Dallas Mavericks Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Luka Doncic Out For Game 2

April 18th, 2022 at 6:00pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

APRIL 18: Doncic won’t play tonight, the team’s PR department tweets.

APRIL 17, 4:00pm: Dallas announced (Twitter link) that Doncic has indeed been listed as doubtful for Game 2. The team added that swingman Tim Hardaway Jr. and reserve guard Frank Ntilikina will remain sidelined as well.

APRIL 17, 1:34pm: Mavericks All-Star guard Luka Doncic appears doubtful to suit up for Dallas in Game 2 of the club’s second game against the Jazz Monday, per Adrian Wojnarowski and Tim MacMahon of ESPN.

Woj notes that Doncic is not officially sidelined yet, but it appears that his left calf strain is still affecting him enough that he may have to wait a bit longer to make his 2022 postseason debut. The fifth-seeded Jazz beat the fourth-seeded Mavericks 99-93 on Saturday, with Dallas down its best player.

“Yesterday was another good day, and today he’s back on the court [doing light shooting for two straight days], so that’s a plus,” head coach Jason Kidd said of the star’s progress back from the injury. “And we’ll see how he feels tomorrow.”

This report is not entirely unexpected, as Woj had previously indicated that there was “significant concern” Doncic would miss this second contest as he continues to rehab the calf. Falling down 2-0 at home to an experienced Jazz team, ahead of a road trip to Utah, would be quite the deficit for Dallas.

In 65 games for a 52-30 Mavericks club this season, Doncic averaged a stellar 28.4 PPG, 9.1 RPG and 8.7 APG on .457/.353/.744 shooting splits. The 23-year-old has made the playoffs for the third straight season, but has yet to lead his team beyond the first round.

Knicks Notes: Thibodeau, Brunson, Mitchell, L. Rose, Barrett

April 16th, 2022 at 9:39pm CST by Arthur Hill

Knicks president Leon Rose expressed his support for head coach Tom Thibodeau in a recent interview and he backed it up in a letter sent to season-ticket holders this week, writes Steve Popper of Newsday. There was reportedly some desire for a coaching change among the front office during the season, but Rose’s letter leaves no doubt that Thibodeau will return.

“Our coaching staff is at the heart of our young core’s development and confidence to compete at the highest level, as well as our vets’ ability to produce in their roles,” Rose wrote. “We have seen multiple players take leaps over the last two seasons under Coach Thibodeau’s tutelage and commitment to playing the right way.”

Thibodeau was named Coach of the Year in 2021 after leading the Knicks to a fourth-place finish in the Eastern Conference. Although the team fell out of the playoffs this year, it posted a 12-7 record to finish the season with several veteran players unavailable.

There’s more from New York:

The Knicks had a large contingent at today’s playoff game between the Mavericks and Jazz, according to Marc Berman of The New York Post. Executive vice president William Wesley was there, along with front office members Allan Houston and Makhtar N’diaye and the scouting staff. Julius Randle met the group as well. The Knicks are known to have interest in Dallas guard Jalen Brunson in free agency, and there have been reports that they would make a trade offer for Utah’s Donovan Mitchell if he ever becomes available.
Rose will likely make at least one significant move this summer to shake up the roster, Ian Begley of SNY.tv. predicts in a column for Yahoo Sports. Begley notes that owner James Dolan has given Rose the financial freedom to make whatever changes he believes are necessary, so it would look bad for Rose if next year’s roster is virtually the same.
It may be difficult for the Knicks to finalize a rookie-scale extension with RJ Barrett during the offseason, per Yossi Gozlan of HoopsHype. Barrett is eligible for a deal that would start around $37MM in the 2023/24 season. Gozlan believes the team will try to get him to take a starting salary in the $25MM range, similar to the extensions for Jaylen Brown and Jaren Jackson Jr. If Barrett doesn’t reach an agreement, he’ll be on track for restricted free agency next summer.

Luka Doncic Won’t Play In Game 1 Against Utah

April 16th, 2022 at 10:23am CST by Rory Maher

APRIL 16: Doncic is officially listed as out for Game 1 by the team’s PR department (Twitter link).

