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Jazz’s John Collins Reportedly On Trade Block

December 14th, 2023 at 3:24pm CST by Rory Maher

The Jazz are open to trading forward John Collins, a team source tells Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune (subscriber link).

The news is somewhat surprising, since Utah just traded for Collins in July. Still, the Jazz only gave up a second-round pick to acquire the 26-year-old, who was essentially salary dumped by the Hawks after being involved in rumors for years.

As Larsen explains, the Jazz have been “frustrated” by Collins’ “slow uptake” on learning the team’s system on both offense and defense. He also has the worst net rating differential on the team (minus-11.8), and hasn’t provided much beyond his solid shooting and rebounding, says Larsen.

However, Collins’ “iffy” performance early in 2023/24 — plus the $77MM he’s owed over the next three years — could make it difficult for the Jazz to find a trade partner, according to Larsen. Utah acquired the seven-year veteran to either have him as long-term piece or to flip him in the future for a positive return. Both of those scenarios seem unlikely at this point.

Here are a few more Jazz notes and rumors from Larsen:

Aside from Collins, guards Jordan Clarkson and Collin Sexton are also in Larsen’s “more likely to be traded” category, and he notes that a previous report from Michael Scotto of HoopsHype indicated that Talen Horton-Tucker and Kelly Olynyk could be on the trade block too. Clarkson, Sexton and Horton-Tucker are all guards who “have had a penchant for over-dribbling, turnovers, and poor shot selection” in ’23/24, Larsen writes. Utah likes Sexton’s intensity and effort, but is looking for long-term backcourt members “who are more natural play-makers or have more defensive size.”
Scotto reported that the Jazz could be in the market for a veteran point guard, but Larsen hears they’d only be interested if the price is right. The team’s disappointing start will likely have the front office prioritizing the future over a big win-now splash unless a superstar becomes available, per Larsen.
The Jazz are unlikely to trade for Bulls guard Zach LaVine “unless it comes at a bargain-basement price,” the source tells Larsen.
As for the players the team wants to keep, that group features Lauri Markkanen, Keyonte George, Taylor Hendricks, Walker Kessler and Ochai Agbaji, according to Larsen. Hendricks was selected ninth overall in June’s draft, but has spent most of the season in the G League. However, the Jazz are strong believers in his potential, and declined “an otherwise promising trade opportunity” involving Hendricks over the summer, Larsen reports.

Warriors, Knicks, Lakers Top Latest NBA Franchise Valuations

December 13th, 2023 at 2:06pm CST by Luke Adams

The Warriors remain the NBA’s most valuable team, according to Kurt Badenhausen of Sportico (subscription required), who unveiled the website’s updated NBA franchise valuations for 2023 on Wednesday.

Badenhausen projects the Warriors’ value at $8.28 billion, making them one of three teams to surpass the $7 billion mark this year. The Knicks have a projected worth of $7.43 billion, while the Lakers come in at $7.34 billion, per Sportico.

As Badenhausen details, Sportico spoke to more than 30 team executives, owners, investors, bankers, consultants, and lawyers in compiling their latest NBA franchise valuations. According to Sportico, the average value of an NBA team is up 33% from a year ago and 70% from when the site first started publishing valuations three years ago.

A combination of factors are contributing to the soaring value of NBA franchises, says Baudenhausen. Those factors include national media deals, international opportunities, scarcity (ie. only 30 teams are available), and an equal 1/30th stake in the league.

In the past, we’ve used Forbes as our primary source for NBA franchise valuations, but with Badenhausen making the move from Forbes to Sportico in recent years and the outlet establishing itself as a go-to resource for sports business news, we’re highlighting Sportico’s projections in 2023.

Of course, it’s worth noting that figures from Sportico, Forbes, or any other media outlet are just estimates and often don’t quite match up with the sale prices for franchises that change hands. But thse projections are usually in the right ballpark and remain useful for getting a sense of the league’s most and least valuable teams.

