2024 March | Hoops Rumors

DeMar DeRozan, Luka Doncic Named Players Of The Week

March 11th, 2024 at 2:35pm CST by Rory Maher

Bulls wing DeMar DeRozan and Mavericks guard Luka Doncic have been named the NBA’s Players of the Week, the league announced on Monday (via Twitter).

DeRozan, the Eastern Conference’s winner, averaged 29.8 points, 5.5 rebounds and 6.3 assists on .551/.412/.923 shooting across four games last week (39.4 MPG). Chicago went 3-1 in those contests.

A six-time All-Star, DeRozan is one of the most noteworthy players who can hit free agency this summer. He’s earning $28.6MM in the final year of his contract and is eligible for a veteran extension until June 30.

Doncic earned his third Player of the Week award for the West in 2023/24. He’s also the reigning Player of the Month for the Western Conference. He helped guide Dallas to a 2-1 record last week, averaging 37.7 points, 10.3 rebounds, 10.7 assists and 1.3 steals on .513/.385/.900 shooting (39.7 MPG).

Doncic has recorded a 30-point triple-double in each of the past six games. He’s having an incredible season, posting career-best averages in multiple categories, including leading the NBA in points per game at 34.7.

According to the NBA, Jarrett Allen, Dejounte Murray, Pascal Siakam and DeRozan’s teammate Coby White were the other nominees in the East, while Anthony Davis, Kevin Durant, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Trey Murphy, Zion Williamson and Anfernee Simons were nominated in the West (Twitter link).

Atlantic Notes: Brown, Raptors, Reed, Nurse, Maxey, Celtics

March 11th, 2024 at 2:23pm CST by Rory Maher

After missing four games with knee inflammation, Bruce Brown hopes to be able to play against his former team when the Raptors visit Denver tonight, writes Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca. Brown, who played an important role in the Nuggets’ title run last season, has been increasing his workload recently and hopes he’ll receive medical clearance to take the court.

This will be Brown’s second visit to Denver, which is rare for a player in the opposite conference. He picked up his championship ring on January 14 when he was still with the Pacers, three days before being shipped to Toronto in the Pascal Siakam trade.

“I always looking forward to coming back here,” Brown said. “Great fans, great fan base, excited to see my previous teammates. It will be great to see everyone.”

Brown is officially questionable for Monday’s contest, while Immanuel Quickley (left hip flexor strain), Chris Boucher (right knee contusion) and Gary Trent Jr. (groin strain) are all out, according to Grange (Twitter links). RJ Barrett, who missed Saturday’s loss to Portland with an illness, is probable.

Here’s more from the Atlantic:

Sixers big man Paul Reed criticized the officiating following Friday’s loss to New Orleans, per Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports (Twitter video link). “Just knowing that the referees are going to be the referees, and we’re going to have to beat them too. So we got to already be expecting that,” Reed said. Philadelphia was victorious on Sunday vs. New York, with Reed recording 13 points, seven rebounds and four blocks. The team was plus-13 in his 28 minutes in the ugly 79-73 win.
While Reed lamented the officiating, head coach Nick Nurse was more unhappy with the Sixers‘ effort in the first half of Friday’s game, calling their offensive approach “soft,” writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer (subscription required). “We tried to jump-shoot our way to a lead early, and you can’t count on that,” Nurse said. “ … That’s not good enough. You’ve got to play tougher than that. You’ve got to put your nose in there and drive it in the paint and try to get to the foul line and draw some defense and kick it out to somebody who’s open.” Nurse also said he’s still evaluating the make-shift rotation following a number of injuries, most notably to reigning MVP Joel Embiid.
Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey has missed the past four games while in the NBA’s concussion protocol, but he has been cleared to return on Tuesday against the Knicks, sources tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link). The first-time All-Star is set to hit restricted free agency this summer and will likely command a massive payday.
The Celtics‘ entire starting lineup is on the injury report for tonight’s game in Portland, tweets Keith Smith of Spotrac. Jaylen Brown (sacroiliac strain), Jrue Holiday (left knee tendinopathy), Jayson Tatum (right ankle impingement) and Derrick White (left hand sprain) are questionable, while Kristaps Porzingis will miss his second straight game with right hamstring tightness.
[Update: Brown, Tatum and White are active, but Holiday will be out, Smith tweets.]
Heading into Saturday’s contest vs. Phoenix, the Celtics had dropped two straight games for only the second time during the 2023/24 season. They responded with a victory they badly wanted, as Jay King of The Athletic writes. “Just not letting it snowball effect, right,” said Tatum, who specifically asked to play the entire second half. “We’re not perfect. We try to be. We really do try. But we make mistakes and things like that. This is a tough league. The other teams are really good, got great players. So it’s all about how you respond. If you want to be a special team, you have to do a really good job of responding. Especially winning on the road is tough, being away from home for 10, 12 days or whatever. So this is a great way to come out here and get a win against a team that’s been playing well lately.”

