- The Hawks assigned guard Tyler Dorsey to the Erie BayHawks, the team’s G League affiliate, per a tweet from the official BayHawks account. In his first G League appearance of the season earlier today, Dorsey went off for 36 points, 13 rebounds, and 5 assists in a win over the Wisconsin Herd.
- The Bucks assigned both Donte DiVincenzo and Christian Wood to the Wisconsin Herd in time for today’s game against the BayHawks, per a release from the team. Wood is averaging a team-high 27.7 points per game with the Herd while DiVincenzo has averaged 17.3 points per game in his three games.
Returning to Atlanta this week for the first time since he was traded from the Hawks to the Thunder last summer, Dennis Schroder didn’t mince words when he spoke about heading from Atlanta to Oklahoma City. As Erik Horne of The Oklahoman relays, Schroder suggested that he welcomed the move to a contender after growing tired of the Hawks’ rebuilding efforts.
“I wanted to be in a winning-mentality organization,” Schroder said before Tuesday’s game between the Thunder and Hawks. “You just can’t go out there and try to lose. I’m a competitor and I try to give everything out there. I want the organization to feel the same way. Right now with our organization, all the players in the locker room, all of the coaches, they’ve got a winning mentality. That’s what makes it fun, when you go out there and go to war with your brothers. There’s nothing better than that.”
Despite Schroder’s veiled shots at the Hawks, it was Atlanta that had the last laugh on Tuesday. The Hawks overcame Schroder’s 21 points and six assists to beat the Thunder in a 142-126 barn-burner. Atlanta’s offensive outburst included a pair of 45-point quarters.
The Kings are among the teams that have expressed “exploratory” trade interest in Hawks point guard Jeremy Lin, reports Marc Stein of The New York Times (Twitter link).
As Stein notes (via Twitter), Lin is one of a handful of Atlanta veterans expected to be available leading up to the February 7 trade deadline. The club figures to be seeking draft picks in return for Lin and Dewayne Dedmon, who are on expiring contracts, as well as Kent Bazemore, who still has one more year left on his deal after this season.
De’Aaron Fox has enjoyed a breakout season for the surprising Kings in 2018/19, but the club could use a veteran ball-handler and play-maker like Lin to stabilize its backcourt behind Fox. Yogi Ferrell and Frank Mason have handled backup point guard duties so far this season in Sacramento, while Lin has enjoyed a bounce-back year after two-injury plagued seasons in Brooklyn, averaging 10.8 PPG and 3.6 APG in a part-time role (19.5 MPG) for the Hawks.
The Kings figure to be linked to a number of trade candidates in the coming weeks, since they reportedly want to be buyers and they have the most in-season financial flexibility of any NBA team. With $11MM in cap room and a handful of expiring veteran contracts – such as Zach Randolph‘s and Kosta Koufos‘ – Sacramento could easily accommodate just about any salary. That includes Lin’s $13.77MM expiring deal.
The Sixers, Pelicans, and Trail Blazers are said to be among the other teams that have inquired on Lin.
The Hawks are in the early stages of a rebuild. Having brought in a new coaching staff and with a new focus on player development, it has been very encouraging for the team to see Kevin Huerter break out in recent weeks. After slowly adjusting to the NBA, Huerter has received more playing time as of late and has been productive in his role. Chris Kirschner of The Athletic details Huerter’s recent stretch of play and what it means for the Hawks’ future.
As Huerter continues to develop alongside Trae Young and John Collins, it’s clear that the Hawks have quality young talent to grow and develop for years to come.
- Speaking of injuries, Taurean Prince has returned from a left ankle sprain that caused him to miss the past 18 games for the Hawks. Prince is averaging 15 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2 assists per game this season.
- The Trail Blazers would also be willing to part with their 2019 first-rounder for help in the backcourt or on the wing, per Deveney. Sources tell Deveney that Portland has expressed some interest in Hawks point guard Jeremy Lin, whom the Sixers and Pelicans have also inquired on. Getting a first-round pick in return for Lin might be challenging, but the veteran guard has boosted his value with a solid season so far in Atlanta.
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It sounds like interest around the NBA in Hawks point guard Jeremy Lin is picking up, according to Keith Smith of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link). After missing most of the last two seasons in Brooklyn due to injuries, Lin is averaging 10.9 PPG and 3.6 APG with an efficient .502/.380/.821 in the final year of his contract.
Lin’s salary is fairly sizable ($13.77MM), but given the lack of clear-cut sellers around the league, as well as the number of teams that could use one more play-maker, he could be a sought-after trade chip. Smith speculates that the Hawks should be able to secure a “decent asset” – albeit nothing “amazing” – in return for Lin if they move him by February 7.
- Hawks big man Miles Plumlee, who underwent a non-surgical procedure on his left knee in December, underwent another procedure on that same knee this week, per a press release from the team. The Hawks say Plumlee will be re-evaluated in about two weeks, while Chris Vivlamore of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution tweets that the procedure was a PRP-like injection.
Vince Carter will turn 42 years old later this month and has tied an NBA record by playing in the league for 21 seasons. However, he’s still not sure that the 2018/19 campaign will be his last, as he told reporters – including Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca (Twitter link) – on Tuesday.
“We’ll see what happens at the end of the year. I feel good,” Carter said. “I’ll weigh my options when it’s done. I’d like to come back and play.”
Carter said back in August that he was “90-something per cent sure” that this season with the Hawks would be his last, but he goes back and forth frequently and said on Tuesday that he still can’t picture himself saying, “This is it” (Twitter link via Lewenberg). He has continued to be a productive role player in Atlanta so far in 2018/19, averaging 7.3 PPG on .409/.374/.769 shooting in 37 games (17.4 MPG).
