2023 February | Hoops Rumors

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Derrick White Named Players Of The Week

February 13th, 2023 at 2:43pm CST by Rory Maher

Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Celtics guard Derrick White have been named the NBA’s players of the week, the league announced (via Twitter).

Gilgeous-Alexander, a first-time All-Star in 2022/23, averaged 31.3 points, 6.3 assists, 1.7 rebounds and 1.3 steals in leading Oklahoma City to a 2-1 record last week. He posted a .571/.333/.949 shooting line in the three games (35.4 minutes per contest). Gilgeous-Alexander won the Western Conference award for the second time this season.

White, the East’s winner, led Boston to a 4-0 week by averaging 24.5 points, 7.5 assists, 4.8 rebounds and 1.3 blocks on .522/.515/.900 shooting in 38 minutes per contest. He started all four games in place of Marcus Smart, who is currently sidelined with an ankle injury.

According to the NBA (Twitter link), the other nominees in the West were Deandre Ayton, De’Aaron Fox, Nikola Jokic and Ja Morant, while Jarrett Allen, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jimmy Butler, Tyler Herro, Joel Embiid, James Harden and Trae Young were nominated in the East.

Warriors’ Myers On Payton, Wiseman, Trade, Buyout Market

February 13th, 2023 at 2:03pm CST by Rory Maher

Warriors president of basketball operations Bob Myers held a press conference on Monday following the four-team trade that saw Gary Payton II sent back to Golden State from Portland. The deal was held up for a few days as the Warriors considered their options, but it ultimately went through even though they failed Payton’s physical due to a core muscle injury.

The veteran guard will be reevaluated in one month and the team hopes he’ll be back before a potential playoff push, Myers told reporters, including Anthony Slater of The Athletic (Twitter link). Regarding Payton’s injury, Myers added that “there are things I can’t say for legal reasons and HIPAA reasons,” tweets Mark Medina of NBA.com.

A formal league inquiry into the Trail Blazers‘ alleged failure to provide sufficient medical information is expected to be opened. Myers didn’t want to comment on the potential investigation.

“Good question, but I don’t want to answer that. I can’t go down that road of accusations,” Myers said (Twitter link via Medina).

As far as why the process took a few days, Myers said the team was evaluating its options and wanted clarity on whether the trade could potentially be amended, which wasn’t possible after the deadline passed. He hopes to get a “fair” result from the investigation.

“What do I want? Whatever the NBA says is fair,” Myers said, per Slater (Twitter video link).

Here’s more from Myers’ press conference:

Slater pointed out to Myers that Payton missed the first 35 games of the season after a long recovery following surgery, and when he returned he wasn’t always playing every day. Was that a red flag? “We looked at the fact that he started the night before against our team…I didn’t factor in the thought that he’d be out as long as he will be,” Myers replied (Twitter video link).
Myers said it was a difficult decision to deal way former No. 2 overall pick James Wiseman, who was sent to Detroit as part of the trade. He said it was a “tough, tough move to make,” adding that “he’s a great kid and did everything we asked him to do” (Twitter link via Medina).
The Warriors were still high on Wiseman’s long-term potential, but Myers believes he needs playing time to develop his skills, and that wasn’t happening on Golden State. He said the trade was “not an indictment of James” and “it’s a hard rotation to crack,” tweets Medina. Part of the reason the Warriors decided to go through with the trade was because they “didn’t see a path” for Wiseman to be successful if they rescinded the trade and brought him back, per ESPN’s Kendra Andrews (Twitter link).
Myers was asked if the Warriors would look to the buyout market to address frontcourt depth. “It doesn’t matter if he’s seven feet tall or eight feet tall. Any buyout conversation has to be done in collaboration with the coaching staff. Because why bring a player in if they’re not going to use him? But if there’s a player that the coaching staff and front office thinks can be helpful, then absolutely we’ll go target that guy,” Myers replied (Twitter video link courtesy of Slater).
When Slater asked Myers about the possibility of converting Anthony Lamb or Ty Jerome, both of whom are on two-way contracts, to a standard deal, Myers said a decision hasn’t been made yet. “I think we’ve gotta look and see whether it’s that or another player or whatever it might be and compare them. And say to Steve, ‘Hey, these are your options. Which player do you think helps us the most?’ And make that determination,” Myers said, adding that system fit would factor in as well.

