2022 January | Hoops Rumors

Pacific Notes: Green, Kuminga, Curry, James, Howard

January 17th, 2022 at 5:25pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Warriors announced on Sunday that defensive stalwart Draymond Green would miss at least two weeks of action due to lingering calf and back injuries. Coach Steve Kerr said they’re playing it safe with Green’s injury issues at this stage of the season, Anthony Slater of The Athletic tweets.

“The main thing is to be safe and cautious,” Kerr said. “It’s a long season. That’s my sense. That we’re being cautious.”

With Green out, lottery pick Jonathan Kuminga will get expanded playing time. Kuminga irritated the staff with a disinterested performance in a G League game last week but the Warriors won’t hold that against him, according to Slater.

“He didn’t run the floor hard. It was disappointing,” Kerr said. “We talked to him about it. He understood and responded well. This is all part of the process for JK. There’s a lot to absorb and learn.”

We have more from the Pacific Division:

Stephen Curry left the Warriors’ road trip early but it shouldn’t be an area of concern, according to Slater (Twitter link). Curry has a hand injury that the club believes is minor. He could play against Detroit on Tuesday.
The Lakers have dropped below the .500 mark by losing their last three games, including a 37-point thumping by Denver. LeBron James went on social media and pledged to fans the team will get untracked soon. “Lakers Nation I apologize and promise we’ll be better,” James proclaimed on his Twitter feed.
The decision to start Dwight Howard against the Nuggets shows the Lakers can only go so far with small ball lineups, Kyle Goon of the Orange Country Register writes. Coach Frank Vogel doesn’t want James banging against top-level centers such as Nikola Jokic. Howard will still have a role off the bench when Anthony Davis returns, Goon adds.

Nets Notes: Harden, Durant, Harris, Aldridge

January 17th, 2022 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Within a Substack article about the Ben Simmons situation, veteran NBA reporter Marc Stein repeats a point that has been expressed by a number of league insiders in recent months, writing that there’s a belief the Sixers are willing to retain Simmons until the offseason in case they can use him to acquire James Harden from the Nets. Harden has a player option for 2022/23, so if he wants a change of scenery, he could either opt out and pursue a new team as a free agent or push for a trade while opting in.

According to Stein, “there is enough noise circulating leaguewide about Harden’s reported openness to relocation this summer” to convince Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey it might make sense to hang onto Simmons through the deadline.

Stein’s wording is a little convoluted, suggesting any intel on Harden’s intentions probably isn’t from a first- or even second-hand source. But the idea that the former MVP isn’t a lock to stay in Brooklyn is an intriguing one — he turned down an extension offer from the Nets prior to the season.

Still, Harden has also spoken about wanting to remain in Brooklyn for the rest of his career, and given how the NBA’s salary cap and Collective Bargaining Agreement work, his decision to forgo an extension may have been more about maximizing his future earnings rather than a desire to jump ship. The Nets’ performance in this spring’s playoffs will certainly be fascinating to follow, since both Harden and Kyrie Irving are eligible for free agency this offseason.

Here’s more on the Nets:

The Nets have yet to offer any specific timeline for Kevin Durant‘s recovery from a left knee sprain, and Nash remained evasive today when he discussed the star forward’s status, as Brian Lewis of The New York Post writes. “I think we don’t have a timeline, and it’s also a few weeks before we reevaluate it,” Nash said. “So, right now we’re just going to wait and see how it heels and how he recovers over the next few weeks, and then there will be more of an evaluation and hopefully some sort of timeline.” Adrian Wojnarowski previously reported that a four-to-six week recovery timetable is the expectation for Durant.
Joe Harris, who is coming off November ankle surgery, is with the Nets on their current road trip and is doing some shooting, but he won’t play during the trip, according to Nash (Twitter link via Lewis). That means Harris will remain sidelined for at least the next four games.
After missing the Nets’ last five games due to right foot soreness, LaMarcus Aldridge is back in action on Monday, tweets Nick Friedell of ESPN.

Devin Booker, Darius Garland Named Players Of The Week

January 17th, 2022 at 2:39pm CST by Luke Adams

Suns guard Devin Booker and Cavaliers guard Darius Garland have been named the NBA’s Players of the Week for the Western Conference and Eastern Conference, respectively, the league announced today (Twitter link).

