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L.A. Notes: Ingram, Lakers, Clippers, Kilpatrick

March 5th, 2018 at 2:47pm CST by Luke Adams

The Lakers will be without former No. 2 overall pick Brandon Ingram for at least the next two or three games, the team confirmed today, announcing in a press release that the second-year forward has been diagnosed with a left groin strain. Ingram, who sat out Saturday’s contest vs. San Antonio, will be re-evaluated in about a week, according to the team.

Here are a few more Lakers and Clippers notes from out of Los Angeles:

  • While the Lakers‘ playoff chances are extremely slim, the progress they’ve made this season is “undeniable and significant to their future,” says Bill Oram of The Orange County Register. As Oram notes, the team’s growth is important not just for its young players but for its ability to attract free agents in the offseason.
  • Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN also examines the growth of the Lakers‘ young players, who have done well pushing through adversity.
  • It sounds like the Clippers haven’t entirely ruled out the possibility of signing a two-way player like Tyrone Wallace or C.J. Williams to an NBA contract, but the team didn’t want to wait on those negotiations, opting to fill its open roster spot with Sean Kilpatrick, as Elliott Teaford of The Daily Breeze writes. “We’re trying to make the playoffs here,” head coach Doc Rivers said. “We’re going to try to sign who we think is the best fit for our team. If Sean comes in and earns it, it’ll be his job. Or we’ll go back to the C.J.s or the Tys. We like them all. We just have to figure out who’s the best fit.”
  • The Clippers are $545K below the luxury tax line after signing Kilpatrick to a 10-day deal, reports ESPN’s Bobby Marks. That gives the team some breathing room to eventually sign someone to a rest-of-season contract without going into the tax.
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Corey Brewer Signs With Thunder

March 3rd, 2018 at 8:40am CST by Luke Adams

MARCH 3: Brewer’s signing with the Thunder is official, per the NBA’s official transactions log.

MARCH 1, 10:39am: Brewer has committed to sign with the Thunder once he clears waivers, tweets Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports. Brewer talked to Oklahoma City coach Billy Donovan and GM Sam Presti and considered three Eastern Conference teams before deciding.

FEBRUARY 28, 6:50pm: Brewer is likely to sign with the Thunder after all, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. The Lakers officially waived Brewer earlier today, meaning the veteran swingman will be free to sign a contract with Oklahoma City as early as Friday.

3:03pm: One source tells David Aldridge of TNT (Twitter link) that while the Thunder are definitely in the mix for Brewer, the veteran is more likely to land with an Eastern Conference team.

10:44am: Amick (via Twitter) adds the Jazz and Pelicans to the list of teams that could also be in the mix for Brewer, noting that several of the teams he has mentioned are also keeping an eye on the Trevor Booker situation in Philadelphia.

10:28am: The Lakers and veteran swingman Corey Brewer have reportedly reached an agreement on a buyout, which means he could become a free agent as soon as Friday. When Brewer does hit the open market, a deal with the Thunder is a “serious possibility,” according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link).

As Wojnarowski notes, the ex-Gator is likely to be drawn to Oklahoma City by the presence of his former coach at Florida, Billy Donovan, who is now the Thunder’s head coach. Even aside from the Donovan connection, Brewer would be a logical fit for OKC, since the team has been on the lookout for one more option on the wing since Andre Roberson‘s injury, tweets ESPN’s Royce Young.

While the Thunder may be the frontrunners for Brewer, he’ll talk to other teams too, per Wojnarowski. The 31-year-old is unlikely to rush his decision, according to Sam Amick of USA Today, who tweets that the Cavaliers, Wizards, Trail Blazers, and Bucks have also shown interest. Amick adds that Brewer – averaging a career-low 12.9 minutes per game this season – will be seeking a “legit role,” which figures to impact his decision.

Although several playoff teams have already been linked to Brewer, his mediocre outside shot (.280 career 3PT%) will limit his appeal to some contenders. For instance, he’s not likely to be a fit for the Raptors, notes Josh Lewenberg of TSN (Twitter link). Meanwhile, Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News tweets that Minnesota has “kicked the tires” on the former Timberwolf, but says not to count on a reunion.

