2021 February | Hoops Rumors

Kosta Koufos Signs In Greece

February 20th, 2021 at 11:53am CST by marksuleymanov

Veteran NBA center Kosta Koufos has signed a deal to suit up for Olympiacos B.C. in Greece, the team announced in a press release. Koufos spent last season with CSKA Moscow in Russia.

Koufos, soon to be 32, has spent 11 seasons in the NBA, last suiting up for the Kings during the 2018/19 campaign. In 42 games during that season, Koufos averaged 3.7 PPG and 4.2 RPG.

In 686 regular-season games, Koufos has posted career marks of 5.7 PPG and 5.0 RPG for the Jazz, Timberwolves, Nuggets, Grizzlies, and Kings.

In 17 games for CSKA Moscow last season, Koufos averaged 3.7 PPG and 2.8 RPG in 9.5 minutes per contest.

Jimmy Butler Talks Heat Struggles, COVID-19 Battle

February 20th, 2021 at 10:18am CST by marksuleymanov

After a rash of injuries to key players and inconsistent play, the Heat own a 12-17 record, a far cry from last season when the team made the NBA Finals. As Miami prepares for an NBA Finals rematch against the Lakers on Saturday, superstar Jimmy Butler discussed the team’s 2020/21 season.

Speaking to ESPN’s Rachel Nichols on The Jump, Butler discussed the Heat’s “terrible” play thus far, as well as his confidence that the team will things around. At 12-17, Miami occupies the 10th seed in the Eastern Conference but is just 1.5 games from the eighth seed. Butler expressed optimism for the remainder of the season and also covered his battle with COVID-19.

Butler’s assessment on the Heat’s performance this season:

“Terrible. Terrible. Just terrible. Not the way we say we want to play. Not the way we’re supposed to be playing. But it’s OK, because we will turn it around. And like the saying says, better late than never.”

Butler on Miami’s ability to turn things around:

“We know what adversity is. We’re supposed to be better. We’re supposed to get better and bring everybody up with us. Maybe here and there we’ve forgotten that. We will get back to it, though. I promise you that. We will.”

Butler on his fight with COVID-19 earlier this year:

“Yeah, it’s scary. Don’t believe reports of me losing 12 pounds, either, ‘cause that’s not the case. I had a light headache, and I felt like I was ready to go. I wanted to compete. Obviously, you cannot do that. But it didn’t hit me that hard.”

John Collins Meets Starter Criteria, Increases QO

February 20th, 2021 at 8:21am CST by Luke Adams

Hawks big man John Collins met the NBA’s “starter criteria” on Friday night, increasing the value of his qualifying offer in restricted free agency this summer, as Bobby Marks of ESPN tweets.

The starter criteria requires an RFA-to-be to start at least half of his team’s games in the two seasons leading up to his free agency. Collins started 41 of Atlanta’s 67 games in 2019/20 and has now started 29 of 72 this season, for a total of 70 starts out of 139 games, surpassing that halfway point.

As a result of meeting the criteria, Collins’ qualifying offer in restricted free agency will now be worth $7,705,447 instead of $5,899,793.

For some players, the difference between meeting the starter criteria and not quite getting there can make a significant difference in how their free agency plays out, as it did a year ago for Kris Dunn. When he met the starter criteria, Dunn ensured his qualifying offer was worth $7.09MM instead of $4.64MM — the Bulls subsequently declined to tender that QO, making him an unrestricted free agent, a move the team may not have made if the financial commitment was smaller.

In Collins’ case, the value of his qualifying offer is almost irrelevant, as he’ll certainly be able to sign a far more lucrative long-term contract than the one-year, $7.7MM QO. Barring a very surprising development, his qualifying offer will essentially be a placeholder.

Six 2021 RFAs – Collins, Jarrett Allen, Lonzo Ball, Duncan Robinson, Kendrick Nunn, and Devonte’ Graham – have now met the starter criteria. Once he returns from his shoulder injury, Bulls forward Lauri Markkanen is the best candidate to get there next, as he needs just five more starts.

