2021 | Hoops Rumors

Northwest Notes: Billups, Lillard, Thunder, Jazz

October 8th, 2021 at 10:10pm CST by Rory Maher

Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups recently sat down for an interview with SiriusXM NBA Radio (Twitter link), and he says he’s not going to be preaching “stay here” to star point guard Damian Lillard.

Billups adds that he won’t be constantly discussing whether or not Lillard wants to stay with the team with his star player, saying he has a responsibility to coach the rest of the players. However, he definitely wants him to stay, and believes Lillard when he says he’s “all in” for the upcoming season with the Trail Blazers.

Here’s more from the Northwest:

Former first-round pick D.J. Wilson knows he might be a long-shot to make the Thunder‘s 15-man regular season roster, but that’s not going to stop him from trying, writes Joe Mussatto of The Oklahoman. Mussatto notes that the Thunder had their eyes on Wilson in the 2017 draft, but the Bucks selected him (17th) before Oklahoma City was able to (21st). Wilson is on a non-guaranteed training camp contract.
In a tweet, Mussatto says the Thunder are being cautious with Vit Krejci, who’s a year removed from an ACL tear. Coach Mark Daigneault said Krejci has been cleared to play, but he’s still not a full participant in practices. This could be a result of the “slight setback” Krejci had last week. Mussatto adds that the bigger issue for Krejci is his visa status, which has no timeline for a resolution.
One reason the Jazz appealed to Rudy Gay in free agency is they had the best regular season record in the NBA last season, so he doesn’t feel any pressure to rush his recovery process following heel surgery, tweets Eric Walden of The Salt Lake Tribune.

Pelicans Notes: Hayes, Alexander-Walker, Valanciunas, Rotation Battles

October 8th, 2021 at 8:33pm CST by Rory Maher

Pelicans coach Willie Green seems to envision an expanded role for third-year center Jaxson Hayes.

“I think Jaxson is going to be huge for us this season,” Green said, according to Christian Clark of NOLA.com.

Hayes has been in and out of the Pelicans’ rotation the past two seasons, showcasing rare athleticism for a big man, but questionable decision making. Clark notes that Hayes added muscle over the offseason, bulking up to 235 pounds from his listed weight of 220 last season. He’s also been working on his jump shot, and Clark says teammate Nickeil Alexander-Walker has taken notice.

“It’s amazing how fast he is and how fast he gets up and down the floor,” Alexander-Walker said of Hayes. “Athletic. Shooting the ball really well. Added that to his game.”

Clark adds that in an effort to put his legal troubles behind him, Hayes has been spending more time with family. His father, Jonathan, an ex-NFL player and coach, has temporarily moved in with Jaxson to provide stability and guidance.

Here’s more on the Pelicans:

Alexander-Walker has matured his game in multiple ways this offseason, writes William Guillory of The Athletic in an excellent interview feature. Alexander-Walker says he’s changed his mental approach to cope with the ups and downs of life in the NBA: “You have to take everything and break it down. You’ve got to take it day-by-day. I got in trouble when I was trying to fast-forward my way through the process. It’s easy to get caught in that tornado, and you don’t know where it’s going to take you. But I had to learn about staying in the moment. Not getting caught up in anything that’s not about where are we right now. Beating yourself up over a bad shooting night isn’t how you get better. It’s about staying consistent in your process regardless of what comes at you.“
Likely starting center Jonas Valanciunas has looked engaged thus far in the preseason, Clark writes in another piece. Clark notes the Pelicans lacked a mean streak and veteran leadership last season, and believes Valanciunas could help fill that void.
Guillory explored the team’s depth chart battles in another recent article. He believes that a supersized starting lineup of Alexander-Walker, Trey Murphy, Brandon Ingram, Zion Williamson, and Valanciunas could be the team’s best bet for a combination of offense and defense, but thinks that offseason addition Devonte’ Graham will ultimately start alongside Alexander-Walker. He also thinks that Kira Lewis should have the upper hand over Tomas Satoransky for backup point guard duty, although admits that it could change from game to game. Hayes suffered a sprained ankle on Monday, according to Guillory, who believes that if Hayes is unavailable for the regular season opener, rookie Herb Jones will act as backup center due to his strong defensive play.

Kyrie Irving Cleared To Practice, Still Can’t Play Home Games

October 8th, 2021 at 6:02pm CST by Rory Maher

A New York City Hall official has informed Shams Charania of The Athletic (via Twitter) that Kyrie Irving has been cleared to practice with the Nets in Brooklyn, but Irving still can’t play home games until he meets the city’s vaccination requirement.

The reasoning for the change, according to Charania, is that the city has deemed the Nets’ practice facility, the HSS Center, a private office building (Twitter link).

Coach Steve Nash was cautiously optimistic upon being informed of Charania’s reporting, saying, “It’s positive to be able to welcome (Irving) back into the building him and have him be part of the team…it sounds like it’s positive news.” (per Brian Lewis of The New York Post, via Twitter).

