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Month: November 2024

Wizards Notes: Beal, Avdija, Offseason, Porzingis

April 12th, 2022 at 9:23pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Wizards star shooting guard Bradley Beal will become an unrestricted free agent this summer, should he decide not to pick up his $36.4MM player option for the 2022/23 season. Washington president of basketball operations Tommy Sheppard appears to be optimistic that Beal will stick around long-term with the team that drafted him, per Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington.

“I feel every indication he’s given me is that he wants to be here moving forward,” Sheppard said of Beal’s future with the Wizards. “I stick to the 10 years of confidence I have in the relationship we’ve had. It’s a lot of time, a lot of equity and a lot of conversations. I feel that we’ve shown this is a place we can build around him. I think he’s shown to the community here that when he’s healthy he’s one of the best players at his position. Those are hard to come by.”

The 28-year-old Beal, a three-time All-Star, was limited to just 40 games this year due largely to a left wrist injury that ultimately required surgery. He averaged 23.2 PPG, 6.6 APG and 4.7 RPG this year.

There’s more out of D.C.:

  • Wizards swingman Deni Avdija expressed excitement for being able to hone his game during the first normal, healthy offseason of his NBA career, writes Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington. There was no training camp or summer league due to the pandemic during the 2020 offseason, and the 21-year-old was recovering from an ankle fracture in the 2021 offseason. “I know what I need to do better,” Avdija said. “Just finishing the season like that gives you motivation and energy. You know you can make plays, you know you can help the team win. I feel like just taking the next step.” Hughes notes that Avidja closed out the year with an uptick in his output. He averaged 12.6 PPG, 5.8 RPG and 3.6 APG across his last 16 contests of the year.
  • Following a disappointing 2021/22 season in which they missed the playoffs and play-in tournament, the Wizards must deal with a variety of personnel issues in the offseason, Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington writes in a separate piece. Hughes identifies the free agent fate of Beal as the biggest hurdle confronting Washington in the offseason. The next priority, should Beal return, will be finding a long-term solution as the team’s starting point guard. Hughes expects the Wizards front office to consider trade and free agency options over drafting a point guard. Hughes also anticipates that Washington will look to shore up its defense and long-range shooting.
  • New Wizards center Kristaps Porzingis expects the team to compete for the playoffs next year, writes Ava Wallace of the Washington Post. Porzingis also posits that he himself has only reached 60-65% of his ceiling, and hopes to boost that level next year. After shooting guard Bradley Beal went down with a wrist injury in February, the team ultimately finished with a 35-47 record and missed the play-in tournament. “This summer is a long one, and also I’m fresh,” the 26-year-old big man said of his offseason health. “I’m feeling great. I could play right now. That’s an exciting thing for me, and I’m really looking forward to doing some work, getting some tan and coming back next season with batteries fully charged.”
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Patrick Beverley Fined $25K By NBA

April 12th, 2022 at 7:29pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

The NBA has fined Timberwolves starting point guard Patrick Beverley $25K as a result of “improper conduct” toward a referee during the final seconds of Minnesota’s final game of the 2021/22 regular season, the league announced in a press statement (via Twitter).

As a result of his conduct during the end of the club’s eventual 124-120 loss to the Bulls on Sunday, Beverley was assessed a technical foul and ejected from the contest.

Beverley and the 46-36 Timberwolves are set to face off against the veteran guard’s previous team, the 42-40 Clippers, tonight in a play-in contest to determine who will become the No. 7 in the West and face the Grizzlies in the first round of the 2022 playoffs. Beverley had a well-traveled 2021 offseason. L.A. initially traded the 6’1″ vet to the Grizzlies, who then rerouted him to Minnesota.

In his first year with the Timberwolves, Beverley enjoyed a resurgent season. A starter in 54 of his 58 games, the 33-year-old averaged 9.2 PPG, 4.6 APG, 4.1 RPG, 1.2 SPG and 0.9 BPG, with a shooting line of .406/.343/.722.

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Taurean Prince Unavailable For First Play-In Game

April 12th, 2022 at 6:58pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Timberwolves reserve forward Taurean Prince will miss Minnesota’s play-in game on Tuesday against the Clippers, per Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN (Twitter link). Prince is struggling with right knee inflammation.

