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Southwest Notes: VanVleet, Murray, Pelicans, Gortman

October 21st, 2024 at 9:07am CST by Luke Adams

After signing a maximum-salary contract with the Rockets last summer, Fred VanVleet averaged 17.4 points per game – his lowest scoring mark since 2018/19 – while handing out a career-high 8.1 assists per contest. In his second season in Houston, the team wouldn’t mind seeing VanVleet turn some of those assists into points, according to Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle (subscription required).

As Feigen observes, the Rockets should have more ball-handling options this season, with rookie Reed Sheppard capable of handling those duties and second-year guard Amen Thompson growing into that role. That will allow the club to have VanVleet operate off the ball a little more often, opening up catch-and-shoot opportunities. He made 38.7% of his three-point tries last season.

“As we’ve seen with Fred in the past, he can play off ball. That’s one of his strengths,” head coach Ime Udoka said. “To play with (DeMar) DeRozan, Kawhi Leonard, (Pascal) Siakam, all these guys that really handle it quite a bit, he’s been the recipient. I think he’s been more so in practices and preseason games of getting some off-ball shots. That speaks to the comfort of other guys to handle it, make plays. … He can take plays off, be off the ball some, and be the recipient of some assists instead of making them.”

Udoka expressed confidence in Sheppard and Thompson as options to initiate the offense and also pointed to Jalen Green as someone who can bring the ball up the court. Besides letting VanVleet play off the ball more, those other ball-handlers should also put the Rockets in position to reduce the veteran point guard’s minutes after he averaged 36.8 MPG last season.

“Not a specific number, but way less than that, obviously,” Udoka said when asked about a target for VanVleet’s minutes. “That was the second-highest of his career. But he’s a guy that played heavy minutes in Toronto in the past. He took that on himself last year to really help us grow in those areas. It was another coach on the floor. But we’d like to drop that, for sure.”

Here’s more from around the Southwest:

Pelicans point guard Dejounte Murray is looking forward to reclaiming what he considers his “real position” this season in New Orleans after spending two seasons playing alongside Trae Young with the Hawks, according to Christian Clark of NOLA.com. “In Atlanta, I was in the corner and on the wings, and I made the best of it,” Murray said. “Here, they are allowing me to play my real position. Playing point guard. Keeping everything organized. And making dudes better. And doing what I do best.”
The Pelicans intend to operate without a traditional center on the court for significant chunks of games this season. Head coach Willie Green believes the strategy can work, since those units should provide more versatility on both ends of the court despite giving up some rim protection and rebounding, but he stressed it will require a commitment from the players in those small-ball lineups. “When those units are on the floor, they have to have an understanding that they have to be tougher,” Green said (story via Clark at NOLA.com). “They have to play harder. We have to compete at a higher level. We have to rebound at a higher level in order for those types of groups to work.” Daniel Theis, who has spent most of his career as a backup, and rookie Yves Missi are New Orleans’ top two traditional centers, but forward Herbert Jones may open the season as the team’s de facto five.
Camp invitee Jazian Gortman impressed the Mavericks this fall not just with his play on the court but with his work ethic off it, according to Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal (Substack link), who notes that the guard spent plenty of time watching film before games and getting extra reps after practices. Gortman, who believes his decision-making and his three-point shot have both improved since Summer League, was promoted to a two-way contract on Friday. “He impressed not just me but the organization as a whole,” head coach Jason Kidd said. “Everyone who watched camp felt he was impressive, and we knew he was someone we needed to take a closer look at.”

Jalen Johnson Not Trending Toward Extension?

October 20th, 2024 at 5:21pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Jalen Johnson and the Hawks are not yet trending toward a rookie scale contract extension, Marc Stein reports in his latest Substack post.

Johnson is one of a handful of prominent players from the 2021 draft who has not signed an extension. In a Front Office column earlier this month, our Luke Adams ranked Johnson No. 1 among a group of nine players who are legitimate candidates for a rookie scale extension.