It’s the second time this season that Booker has earned the award — he also won it on November 29. From January 10-16, Booker led the Suns to three straight road victories, averaging 27.0 PPG on .464/.360/.769 shooting to go along with 4.3 RPG and 3.3 APG in 33.7 minutes per contest.

Garland is a first-time winner of the Player of the Week award and is the second Cavalier to earn it this season, joining teammate Jarrett Allen. Like Booker, Garland led his team to an undefeated week on the road, as the Cavs won in Sacramento, Utah, San Antonio, and Oklahoma City. Garland put up 20.5 PPG, 12.8 APG, and 6.0 RPG in those four games (35.6 MPG).

Booker beat out fellow nominees Brandon Ingram, Dejounte Murray, and Anfernee Simons in the West, while RJ Barrett, Joel Embiid, James Harden, Tyler Herro, and Pascal Siakam were the other nominees in the East (Twitter link).

Checking In On 2021/22 Disabled Player Exceptions

January 17th, 2022 at 2:13pm CST by Luke Adams

Saturday, January 15 was the last day that a team could apply for a disabled player exception during the 2021/22 NBA league year.

A disabled player exception can be granted when a team has a player go down with an injury deemed to be season-ending (with the player more likely than not to be sidelined through June 15). The cap exception doesn’t open up an extra roster spot, but it gives the club some additional spending flexibility, functioning almost as a cross between a traded player exception and a mid-level exception.

We go into more detail on who qualifies for disabled player exceptions and how exactly they work in our glossary entry on the subject. But essentially, a DPE gives a team the opportunity to add an injury replacement by either signing a player to a one-year contract, trading for a player in the final year of his contract, or placing a waiver claim on a player in the final year of his contract.

Because the rules relating to disable player exceptions are somewhat restrictive and the exceptions themselves usually aren’t worth a lot, they often simply expire without being used. Still, it’s worth keeping an eye on which disabled player exceptions have been granted, just in case.

Confirmed disabled player exceptions

Based on reports to date, we only know of one application for a disabled player exception that has been approved this season. The Pelicans, as a result of Kira Lewis‘ season-ending ACL injury, were granted a disabled player exception worth $1,911,120.

There are usually a handful of DPEs handed out in a given season, and it’s still possible that more applications made by January 15 will be approved in the coming days. For now though, New Orleans’ DPE is the only one that has been confirmed.

Disabled player exception requests that have been denied

There are multiple reasons why an application for a disabled player exception might be turned down. One is that a league-appointed physician determines the injured player is unlikely to be sidelined through June 15.

That’s what happened to the Bulls, who requested a DPE in response to Patrick Williams‘ wrist injury, but were denied. Chicago hasn’t ruled out the possibility that Williams could return in the spring, so it makes sense that the team didn’t receive the DPE it sought.

The Pacers, meanwhile, applied for a disabled player exception after Edmond Sumner tore his Achilles in September. However, Indiana traded away Sumner just a few weeks later, with no indication that their DPE request had been approved in the interim.

When a team requests a DPE, the injured player must remain on its roster from the time the application is submitted until the time it’s approved. If Indiana traded Sumner before a decision was finalized, the DPE request essentially would’ve been voided. We’re assuming that’s what happened.

Other DPE candidates to watch

Although the deadline to apply for a disabled player exception has passed, it’s possible a team submitted an application by Saturday and it just hasn’t been reported. For instance, I’d be surprised if the Cavaliers didn’t request a DPE at some point following Ricky Rubio‘s season-ending ACL tear. If approved, it would be worth $8.9MM.

There aren’t a ton of other obvious candidates. It’s possible that players like Kawhi Leonard, Damian Lillard, Michael Porter Jr., and Brook Lopez won’t return this season, but at this point, we can’t consider them “likely” to be sidelined through June 15.

The same may be true of Cavaliers guard Collin Sexton and Suns forward Dario Saric. Sexton is recovering from November meniscus surgery, while Saric tore his ACL last July.

