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Nets, Grizzlies Pursue Andray Blatche

February 14th, 2015 at 10:58am CST by Chuck Myron

10:58am: If Blatche were to return to China, he would be in line to receive a “substantial” raise over what he made in China this season, Windrem tweets.

10:25am: Blatche is seriously considering a lucrative contract offer to re-sign with a team in the Chinese Basketball Association, Shams Charania of RealGM reports. The big man is being pursued by several teams in China, and he may forgo a return to the NBA this season, Charania adds.

FEBRUARY 14TH, 9:12am: Nets GM Billy King indicated that a decision regarding Blatche would be made shortly, but he did not indicate if the team intended to sign the big man, Robert Windrem of NetsDaily reports. “Yeah, we’re in discussions about it,” King said. “We’ve had contact with him and hopefully we’ll make a decision soon.”

4:18pm: Several playoff-bound teams have interest in Blatche, tweets Alex Raskin of The Wall Street Journal.

FEBRUARY 2ND, 12:16pm: The Nets and Grizzlies are among the teams interested in signing Andray Blatche, who’s once more a free agent after his deal to play in China expired this week with the end of the Chinese season, reports Mike Mazzeo of ESPNNewYork.com. Miami has also shown interest in Blatche, as Marc Stein of ESPN.com reported in December, though it’s unclear if the Heat still want to chase him in the wake of Hassan Whiteside‘s emergence, Mazzeo writes.

That Brooklyn would be going after the 28-year-old big man is surprising after he was the only one of the team’s free agents with whom King did not meet at the start of the negotiating period in July. Nets management applauded what was reportedly a de facto suspension that then-coach Jason Kidd handed out to Blatche last season over concerns about his conditioning and preparation. Brooklyn nonetheless believes that Blatche can help at this point, tweets Reed Wallach of NetsDaily.

Grizzlies GM Chris Wallace spoke openly this weekend of his willingness to gamble on inexpensive talent for the end of his roster, and Memphis signed Michael Beasley and Tyrus Thomas earlier this year. Blatche would fit the profile of the veteran power forward the team seems to be after, though Memphis just agreed to a 10-day deal with JaMychal Green, which would fill its lone open roster spot, if only temporarily. Brooklyn is only committed to 14 players.

Heat officials reportedly made preliminary inquiries about the Andy Miller client over the summer, but it appears that Miami has had longstanding concerns about Blatche’s maturity and behavior. The Heat have 14 players signed for the season plus Tyler Johnson, who’s on the fifth day of a 10-day contract. Miami has a disabled player exception of nearly $2.653MM to offer, giving the team a financial edge over the Grizzlies, who have only a sliver of their mid-level exception remaining.

However, the Nets have Blatche’s Early Bird rights, so they can sign him for a prorated portion of the $5.632MM estimated average salary. The rate of proration would give the Nets roughly $4.837MM to spend if they signed him today, with about $33K coming off that amount daily. Blatche just completed a one-year, $2MM deal with the Xinjiang Flying Tigers after having spent the previous two seasons in Brooklyn. He put up 31.0 points and 14.5 rebounds in 38.7 minutes per game while in China.

Eastern Notes: James, Millsap, Allen

February 13th, 2015 at 9:29pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Cavs superstar LeBron James has been elected as the vice president of the NBPA, Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports reports (Twitter links). Chris Paul, the NBPA president, has been pushing for James to join him as the No. 2 man in the player’s union for some time now, Wojnarowski adds. The announcement of James’ election was soon overshadowed by the reports that the NBPA had voted to reject the league’s salary cap smoothing proposal for 2016. This news sets the stage for a potential lockout in 2017, when both the league and the union can opt out of the current CBA, though that is merely my speculation.

