2021 November | Hoops Rumors

Pacific Notes: Green, Thompson, Fox, Walton, James

November 22nd, 2021 at 9:52pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Draymond Green is playing with renewed vigor and the Warriors forward is aiming for another Defensive Player of the Year award, ESPN’s Nick Friedell writes. “Most importantly, I want to win, I want to be a Defensive Player of the Year again, and I want to be an All-Star again,” Green said. “And that is motivating me because a lot of people had counted me out. Same mistake people made before when I first came into the league — but a lot of people doubted me, and doubted me again. And that’s fuel to the fire.” Green won the DPOY award in 2017.

We have more from the Pacific Division:

Warriors coach Steve Kerr reacted with feigned surprise regarding a report that Klay Thompson had received full medical clearance to practice. “I don’t know where that came from,” Kerr said, according to a tweet from Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area. However, Kerr didn’t deny the report, Poole added in another tweet. The Athletic’s Anthony Slater said Kerr was trying to protect Thompson from media attention. If Thompson doesn’t participate in all team portions of practice, he could theoretically skip any required media requirements, which is Klay’s preference.
De’Aaron Fox said it was a bit of a shock that Luke Walton was fired at this stage of the season, according to Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee. However, he added that the Kings have to put that behind them quickly. “You’ve just got to keep on pushing,” Fox said. “Obviously, you have some guys who have been through it in the middle of a season before, but you can’t go into the game worried about what happened. We’ve still got games to play.”
LeBron James‘ one-game suspension will result in some cost savings for the Lakers, Bobby Marks of ESPN tweets. While James will lose a game check of $284K, the Lakers will receive a $142K credit toward the luxury tax that projects to save them $532.5K.

Lowry Looking To “Move The Needle” With Heat

November 22nd, 2021 at 9:10pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Kyle Lowry chose the Heat in free agency because they felt he “could move the needle” for them in pursuit of a championship, he told Marc Spears of The Undefeated.

The Heat worked out a sign-and-trade with the Raptors in which Lowry received a three year deal worth approximately $85MM.

“This is my first year here, but it was the situation where I feel like they wanted to move the needle,” Lowry said. “They wanted to find a way to move the needle and no matter what my age is, I’m still able to move the needle. I’m still playing at a high level. My job is to make everybody else better, to make our team better.”

Thus far, Lowry is averaging 12.0 PPG and 7.6 APG in his first season with Miami.

Lowry offered up some other insights and revelations in his interview with Spears:

There were some family considerations in his decision to play with the Heat: “It was very bittersweet because I never wanted to leave (the Raptors). But it was more a sense of: ‘All right, my kids are getting older. I want to be somewhere where they can be stable no matter what.’ And, yeah, everybody says you could just live in Canada, but you’d have to get a Canadian citizenship to live there. And I don’t think I would’ve lived there for the rest of my life.”
He considers Fred VanVleet, OG Anunoby and Pascal Siakam “family” and is glad they’ve become the faces of the Toronto franchise: “They will get more of the attention now. I would take all the blame because I wanted to. I never wanted them to have to deal with that stuff, because I just felt I could take the world on my shoulders. And they can, too, but now it’s theirs. I left the franchise in a great place.”
The desire to win a second NBA championship drives him: “I love my ring, but I want to have another one. I want to be able to wear two of them. I’ve got an [Olympic] gold medal. It was a great feeling. I got an NBA championship. I need to get back to that.”
Regardless of what happens in Miami, Lowry wants to be remembered as the Raptors point guard on their championship team: “I’ll say it now, I will sign a one-day contract and I’ll retire as a Toronto Raptor. That is my everything.”

Spurs Notes: Players’ Meeting, Landale, COVID Concerns, Walker

November 22nd, 2021 at 8:00pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Spurs held a players-only meeting in the locker room after last Thursday’s 25-point loss to the Timberwolves, forward Thaddeus Young informed Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio Express-News. “We took that butt whooping and we went back into the locker room and we talked for 20, 30 minutes, the whole team,” Young said. “Everyone voiced their issues and their points.”

Second-year lottery pick Devin Vassell was among those who spoke most eloquently.

“He basically said, ‘Come on. Let’s try to figure this thing out. Let’s talk about it. Let’s put everything out there on the table,'” Young said.

Young viewed that as a positive sign for the team building around young players.

“That’s what you want from young guys. I could do it, but at the end of the day, you want these younger guys to start stepping up,” Young said (Twitter links here).

San Antonio had the weekend off and will face Phoenix on Monday.

We have more on the Spurs:

Big man Jock Landale has entered the reconditioning phase after being cleared from the league’s health and safety protocols, Orsborn tweets. Landale entered protocols approximately two weeks ago and hasn’t played since November 1.
Though the team is fully vaccinated and some have received booster shots, players are wary of contracting the virus and are taking more precautions on the road, forward Doug McDermott told Orsborn. “That (being vaccinated) still doesn’t mean anything because you still see positive tests. I think a good example was in the NFL,” McDermott said. “You are seeing a lot of positive cases there and I think the same will be true of us (in the NBA) around Thanksgiving.”
Guard Lonnie Walker IV holds no hard feelings toward Timberwolves forward Taurean Prince, Orsborn writes. Prince was ejected after being issued a Flagrant 2 foul for striking Walker in the chest and face during the second half as Walker drove to the basket. “It was fine,” Walker said. “I’ve gotten hit a lot worse than that. I don’t think it was on purpose. I’m real cool with Prince.”