In 69 regular season games, Prince averaged 7.3 PPG and 2.5 RPG across 17.1 MPG during his first year with the Timberwolves. The 28-year-old boasts shooting splits of .454/.376/.756 this year. In the absence of Prince, 6’9″ power forward Jaden McDaniels may see an uptick in his minutes off Minnesota’s bench.

Sporting a 46-36 regular season record, the Timberwolves enter the play-in tournament as the No. 7 seed and will be fighting L.A. for the right to play the second-seeded Grizzlies in the first round of the 2022 NBA playoffs. The loser of tonight’s meeting will play the victor of tomorrow’s play-in game between the Pelicans and Spurs for the West’s eighth seed.

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Vit Krejci Has Left Knee Procedure, Back By Start Of Next Season

April 12th, 2022 at 5:45pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Rookie Thunder shooting guard Vit Krejci addressed a left knee injury with an arthroscopic procedure, according to Joe Mussatto of the Oklahoman (Twitter link). Oklahoma City expects Krejci to return to the floor by the beginning of the 2022/23 NBA season, Mussatto tweets.

Mussatto points to the surgery as the probable reason behind Krejci’s missing the team’s exit interviews on Tuesday.

After signing a multiyear contract ahead of the 2021/22 NBA season, the 21-year-old appeared in 30 games in his first NBA season, averaging 6.2 PPG, 3.4 RPG and 1.9 APG. He posted shooting splits of .407/.327/.864.

Krejci was a small part of a concerted youth movement for a rebuilding 24-58 Thunder squad. The team has been accumulating draft assets and prioritizing young players around star guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. It remains to be seen whether this injury will set back Krejci’s role in the team’s rotation next season.

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Blazers Notes: Offseason, Nurkic, Simons, Billups

April 12th, 2022 at 4:03pm CST by Luke Adams

While they finished the season with only the NBA’s sixth-worst record, no team tanked harder down the stretch than the Trail Blazers, who were playing without most of their veteran starters. After shutting down center Jusuf Nurkic at the All-Star break, Portland went 2-21 the rest of the way, with a net rating of -21.3, by far the league’s worst mark during that stretch.

Speaking to reporters on Monday, general manager Joe Cronin said he felt “uncomfortable” about how the Blazers’ season ended, according to Casey Holdahl of Blazers.com. Cronin said the team “didn’t want to lose ball games,” but was more focused on developing its young players than competing for a playoff spot.

“We had to take a step backwards in order to move forward,” Cronin said. “We’ve positioned ourselves to where I think we’ve got some great opportunities. We have a really intriguing core: Damian Lillard, Anfernee Simons, Josh Hart, Jusuf Nurkic, Nassir Little, Justise Winslow. Potentially two lottery picks, numerous cap exceptions, a bunch of cap flexibility. We are determined to get better, to be competitive as quickly as possible and we’re super confident in our ability to do that.”

Here’s more on the Blazers:

  • Although Cronin listed them as part of Portland’s core, Jusuf Nurkic (unrestricted) and Anfernee Simons (restricted) will both be free agents this summer. Cronin’s comments on Monday strongly suggest the Blazers want to re-sign both players. The general manager called Nurkic a player “we would definitely want to build around” and said the team plans to be “proactive” with Simons’ free agency, per Holdahl.
  • The Blazers will have at least one pick in this year’s draft lottery and could have a second if the Pelicans miss the playoffs and don’t move into the top four. As Holdahl relays, Cronin’s goal with Portland’s first-rounder is to “maximize the pick,” which could mean either drafting a player or using it in a trade. “I’m going to spend the next two, three, four weeks diving into the game film and really evaluating this draft and particularly assessing value to what that pick is,” Cronin said. “So then you compare that to what’s available in the (trade) marketplace and then you make a decision. If we decide the player at that pick is much more valuable than what we can get in the marketplace, we do that direction. If it’s the opposite, we go the other direction.”
  • The Blazers are confident that head coach Chauncey Billups will be an asset when it comes to recruiting free agents, writes Jason Quick of The Athletic. “He’s just so inspiring, even in a 30-minute meeting. It’s just easy to buy in with him,” Cronin said.
  • Josh Hart has only been a Blazer for a couple months, but he said this week that if a player calls him to ask about Billups this summer, he’ll have nothing but praise for Portland’s head coach. “I would say he’s great,” Hart said, according to Quick. “He’s a players’ coach, someone who does a great job of building you up, coaching you up, but a good balance in holding you accountable. And off the court, he cares about you as a person. That’s a big thing, something that gets overlooked sometimes.”
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And-Ones: Monthly Awards, Hollis-Jefferson, Cooper

