2022 April | Hoops Rumors

Raptors’ Barnes, Young, Trent Unlikely To Play In Game 2

April 17th, 2022 at 3:20pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

3:20pm: The Raptors have confirmed in a press statement that Barnes, Trent and Young are all doubtful to play in a critical Game 2 against the Sixers on Monday.

The club has indicated that Barnes officially has been diagnosed with a left ankle sprain, while the official diagnosis for Young is a left thumb hyperextension.

12:55pm: Raptors head coach Nick Nurse said today that rookie forward Scottie Barnes, veteran forward Thaddeus Young, and starting shooting guard Gary Trent Jr. are doubtful to suit up in Toronto’s second game of its first round series vs. the Sixers on Monday, reports Tim Bontemps of ESPN.

According to Bontemps, Nurse indicated that all three Raptors players will be monitored over the course of the next day.

“I mean, listen, it doesn’t look good for any of those guys,” Nurse said after a team practice Sunday. “They’re all going to be listed as probably doubtful, so it doesn’t look good for any of them. We’ll evaluate them as we go and see where we end up.”

Josh Lewenberg of TSN Sports reports (via Twitter) that Trent left the club’s practice Sunday as he deals with an illness. Nurse revealed that the ailment, a non-coronavirus illness, has kept Trent’s attendance in practice erratic.

Barnes, who tweaked the ankle during the Raptors’ 131-111 Game 1 loss to the Sixers on Sunday, is undergoing an MRI on the ankle. Young, dealing with a left thumb sprain, already got an MRI of his own and is currently waiting on the results.

Losing Barnes and Trent, both of whom started for Toronto Saturday, would be a big blow for the fifth-seeded Raptors, already the underdogs in the series. Young played for six minutes yesterday as a reserve.

The 6’9″ Barnes, a first-year player out of Florida State, is a finalist for Rookie of the Year hardware this season. Across his 74 contests for the 48-34 Raptors, the 20-year-old is averaging 15.3 PPG, 7.5 RPG and 3.5 APG, while shooting 49.2% from the field and connecting on 73.5% of his free-throw looks.

Michael Porter Jr. Optimistic For Return In Postseason

April 17th, 2022 at 2:43pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. hasn’t given up on the possibility of resuming play for Denver during the team’s first round playoff series against the Warriors, per Marc J. Spears of ESPN.

“Right now, I’m taking it game by game. I’m not ruling anything out,” Porter said after the Nuggets’ first game against Golden State, a 123-101 loss. “This is a thing I don’t ever want to deal with again, so I’m just taking my time. … I’m playing it game by game. Every morning I wake up and I know I’m feeling good. Every day I’m getting closer.”

Porter has acknowledged that overwork caused the setback he suffered while rehabilitating from his December 1 lumbar spine surgery, his third since 2017. He had initially been expected to return to the Nuggets in March.

The 6’10” forward appeared in just nine games for Denver this season, averaging 9.9 PPG and 6.6 RPG, significant declines from the 19.0 PPG and 7.3 RPG he averaged through 61 contests a year ago. Thanks in no small part to that 2020/21 performance, the Nuggets inked Porter to a five-year, $172MM extension during the 2021 offseason.

Central Notes: LeVert, DeRozan, LaVine, Bucks

April 17th, 2022 at 11:59am CST by Arthur Hill

An untimely injury prevented Caris LeVert from providing the help the Cavaliers needed for their injured backcourt, but he hopes to be part of the organization for many years to come, writes Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. LeVert, who was acquired from the Pacers at the trade deadline, missed nearly a month with a sprained foot he suffered after just four games with his new team. He wound up playing 19 games for the Cavs and wants to be part of the long-term future in Cleveland.

“This is where I want to be,” said LeVert, who will be eligible for an extension this summer. “They know that. The front office knows that. My teammates know that. I don’t know what’s going to happen with that contract extension, but I know where my heart is, I know where I want to be. We’ll see what happens going forward.”

After being traded twice during his six years in the NBA, LeVert likes the idea of stability. At 27, he fits in well with the rest of the Cavaliers’ young roster, although the team faces a decision on whether there’s room for both him and free agent guard Collin Sexton. The front office had been hoping to see how LeVert fits alongside Darius Garland, Evan Mobley, Jarrett Allen and Lauri Markkanen, but injuries kept that group from playing together until the final game of the Cavs’ season.

