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Injury Updates: Giannis, Simmons, Bagley, Oubre, Robinson

February 24th, 2023 at 9:11pm CST by Rory Maher

Star big man Giannis Antetokounmpo was upgraded from doubtful to questionable to available for Friday’s game against Miami after dealing with a right wrist sprain, but unfortunately he knocked knees (right) with an opponent and the Bucks ruled out him for the remainder of the contest, tweets Jim Owczarski of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

It’s unclear when the injury occurred, but Antetokounmpo signaled for coach Mike Budenholzer to call a timeout and limped slightly to the locker room, per Bally Sports Wisconsin (Twitter video link). Budenholzer didn’t have an update on Giannis’ status after Milwaukee’s win, according to Eric Nehm of The Athletic (Twitter link).

Here are some more injury updates from around the NBA:

Nets swingman Ben Simmons was dealing with left knee soreness prior to the All-Star break and spent the break rehabbing, but he’s still in pain and will be reevaluated in about a week, as Brian Lewis of The New York Post writes. “I had it drained right before All-Star. I also had a PRP (injection),” Simmons said. “It’s frustrating, but it’s something that’s an injury I’ve never dealt with before. So it’s something I’m learning about, that we’re learning about.” Simmons added that he hasn’t been 100 percent the entire season and he’s on a strength program for the knee.
Pistons rookie center Jalen Duren will be sidelined Saturday versus Toronto with bilateral ankle soreness, but Marvin Bagley III is probable after recovering from right hand surgery (Twitter link via Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press). Bagley has missed the past 20 games. The former second overall pick is averaging 10.6 points and 5.9 rebounds in 25 games this season.
Similarly, wing Kelly Oubre returned to action Friday after being sidelined due to hand surgery, per the Hornets (Twitter link). Oubre, who was thought to be a trade candidate given he’s on an expiring contract, previously talked about wanting to remain with Charlotte, which ultimately came to fruition. He last played on December 29.
Knicks center Mitchell Robinson made his return to the starting lineup for Friday’s victory over the Wizards, New York announced (via Twitter). The news was expected, as head coach Tom Thibodeau recently said Robinson had practiced 5-on-5 with no issues. The fifth-year big man has been dealing with a fractured thumb. “I mean, playing basketball and then just running up and down the court, big difference. Big difference,” Robinson said of his condition level after the game (Twitter link via Fred Katz of The Athletic). The 24-year-old played nearly 28 minutes, scoring 10 points and pulling down 12 rebounds.

Hornets RFA Miles Bridges Says He Might Return Next Month

February 21st, 2023 at 10:09pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Restricted free agent Miles Bridges could return to the Hornets next month, he told Larry Lage of The Associated Press.

“It’s been a long process,” Bridges said. “I might be back in March.”

Bridges was in attendance at Michigan State’s home game against Indiana on Tuesday night. Bridges played his college ball with the Spartans.

However, there’s still a strong possibility Bridges won’t suit up this season. He could face disciplinary action from the league, which is conducting an investigation into Bridges’ conduct.

He was arrested and charged with felony domestic abuse just days before he entered restricted free agency last summer. He was accused of assaulting his then-girlfriend in front of their two children.

Bridges ultimately worked out a plea deal with prosecutors in Los Angeles County, agreeing to plead no contest to one charge of felony domestic violence while two child abuse counts were dismissed. The 24-year-old avoided jail time by accepting three years of probation. He was ordered to attend a year’s worth of domestic violence counseling sessions and parenting classes in addition to completing 100 hours of community service.

The Hornets denied last month they were engaged in negotiations with Bridges. President of basketball operations Mitch Kupchak said this month that the franchise will still awaiting the league’s decision.

“I don’t know when the investigation is going to end,” Kupchak said. “When the investigation ends, we will have more information and we’ll go from there.”