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Lakers Sign Travis Wear To 10-Day Contract

March 2nd, 2018 at 11:49am CST by Luke Adams

11:49am: The Lakers have issued a press release officially announcing their 10-day deal with Wear.

10:33am: The Lakers are filling one of their open roster spots by signing Travis Wear to a 10-day contract, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link). After buying out Corey Brewer earlier this week, L.A. had only been carrying 13 players on its 15-man NBA roster.

Wear, a 6’9″ forward, has limited NBA experience, having appeared in 51 games for the Knicks in 2014/15. However, he spent time in camp with the Lakers in 2016 and has played for the club’s G League affiliate for the last two seasons. The former UCLA standout has also been a member of Team USA for several qualifying games for the 2019 World Cup.

In 33 G League games for the South Bay Lakers this season, Wear has averaged 16.7 PPG, 8.3 RPG, and 2.0 APG, with a shooting line of .445/.419/.855.

Wear’s 10-day deal will count for $74,159 against Los Angeles’ cap. Once they officially sign Wear, the Lakers will still have one open roster spot if they want to sign another player to a 10-day contract or a rest-of-season deal.

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Lakers’ Josh Hart To Undergo Hand Surgery

March 1st, 2018 at 5:14pm CST by Luke Adams

MARCH 1, 5:14pm: Hart will undergo surgery on his left hand fracture, per Tania Ganguli of The Los Angeles Times (Twitter link). According to head coach Luke Walton, Hart will be re-evaluated every couple weeks going forward, and while he may return this season, there’s “zero rush” to get him back.

FEBRUARY 28, 2:29pm: Lakers rookie Josh Hart has been diagnosed with a small fracture in his left hand, reports Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports. Hart suffered the injury, which Mike Bresnahan describes as a break of the fourth metacarpal, during a practice session on Wednesday.

According to Charania, Hart and the Lakers are still weighing both surgical and non-surgical options. In either scenario, the young guard is expected to miss at least a few weeks, Charania notes. With only six weeks left in the 2017/18 regular season, we may not see much more of Hart during his rookie campaign.

The 30th overall pick in last year’s draft, Hart has been overshadowed in Los Angeles this year by fellow rookies Lonzo Ball and Kyle Kuzma. However, the former Villanova standout is having a very solid season in his own right. Hart has taken on a larger role in the Lakers’ rotation over the last two months, recording 8.9 PPG, 4.6 RPG, and a .487/.413/.636 shooting line in 29 games (26.2 MPG) since Christmas Day.

With Hart sidelined and Jordan Clarkson and Corey Brewer no longer in the picture, the Lakers will be somewhat shorthanded at shooting guard behind starter Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. It will be interesting to see whether the club experiments with more two-point-guard lineups in the short term, perhaps with Ball and Isaiah Thomas playing alongside one another. Signing a shooting guard to a 10-day contract is also a viable option — L.A. has two open roster spots after cutting Brewer today.

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Isaiah Thomas On Free Agency: Just Need ‘One Team To Love You’

March 1st, 2018 at 4:35pm CST by Luke Adams

After finishing fifth in MVP voting last season, Isaiah Thomas has endured a disastrous 2017/18. Having been traded from the Celtics to the Cavaliers to the Lakers, Thomas has battled a hip injury and has seen his stock slip precipitously over the course of the season. Nonetheless, he’s remaining optimistic about his upcoming free agency, saying today that “all you need is one team to love you,” as ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk relays.

“It’s like the draft all over again. You just need one team,” Thomas said. “My résumé speaks for itself. What I can do on the basketball floor speaks for itself. I can’t do nothing but control what I can control, and that is taking advantage of any opportunity that I am given and playing my heart out. But come July, I got to weigh my options to do what is best for myself and my family.”

A year ago, when he was still a relatively healthy Celtic, Thomas spoke about the possibility of a maximum-salary contract, suggesting that Boston would need to “bring the Brinks truck out.” As the 2018 offseason nears, the idea of that sort of mega-deal seems far-fetched.

