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Month: November 2024

Bucks’ Khris Middleton Out At Least Two Weeks

April 21st, 2022 at 6:55pm CST by Dana Gauruder

6:55pm: The team confirmed Wojnarowski’s report in a press release, adding that Middleton will receive daily treatment and evaluation prior to the next status update in approximately two weeks.

5:35pm: Bucks All-Star wing Khris Middleton has an MCL sprain in his left knee and will miss the remainder of the first-round series against the Bulls, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski tweets. He’ll be re-evaluated in two weeks, Wojnarowski adds, and is sidelined indefinitely, Shams Charania of The Athletic tweets.

Middleton’s injury could have a major impact on the outcome of the Eastern Conference playoffs and seriously jeopardizes Milwaukee’s chances of defending its crown.

Middleton suffered the injury during the fourth quarter of Game 2 on Wednesday and underwent an MRI on Thursday.

“Obviously Khris is one of the best players on the team,” MVP finalist Giannis Antetokounmpo said after the game. “If he’s not able to be with us, it going to be a tremendous loss for us.”

The third-seeded Bucks lost home-court advantage with their Game 2 loss and now must defeat the sixth-seeded Bulls three times without their second-best player in order to advance. Middleton was rather quiet in Game 1, contributing 11 points and eight assists while committing seven turnovers. He had 18 points and eight assists in 33 minutes during Game 2 before he was hurt.

Middleton played a monstrous role in last year’s playoffs, averaging 23.6 PPG, 7.6 RPG and 5.1 APG during Milwaukee’s 23-game run. Without him, the Bucks will have to squeeze more production out of Grayson Allen and Pat Connaughton, while Antetokounmpo and Jrue Holiday must shoulder even more of the scoring and playmaking burden.

Milwaukee did have some positive news on the injury front. Bobby Portis, who sustained a right eye abrasion in the first quarter of Game 2 and didn’t return, is not on the Game 3 injury report, Jim Owczarski of Milwaukee Journal Sentinel tweets.

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Southeast Notes: Beal, Capela, Ross, Bouknight

April 21st, 2022 at 6:46pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Bradley Beal is making progress after undergoing left wrist surgery in February. The Wizards star guard has been cleared to begin rehab work, Josh Robbins of The Athletic tweets. Beal’s cast, as well as the pins in his wrist, were removed on Wednesday.

Beal has not yet announced whether he’ll pick up his $36.4MM player option for the 2022/23 season. The expectation is that he’ll likely turn down that option in favor of free agency, even if he intends to sign a new deal with the Wizards.

We have more from the Southeast Division:

  • Hawks center Clint Capela won’t play in Game 3 of the team’s first-round series against the Heat on Friday, according to coach Nate McMillan, Chris Kirschner of The Athletic tweets. Capela suffered a knee injury in the play-in tournament against Cleveland.
  • Earlier on Thursday, we noted that the Magic‘sTerrence Ross would welcome a trade. He has also changed his representation, rejoining CAA Sports as a client on and off the court, Liz Mullen of the Sports Business Journal tweets. CAA’s Aaron Mintz, who negotiated all of his previous contracts, re-signed him after Ross left Klutch Sports. Ross will be a free agent next summer.
  • Lottery pick James Bouknight admits his rookie season didn’t go as he hoped, Roderick Boone of the Charlotte Observer writes. The Hornets guard appeared in just 31 games. “I feel like I would describe it as a roller coaster,” he said. “Having good moments, having moments I could have done better, took the situation and made it better. But I think overall I learned a lot.” Bouknight added he has no issues with James Borrego despite a public disagreement with his coach shortly before the All-Star break.
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Luka Doncic Out For Game 3, Targeting Game 4 Return

April 21st, 2022 at 4:50pm CST by Rory Maher

4:50pm: Doncic won’t play tonight, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski tweets. The Mavs are planning to bring back Doncic for Saturday’s Game 4, Marc Stein tweets.

3:55pm: Mavericks guard Luka Doncic appears unlikely to return for Game 3 against Utah on Thursday night, according to Adrian Wojnarowski and Tim MacMahon of ESPN.

Doncic is dealing with a strained left calf that he suffered in the team’s regular season finale. He was officially listed as questionable for Game 3 and has increased his activity in recent days after a report earlier this week indicated there was optimism Doncic would be able to suit up for Game 3 or Game 4 — it seems Mavs fans will have to wait at least one more game.