New York Notes: Durant, Aldridge, Walker, Anthony

November 22nd, 2021 at 6:31pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Kevin Durant rested his right shoulder sprain during the Nets’ win over Orlando on Friday and it apparently made a difference, Brian Lewis of the New York Post writes. Durant returned to practice on Sunday and returned to action against Cleveland on Monday.

“Kevin is great. I think it served his shoulder well to miss a game,” coach Steve Nash said.

Durant is off to a strong start, averaging 28.6 PPG, 7.9 RPG and 4.9 APG in 16 games.

We have more on the New York City teams:

LaMarcus Aldridge has thrived while playing on the Nets’ second unit but it’s still been a tough transition, he told Lewis. “It’s very difficult. You’ve been one type of player or a certain type of player your whole career. It’s definitely different coming off the bench and not playing much,” Aldridge said. “So it’s been difficult. … I’m still trying to figure it out and navigate it and find my spots. And I’m just trying to find my ways to try and help out.” Aldridge is playing for the veteran’s minimum after coming out of a health-related retirement. He’s averaging 12.9 PPG and 5.4 RPG in 20.6 MPG.
Kemba Walker played both ends of a back-to-back this weekend for the first time this season. However, that won’t always be the case for a guard who’s battling knee injuries in recent seasons, according to Marc Berman of the New York Post. “Nothing is set in stone for back-to-backs,’’ Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau said. “It’s just communication with medical people. Kemba has a lot of say in it. I trust him. He feels comfortable. And he’s done a great job taking care of his body.’’
The Lakers will face the Knicks on Tuesday and Carmelo Anthony is looking forward to coming back to Madison Square Garden against his former team, Berman writes in a separate story. He says the New York fans treat him with uncommon adoration. “I always look forward to playing at the Garden, playing in front of the fans,” Anthony said. “With the Knicks or against the Knicks. That love is different. That fan base is different for me. It goes deeper than basketball. They embrace me. I embrace them.”

James Suspended One Game, Stewart Gets Two-Game Penalty

November 22nd, 2021 at 5:15pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Lakers superstar LeBron James was suspended one game without pay and Pistons center Isaiah Stewart will serve a two-game suspension for their altercation on Sunday, the league announced in a press release.

James was suspended for recklessly hitting Stewart in the face and initiating an on-court altercation. Stewart was given a bigger penalty for escalating the incident by repeatedly and aggressively pursuing James in an unsportsmanlike manner.

Stewart had to be restrained numerous times by coaches and players from retaliating after James struck him in the face battling for position as Jerami Grant attempted a free throw. Pistons coach Dwane Casey stated afterward he didn’t feel Stewart deserved an additional penalty besides the in-game ejection.

James, who has never previously been suspended his career, will miss a marquee matchup against the Knicks on Tuesday. Stewart will serve his suspension Tuesday against the Heat and Wednesday against the Bucks.

Injury Notes: Hayes, Bertans, I. Jackson, Murray

November 22nd, 2021 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Second-year guard Killian Hayes is expected to miss at least the next two games as the Pistons‘ medical staff attempts to alleviate the soreness in his sprained left thumb and increase its mobility, the team announced today.

As Keith Langlois of Pistons.com notes (via Twitter), the injury has been an ongoing problem for Hayes, who first sat out on November 5 due to the ailment. He had mostly been playing through the injury up until Sunday, but has aggravated it several times, Langlois adds.

Here are a few more health updates from around the NBA:

Wizards forward Davis Bertans and Rui Hachimura both practiced with the Capital City Go-Go in the G League today, per Chris Miller of NBC Sports Washington (Twitter link). Bertans, who has been out for three weeks due to a left ankle sprain, will be a game-time decision tonight. Hachimura, who missed the start of the season for personal reasons, continues to ramp up his conditioning.
Pacers rookie big man Isaiah Jackson has been recalled from the G League and will be available on Monday vs. Chicago, writes James Boyd of The Indianapolis Star. Jackson hasn’t played since October 27 due to a hyperextended left knee.
Nuggets guard Jamal Murray said on Instagram Live over the weekend that he’s feeling “great” as he ramps up his pre-game workouts in his recovery from ACL surgery, tweets Mike Singer of The Denver Post. The hope is that Murray will be able to return before the end of the season.

Damian Lillard, Giannis Antetokounmpo Named Players Of The Week

November 22nd, 2021 at 2:40pm CST by Luke Adams

Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard has been named the Player of the Week for the Western Conference and Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo has earned the honor for the Eastern Conference, the NBA announced today (via Twitter).

Lillard’s Blazers only played three games during the week of November 15-21, but won all three. The All-NBA guard averaged 28.3 PPG and 8.3 APG in victories over Toronto, Chicago, and Philadelphia, racking up 39 points in Friday’s game vs. the Sixers. He beat out fellow Western Conference nominees Deandre Ayton, Jordan Poole, and Karl-Anthony Towns (Twitter link).

