2019 March | Hoops Rumors

Derrick Rose Undergoes Successful Elbow Surgery

March 23rd, 2019 at 2:00pm CST by marksuleymanov

Timberwolves point guard Derrick Rose underwent successful arthroscopic surgery to remove bone chips from his right elbow, the team announced in a press release on Saturday.

Earlier this week, we relayed that Rose, Robert Covington, and Jeff Teague were done for the season. Rose had missed four games due to soreness and swelling in his right elbow and an MRI revealed a chip fracture and a loose body in his right elbow.

Rose, 30, enjoyed his best season in recent memory before undergoing surgery. The former MVP was a vital piece of Minnesota’s bench, averaging 18.0 PPG and putting himself in the conversation for Sixth Man of the Year. He also shot a career-best 37% from three-point range, showing an improved range from years past.

Set to hit unrestricted free agency this summer, Rose has put himself in position for a possible multi-year commitment despite ending another season on the injured list. Health has always been a concern for Rose, who has averaged 51 games since 2014. However, his newfound shooting and performance as a reserve in the Twin Cities this season showed he can still be a valuable contributor.

Spurs Nearing Deal With Donatas Motiejunas

March 23rd, 2019 at 1:28pm CST by marksuleymanov

The Spurs are nearing a deal with big man Donatas Motiejunas, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter links). After spending five seasons in the NBA, Motiejunas has played in China for the last two years.

San Antonio has an open roster spot since the buyout of fellow European Pau Gasol, thus no additional move needs to be made to accommodate the addition of Motiejunas.

Motiejunas, 28, signed a four-year deal with the Rockets in July 2012 and spent his first four NBA seasons in Houston. After being a reliable scoring option off the bench his first two seasons, Motiejunas broke out in 2014/15, averaging a career-high 12.0 PPG and 5.9 RPG in 71 games (62 starts).

The Lithuanian entered the 2016 offseason a restricted free agent and after a lengthy contractual dispute, the Rockets ultimately rescinded their offer sheet and made him a free agent. Following a 34-game stint with the Pelicans, Motiejunas signed with the Shandong Golden Stars of the Chinese Basketball Association.

In 37 games this season, Motiejunas averaged an impressive 27.3 PPG and 14.0 RPG with the Golden Stars. The signing of Motiejunas would mark the second noteworthy CBA transaction this week as Jimmer Fredette signed a two-year deal with the Suns.

Clippers Sign Justin Bibbs To Second 10-Day Deal

March 23rd, 2019 at 1:04pm CST by marksuleymanov

The Clippers have inked guard Justin Bibbs to a second 10-day contract, the team announced on Saturday (Twitter link). Los Angeles assigned Bibbs to the Agua Caliente Clippers of Ontario.

Bibbs, 23, joined the Clippers on his first 10-day deal on March 13. Since then, he has appeared in four games with the team’s G League affiliate, averaging 9.8 PPG and 4.3 RPG. In 48 total NBAGL games, Bibbs has averaged 11.6 PPG and 3.1 RPG for the Maine Red Claws and Clippers.

The Dayton, Ohio native went undrafted out of Virginia Tech last year and was in training camp with the Celtics before being waived prior to the start of the season.

Rockets Re-Sign Chris Chiozza

March 23rd, 2019 at 12:32pm CST by Luke Adams

MARCH 23: The signing of Chiozza is official, the team announced in a press release (Twitter link).

MARCH 22: After signing a 10-day contract with the Rockets last month, Chris Chiozza will soon return to the team, according to Adam Johnson of 2 Ways & 10 Days (via Twitter). League sources tell Johnson that the Rockets intend to sign Chiozza to a rest-of-season contract.

Chiozza, 23, went undrafted out of Florida in 2018 before joining the Wizards in the fall for training camp. After being waived by Washington, he has spent most of his rookie season in the G League with the Capital City Go-Go, averaging 13.2 PPG, 7.7 APG, 4.7 RPG, and 1.9 SPG with a .438/.407/.760 shooting line in 47 NBAGL games (33.5 MPG). Despite joining the Rockets for 10 days after the All-Star break, Chiozza has yet to make his regular-season NBA debut.