APRIL 15: Doncic will miss Game 1 and there’s “significant concern” about his availability for Game 2, reports Wojnarowski (via Twitter).

APRIL 14: Luka Doncic is expected to miss Game 1 of the Mavericks‘ playoff series against Utah on Saturday, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium (Twitter link).

A report on Wednesday indicated that there was “a lot of skepticism” that Doncic would be available for the opener after he suffered a left calf strain on Sunday in Dallas’ regular season finale. Muscle strains are notoriously tricky to deal with and there’s a risk that the star guard could further injure the calf if it’s not fully healed.

As ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski relayed on Wednesday, Doncic’s injury is “more than just a mild calf strain” and he might miss Game 2 on Monday as well. Game 3 starts next Thursday, so Doncic will have a couple extra days rest after Game 2 before the series shifts to Utah.

The 23-year-old averaged 28.4 points, 9.1 rebounds, 8.7 assists and 1.2 steals on .457/.353/.744 shooting in 65 games this season (35.4 minutes per night), so his absence will have a major impact on the four-five matchup. In 13 career playoff games from 2020-21, Doncic put up 33.5 points, 8.8 points, 9.5 assists and 1.2 steals on .494/.392/.600 shooting, but Dallas fell to the Clippers in the first-round both seasons.

The Mavs figure to heavily rely on guards Jalen Brunson and Spencer Dinwiddie with Doncic expected to be sidelined for at least the first game against the Jazz.

Injury Notes: Mavericks, Murray, Curry, Adebayo, More

April 15th, 2022 at 7:25pm CST by Rory Maher

Mavericks star Luka Doncic, who will reportedly miss Game 1 of the team’s playoff series against Utah on Saturday, has officially been listed as doubtful on the team’s injury report (Twitter link). Tim Hardaway Jr. (recovering from left foot surgery) and Frank Ntilikina (recovering from an illness) will also miss the contest.

Hardaway is considered unlikely to return this season, though he hasn’t given up hope of a comeback if Dallas makes a deep playoff run. The Mavs later announced (via Twitter) that Ntilikina underwent a tonsillectomy, which is why he’s sidelined. The 23-year-old is back with the team and gradually returning to on-court activities.

Here are some more injury and COVID-related updates from around the NBA:

Nuggets guard Jamal Murray has been ruled out for Game 1 against Golden State on Saturday, tweets Anthony Slater of The Athletic. The news isn’t surprising, as Murray has missed the entire season while recovering from a torn ACL suffered last April.
Slater also notes that Stephen Curry has been listed as probable for the Warriors. He’s on track to play his first game since suffering a left foot sprain and bone bruise on March 16.
Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said the team is hopeful that Bam Adebayo will clear the league’s COVID-19 health and safety protocols in time to play in Game 1 against Cleveland or Atlanta on Sunday, per Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald (Twitter link). Adebayo entered the protocols on April 10 and players must stay isolated for at least five days unless they return two straight negative tests at least 24 hours apart, so he should be cleared soon.
Suns guard Landry Shamet was unable to practice on Friday due to a left foot injury, according to a report from The Associated Press. “Injuries are a part of it,” coach Monty Williams said. “We’re not sure the severity of it. He just didn’t practice today and that’s all we have to report. But we’re built for situations like this. … We just have to deal with stuff as it pops up.”
Luke Kennard will miss Friday’s win-or-go-home game for the Clippers, as Mirjam Swanson of the Southern California News Group relays (via Twitter). Kennard is dealing with a right hamstring injury and his absence will be a key one for Los Angeles, who faces New Orleans to determine the No. 8 seed in the West.

Postseason Injury Updates: Curry, Kennard, Doncic, Saric, Williams

April 14th, 2022 at 9:21pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Earlier on Thursday, reports surfaced that Warriors star guard Stephen Curry was on track to return from his foot injury for Game 1 against Denver on Saturday. That didn’t change after the team’s scrimmage today.

Afterward, coach Steve Kerr said that Curry is “optimistic he’ll play Saturday,” Anthony Slater of The Athletic tweets. Curry wouldn’t say it’s a given he’ll play, but that’s his expectation, Kendra Andrews of ESPN writes.