Here’s Sportico’s full list of NBA franchise valuations for 2023:

Golden State Warriors: $8.28 billion
New York Knicks: $7.43 billion
Los Angeles Lakers: $7.34 billion
Boston Celtics: $5.12 billion
Chicago Bulls: $4.83 billion
Los Angeles Clippers: $4.56 billion
Miami Heat: $4.17 billion
Philadelphia 76ers: $4.13 billion
Toronto Raptors: $4.11 billion
Houston Rockets: $4.05 billion
Dallas Mavericks: $4.03 billion
Phoenix Suns: $4 billion
Brooklyn Nets: $3.98 billion
Sacramento Kings: $3.46 billion
Denver Nuggets: $3.4 billion
Atlanta Hawks: $3.35 billion
Washington Wizards: $3.33 billion
San Antonio Spurs: $3.29 billion
Portland Trail Blazers: $3.28 billion
Indiana Pacers: $3.27 billion
Utah Jazz: $3.24 billion
Cleveland Cavaliers: $3.22 billion
Milwaukee Bucks: $3.2 billion
Orlando Magic: $3.12 billion
Detroit Pistons: $3.1 billion
Oklahoma City Thunder: $3.08 billion
Charlotte Hornets: $3 billion
Minnesota Timberwolves: $2.94 billion
Memphis Grizzlies: $2.82 billion
New Orleans Pelicans: $2.72 billion

For the most part, the most significant valuation increases (by percentage) within the last year belonged to the teams on the bottom half of this list. Besides the Bucks, whose projection rose by 32%, every franchise in the bottom 10 received at least a 50% bump from Sportico’s 2022 valuations.

The Nuggets, who cracked the top half of this list following their 2023 championship, were another big riser — their valuation increased by 60% and they moved up six spots.

It’s worth noting that the Mavericks‘ reported valuation in Mark Cuban‘s sale to the Adelson and Dumont families reportedly came in around $3.5 billion, well below Sportico’s valuation.

However, more recent reporting has suggested the final valuation will be closer to $4 billion when the transaction closes. That was also a unique situation since Cuban is retaining control of basketball operations as part of the sale agreement, despite surrendering majority control of the business. He’ll hang onto about 25% of the franchise, according to Sportico.

And-Ones: IST, 2024 Draft, Team USA, Trade Candidates

December 12th, 2023 at 11:12am CST by Luke Adams

The final of the NBA’s first in-season tournament on Saturday night was the league’s most-watched regular season game (besides Christmas Day games) on any network in nearly six years, according to a press release.

The broadcast of the Lakers‘ victory over the Pacers averaged 4.58 million viewers, peaking at 5.68 viewers. No regular season broadcast has achieved those heights since February of 2018. The audience for Saturday’s final also represented a 64% increase over the average viewership for last season’s prime-time Saturday games on ABC.

While it was already a lock that the in-season tournament wouldn’t be a one-off and that we’d see it again next season, those television ratings are more evidence that the event accomplished what the NBA wanted it to.

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

In their latest 2024 NBA draft notebook, ESPN’s Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo (Insider link) take a closer look at several prospects, considering whether there will be roles in the NBA for traditional big man Zach Edey and defensive specialist Ryan Dunn, examining the rise of Colorado’s Cody Williams to No. 4 on their big board, and evaluating Bronny James‘ USC debut. James already looks like USC’s best defender but is a work in progress offensively, says Givony.
The U.S. men’s national team will face South Sudan on July 20 and Germany on July 22 at London’s O2 Arena ahead of the 2024 Olympics in Paris, USA Basketball announced today in a press release. South Sudan’s team earned its first-ever Olympic berth earlier this year, while the Germans won the 2023 World Cup, knocking off Team USA in the semifinals.
In the latest HoopsHype podcast, Michael Scotto and Yossi Gozlan identified and discussed several possible trade candidates who will become eligible to be dealt as of December 15, including multiple Lakers, Rockets, and Bulls players. Several of the names on their list – such as D’Angelo Russell, Jock Landale, and Caris LeVert – were ones we singled out in our most recent article for Trade Rumors Front Office subscribers.

Bulls, DeRozan “Far Apart” On Contract Extension

December 11th, 2023 at 8:16pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Bulls and veteran wing DeMar DeRozan are far apart on a potential contract extension, according to Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report (video link).

DeRozan is in the final season of a three-year, $81.9MM contract. He’s making $28.6MM this season and will be an unrestricted free agent if he doesn’t ink an extension.