There’s more from the Central Division:

DeMar DeRozan had several options in free agency, but he picked the Bulls because he wanted to help rebuild a franchise that had fallen on hard times, per K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. DeRozan posted a career-best scoring season and led the Bulls back to the playoffs for the first time since 2017. “I’m big on the underdog mentality. A lot of people run from those challenges. Me, I really want to see what I’m made of in those moments. You leave your own mark that way. I’m always big on that,” DeRozan said. “I want to go somewhere and leave my mark or start something that hasn’t been done. To me, that’s more honorable. You started it and took on the challenge.”
Bulls guard Zach LaVine is finally in the playoffs after seven years of playing for losing teams, notes Julia Poe of The Chicago Tribune. LaVine hopes the postseason will be a regular occurrence after a chaotic start to his NBA career. “It was very mind-opening to me when I got here — this guy’s had six different coaches,” coach Billy Donovan said. “He’s played on different teams. And he hasn’t necessarily been a part of a lot of success. Zach’s has always wanted to win. It’s always been important to him. I’m happy for him because you see the work he puts in.”
Jim Owczarski of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (subscriber link) looks at three reasons why the Bucks can repeat as NBA champions and three reasons that they might not.

Southeast Notes: Heat, Young, Bridges, Wizards

April 17th, 2022 at 11:02am CST by Arthur Hill

After being swept in the first round last season, the Heat added three players in free agency who have won championships, writes Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. P.J. Tucker, who was part of the Bucks’ title team last season, Markieff Morris, who got a ring with the Lakers in 2020, and Kyle Lowry, who won with the Raptors in 2019, all brought plenty of playoff experience to Miami.

They joined a roster that includes Udonis Haslem, who has won three titles, and five other holdovers from the Heat team that reached the Finals in 2020. The experience and mental toughness needed to get to that level helped Miami emerge from a crowded field to grab the No. 1 seed in the East.

“It’s a high that you’re chasing,” Lowry said. “You want to get back to that high and you want to stay at that high. When you win one, you want that high right away. You want that high, it’s a high you can’t match. I’m just being honest. It’s still there, that fire is burning. I’m just chasing that high right now.”

There’s more from the Southeast Division:

The Heat’s biggest challenge in the first round will be finding a way to control Hawks star Trae Young, Chiang adds. Miami typically uses a variety of defenders against Young and mixes up its coverages to make him less comfortable. “He’s one of the most dynamic point guards we have in our league now,” Lowry said. “You just have to know that he’s going to do some spectacular things. But we do have to wear on him, make things a little bit tougher, however that is.”
Miles Bridges wants to remain with the Hornets, but the team faces a lot of questions this summer about how to build its roster, according to Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer. There should be significant demand for Bridges, who will be a restricted free agent once Charlotte extends a $7.9MM qualifying offer, and the organization has to decide how many of its young players it wants to make a long-term investment in. “Charlotte has really taken me in and brought me in,” Bridges said. “I got drafted as a 20-year-old kid. And for me to grow up here and for everybody to embrace me like they have, that’s something I’ll never forget. Especially going into the contract season.”
Injuries were a year-long concern for the Wizards, but coach Wes Unseld Jr. believes the team has a solid foundation in place, per Bijan Todd of NBC Sports Washington. “Obviously the health factor is something that we can’t necessarily control, but if we come back healthy…I think we’re setting ourselves up for a pretty bright future,” Unseld Jr. said.

John Collins Cleared For Playoff Opener

April 17th, 2022 at 9:59am CST by Arthur Hill

Hawks forward John Collins will play in today’s Game 1 against the Heat as long as he doesn’t have any issues during warmups, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic. Collins has been out of action since March 11 with injuries to his right foot and right ring finger.

Collins is still bothered by the pain in his finger, according to Chris Kirschner of The Athletic. It’s difficult for him to grip the ball, sources tell Kirschner, and the injury is affecting his shot.

Collins, who also has been dealing with a sprained right foot and a plantar fascia tear, was upgraded to questionable on Saturday. Atlanta was able to win two play-in games without Collins, but will likely need him on the court to be competitive with top-seeded Miami.

Clint Capela‘s injury in Friday’s game makes Collins’ return even more important. Capela had to be helped to the locker room in the second quarter with a hyperextended right knee and will be sidelined for at least a week. Onyeka Okongwu is among the league’s best backup centers, Kirschner notes, but he’s not in Capela’s class as a rebounder and doesn’t have the same chemistry with Trae Young on the pick-and-roll.

Warriors Notes: Curry, Green, Poole, Death Lineup

April 17th, 2022 at 9:01am CST by Arthur Hill

Stephen Curry made the decision to come off the bench in the Warriors‘ playoff opener Saturday night, according to Kendra Andrews of ESPN. Returning from a left foot sprain and bone bruise that had sidelined him since March 16, Curry scored 16 points in 22 minutes as Golden State posted a convincing win over Denver.

Curry patterned his return on what the team did with Klay Thompson when he came back in January as he got 45 minutes of real-time rest in each game. No decision has been made on whether Curry will continue in a reserve role moving forward, but Thompson knows that his presence can make a huge difference in the series.

