Devin Vassell Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Texas Notes: Kidd, Mavs, Vassell, Wembanyama

November 10th, 2024 at 12:20pm CST by Rory Maher

Jason Kidd ripped the Mavericks‘ effort following Friday’s last-second loss to Phoenix, according to Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News (subscription required), who says it was the most frustrated he has seen Kidd in his four seasons as Dallas’ head coach.

“For whatever reason, we get off to a slow start,” Kidd said. “It’s got to be addressed. We’ve talked about it. There’s got to be action. There’s got to be some energy. Somebody’s got to come with some f—ing energy. We’re f—ing flat.”

In addition to another slow start, Kidd was also critical of the bench’s performance.

“The fatigue of running Luka (Doncic) and Kai (Kyrie Irving) 40-something minutes because our bench stinks right now,” Kidd said. “As deep as we are, we’ve got to get someone to f—ing participate off the bench. Somebody has to join the party to help Kai and Luka and that’s just not happening right now.

“I played the whole f—ing team tonight. We couldn’t find anybody, so we had to leave (Doncic and Irving) to carry the load and that’s unfair for those two this early in the season.”

Here are a few more notes from the Lone Star State:

The Mavericks will likely be shorthanded again on Sunday in Denver. Star guard Doncic is questionable with a left groin strain, while a trio of big men — P.J. Washington (right knee sprain), Dereck Lively (right shoulder sprain) and Maxi Kleber (right hamstring strain) — are all doubtful, tweets Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News. Doncic has yet to miss a game in 2024/25.
Spurs wing Devin Vassell caught fire in his season debut on Saturday, recording 21 points on 8-of-13 shooting in 22 minutes, notes Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News (subscriber link). However, the Spurs lost a tight game vs. the Jazz, who entered the game with just one win. “It was good for me to be back out there,” said Vassell, who was on a minutes restriction in his return from offseason foot surgery. “Good for me to be playing with some of these guys. But ultimately I wanted to get that win, so I’m kind of upset about that right now.”
Spurs center Victor Wembanyama had a big night in Saturday’s one-point loss, finishing with 24 points, 16 rebounds and seven blocks, per Michael C. Wright of ESPN. The reigning Rookie of the Year, who has opened the season in a shooting slump from long distance, also set a career high with six made three-pointers. Wembanyama became just the second player in NBA history to record six threes and seven blocks in a game, joining Brook Lopez, who accomplished the feat in 2017, according to Wright.

Injury Notes: Raptors, Zion, Morant, Melton, Vassell

November 8th, 2024 at 5:57pm CST by Luke Adams

Raptors rookie Ja’Kobe Walter, who missed the preseason and the first five games of the regular season with a sprained right AC joint, has re-sprained that joint and will be reevaluated in a week, tweets Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca.

It’s not all bad news on the injury front for Toronto though. Rookie forward Jonathan Mogbo is listed as probable to play on Saturday after exiting Wednesday’s game with a hip pointer, while starting point guard Immanuel Quickley has been upgraded to questionable after missing the last eight games with a pelvic contusion (Twitter link via Murphy).

There’s optimism Quickley will be back in action this weekend, either on Saturday vs. the Clippers or Sunday vs. the Lakers, tweets Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca.

