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Free Agent Stock Watch: Central Division

March 18th, 2022 at 1:52pm CST by Luke Adams

For the rest of the regular season and postseason, Hoops Rumors is taking a closer look at players who will be free agents or could become free agents this offseason. We consider whether their stock is rising or falling due to their performance and other factors. Today, we’re focusing on a handful of Central players.

Zach LaVine, G, Bulls

2021/22: $19.5MM
2022/23: UFA
Stock: Up ⬆️

LaVine is dealing with a knee injury that has diminished his explosiveness, but it hasn’t slowed him down too significantly — he hasn’t scored fewer than 20 points in a game since the All-Star break, and he’s coming off a 33-point showing in Utah on Wednesday.

While the injury is a short-term concern that may need to be addressed surgically in the summer, there’s no reason to believe at this point that it will be a nagging issue in future seasons. LaVine is still significantly outperforming his current contract and is in line for a maximum-salary deal this summer, likely with the Bulls.

Collin Sexton, G, Cavaliers

2021/22: $6.35MM
2022/23: RFA
Stock: Down ⬇️

Sexton is also dealing with a knee injury, but it’s more serious than LaVine’s. The Cavaliers guard appeared in only 11 games before meniscus surgery sidelined him for the remainder of the season.

The fact that Sexton averaged 24.3 PPG with an efficient .475/.371/.815 shooting line in 2020/21 shouldn’t be overlooked, but there are a number of factors working against him. With Darius Garland and Caris LeVert under contract for next season and Sexton entering restricted free agency in an offseason when few teams will have cap room, the Cavs will have plenty of leverage in negotiations. Concerns about Sexton’s knee and his defense may further limit his ability to secure a significant raise.

An eight-figure annual salary is still certainly within reach for Sexton, but a payday in the $80-100MM range no longer looks like a good bet.

Bobby Portis, F/C, Bucks

2021/22: $4.35MM
2022/23: $4.56MM player option
Stock: Up ⬆️

Portis raised some eyebrows when he settled for a two-year, $9MM deal with the Bucks in 2021, giving the club a “hometown” discount after winning a title in Milwaukee. That agreement included a second-year player option, so Portis has the opportunity to revisit the open market in 2022. At this point, it’s hard to imagine he won’t take advantage of that opportunity.

With Brook Lopez out for much of the season, Portis has been thrust into a larger frontcourt role and has responded with a career year, averaging 15.3 PPG and 9.1 RPG on .484/.405/.752 shooting in 61 games (28.9 MPG). He’ll have Early Bird rights this time around, putting him in a better spot to get a raise from the Bucks, who shouldn’t expect the 27-year-old to once again accept a team-friendly rate.

Cory Joseph, G, Pistons

2021/22: $4.91MM
2022/23: $5.16MM player option
Stock: Up ⬆️

The Pistons have been one of the NBA’s worst teams since the start of the season, and any national attention they’ve gotten has focused primarily on Cade Cunningham, Saddiq Bey, and the rest of their young core. Their 30-year-old journeyman point guard shouldn’t be overlooked though — Joseph is enjoying one of the best seasons of his career in Detroit this season, averaging 8.1 PPG and 3.8 APG with a career-best .423 3PT% in 59 games (24.8 MPG).

Joseph may be happy with the Pistons and not interested in seeking a change of scenery. But if he decides to opt out this summer, he should certainly be able to earn a raise, perhaps from a team much closer to title contention.

T.J. Warren, F, Pacers

2021/22: $12.69MM
2022/23: UFA
Stock: Down ⬇️

Having officially been ruled out for the rest of 2021/22, Warren will enter unrestricted free agency having played just four games in the last two seasons due to foot injuries. It’s been an unfortunate run for the veteran forward, who had a great 2019/20 season and looked like one of the NBA’s very best scorers in the Walt Disney World bubble that summer.

What Warren has gone through is reminiscent of what happened to another former Pacer, Victor Oladipo, following his breakout years in Indiana. Oladipo battled leg injuries for two seasons and ultimately settled for a minimum-salary contract when he became a free agent.

Unlike Oladipo last year, Warren should be healthy when he reaches the open market this summer. But given how little teams have seen from him over the last two years, he may not be able to do a whole lot better than the minimum deal Oladipo got.

Central Notes: Lopez, Connaughton, Williams, Bickerstaff

March 16th, 2022 at 10:07pm CST by Arthur Hill

Bucks center Brook Lopez was out of action so long that he even missed arguing with the referees, writes Eric Nehm of The Athletic. After playing on opening night, Lopez sat out nearly five months because of back issues. He had surgery on December 2 to repair a bulging disc and went through a long rehab process that kept him off the court until this Monday.

Lopez was restricted to 15 minutes during his first game back, but he mostly played the way he did when he helped bring a title to Milwaukee last season. He mishandled the ball occasionally because of a lack of timing, but he made all the defensive plays that he usually does, according to Nehm.