“Everything has been positive in terms of getting back out there and understanding I’ll be ready to play whenever that time is. I’m hoping it’s Saturday,” he said. “I’ll try to be the best version I can be having missing a little bit of time … I have high confidence I can go out there and help our team win.”

Curry will be on an unspecified minutes restriction, Andrews adds.

We have more postseason-related injury news:

The Clippers are listing swingman Luke Kennard as questionable for Friday’s do-or-die play-in game against New Orleans, Scott Kushner of NOLA.com tweets. Kennard tweaked his right hamstring during the regular-season finale on Sunday.
While Luka Doncic reportedly will miss Game 1 of the Mavericks’ playoff series against Utah, the team has yet to officially rule him out, Callie Caplan of the Dallas Morning News reports. Coach Jason Kidd said Doncic is “progressing” from the calf strain he suffered in the regular-season finale. “He’s doing good,” Kidd said. “Didn’t practice, but is in good spirits, and had a good day.”
It’s very unlikely Dario Saric will suit up for the Suns during the playoffs. However, he left the door open a crack, telling the media he could return in an emergency situation where multiple Suns big men get hurt and he’s feeling healthy enough to play, according to Kellan Olson of ArizonaSports.com. Saric tore the ACL in his right knee last July during Game 1 of the Finals.
Celtics center Robert Williams continue to “ramp up” his left knee rehab, according to coach Ime Udoka, though he’s still not cleared for contact, Jared Weiss tweets. “He’s getting on court basketball drills, mixing in pretty much everything,” Udoka said. “Not contact, but any basketball drill. Getting a lot of shots up, weight-bearing, strength, agility. It’s low level, but he’s ramping up day by day and feeling good about it.”

Injury Updates: Simmons, Murray, Williams, Kleber

April 14th, 2022 at 9:08am CST by Luke Adams

In an appearance on ESPN’s Get Up on Thursday morning, Brian Windhorst said that there’s a real chance Ben Simmons could make his Nets debut at some point during the team’s first-round series vs. Boston (video link).

“I am told that Ben Simmons is targeting Games 4, 5, or 6 for making his Brooklyn Nets debut,” said Windhorst, who added that he was “taken aback” when he received that information. “My response was, ‘Is he even playing 5-on-5 yet?’ And the answer to that is no, but the hope is by the end of the week he can ramp up to that.

“… It’s a big ask, but I have to say that really for seven (or) eight weeks now, I’ve heard nothing but pessimism on the Ben Simmons front and that has switched dramatically in the last few days.”

Shams Charania of The Athletic has also reported that a first-round return is a possibility for Simmons. When asked on Wednesday about Charania’s report, head coach Steve Nash pumped the brakes a little, telling reporters that there’s still no set timeline for Simmons’ debut. However, Nash did say the three-time All-Star has been making “heavier progress” in the last week, according to Brian Lewis of The New York Post.

“He’s moving more, he’s shooting, he’s starting to move a little bit on the court in a one-on-zero environment,” Nash said. “So definitely positive signs that it’s improving and moving and all those things. But like I said he hasn’t been running full speed or playing against anybody, so still a lot more markers to meet.”

Here are a few more injury updates from around the NBA:

Jamal Murray‘s potential return from ACL surgery is in the “red zone,” Nuggets president of basketball operations Tim Connelly said during an appearance on 92.5 FM Altitude Sports in Denver, meaning a decision will likely be made soon (Twitter link via Harrison Wind of DNVR Sports). A first-round return remains possible for Murray, who is still ahead of Michael Porter Jr. in the rehab process, according to Connelly.
Nuggets head coach Michael Malone said on Wednesday that he hasn’t closed the door on Murray returning in the first round, but “would lean more towards him being doubtful” for the club’s series vs. Golden State, as Mike Singer of The Denver Post relays.
Appearing today on Toucher & Rich on 98.5 The Sports Hub in Boston, Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens said he remains comfortable with the four- to six-week timeline the team initially announced for Robert Williams‘ recovery (Twitter link via Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports Boston). Williams is progressing well, according to Stevens, but still hasn’t been cleared for contact and has “a ways to go.”
Mavericks forward Maxi Kleber missed the last four games of the regular season due to right ankle soreness, but went through a full practice on Wednesday and said he feels “100% better,” writes Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News.

