2022 January | Hoops Rumors

COVID-19 Updates: Olynyk, Whiteside, D. Johnson, Thunder

January 22nd, 2022 at 9:59pm CST by Arthur Hill

Pistons big man Kelly Olynyk, who returned this week after missing more than two months with a knee injury, has entered the NBA’s health and safety protocols, tweets James Edwards III of The Athletic.

Olynyk, who signed as a free agent over the summer, played in two games before being sidelined again, bringing his season total to 12. He’s averaging 12.6 points and 5.5 rebounds in 22.6 minutes per night.

Olynyk joins teammates Jerami Grant and Luka Garza in the protocols, as the Pistons and Grizzlies are the only teams with three players currently affected by COVID-19.

Here are a few more protocol-related updates:

Jazz backup center Hassan Whiteside has exited the protocols, according to Tim MacMahon of ESPN (Twitter link). However, he is listed as questionable for Sunday’s game with the Warriors because of conditioning. Whiteside was the sixth Utah player in the protocols when he entered 10 days ago, but all of them have now been cleared.
Raptors rookie forward David Johnson has been placed in the protocols, tweets Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca. The two-way player has only logged two minutes in two games at the NBA level, but has played four games for the Raptors 905 in the G League.
Thunder assistant coaches Mike Wilks and David Akinyooye have entered the protocols, according to Joe Mussatto of The Oklahoman (Twitter link). Head coach Mark Daigneault was in the protocols earlier this month.

Lauri Markkanen Believed To Have “Pretty Significant” Ankle Sprain

January 22nd, 2022 at 9:03pm CST by Arthur Hill

Cavaliers forward Lauri Markkanen left tonight’s game with what trainers believe is a “pretty significant” sprain of his right ankle, according to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com.

Markkanen was injured on a collision with four minutes left in the second quarter and had to be helped to the locker room. A source tells Fedor that the team’s medical staff examined his ankle, but not his knee or Achilles. More information won’t be available until further testing is conducted.

Markkanen was trying to defend Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on a drive to the basket, but landed awkwardly on his right leg and fell to the court. He was on the floor for a while, grabbing the ankle in pain, and couldn’t put much weight on it as he headed to the locker room.

The 24-year-old has been an important part of the turnaround for the Cavs, who were fifth in the East at 27-19 entering tonight’s game. Markkanen is averaging 13.7 points and 5.4 rebounds in 37 games this season, and Fedor notes that he is shooting 41.4% from three-point range through 10 games in January.

Damian Lillard Discusses Surgery, Possible Return

January 22nd, 2022 at 8:04pm CST by Arthur Hill

Damian Lillard isn’t sure when he might be able to start playing again, but he won’t try to return until he’s fully healed from last week’s abdominal surgery, writes Anne M. Peterson of The Associated Press. The Trail Blazers guard provided an update on his condition today in his first press conference since deciding to have the operation to address his abdominal tendinopathy.

“I’m just a week from surgery,” he responded when asked about a timeline for returning. “We said we’ll re-evaluate my situation weeks out, six to eight weeks, and we’ll talk about it then. But I’m not in a rush. My number one goal is to win a championship. I’ve got to be in the best form of myself to make that happen and to be a part of that. So I’m not in a rush. We’ll talk about whatever that timeline is when we get to that point.”

Lillard has been dealing with abdominal pain for years, but the condition became particularly acute at the Summer Olympics. He rested for a few weeks before training camp, but said the pain returned when he started playing regularly again. Lillard’s Olympic teammate, Jrue Holiday, who underwent a core operation during the 2018/19 season, suggested the need for surgery while they were together in Tokyo.

“He was the first person that pretty much confirmed that I needed to have surgery because I sat out of practice one day and I was like, ‘I can’t move,’ and I was kind of just holding it. And he just started describing every single symptom,” Lillard said. “And he was like ‘I had it.’”

The uncertainty surrounding Lillard puts Portland in a difficult position with the trade deadline just 19 days away. At 19-26, the Blazers are clinging to the last play-in spot in the West and they face decisions on whether to try to move Robert Covington and Jusuf Nurkic, who both have expiring contracts, or to try to deal Lillard’s long-time backcourt partner, CJ McCollum, who has two more seasons and more than $69MM left on his contract.