After averaging 28.9 PPG and 5.9 APG on .463/.379/.909 shooting in 2016/17, Thomas has seen those numbers slip to 14.3 PPG, 4.5 APG, and .369/.269/.899 in 21 games this season. While that drop-off can be attributed – at least in part – to his hip problems, that injury itself is a red flag for teams considering investing in the 29-year-old this summer. Still, Thomas believes he’s capable of returning to his previous form.

“It is, ‘What have you done for me lately?'” Thomas said. “That is the league that we are in and I understand that. But if I am given the same opportunity that I was given in Boston, I would do the same thing and that is just what it is. They’ll [people who have forgotten what Thomas can do] come back around, I am positive about that.”

As Youngmisuk notes, most NBA teams won’t have much – or any – cap space this summer, and many of those that will have space already have talented point guards on their rosters. As such, Thomas’ options in free agency figure to be limited. As Thomas himself observes, it would only take one team to put a big offer on the table, but Youngmisuk suggests a lucrative, J.J. Redick-esque one-year contract may be the best Thomas can hope for, unless he’s willing to go the mid-level route for a multiyear deal.

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Coaching Notes: Fizdale, Stackhouse, Hornacek, Van Gundy

March 1st, 2018 at 10:08am CST by Arthur Hill

Former Grizzlies coach David Fizdale has become the prime candidate to take over as the Suns‘ head coach once the season ends, according to Mitch Lawrence of The Sporting News. James Jones, who became VP of basketball operations in Phoenix last summer, spent five seasons as a player with the Heat while Fizdale was the lead assistant under Erik Spoelstra. Earlier today, we passed on Lawrence’s comments that Fizdale hasn’t given up on the Lakers job if the team decides to replace Luke Walton, so the Suns could have some competition for his services. Interim Phoenix coach Jay Triano has expressed a desire to be considered for the job, but it appears the team is looking in a different direction.

Lawrence passes on a few more rumors from NBA coaching circles:

  • If the Magic decide to move on from Frank Vogel, longtime player Jerry Stackhouse will be their top choice. Stackhouse, named G League Coach of the Year with Raptors 905 last season, is close to Jeff Weltman, Orlando’s president of basketball operations. Weltman spent four years as GM in Toronto and got an up-close look at Stackhouse’s coaching abilities.
  • There’s a growing sense that the Knicks will part with Jeff Hornacek once the season ends. Lawrence admits Hornacek has been in a difficult situation in New York between the front office turmoil, the Carmelo Anthony situation and the recent injury to Kristaps Porzingis, but Hornacek was hired by former team president Phil Jackson, and Steve Mills might prefer to have his own coach in place. There is a strong sentiment to bring in former Knick Doc Rivers, but he still has supporters in the Clippers front office and might be kept for another year after turning in an impressive coaching job with a weakened roster.
  • Stan Van Gundy may need to get the Pistons into the playoffs to keep his job. Van Gundy has one season left on his five-year, $35MM contract and is back on thin ice after the team’s recent slump. Even if he does return next season, the feeling is Van Gundy will be replaced at team president, with former agent and current Pistons VP Arn Tellem next in line to run the team’s basketball operations.
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Lakers May Not Be Able To Afford Randle; Fizdale Hasn't Given Up On Lakers

March 1st, 2018 at 9:08am CST by Arthur Hill
  • Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report examines whether the Lakers can achieve their dream of adding two elite free agents without giving up Julius Randle. Though he is making less than $4.15MM this season, Randle will enter restricted free agency with a cap hold of $12.4MM. That leaves the team short of the cap room needed to offer two maximum deals unless it can find a taker for Luol Deng, who still has two years and $36.81MM left on his contract. Pincus identifies the Mavericks as the greatest threat to sign Randle this summer.
  • Even though rumors about Luke Walton’s job security have calmed down, former Grizzlies coach David Fizdale still has his eyes on the Lakers job, according to Mitch Lawrence of the Sporting News. As a former assistant in Miami, Fizdale has a close relationship with LeBron James, and the front office might consider a coaching change if it believes Fizdale could deliver James to L.A.
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Lakers Buy Out Corey Brewer

February 28th, 2018 at 2:04pm CST by Luke Adams

2:04pm: The Lakers have officially waived Brewer, the team announced in a press release. He’ll clear waivers on Friday. For now, the Thunder seem to be the frontrunners to sign him, though several teams are in the mix, according to various reports.