“I thought he looked great,” Thompson said. “His shot was short in the first half, but that’s to be expected when you come off a long layoff. But he’s still Steph Curry. … Just his gravity and the threat of him being out there is the best. It makes us a championship team.”

There’s more on the Warriors:

The Nuggets went 3-1 against Golden State during the regular season, but Draymond Green didn’t play in any of those games, Andrews adds. He logged 29 minutes Saturday with 12 points, six rebounds and nine assists and helped to control Nikola Jokic on defense. “You need tough and smart, and that’s Draymond,” coach Steve Kerr said.
Starting in Curry’s place, Jordan Poole surpassed Wilt Chamberlain to become the youngest Warriors player to reach 30 points in his playoff debut, writes Madeline Kenney of The San Jose Mercury News. Poole, who made five of his first seven three-point attempts, was part of a new “death lineup” that broke the game open late in the first half. “Jordan Poole, wow, what a playoff debut,” Thompson said. “All his hard work is paying off. If he doesn’t get Most Improved this year, it just doesn’t make sense.”
Outside of Poole, the Warriors’ young players didn’t get a lot of minutes Saturday, but the team has confidence in them in case they’re needed, per Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic. Golden State has been developing them all year long in hopes of getting them ready for the postseason. “They gotta feel it,” Andre Iguodala said. “It’s really hard to explain to them how the intensity kind of turns up in the playoffs.”

Nets Notes: Simmons, Harden Trade, Irving

April 16th, 2022 at 11:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

Proving he can handle contact will be the next step for Ben Simmons in his comeback attempt, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Simmons, who hopes to return at some point during the Nets‘ first-round series against the Celtics, is expected to start 1-on-1 workouts next week, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. A source close to Simmons told Lewis that the team wants to “see him bang to see how the back holds up.”

“Clearly to play in an NBA game you’ve got to have some contact and play the game a little bit,” coach Steve Nash said. “Clearly he’s improving. But I have no idea if he’s getting close to play or not. He’s still on his individual program, still working through his rehab and 1-on-0 stuff. … He does some running, but no sprinting.”

Simmons told reporters who attended today’s practice to “make sure you get this” before throwing down a dunk, showing that his back pain has lessened, Lewis adds. The Nets haven’t decided if Simmons will have to go through all the normal progressions before being cleared to play, but Nash said his presence has been uplifting.

“It’s great to have him on the floor,” he said. “He has plenty of time since he’s been here he hasn’t been able to be on the floor, so just being able to feel the ball and touch the floor a little bit is positive.”

There’s more from Brooklyn:

In a separate story, Lewis looks back at the 48 hours leading up to the five-player deal that brought Simmons to the Nets. Chances of the trade appeared remote until James Harden started dropping hints that he wanted out of Brooklyn, and it sped up rapidly when Nets owner Joe Tsai and Sixers owner Josh Harris got involved.
Kyrie Irving is used to being booed in Boston and he promises it won’t affect his performance in the playoff series, Lewis adds in another piece. Irving’s relationship with Celtics fans has been filled with animosity since he left the team as a free agent in 2019. “I don’t want to focus on anything other than what’s going on with our team, don’t want to focus on the fans, don’t want to focus on any extra stuff outside of my control. The environment is going to be the environment,” Irving said.
Irving continues to defend his choice on the COVID-19 vaccine that cost him a major part of the season, per Nick Friedell of ESPN. “I can really say that I stood firm on what I believed in, what I wanted to do with my body,” Irving said. “I think that should be not just an American right, I think that should be a human right.”

Knicks Notes: Thibodeau, Brunson, Mitchell, L. Rose, Barrett

April 16th, 2022 at 9:39pm CST by Arthur Hill

Knicks president Leon Rose expressed his support for head coach Tom Thibodeau in a recent interview and he backed it up in a letter sent to season-ticket holders this week, writes Steve Popper of Newsday. There was reportedly some desire for a coaching change among the front office during the season, but Rose’s letter leaves no doubt that Thibodeau will return.

“Our coaching staff is at the heart of our young core’s development and confidence to compete at the highest level, as well as our vets’ ability to produce in their roles,” Rose wrote. “We have seen multiple players take leaps over the last two seasons under Coach Thibodeau’s tutelage and commitment to playing the right way.”

Thibodeau was named Coach of the Year in 2021 after leading the Knicks to a fourth-place finish in the Eastern Conference. Although the team fell out of the playoffs this year, it posted a 12-7 record to finish the season with several veteran players unavailable.