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

Pelicans star Zion Williamson was ruled out for Friday’s game against Orlando about 90 minutes before tip-off (Twitter link via the team). As Christian Clark of NOLA.com notes (via Twitter), Williamson has now missed three of the team’s past four games with three different injury designations. He was sidelined by right hamstring tightness on Sunday, right thigh soreness on Monday, and left hamstring tightness today. With Zion out, the injury-plagued Pelicans are running out a starting lineup of Jose Alvarado, Brandon Boston, Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, and Yves Missi alongside Brandon Ingram, tweets Clark.
After leaving Wednesday’s win due to hip and hamstring discomfort, Grizzlies star Ja Morant will miss Friday’s contest vs. Washington due to right hip soreness. The point guard will undergo more imaging on Saturday to assess the severity of his injury and determine a return timeline, head coach Taylor Jenkins told reporters today (Twitter link via Michael Wallace of Grizzlies.com).
Warriors guard De’Anthony Melton, who has missed five consecutive games due to a low back strain, has been cleared to return for Friday’s showdown vs. the 9-0 Cavaliers, per Anthony Slater of The Athletic (Twitter link). Draymond Green (right knee contusion) and Brandin Podziemski (illness) will also be available for Golden State, giving the team a fully healthy roster (Twitter link via Slater).
As expected, Devin Vassell remains on track to make his season debut for the Spurs on Saturday after nine games while recovering from foot surgery. The team has listed him as probable to play vs. Utah, according to Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News (Twitter link).

Spurs Notes: Popovich, Sochan, Vassell, Collins

November 8th, 2024 at 8:57am CST by Arthur Hill

Gregg Popovich missed his fourth straight game for health reasons on Thursday, but Victor Wembanyama is optimistic that he’ll be able to return soon, according to Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News. The Spurs announced shortly before Saturday’s game that their 75-year-old coach was “under the weather.” Little information has been released publicly about his condition, and Wembanyama said players haven’t been told much either.

“We don’t hear a lot from Pop,” he told reporters after Thursday’s victory over Portland. “They keep us informed as much as we’re allowed to know. So, I’m not worried about him. I know he’s going to come back soon.”

Orsborn points out that Popovich has missed games before due to health reasons in his 29 years with the team, but never more than two in a row. Interim coach Mitch Johnson, who has guided the team to a 2-2 record since taking over, wasn’t able to provide any new information Thursday on Popovich’s condition.

“I would say he’s doing good, and we have been talking,” Johnson said. “I have had my hands full with this in trying to stay above water. So, have not talked details and I am not sure. … No details.”

There’s more from San Antonio:

No timetable has been set for Jeremy Sochan to return after he underwent surgery Wednesday for a left thumb fracture, Orsborn states in the same piece. He was off to a career-best start to the season before getting injured Monday, averaging 15.4 points, 7.7 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.0 steals through seven games. “We will be conservative and safe with it, but we will have a better idea, I would say, in a few weeks,” Johnson said. Rookie guard Stephon Castle has replaced Sochan in the starting lineup.
Johnson told reporters, including Orsborn, that he’s looking forward to the scoring boost Devin Vassell will provide with his expected return, which will likely happen Saturday. Vassell, who is recovering from offseason foot surgery, averaged a career-high 19.5 PPG last season. “There is probably a level of scoring, a level of shot-making, shooting, that the other team would have him pretty early on their scouting report,” Johnson said. “So, any time you get a guy like that, it helps everybody.”
Backup center Zach Collins appears more comfortable with his three-point shot this season, Orsborn adds. He was 2-of-3 from beyond the arc while scoring a season-high 14 points on Thursday, and he’s connecting at 43.8% from long distance after hitting just 32% in 2023/24. “We just need space right now,” Collins said. “Everyone needs to shoot more, not just me. We feel like our offense runs a little more fluid when we are all spaced out. More threes are probably going to come my way, so I need to be ready to shoot it.”

Injury Notes: Vassell, Brogdon, V. Williams, Jazz, Bulls

November 7th, 2024 at 4:01pm CST by Rory Maher

The Spurs are optimistic that swingman Devin Vassell could make his season debut on Saturday vs. Utah, Shams Charania of ESPN said on NBA Countdown (Twitter video link).

A former lottery pick who is in the first season of a lucrative long-term extension, Vassell’s 2024/25 debut has been delayed by offseason foot surgery. But it sounds like he’s fully healthy now, with his return “imminent,” according to Charania.

Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News (subscriber link) first reported that Vassell would be back as soon as Saturday.