“We’ll see how he feels at game time,” coach Jason Kidd said on Thursday, adding that he expected Doncic to go through his normal pregame warmup routine. The All-NBA guard went through an extended individual workout after Dallas’ shootaround and said he was “feeling great” after the session.

Wojnarowski and MacMahon note that Thursday is 11 days removed from when Doncic was injured, and the average NBA player missed 16 days this season with a calf strain, per InStreetClothes.com. The Jazz will host Game 3 on Thursday and Game 4 on Saturday before the series shifts back to Dallas for Game 5 next Monday.

“He is a player that has so much ahead of him in his future, so him being smart about it is key,” said Mavs guard Jalen Brunson, whose career-high 41 points keyed the Game 2 win. “I think it just shows the trust that he has in us as well. He trusts us. He’s just making the best decision for himself. As teammates, we respect that.”

Dallas will continue to rely on Brunson and Spencer Dinwiddie in Doncic’s absence. The series between the fourth and fifth seeds is currently tied at one game apiece.

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Potential No. 1 Pick Chet Holmgren Enters Draft

April 21st, 2022 at 2:09pm CST by Rory Maher

Gonzaga’s Chet Holmgren has declared for the 2022 NBA draft, he told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Holmgren is the No. 1 overall prospect on ESPN’s best available players list.

“After a season where we accomplished a lot of great things as both a team and an individual, I feel like I’m in a position to be able to chase my lifelong dream to play in the NBA,” Holmgren told ESPN.

The seven-foot, 195-pound freshman averaged 14.1 points, 9.9 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 3.7 blocks on .607/.390/.717 shooting in 32 games (26.9 minutes) this season. Holmgren won numerous accolades for his standout season, including second-team All-America, West Coast Conference Defensive Player of the Year, and first-team All-WCC, among others.

Holmgren said he hopes he lands with a team that will be a good fit for him, even if it isn’t atop the draft board.

“I understand basketball is a business and going No. 1 doesn’t mean nearly as much as finding a good fit and the right situation,” Holmgren told Wojnarowski. “At the end of the day, I’m hoping for whatever is best for me and my future, and if that’s at No. 1, then that’s great.”

One of the more polarizing and unique top prospects, Holmgren has great length and defensive instincts along with guard-like skills. Holmgren, who turns 20 next month, is a good ball-handler who moves with fluidity and has developed an outside shot, but struggles against stronger, more physically dominant players, according to ESPN’s Mike Schmitz.

Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News reports (via Twitter) that Holmgren has picked Bill Duffy of BDA Sports Management to be his agent. Duffy represents several players, including Mavs star Luka Doncic (per RealGM).

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Devin Booker Could Be Out 2-3 Weeks With Hamstring Strain

April 21st, 2022 at 12:40pm CST by Rory Maher

Suns star Devin Booker has been diagnosed with a Grade 1 right hamstring strain and could miss two to three weeks, according to Brian Windhorst of ESPN.

Reports on Wednesday indicated that Booker was unlikely to play in Games 3 and 4 of Phoenix’s series against New Orleans — now it sounds like the injury could sideline him beyond that.

After scoring 31 points in the first half of the Suns’ Game 2 loss on Tuesday, Booker left the game in the third quarter due to the injury and didn’t return. Booker underwent an MRI on Wednesday and the Suns initially deemed it to be a mild hamstring strain, but were still evaluating the results.

As Windhorst explains, a typical recovery period for a player with a Grade 1 hamstring strain is between 14-21 days. However, sources tell ESPN that Pelicans head coach Willie Green is warning his players to expect Booker back sooner than that.

Booker missed seven games earlier this season due to a hamstring strain that affected his left leg. He also played through a hamstring injury during last year’s NBA Finals and has dealt with a few other hamstring issues over the years, though none have been too significant — this year’s seven-game absence was his longest stretch on the sidelines.

The top-seeded Suns, who went 8-6 this season without Booker, will still be favored over the Pelicans even without their leading scorer, but they don’t have a huge margin for error as they head to New Orleans with the series tied at one game apiece.

In 68 regular season games this season (34.5 MPG), Booker averaged 26.8 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 4.8 APG and 1.1 SPG on .466/.383/.868 shooting. He was outstanding during the team’s run to the Finals last season and carried that strong play into this postseason, averaging 28 PPG, 3.0 RPG and 4.5 APG on .526/.579/.833 shooting in the first two games of the series (32.5 MPG). Game 3 tips off at 8:30pm CT on Friday night.

