with LeBron joining the team, it was a no-brainer. He didn’t call at all. But he didn’t have to call. He wanted me, obviously. The Lakers are not going to go get a point guard he doesn’t want. He had interviews in the playoffs where he talked about having a veteran guy he can trust with the ball. I feel like I am a great option for that situation.”

On LeBron’s commitment to the game:

“What he does for these young guys is unbelievable. He leads by example every night. Well, not even every night — every day when he comes into the gym. He’s a workaholic. He’s very committed to his body. You read all the articles, but when you see it every day, it’s different. He really is dedicated to what he does. It’s the reason why he’s healthy. He puts in the work, and he deserves it. Look what he’s doing.”

On his reputation as a fiery competitor:

“The perception of me on the court is probably, ‘He doesn’t do this, he doesn’t do that.’ But for the most part, I don’t have one teammate that complains about me. I’m a great teammate. I’m a great mentor. I’ve always been one of the biggest competitors that anybody can name. I love what I do. Regardless of what people think of me, I know my teammates think highly of me, and I like making the game fun for those guys, and I really love giving back because that’s what was given to me.”

On nearly getting dealt to the Timberwolves in the trade that brought Kevin Garnett to Boston:

“If I didn’t get connected with Kevin, I don’t know where I would be in the league. I was in the deal to Minnesota in 2007. There were seven players. I saw my name on the ticker on the screen and said, ‘S—, it’s over.’ And that particular time I was ready to get out of Boston anyway because it was a miserable season. We lost 18 straight. I was playing behind two guys as the third-string point guard. I was ready to move on to a new chapter. I come to find out, he told the Celtics that he wanted me there. I’m sure [Celtics president] Danny Ainge loved me, but I think KG had a lot to do with me staying as a Celtic.”

On his plans when his playing days are over:

“It’s not definite that I want to be a coach one day. I want to be a GM. I want to be a president. I want to help people. I want to put people in a position to be successful and show them the ropes.”

Central Notes: Kennard, Krauskopf, Evans, Dunn

December 24th, 2018 at 10:00pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Luke Kennard may be the latest Pistons wing to play his way out of the starting small forward spot, as I noted in the Detroit Free Press. Kennard has scored just 24 points over the last six games after a 28-point outing in Philadelphia. The second-year swingman out of Duke was benched during the second half of a 98-95 home loss to Atlanta on Sunday. Stanley Johnson and Glenn Robinson III were also ineffective in that role. “There’s nothing maddening about it at all (but) you want that person to step in and produce,” coach Dwane Casey said of finding someone to fill that slot. “Give some production, whether it’s energy defensively, energy offensively, running the floor, cutting, just playing basketball. That’s what you’re searching for in that position.”

We have more from around the Central Division:

Pacers GM Kevin Pritchard said that hiring Kelly Krauskopf as an assistant GM had nothing to do with making history, according to Dana Hunsinger Benbow of the Indianapolis Star. Krauskopf became the first women to hold that NBA front office position in a modern-day format in that she will be involved in personnel decisions. “It’s going to be made a big deal about (her being a woman) and the truth is she is just the best person for the job, period, end of discussion,” he said. “It doesn’t matter (her) gender, race, anything like that. She was the best person for the job.” Krauskopf spent 17 years as GM of the WNBA’s Indiana Fever.
Pacers guard Tyreke Evans has missed the last two games due to knee soreness and will be a game-time decision against Atlanta on Wednesday. Evans explained to Scott Agness of The Athletic that he aggravated an old right knee injury when the Sixers’ Joel Embiid fell on him during a collision. Fluid built up and Evans, who had three operations on that knee in 2016, needed to have the knee drained.
Bulls point guard Kris Dunn has taken a bigger offensive role with Zach LaVine sidelined by an ankle injury, Mark Strotman of NBC Sports Chicago writes. Dunn is averaging 17.8 PPG and 6.0 APG over the last five games with LaVine out of commission. “Whatever gets the win. If I’ve got to be aggressive on the offensive side looking at the rim a little bit more or getting my guys involved,” he said. “I’m a pass-first point guard but it’s the NBA.”

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