Solomon Hill is expected to miss the rest of the season with a torn hamstring, but he was just traded from Atlanta to New York, and the Knicks weren’t eligible to apply for a disabled player exception for a player who wasn’t on their roster when he sustained the injury.

Nuggets wing PJ Dozier, who tore his ACL in November, would be a clear-cut DPE candidate, but we haven’t heard anything about an application being submitted by Denver. It’s possible the team decided it wouldn’t be worth it for an exception that would only amount to $955,430.

We’ll be keeping an eye out for further news on DPE approvals in the coming weeks, since those exceptions could come in handy at the trade deadline or on the buyout market.

Categories:
Hoops Rumors Originals

Davon Reed Discusses New Two-Way Deal, Nuggets, Jokic, More

January 17th, 2022 at 1:12pm CST by JD Shaw

Nuggets two-way forward Davon Reed took an unorthodox path to where he is today.

Reed, who will turn 27 this year, has bounced around since being selected with the No. 32 pick in the 2017 draft, playing for multiple NBA and G League franchises and even making a stop overseas in Taiwan.

Fast-forward to Saturday night against the Lakers and he was being tasked with guarding LeBron James as a primary defender, registering a +33 net rating and helping Denver earn a blowout win.

“I can’t predict the future, but we’re just getting started here in Denver,” Reed told Hoops Rumors. “The community and the fans have embraced me. Obviously, my coach and my team have embraced me. I think it’s definitely the start of something special, and I would like everybody to know that I’m just getting started.

“Right now, I’m just trying to be impactful in any way that I can with the minutes that I’m getting. But once I can be on that court for more and more time, with more and more responsibility, I think people will be thoroughly impressed.”

Reed played for the Nuggets’ Summer League team in Las Vegas, signed a training camp contract with the team, joined the Grand Rapids Gold (the Nuggets’ G League affiliate), then inked three 10-day hardship deals with Denver before earning a two-way contract.

His infectious energy impressed the Nuggets, who felt compelled to keep him around when his hardship deals expired, rewarding him for his play.

Reed sat down with Hoops Rumors to discuss the promotion to the 17-man roster, his journey, his future goals, Denver’s season and more:

How does it feel to know that your work, particularly with this franchise, has paid off to this point?

“Man, it’s a good feeling. This is kind of the plan my agents and I set, seeing Denver’s track record, how they treat their players and remain loyal if you remain loyal to them. You know, as a player, you’re just excited. All you want to hear about is making that opening day roster and stuff like that. It was just a good transition from Summer League, to training camp, to being called up.”

How important do you find it to provide stable defense and bring it on that end of the floor every night?

“That’s something I’ve always prided myself on. I could see it was a need for our team and something I could provide immediately, each and every time I’m in the game. Like we talked about, it’s a natural instinct for me, but it’s also energy and effort. Just being able to provide more possessions for my team, being able to impact my team without necessarily having to put the ball in the hole is key. I look forward to doing that and all of the dirty work for my team.”

Speaking of your team, what do you think your role is on this Nuggets club?

“I think as everybody becomes more comfortable with me, they’ll realize I can bring a lot to the game on both ends of the floor. I do a little bit of everything. Versatile. I can score the ball, I can shoot the ball, but I’m also great at setting my teammates up. Just an overall, all-around player. At the end of the day, I just want to see us win.”

How supportive has head coach Michael Malone been to you throughout this process? What has he preached?

“Man, he’s been awesome. We didn’t really have too many conversations during Summer League, but he was the one who really encouraged me to come to training camp and stay patient. Since day one, he told me, ‘You’re an NBA player. I saw it all summer. Keep doing what you’re doing and bring that approach every day that you come in.’ Him being so vocal, getting me called up and getting me signed, giving me that opportunity — it’s been transformative for my career, since I really haven’t had those opportunities consistently in the past.”

What’s it like to play with Nikola Jokic?

“I tell everybody, he’s one of the best players I’ve ever seen with my own two eyes. Just his feel and control for the game. He’s not the most athletic guy, but he just sees the game and plays the game at his own pace. I definitely can learn a lot from him since I consider myself to be a play-maker, as well, and have a lot of control on the game. Just seeing how he’s able to pick the defense apart and things of that nature. I’m constantly observing. It’s obviously fun to play with.”