The Rockets are currently carrying 13 players on their roster, so adding Chiozza will get them back to the league-mandated 14-player minimum. Teams that dip below 14 players are given a two-week window to reach that minimum. Since Terrence Jones‘ 10-day contract expired overnight on March 13, Houston still has several days before that window expires, so it’s not clear if Chiozza will be re-signed right away.

If the Rockets wait a few more days to sign Chiozza, it could help ensure that the team stays out of tax territory. Still, as cap expert Albert Nahmad detailed last week (via Twitter), Houston should remain safely under the tax line for 2018/19 as long as Clint Capela doesn’t earn either of his $500K bonuses for a 65% free-throw rate or a 30% defensive rebound rate. Currently, the big man is not on track to meet either benchmark.

Frank Ntilikina Believes ‘Nothing Is Lost’ As Knicks Guard Returns

March 23rd, 2019 at 11:11am CST by marksuleymanov

After an extended absence, Knicks point guard Frank Ntilikina returned to action on Friday against the Nuggets. New York’s first-round pick from 2017 played in 25 minutes, tallying five points, five assists and four rebounds.

The Frenchman had not suited up since Jan. 27 when he suffered a groin injury that sidelined him for nearly two months. Ntilikina also had not played 25 or more minutes since Jan. 21, when he totaled 30 in the Knicks’ loss to the Thunder. As Ntilikina tries to carve out a role for himself, he believes the time off helped him improve.

“Nothing is lost,” Ntilikina said to Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic. “I’ve learned a lot. More than you think while being on the side while also working on my mind. I’ve learned a lot. I think I’ve improved a lot, even things you don’t see. Now I’m just looking what’s ahead of me and I’ll work my ass off to be the best Frank I can be.”

Much has been made of the Knicks’ decision to select Ntilikina with the eighth overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft. Still under the Phil Jackson regime, the 20-year-old was drafted ahead of talents such as Dennis Smith Jr. (whom the Knicks recently acquired), Donovan Mitchell, and others.

Entering this summer, the Knicks are expected to be aggressive in the free agent market. If that happens, it’s fair to wonder what type of role — if any — Ntilikina will have next season. With nine games left this season, Ntilikina is aiming to show his value — and he feels the two-month hiatus helped.

“You see the game on the side,” Ntilikina said. “You’re learning a lot. You’re watching a lot of film. You’re watching a lot of behaviors. You’re watching not only your team, all the NBA. You’re trying to do something, you cannot play. You’re still trying to learn and improve. That’s my mindset. I’m trying to get better at everything. I was not chilling for this. I did improve.”

LeBron James, Luke Walton Address Lakers Missing Playoffs

March 23rd, 2019 at 9:38am CST by marksuleymanov

As the final buzzer sounded on Friday, the Lakers suffered a 111-106 loss to the Nets and were also officially eliminated from postseason contention for the sixth consecutive season. Having signed LeBron James last summer, the Lakers had anticipated returning to the playoff picture this spring.

However, after getting off to a strong start, the Lakers slumped following James’ Christmas Day groin injury and then went just 3-12 since the All-Star break, closing the door on a potential trip to the postseason.

“It’s not what we signed up for. Throughout the year, things happened. Suspensions, injuries, things of that nature,” James told reporters after Friday’s loss. “And just not being able to play sustainable basketball for 48 minutes. But you don’t even try to wrap your head around it, you just keep pushing. Just try to get better tonight, move onto tomorrow, and go from there.”

James’ prolonged absence was not the only obstacle the Lakers faced. Injuries to Lonzo Ball, Rajon Rondo, Brandon Ingram and others contributed to the team’s decline. After Friday’s loss, the Lakers wield a 31-41 record and could finish this season with a worse record than last year’s (35-47).

For head coach Luke Walton, who has seemingly been in the hot seat all season, the message will be to compete. With no playoffs this season and his future uncertain, Walton said it’s the team’s obligation to play strong down the stretch.

“It’s going to be that message every day for the final three weeks,” Walton said. “It’s still about players getting better. It’s still about going out there and respecting the game and giving everything we have to try to win. We owe that, like I said, to ourselves, our teammates, the organization, to the fans.”