Here are several more injury notes from around the NBA:

Wizards guard Malcolm Brogdon appears to be inching closer to a return. The former Sixth Man of the Year underwent thumb surgery last month, and while he’s still wearing a wrap, he has progressed to shooting with his right hand, which is an encouraging sign, per Chase Hughes of The Monumental Sports Network (Twitter video link).
The Grizzlies have dealt with numerous injuries once again to open ’24/25. One injured player — third-year wing Vince Williams — is getting back into shape. Memphis assigned him to the team’s G League affiliate on Thursday to practice. Williams will be immediately recalled following the practice session, the Grizzlies announced (via Twitter). Williams, who is recovering from a stress reaction in the upper portion of his left tibia, is on track to make it back to game action in about one-to-three weeks.
The Jazz should get some reinforcements back on Thursday in Milwaukee. Lauri Markkanen (back), Jordan Clarkson (heel) and Isaiah Collier (hamstring) have all been upgraded to probable, tweets Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune. Markkanen has missed Utah’s past three games, while Clarkson has missed the past two. Collier, a first-round pick earlier this year, has yet to make his regular season debut.
Bulls head coach Billy Donovan recently provided a minor injury update on Lonzo Ball, who is dealing with a sprained right wrist. As K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Sports Network relays (via Twitter), Donovan said Ball is still wearing a splint and there’s no timetable for his return.
Bulls wing Zach LaVine has been downgraded to doubtful for Thursday’s game vs. Minnesota due to an adductor strain, Johnson tweets, indicating the two-time All-Star is likely to miss his third consecutive game. However, it’s possible LaVine might return on Saturday vs. Atlanta, Johnson adds.

Spurs’ Jeremy Sochan Fractures Thumb, Needs Surgery

November 5th, 2024 at 5:46pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Spurs swingman Jeremy Sochan has a left thumb fracture that will require surgery this week, ESPN’s Marc Spears relays via a team press release (Twitter link).

The fracture is in the proximal phalanx of his thumb. Sochan suffered the injury during the second quarter of the team’s game against the Clippers on Monday.

The team didn’t offer a timetable for Sochan’s recovery. A 2022 lottery pick, the third-year forward has gotten off to a strong start. He’s averaging a career-best 15.4 points, 7.7 rebounds and 3.0 assists while starting all seven of San Antonio’s games. He also has a reputation as a defensive pest who can get under opponents’ skin.

The Spurs experimented with Sochan at the point last season but he’s been utilized on the wing and as an undersized power forward this season.

It’s been a rough beginning for the Spurs. San Antonio is now down two starters, as Devin Vassell is still rehabbing from offseason foot surgery. Key backup guard Tre Jones has only appeared in one game due to an ankle sprain. Head coach Gregg Popovich is away from the team indefinitely due to health concerns.

With Sochan out, lottery pick Stephon Castle or sixth man Keldon Johnson could move into the starting five.

Spurs Notes: Branham, Paul, Vassell, Cissoko, G League

October 29th, 2024 at 2:58pm CST by Luke Adams

It remains to be seen whether there will be a regular role for him once the Spurs‘ roster is fully healthy, but Malaki Branham continues to take advantage of an early-season opportunity and is making a case for consistent playing time, writes Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News.

After providing the Spurs with 14 solid minutes on Saturday, Branham had his best game of the season in Monday’s five-point loss to Houston, scoring 15 points on 5-of-8 shooting in just under 17 minutes of action. His plus-22.6 net rating through three contests is easily the best mark of any San Antonio rotation player — the team’s overall rating is minus-6.0.

“He’s been a pro,” head coach Gregg Popovich said of the third-year guard. “He’s done what he needed to do at practice and shootarounds. He came in and was ready to go. A class act.”