Arthur Hill contributed to this post.

Knicks Notes: Offensive Struggles, Anunoby, Randle, Milton, Rotation

March 11th, 2024 at 10:40am CST by Arthur Hill

The Knicks played their worst game of the season and posted their lowest offensive total in nearly six years in Sunday’s 79-73 loss to Philadelphia, writes Steve Popper of Newsday. It was the fewest points scored by any NBA team in 2023/24, barely eclipsing the 74 points that New York held Orlando to Friday night, and Knicks players were honest about their performance.

“We played like [expletive],” Josh Hart said. “I mean, we obviously didn’t shoot the ball well. Turnovers bad. I think I had six or seven myself … But we’ve got to try to flush it. Got them again on Tuesday. Try to come out and play better.”

The Knicks shot 32.5% from the field and committed 19 turnovers, with All-Star Jalen Brunson going just 6-of-22. The game had a late-1990s feel to it, Popper observes, including a fourth quarter altercation between Donte DiVincenzo and Kelly Oubre that led to a shoving match involving several players.

DiVincenzo refused to comment on the scuffle, but Oubre said, “All of that stuff’s funny to me. I don’t know why. I just laugh, because nobody’s gonna fight.”

There’s more from New York:

Coach Tom Thibodeau said OG Anunoby will travel with the team when it departs for the West Coast on Thursday, per Ian Begley of SNY (Twitter link). There’s hope that Anunoby will be able to return soon from a right elbow injury that has sidelined him since January 27. Julius Randle and Mitchell Robinson will also make the trip, but there are concerns about why Randle still hasn’t been cleared for contact, Begley adds.
Randle missed his 18th game of the season Sunday night, which means he won’t receive a $1.28MM bonus for appearing in 65 games, tweets Bobby Marks of ESPN. Randle’s contract includes the same bonus for next season, which will now be considered unlikely. His cap hit will be adjusted to $28.9MM and the team will receive a $1.28MM tax variance credit for this season, Marks adds.
Shake Milton has only played one minute in three games since signing with the Knicks last week, but Thibodeau is urging him to be patient, according to Peter Botte of The New York Post. “Just fit in and stay ready. Trades are hard in the middle of the season. You gotta learn the system,” Thibodeau said. “But I like what I’ve seen from him in terms of his attitude, his approach. He’s been very, very good.”
In a separate story, Popper examines what the Knicks’ rotation might look like if everyone is healthy. He notes that a potential starting five of Brunson, DiVincenzo, Anunoby, Randle and Robinson hasn’t played together yet. If that’s the starting unit, Popper expects Hart, Isaiah Hartenstein and Miles McBride to be the first three reserves. It’s tougher to determine who’s next in line, as Precious Achiuwa, Bojan Bogdanovic, Alec Burks, Jericho Sims and Milton will all be competing for limited minutes.

L.A. Notes: Davis, Reddish, Tucker, Schedule

March 11th, 2024 at 9:20am CST by Arthur Hill

Anthony Davis overcame a sore left shoulder to deliver a historic performance in the Lakers‘ win over Minnesota Sunday night, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPN. His combination of 27 points, 25 rebounds, seven steals, five assists and three blocks had never been posted before in the league. Davis was listed as questionable for the game, still feeling the effects of a Friday collision with Giannis Antetokounmpo, and the team’s medical staff had to wrap his shoulder with a heat pack whenever he wasn’t on the court.

“I felt it at times out there,” Davis said. “I still kind of feel it.”

McMenamin notes that the seven steals were a career high for Davis, and the 25 rebounds fell one short of his career-best mark. He has played a huge role in the Lakers’ recent surge, which has them six games over .500 and within two games of sixth place.