Chicago was in a similar situation with center Nikola Vucevic last season but wound up re-signing him to a three-year, $60MM deal just before free agency.

However, Haynes’ sources said it’s unlikely that will occur with DeRozan. A more probable scenario is that they’ll look to move him rather than risk losing their leading scorer without getting some assets back for him.

“I was told that if DeRozan and the Bulls, if they cannot reach a contract extension, it is pretty likely that the Bulls may look to move DeMar DeRozan at the trade deadline,” Haynes said. “I don’t think the Bulls want to be put in a situation where DeMar DeRozan can walk in free agency and they get nothing in return.”

Haynes stressed that the Bulls aren’t currently shopping DeRozan, who is averaging 21.8 points, 5.0 assists and 3.8 rebounds per night. His shooting averages are down, compared to the last two seasons.

He posted averages of 24.5 points, 5.1 assists and 4.6 rebounds last season while shooting 50.45 from the field. He’s made 44.2% of his field-goal attempts through Chicago’s first 21 games this season.

The Heat and Knicks are among the teams that have previously been named as destinations that would appeal to DeRozan. The Lakers have also been thrown into the mix as a possible suitor.

At the start of the season, DeRozan said he wasn’t the type of player who pushes for a trade: “I feel like I wouldn’t be able to lay down comfortably if I went somewhere and said, ‘(Expletive) trade me. I’m tired of this.’ That’s just not me. I’m going to compete, be the best version I can be and let it go from there.”

Charania’s Latest: Siakam, Bulls, Tucker, Vincent, Morant, Grizzlies

December 11th, 2023 at 11:02am CST by Arthur Hill

Rival teams believe Pascal Siakam is the most likely player to be traded if the Raptors decide to break up their core, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Charania identifies the Hawks, Kings and Pacers as “expected suitors” for either Siakam or OG Anunoby. Atlanta had “intense conversations” with Toronto during the offseason about a potential Siakam deal, and Sacramento and Indiana have both reached out to the Raptors about his availability over the past year, according to Charania. However, he adds that the Kings are becoming more confident that they can develop into a contender with their current roster and may be less likely to pursue a major trade.

Both players are headed toward free agency next summer, with Siakam on a $37.9MM expiring contract and Anunoby holding a $19.9MM player option for 2024/25 that he’s virtually certain to decline. Toronto’s front office might be more aggressive about seeking a trade after losing free agent Fred VanVleet this offseason, but a rival executive tells Charania to expect “a game of chicken” from the Raptors all the way to the deadline.

Charania offers an inside look at several other teams:

The Bulls have won four straight games without Zach LaVine, but his injury setback is expected to slow down any progress toward a trade. Charania identifies the Lakers and Sixers as potential destinations, but adds that both teams are being patient while considering their options. Several teams have called about Alex Caruso, league sources tell Charania, but Chicago’s front office has no interest in moving him.
P.J. Tucker is unhappy with his current situation, and the Clippers are working with him to resolve it, either by giving him a larger role or moving him elsewhere, according to Charania. Tucker, who came to L.A. in the James Harden trade, hasn’t played since November 27 and is mainly serving as a mentor to the team’s younger players. Charania hears that multiple contenders are keeping an eye on Tucker’s potential availability.
The Lakers could have Gabe Vincent back on the court by next Monday, sources tell Charania. After signing as a free agent this summer, Vincent has been dealing with a left knee effusion that has limited him to four games.
Grizzlies guard Ja Morant “looks good” as he prepares to return from his suspension, according to Charania’s sources. Commissioner Adam Silver said over the weekend that Morant “has complied with everything he’s been asked to do.” He could be cleared to return as early as December 19 for a game at New Orleans.
The Grizzlies will have to remove someone from their roster when Morant is reinstated, and they would prefer to keep veteran center Bismack Biyombo, according to Charania. Memphis signed Biyombo to a one-year, $5MM contract after an injury sidelined Steven Adams for the season, and he has been a capable fill-in, averaging 6.1 points, 7.0 rebounds and 1.25 blocks in 15 games. Sources tell Charania that Memphis has been active in trade talks around the league involving other players on its roster.