Here’s more on the Spurs:

In an entertaining feature story for The Athletic, Fred Katz takes an in-depth look at Chris Paul‘s history of mentorship, speaking to former teammates like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Cameron Johnson, Mikal Bridges, and Cameron Payne about what they learned from the future Hall of Famer and exploring how the Spurs will benefit from his presence. “There has been a mentorship dynamic with everybody because Chris is Chris,” Popovich said. “His experience and his intelligence, as we know, is off the charts. … He talks to everybody on the court: big, little. (He’s) just been fantastic in that regard.”
The Spurs are sending Devin Vassell and Sidy Cissoko to Austin to participate in training camp with their G League team, tweets Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News. Vassell is in the final stages of his rehabilitation following offseason foot surgery, while Cissoko hasn’t seen any game action yet this season for San Antonio and could use the reps.
Speaking of the Austin Spurs, they officially announced their training camp roster on Tuesday (via Twitter). Malachi Flynn, Jamaree Bouyea, and Jameer Nelson Jr. (the son of former NBA point guard Jameer Nelson) are among the notable names on the 14-man squad.

Injury Notes: Kawhi, Vassell, Sharpe, Huerter, Grizzlies, Livers

October 23rd, 2024 at 3:51pm CST by Luke Adams

Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard won’t be making his season debut anytime soon, ESPN’s Shams Charania said during Wednesday’s episode of NBA Today (Twitter video link). According to Charania, Leonard’s absence will be measured in weeks rather than days.

“I’m told Kawhi Leonard will be missing weeks,” Charania said. “This is not an injury that’s going to be measured by a week (or) two weeks, potentially. Not days, obviously. This will be an extended period of time that the Clippers are starting this season without him.”

Leonard battled inflammation in his right knee at the end of the 2023/24 season that flared up again during the summer. While it’s obviously problematic that he’s not ready for the start of the season, Charania suggests there’s optimism that once the two-time Finals MVP gets back on the court, he won’t be in and out of the lineup.

“I’m told they feel they have a plan and a protocol in place that will allow him, when he is ready to return, to actually sustain his play on the court,” Charania said.

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

Spurs guard Devin Vassell still hasn’t been cleared to take contact, but the team remains hopeful that he’ll be ready to return from foot surgery sometime in early November, writes Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News. Vassell is scheduled to be reevaluated on Nov. 1.
Shaedon Sharpe is making good progress in his return from a labral tear in his left shoulder, according to Sean Highkin of The Rose Garden Report (Substack link), who says the Trail Blazers guard has been cleared for non-contact basketball activities and is shooting and going through ball-handling drills in practice. A return in early- to mid-November return still seems realistic, Highkin adds.
Kings wing Kevin Huerter, who missed the preseason and hasn’t played since March 18 due to shoulder surgery, will be available to suit up on Thursday vs. Minnesota, tweets Sean Cunningham of FOX 40 Sacramento. Head coach Mike Brown previously told reporters that Huerter would “probably start” if he’s ready to go for Thursday’s regular season opener.
The NBA’s most injury-plagued team last season, the Grizzlies will open the 2024/25 campaign with five players sidelined. The team has officially confirmed (via Twitter) that GG Jackson II (foot), Jaren Jackson Jr. (hamstring), Luke Kennard (foot), Cam Spencer (ankle), and Vince Williams (leg) are all unavailable for Wednesday’s regular season opener in Utah.
Free agent forward Isaiah Livers announced on Instagram that he underwent a hip resurfacing surgical procedure last Friday after playing through a hip injury for the past two seasons (hat tip to Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press). It’s unclear how long the recovery process will take, but it seems safe to assume Livers won’t be an option for an NBA team until at least sometime in 2025.

Spurs Notes: Paul, Wembanyama, Vassell, Wesley

October 1st, 2024 at 10:31am CST by Luke Adams

Chris Paul has spent the first 19 years of his NBA career playing for many of the Spurs‘ top rivals in the Western Conference, prompting head coach Gregg Popovich to joke on Monday that he has “despised Chris for many years” and Paul to respond with a smile that the feeling is mutual, writes Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News.