Nash is hopeful Irving will be able to practice tomorrow at the Brooklyn Park Bridge, but couldn’t confirm his availability. He also said that Paul Millsap is out for tonight’s preseason game due to health and safety protocols, meaning he either tested positive for COVID-19 or was deemed a close contact of someone who did (Twitter links via Lewis).

Check out the latest reports on Irving here.

Jaylen Brown Tests Positive For COVID-19

October 8th, 2021 at 4:47pm CST by Rory Maher

In a team press release, the Celtics said All-Star Jaylen Brown tested positive for COVID-19 today. The club added that Brown is asymptomatic and is quarantining.

It’s unclear at this time whether Brown will be cleared to return to action before Boston’s regular season opener (October 20, at the Knicks), but he will almost certainly miss the team’s last three preseason games.

It’s a tough blow for Brown, who is also returning from wrist surgery. The 24-year-old had a stellar season in 2020-21, averaging 24.7 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per night in 58 games. He also had a career best shooting line of .484/.397/.764.

If Brown does end up missing regular season games, offseason acquisitions Dennis Schröder and Josh Richardson are likely to fill in for the bulk of his minutes.

Central Notes: Gores, Bucks, K. Martin, T. Brown

October 8th, 2021 at 4:03pm CST by Luke Adams

Speaking to Jabari Young of CNBC, Tom Gores admitted that he made a mistake early in his tenure as the owner of the Pistons by trying to take shortcuts to contention instead of being willing to be patient and endure some losing seasons while building the right way.

“I should’ve been better about the idea that you can’t always win, and you don’t win fast,” Gores said. “I think I’ve grown from that perspective. I’m not sure I understood the magnitude of the responsibility when you own a sports team in a town that is looking to you for inspiration.”

After spending several years in the middle of the pack in the Eastern Conference, Gores has embraced what general manager Troy Weaver calls a “restoration” of the franchise in the last couple years. The Pistons’ 20-52 record last season was their worst mark since 1993/94, but the team was able to add potential cornerstone Cade Cunningham to a promising young core this offseason, creating optimism for the future.

Here’s more from around the Central:

The Bucks are on track to be a taxpayer for the second consecutive season in 2021/22 and could face some tough roster decisions a year from now, according to John Hollinger of The Athletic, who notes that Bobby Portis, Donte DiVincenzo, and Grayson Allen are all on expiring contracts and will be in line for raises on their next deals.
Following the trade of Edmond Sumner, there’s a clearer path to a regular season roster spot for Pacers wing Kelan Martin, but he’s not taking anything for granted, as David Woods of The Indianapolis Star writes. Martin has twice agreed to push his salary guarantee date back in the hopes of making Indiana’s 15-man squad.
Former 15th overall pick Troy Brown, who was traded from Washington to Chicago at last season’s deadline, is hoping to claim a bigger role with the Bulls in his first full season with the team, writes Rob Schaefer of NBC Sports Chicago. “I feel like me and Coach (Billy Donovan) have a good dynamic in the sense of me being like a Swiss Army Knife,” Brown said. “Whatever he needs on the court, that’s what I go do — whether it’s playmaking, rebounding, playing defense, hitting 3s. I feel like that’s my job on the team, and I just try to accept that role and do it as best as I can.”

Knicks Sign Tyler Hall To Non-Guaranteed Deal

October 8th, 2021 at 3:46pm CST by Luke Adams

OCTOBER 8: The Knicks’ deal with Hall is now official, per a team release.

OCTOBER 6: The Knicks are filling the open spot on their 20-man preseason roster by signing free agent shooting guard Tyler Hall to a non-guaranteed contract, reports Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).

Hall, 24, went undrafted out of Montana State in 2019 and has spent the first two seasons of his professional career as a rotation player for the Westchester Knicks in the G League. In 53 total games at the NBAGL level, Hall has averaged 9.5 PPG, 3.6 RPG, and 2.0 APG on .421/.411/.742 shooting in 26.1 minutes per contest. He also played for New York’s Summer League team in August.

Hall likely won’t be in consideration for a spot on the Knicks’ regular season roster. However, if his non-guaranteed contract includes Exhibit 10 language, he could receive a bonus worth up to $50K if he returns to Westchester this season and spends at least 60 days with the G League club. He signed an Exhibit 10 deal with New York last December as well.

The Knicks, who waived Luca Vildoza over the weekend, will once again have a full 20-man roster once Hall officially signs with the team.

Hornets Sign Jalen Crutcher, Cameron McGriff

October 8th, 2021 at 3:20pm CST by Luke Adams

After waiving two players earlier in the day, the Hornets have wasted no time filling those newly-opened roster spots. According to a press release from the team, Charlotte has signed guard Jalen Crutcher and forward Cameron McGriff.

Crutcher, a 6’1″ point guard, spent his last four years at Dayton, where he averaged 17.6 PPG, 4.8 APG, and 3.5 RPG on .463/.372/.763 shooting in 24 games (38.1 MPG) as a senior in 2020/21. He suited up for Milwaukee’s Summer League team in Las Vegas after going undrafted.