You worked your way up and earned this deal. Are you satisfied now?

“Absolutely not. At the beginning of the season, I spoke to my agents truthfully. I don’t want to go to the G League, not really trying to sign a two-way, you know. I feel that’s something that I’ve done for a while now and it wasn’t really something that I was trying to do at this point in my career. But, the opportunity that we needed to present itself presented itself. And we’re still working. The goal is to become a rotational player and get consistent minutes. I want to make an impact on this championship run. That’s my real goal.”

How challenging has this season been from a COVID perspective?

“We’ve had new players in and out, each and every day, with COVID or injuries. One thing I will say is that I’m happy to see how the NBA was able to keep the season going and give these G League players an opportunity to come up. There’s a lot of talent in the G League. Usually, there aren’t a lot of opportunities for certain guys. I’m glad to see that, but COVID has obviously caused a lot of complications this season. We’re just taking it one day at a time and trying to get through this as a league. Everybody’s going through the same stuff.”

What are your short-term and long-term goals?

“For this season, being a big impact and rotational player for this championship team on our run. Going forward, leaving no doubt that I’m an NBA player. Working on establishing myself as one of the top two-way wings in the league, making a whole lot of money and winning some championships.”

Lakers Sign Stanley Johnson To Third 10-Day Deal

January 17th, 2022 at 12:53pm CST by JD Shaw

JANUARY 17: Johnson is officially back with the Lakers on a new 10-day contract, the team confirmed today (via Twitter).

JANUARY 16: The Lakers plan to sign forward Stanley Johnson to a third 10-day contract, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). Johnson’s second 10-day deal with Los Angeles expired overnight.

Johnson has received significant playing time over the course of his two 10-day deals, carving out a role on the team. In nine games, he’s averaged 5.4 points and 2.3 rebounds in 20.3 minutes per contest, shooting 46% from the floor. He’s started in five of those games.

Prior to signing with the Lakers, Johnson was playing with the team’s G League affiliate. The 25-year-old holds past experience with the Pistons, Pelicans and Raptors.

Los Angeles has lost three straight games and currently ranks seventh in the West at 21-22. This will be Johnson’s second standard 10-day contract (his first was a hardship), meaning the Lakers will have to sign him for the rest of the season or let him go once it expires.

Heat Waive Marcus Garrett, Sign Kyle Guy To Two-Way Contract

January 17th, 2022 at 11:55am CST by Arthur Hill

JANUARY 17: The Heat have officially signed Guy to a two-way contract, per NBA.com’s transactions log. The move allows the team to keep Guy active for Monday’s game vs. Toronto.

JANUARY 16: The Heat are waiving rookie guard Marcus Garrett and give his two-way slot to Kyle Guy, tweets Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. The team has officially confirmed (via Twitter) that Garrett has been released.

Garrett, who hasn’t played since late December, will undergo season-ending wrist surgery, Chiang adds. He will remain around the team for rehab purposes until the season is over, according to Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel (Twitter link).

Garrett signed a two-way contract in September after going undrafted out of Kansas. He appeared in 12 games, averaging 1.1 points and 1.9 rebounds in 10.7 minutes per night.

Guy joined the Heat last month as a hardship addition and signed a second 10-day deal last weekend. He’s averaging 8.2 PPG in six games while shooting 51.4% from the field and 45% from three-point range.

Southeast Notes: Bridges, Wizards, Beal, Lowry, Chalmers

January 17th, 2022 at 11:51am CST by Luke Adams

Hornets forward Miles Bridges met the “starter criteria” on Friday when he appeared in Charlotte’s starting lineup for the 41st time this season. The starter criteria applies to players who are eligible for restricted free agency at season’s end, and dictates the amount of their qualifying offer. By meeting the criteria, Bridges ensured his qualifying offer will increase to $7,921,300.

The amount of Bridges’ qualifying offer probably won’t have much of an impact on his free agency. He’s having a breakout season and is a good bet to be paid in excess of $20MM per year on his next contract, so accepting his one-year QO likely won’t be an option he seriously considers, even now that it’s worth a little more.