Celtics Notes: Hauser, Buyout Market, Pritchard, Brown

February 13th, 2023 at 11:58am CST by Arthur Hill

The Celtics‘ confidence in Sam Hauser was rewarded Sunday when he poured in 20 points while making his third career start, writes Brian Robb of MassLive. Boston could have sought a replacement for Hauser or moved him out of town before the trade deadline, but the organization opted to stick with the second-year forward despite a prolonged shooting slump.

Injuries to other rotation members have given Hauser expanded playing time lately, and he’s capitalizing on the opportunity. Over the past three games, he is shooting 57% from three-point range and averaging 15.3 PPG.

“I know I’m starting because guys are out,” Hauser said. “I get that. But it definitely — it’s definitely really cool for me, personally. You dream of stuff like this when you grow up, being on an NBA team, starting on an NBA team, let alone and it’s kind of happening right now, which is kind of cool. So, personally, it’s pretty cool. Definitely, I’m seeing a little more minutes right now, which is great, too, for confidence-boosting. And some shots are going through and overall just feeling great.”

There’s more on the Celtics:

Boston missed out on two potential buyout additions over the weekend when Danny Green agreed to sign with Cleveland and Terrence Ross committed to Phoenix, Robb notes in a separate story. The Celtics were rumored to have interest in both players, and team president Brad Stevens said a decision on an open roster spot will be made soon. “You’ll look at it and you will decide, okay, is there somebody that fits that need and who’s really excited to be here if that’s the case,” Stevens said. “Or is it do you feel like you’ve got that all filled and maybe invest in a younger player. And so we’re going to assess all that over the next few days and try to figure it out.”
Coach Joe Mazzulla isn’t upset about comments from reserve guard Payton Pritchard, who said he had hoped to be traded so he could get more playing time, according to Jared Weiss of The Athletic. Mazzulla sees Pritchard’s frustration as a sign of competitiveness. “I’m happy Payton is expressing himself and the honesty that he speaks with,” he said. “I think it’s important to talk about that stuff because at the end of the day, I trust him completely and regardless of his circumstances, he’s always ready to play.”
Jaylen Brown is out of action with a facial fracture he suffered on Wednesday, but he hasn’t given up hope of playing in the All-Star Game, per Tim Bontemps of ESPN. Brown said doctors have determined that he won’t need surgery, and he’ll be wearing a mask whenever he returns.

Heat Notes: Yurtseven, Lowry, O. Robinson, Ibaka

February 13th, 2023 at 10:52am CST by Arthur Hill

The Heat’s approach to the buyout market may depend on the prognosis for Omer Yurtseven and Kyle Lowry, writes Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. Miami will have two roster openings when Jamaree Bouyea‘s two-way contract expires and will have to fill at least one of them within two weeks of that date.

Yurtseven is recovering after undergoing left ankle surgery in November and is expected to make his season debut shortly after the All-Star break. He appeared in 56 games as a rookie last season and might be entrusted with the backup center minutes. If the Heat are confident in Yurtseven, they may not look to add a free agent big man.

Chiang notes that the team’s level of confidence in Yurtseven could also affect Orlando Robinson, who has been the reserve center for the past month but can only be on the active roster for six more games on his two-way contract. Miami could fill one of its roster spots by converting Robinson to a standard deal, which would make him eligible for the playoffs, but the need to do that is lessened if Yurtseven takes over as the backup center.

Lowry, who’s dealing with soreness in his left knee, is expected to miss the rest of February and maybe more time beyond that, according to Chiang. The Heat are rumored to be a potential suitor for Russell Westbrook if he reaches a buyout with Utah, and Lowry’s health could affect how they proceed.