However, there’s also plenty of mutual admiration between one of the NBA’s all-time great point guards and one of the league’s most accomplished head coaches. While Paul told reporters that he’s looking forward to learning from Popovich, the Spurs’ coach lauded the veteran guard’s basketball IQ and downplayed the idea that he’ll have much to teach CP3.

“I said, ‘Be Chris Paul.’ I probably won’t coach him a lick,” Popovich said, per Kelly Iko of The Athletic. “I’ll just try to infuse what our strategy is, how we play, what we’re looking to do. Give him information but he’s gonna play and be Chris Paul.”

After starting all 1,214 of his regular season NBA games prior to last season, Paul came off the bench in 40 of his 58 appearances for the Warriors and averaged a career-low 26.4 minutes per game. As Iko writes, it sounds like San Antonio envisions a bigger role for the 39-year-old, which was one reason why he chose to sign with the Spurs as a free agent after being waived by Golden State.

“The opportunity to play. That was a big part of it,” Paul said. “I think for me, especially since signing in San Antonio, a couple things I’ve been focused on have been making sure I’m ready to play. Totally different role than I was in last season.”

Here’s more on the Spurs:

Reigning Rookie of the Year Victor Wembanyama didn’t get to experience much playoff intensity during his first NBA season as the Spurs posted a 22-60 record, so he appreciated the opportunity to compete in the Olympics with the French national team over the summer, as Michael C. Wright of ESPN writes. “It was maybe the most intense sports experience in my life,” said Wembanyama, who came away with a silver medal. “I felt really lucky to have the chance to live those experiences. I felt proud as well. During all elimination games, for 40 minutes we were locked in thinking about one thing: the next play. As a team, it builds something to have this level of concentration, all of us towards the same goal. The emotion is just too much to contain. You have to scream or cry a little bit. It’s too much to contain.”
Besides competing in the Olympics, Wembanyama spent his offseason focused on gaining core strength and improving his fundamentals, according to Wright, who notes that the big man worked on his dribble moves with three-time Sixth Man of the Year Jamal Crawford. “The game is slowing down for him,” teammate Devin Vassell said of Wembanyama. “He’s seeing everything, the reads, what shots he wants to get to, finishing. Every step of his game is growing. (With) the numbers he was putting up last year, the runs he was going on, for him to be (still) improving, it’s going to be scary for the league this year. I can tell you that.”
Vassell, who is still recovering from foot surgery that will sideline him for the start of the season, told reporters on Monday that he feels good about the progress he’s made, according to Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News. Vassell explained that he had hoped to let the injury heal naturally, but it kept “nagging” him and he eventually went under the knife in late June. “I feel more healthy than I’ve been in a long time,” Vassell said, adding that he believes the Spurs can be a playoff team in 2024/25.
While Blake Wesley‘s stats through two seasons with the Spurs are underwhelming (4.6 PPG, 2.7 APG, .398/.299/.639 shooting), the 21-year-old wing has shown real promise as a defender and earned praise from veteran forward Harrison Barnes on Monday for his play during recent scrimmages. “I thought he’s done an unbelievable job of just picking up guys defensively full court, getting active, getting steals,” Barnes said, per Orsborn. “He’s had a great two weeks.” San Antonio has until October 31 to decide whether to exercise Wesley’s $4.73MM team option for 2025/26.

Spurs Notes: Vassell, Collins, Bassey, Wemby, Champagnie, Viera

September 27th, 2024 at 2:46pm CST by Luke Adams

Veteran wing Devin Vassell won’t be available when San Antonio’s season tips off next month, the team announced today in a press release. According to the Spurs, Vassell is still recovering from surgery to address a stress reaction of the third metatarsal head in his right foot.

Vassell is taking part in non-contact basketball activities and his status will be updated on November 1, per the club. That means he’ll be sidelined for at least the Spurs’ five games in October and perhaps beyond that.

