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Donovan Mitchell Rips Dillon Brooks For “Cheap Shot”

February 3rd, 2023 at 9:07am CST by Luke Adams

An altercation between Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell and Grizzlies wing Dillon Brooks resulted in both players being ejected from Thursday night’s game in Cleveland and prompted Mitchell to take aim at Brooks in a post-game press conference.

Following a drive to the basket, Brooks ended up on the floor as Mitchell grabbed the rebound. As he rolled over, Brooks hit Mitchell below the belt with his forearm, which the Cavs star viewed as intentional rather than inadvertent. Mitchell immediately threw the basketball at Brooks and shoved him, which resulted in players and coaches from both teams joining the fray to separate the two (Twitter video link via TSN.ca).

After the game, Mitchell suggested to reporters, including Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com, that Brooks should be called out for a history of questionable on-court behavior.

“That’s just who he is,” Mitchell said. “We have seen it a bunch in this league with him. Him and I have had our personal battles for years. Quite frankly, I’ve been busting his ass for years. Playoffs. Regular season. And the one game he does an alright job on me today, he decides to do something like that. No place for that in the game. Gotta protect yourself. This has been brewing for years. With me. With other guys in the league. You all see it. This isn’t new. Tonight was just the end of it.

“… Tough when you can’t guard somebody and can’t do something with somebody, you have to resort to that. I’m not typically someone who gets ejected for stuff like that. But at the end of the day, I think my reaction was reacting to a cheap shot. If punishment doesn’t come from that, he’s just going to keep doing it. It’s just dumb to be honest with you and I’m going to appeal it because I don’t think I should’ve gotten ejected for defending myself.”

It’s fair to assume that both players will at least be fined for the incident, and suspensions aren’t out of the question either. Asked what sort of punishment might be appropriate for Brooks, Mitchell declined to offer any specific ideas, but said “it should be something.”

“It’s complete bulls–t. They talk s–t and that’s fine. That’s all part of basketball,” Mitchell said. “We all grew up playing that way. But when you start doing little cheap s–t like that, that ain’t it.

“… The NBA has to do something about it. I’m not the only person this has happened to and there’s no place for that in this game. I took matters into my own hands. When you have a cheap shot like that, there was no need to do that.”

Mitchell’s backcourt mates Ricky Rubio and Darius Garland both referred to Brooks’ play as “dirty,” Fedor notes.

For his part, Brooks declined to address the altercation in any detail after the game, per ESPN, with teammate Ja Morant stepping in to say the Grizzlies wouldn’t be discussing it. Morant did say he feels as if the Grizzlies’ reputation as trash talkers have made the team as an easy target for criticism.

“Anything when it comes to negative about the Grizzlies, we normally, you know, get the punishment,” Morant said. “It ain’t the same. They (the NBA) hate us.”

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Southwest Notes: Johnson, Branham, Rockets, Green

February 2nd, 2023 at 11:49pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Veteran forward Stanley Johnson has managed to grind his way to a major rotation role with the Spurs this season, writes Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News (subscriber link). McDonald notes that Johnson’s committed practice regimen has endeared him to this young rebuilding San Antonio club. Johnson joined the Spurs following a brief stint with the Sioux Falls Skyforce in the G League in December.

“I’m trying to put everything I have, all my focus and energy, into the games and practices,” Johnson said. “I’m very thankful to have any chance to play, even if it’s two minutes a game… I don’t take that lightly. To see a coaching staff that believes in me enough to put me out there on a nightly basis, I’m really grateful for it. It hasn’t happened for my whole career, and it could go away at some point.” 

Through 25 games with the Spurs, Johnson is averaging 5.7 PPG on .531/.444/.647 shooting. The 6’6″ vet is also chipping in 3.0 RPG and 2.3 APG.

There’s more out of the Southwest Division:

  • Spurs rookie shooting guard Malaki Branham is growing as a ball-handler, writes Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News (subscriber link). Branham has gotten extended run due to injuries to several San Antonio wings ahead of him in Gregg Popovich‘s rotation. “It’s being thrown in the fire and being ready to play every night,” Branham said. “I feel like I have been doing a good job at that.”
  • The rebuilding Rockets have a significant supply of draft equity as well as the contracts of veterans Eric Gordon and Boban Marjanovic to play with as the trade deadline looms. Kelly Iko and John Hollinger of The Athletic examine Houston’s options and how any moves might impact the club’s long-term future.
  • Grizzlies swingman Danny Green made his season debut for his new team on Wednesday following a knee surgery last spring, writes Evan Barnes of The Memphis Commercial Appeal. Green scored three points on 1-of-4 shooting from the floor in 10 minutes against the Trail Blazers. “It was good to get out there and be with the guys,” Green said. “Trying to figure out some things offensively and defensively. Try to build the chemistry… It was fun. Obviously, would’ve been nice to win the game but for me it was good to get out and play a little bit.” Green, 35, is on an expiring $10MM contract this year.
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2023 NBA All-Star Reserves Announced

February 2nd, 2023 at 6:24pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

The league has announced its 2023 All-Star reserves during a pregame broadcast on TNT, as voted on by NBA head coaches. As usual, the list of 14 selections featured some interesting surprises.