Here’s more from the Eastern Conference:

Paul Millsap said that the support he has received from Hawks fans and the community in Atlanta would not factor into his decision-making when he becomes a free agent this summer, Nick Powell of NJ.com relays. “It’s a good thing, but I’m not one to base my decision off emotions,” Millsap said. “I base my decisions off of everything else. Where our team is at, can I grow with this team, how’s the coach, how’s the community? There’s a lot of things that factor into it besides emotions.” When asked his feelings about potentially playing in New York, Millsap said, “It’s a good place. I consider myself a guy who could fit in anywhere.“
When Patrick Beverley was asked about potentially joining the Knicks as a free agent this summer, he stated that his first desire was to remain in Houston, Powell adds. “That’s not up to me, that’s up to my agent and stuff like that,” Beverley said. “I’m extremely happy with Houston, that’s one of the teams that kind of took a chance on me for me getting to the NBA, but at the end of the day this is a business, and I’ll let my agent handle that.” Beverly will become a restricted free agent at season’s end.
Though the Heat were indeed in contact with free agent Ray Allen last summer, the team never made a contract offer to the veteran guard, Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald writes.

Trade Candidate: Nik Stauskas

February 13th, 2015 at 7:45pm CST by Eddie Scarito

When Adam Silver read aloud the name on the card denoting the Kings’ first-round draft selection last June, it was a bit of a surprise when Nik Stauskas‘ name was the one the commissioner intoned. This wasn’t due to Stauskas lacking lottery-level talent, but rather because Sacramento had previously selected Ben McLemore, another shooting guard, in 2013’s draft lottery. McLemore certainly didn’t set the league on fire during his rookie season, averaging only 8.8 points on 37.6% shooting, but a single season seemed like a rather brief trial period for such a significant investment. Now it would appear that the Kings’ patience may have withered to only half of a season’s time for their younger players with the report from Ken Berger of CBSSports.com that the team has been willing to deal Stauskas.

From all outward appearances, the Kings organization as a whole currently seems rife with dysfunction, and their apparent willingness to deal Stauskas only reinforces this viewpoint. One would think that seeing how McLemore has improved in year two of his NBA career would make Sacramento think twice about parting with a player it selected with the No. 8 overall pick after just 48 games, but that isn’t necessarily the case.

The Kings appear to have soured just a bit on the rookie since the beginning of the season. This summer, Sacramento GM Pete D’Alessandro spoke about Stauskas, saying, “We have high hopes for Nik. He’s very young so we’re not going to put a lot of pressure on him this year, but I don’t think we don’t need to. He puts a lot of pressure on himself. We have very high hopes for him as a player, as a shooter, and as a guy who can help us to stretch the floor, so there’s a lot of opportunities for him. What stands out about him right now is confidence. If he gets three shots, he feels like he’s going to make all three. If he gets 20 shots, he feels like he’s going to make 20. He’s not a guy that will ever have the ball in his hands and feel like he’s not going to succeed with it and you saw that in Summer League. We didn’t go to him as often as we might have, but nothing really fazed him. He continued to shoot the ball well and do what he does. So we’re looking forward to his development.”

Berger’s report relayed that the Kings had fielded numerous calls regarding the 21-year-old Stauskas since the beginning of the season, but that Sacramento had initially declined to deal him. The Nets were reportedly requesting the rookie out of Michigan during trade talks that potentially had Deron Williams heading west to join Sacramento, but D’Alessandro was hesitant to give him up at the time. This was likely a very wise move by the GM, considering how far Williams’ game has slipped, and the veteran still having two years, and approximately $43MM, remaining on his contract after this season.

At some point, Sacramento changed its stance on holding onto its young guard. Either the Kings have seen enough of Stauskas to believe that he isn’t going to be a player in the league, and decided to try and deal him while his value is still relatively high, or Sacramento feels that dealing the rookie is its best chance to nab the parts that the franchise feels that it is missing. Berger’s report also noted that Sacramento was seeking to upgrade its frontcourt, and that in any deal involving Stauskas the Kings sought either a stretch four or an above-the-rim defender to pair alongside star center DeMarcus Cousins.

It was to be expected that Stauskas would struggle on the defensive end; most rookies do. But what the Kings didn’t expect is for the rookie to average a meager 3.5 points per game while shooting a dreary 33.1% from the field and an anemic 26.4% from beyond the arc. Personally, I’m not sold on Stauskas as a long-term NBA star, nor was I ever. He’s not quick enough or strong enough to guard the upper-level two guards in the league, and he hasn’t demonstrated the ability to be able to create his own shots consistently. Stauskas’ ceiling is likely as a situational shooter off of the bench. While that is a valuable asset to have in the league, it’s hardly what the goal is when selecting a player in the top 10. The best case scenario I see for Stauskas is him becoming a shorter version of Steve Novak.

