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And-Ones: MVP Race, I. Thomas, Draft, I. Clark

February 17th, 2022 at 9:46am CST by Luke Adams

The top two finishers in last season’s MVP voting appear to be the top two candidates for this year’s award too, writes Tim Bontemps of ESPN. Bontemps recently conducted a straw poll of 100 media members and found that Sixers center Joel Embiid narrowly – and unofficially – leads Nuggets big man Nikola Jokic in the MVP race.

As Bontemps details, Embiid received 45 first-place votes from the poll respondents, while Jokic got 43. Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (nine), Suns guard Chris Paul (two), and Warriors guard Stephen Curry (one) were the other players who got first-place votes. Interestingly, Embiid was the only player to show up on all 100 five-player ballots, while Jokic was left off five.

Curry received 94 first-place votes when Bontemps conducted a similar straw poll in December, but the veteran sharpshooter has slowed down since his hot start, while players like Embiid, Jokic, and Antetokounmpo have made stronger MVP pushes.

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

Free agent guard Isaiah Thomas is expected to rejoin the Grand Rapids Gold – the Nuggets‘ G League affiliate – after the All-Star break, league sources tell Marc Stein (Twitter link). Thomas had a very brief stint in Grand Rapids in December, scoring 42 points in his only NBAGL game before getting called up to the NBA. Thomas signed 10-day contracts with the Lakers and Mavericks before returning to the open market.
Sam Vecenie of The Athletic has published a new 2022 mock draft, while Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report has updated his top-50 big board. Both draft experts currently have Gonzaga’s Chet Holmgren at No. 1 and Jabari Smith of Auburn at No. 2, with Purdue’s Jaden Ivey moving up to No. 3 ahead of Duke’s Paolo Banchero.
Veteran guard Ian Clark, who has 330 regular season appearances on his NBA résumé and won a title with Golden State in 2017, has signed with the Sydney Kings, the Australian team recently announced in a press release. Clark played in 60 games for New Orleans in 2018/19, but has been out of the NBA since then.

And-Ones: Brown, Fredette, Vaughn, Timma

January 30th, 2022 at 8:27pm CST by JD Shaw

Long Island Nets guard Bryce Brown is looking to be a steady contributor as he continues to eye his NBA dreams, he told Alec Sturm of NetsDaily in an exclusive interview.

Brown has averaged 15.2 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.2 assists with Long Island this season, shooting 40% from the floor and 37% from three-point range. He signed training camp deals with the Knicks in 2020 and the Nets last year, but he hasn’t appeared in an NBA regular season game.

“You know, I feel like everybody’s big goal at the end of the year is to get a call up,” Brown said. “But at the end of the day, I just want to get better. I want to become a better all-around player. And if I haven’t got a call up yet, like right now or in [the] next couple of weeks or before the season even ends, at the end of the day I just want to learn what do I need to do to get there?”

Here are some other odds and ends from around the basketball world:

Veteran guard Jimmer Fredette is returning to China to play with the Shanghai Sharks, according to Dario Skerletic of Sportando. Fredette holds 241 games of NBA experience and has made multiple stops in China. “It’s more about trying to win and help these guys, to fit in, to be a leader, and give a sense of calmness and a sense of someone who’s been there and done it with these guys to try to help them in tough situations and provide something they need,” he said.
Free agent guard Rashad Vaughn has signed in Greece with Lavrio BC, the team announced (via Twitter). Vaughn owns NBA experience with the Bucks, Nets and Magic. He was also the No. 17 pick of the 2015 NBA Draft.
EuroLeague veteran Janis Timma has signed a contract in the NBA G League, according to the league’s transactions page. Timma will be acquired by the Lakeland Magic, as they hold his returning player rights. He played Summer League with Orlando last August.

And-Ones: Sharpe, 2022 Draft, Dotson, Douglas

January 23rd, 2022 at 1:26pm CST by Rory Maher

It was reported a few days ago that top prospect Shaedon Sharpe will be eligible to apply for the 2022 draft, which could have a ripple effect on the projected lottery selections this summer. Kyle Tucker and Sam Vecenie of The Athletic explore the next steps for both Kentucky and Sharpe, who has yet to play a game for the Wildcats. Sources tell The Athletic that although Sharpe is able to apply, there are still questions as to whether he would actually be granted eligibility by the NBA.