For the Eastern Conference, coaches voted in Sixers center Joel Embiid (the reigning Player of the Month in the East), Heat center Bam Adebayo, Bulls wing DeMar DeRozan, Celtics wing Jaylen Brown, Bucks guard Jrue Holiday, Pacers point guard Tyrese Haliburton, and Knicks forward Julius Randle.

Holiday, who is making his second overall All-star appearance this year, last earned an All-Star nod a decade ago while playing for Philadelphia.

Randle will receive a $1.2MM salary bonus as a result of being named an All-Star this season, according to Bobby Marks of ESPN (Twitter link). Marks adds (via Twitter) that Holiday will get a $324K bonus. And as long as he appears in at least 65 contests this year, Brown will earn a $1.55MM bonus after having qualified for the All-Star game, Marks tweets.

Among the most notable omissions in the East were a handful of point guards: the Knicks’ Jalen Brunson, the Hawks’ Trae Young, the Cavaliers’ Darius Garland, and the Sixers’ James Harden. Miami swingman Jimmy Butler also missed out. Young, Harden and Butler all made the cut last season.

In the Western Conference, Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant, Kings center Domantas Sabonis, Thunder point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Clippers forward Paul George, Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard, Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen, and Grizzlies big man Jaren Jackson Jr. were selected as reserves.

Being named to the All-Star team again this year will earn Sabonis a $1.3MM bonus, per Marks (Twitter link).

Lakers center Anthony Davis, Kings point guard De’Aaron Fox, Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards, Suns guard Devin Booker, and Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon were among the Western Conference snubs.

Gilgeous-Alexander, Markkanen and Jackson are the lone first-time All-Stars among these 14 picks.

All-Star weekend tips off on February 17 in Salt Lake City. Los Angeles power forward LeBron James and Milwaukee power forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, the captains of their respective conferences, will draft their teams ahead of the 2023 All-Star Game on Sunday, February 19.

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Haynes’ Latest: Hyland, Hornets, Anunoby, Reddish, Barton

February 2nd, 2023 at 9:41am CST by Luke Adams

The Hornets are among the teams to register some interest in Nuggets guard Bones Hyland, Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report stated during the latest episode of his #thisleague UNCUT podcast with Marc Stein.

Haynes, following up on his TNT report on Hyland from Tuesday, reiterated that the second-year guard would be open to a trade that sets him up for a larger role elsewhere. There has been “friction” between Hyland and Denver’s coaching staff, Haynes notes, adding that the Nuggets have confidence in rookie Christian Braun to take on some of Hyland’s minutes if a trade happens.

Echoing previous reports, Haynes also confirms that the Timberwolves are among the teams with interest in Hyland, but expresses some skepticism that the Nuggets would want to send the former first-round pick to Minnesota, since there’s still some resentment from Denver’s ownership group about how Tim Connelly‘s move to the Wolves played out.

Here are a few more items of interest from the podcast:

  • Based on rumblings he has heard, Haynes believes that Raptors forward OG Anunoby would “embrace a change of scenery,” even if he hasn’t explicitly asked to be traded. Haynes also suggests that neither the Grizzlies nor the Pelicans want their Southwest rival to land Anunoby, which is a factor to keep in mind if Toronto seriously considers moving him.
  • The Cavaliers, who have been in the market for help at the small forward position, are among the potential trade suitors to watch for Knicks forward Cam Reddish, according to Haynes. Dylan Windler‘s expiring $4MM contract would be a logical salary-matching piece in a Reddish trade if the Knicks are simply seeking a second-round pick, though that’s just my speculation.
  • Things haven’t worked out well for Will Barton with the Wizards so far, Haynes notes, reporting that the veteran guard would be open to a change of scenery. Haynes identifies the Nets and Bucks as two teams worth keeping an eye on. It’s unclear whether Washington will find a trade for Barton or if he might emerge as a buyout candidate after the February 9 deadline.
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NBA Announces Player Pool For Rising Stars Event

January 31st, 2023 at 1:22pm CST by Luke Adams

The NBA officially unveiled the 28-player pool for this year’s Rising Stars event on Tuesday, making the announcement via the NBA App. The following players made the cut:

Rookies:

Sophomores:

G League players:

As was the case last season, the Rising Stars event will consist of four teams and three games. The seven G League players will comprise one team, coached by longtime NBA guard Jason Terry. The other 21 players will be drafted to three squads coached by former NBA stars Pau Gasol, Joakim Noah, and Deron Williams.