Another source informed Stein that Johnson has stood out during the Hawks’ training camp and the preseason. Johnson, the No. 20 pick in 2021, averaged 16.0 points, 8.7 rebounds and 3.6 assists in his breakout 2023/24 campaign while appearing in 56 games (52 starts).

Rookie scale extensions must be reached by Monday at 6 p.m. ET. Otherwise, those players will be restricted free agents next summer.

Here’s more from Stein:

As he reported over the weekend, Quentin Grimes is a prime candidate for an extension, according to Stein, who says the Mavericks and Grimes, who was acquired from the Pistons during the offseason, are discussing a three-year deal.
Trey Murphy III and the Pelicans are also in active extension negotiations ahead of Monday’s deadline, league sources tell Stein. Murphy will miss the early portion of this season with a hamstring injury but has been highly productive when healthy. The five-year, $135MM extension signed in October 2023 by San Antonio’s Devin Vassell is a potential comparable for Murphy, Stein notes.
Reiterating a tweet from Saturday, Stein says the Magic’ Jalen Suggs is seeking a deal with an average annual value of at least $30MM.

Mavericks Sign, Waive Jamir Chaplin, Jarod Lucas

October 19th, 2024 at 12:04pm CST by Rory Maher

OCTOBER 19: Chaplin and Lucas have both been waived, the team announced. The Mavericks 18-man roster to begin the season appears set, barring last-minute moves.

OCTOBER 18: The Mavericks have added free agents Jamir Chaplin and Jarod Lucas to their offseason roster, the team announced (via Twitter).

While the terms of the contracts were not disclosed, both players almost certainly signed Exhibit 10 deals and will be waived in the next 24 hours or so. If that comes to fruition, each would be eligible for a bonus worth up to $77.5K if they spend at least 60 days with the Texas Legends, Dallas’ NBA G League affiliate.

Chaplin, who went undrafted in June, spent his first four college seasons at South Florida before finishing his career at Little Rock. The 6’5″ guard averaged 14.7 PPG, 6.4 RPG and 1.3 SPG on .584/.361/.714 shooting in 34 games with the Trojans last season (33.9 MPG), earning a spot on the All-Ohio Valley Conference First Team.

Lucas, a 6’3″ guard, also went undrafted in June. He played three seasons at Oregon State before transferring to Nevada for his final two collegiate seasons. In 34 games with the Wolf Pack last season, Lucas averaged 17.8 PPG and 2.8 RPG on .421/.394/.899 shooting (32.6 MPG).

The Mavs now have 20 players under contract, one shy of the offseason limit. They’ll need to get down to 18 players ahead of the regular season.

Kuminga, Suggs, Giddey Among Extension Candidates Seeking $30MM+ Annually

October 19th, 2024 at 10:43am CST by Tristan Tucker

The deadline for teams to sign players to rookie scale contract extensions falls on Monday and will force several clubs to make tough decisions.

The Warriors have two players under consideration for rookie scale extensions: Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody. As we relayed Friday evening, Moody appears more likely than Kuminga to receive an extension by Monday. Moody is in line to receive minutes at the wing spot in the wake up Klay Thompson‘s departure, and NBA insider Jake Fischer reports he could earn more than $10MM per season on his extension (Threads link).

However, Kuminga is seeking a near-max contract that would pay him north of $30MM annually. According to Fischer, the Warriors have “never seemed intent” on paying the forward that kind of money ahead of the season. That tracks with earlier reporting, which suggested that both sides are content to wait to see if Kuminga takes another step forward in 2024/25 and helps propel the team back into contention as its second- or third-best player. In that scenario, he would presumably be rewarded in restricted free agency next offseason.

Moody averaged 8.1 points and 3.0 rebounds per game last season while Kuminga broke out, averaging 16.1 PPG on 52.9% shooting from the field.