April 12th, 2022 at 3:32pm CST by Luke Adams

Rockets guard Jalen Green and Raptors forward Scottie Barnes were named the Rookies of the Month for March/April in the Western Conference and Eastern Conference, respectively, the NBA announced on Monday (via Twitter).

Green got off to an up-and-down start this season but finished strong, averaging 22.6 PPG, 3.8 RPG, and 3.2 APG on .484/.395/.763 shooting in 22 games in March and April. Barnes helped the Raptors secure the No. 5 seed in the East by putting up 16.6 PPG, 7.6 RPG, and 4.0 APG on 50.5% shooting in his last 22 contests.

The NBA also announced its Coaches of the Month for March/April on Tuesday (Twitter link). Mavericks coach Jason Kidd won the Western award for a 16-5 run to the end of the season; Ime Udoka, whose Celtics finished with a 15-4 stretch, earned the honor in the East.

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

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Stephen Curry’s Status For Start Of Playoffs Still Uncertain

April 12th, 2022 at 2:48pm CST by Luke Adams

Warriors star Stephen Curry continues to make “good progress” in his recovery from a left foot sprain and bone bruise, the team announced today in a press release.

According to the Warriors’ announcement, Curry progressed last week to various individual on-court activities, including shooting and running, and may take part in full team practices this week. His status for Game 1 of Golden State’s first round series vs. Denver this weekend remains up in the air, according to the club.

Curry, who suffered the injury on March 16 vs. Boston, missed the regular season and has long been targeting the start of the playoffs for his return. One source tell Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link) that Curry’s availability for Game 1 on Saturday remains a “close call.”

Speaking today to reporters, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr referred to Curry as “literally day to day” (Twitter link via Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated). Kerr said it’s “essential” that Curry scrimmages at least once before returning to action, per Anthony Slater of The Athletic (Twitter link). The team will scrimmage on Thursday.

If Curry remains sidelined for the start of the Denver series, the Warriors will continue to lean more heavily on Draymond Green and Jordan Poole for play-making, with Poole, Klay Thompson, and Andrew Wiggins shouldering more of the scoring load.

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Monty Williams Wins Coaches Association Award

April 12th, 2022 at 2:31pm CST by Luke Adams

Suns head coach Monty Williams has won the Michael H. Goldberg award for the 2021/22 season, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. It’s the second consecutive year in which Williams has been named the National Basketball Coaches Association Coach of the Year.

This award, introduced in 2017 and named after longtime NBCA executive director Michael H. Goldberg, is voted on by the NBA’s 30 head coaches, none of whom can vote for himself. However, it isn’t the NBA’s official Coach of the Year award, which is voted on by media members and is represented by the Red Auerbach Trophy. The winner of that award will be announced later in the year.

Williams led the Suns to an NBA-best 64-18 record this season, despite missing All-Star point guard Chris Paul for an extended stretch in the second half. Phoenix finished the year ranked in the top five in both offensive and defensive rating — the team’s +7.5 net rating was the league’s best mark.

A year ago, Williams won the Coaches Association’s award and then finished second to Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau for the official Coach of the Year award. This season, Williams will face stiff competition for the Red Auerbach Trophy from Taylor Jenkins, Erik Spoelstra, Ime Udoka, and J.B. Bickerstaff, among others.

According to Wojnarowski, Jenkins (Grizzlies), Spoelstra (Heat), Willie Green (Pelicans), Tyronn Lue (Clippers), and Gregg Popovich (Spurs) were among the other coaches who received votes for this season’s Michael H. Goldberg award.