If my read on Stauskas’ potential is correct, then it may in fact be wise for the Kings to kick the tires on dealing the player. While his value isn’t at a premium right now, his youth and upside can be used to net Sacramento a player who could help the team immediately. In today’s NBA, where players eschew multiple years of college development in favor of an early NBA payday, a steep learning curve encompassing multiple seasons is no longer an outlier and is now the norm. D’Alessandro could use that in his sales pitch and try to entice another GM to overpay for a recent lottery pick like Stauskas. But I can’t help thinking that if the team wanted a stretch four, it should have tried to trade down in last year’s draft and simply selected a player like Adreian Payne, who was taken by Atlanta with the No. 15 overall pick, and who was recently dealt to Minnesota. Payne has been showing steady improvement in the D-League as the season wears on, and he’s exactly the kind of player the Kings could use.

The current market for Stauskas is difficult to gauge. He’s a young player with upside, which could make him attractive to a rebuilding franchise, but playoff contenders wouldn’t likely see him as a missing piece in their pursuit of a postseason berth. In addition, Sacramento’s desire to obtain a stretch four or a rim protector isn’t a unique need, and this is definitely a case of the demand far exceeding the supply around the league. There are a few potential trading partners for Stauskas that could be fits. But these teams are merely my speculation, and not based on current reports.

Heat: The offseason signing of Josh McRoberts hasn’t quite worked out the way Miami had hoped. “McBob” hasn’t found his niche with the Heat, and injuries have limited him to just 17 appearances this season. But the 27-year-old has shown the ability to nail three’s and would certainly fit the bill as the stretch four the Kings desire. McRoberts is out for the remainder of the season, but Sacramento could acquire him with an eye on 2015/16. Additional players would need to be included to make the trade work under the cap, but with both teams in need of a makeover, that isn’t necessarily an issue.
Lakers: The Lakers are in a state of flux as a franchise, and with the future of Kobe Bryant unclear, acquiring a young shooting guard like Stauskas could be a wise move. While Los Angeles doesn’t have the stretch four the Kings desire, it does have Jordan Hill, who would fit the bill as a rim protector. Hill possesses a $9MM team option for next season, which could make him a valuable trade chip this summer for the Kings if they didn’t feel he was the proper fit.
Bulls: While Chicago may not have an immediate need at shooting guard, it wouldn’t hurt for them to nab a young shooter whom the team could groom for the future. For Sacramento, Bulls forward Taj Gibson would be the ideal trade target. The 29-year-old would bring a solid work ethic, stout defense and rebounding, as well as add some scoring punch from the four spot for Sacramento. With the rise of rookie Nikola Mirotic and the presence of Pau Gasol, Gibson has become somewhat expendable in Chicago. Though, with Arron Afflalo reportedly on the market, Chicago would almost certainly be better served to add the veteran for the stretch run than Stauskas.
Nuggets: As I just mentioned, with Afflalo a trade candidate, Stauskas could be included in a deal to nab the veteran shooting guard. The sticking point in any deal between Denver and Sacramento would be the Nuggets’ desire to obtain a first-rounder in return for Afflalo. The Kings owe this year’s first round pick to the Bulls, though it is top-10 protected through 2017. The Nuggets also have a young swingman in Gary Harris already, and they may not want to add more youth to that spot on the floor.

When the dust settles and the NBA trade deadline has passed, there’s a better-than-average chance that Stauskas remains a member of the Kings. I also believe that if the Kings indeed trade him, they would include him as the sweetener necessary either to nab a player who can help the Kings long-term or, in a more likely scenario, to entice another team to take on a less desirable contract. I don’t think that the Kings simply wish to rid themselves of his presence. Stauskas hasn’t shown that he was worthy of being a top-10 pick yet, but there is still plenty of time for him to develop into a serviceable pro. Unless the Kings can significantly improve their roster, they would be better served to see how Stauskas progresses over the summer and through a second NBA training camp.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Heat Eye Goran Dragic, Reggie Jackson

February 13th, 2015 at 8:58am CST by Chuck Myron

The Heat are especially high on Goran Dragic, and they also find Reggie Jackson intriguing, as Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald hears. Jackson writes about Dragic in the context of free agency this summer, noting that Miami is unlikely to have the cap room necessary to sign the 28-year-old guard, who plans to opt out at season’s end, though Dragic is a trade candidate in advance of Thursday’s deadline. Jackson is poised for restricted free agency, but he, too, is a trade candidate and several GMs peg him as one of the three biggest names likely to move within the next week.