“I’ve been through injuries a few times and so it’s always just made me appreciate basketball, love it even more,” Lopez said. “I try never to take my time on the court for granted, whether it’s practice, shootaround or a game. And so that’s why I just try to be out there, whenever I’m out there, playing with energy, being enthusiastic, and above all, having fun, having a good time. And with the group we have, that’s easy. But yeah, I’m just so happy and blessed to be back out there. There’s not much else I want in the world than that.”

There’s more from the Central Division:

Bucks guard Pat Connaughton is close to a return after having hand surgery last month, tweets Jim Owczarski of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. Coach Mike Budenholzer indicated that Connaughton needs to go through one more practice before playing again.
The Bulls have cleared Patrick Williams for full contact as he works to return from wrist surgery, per K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. Williams didn’t travel with the Bulls on their current three-game road trip, and he may practice or play for the team’s G League affiliate during that time. “A lot’s gonna now depend on how it goes once he does that (practices), and what does medical feel and he feel like (is) an ample amount of time for him to get comfortable actually going into a game,” coach Billy Donovan said.
J.B. Bickerstaff deserves Coach of the Year consideration for holding together a Cavaliers team that has been wrecked by injuries, argues Joe Vardon of The Athletic. Cleveland is still in contention for a top six spot in the East despite losing Collin Sexton and Ricky Rubio early in the season and Jarrett Allen more recently. Vardon also says former Cavs coach Tyronn Lue should be recognized for the job he has done with the Clippers.

Tyreke Evans To Sign G League Deal, Likely To Join Bucks’ Affiliate

March 14th, 2022 at 7:45pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Tyreke Evans will sign a G League contract and is expected to join the Bucks’ affiliate, the Wisconsin Herd, Shams Charania of The Athletic tweets. He’ll be evaluated during his G League experience for a potential contract with the Bucks, Charania adds.

Evans has worked out for Milwaukee and Golden State this month.

As demonstrated in our current roster counts for all NBA teams, Milwaukee has an open roster spot. Evans could provide more depth at the wing position if the Bucks like what they see from Evans over the coming weeks.

Evans, the 2010 Rookie of the Year, boasts a decade of league experience from 2009-19. Last month, he was reinstated into the NBA after being suspended by the league since 2019 for violating its drug policy. The 32-year-old guard has not played elsewhere since his ban.

Over the course of his NBA career thus far, Evans has suited up for the Kings, Pelicans, Grizzlies and most recently the Pacers. In 594 games, the 6’6″ vet out of Memphis holds averages of 15.7 PPG, 4.8 APG, 4.6 RPG and 1.2 SPG on .440/.323/.757 shooting splits. During his lone season in Indiana, he saw his role reduced. In just 20.3 MPG, Evans averaged 10.2 PPG on 38.9% shooting from the field.

Injury Notes: G. Hill, D. Green, Suggs, Vanderbilt

March 14th, 2022 at 10:16am CST by Luke Adams

While his return will likely be overshadowed by Brook Lopez‘s, another key Bucks contributor appears poised to be available on Monday night in Utah. Veteran guard George Hill no longer shows up on Milwaukee’s injury report after missing the last 17 games due to neck soreness.

[RELATED: Brook Lopez To Return On Monday]

Prior to his injury, Hill had been a regular part of the Bucks’ backcourt rotation, starting 16 of his 41 games and averaging 25.5 minutes per contest. While his shooting numbers this season (.436 FG%, .316 3PT%) are well below his career rates, the 35-year-old will give the club another ball-handling and floor-spacing option down the stretch, and he won’t shy away from the postseason spotlight this spring — Hill has appeared in 139 career playoff games.

Here are a few more injury-related updates from around the NBA:

Warriors forward Draymond Green is officially set to return on Monday after being sidelined since early January with a back issue, tweets Anthony Slater of The Athletic. Green, who no longer appears on Golden State’s injury report, said last week that he was targeting March 14 for his return.
After missing games on March 5 and March 8 due to a right ankle sprain, Magic rookie Jalen Suggs doesn’t appear to have put that issue fully behind him. He left Sunday’s game early, with the team again citing a sprained right ankle (Twitter link).
Timberwolves forward Jarred Vanderbilt will be unavailable on Monday for a second straight game due to a left quad contusion, tweets Chris Hine of The Star Tribune. Discussing Vanderbilt’s status on Saturday, Wolves head coach Chris Finch called it “kind of an odd” injury. “The only way to loosen it up is by moving, but it hurts too much to move,” Finch said (Twitter link via Hine). “Just got to keep working on it. The way he plays, he needs all of his physical attributes to be highly impactful.”

DeAndre’ Bembry Out For Season With Knee Injury

March 13th, 2022 at 8:44pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

8:44pm: Milwaukee has confirmed (via Twitter) that Bembry will miss the rest of the season due to a torn right ACL and MCL. An injury that significant will likely keep him sidelined for a significant chunk of the 2022/23 season as well.

12:30pm: Bucks wing DeAndre’ Bembry may be finished for the 2021/22 season after sustaining a right knee injury during Milwaukee’s 122-109 loss to the Warriors last night, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

Wojnarowski’s sources expressed concern about the severity of the injury. Woj tweets that Bembry will undergo MRI imaging on his knee today, and it’s expected to confirm that the injury is significant.