As the Lakers prepare for their final 10 games, James — who missed more games than he ever has in a season and is entering his age-35 year — said he plans to play as much as possible, regardless of the team’s standing.

“I’m probably going to have a conversation with the coaching staff and my trainer and go from there,” James said “But I love to hoop. S**t, I’m going to have five months and not play the game. So, you know, hopefully, I can be in as many games as possible.”

Kings Sign Cody Demps To 10-Day Contract

March 22nd, 2019 at 10:18pm CST by Luke Adams

The Kings have signed free agent guard Cody Demps to a 10-day contract, the club announced today in a press release. Sacramento had an open spot on its 15-man roster, so no corresponding move was necessary to create room.

Demps is a local product who played his college ball at Sacramento State and has spent the past two years with the Kings’ G League affiliate. In 49 games (41 starts) for the Stockton Kings this season, he has averaged 11.7 PPG, 4.6 RPG, and 3.2 APG on .446/.308/.802 shooting.

Sacramento’s roster looks fairly healthy at this point, so it’s not clear whether Demps will see much playing time in the next 10 days. If he impresses the Kings during that stretch, perhaps he’ll earn a rest-of-season contract, though his 10-day stint in Sacramento could end up being more of a reward for the work he has put in for the club’s NBAGL squad.

As a rookie, Demps will earn $47,371 over the course of his 10-day deal.

Free Agent Stock Watch 2019: Southeast Division

March 22nd, 2019 at 9:50pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Every week, Hoops Rumors takes a closer look at players who will be free agents or could become free agents next offseason. We examine if their stock is rising or falling due to performance and other factors. This week, we turn our attention to the Southeast Division:

Justin Anderson, Hawks, 25, SG (Down) – Signed to a four-year, $7MM deal in 2015
The Hawks can make Anderson a restricted free agent if they extend a $3.62MM qualifying offer. Anderson hasn’t given them much incentive to do so since they acquired him in an offseason trade with Philadelphia. Anderson is getting fewer minutes off the bench than ageless wonder Vince Carter, with under six minutes per game in seven March appearances. A recent report indicated that the Hawks would be aggressive in free agency. Renouncing Anderson’s rights would give them more elbow room to pursue top-tier players.

Shelvin Mack, Hornets, 28, PG (Down) – Signed to a one-year, $2MM deal in 2018
It’s rare when NBA players are claimed off waivers. Mack proved to be an exception after the Grizzlies traded him to the Hawks last month, who weren’t interested in retaining his services. The Hornets were looking for some insurance behind backup Tony Parker, but Mack has been mostly a spectator. He’s appeared in just three games since the waiver claim after receiving steady minutes on Memphis’ second unit. Mack will be shopping around for a one-year minimum deal once again this offseason.

Derrick Jones Jr., Heat,, 22, SF (Up) – Signed to a two-year, $3.16MM deal in 2018
The Heat have an August 1 deadline to guarantee Jones’ $1.645MM salary for next season. Considering that Jones is a young rotation player, that would seem to be an easy decision. Jones remains a work in progress offensively but advanced metrics indicate he’s making a defensive impact. His Defensive Box Plus/Minus rating, according to Basketball-Reference is a solid 1.4. Jones is shooting 49% from the field, mainly due to the fact that 54% of his attempts have come within three feet of the basket. He’s averaging 21.5 MPG in March, a sign of trust from coach Erik Spoelstra.

Nikola Vucevic, Magic, 28, C (Up) — Signed to a four-year, $53MM deal in 2015
There have been conflicting reports whether Dallas will make a big push for Orlando’s big man this summer. No doubt, there will be a market for Vucevic’s services. He’s averaging career highs of 20.6 PPG and 12.2 RPG in his walk year and coach Steve Clifford adds that Vucevic essentially gives the team “two point guards” when he’s on the floor. Vucevic isn’t considered a defensive stalwart but his Defensive Box rating this season is a career-high 3.7. Vucevic won’t get a max-level offer but he’ll be making a lot more than $12.75MM next season.

