2021 November | Hoops Rumors

Southwest Notes: M. Brown, Grizzlies, Pelicans, Wall

November 29th, 2021 at 3:49pm CST by Luke Adams

Mavericks fans have been clamoring for Moses Brown to get a longer look at center, but head coach Jason Kidd appears in no rush to insert the 22-year-old into the rotation, writes Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News.

Dwight Powell and Willie Cauley-Stein remain ahead of Brown on the depth chart, Boban Marjanovic is still in the mix, and Kidd also sounds interested in experimenting more with Maxi Kleber in the starting lineup, shifting Kristaps Porzingis to the five. As a result, the Mavericks’ head coach isn’t making any promises to the fans who want to see more of Brown.

“He could get a chance,” Kidd said, per Townsend. “I think for fans, or for anybody, if they look at our roster we have quite a few centers. So there’s a committee of centers. And at some point, maybe he [Brown] has an opportunity to play.”

Here’s more from around the Southwest:

Evan Barnes of The Memphis Commercial Appeal takes a look at what’s next for the Grizzlies with Ja Morant sidelined due to a sprained knee. Morant has the league’s third-highest usage rate among point guards, so Memphis will try to replace him using a committee, with Tyus Jones, Desmond Bane, De’Anthony Melton, and Kyle Anderson all taking on added ball-handling responsibilities.
Jaxson Hayes opened the season as the Pelicans‘ primary backup center, but Willy Hernangomez has taken over that role in New Orleans’ last four games. Scott Kushner of NOLA.com writes that Hayes was handed his minutes, while Hernangomez – who re-signed with the team over the summer – has fought to earn his.
John Hollinger of The Athletic is confused about why John Wall and the Rockets are at an impasse over whether or not he starts. Hollinger thinks Houston should be open to putting Wall in the starting lineup, where he could make life easier for Jalen Green, but also believes Wall shouldn’t be too hung up on starting, since potential suitors aren’t going to view him any differently if he’s coming off the bench.

Devin Booker, Trae Young Named Players Of The Week

November 29th, 2021 at 2:36pm CST by Luke Adams

Suns guard Devin Booker and Hawks guard Trae Young have been named the NBA’s Players of The Week for the Western Conference and Eastern Conference respectively, the league announced today (via Twitter).

Booker’s Suns went 4-0 during the week of November 22-28 to extend their winning streak to 16 games, while Young’s Hawks were 3-1.

Booker averaged 30.0 PPG and 3.5 APG on .530/.560/.900 shooting in victories over San Antonio, Cleveland, New York, and Brooklyn. Young put up 31.3 PPG and 8.5 APG with a .563/.517/.833 shooting line, scoring at least 30 points in all four of his games.

The other nominees for the awards this week were Stephen Curry, D’Angelo Russell, and Karl-Anthony Towns in the West, along with Jarrett Allen, Darius Garland, Kevin Durant, and Terry Rozier in the East (Twitter link).

Knicks Pull Kemba Walker From Rotation

November 29th, 2021 at 12:00pm CST by Luke Adams

The Knicks are removing point guard Kemba Walker from both the starting lineup and their regular rotation, head coach Tom Thibodeau told reporters on Monday (Twitter link via Fred Katz of The Athletic).

It’s unclear whether the change will be a short-term or long-term move, but Thibodeau said Walker is out of the rotation “as of right now.” Alec Burks will take over as the team’s starting point guard for the foreseeable future, according to Thibs (Twitter link via Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News).

The Knicks’ signing of Walker to a two-year, $18MM deal in the offseason after he was bought out by Oklahoma City was viewed as one of the summer’s highest-upside deals. After all, Walker had been a maximum-salary player and wasn’t far removed from making four consecutive All-Star teams.

However, while Walker’s .413 3PT% to date is a career high, he has failed to recapture his All-Star form, averaging a modest 11.7 PPG and 3.1 APG in 18 games (24.5 MPG). The 31-year-old, who has battled knee issues in recent years, has had his minutes managed for health reasons and has been a liability on the defensive end.

The Knicks have a 116.3 defensive rating and a -13.3 net rating with Walker on the court, compared to a 99.0 defensive rating and +11.2 net rating when he sits. Kemba isn’t the only New York starter who has struggled and isn’t entirely to blame for those numbers, but given how well Burks has played this season, a change at point guard made sense for the club.

Having signed a new three-year, $30MM contract with the Knicks in the offseason, Burks has averaged 10.5 PPG on .426/.451/.800 shooting in 20 games (22.3 MPG) so far in 2021/22 and has been a more reliable presence on defense. The team has a +5.2 net rating in his minutes.

Christian Wood Expected To Generate Significant Trade Interest

November 29th, 2021 at 9:11am CST by Luke Adams

There’s an expectation around the NBA that Rockets big man Christian Wood will generate “significant” trade interest this season, according to Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer, who adds that people around the league believe Houston will consider offers.