Lillard indicated that he would be less likely to attempt to return this season if Portland’s front office decides to trade some of its core players and hope for success in the lottery.

“I mean, if we’re gonna play for a draft pick it wouldn’t make sense to me. Because I’m not gonna play for no draft pick. I’m just not capable of that,” he said. “So it’d be best if that was what we were doing, or what was decided, then it wouldn’t make sense for me to play.”

Pacers Guard Malcolm Brogdon To Be Shut Down For 10 Days

January 22nd, 2022 at 7:09pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Pacers will shut down guard Malcolm Brogdon for the next 10 days, tweets James Boyd of The Indianapolis Star. Coach Rick Carlisle told reporters that Brogdon will undergo a rehab program for his injured right Achilles.

Brogdon has only been able to play two games in the past month because of the injury, as well as a stay in the league’s health and safety protocols. He logged 17 minutes in a January 12 game against the Celtics and 26 minutes in Wednesday’s contest with the Lakers.

Brogdon, the team’s starting point guard, has appeared in 28 games this season, averaging 18.5 points, 5.1 rebounds and 5.9 assists per night. However, he’s shooting a career-low 30.7% from three-point range.

Brogdon’s condition is part of a terrible run of injuries for the Pacers, who have lost Myles Turner and Domantas Sabonis in the past week. T.J. McConnell had hand surgery last month and may miss the rest of the season, while T.J. Warren has yet to play this season because of a foot fracture.

Central Notes: Allen, Caruso, Turner, Markkanen

January 22nd, 2022 at 6:16pm CST by Arthur Hill

Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer is defending Grayson Allen after he committed a Flagrant 2 foul Friday night that caused Bulls guard Alex Caruso to suffer a fractured wrist, tweets Eric Nehm of The Athletic. Allen has been accused of dirty play since he was in college, and Chicago coach Billy Donovan raised those allegations after Friday’s incident, saying that Allen “has a history of this.”

Speaking to reporters before tonight’s game, Budenholzer offered condolences for the injury, but said he doesn’t believe Allen did anything to purposefully put Caruso at risk.

“Competition is tough and there are things that happen in the games that are unfortunate,” Budenholzer said. “And I know that Caruso is going to miss some time and I feel for him. I don’t want that for any of our opponents, for anybody, but there was nothing that was done intentionally.”

The league office is still reviewing the play to determine if there will be further punishment for Allen, according to Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link).

There’s more from the Central Division:

Caruso didn’t think his injury was serious when he left the arena Friday night, according to K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. He and the Bulls found out this morning that the wrist is broken, which will sideline him for at least six-to-eight weeks. Johnson points out that this was only the second game back for Caruso after weeks of dealing with hamstring and foot injuries, along with a lengthy stretch in the health and safety protocols.
Despite being one of the league’s best shot blockers and part of the Pacers‘ foundation for the last six and a half years, Myles Turner is no stranger to trade rumors. In an interview with Mark Haynes of ClutchPoints, Turner says he has gotten accustomed to hearing his name thrown around. “I would say the first time I’ve dealt with trade rumors was probably like four years ago,” Turner said. “I didn’t know what to think of it. As the summers progressed, I kept hearing more things, and that stuff was almost getting done. I kind of got used to hearing it all the time. I just took it as part of the business.”
Lauri Markkanen‘s versatility has enabled the Cavaliers to succeed while starting three big men, per Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. “People get so caught up in his offensive game — shot-making, shot-taking — that they don’t pay attention to all the other things that he does for us,” coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “We would not be able to play the lineup and the size that we play without him. Us being unique and different is because of him and his ability to do that. We don’t lose sight of that. We don’t let him lose sight of that.”

Lakers Notes: Davis, Westbrook, Vogel, Johnson

January 22nd, 2022 at 4:59pm CST by Arthur Hill

Lakers big man Anthony Davis will be a game-time decision Sunday in Miami, tweets Dave McMenamin of ESPN. Davis, who has missed the last 16 games with a sprained left knee, is listed as questionable in the team’s latest injury report.