Injury/Illness Updates: Hayward, Martin, Schröder, Tucker, Wright

February 19th, 2021 at 9:59pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Hornets star forward Gordon Hayward practiced in full on Friday and is listed as probable to play against Golden State on Saturday, Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer tweets. Hayward missed last Saturday’s loss to San Antonio with lower back discomfort. The Hornets haven’t played since due to a couple of COVID-19 related postponements.

We have more updates regarding injuries and illness around the league:

Hornets coach James Borrego indicated Caleb Martin will likely take longer than his brother, Cody Martin, to be cleared from the league’s health and safety protocols, Bonnell adds in another tweet. The Martin twins have missed Charlotte’s last two games.
Lakers starting point guard Dennis Schröder will miss his second consecutive game on Saturday after being placed under the league’s health and safety protocols, ESPN’s Dave McMenamin tweets.
Rockets forward P.J. Tucker returned to practice on Friday, Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle reports. Tucker has missed the last two games with a bruised thigh.
Pistons point guard Delon Wright departed during the fourth quarter of his team’s game against Memphis on Friday with a right groin strain, Keith Langlois of Pistons.com tweets.

Free Agent Stock Watch: Northwest Division

February 19th, 2021 at 9:25pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Throughout the season, Hoops Rumors takes a closer look at players who will be free agents or could become free agents this off-season. We examine if their stock is rising or falling due to performance and other factors. This week, we take a look at players from the Northwest Division:

Hamidou Diallo, Thunder, 22, SG (Up) – Signed to a three-year, $3.9MM deal in 2018

Diallo has entered the conversation for the Most Improved Player award. The Dennis Schröder trade to the Lakers opened up a little more playing time for the third-year guard and he has seized the opportunity, nearly doubling his scoring average (12.5 PPG from 6.9 PPG) and also contributing on the boards (5.4 RPG) while making more plays for his teammates (2.5 APG).

Diallo’s perimeter shooting remains an issue (28.9% on 3-point attempts) but he’s reached double figures in 13 of his last 15 games. He will be a restricted free agent and it will be intriguing to see if another team will overlook his perimeter woes and extend an offer sheet to force the Thunder’s hand.

Naz Reid, Timberwolves, 21, C (Up) – Signed to a three-year, $4.2MM deal in 2019

Very little has gone right for Minnesota this season but Reid continues to be a bright spot. The undrafted second-year big man is averaging 12.5 PPG, 4.9 RPG and 1.2 BPG and his 3-point shot is improving (39.7%). Reid had a 29-point performance against OKC and a 23-point outing against the Clippers this month. He filled the stat sheet with 18 points, nine rebounds, three assists and three blocks in an overtime loss to Indiana on Wednesday.

Reid’s $1.78MM salary for next season is non-guaranteed; the Timberwolves’ front office will have some tough roster decisions to make over the next year but that won’t be one of them.

Gary Trent Jr., Trail Blazers, 22, SG (Up) – Signed to a three-year, $3.92MM deal in 2018

Trent, who will be a restricted free agent, emerged as a valuable rotation piece in his second season a year ago. He’s become even more important with CJ McCollum sidelined by a foot injury. Trent is averaging 15.3 PPG while knocking down an impressive 44.7% of his 3-point attempts despite taking 7.2 shots per game from deep. He’s averaging 19.8 PPG during the team’s current six-game winning streak. The Blazers already have $70MM committed to their starting guards next season; can they afford to hold onto Trent if someone lavishes the sharpshooter with a lucrative offer sheet?

Will Barton, Nuggets, 30, SG/SF (Down) – Signed to a four-year, $53MM deal in 2018

Barton has a player option worth $14.67MM for next season and the way he’s played this season, he’ll have no reason to opt out. Barton missed the summer restart due to a knee injury and hasn’t been a consistent factor on a team with championship aspirations. He scored 10 or fewer points in six of his last 10 outings before taking off a few games for personal reasons. His PER for the season is 11.6, well below average. The Nuggets need more from their wings, including Barton, if they want to make another deep playoff run.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Southwest Notes: Oladipo, Wood, Mavs, K. Anderson

February 19th, 2021 at 7:43pm CST by Luke Adams

After having their Friday and Saturday games postponed due to the government shutdown of the Toyota Center and the ongoing weather-related issues in Texas, the Rockets aren’t a sure thing to host the Bulls in Houston on Monday. But if that game is played as scheduled, the team is hoping Victor Oladipo can be available for it, sources tell Kelly Iko of The Athletic (Twitter link).