Knicks Notes: Quickley, Fournier, L. Rose, Toppin, Randle

April 13th, 2022 at 10:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Knicks have spent years searching for a reliable point guard, but their offseason plans may change if they decide Immanuel Quickley can handle the job, writes Marc Berman of The New York Post. Quickley posted two triple-doubles in his last three games and improved his play-making as the season wore on. He also overcame an early-season shooting slump and connected at 39.4% on three-pointers over his last 29 games.

“I just control what I can control, man, and that’s working hard, getting better every day,’’ Quickley said after Sunday’s season finale. “If that’s starting, that’s coming off the bench, it is what it is.’’

The Knicks will certainly explore the market for a point guard this summer if they’re not ready to make Quickley the full-time starter. The position was a major disappointment this season with Kemba Walker playing through injuries before leaving the team in February and Derrick Rose never returning after undergoing ankle surgery in December.

New York reportedly has interest in impending free agent Jalen Brunson, but a source tells Berman that the Mavericks will make a strong effort to keep him, especially if they put together a long playoff run.

There’s more from New York:

Evan Fournier set a franchise record for most three-pointers in a season, but his first year in New York didn’t turn out the way he hoped, Berman states in a separate story. Fournier was signed in free agency to provide much-needed long-distance shooting for a contending team, but the Knicks unraveled in too many other areas. Berman suggests the front office may explore trade options involving Fournier this summer, but he prefers to return next season and hopes the core of the team will be kept intact. “I’ve said we had the right pieces and we have everything to be successful and I believe that,” Fournier said. “We have to find ourselves. So, when you go through a whole season with guys and coaching staff, you get attached to them and you want to have success with them. You go through tough moments, so I’m not hoping anything changes, to be honest.”
Two talented draft classes and a parcel of future assets are the best things Leon Rose has to show since taking over as team president, Berman adds in another piece. The Knicks currently have nine players age 24 or younger, and they own 13 picks in the next three drafts.
Steve Popper of Newsday examines whether the late-season surge by Obi Toppin will make Julius Randle expendable. Randle is coming off a down season and feuded with both fans and the media, but Popper cautions that the Knicks would be selling low if they move him this offseason, especially with his four-year, $106MM extension about to kick in.

Luka Doncic May Not Be Ready For Playoff Opener

April 13th, 2022 at 7:17pm CST by Arthur Hill

There’s “a lot of skepticism” that Mavericks star Luka Doncic will be available for Game 1 of their playoff series with the Jazz, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski said tonight on “NBA Countdown” (video link).

Doncic suffered a strained left calf Sunday in Dallas’ final regular season game. The Mavericks aren’t required to submit an injury report until Friday, so there may be no official word until then, but Wojnarowski said the outlook seems pessimistic that Doncic will play in the Saturday afternoon game.

Sources tell Wojnarowski that Doncic’s injury is “more than just a mild calf strain.” He’s expected to do everything be can to be ready, but Woj cautions that it’s the type of injury that can be aggravated if it’s not fully healed.

He adds that Dallas is facing the possibility that Doncic may miss Monday night’s Game 2 as well.

“If this was the regular season, you wouldn’t even be talking about him possibly playing this weekend,” Wojnarowski said, while adding that he expects a final decision on Doncic’s availability for Game 1 to go “down to the wire” Friday or Saturday.

The Mavericks and Jazz will have two days off after Game 2, so Doncic will have a cushion to recover before the series shifts to Utah. Any games that Doncic misses could have a profound impact on the series, as he put up All-Star numbers again this season, averaging 28.4 points, 9.1 rebounds and 8.7 assists in 65 games.

Lakers Notes: Monk, Westbrook, LeBron, Pelinka

April 13th, 2022 at 4:11pm CST by Luke Adams

The Lakers will likely make a strong effort to retain Malik Monk this summer, but they only hold Monk’s Non-Bird rights and would have to dip into their mid-level exception to sign the 24-year-old to a deal worth more than about $2.5MM. Even a deal using the taxpayer mid-level couldn’t start at more than about $6.4MM.