Miami is one of the few teams in the league without a strong performer at point guard, while the Suns have a glut at the position and Phoenix GM Ryan McDonough this week acknowledged his club is overloaded in the backcourt. McDonough said he would like to have “a little more frontcourt scoring and rebounding.” The Heat probably aren’t going to part with Chris Bosh or Hassan Whiteside, but they reportedly made a proposal involving big men Chris Andersen, Josh McRoberts and point guard Norris Cole to the Nets for Brook Lopez. Team president Pat Riley denied that report, however, and McRoberts would be of no immediate help to Phoenix, since he’s likely out for the year.

Reports have also linked the Rockets and the Lakers to Dragic, for trades as well as free agency, and the Suns are reportedly seeking a first-round pick in exchange if they’re to relinquish him before the deadline. The Heat owe their first-round pick to the Sixers this year as long as it’s not a top-10 selection.

Jackson’s days in Oklahoma City have appeared numbered since he and the club failed to come to terms on an extension this past fall, and perhaps before then, when he made it clear that he envisions becoming a starting point guard, an opportunity he won’t have teaming with Russell Westbrook. The Knicks seem to have strong interest in Jackson for a trade or in free agency, but the Thunder have reportedly found the trade market for him weaker than they expected. The Heat would have Jackson’s Bird rights and the right to match offers for him this summer if they trade for him before the deadline and tender a qualifying offer by the end of June. As with Dragic, the Heat probably couldn’t afford him otherwise in free agency, since the team is likely to be over the cap come July unless either Dwyane Wade or Luol Deng opt out.

Wizards, Heat, Cavs Interested In Jameer Nelson

February 13th, 2015 at 7:46am CST by Eddie Scarito

FRIDAY, 7:46am: The Cavs have also targeted Nelson as they’ve made contact with several teams as they seek an upgrade at backup point guard, reports Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com. They’ve been offering Brendan Haywood and his subtly valuable contract to other teams amid their search, Windhorst writes, seconding an earlier report from Joe Vardon of the Northeast Ohio Media Group. Still, the ESPN scribe doesn’t specify whether they’ve offered Haywood to Denver.

THURSDAY, 4:50pm: The Wizards and the Heat have had discussions with the Nuggets regarding Jameer Nelson, Shams Charania of RealGM.com reports (Twitter link). The Cavs had previously expressed interest in the veteran point guard when Nelson was a member of the Celtics, but there has been no contact since, Charania adds. Nelson is currently nursing a sore Achilles, and has missed Denver’s last three games as a result. The 33-year-old is making $2,732,000 this season, and he owns a player option for 2015/16 worth $2,854,940.

Nelson is already on his third team of the season, having began the year in Dallas. But he was dealt to the Celtics along with Brandan Wright and Jae Crowder in the trade for Rajon Rondo back in December. The Celtics and Nelson had discussed a potential buyout arrangement, but the point guard was instead dealt to the Nuggets for Nate Robinson back in January.

Miami is badly in need of an upgrade at the point, with Norris Cole averaging only 6.3 points per game, and rookie Shabazz Napier struggling as well, logging 5.1 points on 36.8% shooting. Cole is reportedly on the trading block, and has been mentioned in connection with the Hornets, Pistons, and Nets. Our own Chuck Myron examined Cole’s trade candidacy last month.

The Wizards could be looking to add backcourt depth in the event that Bradley Beal‘s stress reaction in his right leg will keep him out for a prolonged period of time. Beal is set to be reevaluated by the team after the All-Star break. The Wizards have All-Star John Wall and veteran Andre Miller on their depth chart at the one spot.

Nelson’s career stats over 10 years and 691 contests are 12.3 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 5.3 assists. His career slash line is .439/.372/.815. He has appeared in 11 games for the Nuggets, and has logged 9.4 points and 4.5 assists in 21.7 minutes per contest.