Wood, 26, parlayed a strong 2019/20 season in Detroit into a three-year, $41MM deal with the Rockets during the 2020 offseason. He has outperformed that deal so far, averaging 19.5 PPG and 10.2 RPG on .499/.362/.612 shooting in 60 games (32.5 MPG) in Houston. He’ll become an unrestricted free agent in 2023.

As O’Connor notes, one reason Wood chose to sign with the Rockets a year ago was to play with James Harden, which obviously didn’t last long. That doesn’t necessarily mean Wood wants out now, but he’d be more valuable to a playoff team than a rebuilding club. Rival executives have wondered whether Houston will be motivated to trade its veteran bigs – Wood and/or Daniel Theis – in order to open up more minutes for promising rookie Alperen Sengun, O’Connor writes.

I’d be a little surprised if the Rockets look to move Theis this season — the team signed him to a long-term deal in August after having drafted Sengun and fully committed to the rebuild, so he doesn’t fall into the same category as vets like Wood, John Wall, and Eric Gordon, who were on the roster before Harden was dealt. For what it’s worth, O’Connor says Theis will receive “mild” trade interest from teams in need of a reliable backup center.

While it remains to be seen whether either Wood or Theis will be dealt, the 3-16 Rockets should certainly be sellers at the February deadline — Wall, Gordon, D.J. Augustin, and Danuel House are among the other vets who could be shopped.

Hawks’ Bogdanovic Out At Least Two Weeks With Ankle Sprain

November 29th, 2021 at 8:24am CST by Luke Adams

After undergoing an MRI on Sunday, Hawks wing Bogdan Bogdanovic has been diagnosed with a sprained right ankle, the team announced (via Twitter). According to the announcement, Bogdanovic will undergo a period of rest and rehabilitation and will be reevaluated in about two weeks.

Bogdanovic, who sustained the injury during the second quarter of Atlanta’s loss to New York on Saturday, has started all 20 games he has played this season, averaging 11.6 PPG, 3.6 RPG, and 2.5 APG on .447/.391/.786 shooting in 28.2 minutes per contest.

Meanwhile, Cam Reddish, who also had to exit Saturday’s game in the second quarter due to a left wrist sprain, hasn’t been given a recovery timeline. According to the Hawks (via Twitter), he’s considered day-to-day for now and his status will be determined by how the injury responds to daily treatment.

With Bogdanovic unavailable, Solomon Hill joined the starting five to begin the second half of Saturday’s loss. Reserves like Hill, Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot, and Lou Williams could take on larger roles with Bogdanovic and Reddish sidelined. The Hawks also may lean more heavily on starting wing Kevin Huerter — his 38 minutes on Saturday represented his second-highest total this season.

Atlantic Notes: Nets, Anunoby, Trent Jr., Thibodeau

November 28th, 2021 at 8:53pm CST by JD Shaw

The Nets lost to the red-hot Suns 113-107 on Saturday, dropping a marquee home game in front of the largest crowd the team has hosted since moving to Brooklyn (18,071).

Phoenix was led by Devin Booker, who recorded 30 points and four assists, while Brooklyn was led by Kevin Durant, who finished with 39 points, nine rebounds and seven assists. Despite owning the best record in the East at 14-6, it’s clear the Nets still have work to do.

“We’re a team that’s still forming, still trying to find an identity,” head coach Steve Nash said, as relayed by Brian Lewis of the New York Post. “This [Suns] team has a clear identity, a clear understanding of what they’re trying to do offensively and defensively — something we’re still in the very early stages of.

“We get away from our game when we go behind. Those are signs of a new team, a team trying to understand each other and find some clarity and identity.”

Here are more notes from around the Atlantic:

Raptors forward OG Anunoby (hip pointer) remained out for the team’s game against the Celtics on Sunday, Josh Lewenberg of TSN Sports tweets. No timetable has been issued for his return, but head coach Nick Nurse acknowledged the injury looks like it’s going to be “a problem.”
Raptors guard Gary Trent Jr. (calf bone bruise) also doesn’t have a timeline for his return, Blake Murphy of Sportsnet tweets. Murphy adds the bone bruise is said to be deep and painful. Toronto started Svi Mykhailiuk in Trent’s place against Boston.
Rotation decisions may be looming for Tom Thibodeau and the Knicks, Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News writes. New York has started the season with an 11-9 record, winning 99-90 against the Hawks on Saturday without Kemba Walker, Nerlens Noel and Derrick Rose.

Southeast Notes: Heat, Nuggets, Plumlee, Wizards, Beal

November 28th, 2021 at 7:22pm CST by JD Shaw

With a rematch against the Nuggets set for Monday, players from the Heat are moving on from the Nikola Jokic–Markieff Morris incident that happened earlier this month, Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald writes.

The November 8 altercation started with Morris giving Jokic a hard foul in transition, then continued when Jokic blindsided him from behind. Morris has missed the Heat’s last 10 games with a neck injury caused by the hit.

