- R.J. Hampton played nearly five minutes Saturday afternoon in his debut with the Pistons, even though he hasn’t practiced with the team yet. Hampton signed with Detroit on Thursday after clearing waivers following his buyout with Orlando. “He’s a good defender, but most of all his athleticism and his size at the two guard is something we want to look at,” coach Dwane Casey told Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press (Twitter link).
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.
FEBRUARY 23: The Pistons have officially signed Hampton, the team announced.
FEBRUARY 21: Former Magic guard R.J. Hampton plans to sign with the Pistons after he clears waivers, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski tweets.
Hampton, the 24th overall pick in 2020, was waived by Orlando on Tuesday afternoon.
Hampton had a rotation role in his first season-and-a-half with the Magic, but has seen his playing time decline precipitously in 2022/23 after the team turned down the ’23/24 team option on his rookie scale contract. Hampton appeared in just 26 contests this season, averaging 5.7 points, 1.5 rebounds, and 1.3 assists on .439/.340/.838 shooting in 13.9 minutes per game.
It’s not a given that Hampton will join the Pistons, since it’s possible he could be claimed. He has a $2,412,840 cap hit for 2022/23, so a team with cap room or a trade exception big enough to absorb that amount could place a claim.
Detroit has an open roster spot, so it won’t have to make a corresponding move.
The Pistons have been rotating Jaden Ivey, Alec Burks, Killian Hayes and Cory Joseph at the guard positions. Hampton could take over some of Joseph’s minutes as he auditions for a new contract. He’ll be an unrestricted free agent this summer, as James Edwards III of The Athletic hears that he’ll just be signing a rest-of-the-season contract with Detroit (Twitter link).
The Pistons have been out of the playoff race for a long time, but they still have some important work to do in their final 23 games, observes Keith Langlois of NBA.com. Part of that mission includes seeing what they have in a pair of reclamation projects who were once considered elite draft prospects.
James Wiseman was acquired from the Warriors at the trade deadline, but because a health issue involving Gary Payton II held up the deal, Wiseman only appeared in one game before the All-Star break. He displayed a glimpse of the potential that caused Golden State to take him with the No. 2 pick in 2020, posting 11 points and five rebounds in 24 minutes.
Detroit has to determine how Wiseman can fit with the team’s other young big men. He has been used exclusively at center during his brief NBA career, but Langlois believes the Pistons will want to test out a lineup with Wiseman at power forward alongside rookie center Jalen Duren. The addition of another seven-footer seems to indicate that Isaiah Stewart will now be used primarily at power forward, Langlois adds.
Detroit will reportedly sign R.J. Hampton sometime after he clears waivers on Thursday. Hampton hasn’t made an impact in his first two NBA stops, but he’s only 22 and a rebuilding team like the Pistons could give him an opportunity for regular playing time.
There’s more from Detroit:
- Cade Cunningham is still recovering from season-ending shin surgery in December, but the Pistons are optimistic about his long-term prognosis, Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press writes in a mailbag column. Cunningham hasn’t been cleared to play 5-on-5 yet, but team officials believe he’ll be ready for full summer workouts once the season ends. Sankofa notes that Cunningham has been dealing with soreness in his left shin for several years, so there’s hope that he’ll be pain-free next season.
- Jerami Grant could become a target for the Pistons in free agency, Sankofa adds. Grant, who Detroit traded to the Trail Blazers last summer, hasn’t decided on a four-year, $112MM extension offer from Portland. If he turns it down, Sankofa sees Grant as an obvious target for general manager Troy Weaver, who could have up to $40MM in cap space to work with this offseason.
- Marvin Bagley III participated in most of Wednesday’s practice and coach Dwane Casey said he’s close to returning, Sankofa tweets. Bagley has missed the past 19 games after having surgery on his right hand.