Byron Mullens To Play For Heat’s D-League Team

February 12th, 2015 at 11:35pm CST by Eddie Scarito

THURSDAY, 11:35pm: Mullens has been acquired off of waivers by the Sioux Falls Skyforce, the Heat’s D-League affiliate, Gino Pilato of D-League Digest reports (Twitter link)..

TUESDAY, 6:50pm: Veteran center Byron Mullens will join the NBA D-League, Gino Pilato of D-League Digest reports (Twitter link). Mullens will be subject to the D-League’s waiver process to determine which team he will play for. The 25-year-old had changed agents last month, and is now represented by Todd Ramasar of Stealth Sports.

The seven-footer had elected to turn down his minimum salary player option for the 2014/15 campaign to seek a more lucrative deal on the open market, but was unable to cash in this past offseason. Mullens’ last NBA action came during the 2013/14 campaign when he appeared in a combined 45 games for the Clippers and Sixers.

Mullens had played briefly in China this season before being waived by the Shanxi Brave Dragons. The big man is likely using the D-League as a springboard to make his return to the NBA. With the demand for floor-spacing centers around the league, Mullens should garner consideration for a 10-day contract if he provides teams with a strong showing once he hits the D-League hardwood.

In 189 career games over parts of five seasons, Mullens has averaged 7.4 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 0.8 assists. His career slash line is .408/.319/.706.

And-Ones: Sanders, Johnson, Suns

February 11th, 2015 at 10:05pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Larry Sanders‘ league-imposed suspension for marijuana use has ended, Charles F. Gardner of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports (Twitter link). The big man had been suspended without pay for a minimum of 10 games for a violation of the anti-drug policy, the NBA had announced back on January 16th. The league had stipulated that the suspension would remain in effect until Sanders fully complied with his treatment program. There has been no official announcement from the league or the Bucks regarding Sanders’ reinstatement as of yet. Sanders has missed a total of 12 games while on suspension, totaling $1.2MM in lost wages.

The end of the suspension makes it certain that the team will be unable to re-sign Jorge Gutierrez, whose 10-day contract will expire during the All-Star break, unless the Bucks unload one of their 15 players who are signed through the end of the season. Gutierrez has occupied the extra roster spot that Milwaukee’s has had thanks to the presence of Sanders on the suspended list.

Here’s more from around the league:

If Tyler Johnson remains on the Heat‘s roster past August 1st, half of his $845,059 salary for the 2015/16 season will become guaranteed, Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders notes (Twitter link). Johnson was signed to a two-year deal by Miami after completing a pair of 10-day contracts with the team.
The Suns have recalled Archie Goodwin and Reggie Bullock from the Bakersfield Jam, their D-League affiliate, the team has announced. This was the the fourth trek of the season for Goodwin to Bakersfield, and the second for Bullock.
Pistons president of basketball operations and coach Stan Van Gundy blasted the Kings for how they have treated interim coach Tyrone Corbin, David Mayo of MLive.com writes. Van Gundy took issue with the organization’s public courting of George Karl, who is reportedly finalizing an agreement to coach Sacramento, Mayo notes. “I think it’s an unfortunate situation, the way it’s been handled,” Van Gundy said. “I think Tyrone Corbin has been treated very, very poorly by their organization. I think the way they have treated him is unfortunate and inexcusable for one of the real class acts in our business.“
While Jahlil Okafor remains the consensus No. 1 overall pick in June’s NBA draft, the player likely to be selected No. 2 remains a tight race between Emmanuel Mudiay, Karl-Anthony Towns, and D’Angelo Russell, Chad Ford of ESPN.com (Insider subscription required) notes.