There’s also another interesting factor at play here. Currently, Carter is tied with four other longtime NBA players – Robert Parish, Kevin Willis, Kevin Garnett, and Dirk Nowitzki – for career longevity at 21 seasons. If Nowitzki doesn’t return for another season in 2019/20 and Carter does, the former Slam Dunk champion would become the only player in league history to play for 22 seasons.
Setting that record certainly won’t be the only factor Carter considers as he weighs his future, but it sounds like one he’s very aware of, as Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca observes (via Twitter). Doug Smith of The Toronto Star has the full quote from Carter on that record.
“The only thing that would be new to accomplish at this point — obviously winning a championship, that’s obvious — (is) just the longest career,” he said. “I know now that I’m tied with a few guys and it’s something I wasn’t aware of prior to some years back. I didn’t think of that coming in, playing this long anyway.”
Whether Carter decides to retire later this year or spends another season or two in the NBA, it sounds like he’s not necessarily eager to announce his decision well in advance and go through a year-long retirement tour, as Smith relays.
“It’s always cool to be acknowledged and I think it’s fun for me to do it for other guys, and then when I put myself in the same situation I say, ‘Hmm, we’ll see,'” Carter said. “I think, when it happens, more so internally and personally, it’s that you can say goodbye that way. It’s cool and all, but sometimes it’s a little much.”
Here are Sunday’s G League assignments and recalls from around the NBA:
- The Hawks recalled rookie big man Omari Spellman ahead of their Sunday night stint against the Miami Heat, according to Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (via Twitter). Spellman has appeared in 23 games for the Hawks this season, averaging 6.2 points and 4.3 rebounds per game.
Sixers coach Brett Brown is defending Jimmy Butler, saying he wasn’t disrespectful when he questioned the way he’s being used in the offense, according to an Associated Press story. ESPN reported Friday that Butler has “aggressively challenged” Brown since being acquired from the Timberwolves in November and has “tenuous” chemistry with fellow stars Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons. Meeting with reporters before tonight’s game, Brown tried to calm the situation.
“I didn’t feel like any of that crossed the line,” he said of Butler’s comments. “He’s vocal. He’s all in and he has opinions, but it’s instigated by me. None of this should surprise anybody. He’s got opinions. He wants to be heard. And he should be heard.”
Butler missed the game with a respiratory infection and wasn’t available for comment. He reportedly wants to be utilized more often in pick-and-roll situations, which aren’t a standard part of Brown’s offense.
There’s more from the Atlantic Division:
- Nets guard D’Angelo Russell has improved significantly during his second season in Brooklyn, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Russell, who is averaging career highs with 18.2 points and 6.4 assists per game, is headed for restricted free agency this summer but indicated a desire to stay with the Nets. “We’re winning,” he said. “I haven’t won a lot in this league, so for me to get that type of success, I’m going to stick with it.”
- As Kyle Lowry missed his sixth straight game tonight with back trouble, the Raptors are looking for another playmaker before next month’s trade deadline, according to Sean Deveney of The Sporting News. He states the best target would be the Timberwolves’ Jeff Teague, who isn’t being shopped but has become more expendable with productive seasons from Derrick Rose and Tyus Jones. Other possibilities include the Mavericks’ J.J. Barea or Devin Harris and the Hawks’ Jeremy Lin.
- Brad Wanamaker was as surprised as anyone when Celtics coach Brad Stevens told him to check in during the first quarter last night, relays Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe. It was the 15th game of the season for the 29-year-old rookie, but most of his time has come late in games that were already decided. He responded with a pair of 3-pointers to help Boston build a lead. “The key word is challenging,” Wanamaker said. “I’m just trying to stay mentally prepared. I’m getting a lot of feedback from my family, friends, just saying, ‘Stay ready.’”
Any team that trades for Hawks forward Kent Bazemore should prepare to pay him beyond this season, according to Michael Scotto of The Athletic. Scotto shares a few rumors in a column on New Year’s resolutions for all 30 teams, including a report that Bazemore is leaning toward exercising his $19.27MM player option for next year.
That would represent a modest raise for the 29-year-old, who is making a little more than $18MM this season. Bazemore, who is sidelined with a right ankle sprain that will keep him out for at least two weeks, is one of the most popular names on the trade market, with the Rockets among the teams already expressing interest in acquiring him.
Scotto offers a few more interesting tidbits sprinkled among his advice for 2019:
- The Mavericks have expressed interest in trading for Wizards forward Otto Porter. Washington faces luxury tax concerns this season and beyond and will owe Porter nearly $56MM over the next two years if he exercises his player option for 2020/21. Porter’s production has declined in his sixth season, and the Wizards may concentrate on fixing their long-term salary structure after John Wall elected to have heel surgery that will sideline him for six to eight months.
- After losing out on the Jimmy Butler sweepstakes, the Rockets have continued to search for a defensive-minded wing who can hit 3-pointers. Among the players they called about is Justin Holiday, who is averaging 11.8 PPG with the Bulls and ranks eighth in the league in made threes with 96. Holiday has an expiring $4.4MM deal, so he would be a low-cost option for any contender. Houston is also looking for a rim protector to back up Clint Capela.
- The Timberwolves tried again to find a taker for center Gorgui Dieng, who has become a little-used reserve, playing just 13.7 minutes per night. Minnesota attempted to unload Dieng, who is owed about $33.5MM over the next two seasons, in Butler trade talks but couldn’t find anyone willing to take on that salary.
- D’Angelo Russell‘s friendship with Suns star Devin Booker may make him an option for Phoenix. Russell is headed for restricted free agency this summer and the Suns need a long-term solution at point guard. The extension the Nets gave to Spencer Dinwiddie could make them reluctant to invest heavily in Russell.