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Terquavion Smith Among Latest Early Entrants Declaring For Draft

April 12th, 2022 at 2:15pm CST by Luke Adams

NC State freshman guard Terquavion Smith is entering the 2022 NBA draft while maintaining his college eligibility, he tells Jonathan Givony of ESPN. Smith, who currently ranks No. 39 on ESPN’s big board of 2022 prospects, said he’ll make a final decision after getting feedback on his draft stock.

“I will be working out for teams and seeing how high I can get in the draft,” Smith told ESPN. “I’m signing with a NCAA certified agent to maintain my eligibility. I want to be taken with a high pick — top 20. I want to be able to contribute effectively to an NBA team.”

In his first college season, Smith started 25 of 32 games and averaged 16.3 PPG, 4.1 RPG, and 2.1 APG. The 19-year-old, who made 36.9% of 8.1 three-pointers per game as a freshman, told Givony he models his game after NBA players like Jordan Poole, De’Aaron Fox, and Anfernee Simons — “guys who are electric off the bounce, who can create their own shot and shoot the ball.”

Here are several more updates on the 2022 draft pool:

  • UCLA freshman wing Peyton Watson is entering the draft and forgoing his remaining college eligibility, he announced on Twitter. Watson didn’t play much for the Bruins, logging just 12.7 MPG in 32 appearances off the bench, but he’s the No. 61 prospect on ESPN’s board.
  • German point guard Justus Hollatz, who tested the draft waters a year ago, will enter the draft pool again this year, according to agent Misko Raznatovic (Twitter link). Hollatz is currently a member of the Hamburg Towers in Germany.
  • Kentucky junior forward Jacob Toppin is testing the draft waters, according to an announcement from the school. Toppin averaged a modest 6.2 PPG and 3.2 RPG in 29 games (17.7 MPG) for the Wildcats in 2021/22.
  • Providence senior shooting guard A.J. Reeves is entering the 2022 draft and going pro, he announced on his Instagram account. Reeves has played in 107 games (88 starts) for the Friars over the course of his four years in the program.
  • After initially declaring for the 2022 draft last month, Saint Louis sophomore guard Jordan Nesbitt will withdraw and transfer, he tells Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports (Twitter link).
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Injury Updates: Doncic, Allen, Kennard, Collins, Niang

April 12th, 2022 at 1:31pm CST by Luke Adams

The Mavericks put out a press release on Tuesday formally confirming that Luka Doncic is dealing with a strained left calf and announcing there’s no timetable for his return.

Dallas won’t have to officially list Doncic on the injury report until Friday, so the club will likely continue to be cagey about his availability for Game 1 vs. Utah. Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd declined to offer any specifics on Tuesday, offering coy responses about Doncic’s ability to practice and the possibility that he’ll play on Saturday, tweets Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News.

For what it’s worth, Kidd said multiple times that Doncic is “in great spirits,” while Mavericks guard Spencer Dinwiddie offered a positive assessment of his teammate’s status (Twitter link via Callie Caplan of The Dallas Morning News): “He seemed solid to me. I mean, he don’t seem like a guy that’s going to miss too much time, if any.”

Here are a few more injury updates from around the NBA:

  • The Cavaliers have officially listed Jarrett Allen (finger) as out for Tuesday’s play-in game vs. Brooklyn. An earlier report suggested there’s some hope that Allen would be able to play on Friday if Cleveland loses tonight.
  • Clippers sharpshooter Luke Kennard (hamstring) had been officially listed as questionable for Tuesday’s play-in game, but he didn’t make the trip to Minnesota, according to head coach Tyronn Lue (Twitter link via Andrew Greif of The Los Angeles Times).
  • Hawks big man John Collins, out since March 11 due to finger and foot injuries, played some 4-on-4 over the weekend, but head coach Nate McMillan isn’t sure whether he’ll be available for Wednesday’s play-in game vs. Charlotte, writes Sarah K. Spencer of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “He’s been moving a lot more, and today was pretty much shooting. … We’ll see tomorrow,” McMillan said on Tuesday. “We’ll see how he feels after the weekend of play and what he went through today.”
  • After missing the last two games of the regular season with a knee issue, Sixers forward Georges Niang was able to practice on Tuesday and should be ready for Game 1 on Saturday, head coach Doc Rivers told reporters, including Gina Mizell of The Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter link).
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