Tucker relays that Kentucky wasn’t surprised by the news that Sharpe was eligible to apply for the draft, as it was always a possibility. Sharpe just joined the Wildcats at the beginning of January and hasn’t even gone through a full practice yet. Coach John Calipari said the report doesn’t change anything from his perspective.

“It doesn’t change anything. He plans on being here next year. He’s watching. Whether I play him or not this year, if he’s ready to be able to be in games, I’ll put him in. But he’s a great kid and he’s doing well and he’s going to make practices even better. He’s only been here two weeks. But at the end of the day, you know I’m going to be for kids. That’s how I do this,” Calipari said.

The plan all along has been for Sharpe to sit out the ’22 season and suit up for 2022/23. Tucker had a text exchange with Sharpe’s mother, Julia Bell, to verify the plan was still in place and she confirmed that it was. Tucker believes that Sharpe will end up playing at some point this season, but Vecenie thinks that it would behoove him not to.

Vecenie hasn’t projected Sharpe in any mock drafts for ’22 due to the murkiness of his eligibility, but he believes the 6’6″ wing has the upside to be the No. 1 overall pick. If Sharpe does end up applying and is granted eligibility by the NBA, Vecenie says he’d rank him around No. 5 on his board and would be surprised if he fell outside of the top 10. Sharpe would immediately become one of top wing prospects in a draft that is mostly known for its big men.

Here’s more from around the basketball world:

Speaking of the ’22 draft, Chad Ford provides version 3.1 of his latest NBA Big Board, with Jabari Smith Jr. at No. 1, Chet Holmgren No. 2, and Sharpe No. 5.
Devon Dotson, who was waived by the Bulls last week in order to sign Malcolm Hill to a two-way deal, is expected to land with Chicago’s G League affiliate, the Windy City Bulls, according to veteran NBA reporter Marc Stein of Substack (via Twitter).
Former NBA player Toney Douglas has signed with Israeli team Hapoel Eilat, per Dario Skerletic of Sportando. Douglas began the season with Greek team Iraklis BC. Douglas appeared in parts of eight seasons in the NBA, last suiting up with Memphis in 2016/17. Across 394 games, he averaged 7.6 points, 2.2 rebounds and 2.3 assists per contest.
In an Insider-only article for ESPN, Jonathan Givony and Mike Schmitz explore the 2023 draft class in a mock draft, with French 7’3″ big man Victor Wembanyana going No. 1 and Scoot Henderson of G League Ignite No. 2.

Central Notes: Dosunmu, White, Kalamian, Holiday, Sexton

January 20th, 2022 at 8:08pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Rookie Ayo Dosunmu and third-year guard Coby White have expanded roles in the absence of Lonzo Ball and Zach LaVine and they’ve performed well, K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago notes. Ball is out six-to-eight weeks after undergoing knee surgery and LaVine didn’t join on the Bulls on their three-game road trip due to a less serious knee injury.

Dosunmu and White have started the last three games, with Dosunmu averaging 18.0 PPG, 8.0 APG and 5.7 RPG and White posting 17.0 PPG, 4.3 APG and 4.3 RPG.

DeMar DeRozan has been impressed with Dosunmu’s maturity. “He accepts his mistakes,” DeRozan said. “He holds himself accountable. And that’s big for a young guy to be able to do that.”

We have more from the Central Division:

Pistons assistant coach Rex Kalamian has agreed to become the head coach of the Armenian national team, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnaworski tweets. Both of Kalamian’s parents are Armenian-Americans. Kalamian, who recently served as acting coach when Dwane Casey missed some games for personal reasons, will continue in his duties in Detroit.
Jrue Holiday returned to action on Wednesday after missing six games due to left ankle soreness. Though he only scored nine points in 22 minutes, he gave the Bucks a boost in numerous areas, Eric Nehm of The Athletic writes. “Wish I had a little more (time on the floor), but I think just trying to get my timing back, get my legs back, get my feel for the game back,” Holiday said. “I feel like I haven’t played in a long time, so just trying to get back right.”
Cavaliers guard Collin Sexton, who underwent season-ending knee surgery two months ago, will be a restricted free agent after the season. Bryan Fonseca of Basketball News explores the pros and cons of Cleveland trading Sexton before next month’s deadline. Fonseca ultimately concludes the Cavs should retain Sexton, providing another shot-creator and catch-and-shoot option on a team with playoff aspirations beyond this season.