Oladipo hasn’t played since February 11 due to a right foot strain, with the team’s losing streak extending to seven games during that time. However, if the Rockets play on Monday and the two-time All-Star is able to return, he’ll have only missed three games while resting the injury for 10 days.

Here’s more from around the Southwest:

Rockets big man Christian Wood (ankle sprain) isn’t as close to returning as Oladipo is, but he posted a message on Instagram on Thursday indicating that he’s aiming to get back on the court before the All-Star break, as Mark Berman of FOX 26 Houston relays (via Twitter).
Appearing on 105.3 The Fan in Dallas, Mavericks head coach Rick Carlisle said he doesn’t view a big man who can rebound as a pressing trade deadline need, but added that he’ll leave that decision up to the front office (Twitter link via Callie Caplan of The Dallas Morning News). “You know Mark (Cuban) and Donnie (Nelson),” Carlisle said. “These guys are gunslingers. They’re riverboat gamblers, and they’re ready to talk about anything that would get the team better.”
When the Grizzlies acquired Justise Winslow a year ago, he seemed destined to supplant Kyle Anderson as the team’s small forward of the future. However, Winslow has yet to make his debut in Memphis and remains a major question mark, opening the door for Anderson to reclaim that role, as Chris Herrington of The Daily Memphian writes.

And-Ones: Williams, Ezeli, China, Koumadje

February 19th, 2021 at 6:22pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Former NBA center Johnathan Williams has parted ways with Turkish team Galatasaray, according to a team press release. The undrafted big man appeared in 15 games, including six starts, with the Wizards last season. He also saw action in 17 games for Washington’s G League affiliate, the Capital City Go-Go. He played in 24 games with the Lakers during the 2018/19 season.

We have more from around the basketball world:

Former Warriors center Festus Ezeli is in quarantine in the G League bubble in Orlando and will be out Sunday, Marc Spears of ESPN tweets. He’s in the player pool there, making him eligible to be picked up by any team. Ezeli, 31, logged 170 NBA games but hasn’t played since the 2016 NBA Finals due to knee injuries.
China Central Television (CCTV) still isn’t showing NBA games, Bill Shea of The Athletic reports. CCTV stopped airing games prior to last season after then Rockets GM Daryl Morey tweeted support for pro-democracy demonstrations in Hong Kong. CCTV did show two NBA Finals games in October.
Free agent Christ Koumadje has reached agreement with Alba Berlin in Germany, JD Shaw of Hoops Rumors tweets. The 7’3” center was the G League Defensive Player of the Year for the Delaware Blue Coats last season. Koumadje, 24, was in training camp with the Sixers in 2019. International journalist Christos Harpidis first reported the sides were in advanced talks.

Pacific Notes: Schröder, Bjelica, Barnes, Holmes, Bazemore

February 19th, 2021 at 5:06pm CST by Dana Gauruder

After being held out of his team’s game against Brooklyn on Thursday due to the league’s health and safety protocols, Lakers point guard Dennis Schröder was not at practice Friday and it’s “uncertain” if he will be available against Miami on Saturday, per head coach Frank Vogel (Twitter link via Dave McMenamin of ESPN). “There’s no timeline,” Vogel said.

The Lakers started Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Wesley Matthews in the backcourt with Schröder sidelined.

