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Warriors Notes: Centers, Curry, Green, Iguodala

November 22nd, 2018 at 1:58pm CST by Arthur Hill

Tyson Chandler‘s statement that he considered signing with the Warriors before joining the Lakers is a sign that Golden State is having second thoughts about its current group of centers, writes Anthony Slater of The Athletic. Steven Adams dominated the Warriors on Wednesday with 20 points and 11 rebounds in Oklahoma City’s 28-point win, elevating concerns that Damian Jones, Kevon Looney and Jordan Bell aren’t doing enough in the middle.

The organization made the decision to go with younger centers this summer, letting JaVale McGee, Zaza Pachulia and David West all leave. However, after a few weeks Golden State was already reaching out to a veteran like Chandler to provide more stability.

Jones made his 17th start in 19 games Wednesday, but posted just four points and no rebounds, continuing his season-long struggle. Looney had four points and nine rebounds in 22 minutes, but Slater notes that his offensive limitations make it hard to trust him with a larger role. Bell has fallen out of the rotation and hasn’t played well enough to earn more minutes.

Of course, the Warriors’ problems at center could be solved in a big way once offseason addition DeMarcus Cousins is able to play. But there’s still no timetable for him to return after last season’s Achilles injury, which means center could be a lingering issue for the defending champs.

There’s more Warriors news to pass along:

Stephen Curry didn’t appear to be bothered by a groin sprain during shooting drills at Tuesday’s practice, but the Warriors are being careful about bringing back their star guard, Slater relays in the same story. He has already been ruled out for games Friday and Saturday against the Trail Blazers and Kings. Golden State is 2-5 since Curry suffered the injury.
Draymond Green, who is sidelined with a sprained toe, may be losing his impact as a vocal leader, Slater adds. Green was caught on camera giving a fiery speech during a first-half timeout, but the reaction of his teammates suggests that it wasn’t inspirational.
Andre Iguodala hasn’t been able to provide a scoring boost with Curry and Green sidelined, writes Dieter Kurtenbach of The San Jose Mercury News. Iguodala is averaging just 6.4 PPG since the start of November. Kurtenbach contends he could be filling the roles of playmaker and third scorer, but appears to be coasting through the regular season.

LeBron’s Return And The Kyrie Irving Trade

November 22nd, 2018 at 10:16am CST by Arthur Hill

The Cavaliers believed LeBron James was eventually headed to the Lakers as far back as 2016, but they missed an opportunity to send him off with another championship by mishandling the Kyrie Irving trade, writes Jason Lloyd of The Athletic.

Irving and the Cavs were both trying to protect themselves from the fallout of LeBron’s departure, Lloyd adds. Irving submitted a trade request that eventually landed him in Boston. Cleveland’s front office started the rebuilding process by making the Nets’ unprotected first-rounder the key part of an otherwise underwhelming package from the Celtics that also brought Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, Ante Zizic and a second-round pick in 2020.

James was criticized for not reaching out to Irving and trying to change his mind about leaving the team, but he doesn’t believe he could have made a difference.

“I think by the time it got to me he wanted to be traded, I think he was already gone,” James said. “He was already gone and it was up to the organization to do their job and try to keep him as well. The guy still had two years left on his contract. They didn’t have to give him up. It could’ve been repaired then. Bring him in, let’s see what happens. I don’t think his stock drops if he still comes to Cleveland, see what happens and at the trade deadline you could still do it then.”

The Cavaliers were able to make their fourth straight trip to the NBA Finals without Irving, but they were swept by the Warriors. Lloyd recalls that many of the Cavs’ players thought Golden State was beatable last year, but they didn’t have enough star power to make it happen.

There’s more from LeBron’s triumphant return to Cleveland:

Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert opted to skip Wednesday’s game, Lloyd adds, which underscores the state of his relationship with James. Although Gilbert’s reaction to James’ departure this time was more dignified than the letter he wrote in 2010, the relationship between owner and player has never fully recovered.
James received a loud ovation from Cavaliers fans during pre-game introductions and was grateful for a highlight video the organization put together, relays Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. The video highlighted James’ accomplishments on the court and in the community, including the I Promise School that his foundation helped to establish. “They did it the right way,” Cavaliers center Tristan Thompson said of the video. “I think everyone understood and was almost like, We appreciate this guy, he’s given us so much, he’s given us everything he’s got, so we appreciate it. If he wants to move on and start another chapter in his life, we’re all for it.'”
Last night’s warm reception was a stark contrast to how James was received when he returned to Cleveland with the Heat, notes Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN. In 2010, James was viewed as a traitor by fans and was portrayed as a villain by the team. “From the time we landed yesterday, it just felt a different way,” he said. “I’m a different person. We’re all different from eight years ago, I think, both good and bad.”