“I think we’re hitting our stride right now,” Davis said. “We’re just trying to keep going, keep pushing, knowing that just like last year, all we got to do is get in. We feel like it’s tough for anybody to beat us in a seven-game series. … We like our chances against anybody at that point.”

There’s more from Los Angeles:

Lakers forward Cam Reddish sat out Sunday’s game and continues to deal with significant soreness in his right ankle, tweets Khobi Price of The Orange County Register. Coach Darvin Ham said he expects an update on Reddish’s condition in the next day or two.
P.J. Tucker, who has seen limited court time since being traded to the Clippers in November, made his first start of the season on Sunday, per Janis Carr of The Orange County Register. The opportunity came because Kawhi Leonard and Paul George were both sitting out the second game of a back-to-back, and Tucker responded with seven points and six rebounds in 25 minutes. The 38-year-old forward believes he can still contribute to the team. “That’s what I do. It’s like breathing to me — physicality and making people work and not giving up easy plays and cave,” Tucker said. “That’s the stuff that comes naturally. Making shots and doing all that stuff is just extras.”
Coach Tyronn Lue was unhappy about the scheduling conflict that had his team playing two afternoon games 22 hours apart, per Greg Beacham of The Associated Press. The Clippers typically get the worst dates at Crypto.com Arena, and they were forced into the early contests because the Lakers had a home game Sunday night and the NHL’s Kings had a late game Saturday. Bucks coach Doc Rivers, whose team provided the opposition on Sunday, said he went through the same experience when he coached the Clippers. “It was awful,” Rivers said. “I think we did two or three of these (back-to-back afternoon weekend games) a year. It’s just not natural. Being here, you get used to it, but it’s still not normal.”

NBA Considers Launching New League In Europe

March 11th, 2024 at 7:59am CST by Arthur Hill

The NBA is considering an ambitious project in Europe that may exclude the EuroLeague, according to Kurt Badenhausen of Sportico.

Sources tell Badenhausen that the NBA has been holding discussions for several years with FIBA and the EuroLeague on how to grow the popularity of the game in the continent, considering the number of NBA stars that hail from Europe. A new plan could create a standalone NBA Europe league that would operate in cooperation with FIBA.

In February, the NBA hired the Raine Group investment bank to explore its opportunities in Europe, Badenhausen states. Both the NBA and Raine refused to comment for Badenhausen’s story, but he says the league is determined to increase its European operations.

A league operated by the NBA and FIBA would be set up similar to the Basketball Africa League, which was launched in 2021. Badenhausen expects the NBA to target strategic investors for the project who already have ties to Europe.

An international competition is also being considered along the lines of FIBA’s Intercontinental Cup, according to Badenhausen, bringing together the top teams in Europe and other parts of the globe. He adds that those talks are still in the preliminary stages.

According to Raine’s projections, the NBA stands to earn up to $3 billion a year by expanding its business in Europe and the Middle East.

Southwest Notes: Sengun, Landale, Murphy, Jones

March 10th, 2024 at 9:46pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Rockets center Alperen Sengun will undergo an MRI on both his right knee and ankle on Monday, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski tweets.

The breakout star big man was taken off the court in a wheelchair with 39.1 seconds remaining the Rockets’ 112-104 victory over Kings Sunday night, according to ESPN News Services. Sengun landed awkwardly after contesting a shot in transition by Domantas Sabonis. He immediately grabbed his right knee in agony and put his hands over his face as he was wheeled off the court.

Sengun is averaging 21.2 points, 9.4 rebounds and 5.0 assists in his third season with the Rockets and is a prime candidate for the Most Improved Player award. He’s eligible for a rookie scale extension this offseason.

We have more from the Southwest Division:

Even before Sengun’s injury, Jock Landale‘s role as a Rockets reserve had expanded, Jonahan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle writes. Landale has played anywhere from six to 17 minutes over the past six games, including a 9-point, 5-rebound, 4-assist outing against the Kings on Sunday. “He always stayed ready,” coach Ime Udoka said. “I think guys across the board on our team have been great as far as that this year. A big part of it is numbers more than anything. We’ve had a lot of guys play well, and they can’t all play. But they stay ready.” Landale has three years remaining on his contract, but they’re all non-guaranteed.
Trey Murphy continued his scoring binge against Atlanta on Sunday, firing in 28 points. The Pelicans wing has scored 20 or more points in five of the last six games. Murphy is eligible for a rookie scale extension this offseason. “I knew he (Murphy) was going to figure it out at some point,” coach Willie Green told Christian Clark of the New Orleans Times-Picayune.“From time to time, I may talk to him. But him and (coach) Corey Brewer have done a great job of refocusing and going out and doing the little things. That’s what it takes sometimes when your shot isn’t falling. Concentrating on winning plays, winning habits. There is a lot you can do to contribute to winning without scoring.”
Herbert Jones is a candidate one of the league’s top young defenders but the Pelicans forward won’t campaign for All-Defensive honors, he told Clark. “I have been like this all my life,” Jones said. “I have never really wanted the spotlight on me. Especially because it’s a team game. I don’t do anything alone. I really don’t care to get the credit. As long as the team wins, I’m great.”

And-Ones: Lamb, Thomas, McLemore, Biggest Buyers

March 10th, 2024 at 8:14pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Jeremy Lamb suffered a season-ending ankle injury while playing for the Kings’ NBA G League team in Stockton, Sacramento Kings radio reporter Sean Cunningham tweets.

Lamb resurfaced in the G League after the Sacramento waived him during training camp.

A former lottery pick, Lamb has appeared in 573 career regular season games with four teams, including – most recently – the Kings. However, the veteran swingman wasn’t in the league last season following a down year in 2021/22. He averaged 7.3 PPG on .383/.324/.840 shooting in 56 games (16.7 MPG) for Indiana and Sacramento in ’21/22.

We have more from around the basketball world:

Isaiah Thomas made a strong impression in his first game with the Jazz’s G League in Salt Lake City. Thomas, who signed with the Stars less than a week ago, posted 32 points and four assists in a win over the Texas Legends on Thursday. He followed that up with a 30-point, 8-assist outing on Sunday. Thomas is aiming to get back in the NBA. “I’m not going to give it up until nobody calls and they’re like, ‘Just stop.’ This has just been my life. It’s been an amazing run and I’m going to just keep it going,” Thomas told Alex Vejar of the Salt Lake Tribune.
Former NBA guard Ben McLemore has issued an apology for a drunken driving incident in Lugo, Spain, according to Eurohoops.net. McLemore is currently playing for CB Rio Breogan. “I have made a mistake that I am not proud of. Now, more than ever, my wish is to continue helping my teammates and the club, learn from this mistake, and set the right example for all those who believe in me, especially for the little ones,” he said via the statement. “For this reason, I sincerely apologize and I ask that no one doubt that I will give my best, personally and professionally, to help achieve the goals that we all want.”
Who will be the NBA’s biggest spenders this offseason? Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report takes a closer look at that subject, naming 10 teams that could be major players in the free agent market.

Spurs Notes: Wembanyama, Vassell, Barlow, Graham, Wesley

March 10th, 2024 at 6:30pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Ticket holders for the Spurs’ game against the Warriors on Monday got some good news on Sunday. Victor Wembanyama is not on the injury report, Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio Express-News tweets.

Wembanyama has missed the last two games due to a gimpy ankle. Second-leading scorer Devin Vassell, who is dealing with a left hip contusion, is listed as probable.

We have more on the Spurs:

Dominick Barlow, who had his two-way contract upgraded to a standard deal earlier this month, delivered a big performance at Golden State on Saturday with the star rookie sidelined, supplying 19 points, eight rebounds and four assists in 30 minutes. “Props to him,” Jeremy Sochan told Jeff McDonald of the Express-News. “He just got an NBA contract so we’re all very proud of him. He helped us a lot, just scoring, playing good defense and just in general playing well.”
Devonte’ Graham got a rare opportunity to play meaningful minutes on Saturday and contributed eight points in 12 minutes to the victory, McDonald notes. “Devonte’ hasn’t played much,” coach Gregg Popovich said. “He came in and gave us a real boost.” Graham’s $12.65MM contract for next season is partially guaranteed for $2.85MM, so he appears likely to be traded or waived this summer.
The Spurs used one of the picks they acquired from Boston in the Derrick White trade to draft Blake Wesley. Wesley, who turns 21 on Saturday, has received steady playing time off the bench and San Antonio still has high hopes for him, according to Mike Finger of the Express-News. “He’s definitely got the explosiveness of a (Russell) Westbrook,” big man Zach Collins said.