We have more on this year’s rookie scale extension candidates:

According to Fischer, Atlanta’s Jalen Johnson is facing a similar situation to Kuminga. However, there’s “far more optimism” that the Hawks and Johnson will finalize a deal worth north of $30MM each year, which is said to be the starting point for negotiations with the former Duke standout. Johnson broke out in a big way last season, jumping from 5.6 PPG and 4.0 RPG in 2022/23 to 16.0 PPG and 8.7 RPG. He’s primed to be a long-term fixture in Atlanta as one of the Hawks’ franchise cornerstones.
Magic guard Jalen Suggs is seeking an extension worth more than $30MM annually in talks with Orlando, NBA insider Marc Stein reports (Twitter link). It’s unclear whether or not Orlando is prepared to make that sort of offer, but Suggs emerged as one of the best defensive guards in the league last season, earning a spot on the All-Defensive Second Team, averaging 12.6 PPG and 1.4 SPG, improving his outside shooting to 39.7%, and helping the young Magic to a 47-win season.
Immanuel Quickley‘s five-year, $162.5MM contract with the Raptors is said to have set a benchmark for young guards across the league, Fischer says, confirming previous reporting. Bulls guard/forward Josh Giddey is also seeking at least $30MM per year on his next extension. However, the Bulls are more interested in seeing how Giddey fits with the team before committing that kind of money to him. Chicago traded Alex Caruso for Giddey in June.
The Rockets haven’t been willing to this point to approach a maximum-salary deal for either Jalen Green or Alperen Sengun, according to Fischer. We relayed Friday that the Rockets have held productive conversations with both players, submitting offers to each, but that those offers were below the max. Fischer indicates that Houston is completely fine with not agreeing to terms with either before the year begins.
Clippers guard Bones Hyland and Nets young players Cam Thomas and Day’Ron Sharpe are not expected to agree to terms on a rookie scale extension, according to Fischer. However, there remains some optimism that Hornets guard Tre Mann, Pacers forward Isaiah Jackson and Wizards wing Corey Kispert will be able to sign extensions by Monday’s deadline.
Quentin Grimes has emerged as a real candidate to receive an extension by Monday, according to Stein (Twitter link). Grimes was acquired by the Mavericks in exchange for Tim Hardaway Jr. this offseason and he’s averaged 8.5 PPG across three NBA seasons. His deal would presumably be in the ballpark of Moody’s, perhaps a bit more than $10MM per year.

Mavericks Cut Lawson, Miller, Sharp; Convert Gortman To Two-Way

October 18th, 2024 at 7:03pm CST by Rory Maher

7:03pm: Gortman’s conversion to a two-way contract is official, the Mavericks have confirmed (via Twitter).

12:01pm: Gortman, who was drawing interest from rival clubs, will be promoted to Dallas’ final two-way spot, a source tells MacMahon (Twitter link).

11:35am: The Mavericks announced in a press release (Twitter link) that they have waived guard A.J. Lawson, forward Emanuel Miller and center Jamarion Sharp.

Lawson being cut comes as something of a surprise. Dallas waived Lawson and his non-guaranteed standard contract 10 days ago, but brought him back on a two-way deal after he cleared waivers. Just a week later, he has been released for a second time this preseason.

Lawson signed a two-year, two-way contract with Dallas back in December 2022, shortly after being waived by Minnesota. He remained on that deal until March 2024, when he was promoted to the standard roster on a new four-year contract that was only guaranteed for the remainder of the 2023/24 season.

The 24-year-old appeared in a total of 56 NBA games for the Mavericks during his two seasons with the team, including 42 in 2023/24. Lawson averaged 3.4 points and 1.3 rebounds in 7.4 minutes per contest and posted a shooting line of .457/.307/.548 at the NBA level. The former South Carolina standout also played seven times for the Texas Legends in the G League last season, averaging 20.7 PPG and 7.0 RPG with a .530 FG%.

Former Overtime Elite guard Jazian Gortman — who has continued to impress during preseason action, per Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal (Substack link) — seems like the frontrunner to land the two-way vacancy created by waiving Lawson, according to Tim MacMahon of ESPN and Eddie Sefko of Mavs.com (Twitter links). Gortman could have his Exhibit 10 deal converted to a two-way deal.

Miller and Sharp went undrafted this year out of TCU and Mississippi, respectively. Both players were on Exhibit 10 deals and will likely be headed to the Texas Legends — Dallas’ G League affiliate — to begin their pro careers. They could each earn a bonus worth $77.5K if they spend at least 60 days with the Legends.