L.A. Notes: Harris, Rivers, Ball, Walton

November 21st, 2018 at 5:04pm CST by Arthur Hill

Tobias Harris is one of the leaders of a surprising Clippers team that is near the top of the Western Conference, but he still isn’t immune to trade rumors. Harris checked with management after he heard his name floated as part of a package to acquire Jimmy Butler from the Timberwolves, writes Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports. It turned out that the Clippers were interested in Butler, but they envisioned using him and Harris together.

“It is hard, but you have to be honest and there’s times when you tell [players], ‘I can’t tell you.’ I tell guys that,” coach Doc Rivers said. “But with Tobias it was easy. I was pretty confident he wasn’t going anywhere. That one wasn’t that hard for us. We love Tobias. And we think he’s part of our future here.”

Harris, who has been with four teams in his eight NBA seasons, is headed for free agency next summer and can expect a significant raise from the $14.8MM he is making this year. Whether he stays in L.A. or not, he already has plenty of experience with the business side of basketball.

“It didn’t bother me. It was funny,” Harris said of the trade rumor. “At the end of the day, I’m so well-equipped and well-suited for whatever’s next that nothing will ever surprise me.”

There’s more today out of Los Angeles:

With cap room to offer at least one max contract, the Clippers are expected to be a major player in free agency and Rivers believes the organization has a unique selling point, relays Martin Rogers of USA Today. “Coming to the Clippers and turning them into a team that wins a title? It hasn’t been done,” Rivers said. “For a lot of these players, it is the chance to go to a franchise and ‘be the man,’ be the one that gets them to something [we’ve] never done in the history of the franchise.”
The Lakers have tried several options to run the second-unit offense with Rajon Rondo injured, and it appears that job may fall to Lonzo Ball, according to Kyle Goon of The Orange County Register. Ball played more minutes with the reserves in Sunday’s win in Miami and may get that role on a long-term basis.
Head coach Luke Walton has heard that his job is in jeopardy several times since taking over the Lakers, but he has a supporter in Heat coach Erik Spoelstra, who coached LeBron James under similar circumstances, Goon adds in a separate story. “If you look at his whole professional career, all of [it] he has been involved with are teams like this with great expectations, with a lot of pressure and a lot of noise,” Spoelstra said. “He doesn’t know any different. I don’t think you can find a better fit than to coach that team.”

And-Ones: All-Star Game, White, Holland, Carmelo

November 19th, 2018 at 9:48pm CST by Dana Gauruder

NBA commissioner Adam Silver said he would discuss holding a future All-Star Game in the city of Detroit with Arn Tellem, the vice-chairman of the Pistons, Gregg Krupa of the Detroit News reports. The Pistons are playing their second season at Little Caesars Arena, which is also the home of the NHL’s Red Wings. “I’m sure we’ll be talking about it,” Silver said during a business trip to the city. The state of Michigan hasn’t seen an All-Star Game since 1979, when it was held in the Pontiac Silverdome. The Pistons’ former home, The Palace of Auburn Hills, never hosted the event.

We have more news from around the basketball world:

Former Heat and Cavaliers big man Okaro White is close to signing with Israel’s Maccabi Tel Aviv, according to a Eurobasket.com report which was relayed by Sam Amico. White appeared in six games with Miami last season after seeing action in 35 games with the Heat the previous season. The Cavaliers signed him to 10-day contracts last season but he didn’t play. He was waived by Cleveland in August and then by the Spurs in October after joining them for training camp.
The G League’s Austin Spurs acquired the returning rights to guard John Holland and a 2019 second-round pick from the Canton Charge, the Cavs’ affiliate, in exchange for small forward Jaron Blossomgame, according to a press release from the G League club. Holland had a two-way contract with the Cavaliers last season and played 24 games, posting an average of 2.3 PPG in 7.3 MPG. Holland appeared in one game this season with the Cavaliers before being waived on November 9th. Blossomgame, the Spurs’ second-round pick in 2017, spent the last two seasons with Austin but has yet to make his NBA debut.
The Warriors, Sixers, Lakers and Pelicans are the most likely landing spots for Carmelo Anthony once he’s waived by the Rockets, Matt Eppers of USA Today opines. Anthony could help each of those teams to varying degrees, mainly as a second-unit player.

Sixers Optimistic Butler Will Stay Put

November 19th, 2018 at 7:04pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Sixers managing partner and owner Josh Harris is both determined and optimistic that Jimmy Butler will remain with the team beyond this season, as he told USA Today’s Jeff Zillgitt and The Athletic’s Shams Charania.

The Butler trade was made to give the franchise a third star alongside Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid and become a serious championship contender. It wouldn’t have happened unless the Sixers were convinced they could keep Butler, who can opt out of his contract this summer, in the long run.