Roster Moves Required Soon For Knicks, Hornets, Rockets, Jazz

February 21st, 2023 at 7:34am CST by Luke Adams

The NBA’s rules require teams to carry a minimum of 14 players on their standard 15-man roster (not counting two-way contracts). However, teams are permitted to dip below 14 players for up to two weeks at a time, and that often happens around the trade deadline when clubs send out multiple players in a deal without acquiring as many in return.

Entering this week, there were six NBA teams who were carrying only 13 players on standard contracts. However, the Heat filled their two open roster spots by signing Kevin Love and Cody Zeller, while the Bucks are reportedly signing Meyers Leonard to a 10-day contract to be their 14th man (they’ll have to finalize that deal by Thursday).

That leaves four teams with roster moves to make in the coming days, as our roster counts page shows. Here’s the breakdown:

New York Knicks

The Knicks had a full 15-man roster heading into trade deadline day, but they sent out three players – Cam Reddish, Ryan Arcidiacono, and Svi Mykhailiuk – in the multi-team deal that landed Josh Hart in New York.

As a result, the Knicks have been carrying just 13 players on standard contracts since February 9 and will have until this Thursday to add at least one player to their roster. Two-way player DaQuan Jeffries has been mentioned as a candidate for a possible promotion.

Charlotte Hornets

The Hornets didn’t make any mismatched trades at the February 9 deadline, but they already had one open roster spot at that time and created another when they bought out Reggie Jackson after acquiring him from the Clippers.

Since Jackson was officially waived on February 12, the Hornets’ two-week window to add a 14th man will close on Feb. 26, so they still have a few days to make a decision on that spot. Promoting a two-way player (Theo Maledon or Bryce McGowens) is one option for Charlotte, though the team could also target a free agent for either a 10-day or rest-of-season contract.

Houston Rockets

The Rockets made a series of cuts after the trade deadline passed, waiving John Wall and buying out Danny Green and Justin Holiday. They did sign Boban Marjanovic during that time as well, so they only have two openings on their roster, rather than three. But they’ll have to add a 14th man by February 27, two weeks after Holiday was officially cut.

Again, the Rockets could choose to promote a two-way player, but Darius Days or Trevor Hudgins have barely played at the NBA level this season, so it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Houston opt for a free agent or a G League call-up instead.

Utah Jazz

The Jazz had a full roster entering February 9, but traded four players for three in their deal with the Lakers and Timberwolves. They subsequently created two more roster openings by buying out Leandro Bolmaro (on Feb. 16) and Russell Westbrook (on Monday).

Because they first dipped below the 14-man minimum last Thursday, Utah will have until next Thursday (March 2) to add two players.

The 29-31 Jazz remain very much in the play-in mix, just a half-game behind the No. 10 Thunder, so it’s possible they could have interest in a veteran who could contribute immediately.

On the other hand, the Jazz’s deadline moves suggested management wasn’t focused on going all-out for a top-10 seed, so they may rather bring in young players they could develop — Utah could potentially sign those players to multiyear contracts that aren’t guaranteed beyond this season, allowing the team to take cheap fliers on a couple prospects.

[Note: The Jazz reached agreements to sign Frank Jackson and Kris Dunn to 10-day contracts a few hours after this story was published.]

Reggie Jackson Signs With Nuggets

February 14th, 2023 at 11:02pm CST by Arthur Hill

FEBRUARY 14: Jackson has signed with the Nuggets, the team tweets.

FEBRUARY 11: Former Clippers guard Reggie Jackson is finalizing a buyout agreement with the Hornets and intends to sign with the Nuggets after clearing waivers, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Denver had been hoping to land the 32-year-old guard, who was traded to Charlotte on Thursday, but wasn’t required to report to the team. The Nuggets have an opening in their backcourt after sending Bones Hyland to the Clippers in a four-team deal. The Suns also were reported to be heavily interested in Jackson as a buyout candidate.

Denver has an open roster spot, so Jackson can be added without making another move.