Lakers Notes: Tournament, Trade Rumors, Russell, LeBron

December 9th, 2023 at 6:25pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Lakers blitzed most of their competition on the way to the finals of the in-season tournament, but they haven’t encountered an offense on the level of the Pacers, whom they’ll face in tonight’s title game, writes Khobi Price of The Orange County Register. Indiana has scored 122 and 128 points in its two knockout-round contests, pushing the ball repeatedly and relying heavily on three-point shooting.

“Their pace of play is second to none,” Austin Reaves said. “They score a lot of points and are very capable of going on quick runs just with the way they shoot the ball and the way they play. Being able to transition or not – honestly, they kind of make it all transition; even if you make a shot, they get it out of the net real quick. Just being able to focus on kind of building a wall and trying to stop that.”

It’s a sharp contrast with the Lakers, who are an older team with plenty of size to overpower opponents. Price notes that the Pacers tend to allow a lot of shots in the paint and are prone to foul trouble, and coach Darvin Ham said it’s important to not let Indiana dictate the style of play.

“We can’t get so caught up in trying to stop and prevent them from doing what they like to do,” Ham said. “We will, but we also can’t forget to enforce our will upon the game, too. They have to guard us, too. Coming out with an aggressive mindset will definitely be the first and foremost thing that we do.”

There’s more on the Lakers:

The front office wants to see the full team in action for a while before getting serious about trade talks, sources tell Zach Lowe of ESPN. Jarred Vanderbilt, Cam Reddish and Rui Hachimura all returned from injuries within the past week, and Gabe Vincent remains sidelined with a left knee issue. Any deals likely won’t happen until after January 15, Lowe adds, when the last of the team’s offseason free agent signees will become eligible to be moved. L.A. has been mentioned as a possible destination for the Bulls’ Zach LaVine, but Lowe hears that management is reluctant to downgrade the team’s defense to improve its offense.
D’Angelo Russell tells Chris Haynes of TNT and Bleacher Report (video link) that the in-season tournament is providing a “cheat code” to prepare for the playoffs, saying it has a “second-round, third-round type of feel.”
In an interview with Sirius XM NBA Radio (Twitter link), Ham touts LeBron James as the front-runner for this season’s MVP honors (hat tip to Bleacher Report). “He’s spearheaded everything you see going on with our team,” Ham said. “The numbers he’s putting up. He’s impacting winning. The numbers when he’s on the floor as opposed to when he’s off the floor. … I think it’s a no-brainer.”

Bulls Notes: LaVine, Caruso, Young Players, White

December 9th, 2023 at 11:07am CST by Luke Adams

Speaking on Thursday to reporters, including K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago, Bulls guard Zach LaVine said he had originally hoped to return to action on Wednesday or Friday, but his injured foot didn’t respond well when he attempted to ramp up his work, so he and the team decided to take a more cautious approach. The Bulls ruled out LaVine for an additional three or four weeks and he received a PRP (platelet-rich plasma) injection.

“I’ve been trying to train and do active rehab to get back out there. That didn’t work,” LaVine said. “It had a little bit of a—I don’t want to say setback—but it got more sore to where it didn’t make sense to try to play on it continuously. Rest for a little bit. Get some PRP. Hopefully that will do some good things for it. Continue to promote that healing and check back in a week or two and see where you’re at.”

LaVine added that his absence has “nothing to do” with the trade speculation swirling around him and that he’s been happy to see the team string together some wins without him. He’s hoping that success continues and that he’s able to contribute to it once he returns.

“Am I still a part of this team and very committed? Yeah. I got a Bulls jersey on. I committed here. And for as long as I’ll be here, I’ll still support and love Chicago and go out there and play my heart out for those guys. That’s never going to change,” he said. “There’s going to be different stories and narratives. And there’s going to be off-the-court stuff that’s going to be dealt with. For me, as long as I’m here with a Bulls jersey on, I’m going to play as hard as I can for my teammates and continue to be the best player and teammate I can be. Simple as that.”