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Possible First-Round Pick Hugo Besson Enters Draft

April 21st, 2022 at 12:14pm CST by Rory Maher

France’s Hugo Besson has entered the 2022 NBA draft, his agent Bouna Ndiaye told Jonathan Givony of ESPN (Twitter link). The combo guard could become a first-round pick, as he’s currently ranked No. 32 on ESPN’s top 100 prospects list.

Besson spent the 2021/22 season with the New Zealand Breakers in the Australian National Basketball League, averaging 13.9 points, 3.9 rebounds and 2.5 assists on .385/.306/.795 shooting in 25 games (27.6 minutes per contest). The NBL has seen a number of its former players transition to the NBA in recent years, including LaMelo Ball, Josh Giddey, R.J. Hampton, Didi Louzada, Jae’Sean Tate and Jock Landale.

With the Breakers, Besson teamed up with Ousmane Dieng, a fellow Frenchman who has also declared for the draft and is considered a potential lottery pick. Besson showcased an impressive array of dribble moves and shooting range, even if his shooting splits weren’t ideal (video link via Givony).

In his draft profile for ESPN, Mike Schmitz states that Besson is an improving and confident three-level scorer, displaying an ability to play on or off the ball. He needs to improve his defense, but his scoring and play-making should draw plenty of attention from NBA teams, per Schmitz.

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Magic’s Terrence Ross Would Welcome Trade

April 21st, 2022 at 10:58am CST by Luke Adams

Magic swingman Terrence Ross initially expected to be traded in March 2021 when the team moved Nikola Vucevic, Aaron Gordon, and Evan Fournier, writes Khobi Price of The Orlando Sentinel. However, Ross remained in Orlando through that trade deadline and through the 2022 deadline too.

With just one year remaining on his contract with the Magic, Ross hasn’t explicitly requested a trade, but he has made it clear he’d welcome a change of scenery, according to Price. Asked if he plans to talk to the front office about wanting to be dealt, Ross told The Orlando Sentinel that the Magic are “well aware of that, so there’s no point,” adding that it’s up to the team to make that decision.

“We’re definitely in different spots,” Ross said. “I feel like I’m a part of that old regime, and they’re going in a different direction. I don’t know what they’ve got in store for me. It’s hard to say. They don’t really let me know too much about what they’re doing. I’m kind of here just along for the ride.”

Ross averaged just 23.0 minutes per game in 63 appearances for the Magic in 2021/22, which was his lowest MPG average since he joined the team in 2017. He fell out of the rotation entirely at times down the stretch as Orlando leaned further into developing its young players.

Of course, Ross’ play this season didn’t help matters — his .397 FG% and .292 3PT% were both career lows. If his three-point percentage had been more in line with his career rate (36.1%), it presumably would’ve been easier for the Magic to move him at the deadline.

Now that he’s on a relatively reasonable ($11.5MM) expiring contract, it will be interesting to see whether there’s a team willing to send the Magic an asset or two this offseason to acquire Ross and bet on a bounce-back season. For his part, the 31-year-old wing says he’d like to be part of a team that’s not going through a rebuild.

“If I was younger (or) one contract before this, it would be a different story,” Ross said during an appearance on the Outta Pocket podcast. “… But I’ve kind of already done that, I’ve been through a few rebuilds already. I’m 10 years in. Time is kind of going against me at this point, so I don’t really want to stay in another rebuild.

Ross added that he’s had fun and had “some good runs” in Orlando, but that he’s prepared to transition into a new situation, preferably on a playoff team.

“At least being on a contender and just helping a team and bringing some of the knowledge I have of being a vet,” Ross said on the Outta Pocket podcast. “Coming off the bench and get buckets.”

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Ben Simmons Plans To Make Nets Debut In Game 4

April 21st, 2022 at 10:41am CST by Luke Adams

APRIL 21: Simmons plans to make his Nets debut in Game 4 on Monday as long as he has no setbacks between now and then, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).

APRIL 20: Game 4 of the Nets‘ series vs. Boston on Monday appears to be a “realistic target” for Ben Simmons to make his Brooklyn debut, sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter links).

As Wojnarowski explains, the possibility of Simmons returning for Game 3 on Saturday hasn’t been ruled out, but there may not be enough time for the three-time All-Star to clear all the hurdles he needs to by then. Based on his progress in practices this week and the expectation that he’ll continue to further accelerate his ramp-up process in the coming days, Game 4 is a more viable target date, Woj says.