There’s more on the Heat:

There may be mutual interest with Serge Ibaka, who was waived by the Pacers over the weekend, Chiang adds. The 33-year-old only played 16 games for the Bucks before being traded, but he could provide shot blocking and outside shooting, along with a wealth of playoff experience.
Chiang points out that Miami can be competitive on the buyout market following last week’s trade of Dewayne Dedmon. The Heat are now almost $5MM under the threshold, allowing them to use their $4.1MM bi-annual exception or the roughly $3.2MM left on their mid-level exception without facing tax penalties.
Lowry’s injury may open the door to making him a bench player once he returns, suggests Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel. Even when healthy, Lowry hasn’t been up to his usual standards this season, averaging just 12.0 PPG while shooting 39.6% from the field and 33.3% from three-point range. Gabe Vincent has been starting at point guard while Lowry is sidelined, and a buyout addition could take over that job for the rest of the season.

Boban Marjanovic Re-Signs With Rockets

February 13th, 2023 at 9:39am CST by Arthur Hill

In a move that was expected when he was waived on Thursday, the Rockets announced (via Twitter) that they have re-signed Boban Marjanovic for the rest of the season.

Marjanovic was released because the team needed an open roster spot to complete a three-team trade that sent Eric Gordon to the Clippers. The 34-year-old center became a free agent after clearing waivers, and Houston had two roster openings available after completing a buyout with Danny Green and waiving John Wall.

Marjanovic, who was acquired in a trade with the Mavericks last summer, has seen limited playing time with the Rockets. He appeared in 17 games before being waived, averaging 2.8 points and 1.5 rebounds in 4.2 minutes per night.

Although Marjanovic likely doesn’t have much of a future in Houston, he can serve as a mentor to the team’s young big men and is considered one of the best teammates in the league. He will become a free agent again after the season.

Lakers Notes: Roster Shakeup, Westbrook, Irving, Buyout Market

February 13th, 2023 at 8:11am CST by Arthur Hill

The Lakers are still hoping to climb out of 13th place and reach the playoffs, but the recent roster overhaul was made with an eye on the future, writes Jovan Buha of The Athletic. In a conference call with media members on Saturday, general manager Rob Pelinka said the front office focused on adding shooting, floor spacing, size and wing depth.

L.A. made four deals dating back to January 23, adding Rui Hachimura, D’Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley, Jarred Vanderbilt, Mohamed Bamba and Davon Reed. All six players are 27 or younger, and they’re under some form of team control beyond this season.

The Lakers can make Hachimura a restricted free agent with a qualifying offer expected to be worth $7.7MM. Russell will be unrestricted, but he’s eligible for an extension through June 30. L.A. holds a $16.5MM team option on Beasley for next season, while Vanderbilt has a partial guarantee on his contract and Bamba and Reed have non-guaranteed deals.

“I think a deep dive into this, you can almost look at it as ‘pre-agency,’” Pelinka said. “… We very intentionally planned these moves to provide optionality in July. Some of these players have team options or team-controlled years on their contracts, which again gives us the ability to see how these last 26 regular-season games and how potential postseason games go. And then we can go into this offseason with a higher collection of data points, and sort of a real-time analysis of how the pieces fit and make decisions for the future.”

Buha has more on the Lakers:

Pelinka admitted on the conference call that trading Russell Westbrook was probably the best move for both sides. He said the Lakers originally acquired Westbrook in hopes of returning to title contention, adding that the polarizing guard shouldn’t be blamed for the team’s disappointing performance. “I think it’s really unfair to put the last year and a half, or whatever period of time that is, on one player,” Pelinka said. “I think the whole roster has to come together and fit. And part of sports sometimes is if things aren’t working, you have to fix them.”
Pelinka didn’t specifically address the Lakers’ rumored pursuit of Kyrie Irving, but he did indicate that the front office was aggressive with its 2027 and 2029 first-round picks in its effort to upgrade the roster. L.A. wound up parting with its 2027 first-rounder (top-four protected) in the deal that sent Westbrook to Utah.
The Lakers still have a roster opening, but Pelinka hasn’t decided how aggressively he will pursue buyout candidates. “If we see the right opportunity to fill a need in the buyout market, we will take a look at that,” he said. “But I don’t want to definitively say that we’ll sign another player. We feel like these 14 players fill a need that (head coach Darvin Ham) was looking to fill, and he was excited about these 26 games we have to coach these 14 guys.”

Hornets’ Reggie Jackson, Rockets’ John Wall Officially Waived

February 13th, 2023 at 6:50am CST by Luke Adams

Veteran guards Reggie Jackson and John Wall were among several players who were officially waived on Sunday, according to press releases from their respective teams. The Hornets cut Jackson, while the Rockets let go of Wall.

Both players had spent most of the season with the Clippers, who completed a series of deadline deals on Thursday. Jackson was sent from Los Angeles to Charlotte in trade for Mason Plumlee, while Wall was moved to Houston in a deal for Eric Gordon.

Since they were both essentially just salary-matching pieces in those trades, Jackson and Wall were widely expected to be waived. Jackson was said to be negotiating a buyout with the Hornets, while Rockets general manager Rafael Stone confirmed in his post-deadline presser than Houston would simply release Wall, whose last stint with the team didn’t end well.

Jackson is reportedly on track to sign with the Nuggets once he clears waivers; Wall doesn’t yet have his next NBA home lined up, as far as we know.

Jackson and Wall were among several veterans who were officially cut on Sunday. The Rockets also waived Danny Green, while the Magic parted ways with Patrick Beverley and Terrence Ross and San Antonio released Stanley Johnson.

Heat Notes: Standing Pat, Lowry, Butler, Yurtseven, Westbrook

February 12th, 2023 at 10:02pm CST by Dana Gauruder

There are numerous factors why the Heat have not added a veteran player via trade or free agency for nearly eight months, according to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald.

Topping the list for the Heat’s lack of activity is that all of their available trade assets, except for Caleb Martin, either regressed, stagnated, or got injured. Other factors include a lack of mid-range salaries to include in potential trades, and that fact that no All-Stars on other teams lobbied for a trade to Miami.

We have more on the Heat:

They were unable to move Kyle Lowry‘s salary before the trade deadline and there’s concern how well the veteran point guard can move physically the rest of the season, Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald reports. Lowry has been dealing with left knee soreness and he could be sidelined for several weeks as he continues to receive treatment. He hasn’t played since Feb. 2.
Jimmy Butler played this weekend in both games of a back-to-back for the first time since late October, Chiang notes. However, Nikola Jovic (lower back stress reaction), Victor Oladipo (right ankle sprain), Duncan Robinson (finger surgery) and Omer Yurtseven (left ankle surgery), as well as Lowry, remained sidelined. Coach Erik Spoelstra said that, among the injured players, only Oladipo has a chance to play before the All-Star break.
Yurtseven will be a free agent after the season and the team hopes he’ll provide a late-season boost, much like Oladipo did last season, Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel writes. Yurtseven, who underwent ankle surgery in November, has been cleared for high-impact work. “I just like the progress,” Spoelstra said of Yurtseven. “Things in our center position are trending in a much better direction, for sure.”
The Heat have internally discussed adding Russell Westbrook in he chooses to take a buyout from the Jazz, according to Jackson. Westbrook may not make a decision about whether to go the buyout route until the All-Star break.

New York Notes: Rose, Robinson, Hart, Brunson, Thomas, Simmons

February 12th, 2023 at 8:30pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Derrick Rose, who hasn’t been in the Knicks’ rotation, wasn’t involved in a deal at the trade deadline, but it doesn’t appear Rose will seek a buyout, Zach Braziller of the New York Post writes.