Here’s more on the suddenly surging Bulls:

The Bulls won a fourth consecutive game on Friday night, defeating the Spurs in San Antonio, but Alex Caruso left the game in the fourth quarter due to a left ankle injury and didn’t return, Johnson notes for NBC Sports Chicago. The severity of that injury is to be determined, but Caruso had to be helped to the locker room by the team’s training staff.
Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic takes a look at some of the young players who are getting more opportunities with LaVine sidelined, including guards Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu.
Despite the Bulls’ four-game winning streak since LaVine went down, no one in the locker room is suggesting the team is better without the two-time All-Star, writes Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. “It’s hard to replace the talent that Zach has out there on the court with one person,” Caruso said. “We’ve done a good job of playing-by-committee. It’s also a different look when (LaVine’s) not out there compared to when he is, but I’ve played in plenty of games with him now, nearly two-and-a-half years, and when he’s locked in and playing good we’re a really good basketball team.”
In a separate story for the Chicago Sun-Times, Cowley examines how White has responded to outside criticism – including from Cowley himself – and has continued to make major strides, proving those critics wrong. “I know what you said, others have said,” White told the Sun-Times. “I feel like I’ve got thick skin, but the main thing for me is I wanted to pay attention to it just so I can feel it. Feel it for me, and then to get through it. … You know what, sometimes people on the internet or the media, you guys, you speak the truth. There were times I would look at it and say, ‘I got to get better at this, he’s right. I’ve got to fix this.’ I never tried to shy away from any of it because that’s not my personality. You have to look at it all head on, take it for what it is, not let it define you, but use it.”

Knicks Notes: Trade Rumors, Towns, Quickley, Grades

December 8th, 2023 at 11:04am CST by Luke Adams

Although the Knicks have conveyed to potential trade partners that they want to acquire a star, they don’t expect one to become available during the 2023/24 season, Fred Katz writes for The Athletic.

Katz, like Ian Begley of SNY.tv, has heard from league sources that New York hasn’t expressed any serious interest in Bulls scorers Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan, who are presumably a tier or two below the level of player the Knicks would ideally like to land in any major trade. Sixers center Joel Embiid is one example of the kind of star who would interest New York’s front office, but Philadelphia’s success this season has reduced the likelihood that the Knicks will get a chance to make a play for Embiid anytime soon, Katz notes.

At this time last year, the Knicks had already been in touch with some teams to gauge Immanuel Quickley‘s potential trade value, but things have been quiet so far this season, Katz continues. Still, some people within the Knicks’ front office believe a “too-many-guys situation could be brewing,” sources tell The Athletic, so a consolidation trade at some point this season is a possibility.

Here’s more on the Knicks, including some additional trade-related chatter from Katz:

The Knicks checked in on Karl-Anthony Towns earlier this season, but didn’t make an offer for the Timberwolves big man and haven’t made a “serious run” at him in recent years, Katz writes. Towns has frequently been cited as a possible trade target for the Knicks due to his connections to executives Leon Rose (a former CAA agent) and Gersson Rosas (Minnesota’s former head of basketball operations), but the Wolves are off to a 16-4 start and presumably won’t be looking to make significant roster changes.
Teams around the NBA are curious to see how the Knicks will handle Quickley, who will be a restricted free agent in 2024, says Katz. According to Begley, when Quickley and the Knicks talked about a rookie scale extension prior to the season, the two sides couldn’t agree on the structure of a potential deal. They didn’t discuss incentives, but at least one offer made by New York included a team option on the final season, Begley adds. Just two of the 14 players who signed rookie scale extensions this year – Isaiah Stewart and Cole Anthony – agreed to deals that included team options.
Stefan Bondy of The New York Post (subscription required) hands out his grades for the first quarter of the 2023/24 season, awarding Jalen Brunson an A and giving both Quickley and Julius Randle a B-plus. Josh Hart (C-minus) and Quentin Grimes (D-minus), who have voiced concerns about their respective roles, didn’t fare as well.

Sixers Notes: Oubre, Trade Market, Embiid, Rivers

December 7th, 2023 at 12:58pm CST by Arthur Hill

Sixers coach Nick Nurse admitted to being concerned about Kelly Oubre Wednesday night in his first game since suffering a fractured rib and other injuries in a car accident, writes Gina Mizell of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Oubre wasn’t sharp during his first five-minute stint off the bench, but he looked much better when he returned to the game in the second half, finishing with 12 points and three rebounds in 19 minutes.