Gabriel Deck Returns To Real Madrid

January 19th, 2022 at 7:42am CST by Luke Adams

JANUARY 19: Deck has finalized an agreement with Real Madrid that will cover the rest of this season and the following two seasons, running through June 30, 2024, the team announced today in a press release.

JANUARY 17: After being waived by the Thunder earlier this month, forward Gabriel Deck is returning to Spain and rejoining Real Madrid. Reports shortly after Deck’s release indicated this was the plan, and Real Madrid head coach Pablo Laso confirmed as much on Sunday, as Eurohoops relays.

The deal hasn’t been finalized yet, but Deck is expected to sign a contract that runs through the 2023/24 season, according to multiple reports.

Deck played for Real Madrid from 2018-21, leaving the club last season to sign a contract with Oklahoma City in April. Although the 26-year-old technically received a four-year deal, only his 2020/21 salary was guaranteed, so he was always considered a long shot to play out the full contract unless he made a strong impression during his first stint in the NBA.

Deck appeared in just 10 games for the Thunder last season and seven more this season, averaging 6.0 PPG, 2.7 RPG, and 1.7 APG with a .494/.211/.818 shooting line in 15.8 MPG across 17 total contests.

During his last season with Real Madrid in 2020/21, Deck recorded 10.0 PPG and 4.0 RPG on .533/.333/.862 shooting in 21 Liga ACB games (23.3 MPG), as well as 8.8 PPG and 3.6 RPG on .487/.414/.833 shooting in 31 EuroLeague appearances (24.1 MPG). He also played a key role for Argentina during the Tokyo Olympics last summer.

Discussing Deck’s impending return to Real Madrid, Laso expressed enthusiasm but added that it’s hard to glean much information from the forward’s time in the NBA.

“The only bad thing, at least from my perspective, is that Deck has just played four games since he left Madrid last April,” Laso said, per Eurohoops. “The ones at the Olympics. The others are difficult to analyze.”

Wayne Selden Signing With Turkish Team

January 18th, 2022 at 2:08pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Shooting guard Wayne Selden is signing with Turkish club Afyon Belediye of the Basketball Super League, per Turkish paper Afyon Haber.

After going undrafted out of Kansas in 2016, Selden logged time with the Pelicans, Grizzlies, and Bulls, plus several G League clubs. The 27-year-old wing then suited up for Israeli Basketball Premier League club Ironi Nes Ziona during the 2020/21 season.

Selden inked a non-guaranteed camp deal with the Knicks ahead of training camp and stuck on the roster through the start of the regular season. However, he was waived earlier this month as part of the Knicks’ Denzel Valentine/Rajon Rondo trade. Selden appeared in just three games for New York this season.

The 6’4″ guard holds NBA career averages of 7.2 PPG, 2.0 RPG, and 1.5 APG with a shooting line of .415/.344/.718 across 127 contests, including 27 starts.

Marc Gasol: “Door Is Not Closed” On An NBA Comeback

January 16th, 2022 at 10:59am CST by Arthur Hill

Marc Gasol is currently playing in Spain, but his NBA career may not be over. Gasol, who will turn 37 this month, is both an owner and player with Basquet Girona. In an interview with the Spanish publication Cadenaser, he indicated that he still has options to return to the NBA, relays Dario Skerletic of Sportando.

“In the NBA they know I haven’t closed the door,” he said. “Now I wanted to do this thing (play at Girona) and they understood it, perhaps more than many people here in Spain. The door is not closed, I am not saying that I will return or that I am evaluating it, but I know that there is interest on their part … at the moment I am focused on Girona.”

A three-time All-Star and former Defensive Player of the Year, Gasol played 13 NBA seasons before deciding to return to his native country. He was the Lakers’ starting center for most of last season, averaging 5.0 points and 4.1 rebounds in 52 games.