“We’ve been saying since the summer we’ve been looking for another star and we felt we needed another shooter, a three-and-D wing, someone like Jimmy,” Harris told Zillgitt. “They’re hard to find at this elite level. We know who we have to get through to win the East. It’s obvious who it is. We think this is a piece we needed.”

While Butler became a major distraction around the Timberwolves, he’s been a model citizen since joining the Sixers. And Philadelphia anticipates that its gamble will pay off in the long run in the form of a multi-year contract.

“Our goal is to have elite talent under contract for a long time,” Harris told Charania. “That’s what we’re interested in.”

Both reporters offered insights into the trade discussions involving Butler. The Sixers eventually agreed to deal Dario Saric, Robert Covington, Jerryd Bayless and a future second-rounder for Butler and throw-in Justin Patton.

The Timberwolves initially asked for another starter in addition to the trio the Sixers dealt, according to Zillgitt.
Minnesota narrowed its offers to three teams, with the Pelicans and Rockets being the other finalists, according to Charania. New Orleans dangled forward Nikola Mirotic and a first-round pick, while Houston was willing to part with guard Eric Gordon and two first-rounders.
The Sixers initially offered draft picks and other large contracts, Harris told Charania. Markelle Fultz was discussed in the Butler talks.
Other suitors, such as the Lakers, wanted to wait until the December 15th date when signed free agents could be included in a deal for Butler, Charania added.

LeBron: Kyrie Trade Was Beginning Of The End In Cleveland

November 19th, 2018 at 11:33am CST by Luke Adams

With LeBron James‘ return to Cleveland right around the corner, Joe Vardon of The Athletic revisits the 2017 trade that sent Kyrie Irving to Boston and contributed to James’ decision to leave the Cavaliers for the Lakers in 2018. As LeBron tells Vardon, the Irving deal with the Celtics helped signal the end of an era in Cleveland.

“Everyone knows that when Kyrie got traded it was the beginning of the end for everything,” James said. “It’s not a secret.”

In his account of how that Irving deal got done, Vardon writes that James spoke on the phone to Cavs general manager Koby Altman the day the trade was agreed upon. Vardon cites four separate people present for the conversation who say that – at the end of the call – Altman told LeBron the trade wouldn’t happen. However, the deal was completed shortly thereafter.

Cavaliers officials who spoke to Vardon denied that Altman gave James any assurances that the deal wouldn’t happen, adding that Altman asked LeBron if he’d commit long-term to the Cavs if they kept Irving, and he said no. In any case, James doesn’t feel as if Altman lied to him, according to Vardon — instead, the GM may have simply been overruled by team owner Dan Gilbert.

“You realize at that point in time, take nothing from Koby, because Koby (was just named GM),” LeBron said. “But at that point in time, you realize that Koby’s not the only one running the team, as (former GM David Griffin) had done, and that’s why Griff was let go pretty much.”

While the Cavaliers still earned a spot in the NBA Finals without Irving, they were quickly dispatched by the Warriors, prompting James to seek a new challenge in free agency. Now a Laker, the four-time MVP will make his return to Cleveland this week, with the Cavs scheduled to host the Lakers on Wednesday.

As for Irving, he declined comment today when asked about his response to James’ comments, telling reporters that he’s done talking about his time in Cleveland (video link via Abby Chin of NBC Sports Boston).

Pacific Notes: Rondo, Anderson, Warren, Kings

November 18th, 2018 at 2:02pm CST by JD Shaw

Despite fracturing his hand last week, Rajon Rondo continues to help the Lakers progress through their tumultuous start to the 2018/19 season on the sidelines. His veteran leadership, locker room mentality and 13 years of experience have positively impacted several players, particularly the team’s group of younger talent.

“My whole life I ain’t never played with someone like him, or LeBron [James],” teammate Lonzo Ball said of Rondo, according to ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk. “It’s new to me to just try and follow in their footsteps in a way, just because you can see them get the most out of everybody and the practices are way better than they were last year because they are always challenging people.

“I mean, he’s the best leader that I’ve ever played with — between him and LeBron.”

Rondo was at the Lakers’ practice facility the morning after fracturing his hand, according to Youngmisuk, instructing teammates and being present for guidance when needed. It’s those kinds of traits that helped him win a championship with the Celtics in 2008, and it’s exactly why the Lakers value his services so much.

“Rondo’s a natural leader,” James said. “I think he just was brought into this world to lead.”

Rondo underwent surgery on Thursday and is expected to miss 4-5 weeks. He’s averaged 8.5 points, 6.5 assists and 25.3 minutes in 11 contests this season, playing most of his games off the bench.