Sam Dekker, Wizards, 24, SF (Down)– Signed to a four-year, $7.9MM deal in 2015
Dekker could be a restricted free agent this summer if the Wizards extend a $3.91MM qualifying offer. That’s not going to happen, as Dekker hasn’t been any better in Washington than he was in three other NBA stops. The 18th overall pick in the 2015 draft has made 33 appearances with the Wizards since he was acquired from Cleveland in early December. He’s averaging 5.9 PPG in 15.4 MPG, but shooting just 29.4% from deep and 51.6% from the foul line. Dekker’s expectations should be modest in the open market.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Central Notes: Maker, Evans, Pistons, Osman

March 22nd, 2019 at 6:57pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Thon Maker has given the Pistons an energetic boost since he was acquired from the Bucks in a three-team swap at the trade deadline, Keith Langlois of Pistons.com writes.

The 7-footer fell out of Milwaukee’s rotation, but has proven to be a solid backup for Andre Drummond and Blake Griffin. The Pistons outscored Phoenix by 20 points when Maker was on the court Thursday, as he scored 10 points, grabbed six rebounds and blocked three shots in 28 minutes.

“He’s been great,” Griffin said of his Pistons teammate. “Just his energy, man. He’s just always everywhere. And if he’s not blocking shots, he’s swinging for the fences. It’s making people think and it’s making people be aware of where he is.”

Maker will make a guaranteed $3.57MM next season and will be eligible for a rookie scale extension with the Pistons prior to opening night.

We have more from around the Central Division:

Pacers swingman Tyreke Evans admits it’s been a roller-coaster season for him, Scott Agness of The Athletic reports. Evans has battled injuries, a bout with food poisoning and the tragic death of a nephew during the course of the season. Evans’ playing time has dropped dramatically from last season, when he averaged 19.4 PPG for Memphis in 52 games. He’ll return to the free agent market after signing a one-year, $12.4MM contract from Indiana. “Yeah, it’s tough,” he told Agness. “Everybody knows what type of player I am. (Since) I got drafted, I’m better with the ball in my hands. I’m a team player and just want to win this late in my career.”
D’Angelo Russell‘s breakthrough season with the Nets after the Lakers gave up on him illustrates why the Pistons explored trades for young point guards Dennis Smith Jr. and Markelle Fultz prior to the trade deadline, according to Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press. The Pistons will likely continue to pursue a young point guard during the offseason, since starter Reggie Jackson has one more season left on his contract and reserves Ish Smith and Jose Calderon will be unrestricted free agents, Ellis adds.
Forward Cedi Osman is considered part of the Cavaliers’ future core, Chris Fedor of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports in his latest mailbag. The team could sign Osman to an extension this summer but there hasn’t been any talk of doing that yet, Fedor continues. However, he’s a front-office favorite and has made positive strides in recent months. He’s shown signs of being more than just a bench rotation player and his 3-point shooting has improved, Fedor adds.

NBA G League Assignments/Recalls: 3/22/19

March 22nd, 2019 at 5:31pm CST by Dana Gauruder

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

The Sixers assigned big man Jonah Bolden to the Delaware Blue Coats, the team’s PR department tweets. Bolden is averaging 16 PPG and 12 RPG in 33.3 MPG over six appearances with the Blue Coats, who play a back-to-back this weekend.
The Spurs recalled rookie guard and first-round pick Lonnie Walker IV from the Austin Spurs, according to a team press release. In 28 games with Austin, Walker IV is averaging 16.7 PPG in 27.5 MPG.
The Magic assigned guard Melvin Frazier Jr. to Lakeland ahead of the G League’s team back-to-back games this weekend, the team’s PR department tweets. Frazier is averaging 12.1 PPG in 29.8 MPG over 16 games with Lakeland.
The Knicks recalled center Luke Kornet from Westchester, the team’s PR department tweets. Kornet is averaging 18.8 PPG and 8.8 RPG in 32.5 MPG over 11 games with Westchester.
The Jazz assigned first-round pick and guard Grayson Allen to the Salt Lake City Stars, the team’s PR department tweets. Allen is averaging 17.5 PPG in 31.8 MPG while starting 11 games for the Stars.
The Warriors assigned rookie guard and first-round pick Jacob Evans III to Santa Cruz, according to a team press release. In 20 games with Santa Cruz, he’s averaging 11.5 PPG and 2.5 APG in 26.4 MPG.

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