We have more from the Pacific Division:

The Heat continue to have interest in Kings forward Nemanja Bjelica, according to the Sacramento Bee’s Jason Anderson, and they got a good look at him on Thursday. With Richaun Holmes and Harrison Barnes sidelined, Bjelica made his first start of the season and scored 25 points with eight rebounds, three assists and two steals. Bjelica is making $7.15MM and the Heat have a $7.6MM trade exception to absorb Bjelica’s contract, Anderson notes. Bjelica has temporarily rejoined the rotation the last four games. “To be honest with you, I work my (butt) off,” Bjelica said. “That’s what everybody’s supposed to do when you’re out of the rotation or you don’t play or you play less.”
Barnes sat out with a left foot strain and Holmes missed his second game in a row due to right knee soreness. Kings coach Luke Walton said both players are expected back “very soon,” Anderson notes in the same story.
Veteran swingman Kent Bazemore erupted for 26 points, eight rebounds, three assists and three steals for the Warriors against Miami on Wednesday. He’s become a valuable option for coach Steve Kerr, Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic notes. “He’s frenetic out there and plays with great energy,” Kerr said. “He’s kind of all over the map. He has his moments where he makes plays where he gets out of control but also makes really athletic, powerful moves to the rim, with steals, and fast-break layups, dunks.” Bazemore joined the Warriors on a veteran’s minimum contract in November and will return to free agency this summer.

Atlantic Notes: McCaw, Lowry, Nets, Celtics, Knicks

February 19th, 2021 at 3:50pm CST by Luke Adams

Raptors guard Patrick McCaw hasn’t suited up at all for the team this season as he recovers from knee surgery, but his returns appears imminent. As Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca tweets, McCaw is listed on the latest injury report as probable for Friday’s game vs. Minnesota.

Raptors point guard Kyle Lowry, meanwhile, is dealing with a thumb injury and is listed as questionable for Friday’s contest, per Lewenberg. Head coach Nick Nurse previously indicated that he expects Lowry to miss at least one more game.

Here’s more from around the Atlantic:

Nets forward Kevin Durant has been sidelined for the team’s last three games due to a hamstring injury and it remains unclear if he’ll be back on Saturday vs. the Clippers or if he’ll have to miss more time, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. In Durant’s absence, the Nets have won games in Sacramento, Phoenix, and Los Angeles (vs. the Lakers), and James Harden is making his own MVP case, as Lewis details in another story for The Post.
Yossi Gozlan of HoopsHype considers possible trade targets for the Celtics using their $28.5MM exception, including Eric Gordon, Thaddeus Young, and Harrison Barnes, among others.
Ian Begley of SNY.tv suggests that Terry Rozier, Lonzo Ball, and Buddy Hield are among the potential trade targets to watch for the Knicks, viewing them as more realistic options than the likes of Bradley Beal, Victor Oladipo, or Zach LaVine.

Rockets Sign Justin Patton To Two-Way Deal

February 19th, 2021 at 3:35pm CST by Luke Adams

3:35pm: The Rockets have officially signed Patton to a two-way contract, the team announced in a press release.

7:15am: The Rockets will fill their open two-way contract slot by promoting a center from the G League, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, who hears from agent Brian Jungreis that Justin Patton has agreed to a two-way deal with Houston.

Patton, 23, was the 16th overall pick in the 2016 draft, but was limited to just nine NBA games across his first three seasons in the NBA with the Timberwolves, Sixers, and Thunder due in large part to injuries, including broken bones in both feet.

The big man has seen more action at the G League level, appearing in 83 total NBAGL games since 2017/18. He was selected in the first round of this year’s G League draft by the Westchester Knicks and has played in four games for the club, averaging 10.0 PPG, 6.8 RPG, and 1.8 BPG in 21.5 minutes per contest.

The Rockets opened up one of their two-way spots earlier this week when they waived Ray Spalding, who suffered an Achilles injury in just his second game with the club. That was the latest blow to a Houston frontcourt that has had some bad injury luck lately — Christian Wood has been on the shelf with an ankle sprain for two weeks, while a quad issue has sidelined P.J. Tucker for the last two games.

It’s possible Patton will see some action in the Rockets’ depleted frontcourt in the short term. Once he officially signs, we should get a better sense of whether Houston intends to keep him with the NBA squad for a little while or if he’ll report to the Rio Grande Valley Vipers before the G League season ends in March.

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