Acquired in February’s James Harden blockbuster, Simmons has yet to suit up for the Nets, largely due to a herniated disk in his back. But he has been making steady forward progress in his recovery from that injury since receiving an epidural last month, and participated in a 4-on-4 scrimmage this week for the first time since becoming a Net.

Head coach Steve Nash has consistently stressed that there’s no timeline for Simmons’ return and repeatedly told reporters that the 25-year-old still has to go through several stages of the ramp-up process before being cleared. However, while he reiterated on Wednesday that the team doesn’t have a set timeline for Simmons, Nash shifted his tone a little and hinted that a return could be close.

“There’s no other way than him to say, ‘I’m ready,'” Nash said when asked about a timetable, per Nick Friedell of ESPN. “Especially after an absence this long. So whenever he is ready, it’s going to have to be on him to say, ‘I feel comfortable. I feel ready to go. I want to play and I want to contribute.’

“We can’t push him places when you have been out this long. It’s got to be something where he is definitely comfortable and ready to play.”

Before arriving in Brooklyn, Simmons sat out the entire season as a Sixer due to mental health issues and a desire to be traded. He hasn’t played since last June when Philadelphia was eliminated by Atlanta in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals. If he returns during the Nets/Celtics series, Simmons will almost certainly play a more limited role than he did with the 76ers.

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Draft Decisions: Nembhard, Tshiebwe, Juzang, Etienne, Procida

April 21st, 2022 at 9:59am CST by Luke Adams

Gonzaga senior point guard Andrew Nembhard is entering the 2022 NBA draft and forgoing his final year of college eligibility, he tells Jonathan Givony of ESPN. Nembhard is ranked No. 50 overall on ESPN’s top-100 prospect list and is considered a probable second-round pick.

As Givony details, Nembhard has good size (6’5″) for a point guard and improved his outside shot over the course of his four years with the Zags. The 22-year-old told ESPN that he’d love to be a first-round pick, but his top priority would be to land in a spot where he can have a role and make an impact.

“Initially I can bring backup point guard minutes to a team. A player like Tyus Jones — I can emulate his role, bring a high assist-to-turnover ratio, get guys open shots, hit open threes and understand the game,” Nembhard said. “I can see myself in a similar role. I can give a team a different look off the bench, pushing the pace in transition, getting guys open shots. With the way the NBA spacing is, that’s only going to help me.”

Here are more of the latest updates on this year’s draft pool:

  • Kentucky junior forward Oscar Tshiebwe, who has been the No. 44 prospect on ESPN’s top-100 list, has opted to stick with the Wildcats rather than entering the draft, he announced on Sportscenter on Wednesday (Twitter link via Givony). Tshiebwe, the consensus National Player of the Year and the NCAA’s leading rebounder (15.2 RPG), has been a major beneficiary of players’ NIL rights — a source tells Jeff Goodman of Stadium (Twitter link) that the 22-year-old will likely earn about $2MM this season through NIL.
  • UCLA junior guard Johnny Juzang, the No. 80 prospect on ESPN’s big board, has entered the draft and sounds prepared to go pro, announcing his decision on Instagram. After beginning his college career with Kentucky, Juzang transferred to UCLA in 2020 and averaged 15.8 PPG on .436/.356/.854 shooting in 57 games (32.1 MPG) across two seasons for the Bruins.
  • Wichita State junior guard Tyson Etienne is entering the draft and forgoing his remaining NCAA eligibility, he tells Givony (Twitter link). After being named the AAC Player of the Year in 2021, Etienne saw his production dip a little in 2021/22, as he averaged 14.9 PPG on .359/.326/.768 shooting in 27 games (34.3 MPG).
  • Italian wing Gabriele Procida has entered the 2022 draft, his agency Sigma Sports announced (via Twitter). The No. 53 prospect on ESPN’s board, Procida has averaged 7.1 PPG and 3.1 RPG on .533/.411/.800 shooting for Fortitudo Bologna in Italian League play this season at age 19.
  • Two more international prospects – French guard Matthew Strazel and Italian center Leonardo Okeke – have declared for the draft. Strazel’s decision was announced by agent Olivier Mazet (Twitter link), while Orazio Cauchi of BasketNews.com (Twitter link) relayed the news on Okeke.
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