Pistons guard Cade Cunningham has been sidelined since November 9 due to a leg injury and won’t return this season, but he has remained very involved on the sidelines and is evolving as a leader, even if he can’t actually take the court, according to James L. Edwards III of The Athletic.
“He’s using his voice more than ever, during games and talking before and after,” veteran Pistons guard Cory Joseph said. “Not only is he encouraging guys, but he’s also letting us know his thoughts, what he sees out there. It’s always different — and, of course, unfortunate — when you’re forced to take a step back and not play the game you love, but it is a different point of view. He’s keeping his mind engaged.”
“He’s the leader of this team, so anytime he has something to say, guys are all ears,” Pistons swingman Rodney McGruder said. “He brings us in all the time after huddles, before the game, talking on the bench, halftime. He’s pulling guys aside when he sees there’s a problem that needs to be fixed on the floor.”
As Edwards details, the Pistons’ coaching staff has made an effort to make sure that Cunningham feels connected to the team — his rehab and shooting work generally takes place right before or after practice, allowing the former No. 1 pick to observe his teammates’ work in those practice sessions. Despite his lost sophomore season, Cunningham is still considered the cornerstone of Detroit’s long-term future.
Veteran center Nerlens Noel has been listed as “not with team” on the Pistons‘ injury report since last Thursday’s trade deadline, leading to speculation that he’s headed for a buyout agreement. However, league sources tell Marc Stein (Substack link) that Noel hasn’t actively pursued a buyout to this point.
Noel, who signed a three-year contract with New York in 2021, was traded from the Knicks to the Pistons last summer in a salary-dump deal that helped New York create salary cap space for Jalen Brunson. The 28-year-old big man hasn’t had much of a role with the Pistons, appearing in just 14 games and logging a career-low 10.9 MPG.
The retooling Pistons have a crowded frontcourt that features a handful of young centers the team will want to take a long look at down the stretch. That group consists of a trio of former lottery picks: rookie Jalen Duren, recently acquired James Wiseman, and former King Marvin Bagley III, who is recovering from hand surgery and is in the first season of a three-year contract.
Given that he’s buried on the depth chart and isn’t owed any guaranteed money beyond this season (he has a $9.68MM team option for 2023/24), Noel looks like a logical buyout candidate. According to Stein, there would be multiple “playoff-bound” teams with interest in the former sixth overall pick if he reaches free agency.
It’s notable that Noel and his reps didn’t immediately seek a buyout last week after he stayed put at the deadline. Still, while he and the Pistons aren’t working on an agreement yet, that doesn’t mean one won’t happen by March 1, which is the deadline for a player to be waived if he wants to retain his playoff eligibility for his new team. Kevin Love, for instance, wasn’t initially considered a buyout candidate, but is now said to be nearing a deal with the Cavs.
On the other hand, agreeing to a buyout and then signing a minimum-salary contract with a new team would force Noel to give up his Bird rights and may pigeonhole him as a minimum-salary player going forward. So he has some incentive to pass on buyout talks and force the Pistons to make a decision on whether they want to simply waive him, paying his full salary, to open up a roster spot.
We’ll keep a close eye on Noel’s status in Detroit during the next couple weeks, but for now, it doesn’t appear that a buyout is imminent.
With two more qualifying matches for the 2023 World Cup right around the corner, USA Basketball has officially announced the 12-man roster that will compete in February’s games. Team USA’s squad is made up primarily of G Leaguers, but features a number of players with NBA experience.
The 12 players who will represent the U.S. on February 23 vs. Uruguay and Feb. 26 vs. Brazil are Deonte Burton, Will Davis II, Abdul Gaddy, Langston Galloway, Treveon Graham, Dusty Hannahs, Nate Hinton, Jay Huff, Xavier Moon, Elijah Pemberton, Reggie Perry, and Craig Sword.
So far, Canada is the only team in the Americas field to qualify for the 2023 World Cup, having won all of its first 10 qualifying contests. However, Team USA – which has an 8-2 record so far – will clinch a World Cup berth by winning either one of its two games this month, tweets Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today.