McGriff, meanwhile, went undrafted in 2020 after four seasons with Oklahoma State. He averaged 12.3 PPG and 6.6 RPG in his senior year, then played for Belgium’s Okapi Aalstar last season, putting up 13.5 PPG and 5.0 RPG. The Hornets’ agreement with McGriff, who was on the club’s Summer League roster, was reported in September.

Neither Crutcher nor McGriff is likely to make the Hornets’ regular season roster, as the team currently has 16 players on fully guaranteed contracts. However, they’re strong candidates to play for the Greensboro Swarm, Charlotte’s G League affiliate. Assuming they signed Exhibit 10 contracts, Crutcher and McGriff will be in line for bonuses worth up to $50K if they spent at least 60 days with the Swarm.

The Hornets now once again have a full 20-man preseason roster.

Latest On Kyrie Irving

October 8th, 2021 at 2:51pm CST by Luke Adams

As long he remains unvaccinated against COVID-19, All-Star guard Kyrie Irving would have more value in a market where he could play all 82 games than he currently does in Brooklyn, where a local vaccine mandate would prevent him from playing in more than half of the team’s games this season.

However, even if the Nets were to explore the trade market for Irving, they may not find a ton of enthusiastic suitors, according to Tim Bontemps and Bobby Marks of ESPN, who suggest the 29-year-old wouldn’t be a sure thing to report to a new team. Marc Stein of Substack conveys a similar sentiment in his latest article, writing that there’s a belief “in some corners of the league” that Irving would seriously consider retirement if the Nets were to trade him.

Irving’s unpredictable, mercurial nature is probably one reason why the Sixers, according to Stein, haven’t shown any interest yet in a exploring a trade involving Kyrie and Ben Simmons. Even if Irving were willing to join a new team, his ability to hit free agency in 2022 may diminish his appeal to potential suitors, including Philadelphia, says Stein.

Here’s more on Irving:

Nets general manager Sean Marks previously expressed interest in signing Irving to a contract extension this offseason, but those discussions are “on ice” for now, sources tell Bontemps and Marks.
The Nets explored the possibility of moving their practices outside of New York City to accommodate Irving, but decided against it for a variety of reasons, including a desire to have access to all their facilities, per Bontemps and Marks. Head coach Steve Nash has also said the Nets haven’t been in communication with Irving about his personal workouts while he’s away from the team. “It’s not something we’ve discussed,” Nash said.
James Harden stated on Thursday that Irving’s absence would hurt the Nets, since he’s “one of our best players and one of our leaders,” as NetsDaily relays. However, while Harden said he “of course” wants Kyrie to be on the team, he added that he’s not disappointed by his teammate’s stance. “It’s not disappointing at all. It’s not disappointing,” Harden said. “Kai believes in what he believes in. His family is behind him, we’re behind him. That’s all that it is.”

Nuggets Exercise 2022/23 Option On Zeke Nnaji

October 8th, 2021 at 1:43pm CST by Luke Adams

The Nuggets have exercised their third-year team option on Zeke Nnaji‘s rookie scale contract, a league source tells Mike Singer of The Denver Post (Twitter link). The move guarantees Nnaji’s $2,617,800 salary for the 2022/23 season.

Nnaij was the 22nd overall pick in the 2020 draft, joining the Nuggets after playing his college ball at Arizona. The 20-year-old wasn’t a major part of the team’s rotation as a rookie, but did get into 42 games, averaging 3.2 PPG and 1.5 RPG in 9.5 minutes per contest.

With Nnaji locked in for his third NBA season, the Nuggets will have to make their next major decision on the young forward a year from now, when they’ll have to either pick up or turn down his $4.3MM fourth-year option for the ’23/24 campaign. If that option is exercised, Nnaji would become extension-eligible during the 2023 offseason.

Our tracker of 2022/23 rookie scale option decisions can be found right here.

And-Ones: Marijuana Testing, Toronto, Fraud Case, NBA Academy

October 8th, 2021 at 1:26pm CST by Luke Adams

The NBA won’t subject its players to random marijuana tests during the 2021/22 season, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. The NBPA sent out a memo this week informing players of the news.

Random marijuana testing had been a part of the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the league and the players’ union, but the two sides agreed not to resume those tests during the 2020 bubble in Orlando and has stuck with that policy ever since.

While the NBA will continue to test players for performance-enhancers and drugs of abuse, it wouldn’t be surprise me if the NBA and NBPA eventually agree to end random marijuana testing permanently.

Here are more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

NBA players have been informed that if they’re unvaccinated and violate quarantine guidelines while visiting Toronto, they could face criminal charges in Canada, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic. Unvaccinated players will be able to play in Toronto, but can only leave their hotel for team activities. The Raptors have indicated they’ll be fully vaccinated for the season.
Joe Vardon of The Athletic provides a few more details from the indictment against 18 former NBA players accused of defrauding the NBA’s health and welfare benefit plan. According to Vardon, Tony Allen, Glen Davis, and Tony Wroten submitted claims for root canals purportedly performed on the same teeth on the same day.
In an Insider-only story for ESPN, Jonathan Givony checks in on the NBA Academy program, five years after its inception, to evaluate whether it has been a success so far and to consider where it will go from here.

Year: 2024