Antetokounmpo and the Bucks also enjoyed a 3-0 week, with Giannis putting up eye-popping averages of 33.3 PPG, 16.0 RPG, 5.0 APG, and 2.7 BPG against the Lakers, Thunder, and Magic. His week included a 47-point outburst vs. Los Angeles and a 32-point, 20-rebound showing vs. Orlando.

The two-time MVP won the award over a crowded field of Eastern Conference nominees: LaMelo Ball, Jimmy Butler, Clint Capela, DeMar DeRozan, Darius Garland, James Harden, Tyrese Maxey, and Jayson Tatum.

Mavs Notes: Nowitzki, Cuban, Kleber, Doncic, Ntilikina

November 22nd, 2021 at 1:03pm CST by Luke Adams

As first reported last week by Marc Stein (Twitter link) and later confirmed by the team, the Mavericks will retire Dirk Nowitzki‘s No. 41 jersey on January 5, when they host the Warriors in Dallas.

Nowitzki will join Rolando Blackman (No. 22), Brad Davis (No. 15), and Derek Harper (No. 12) as Mavericks players who have had their jersey numbers retired by the franchise. All three players are expected to be in attendance for the ceremony on January 5, along with NBA commissioner Adam Silver, writes Eddie Sefko of Mavs.com.

“Dirk is everything to the Mavs. First, 41.21.1,” team owner Mark Cuban said, referring to Nowitzki becoming the first NBA player to spend 21 seasons with a single team. “And now, lifting his jersey to the rafters. It is a special day for the Mavs and Mavs fans around the world.”

Here’s more out of Dallas:

Mavericks owner Mark Cuban spoke on Sunday to a handful of reporters, including Mark Medina of NBA.com, about the team’s start to the season, his first impressions of new general manager Nico Harrison, and Nowitzki’s jersey retirement ceremony, among other topics. “He’s a learner,” Cuban said of Harrison. “To me, that’s always the most important part. Can you deal with the people? Can you get the results? And are you a learner? He’s a learner. He’s a sponge and always open to things. So I’m happy with what’s going on.”
Maxi Kleber returned to action on Sunday for the Mavs after sitting out nine games with a left oblique strain, but Luka Doncic remained sidelined, missing his third consecutive game due to left knee and ankle sprains. Doncic was a game-time decision on Sunday, which suggests he’s close to getting back on the court. Dallas is 0-3 without him after starting the season with a 9-4 record.
Mavs guard Frank Ntilikina left Sunday’s game due to a right calf injury and didn’t return (Twitter link). The severity of the injury isn’t yet known.

Terrance Ferguson Expected To Play In Greece

November 22nd, 2021 at 12:43pm CST by Rory Maher

NOVEMBER 22: Ferguson is no longer expected to finalize his deal with AEK Athens, according to Christos Tsaltas of Greek outlet SDNA. Instead, Ferguson is on track to join Lavrio BC, another club in Greece.

NOVEMBER 19: Former NBA wing Terrance Ferguson is expected to join Greek team AEK Athens, according to Dario Skerletic of Sportando.

Basketball writer/insider Luca D’Alessandro tweets that the team has been waiting for a “ban” to be lifted to make the signing official. Essentially, AEK Athens can’t officially finalize deals with new players until they’ve settled all debts with previous players, as Antigoni Zachari of EuroHoops detailed last month.

Ferguson, who is still just 23 years old, was selected by the Thunder with the 21st overall pick in the 2017 draft and played his first three seasons with the club, from 2017-20. During that time he started 124 out of 191 games and held averages of 4.5 PPG and 1.4 RPG in 20.7 MPG with a .406/.337/.753 shooting line. He spent last season with the Sixers, but couldn’t crack the team’s rotation and only appeared in 13 games for a total of 47 minutes.

Ferguson is an electric athlete and decent defender, but evidently was unable to develop his offensive skills enough to stick in the NBA after his rookie contract expired.

He showed flashes of potential with the Thunder, but was traded to the Sixers in the deal that sent Danny Green to the Sixers in exchange for Al Horford. He was later traded to the Knicks last March in a complicated move that brought George Hill to Philadelphia and involved several second-round picks, but was subsequently waived by the Knicks.

Jaylen Brown Cleared To Return For Celtics

November 22nd, 2021 at 11:49am CST by Luke Adams

All-Star wing Jaylen Brown will be available on Monday for the Celtics‘ game against Houston, the team announced today (via Twitter).

Brown, who last played on November 4, has missed Boston’s last eight games due to a right hamstring strain. Ime Udoka said on November 8 that Brown would likely miss “a week or two” due to the injury — that was exactly two weeks ago.

The Celtics were below .500 at the time of Brown’s injury, but have bounced back nicely during his absence, going 5-3 in those games, including 4-0 at home.

The Celtics also should have big man Robert Williams back in the rotation on Monday night. Williams, who has missed the last three games due to left knee tendinopathy, is listed as probable.

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