Rose is content to being a team leader and mentoring the Knicks’ younger players. “It’s still the same thing. I’m still locked in with the team, talking to the guys, mentoring,” he said.

However, a source told Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News that Rose wouldn’t totally dismiss the possibility of a buyout if there was a team in need of a veteran point guard. The former MVP is signed through next season but there’s a team option on his $15,596,339 salary.

We have more on the New York teams:

Mitchell Robinson is progressing well, but the Knicks center won’t return from his thumb injury prior to the All-Star break, Bondy tweets. Robinson, in the first year of a four-year, $60MM contract, has been out of action since Jan. 18.
Josh Hart and Jalen Brunson were teammates at Villanova and now they’ve been reunited with Hart being traded from Portland. Brunson believes Hart will make the Knicks grittier, Braziller writes. “He’s a tough-minded guy,” Brunson said. “He doesn’t back down from a challenge and that’s how he is and that’s how he’s been. I’m not worried at all. He’s going to fit in.”
Cam Thomas strung together three 40-point games this month but it wasn’t enough to keep him in the starting lineup, Dan Martin of the New York Post notes. Nets coach Jacque Vaughn is trying to sort through all the changes in the roster. Thomas played 18 minutes and scored 14 points against Philadelphia on Saturday. “We’ve seen him garner a lot of attention as a starter, so I don’t think that changes,” Vaughn said. “It will be great to see that against the second unit. He’s a guy we can put the ball in his hand when we need a bucket. He has confidence to come off the bench and score.”
Ben Simmons‘ former coach, the Sixers’ Doc Rivers, believes Simmons can regain his All-Star level form with the Nets now that Kyrie Irving has been traded, according to Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer. “I believe he can get back to where he was with us, especially now, I think, because he will have the ball in his hands more,” Rivers said. “I thought that’s what we did that really kind of freed him up. But it’s just going to take time. Now, what has it been, a year and a half? I don’t think it’ll be overnight. But he’s working, and that’s all you can do.”

Eastern Notes: Hill, DeRozan, LaVine, Noel, White

February 12th, 2023 at 7:04pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Pacers gave George Hill the option of being waived after acquiring him from the Bucks, so that he could hook onto a contender. Hill declined the offer and hopes he can stay with the franchise he played for from 2011-16 beyond this season, according to Dustin Dopirak of the Indianapolis Star. Hill will be a free agent this summer.

“I’ve thought long and hard and I think that’s the biggest reason why I chose to stay here and not try to get out and go somewhere else. I felt like I still have a lot left to offer, either on the floor or to pick the brain and being a vet,” Hill said of becoming a mentor for the Pacers’ younger players. “Definitely don’t want it to be kind of like a rental opportunity. And would love to stay here for some years and grow with these young guys.”

We have more from the Eastern Conference:

After a Bulls loss to Cleveland on Saturday, DeMar DeRozan said that he and Zach LaVine must establish a better rhythm during crunch time, Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times writes. “We’ve just got to do a better job of understanding possessions in a game,’’ DeRozan said. “I wouldn’t put it on teams having us figured out. I’d say 85% of it is picking and choosing on understanding the possession and not feeling so rushed into trying to hit a home run every possession. … It’s about us playing the game the right way, understanding what needs to be done, how we can play off one another, how we can use each other to help everyone else on the team to be in better position to make plays for us as well. It’s on us more than anything.’’
If Nerlens Noel chooses the buyout route with the Pistons, the Sixers would be interested in him as a backup to Joel Embiid, according to Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey has been a fan of Noel’s playing style for some time, Pompey writes, noting that the big man could serve as the sort of rim protector Philadelphia is lacking on its second unit.
Derrick White has been a solid and steady contributor since the Celtics acquired him from San Antonio last season, Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports Boston writes. White hasn’t missed a game since the trade and has the best plus/minus rating on any player on the team except for Robert Williams, who has missed a chunk of the season. White is signed through the 2024/25 season.

Month: November 2024