Vassell was the Spurs second-leading scorer last season behind Victor Wembanyama. The 24-year-old averaged 19.5 points, 4.1 assists, and 3.8 rebounds in 33.1 minutes per game across 68 outings. His 47.2% field goal percentage was a career high.

Here’s more out of San Antonio:

Although the news on Vassell isn’t ideal, the Spurs issued more positive injury updates on big men Zach Collins (labrum surgery) and Charles Bassey (ACL surgery). Collins has been cleared for all basketball activities, while Bassey is in the midst of a “progressive ramp up to live play.” Both players are expected to be available for the start of the regular season, according to the team.
Doug Haller of The Athletic spoke to several former NBA stars and head coaches about what to expect from Wembanyama in his second season and just how good the reigning Rookie of the Year has the potential to be. “Chris Paul is going to make him a lot better,” Hall of Famer Gary Payton said. “He’s going to get him in the right places and get him the ball at the right time, and then once (Wembanyama) gets stronger and a little bit more seasoning, it’s going to be hard to stop him.”
Following the offseason addition of Harrison Barnes, third-year forward Julian Champagnie almost certainly won’t match the 59 starts he made last season. However, he says he’s perfectly fine with coming off the bench and is more focused on continuing to develop his game and doing whatever he can to help the team, as Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News details in a subscriber-only story. “I’m into growth,” Champagnie said. “You’ve got to be better than you were last year. One percent better every day is still progress. … I know what they’re asking of me. I know what they’re shooting for. I have a good overview on where we are now and where we want to be in the next four or five years. I want to be part of it, so I’m going to do everything they ask of me to the best of my ability. And let the chips fall where they fall.”
Spurs minority shareholder Paul Viera has increased his stake in the franchise from 5% to 11%, according to Michael Ozanian and Jessica Golden of CNBC, who say that Viera’s latest purchase came “at a steep discount in a deal that values the team at $2.5 billion.” The NBA’s Board of Governors has approved the transaction, the Spurs announced in a press release. Viera bought out a stake that had been controlled by the food service company Aramark, per CNBC.

Spurs Notes: Risacher, Win-Now Mode, Holland, Graham

June 4th, 2024 at 9:28pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Spurs hold the No. 4 overall pick in the draft and French forward Zaccharie Risacher might be a good fit for their roster. However, Risacher will likely be off the board by then and LJ Ellis of SpursTalk.com explores whether San Antonio should take him if he slides to their pick or even move up to nab him.

Ellis notes that the Spurs are in the market for multi-positional, multi-skilled players and Risacher might fit that description as well as any lottery prospect. However, statistical models don’t flatter the Frenchman, as he grades out as a typical second-round selection.

We have more on the Spurs:

The Spurs want to be competitive next season and make the playoffs, Jonathan Givony of ESPN told Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer during a podcast (video link). “They’re not looking to make this a 2-3 year process where they’re in the lottery again next year,” said Givony, who reports that they may look to trade the No. 4 and/or No. 8 selections in this year’s draft for a veteran who can help right away. Givony adds that Victor Wembanyama and Devin Vassell are the only untouchables on the roster.
Ron Holland might have been the top prospect of this year’s draft coming into this season. Holland’s stock took a hit during his one year with the G League Ignite but that might be good news for the Spurs, Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio -News writes, since they are seeking a promising wing scorer with size. Holland is currently ranked No. 11 on ESPN’s Best Available list and could be a consideration with the latter of their lottery picks.
Devonte’ Graham, who has one year remaining on his four-year, $47MM contract, spent four days in Spain coaching at the NBA’s Basketball Without Borders camp. Nick Moyle of the Express-News details Graham’s experience at the camp. Graham added he’s looking forward to next season. “I come back every year same thing: motivated, do my part, leadership,” he said. “And we’ll see where it goes.” For what it’s worth, since the guard’s $12.65MM salary for 2024/25 is only partially guaranteed for $2.85MM, he may hit the free agent market this summer.