Dallas now has 18 players under contract, though they’ll need to convert Gortman to a two-way deal to make their roster legal for the regular season. The Mavs’ other two-way spots are occupied by guard Brandon Williams and forward Kessler Edwards.

Southwest Notes: Doncic, Spurs, Kennard, Rockets, Ingram, Zion

October 16th, 2024 at 3:02pm CST by Luke Adams

Mavericks star Luka Doncic likely won’t play in the team’s preseason finale vs. Milwaukee on Thursday, head coach Jason Kidd told reporters today. However, Doncic went through a full practice on Wednesday and did “really, really well,” Kidd said, per Grant Afseth of Dallas Hoops Journal (Twitter link).

Doncic was diagnosed with a left calf contusion during the early days of training camp. At the time, it was deemed a minor injury that wasn’t expected to affect his availability for the team’s regular season opener on October 24.

Despite the fact that Doncic may not end up playing a single minute this preseason, it still doesn’t sound as if his ability to return for next Thursday’s game vs. San Antonio is in any doubt, given that he’s fully participating in practice more than a week out from opening night.

Here’s more from around the Southwest:

Based on the way Gregg Popovich has managed his rotation this preseason, it appears likely the Spurs will open the season with a starting five of Chris Paul, Julian Champagnie, Jeremy Sochan, Harrison Barnes, and Victor Wembanyama, with Keldon Johnson, Stephon Castle, Zach Collins, and Blake Wesley also getting regular minutes, writes Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News (subscription required). However, Popovich said his rotation isn’t set in stone yet, and obviously it’s subject to change once Devin Vassell is ready to return from his foot injury, Orsborn notes.
The Spurs received $2MM in cash from the Kings in the Jalen McDaniels trade, tweets ESPN’s Bobby Marks. Marks also fills in the cash details from a couple of the Spurs’ offseason trades, confirming that San Antonio received $1MM from the Pacers for moving from No. 35 to No. 36 in the draft and $110K from the Hornets in the Devonte’ Graham salary dump.
Grizzlies sharpshooter Luke Kennard was feeling some soreness in his foot after Monday’s game in Indiana, according to head coach Taylor Jenkins, who said that Kennard may have to miss some time as a result of the ailment (Twitter link via Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal).
The Rockets‘ preseason win over New Orleans on Tuesday showed how they can benefit this fall from offseason continuity after making significant roster changes in 2023, says Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle (subscription required). “We’ve been playing with each other since last year,” veteran forward Jeff Green said. “We know what we want to do. We know what the goal is out there.” As Christian Clark of NOLA.com observes, Tuesday’s game was the first of the preseason for Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram, while Zion Williamson sat out for what head coach Willie Green called a “rest day.”

Southwest Notes: Minix, Edey, Pelicans Offense, Kleber

October 15th, 2024 at 10:42pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Undrafted rookie Riley Minix signed a training camp deal with the Spurs in July. The former Morehead State guard has been so impressive, he’s got a shot to earn one of the team’s two-way spots, Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio Express-News writes.

Minix came into Tuesday night’s preseason game against the Heat averaging 7.8 points in 7.8 minutes per game while shooting 57.1% from 3-point range on 2.3 attempts per night. He didn’t get off the bench as the Spurs played their regulars to a great extent.

“He’s a young man that is probably still pinching himself that he is on an NBA team and doing what he is doing because it’s probably not what he expected several years ago,” coach Gregg Popovich said of the 24-year-old, who played four seasons at an NAIA school before joining Morehead State. “But he is a tough young man. He is intelligent. He learns. And he can shoot the basketball. He has become a pleasant surprise.”