Meanwhile, USA Basketball also announced the rosters for the 2023 Nike Hoop Summit, an annual showcase of U.S. high school prospects that will take place on April 8. The most notable name on the men’s roster is Bronny James, but Bronny isn’t the only son of a former Cavaliers lottery pick to be named to the event — the 13-player roster also includes Dajuan Wagner Jr.
Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- Nuggets center Nikola Jokic is building a strong case for his third consecutive MVP award and leads the way in the latest straw poll conducted by ESPN’s Tim Bontemps. Bontemps’ survey asks 100 media members for their current MVP ballots — Jokic received 77 first-place votes, easily besting runners-up Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Bucks (11 first-place votes) and Joel Embiid of the Sixers (6).
- Rockets guard Jalen Green (left groin strain) and Pistons center Jalen Duren (right ankle sprain) have been forced to withdraw from Friday night’s Rising Stars event at All-Star weekend due to injuries, according to the NBA (Twitter link). They’re being replaced by Bulls guard Ayo Dosunmu and Rockets forward Tari Eason.
- In his latest mock draft for The Athletic, Sam Vecenie moves Alabama wing Brandon Miller up to No. 3, writing that Miller is considered the safest bet in the 2023 draft class – outside of Victor Wembanyama and Scoot Henderson – to be a “really good player” at the NBA level. Vecenie’s top five is rounded out by Overtime Elite guard Amen Thompson at No. 4 and Houston forward Jarace Walker at No. 5.
- Head coach Dwane Casey said before Wednesday’s game that the Pistons intended to give James Wiseman regular minutes and made good on that promise by playing Wiseman nearly 24 minutes in his first game with the club (Twitter link via James L. Edwards III of The Athletic). The former No. 2 pick had 11 points and five rebounds, but believes he has room for improvement on both ends of the floor. “My wind got to me a little bit,” Wiseman said, per Edwards. “I’m going to do way better when I get my conditioning up.”
James Wiseman practiced with the Pistons for the first time on Tuesday since he was traded by Golden State. Wiseman is eager to jump start his career with a rebuilding team, according to James Edwards III of The Athletic.
“I’m embracing all of the opportunities here,” said Wiseman, who could make his Pistons debut on Wednesday. “It’s a new start for me, I’m embracing it. I’m super excited.”
The NBA and the Players Association have discussed a games played threshold regarding postseason awards, Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic reports.
The discussions are part of Collective Bargaining Agreement negotiations. The league has become increasingly concerned with load management, particularly regarding top players. Tying eligibility for awards to games played would be a way of discouraging them from taking nights off.
It’s believed the concept will be in the final CBA in some form, but negotiations are fluid. Only three of the top 12 vote-getters for the Most Valuable Player award last season played more than 68 games, Vorkunov notes.
We have more from around the basketball world:
- Former NBA forward Devontae Cacok has signed with CSKA Moscow, according to a press release from the Russian club. Cacok had been playing for the Pistons’ G League club, the Motor City Cruise, where he averaged of 19.9 points and 9.7 rebounds in 31.2 minutes through 14 games. Cacok has appeared in 36 NBA games over the past three seasons with the Lakers and Spurs after going undrafted out of UNC Wilmington in 2019. He was waived by the Pistons this fall before joining their G League squad.
- The unwritten rule discouraging passes from being thrown late in the shot clock for a teammate to take a low percentage shot is detailed by ESPN’s Tim MacMahon. Such passes are called “grenades,” since it forces a teammate to lower his shooting percentages. League-wide, players shot 29.7% last season on contested field goal attempts after receiving a pass with two seconds or less remaining on the shot clock, MacMahon notes.
- With the trade deadline behind us, Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report takes his latest swing at a two-round mock draft. Who goes after Victor Wembanyama and Scoot Henderson? Wasserman has the Hornets selecting guard Amen Thompson with the No. 3 pick.