However, Gasol didn’t see much playing time after Los Angeles signed Andre Drummond midway through the season. In September, he was traded to the Grizzlies, who released him five days later.

Gasol indicated that he’s not in a hurry to make a decision about his future. The Spanish League schedule runs through mid-May, and with Gasol determined to honor his commitment to Girona, it’s unlikely that he’ll be back in the NBA this season.

“The most precious thing we have is time,” he said. “We have little time and each of us decides how to invest it. to live unique experiences, I wanted to give this time to a city that supported me in difficult moments in sport, when I started my career at the age of 21.”

And-Ones: Davis, Georges-Hunt, All-Star Picks, 2022 Draft

January 15th, 2022 at 11:15am CST by Dana Gauruder

Former NBA big man Deyonta Davis has signed with a Taiwanese team, the Taoyuan Leopards, according to Sportando. Davis, an early second-round selection in the 2016 draft, last appeared in the NBA during the 2018/19 season, when he saw action in nine games with Atlanta.

We have more from around the basketball world:

Former NBA forward Marcus Georges-Hunt has signed a G League deal and will play for the Hawks’ affiliate, the College Park Skyhawks, Chris Kirschner of The Athletic tweets. Georges-Hunt spent some time in the Chinese Basketball Association after playing in the NBA. He played a combined 47 games for Orlando and Minnesota from 2016-18.
The Athletic’s Josh Robbins and John Hollinger put their heads together and made their selections for the All-Star starters and reserves in both conferences. Some of the notable players who didn’t make the cut included James Harden, Jaylen Brown, Paul George and Damian Lillard.
Auburn’s Jabari Smith Jr. is the first player off the board in the latest mock draft from Sports Illustrated’s Jeremy Woo. Paolo Banchero and Chet Holmgren are the next two selections with Wisconsin guard Johnny Davis elevating to the No. 4 spot.

And-Ones: Exum, Thomas, Doncic, Tatum, Yabusele

January 10th, 2022 at 8:11pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Former NBA guard Dante Exum plans to return to the NBA when his three-month contract with Barcelona expires, according to Emiliano Carchia of Sportando. Exum is averaging just 4.4 PPG in the EuroLeague after signing with the Spanish team early last month.

Exum was waived by the Rockets during training camp. He signed a three-year deal with Houston in September but the contract was non-guaranteed and Houston had 15 other players with guaranteed deals.

We have more from around the basketball world:

Khyri Thomas has officially signed with Maccabi Tel Aviv, according to a team press release. A report surfaced over the weekend that Maccabi was interested in the former NBA guard. Thomas, a 2018 second-round pick, played in Spain last month before suffering an injury. He saw action in five games with Houston last season and came off the bench in 34 games for Detroit during the previous two seasons.
Luka Doncic and Jayson Tatum remain the two players under 25 years old that NBA talent evaluators would want to build their teams around, according to an annual poll conducted by Michael Scotto of Hoops Hype. Ja Morant, LaMelo Ball and Trae Young round out the top five.
Guerschon Yabusele has agreed to a contract extension with Real Madrid, according to a team press release. The three-year extension runs through June 2025. Yabusele, a first-round pick by the Celtics in 2016, last appeared in the NBA during the 2018/19 season when he saw action in 41 games for Boston.

China Next Stop For Jahlil Okafor?

January 9th, 2022 at 10:00am CST by Arthur Hill

Jahlil Okafor is expected to sign with Guangsha in the Chinese Basketball Association, sources tell Emiliano Carchia of Sportando.

The 26-year-old center appeared in 27 games for the Pistons last season, averaging 5.4 points and 2.4 rebounds in 12.9 minutes per night. He was traded in September to the Nets, who waived him five days later. He signed a non-guaranteed contract with the Hawks for training camp, but was released before the season began.

The Sixers selected Okafor with the third pick in the 2015 draft, but he only lasted a little more than two seasons in Philadelphia before being traded to Brooklyn. He also spent two seasons with the Pelicans, but was never able to approach the numbers he put up in his first season when he averaged 17.5 points and 7.0 rebounds per game and earned first team All-Rookie honors.