We have more from the Southwest Division:

Some people were skeptical of whether former Purdue star center Zach Edey could make a smooth transition to the NBA. Edey, drafted in the lottery by the Grizzlies, put on a show against Indiana on Monday, Damichael Cole of the Memphis Commercial Appeal notes. Edey finished with 23 points on 10-for-15 shooting in 19 minutes and had nine rebounds. Edey displayed a sweet hook shot and a variety of low-post moves. “History will likely show that where he was chosen in the draft was low,” opposing head coach Rick Carlisle said of the No. 9 overall pick after the game, per Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star.
The Pelicans have ranked among the bottom 10 in the league in three-point attempts during Willie Green‘s first three seasons as head coach. Green is intent on changing that, according to Christian Clark of the New Orleans Times-Picayune. New Orleans averaged 32.6 three-point tries last season. “The message has been pretty clear,” Zion Williamson said. “Get up at least 40 per game. That means we have to play with pace. And just play basketball. In the grand scheme of things, it’s definitely going to be a positive for us.”
The Mavericks are hopeful big man Maxi Kleber will be able to suit up for the regular season opener, according to Dwain Price of Mavs.com. “He got hurt in September – right before camp. He stepped on someone’s foot and sprained his ankle,” coach Jason Kidd said. “But his rehab and everything, he’s doing great. He had a great workout this morning, so he should be, hopefully, ready to go on opening night.”

Southwest Notes: Popovich, Lawson, Murphy, Morant, Jackson Jr.

October 14th, 2024 at 7:31pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich has put his players, particularly the less experienced ones, on notice. The longtime coach will be much less forgiving of mistakes this season, he told Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio Express-News.

“I think if anything it’s a little less tolerance,” he said. “We have been since the beginning (of training camp) … a little bit more disciplined in the sense of accountability, knowing that mistakes happen too often – (telling players) ‘You need to understand that by now.'”

Tre Jones believes it’s natural for Popovich to take that approach as expectations rise.

“A lot of us didn’t have a lot of those experiences we went through the last couple of years,” Jones said, “but now that we’ve had them and now that we’ve brought in guys that are helping us learn those things as well, you can’t make those same mistakes over and over again. There’s no room for that, if we want to win.”

We have more from the Southwest Division:

A.J. Lawson said he’s benefited significantly in Mavericks training camp, working alongside stars Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving and Klay Thompson, he told Grant Afseth of Sportskeeda.com. “Every day you learn something new with these guys,” Lawson said. “They’re great at what they do—Kyrie is one of the best ball-handlers, Luka is one of the best players, and Klay is one of the best shooters. Having these guys on the same team is a lot to learn from. I can take shooting techniques from Klay, ball-handling and decision-making from Kai, and learn how to run the floor with Luka. There’s so much opportunity as a wing player like me, and I’m excited for this season.” Lawson signed a two-way contract with Dallas over the weekend shortly after he was waived by the club from his standard deal.
It has been another rough preseason for the Pelicans’ Trey Murphy. He was sidelined at the beginning of last season with a left knee injury. Now, he’s dealing with a right hamstring strain that will keep him out of action at the start of this season. “Very tough,” Murphy told Christian Clark of the New Orleans Times Picayune. “Not starting the season again hurts me a lot. Doing everything I can summer-wise to be prepared for a season and having that happen really sucks. But just looking at it with perspective, it could be a lot worse. Good thing it’s an NBA season. I’ll be there for the majority of it.” Murphy will be a restricted free agent next summer unless he signs a rookie scale extension by Oct. 21.
Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. are being held out of the rest of the preseason due to minor ailments. Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins wants his stars to make the best of training camp in other ways. “I actually talked to both of those guys about being fully invested in all the practice reps and using their voices,” Jenkins said, per Michael Wallace of GrindCityMedia.com. “I want them to get mental reps, whether it’s through film sessions or their teammates’ film feedback that they’re getting. They’ve been ever present, so we’re going to make the most of the situation over the next week-plus. And thankfully, they’re going to be ready for opening night.”

Texas Notes: Thompson, Hardy, Collins, Johnson

October 13th, 2024 at 7:38pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Klay Thompson bristled as the notion that he can’t guard at a high level anymore and is eager to prove skeptics wrong, he told Eddie Sefko of Mavs.com.

“I still want to get rid of that notion that I’m not the same defender I once was,” Thompson said. “I truly believe I am. I’m excited to prove people wrong, that I can still guard the elite players in this league.”