Jackson has strong ties to Colorado, notes Harrison Wind of DNVR (Twitter link). He was named Mr. Colorado Basketball as a high school player in 2008 and always has a large cheering section of family and friends whenever he plays in Denver.

Jackson spent the past four years with the Clippers and was the team’s starter at point guard last season. He was taken out of that role this year and saw his playing time cut to 25.7 minutes per night in 52 games.

Assuming Jackson winds up in Denver, other teams in need of a point guard will have to look elsewhere. Russell Westbrook, Patrick Beverley and John Wall are among the players traded this week who are considered strong candidates to become free agents soon.

Those players – and any other buyout candidates – must be waived by March 1 to be eligible for the playoffs with their new teams.

Rozier Tries To Stay Positive During Tough Season

February 14th, 2023 at 6:54pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Despite being involved in a series of trade rumors leading up to last week’s deadline, Hornets guard Terry Rozier stayed put in Charlotte. Now, he says he needs to set a good example for his young teammates for the rest of the season, he told Steve Bulpett of Heavy.com.

“It’s definitely been a tough season — for a lot of reasons. It can definitely get you down,” the Hornets guard said. “But I’ve got to make sure I’m setting the right example. There’s a lot of young guys here, and they’re looking to the veterans. I can’t let the disappointment show. It’s easy at this point in the season, with all the injuries that we’ve had and the record what it is because of that, and All-Star break coming up, it’s easy to give in and have that look. But I’m trying to get better myself, too.”

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.

Reggie Jackson Won't Report To Charlotte; Svi Mykhailiuk Thought He Was Going To Portland

February 11th, 2023 at 7:10pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Hawks believe they improved their rotation at the deadline, assuming one of their deals goes through, writes Lauren Williams of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The team is still waiting to find out if it will add Saddiq Bey, who was acquired from the Pistons in a four-team trade that’s still pending after Gary Payton II failed his physical with the Warriors. Golden State has until Sunday night to make a final decision.

Atlanta, which also added Bruno Fernando and Garrison Mathews in a separate trade with Houston, believes Bey can be part of its long-term future. The 23-year-old can play either forward spot and would add another dimension to the offense with his outside shooting.

“He was a starter for Detroit a couple years ago and this season, and some of last season he started to come off the bench,” Atlanta coach Nate McMillan said. “But he’s a guy who can put the ball in the basket, who can help spread the floor for you.”

There’s more from the Southeast Division:

Reggie Jackson and the Hornets have reached an agreement that he doesn’t have to report to the team, tweets Rod Boone of The Charlotte Observer. Boone adds that buyout talks are ongoing with Jackson, who was acquired from the Clippers on Thursday. The Suns and Nuggets are believed to be among the teams with the greatest interest in Jackson once he hits the open market.
Svi Mykhailiuk, whom the Hornets landed from the Knicks in a four-team trade, told reporters before Saturday’s game that he originally believed he was heading to the Trail Blazers in the deal, Boone relays (via Twitter). Mykhailiuk’s agent informed him about an hour before the deadline that he was going to Charlotte.
The Magic have more roster and salary cap flexibility after sending center Mohamed Bamba to the Lakers on Thursday, notes Khobi Price of The Orlando Sentinel. Orlando selected Bamba with the sixth pick in the 2018 draft, but he fell out of the rotation and didn’t appear to have a future with the team. Bamba began the season as the primary backup to Wendell Carter Jr., but Moritz Wagner has taken over that role. The Magic wanted to ship Bamba to a team where he’s likely to play more often and were happy to get a future second-round pick in return, according to Price, who hears from league sources that the Clippers, Raptors and Celtics also expressed interest.

Hornets Notes: Deadline Deals, 2023 FAs, Bridges, Rozier, Hayward

February 11th, 2023 at 3:59pm CST by Luke Adams

The fact that both Jalen McDaniels and Mason Plumlee were on track for unrestricted free agency this summer was a major factor in the Hornets‘ decision to trade them at Thursday’s deadline and get what draft assets they could for the duo, president of basketball operations Mitch Kupchak said on Friday, per Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer.