The four teams will be split into two first-round matchups and the winners of those two games will face one another for the Rising Stars championship. The two semifinals will be played to a target score of 40 points, while the final will be played to a target score of 25 points.

All three contests will take place on Friday, February 17 as part of All-Star weekend in Salt Lake City. The NBA’s full press release with more information on the event can be found right here.

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Raptors Rumors: Trent, VanVleet, Siakam, Anunoby, Achiuwa

January 31st, 2023 at 11:52am CST by Luke Adams

Most executives who have spoken to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype believe that Raptors wing Gary Trent Jr. will be able to at least match – and likely exceed – the value of his $18.8MM player option on a new contract, which is why he’s considered a strong bet to opt out and become a free agent this summer.

Scotto said during a podcast with Blake Murphy of Sportsnet that there are people around the league who think Trent will surpass $20MM annually on his next contract. Although Murphy mentioned the possibility of a deal in the neighborhood of $25MM per year for Trent, Scotto is skeptical that he’ll get that much — if he does, it would be based on his age and potential for further growth (he just turned 24 years old).

As for Fred VanVleet, Scotto has heard that the Raptors’ point guard could be seeking a contract in the range of $30-35MM per year when he’s eligible for free agency this summer. That would put him in the same ballpark as a fellow guard like Jrue Holiday, for instance, Scotto observes.

Here’s more on the Raptors:

  • Executives around the NBA don’t expect Pascal Siakam to be on the move by February 9 unless the Raptors are blown away with a “crazy” offer, Scotto says.
  • According to Scotto, a number of rival executives have speculated about the possibility of the Grizzlies making a run at Raptors forward OG Anunoby. Memphis has exhibited plenty of patience in building its roster in recent years and hasn’t seemed eager to sacrifice future draft capital to take a big swing — still, Anunoby would be an ideal fit on the roster, and the team has an extra first-round pick (Golden State’s top-four protected 2024 selection).
  • Anunoby tells Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca that there’s no truth to the rumblings that he wants out of Toronto. Within the same story, Grange examines the recent emergence of Precious Achiuwa and considers whether the ascendant big man could help ease the loss if the Raptors trade Anunoby.
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Knee Soreness Sidelined Bane On Friday

January 28th, 2023 at 9:00am CST by Luke Adams
  • Grizzlies wing Desmond Bane was unavailable for Friday’s game against Minnesota due to right knee soreness, per Evan Barnes of The Memphis Commercial Appeal. Bane missed time earlier in the season due to a right big toe injury and sat out one game with right ankle soreness, but this is the first time his knee has prevented him from suiting up.
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Lowe’s Latest: Hart, Hachimura, Crowder, D. Green, T. Davis, More

January 25th, 2023 at 1:05pm CST by Luke Adams

Trail Blazers forward Josh Hart “is a name that is very, very hot right now,” ESPN’s Zach Lowe said in the latest episode of his Lowe Post podcast.

In a conversation with ESPN colleague Bobby Marks about Portland’s possible approach to this season’s trade deadline, Lowe stated that there are “a lot” of teams around the NBA who would like Hart, specifically citing Miami as a possible suitor since the 27-year-old is a “Heat kind of guy.”

Hart is playing a crucial role this season for the Blazers. In addition to starting all 45 games he has played, he’s averaging 34.0 minutes per contest and ranks third on the team in total minutes played (1,530). However, his contract situation has made him the subject of trade speculation — he holds a player option on his contract for 2023/24, so he could become an unrestricted free agent this summer.

Here’s more from Lowe and Marks:

  • Both Marks and Lowe have heard rumblings that the Wizards and Rui Hachimura had discussions prior to the season about a rookie scale extension worth in the neighborhood of $12MM annually, but Hachimura opted to play out his contract year. The forward was traded to Los Angeles on Monday, so the Lakers will have to find common ground with him in free agency if they intend to keep him beyond this season.
  • A source from a team with interest in Jae Crowder told Lowe that the Suns are seeking two of the following three things in exchange for the veteran forward: A first-round pick, a good young player, and a solid rotation player. Both Marks and Lowe are skeptical about Phoenix’s chances to get that sort of return, with Lowe remarking that the asking price is why Crowder is still a Sun.
  • Lowe keeps hearing that the Grizzlies love Danny Green‘s locker room presence and don’t want to trade him. Green is on track to make his season debut next Wednesday.
  • In a discussion about possible deadline moves for the Kings, Lowe said that he’s not sure guard Terence Davis is “loving his playing time” this season and suggested that Davis could be a trade chip. The fourth-year guard is averaging a career-low 12.7 minutes per contest.
  • Echoing a recent report from Marc Stein, Lowe indicated that the Hornets appear motivated to hang onto forward P.J. Washington and re-sign him as a restricted free agent this offseason rather than moving him at the deadline.
  • Lowe believes the Clippers are a good bet to make a deadline move, but suggests it might be more around the edges than anything major, since the team is reluctant to move Terance Mann and doesn’t have many movable first-round picks left.

Rory Maher contributed to this post.

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Danny Green Plans To Make Season Debut On February 1

January 25th, 2023 at 7:47am CST by Luke Adams

Grizzlies swingman Danny Green is targeting February 1 for his return from an ACL tear, he announced in the latest episode of his Inside The Green Room podcast. Memphis will be hosting the Trail Blazers on that date, one week from today.

Green, who spent last season with the Sixers, tore the ACL and LCL in his left knee during Philadelphia’s season-ending Game 6 loss to Miami in the Eastern Conference Semifinals last May.

The 35-year-old was attached to a first-round pick in the offseason trade that sent De’Anthony Melton to the 76ers, but the Grizzlies made it clear they didn’t just view him as a salary-matching piece. Despite a preseason roster crunch and the fact that he wouldn’t be ready to return for several more months, Green made Memphis’ 15-man roster to open the regular season in October.

Now, Green – who has already won titles with the Spurs, Raptors, and Lakers – believes he can help a young Grizzlies team realize its championship potential, as he tells ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

“What I bring is definitely needed here: perimeter shooting and perimeter defense,” Green said. “I think I can bring maturity and help a young team understand what it takes to win. This has been an A-1 organization from top to bottom in handling this entire rehab with me.”

In recent years, many NBA players who have suffered torn ACLs have missed a full calendar year, or even longer, but Green will be making his return just eight-and-a-half months after sustaining his injury. He noted in his podcast that he’s fortunate to have been able to accelerate his recovery timeline.

“It’s not realistic (to come back from this injury this quickly),” Green said, per Wojnarowski. “Everybody’s body is very different, but I’ve been lucky … to have a pretty good surgeon, a pretty good body that healed really well and quickly, and the right people around me to help me get there. A lot of things had to fall in place for this to happen this way.”

As Green ramps up for his Memphis debut, it’s worth noting that he’s on an expiring $10MM contract and the Grizzlies have already been quite successful without him (their 31-16 record places them second in the West), so he could become a trade candidate at the February 9 deadline if the team wants to acquire another piece and needs to send out some salary.

However, general manager Zach Kleiman and head coach Taylor Jenkins have praised the veteran wing for the leadership he has brought to the franchise. And for his part, Green doesn’t sound like someone who would welcome a change of scenery.

“This is a place I hope that I can call home for the next couple years,” he told Wojnarowski. “I’m lucky to be in a great situation with a winning team.”

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Grizzlies’ Steven Adams Out 3-5 Weeks With Knee Sprain

January 24th, 2023 at 9:39pm CST by Rory Maher

Grizzlies starting center Steven Adams is expected to miss three-to-five weeks after spraining the PCL in his right knee on Sunday against Phoenix, Memphis announced (via Twitter).

According to Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal (Twitter link), Adams was injured on the final play of the two-point loss to the Suns.

Considering how physical his game is, you would expect Adams to have a lengthy injury history, but he has actually been quite durable — he has played 76-plus games in six of his nine seasons leading up to 2022/23, missing a career-high 14 games two years ago with New Orleans. Unfortunately, he’s likely to exceed that total over the next handful of weeks.

Adams will be tough to replace while he’s out. Not only is he one of the most fearsome screeners in the NBA and a solid defender, he also leads the league in total offensive rebounds (214), offensive rebounding percentage (19.8%), total rebounding percentage (22.2%), offensive rebounds per game (5.1), and is fourth in rebounds per game with a career-high 11.5 in just 27.0 minutes per contest.

The 29-year-old had been especially great on the boards recently, averaging 14.0 rebounds (5.8 offensive) over his past 15 games (27.6 minutes). The Grizzlies are the top rebounding team in the league in part due to his efforts.

With Adams sidelined, Xavier Tillman and Brandon Clarke should see more frontcourt minutes. Memphis is currently 31-16, the No. 2 seed in the West.

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