Atlantic Notes: Nets, ‘Melo, Kirilenko

February 11th, 2015 at 12:38pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Raptors appear to be in buying mode if they’re to make a deadline move, while the Sixers and Knicks are probably sellers, and the Celtics have already demonstrated their willingness to part with immediate assets with their flurry of trades so far this season. That leaves the Nets, amid persistent rumors surrounding Deron Williams, Brook Lopez and Joe Johnson for the past two months. Still, coach Lionel Hollins doesn’t expect that the Nets will make any deadline moves, as Tim Bontemps of the New York Post observes. Here’s more from around the Atlantic while we wait to see if Hollins is correct about what GM Billy King and company do:

Heat team president Pat Riley said he called agent Leon Rose about Carmelo Anthony this past summer when Anthony was already deep into his free agent decision-making, but the Knicks star insists he never personally heard from the Heat, notes Marc Berman of the New York Post.
Andrei Kirilenko‘s wife gave birth to a healthy baby son this week, according to Robert Windrem of NetsDaily (Twitter link), and that’s a signal that movement might be afoot for Kirilenko’s NBA career. Kirilenko, without specifying the issue that’s kept him from playing since November 13th, told reporters in December that it would be resolved by February. The veteran forward has been on suspension while taking leave to tend to his wife for the past few months, and the Sixers have reportedly viewed him as a trade chip.
Xavier Thames, the No. 59 pick in the 2014 draft whose rights belong to the Nets, is joining the D-League’s Fort Wayne Mad Ants, reports Reggie Hayes of The (Fort Wayne) News-Sentinel. Thames had been playing with Baloncesto Sevilla of Spain.

Heat Rumors: Trades, Cole, Williams, Jerebko

February 10th, 2015 at 10:14pm CST by Charlie Adams

The Heat are fighting to hold on to the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference, sitting just one and a half games up from falling out of a playoff position entirely. Injuries have been an issue for Miami this season, but the club’s lack of assets has prevented much roster movement, and one rival GM tells Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald that the same problem will stifle Pat Riley and company from making any moves before the trade deadline rolls around. We’ll provide Jackson’s latest on the Heat below:

The rival GM with whom Jackson spoke said Norris Cole‘s name has come up in trade discussions but downplayed the return Miami could reap for him. “What are you going to get for [Cole]?” the GM implored. “He’s a backup. They don’t have much to give up. Josh McRoberts would have value for a team out of the playoffs. Birdman [Chris Andersen] would have value for a playoff team but a playoff team is not trading you a quality [wing] for him.”
The Heat have arguably the worst point guard situation in the NBA right now and would surely like to swing a deal to land a reliable floor general, but the same GM told Jackson that Mo Williams was the only starting-caliber point guard who’s name was being shopped around. Williams, of course, was shipped from the Timberwolves to Miami’s division rival Hornets this afternoon.
Detroit offered Miami Jonas Jerebko in exchange for Cole, according to Jackson, who adds that the Heat’s insistence that the Pistons also take Danny Granger in any potential deal prevented the trade from taking place.

Eastern Notes: Sanchez, Hornets, Anthony

February 10th, 2015 at 6:12pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Orlando Sanchez remains with the D-League affiliate of the Knicks and continues to seek an NBA contract, agent Brian J. Bass tells Hoops Rumors (Twitter link), even though the owner of Cangrejeros de Santurce, a Puerto Rican team, says Sanchez has signed with his club, as Sportando’s Emiliano Carchia relays in a pair of tweets.

Here’s more from the East:

The Celtics have recalled guard Andre Dawkins from the Maine Red Claws, their D-League affiliate, the team has announced. Dawkins has appeared in seven games for the Red Claws this season, and he is averaging 16.1 points, 2.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.1 steals in 36.3 minutes per game.
Hawks coach and acting GM Mike Budenholzer indicated that dealing Adreian Payne to the Wolves was about creating roster flexibility, and that the trade should be taken on its own merit, Chris Vivlamore of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports (Twitter links). Budenholzer also said that no other trades are imminent, Vivlamore adds.
Hornets GM Rich Cho said that he doesn’t think that Charlotte “gave up a ton” to acquire Troy Daniels and Mo Williams from the Timberwolves, Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer tweets. The Hornets shipped Gary Neal and the Heat’s 2019 second-round pick to Minnesota to complete the trade.
Cho also indicated that the Hornets would continue to be active up until the trade deadline, but that there was no specific need that the team would try and address, Bonnell adds (Twitter link).
Carmelo Anthony said that the chances of him undergoing surgery during the season on his injured knee are growing increasingly likely, Keith Schlosser of SNY.tv writes. The Knicks’ star also relayed that the procedure would keep him out a minimum of two months, which would likely sideline ‘Melo for the remainder of the season, Schlosser adds.