Rockets forward Jae’Sean Tate also met the starter criteria on Friday by making his 41st start of the season, but Houston holds a minimum-salary team option on Tate for the 2022/23 season, so he won’t reach restricted free agency until ’23, assuming he’s not extended before then.

Here’s more from around the Southeast:

The Wizards announced today that Pat Delany, who was serving as the team’s acting head coach while Wes Unseld Jr. is in the COVID-19 protocols, has entered the protocols himself. Assistant Joseph Blair, Washington’s new acting head coach, told reporters that star guard Bradley Beal has exited the protocols and will be a game-time decision on Monday (Twitter link via Josh Robbins of The Athletic).
In an article for The Athletic, Robbins and David Aldridge discussed the Wizards‘ needs and identified some possible trade targets for the team, including Jerami Grant, Harrison Barnes, and Thaddeus Young.
Heat guard Kyle Lowry won’t face his old team for the first time on Monday after all, having been ruled out of Miami’s game vs. Toronto for personal reasons, as Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel tweets.
Veteran guard Mario Chalmers admitted he was disappointed not to play at all during his recent 10-day stint with the Heat, but said he didn’t want to be a “disruption” for the team and is looking forward to proving with Miami’s G League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce, that he deserves another shot at the NBA level. “Hopefully another 10-day comes out of it and I get signed for the rest of the year,” Chalmers said, per Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald.

Rockets Want First-Round Pick For Eric Gordon

January 17th, 2022 at 9:56am CST by Luke Adams

The Rockets are seeking a first-round pick in any trade involving veteran shooting guard Eric Gordon, league sources tell Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

According to Scotto, multiple playoff-caliber teams are monitoring Gordon. A report last month stated that the 33-year-old is on the Knicks’ radar.

Through 38 games (29.3 MPG), Gordon is having his best season as a shooter, establishing new career highs in FG% (.505) and 3PT% (.455). He has averaged 14.9 PPG and 3.3 APG for the rebuilding Rockets.

Although Gordon’s stats are impressive, it will still be a challenge for Houston to land a first-rounder for him unless the pick is heavily protected or the deal requires the Rockets to take back an unwanted multiyear contract.

Gordon’s age and injury history diminish his value, and his current shooting percentages likely aren’t sustainable — he shot .410/.355/.807 during his first five seasons in Houston. His contract also isn’t especially team-friendly. He’s making $18.2MM this season, $19.6MM in 2022/23, and $20.9MM in ’23/24, though that final year is non-guaranteed, making the deal a more palatable investment.

Gordon is one of several Rockets veterans expected to be on the trade block in advance of the February 10 deadline. Daniel Theis, D.J. Augustin, John Wall, and Christian Wood are among the team’s other trade candidates, though Wall’s gigantic contract will likely ensure he stays put, and Houston would require a substantial return to move Wood.

COVID-19 Updates: Haliburton, Clippers, Powell, Caruso, Bolmaro

January 17th, 2022 at 9:30am CST by Luke Adams

For a brief period in late December and early January, there were well over 100 NBA players in the NBA’s health and safety protocols. However, the situation has improved considerably since that spike. The latest update of our protocols tracker shows just 15 players who are currently affected.

That doesn’t mean no one is entering the protocols anymore though. As Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee writes, Kings guard Tyrese Haliburton was placed in the protocols ahead of the team’s game vs. Houston on Sunday. Haliburton joins Robert Woodard as the two Sacramento players affected.

Here are a few more protocol-related updates:

Clippers teammates Luke Kennard and Justise Winslow have exited the COVID-19 protocols and are taking part in return to competition reconditioning, as Mirjam Swanson of the Southern California News Group tweets. Kennard is doubtful to play on Monday vs. Indiana, while Winslow is questionable.
Trail Blazers wing Norman Powell was upgraded to questionable for Monday’s contest in Orlando and his status is now listed as “COVID recovery,” so it sounds like he has cleared the health and safety protocols (Twitter link via Aaron Fentress of The Oregonian).
Bulls guard Alex Caruso won’t play on Monday in Memphis, but he’s no longer in the protocols, tweets K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago.
Timberwolves rookie Leandro Bolmaro exited the protocols on Sunday and was available vs. Golden State. He played the final 1:42 of garbage time in a 20-point Wolves victory.

Month: November 2024