“It’s over with, man. It’s over with,” veteran Udonis Haslem said, according to Chiang. “Nobody got time for that. Life is too short. It’s over with. It happened. In the heat of the moment, everybody reacted. OK, let’s move on.

“It’s over with. It is so far over with. I don’t have time for that. You’re talking to somebody who has seen everything but the wind. I’ve seen it all. That’s over with.”

Jokic is questionable to play in the contest due to a wrist injury, while Morris has been ruled out. Morris also didn’t accompany the Heat during the team’s recent four-game road trip.

Here are some other notes from the Southeast Division:

The Hornets are being cautious with Mason Plumlee‘s calf injury, Rod Boone of the Charlotte Observer tweets. Head coach James Borrego said it shouldn’t be a long-term issue, though Plumlee’s status for the team’s brief road trip (Chicago on Monday and Milwaukee on Wednesday) is unknown.
The Wizards are encouraged by their strong start to the season, Ava Wallace of the Washington Post writes. The team owns the second-best record in the Eastern Conference at 13-7 after winning an impressive road game against the Mavericks 120-114 on Saturday. “I trust my teammates. I trust them to make the right play, and it means the world to me not having to make every one,” Bradley Beal said. “I have guys I can throw the ball to and then go get a shot, go create a play for somebody else. I can have a hockey assist. Those are all — I’m definitely proud of [it], and it’s a stepping stone for me, too. It’s a learning process.”
Speaking of Beal and the Wizards, Josh Robbins of The Athletic examines how the All-Star guard is maturing and why it’s so important. In 17 games this season, Beal is averaging 23.2 points, 5.2 rebounds and 5.9 assists, shooting 44% from the floor, 28% from deep and 93% from the free throw line.

Ja Morant To Miss Multiple Weeks

November 28th, 2021 at 5:48pm CST by JD Shaw

Grizzlies star Ja Morant will be re-evaluated in “a few weeks” after suffering a knee sprain during Friday’s game, head coach Taylor Jenkins said, according to Evan Barnes of The Commerical Appeal (Twitter link).

As previously relayed, Morant avoided a serious injury and is expected to make a full recovery. Memphis will still be without its best player for several more games, meaning guards Tyus Jones and De’Anthony Melton will likely see increased minutes. The team started Jones against Sacramento on Sunday.

After sustaining the injury, Morant was able to return to the club’s bench without crutches. He underwent an MRI later that night to confirm a knee sprain, but an official timetable still hasn’t been issued by the Grizzlies.

Morant was in the midst of an electric season, averaging 24.1 points, 5.6 rebounds and 6.8 assists per game on 48% shooting. Memphis entered Sunday’s game with a 9-10 record, good for the ninth-best in the Western Conference.

Warriors Assign Klay Thompson, James Wiseman To G League Affiliate

November 28th, 2021 at 4:28pm CST by JD Shaw

The Warriors have assigned Klay Thompson and James Wiseman to the team’s G League affiliate in Santa Cruz, the club announced on social media.

Thompson, who has missed the past two seasons due to a torn ACL and torn Achilles, will practice with Santa Cruz on Sunday. Joining the club’s G League affiliate is the latest step in his lengthy recovery.

Wiseman underwent surgery to repair a torn right meniscus in April. Golden State cleared him to participate in full team practices earlier in the month, but he has yet to play in a game this season. He averaged 11.5 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 21.4 minutes in 39 games during the 2021/22 campaign.

Despite Thompson and Wiseman being sidelined, the Warriors have opened the season with an impressive 17-2 record. Guards Jordan Poole and Damion Lee have helped make up for Thompson’s absence, while big men Kevon Looney and Nemanja Bjelica have impressed during their respective minutes.

Goran Dragic Away From Raptors For Personal Matter

November 28th, 2021 at 3:02pm CST by Rory Maher

Raptors guard Goran Dragic will be away from the team for an undetermined period of time to attend to a personal matter, the team announced.

The former All-Star has played just five games for Toronto after being included in the Kyle Lowry sign-and-trade with Miami in the offseason.

Here is the full statement from general manager Bobby Webster:

“Goran is taking some time away from the team, with our full support, to manage a personal matter. He has been a complete professional in the time that he has been with the Raptors – Goran has been a great mentor to our younger players and a valued teammate for our veterans.

“He will continue to work out and stay in shape during his time away. There is no definite timeline for this process, and we will advise updates as appropriate. Goran has the backing of Masai [Ujiri], Nick [Nurse] and the entire organization, and we wish him nothing but the best.”

Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca tweets that this could be a long-term situation, with Dragic staying in Slovenia to attend to the personal matter until a trade or buyout agreement is reached.

Dragic, 35, holds career averages of 13.9 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 4.8 assists over 872 games (27.9 MPG). He averaged 8.0 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 1.8 assists in the five games with the Raptors (18.0 MPG).

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