There’s more from the Pacific Division:

Ryan Anderson has found comfort in his new role with the Suns, Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic writes. “When I was first starting off like some of these guys,” Anderson said, “I was ready when my name was called, and I performed and that’s what led to me getting more minutes and I was eventually starting. Those are moments that coaches really notice. If I can bring that out of a guy, I can help work after practice, that’s more important than me playing 10 minutes in a game.”
T.J. Warren‘s efforts to improve his three-point shooting have paid off this season, Cody Cunningham of NBA.com writes. Warren has connected on 46% of his threes through 14 games. “It’s a testament to the work I put in,” he said. “I really wanted to lock-in and really focus on it. Seeing where the league is going, just wanted to challenge myself and prove to myself that if I put my mind to it, I can do it.”
The Kings‘ improving culture is a noteworthy change this season, Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee relays. “Winning begins with culture and character matters,” general manager Vlade Divac said. Sacramento has started the 2018/19 season with an 8-8 record.

LeBron Has Little To Say About Chance To Acquire Anthony

November 18th, 2018 at 11:43am CST by Arthur Hill

The Lakers have been rumored as a possible next stop for Carmelo Anthony, but LeBron James is refusing to comment on the possibility of adding one of his closest friends, writes Liam Blackburn of The Sporting News. “I have no idea, to be honest,” he said when asked about the chance to acquire Anthony. “We don’t even have a roster spot open right now, so that’s not a question for myself.”

Lakers Notes: Ball, McGee, Second Superstar

November 17th, 2018 at 10:06am CST by marksuleymanov

For a young Lakers team still in search of its identity, second-year point guard Lonzo Ball has seen his role vary. At times, Ball has played the prototypical point guard role, setting up his teammates. Other times, the UCLA product has been more of an off-the-ball player who has also displayed an improved long-range game.

As Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times writes, Ball is still getting adjusted to the current Lakers team, playing off LeBron James.

“Just trying to find my spots on the court,” Ball said. “LeBron is very good with the ball, playmaking. So when he brings it up, (I) just try to go to the wing and get open, cut, set screens … try to do different things.”

Here’s more on the Lakers:

In 14 games (12 starts) this season, Ball is averaging just 8.7 PPG and 4.8 APG — both down from his rookie season. However, he is shooting an improved .409% from the field and .381% from three-point range.

Through the early part of the season, Lakers center JaVale McGee is playing the best basketball of his career. He has not been a full-time starter since the 2011/12 season but his numbers across the board are career bests, Kyle Goon of the Orange County Register writes. Even while he’s scoring more points (14.1 PPG) than Al Horford and shooting better (63%) than DeAndre Jordan, McGee feels there’s room to improve. “I’m underachieving, personally,” McGee said. “People just look at me like, ‘Oh, he’s having a better season than he’s ever had.’ But no, I want more.”
Another impact player is off the board for a Lakers team in search of a second star alongside James, as Jimmy Butler was traded to the Sixers. Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report looks at the team’s remaining options for a co-star in Hollywood, with Butler, Kawhi Leonard and others having joined new teams or committed to old ones in recent months.
Lakers point guard Rajon Rondo underwent surgery on a broken hand this week and is expected to miss four to five weeks.

Rajon Rondo Out 4-5 Weeks With Broken Hand

November 16th, 2018 at 8:12pm CST by Luke Adams

NOVEMBER 16, 8:12pm: Rondo underwent surgery on Friday, according to a team press release. His revised timetable is 4-5 weeks.

NOVEMBER 15, 2:22pm: Rondo will undergo surgery on his right hand within the next 24 hours, per the Lakers (Twitter link via Brad Turner of The Los Angeles Times). Rondo’s recovery timetable is still about three to five weeks, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

NOVEMBER 15, 8:23am: LeBron James and the Lakers played perhaps their best game of the season on Wednesday night, dispatching the Trail Blazers as James passed Wilt Chamberlain to become the NBA’s fifth all-time leading scorer. However, the win was marred by an injury to one of the team’s key players.

As head coach Luke Walton confirmed after the game, point guard Rajon Rondo broke his right hand while attempting to make a steal in the fourth quarter of the Lakers’ win, fracturing the third metacarpal in his hand (link via Joey Ramirez of Lakers.com).

According to Ohm Youngmisuk and Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com, Rondo will see a specialist on Thursday to determine whether or not surgery will be necessary. For now, the Lakers are operating under the assumption that the veteran guard will miss about three to five weeks, per the ESPN duo.

“It’s tough,” James said of Rondo’s injury. “He’s one of our captains, one of our leaders. I heard we got great surgeons here in L.A., so get right to it, start his rehab as fast as possible, get going. Next man up. Next man up. I know Rondo hates the fact of what he’s going through right now, but we all have to pick him up in his absence.”

With Rondo sidelined, Lonzo Ball will continue to handle starting duties, but the backup minutes may be up for grabs. Lance Stephenson and Brandon Ingram aren’t really point guards, but they may assume increased ball-handling duties. Two-way player Alex Caruso could also be an option.