Pistons GM Troy Weaver Has Verbal Spat With Fan

March 10th, 2024 at 4:55pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Embattled Pistons general manager Troy Weaver had a verbal altercation with a heckler during their 142-124 home loss to Dallas on Sunday, according to multiple reports.

A video posted online and relayed by The Detroit Free Press’ Jared Ramsey showed a fuming Weaver stating to the fan, “I don’t give a (expletive), you’re lucky I don’t beat your (expletive).” The heckler retorted to Weaver, “You suck at your job.”

Another fan seated near Weaver said the heckler approached Weaver twice before arena security removed him.

“The guy that was in the incident, with the Red Wings stuff on, came over and was pointing at the scoreboard earlier in the game,” season ticket holder Jeffrey Calloway told Larry Lage of The Associated Press. “Troy Weaver just shrugged his shoulders and said, ‘OK,’ and the guy went back to his seat. When (center Jalen) Duren got ejected (during the fourth quarter), the guy came back and told him that he was terrible at his job. Then, Troy Weaver was telling the fan he had to leave and that’s when ushers or security walked over.”

Weaver declined to comment about the incident, Lage added.

As the Free Press story noted, it’s a another low moment for the franchise in a season filled with them. The Pistons were hoping to show significant improvement this season with the return of Cade Cunningham from a shin injury that sidelined most of last season.

Instead, the team set an NBA single-season record with 28 consecutive losses. Detroit has won only 10 games and is on pace to have the franchise’s worst single-season record.

Weaver has been in charge since 2020, completely overhauling the roster during the time. However, save for perhaps Cunningham, he’s been unable to find All-Star level talents despite repeated trips to the lottery.

Weaver made numerous trades prior to this February’s deadline, mainly designed to open up more cap space for this summer and expand court time for younger players. The Pistons could have as much as $60MM in cap room.

Weaver, who received a four-year contract when he was originally hired away from the Thunder front office, signed a contract extension in December 2022.

Owner Tom Gores expressed support for Weaver last month despite the team’s miserable performance.

“I think we just came together and the first thing we did is take accountability for the mistakes we made,” Gores responded when asked about Weaver. “As an organization, you really can’t go forward until you acknowledge what didn’t work. That was the first thing. And being honest about that provides you the future. If you don’t look in your past for a little bit and what was right and what was wrong, it’s very hard to go to the future. We did that along the process. I have confidence in Troy. I have confidence. We leaned on each other through this process, but we also didn’t avoid the idea of what were we accountable for? It gave us a pathway to go forward.”

Central Notes: Mathurin, Gibson, Pistons Guards, Bulls

March 10th, 2024 at 4:02pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Losing Pacers reserve shooting guard Bennedict Mathurin for the year will have an intriguing ripple effect on the team’s bench as it prepares for the postseason, writes Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star.

As Dopirak notes, Indiana is now without two of its top-scoring reserves from the start of the season, between Mathurin and Buddy Hield, who was dealt to the Sixers at the trade deadline. Forward Doug McDermott, the Pacers’ own sharpshooting acquisition added at the deadline, continues to rehabilitate his right calf strain, though he’ll be a big part of the bench when he does play. Rookies Ben Sheppard and Jarace Walker seem likely to get significantly more responsibility as the season winds down.

There’s more out of the Central Division:

Workaholic new Pistons veteran power forward Taj Gibson, 38, is over a decade older than most of his new teammates. Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press writes that the 10-53 club appreciates Gibson’s daily grind, even in his 15th NBA season, and hopes that he can inspire the Pistons’ young, talented lottery pick core. Gibson is on a 10-day deal, so there’s no guarantee he’ll remain with in Detroit for the rest of the season.
The Pistons’ decision to, at last, stagger young guards Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey so that one of them remained on the floor at all times seemed to work wonders on Thursday in a 118-112 win over the Nets, writes James L. Edwards III of The Athletic. Head coach Monty Williams opted to employ a lineup of Cunningham alongside his second unit in the third quarter that really helped the club hold serve against Brooklyn.
Young Bulls guards Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu have each taken big leaps in their development this season, with White in particular enjoying a breakout year. A lot of their growth has happened with star shooting guard Zach LaVine, the team’s priciest player, sidelined due to injury. Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic thinks the improvement of the young guards could be negatively impacted by a LaVine comeback next year, and wonders if the Chicago front office will look to offload the two-time All-Star.

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