“You don’t know what their value is going to be (in free agency),” Kupchak said. “They are both having great years. You don’t know what the market is going to look like (and) we have a bunch of other players that are also going to be free agents. So, something I’ve learned is you can’t pay everybody and these are hard decisions, especially Jalen.”

As Kupchak alludes to, other key Hornets players who are headed for free agency include forward P.J. Washington, wing Kelly Oubre, and big man Nick Richards. According to Boone, re-signing Washington is a priority and the team would like to retain Oubre. A new deal for Richards will be on Charlotte’s radar too, so the idea of also re-signing both Plumlee and McDaniels didn’t make sense for a team hoping to maintain some cap flexibility.

“When I got to Charlotte, we had, I don’t know, four or five contracts that all went out three or four years,” Kupchak said. “And made it difficult for us to navigate and get through the first two or three years and kind of wean ourselves away from those contracts. We’ve got to be careful that we don’t put ourselves in that same situation.

“Is Jalen a starter if Gordon (Hayward) comes back and we are looking at a very attractive draft pick?”

Here’s more from Kupchak, via Boone:

Although the Hornets could create a significant chunk of cap room this summer, Kupchak says he doesn’t anticipate the club being especially active on the free agent market. “The way we are going to get better is through the draft and player development, and then if we get lucky make a couple of savvy trades,” he said. “Every now and then, you might be able to get into the free agency market and get a player. And I’m hopeful that down the road a little bit we can become a very attractive team, even for a small market, and maybe we can get a big fish. But right now, I don’t think that’s how we have to look at it.”
According to Boone, it looks like the Hornets are waiting for the NBA’s investigation into the Miles Bridges situation to be resolved before they engage in possible contract talks with him. Accused of domestic abuse, Bridges took a plea deal to avoid jail time, but could still face a lengthy suspension depending on the outcome of the NBA’s probe. “I don’t know when the investigation is going to end,” Kupchak said. “When the investigation ends, we will have more information and we’ll go from there.”
Kupchak didn’t explicitly deny that Terry Rozier and Hayward came up in trade talks, but he said the Hornets weren’t actively looking to move either player and recognized well in advance of the deadline that’s not the direction they’d go. The front office was reluctant to majorly reconfigure the roster due in part to how many injuries the club has endured this season. “We’ve got to be careful not to assume that what happened this year is a fair representation of what this team really is,” Kupchak said. “If we were healthy this season relatively, and our team was intact, and we had the season that we are having right now, then it’s something that maybe you’ve got to make a big move, I didn’t feel, we didn’t feel, that the way this season played out to date that this season was something we had to react quickly on.”

NBA Teams With Open Roster Spots

February 11th, 2023 at 1:00pm CST by Luke Adams

In the wake of Thursday’s trade deadline, several rosters around the NBA remain in flux. Some players will be waived or bought out in the coming days, while others will sign with new teams as free agents, either on 10-day contracts or rest-of-season deals.

With that in mind, we’re doing a Saturday afternoon check-in on open roster spots across the league. Given how much action we expect on the transaction wire in the coming days, it may not take long for this list to become outdated, but this is a snapshot of where things stand as of 1:00 pm Central time on February 11.

With the help of our roster counts page, which will continue to be updated for the rest of the season to account for each new transaction, here are the teams that currently have open roster spots:

Teams with two open roster spots:

Milwaukee Bucks
New York Knicks
Phoenix Suns

These three teams all sent out more players than they received in trade-deadline deals and are carrying just 13 players apiece on standard contracts.

Technically, NBA teams are required to carry a minimum of 14 players on standard contracts, but they’re allowed to dip to 13 for up to two weeks at a time, so these clubs will have until February 23 to fill at least one of their two openings.