There’s more from New York:

The Knicks had a large contingent at today’s playoff game between the Mavericks and Jazz, according to Marc Berman of The New York Post. Executive vice president William Wesley was there, along with front office members Allan Houston and Makhtar N’diaye and the scouting staff. Julius Randle met the group as well. The Knicks are known to have interest in Dallas guard Jalen Brunson in free agency, and there have been reports that they would make a trade offer for Utah’s Donovan Mitchell if he ever becomes available.
Rose will likely make at least one significant move this summer to shake up the roster, Ian Begley of SNY.tv. predicts in a column for Yahoo Sports. Begley notes that owner James Dolan has given Rose the financial freedom to make whatever changes he believes are necessary, so it would look bad for Rose if next year’s roster is virtually the same.
It may be difficult for the Knicks to finalize a rookie-scale extension with RJ Barrett during the offseason, per Yossi Gozlan of HoopsHype. Barrett is eligible for a deal that would start around $37MM in the 2023/24 season. Gozlan believes the team will try to get him to take a starting salary in the $25MM range, similar to the extensions for Jaylen Brown and Jaren Jackson Jr. If Barrett doesn’t reach an agreement, he’ll be on track for restricted free agency next summer.

MRI Set For Scottie Barnes’ Ankle Injury

April 16th, 2022 at 8:14pm CST by Arthur Hill

Raptors rookie Scottie Barnes will undergo an MRI on Sunday after injuring his left ankle in Saturday’s playoff game against the Sixers, tweets Josh Lewenberg of TSN Sports. X-rays on the ankle were negative, according to Lewenberg.

Barnes was injured early in the fourth quarter when Joel Embiid accidentally stepped on his foot on a drive to the basket, writes Tim Bontemps of ESPN. Barnes collapsed to the court while grabbing his foot and remained down for several minutes. He had to be helped to the locker room and was unable to put much weight on the foot. The Raptors officially declared him out of the game a few minutes later.

Barnes was outstanding in his first career playoff game, posting 15 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists in 31 minutes. Toronto, which lost by 20 points, will likely need Barnes to make the series competitive.

The series will resume Monday in Philadelphia and will shift to Toronto on Wednesday, so Barnes won’t have much time to recover. The first two-day break comes before Game 4, which is next Saturday in Toronto.

Cavaliers Notes: Sexton, Future, Garland, Love

April 16th, 2022 at 7:03pm CST by Arthur Hill

Collin Sexton is looking forward to training camp in September, whether it’s with the Cavaliers or somebody else, writes Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. A meniscus tear knocked Sexton out of action 11 games into the season, and there’s still no timeline for him to resume basketball activities. A source told Fedor that Sexton will undergo several tests next week to determine his progress.

“I’m getting there,” he said after today’s exit meeting with coach J.B. Bickerstaff. “Every day is a grind. I feel better every day. As long as I get better 1% each and every day I wake up, then it’s a win-win. I just continue to know that some days are going to be better than others and just continue to know I will be full go and I know I’m going to be 100%. I have confidence in myself and I have confidence in the people that’s working with me to get me back to where I was — and even much better.”

Sexton’s contract status made his future in Cleveland uncertain before the injury occurred. He’s headed for free agency this summer and will be restricted if the Cavs make a $7.23MM qualifying offer. The team acquired Caris LeVert at the trade deadline, which means Sexton might be in a sixth-man role if he returns.

“I want to be here in Cleveland,” he said. “I love the organization, love my teammates and whatever happens I know that Cleveland was really good to me. I know this is the place that helped me get to where I am today, and I know I want to continue to be a part of this winning culture. I feel like me just being able to be at the start of it helped us get to yesterday and where we are right now at the present. I love Cleveland. I want to be here.”

There’s more from Cleveland:

The Cavaliers had their season derailed by injuries and weren’t able to advance beyond the play-in tournament, but the mood was optimistic after Friday’s game, according to Kelsey Russo of The Athletic. Cleveland was among the most improved teams in the league, and there’s a feeling that the foundation is in place to be a long-term contender. “We’re still like, ‘Damn, it’s really over,’” Jarrett Allen said. “And then two seconds later, and it’s like, we’re laughing because we had a hell of a year. A lot has happened this year — positive, negative — but we look at all the times that we did play well, and we came together. And that was all positive.”
Darius Garland has made a strong case to receive a rookie-scale extension that could be worth up to a projected $181MM over five years, per Bobby Marks of ESPN. Garland became an All-Star in his third NBA season and took on a larger role as the team dealt with injuries, averaging 25.2 points and a league-high 10.8 assists per game after March 1.
Kevin Love‘s bounce-back season may cause the front office to consider an extension, Marks adds. Love has an expiring $28.9MM contract for next season, but there would be no restrictions on how much his salary could decrease in the first year of a new deal.

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