The fact that he has joined a Mavericks team with two stars in Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic adds to that motivation.

“That’s a big reason why I came here, those two guys,” Thompson said. “(I have) big dreams and aspirations with this team. They were so close last year (reaching the NBA Finals) and I really feel we have everything we need.”

We have more on the Texas teams:

Reserve guard Jaden Hardy is intent on establishing himself as a rugged defender, he told Grant Afseth of Sportskeeda.com. “Right now, I’m focused on defending the three better, picking up full court, and challenging guys while they bring the ball up,” he said. “I’m also working on being in the right spots on defense, communicating, and bringing energy.” Hardy will be a restricted free agent next summer.
Spurs big man Zach Collins made his preseason debut on Saturday after recovering from right shoulder surgery. He contributed 11 points in a win over Utah. “Considering (the layoff), I thought he looked really good,” coach Gregg Popovich said, per Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express News. “He boarded. He banged with people. He wasn’t afraid of the shoulder or anything like that.”
In the same preseason game, Keldon Johnson excelled as the Spurs’ sixth man, pouring in 20 points. Johnson shed 10 pounds during the offseason and believes that has made a difference in his performance level, he told McDonald. “I feel fast, I feel strong,” Johnson said. “Best I felt in a long time.”

Southwest Notes: Mavericks, Jenkins, Barnes, Fultz

October 12th, 2024 at 9:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

Injuries have hampered the Mavericks as they try to get ready for the upcoming season, writes Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News. The most pressing absence is Luka Doncic, who has been sidelined by a left calf contusion he suffered shortly before the start of training camp. He’ll miss another game Monday, but there’s hope he might be ready for Thursday’s preseason finale.

P.J. Washington, who is projected to be the starting power forward, hasn’t played in the preseason either due to tightness in his left hip. Maxi Kleber is dealing with a sprained left ankle, and Dante Exum is expected to be out of action for three months after surgery on his right wrist.

“We have to be prepared for (players not being available) and that’s what we’re looking at right now is who can handle the backup point guard (role) if Spencer (Dinwiddie) has to start,” coach Jason Kidd said. “We’ll look at different lineups here. We have two games left. One in L.A. and one at home, just to see and be prepared if some of the guys who are hurt can’t go on the 24th (for the season opener).”

There were some encouraging signs on Saturday as Washington was able to practice and Doncic participated in a non-contact session, Curtis tweets. Curtis notes that the team went through a similar situation last October when Doncic suffered a calf strain in camp, but was able to return for the start of the season.

“For us, it’s almost normal,” Kidd said. “This was last year’s training camp. We’ve had some injuries. You just deal with it. You gotta teach and coach the guys that we have. You have to be prepared. We have always taken that approach that if guys are hurt, we have to go with the guys that can play … the nice thing is P.J., Luka and Maxi have been in the system so they understand what we’re trying to do, so it shouldn’t take them that long.”

There’s more from the Southwest Division:

With his star players returning from injuries, Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins wants his team to play at a faster pace, according to Kelly Iko of The Athletic. Memphis tended to slow games down last season with Ja Morant, Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr. all missing significant time. “It’s going to be a matter of how we convert, whether it’s stops, rebounds, turnovers, even after made baskets,” Jenkins said. “Our ability to get the ball up the floor quicker — last year, we were trying to get into more of a positionless style of offense. We’re still going to lean into that, but there are things we’ve been tracking and practicing (with) the switch from defense to offense. Pace is a numerical thing, but it’s really a mentality thing.”
Harrison Barnes‘ high basketball IQ makes him a natural fit for the Spurs‘ starting lineup, Iko adds in the same piece. Throughout his career, Barnes has been a play-maker and low-maintenance glue guy who fits well around star players like Victor Wembanyama and Chris Paul.
Free agent Markelle Fultz seems like a good option as a backup guard for the Grizzlies, especially if Morant, Bane and Marcus Smart are all going to be starters, Iko tweets. Iko contends that Fultz would be ready to handle minutes right away, while Yuki Kawamura and Scotty Pippen Jr. need time to learn.