Teams with one open roster spot:

Boston Celtics
Brooklyn Nets
Charlotte Hornets
- Note: The Hornets are reportedly likely to buy out Reggie Jackson, which would open up a second roster spot.
Cleveland Cavaliers
Denver Nuggets
Golden State Warriors
Los Angeles Clippers
Los Angeles Lakers
Miami Heat
- Note: The Heat’s 14th roster spot is occupied by Jamaree Bouyea, who is on a 10-day contract, so they’ll open up a second roster spot when his deal expires during the All-Star break.
Oklahoma City Thunder
- Note: The Thunder have a full 15-man roster, but one of their two-way contract slots is open.
Philadelphia 76ers
Utah Jazz

We’re still waiting to see which players are officially bought out, but more roster spots will open when those moves are completed. For instance, the Magic currently have a full 15-man roster, but would create two openings if they finalize buyouts for both Terrence Ross and Patrick Beverley — they’re said to be in talks with both players.

The Jazz would open up a second spot on their 15-man roster if they buy out Russell Westbrook.

The Rockets and Pacers currently have full 15-man rosters, but will create openings by officially waiving John Wall and Serge Ibaka, respectively. However, the expectation is that they’ll re-sign Boban Marjanovic and James Johnson, respectively, to fill those newly opened spots.

The Wizards are in a similar situation — they’re reportedly working on a buyout with Will Barton, but the expectation is that they’d use their 15th roster spot in that scenario to promote Jordan Goodwin from his two-way deal. That would create a two-way opening for the team.

Finally, while the Mavericks and Pistons technically have full rosters at this time, each team’s 15th man (Chris Silva for Dallas, Stanley Umude for Detroit) is in a 10-day contract, so they’re both in good position to open up a spot if they need it.

Scotto’s Latest: McDaniels, Hornets, G. Williams, Nuggets

February 11th, 2023 at 12:02pm CST by Luke Adams

Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels drew significant trade interest around the NBA ahead of Thursday’s deadline, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, who reports that about half of the league’s teams reached out to express interest in the 22-year-old.

However, after keeping him out of the Rudy Gobert blockbuster last summer, the Timberwolves continued to turn away inquiries on McDaniels. The front office views the third-year forward, who becomes extension-eligible during the coming offseason, as a member of the team’s core, Scotto writes.

McDaniels’ brother Jalen McDaniels was on the move this week, as the Hornets sent him to the Sixers in a four-team deal that also involved New York and Portland. According to Scotto, Charlotte was anticipating a strong free agent market for Jalen this offseason and was concerned about being outbid for the 25-year-old, who will be an unrestricted free agent.

After trading for him at the deadline, the Sixers are hoping to use their Bird rights on the older McDaniels brother to retain him, but they’ll face competition. League sources tell HoopsHype that the Jazz, Pacers, and Spurs are among the clubs expected to show interest in McDaniels in the summer.

Here’s more from Scotto:

With McDaniels no longer on the roster, the Hornets are prioritizing re-signing P.J. Washington this summer, as well as potentially negotiating a new deal with Miles Bridges, says Scotto.
The Celtics turned away multiple teams who expressed interest in trading for forward Grant Williams, Scotto reports. Clubs were interested in acquiring Williams ahead of his restricted free agency to secure his Bird rights, Scotto writes, adding that some executives around the NBA believe Boston will be hesitant to match an offer sheet exceeding $15MM+ per year for the forward this summer. The C’s never offered more than $50MM in guaranteed money over four years last fall when the two sides discussed an extension, Scotto notes.
Before sending him to the Clippers, the Nuggets discussed possible deals involving Bones Hyland with the Hornets (Jalen McDaniels), Timberwolves (Taurean Prince), and Knicks (Cam Reddish), according to Scotto.
In case you missed it, Scotto’s latest story for HoopsHype also included an interesting item on the Grizzlies’ offer for Mikal Bridges and some info on potential suitors for veteran wing Terrence Ross.