Davis suffered the injury in a December 17 game when an opposing player fell to the court and collided with his knee. He was cleared for full-contact workouts earlier this week, and there has been optimism that he might be able to resume playing during the current road trip.

There’s more on the Lakers:

Russell Westbrook and coach Frank Vogel both want to move beyond the issue of Westbrook being benched for the closing minutes of Wednesday’s game, writes Kyle Goon of The Orange County Register. Westbrook and Vogel acknowledged that they discussed the situation leading up to Friday’s contest in Orlando, which saw the former MVP back in his regular role. “I’ve been doing my job since Day 1 and doing everything that’s been asked of me since I got here,” said Westbrook, who admitted being angry over the situation. “And I’ll continue to do that for the betterment of the team and doing what’s best for us and finding ways to implement how I can make an impact on this team.”
There were reports that Vogel received permission from the front office to handle Westbrook as he saw fit, but Vogel said Friday that he didn’t talk to anyone in management before opting to keep Westbrook on the bench, believing the decision was his alone to make, Goon adds in the same piece. “I’ve got full autonomy to make any coaching decisions necessary to win games. That is something that has always been persistent there,” said Vogel, who has faced speculation that his job might be in danger. “I do communicate with the front office on everything I’m considering and there’s a strong alignment there. What it ultimately comes down to … we talk about a lot of different things and I have autonomy to make the final decisions.”
Stanley Johnson, who signed his third 10-day contract on Monday, was in the starting lineup for the beginning of the second half Friday, notes Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times. Vogel attributed the move to matchups, and it worked as L.A. went on a 19-2 run to take control of the game.

Eastern Notes: Raptors, Unseld Jr., Randle, Heat

January 22nd, 2022 at 3:54pm CST by JD Shaw

The Raptors may find it hard to determine what they need ahead of the trade deadline, Doug Smith of The Toronto Star writes. The deadline falls on February 10 this year, which is less than three weeks away.

“We’re trying to evaluate who exactly we are, and if you’re going to try to add a piece or two, which you’re always trying to do, saying, ‘What does this team need?’” head coach Nick Nurse said. “Even in the championship year you’re trying to figure out where can we make it that much better, that much deeper or whatever. It has been more difficult this year to figure it out.”

Like many teams, Toronto has dealt with availability issues this season due to COVID-19 and injuries. The team is currently in the play-in tournament picture at 22-21, good for the eighth-best record in the East.

Should they pursue a trade, the Raptors could benefit from upgrading their offense. The team ranks 27th in field goal percentage (43.6%), 21st in three-point percentage (34.1%), and 23rd in points per game (106.8). On the flip side, Toronto has made the third-fewest turnovers per game (12.6).

There’s more from the Eastern Conference:

Wizards head coach Wes Unseld Jr. has exited the NBA’s health and safety protocols, the team announced on social media (Twitter link). Unseld will return to coaching against the Celtics on Sunday. The club went 1-3 in the four contests he missed while in protocols.
The Knicks made Julius Randle‘s situation worse by not allowing him to speak to the media after a loss to New Orleans this week, Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News opines. New York was fined $25,000 for the decision. Randle has struggled in recent games, scoring four points on 1-of-9 shooting against the Pelicans. He was also fined $25,000 for using profane language during media interviews earlier this month.
Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel examines several notes related to the Heat, including the team’s upcoming game against the Lakers on Sunday. Current Lakers players LeBron James, Avery Bradley, Trevor Ariza, Wayne Ellington and Kendrick Nunn all hold experience with the Heat, though only James, Bradley and Ariza played in Los Angeles’ win over Orlando on Friday. Ellington received a DNP-CD (did not play, coach’s decision), while Nunn continues to rehab a bone bruise.

And-Ones: Anigbogu, Crabbe, Trade Deadline, Maker

January 22nd, 2022 at 1:16pm CST by JD Shaw

Former Pacers center Ike Anigbogu has signed a contract in the NBA G League, he told Hoops Rumors. Anigbogu will join the Birmingham Squadron, the Pelicans‘ affiliate.

Anigbogu, 23, was drafted No. 47 overall in 2017. He spent parts of the 2017/18 and ’18/19 seasons with Indiana and its G League affiliate, appearing in 14 NBA games.