The Lakers’ cap limitations could open the door for another team to sign the former lottery pick, who will be an unrestricted free agent after enjoying a career year in Los Angeles. According to Sean Deveney of Heavy.com, sources around the league believe Monk could get the equivalent of the full non-taxpayer MLE ($10MM+ per year) on the open market.

One general manager who spoke to Deveney speculated that the Bulls, Cavaliers, and Mavericks will be suitors for Monk this offseason and also singled out the Knicks as a team to keep an eye on.

“The team to watch, if he is going to leave the Lakers, which he obviously should, is the Knicks,” the executive said. “They had interest in him last year, and some of it might depend on what happens with Evan Fournier, do they keep him or move him? But that is a team that needs talent, needs shooters and Monk will be a good value even at the mid-level.”

Here’s more on the Lakers:

Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report considers six hypothetical Russell Westbrook trade scenarios and evaluates which of them are the most realistic — and which would appeal most to the Lakers.
Westbrook exhibited a lack of self awareness during his end-of-season press conference on Monday, according to Jovan Buha of The Athletic, who says the point guard doubled down on past excuses and created new ones to absolve himself of responsibility for his disappointing season. “The famous ‘source’ stories that came out about myself, whether it be between me and the staff, me and Frank (Vogel), me and the fans, there’s just so many made-up stories that are not true,” Westbrook said, though he declined to give specific examples. “It’s just always having to fight against that constantly. It’s just not (being) given a fair chance.”
In a column for The Los Angeles Times, Dylan Hernandez argues that LeBron James also didn’t accept enough responsibility for the Lakers’ struggles in 2021/22. While multiple reports have suggested that James and Anthony Davis played major roles in orchestrating the trade for Westbrook last summer, LeBron downplayed his involvement in roster moves. “Ask me my opinion, I’m going to give my opinion,” he said. “But at the end of the day, they’re going to make the decision that they feel is best for the franchise.”
Conversely, in his own media exit interview, VP of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka made himself more accountable than he has in the past, though he didn’t look comfortable doing so, writes Bill Oram of The Athletic. Pelinka has two years left on his current contract with the Lakers, sources tell Oram, who says the GM is under significant pressure not to repeat this season’s disaster in 2022/23.

And-Ones: Monthly Awards, Hollis-Jefferson, Cooper

April 12th, 2022 at 3:32pm CST by Luke Adams

Rockets guard Jalen Green and Raptors forward Scottie Barnes were named the Rookies of the Month for March/April in the Western Conference and Eastern Conference, respectively, the NBA announced on Monday (via Twitter).

Green got off to an up-and-down start this season but finished strong, averaging 22.6 PPG, 3.8 RPG, and 3.2 APG on .484/.395/.763 shooting in 22 games in March and April. Barnes helped the Raptors secure the No. 5 seed in the East by putting up 16.6 PPG, 7.6 RPG, and 4.0 APG on 50.5% shooting in his last 22 contests.

The NBA also announced its Coaches of the Month for March/April on Tuesday (Twitter link). Mavericks coach Jason Kidd won the Western award for a 16-5 run to the end of the season; Ime Udoka, whose Celtics finished with a 15-4 stretch, earned the honor in the East.

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

Veteran forward Rondae Hollis-Jefferson has signed with Atléticos de San Germán, the Puerto Rican club announced on Monday (via Twitter). A former NBA first-round pick, Hollis-Jefferson played for Brooklyn, Toronto, and Portland from 2015-21, but spent most of the 2021/22 season in Turkey with Beşiktaş.
ESPN writers Bobby Marks, Kevin Pelton, and Mike Schmitz (Insider link) ranked the NBA’s top 25 players under age 25 based on long-term potential, while The Athletic’s James L. Edwards III and Mike Vorkunov each picked a 15-man squad of under-age-25 players. Mavericks guard Luka Doncic topped ESPN’s list, followed by Celtics forward Jayson Tatum and Grizzlies guard Ja Morant.
Former NBA player and longtime Kings executive Wayne Cooper has passed away at age 65, writes Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee. Cooper appeared in a total of 984 regular season games for Golden State, Utah, Dallas, Portland, and Denver from 1978-92, then served as Sacramento’s VP of basketball operations from 1997-2013.