9:58am: The Lakers and Brewer have reached an agreement on a buyout, reports Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link).

8:44am: The Lakers and veteran swingman Corey Brewer are engaged in “advanced negotiations” on a buyout agreement, reports Marc Stein of The New York Times (Twitter link). Assuming the two sides finalize a deal and Brewer is waived today or tomorrow, he’ll retain his playoff eligibility for a new team.

Brewer, who was traded from Houston to Los Angeles in last year’s Lou Williams trade, finished the 2016/17 season with the Lakers and has spent the entire 2017/18 campaign to date with the club.

The former seventh overall pick, who will turn 32 next Monday, has played a very limited role for the Lakers, averaging a career-low 12.9 MPG in 54 contests. His numbers in several other categories, including PPG (3.7), RPG (1.7), and 3PT% (.186) are also career worsts.

While Brewer hasn’t played particularly well this season, he has a reputation as a solid defender. If he and the Lakers make a buyout official, he could draw interest from playoff-bound teams seeking one more perimeter player. However, his limited offensive ability – including an inconsistent three-point shot – will reduce his appeal.

Brewer is in the final year of his contract, with a cap hit of $7,579,366. Assuming he agrees to give some money back to the Lakers as part of his release, the team will be able to slightly reduce that cap charge. L.A. won’t be on the hook for any salary for Brewer beyond the 2017/18 season.

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Update On Open NBA Roster Spots

February 28th, 2018 at 12:03pm CST by Luke Adams

Earlier this month, we identified the NBA teams with open roster spots. Since then, clubs have completed a flurry of 10-day signings, and a couple players have even received rest-of-season deals.

However, there are still plenty of teams around the league with openings on their respective rosters, which could come in handy with Thursday’s de facto buyout deadline around the corner. Once March 1 comes and goes, teams will have a better idea of which players will or won’t have postseason eligibility the rest of the way, creating a clearer picture for how to fill those open roster spots.

In the space below, we’ll take a closer look at teams with an open roster spot, breaking them down into three categories. Each of the clubs in the first group actually has a full 15-man roster right now, but in each instance, one of those 15 players is only a 10-day contract. With those contracts set to expire soon, it’d be very easy and inexpensive for these teams to create an opening if they need to.

Teams with full 15-man rosters who are carrying at least one player on a 10-day contract (10-day player noted in parentheses):

The next list of teams includes the clubs with one open spot on their roster and no players on 10-day contracts. These clubs each have 14 players on standard, full-season NBA deals, leaving one spot open for either a 10-day player or a rest-of-season signing.

Teams with one open roster spot:

  • Charlotte Hornets
  • Chicago Bulls
  • Los Angeles Clippers
  • Los Angeles Lakers
    • Note: The Lakers will create a second opening when they officially waive Corey Brewer.
  • Memphis Grizzlies
  • Minnesota Timberwolves
  • Oklahoma City Thunder
  • Sacramento Kings
  • Toronto Raptors

Finally, the last group of teams features four clubs that have been grouped together before. These four teams saw their roster counts slip to 13 players around the time of the trade deadline, and each had to add a player to get back up to the NBA-mandated minimum of 14. To reach that minimum, each team signed a player to a 10-day contract. That means these four franchises still only have 12 or 13 players on full-season contracts, with at least one player on a 10-day deal.

Teams with one open roster spot, plus at least one player on a 10-day contract:

  • Atlanta Hawks
  • Cleveland Cavaliers
  • Portland Trail Blazers
    • Note: 13 full-season contracts, plus Brandon Rush on 10-day contract.
  • Washington Wizards
    • Note: 13 full-season contracts, plus Ramon Sessions on 10-day contract.

For roster-count details on all 30 teams, be sure to check out our roster count page, which we updated daily throughout the 2017/18 season.

Note: Roster info current as of Wednesday, February 28 at 12:00pm CT.

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