Anigbogu also signed with the Pelicans for training camp in December of 2020. Along with Anigbogu, Birmingham’s roster currently features former NBA players Jared Harper and Joe Young.

Here are some other odds and ends from around the association:

Free agent Allen Crabbe has been acquired by the Knicks‘ G League affiliate in Westchester, according to Marc Stein (Twitter link). Crabbe holds seven years of NBA experience, last playing with Minnesota during the 2019/20 season. In 381 career games, he’s averaged 9.1 points per contest, shooting 42.5% from the floor and 39% from behind-the-arc.
Yossi Gozlan of HoopsHype examines which players have increased their value ahead of the trade deadline. The deadline falls on Thursday, February 10 this season, which is now less than three weeks away.
The Nets‘ G League affiliate in Long Island has acquired former NBA center Thon Maker, a source confirmed to Hoops Rumors. Maker has made past stops with Milwaukee, Detroit and Cleveland, owning 263 games of experience. The former No. 10 pick last played in Israel.

Nuggets Notes: Cousins, Trade Deadline, Hyland, Nnaji, Reed, Porter Jr.

January 22nd, 2022 at 12:02pm CST by Dana Gauruder

After the Nuggets signed veteran center DeMarcus Cousins to a 10-day contract on Friday, head coach Michael Malone hinted that Cousins might stick beyond those 10 days, Harrison Wind of DNVR Sports tweets. “I anticipate it going well,” Malone said. Cousins didn’t play in the loss to the Grizzlies on Friday.

We have more on the Nuggets:

The Nuggets are looking for a bigger wing on the trade market, according to Mike Singer of the Denver Post. Ideally, they’d like to find a 3-and-D player who won’t cost an exorbitant amount. To that aim, Orlando, Indiana, Portland and Sacramento are potential trade partners, Singer adds.
Bones Hyland, Zeke Nnaji and Davon Reed have received significant playing time recently due to injuries but only Hyland is likely to remain in the rotation when the team gets healthier, Singer opines in the same mailbag post. That’s due to his ability to ignite and create offense on the second unit.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski said this week there’s growing optimism Michael Porter Jr. will play again this season. Wind posted a video on Twitter showing the forward, who underwent back surgery in early December, warming up prior to Friday’s game. Wind noted that the warmup looked similar to the one Porter typically does before actually playing.

Atlantic Notes: Tatum, Raptors, Barnes, Robinson

January 22nd, 2022 at 10:35am CST by Dana Gauruder

Jayson Tatum is exasperated by his shooting slump and the Celtics are suffering along with him, Tim Bontemps of ESPN writes. In the first year of a five-year, $163MM extension, Tatum has missed his last 20 three-point attempts. His last miss contributed to a late collapse against Portland on Friday.

“It hurts,” he said. “It bothers you, as it should. But you can’t go back in time. It’s just get back in the gym, watch some film, learn from your mistakes, and try to improve on them.”

We have more from the Atlantic Division:

The Raptors intend to be buyers on the trade market, according to Josh Lewenberg of TSN Sports. Ideally, they’d like to add a player, or players, that fit their short- and long-term plans without breaking up their core. Otherwise, they’d be willing to trade future assets, such as first- or second-round picks, to address immediate needs and improve their prospects for this season.
The Raptors want rookie Scottie Barnes to be more assertive on the offensive end, Doug Smith of the Toronto Star writes. He did that on Friday, scoring a season-high 27 points. “I just think that Scottie’s a good player who can score, I think he needs to just make sure he stays in that mindset of being aggressive,” coach Nick Nurse said. “I’m just trying to get him to be ultra-aggressive. That’s it. I don’t want him to have those lulls where he’s not looking to score or not touching the ball or finding the ball.”
The Knicks have lost three straight but coach Tom Thibodeau sees growth from center Mitchell Robinson, who had 17 points and 15 rebounds against New Orleans on Thursday, Marc Berman of the New York Post writes. Robinson will be an unrestricted free agent after the season. “I think he’s become very effective with dribble-handoffs,” the Knicks coach said. “I love the way he’s finishing. And then putting the pressure on the rim, that’s always been a gift. And you throw it near the rim, he’s got great hands. He’s going to get it and finish. You just continue to grow.”

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