“It’s a blessing, man,” Oubre said. “I’ve been on the couch and in rehab facilities and things like that this past month, so it feels amazing. And especially coming off of something pretty crazy in my life, to play basketball, it brings everything home. This is what I do. It’s what I love to do, and I’m going to smile doing something that I love.”

It had been 24 days since Oubre was injured by a hit-and-run driver in his Philadelphia neighborhood. He said “adrenaline kind of took over” during the game, so he wasn’t in any pain. He also declined to answer a question about the rest of his recovery process, telling reporters, “I just want to play basketball.”

“Just continue to gain coach’s trust,” Oubre said. “And just show that I’m able to be in there in big moments, and just stay out there and just continue to compete with the guys.”

There’s more on the Sixers:

President of basketball operations Daryl Morey should be searching for someone to upgrade the defense, but adding another star who needs the ball in his hands could disrupt the team’s chemistry, contends Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Pompey believes Morey should make a strong play for Raptors forward OG Anunoby or Bulls guard Alex Caruso if they become available, but he doesn’t see the need for a more ball-dominant player like Pascal Siakam or Zach LaVine. Pompey points out that the Sixers have plenty of depth since the James Harden trade, and Oubre’s return gives them 13 players worthy of regular minutes.
Joel Embiid didn’t look like someone recovering from an illness as he poured in 50 points Wednesday night, but he told reporters he still wasn’t 100% after missing the previous two games, according to Noah Levick of NBC Sports Philadelphia. “Man, my chest was hurting,” Embiid said. “I was pretty much struggling. But I’m much better than I was; it was pretty bad. I would imagine the last two games (out) were really helpful because in the first practice, I could not go up and down more than twice. And then yesterday, it was much better. (Tonight) in the second half I started feeling much better. So I would imagine that tomorrow, I’ll get on the floor again and push myself. And then Friday, I would imagine that I’ll feel good.”
Appearing on ESPN’s First Take (video link), Austin Rivers commented on the Sixers’ firing of his father, Doc Rivers, following last season’s playoffs, saying, “They did my pops dirty.”

New York Notes: LaVine, DeRozan, Bogdanovic, Dinwiddie, DSJ

December 7th, 2023 at 9:17am CST by Arthur Hill

The Knicks are searching for ways to upgrade their roster, but they haven’t engaged in serious trade talks with the Bulls about Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan or any other players, sources tell Ian Begley of SNY.tv. New York has been floated as a potential suitor for LaVine and reportedly explored a possible deal with Chicago prior to last season’s deadline. The Bulls are hoping to find a taker for LaVine, but his latest injury setback should cool any interest around the league, at least for a while.

Bojan Bogdanovic has also been a target for the Knicks in the past, but Begley’s sources say Detroit isn’t looking to move him right now. Bogdanovic recently returned from a calf strain, and the Pistons hope he can help snap an 18-game losing streak and get them heading in the right direction before considering any deals.

There’s more from New York City:

Recent frustration expressed by Knicks guards Josh Hart and Quentin Grimes is the result of a poorly constructed roster with too many redundant players, contends Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. Bondy points out that team president Leon Rose created a roster imbalance this summer when he traded power forward Obi Toppin to Indiana for virtually nothing and signed shooting guard Donte DiVincenzo. The move gave New York too many guards and wings, without enough playing time to keep them all satisfied. Grimes is unhappy about losing minutes to DiVincenzo, but Bondy notes that the same situation occurred last year when Evan Fournier was replaced by Grimes. Bondy’s solution is to either move Grimes to the second unit, which would give him more play-making duties, or to balance the roster with a long-rumored trade for another star.
Spencer Dinwiddie has been willing to adapt his role amid heavy injuries to the Nets‘ backcourt, notes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Ben Simmons, Dennis Smith Jr., Cam Thomas and Lonnie Walker have all missed time already, forcing Dinwiddie to spend more time running the offense, and he has posted one of the best assist-to-turnover ratios in the league. Dinwiddie will be a free agent next summer, and Lewis says there’s a belief in league circles that his next contract could top the $81MM over four years that Hart received from the Knicks.
Smith, who refers to himself as “a savage,” has been showing why the Nets were so determined to add him in free agency, observes CJ Holmes of The New York Daily News. Smith returned Saturday after missing six games with a lower back sprain, adding another level of toughness to Brooklyn’s scrappy lineup.