The Nets waived Bembry last month to open a roster spot in the deal that netted Brooklyn Ben Simmons, Seth Curry, Andre Drummond, and two future first-round draft picks. Bembry subsequently inked a rest-of-season deal with the Bucks.

In eight games with Milwaukee, Bembry is averaging 9.6 MPG, but has not been much of a scorer. The 6’5″ vet is averaging more rebounds (1.4 RPG) than points (0.8 PPG) for the reigning champs, providing energy and defensive versatility off the bench.

The 27-year-old was selected with the No. 21 pick out of Saint Joseph’s by the Hawks in the 2016 NBA draft. He played with Atlanta for four years before spending the 2020/21 season with the Raptors. He holds career averages of 5.9 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 1.8 SPG and 1.0 SPG across 296 contests.

Brook Lopez To Return On Monday

March 13th, 2022 at 8:31pm CST by JD Shaw

Bucks center Brook Lopez will return to action on Monday after missing more than four months due to a back injury, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

Lopez, who underwent back surgery on December 2, last played on opening night. He’ll make his return as Milwaukee gears up to defend its first title since 1971.

The Bucks have 14 games left on their schedule and have gone 42-26 despite missing Lopez, good for the second-best record in the East. Lopez played an integral part of the team’s run last season, averaging 12.3 points, five rebounds and 1.5 blocks in 70 starts.

Lopez’s return also fortifies the club’s bench. Assuming he reclaims his starting role, big man Bobby Portis will likely play off the bench, allowing Milwaukee to have a 15.5 PPG scorer for insurance.

As Wojnarowski notes, the Bucks have fallen outside of the league’s top 10 teams in defensive efficiency. Lopez’s absence is a major reason for this, as Milwaukee is known to play a drop coverage and utilize his rim-protecting skills.

The Bucks visit the Jazz on Monday, the Kings on Wednesday and the Timberwolves on Saturday. After that, the team returns to Milwaukee for a two-game homestand.

Brook Lopez, George Hill May Return Soon

March 12th, 2022 at 7:31pm CST by Arthur Hill

Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer offered encouraging news on Brook Lopez, who had back surgery and has played just one game this season, tweets Jim Owczarski of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Lopez feels good after a week of 5-on-5 practices and is expected to be ready soon. Teammate George Hill, who is suffering from neck soreness, is also making progress (Twitter link from Eric Nehm of The Athletic). “He’s close. He had a good day yesterday,” Budenholzer said. “I think he’s come through it well. So, I would say they’re both doing really well and they’re both close.”

Charles Lee Discusses Bucks, Mike Budenholzer, Coaching Aspirations, More

March 12th, 2022 at 2:33pm CST by JD Shaw

Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic hosts a Q&A with Bucks assistant Charles Lee, who remains a future NBA head coaching candidate. Lee has been with Milwaukee since 2018 after previously serving as an assistant with the Hawks for four years.

Checking In On NBA’s Open Roster Spots

March 10th, 2022 at 8:00am CST by Luke Adams

Several of the NBA teams that had open roster spots following the trade deadline have since filled them, either with free agent signings, such as DeMarcus Cousins (Nuggets) and DeAndre Jordan (Sixers), or with promoted two-way players, like Caleb Martin (Heat) and Daishen Nix (Rockets).

However, there are still a number of clubs around the league with openings available, either on their standard 15-man roster or among their two-way contract slots.

Here, with the help of our roster counts page, is a look at the teams that have open roster spots as of March 10:

Teams with open 15-man roster spots:

Atlanta Hawks
Boston Celtics (2) *
Charlotte Hornets *
Cleveland Cavaliers *
Detroit Pistons
Indiana Pacers
Milwaukee Bucks
Minnesota Timberwolves
New Orleans Pelicans *
Orlando Magic
Toronto Raptors *
Utah Jazz

* The teams marked with an asterisk each technically have full rosters as of today, but are carrying at least one player on a 10-day contract. We’re considering those roster spots “open” because those 10-day deals will soon expire.

Despite a series of signings since last month’s trade deadline, there are still 12 NBA teams that aren’t carrying 15 players on full-season standard contracts. However, four of those clubs have filled their open roster spot(s) with 10-day signings, and a fifth will join that group when the Cavaliers complete their reported 10-day deal with Moses Brown.

The Celtics are one team to watch here. When the second 10-day contracts for Malik Fitts and Kelan Martin expire next Monday night, Boston will either have to sign at least one of them to a rest-of-season contract or add another player within the next two weeks in order to get back to the league-mandated minimum of 14 players on standard deals.

Teams with open two-way spots:

Houston Rockets
Phoenix Suns
Sacramento Kings

Following the trade deadline, five teams had open two-way contract slots. Four of those teams have since filled them — the Suns are the only holdout, having not carried a second two-way player since they released Chandler Hutchison in early January.

The Rockets have had an open two-way slot since they promoted Nix to the 15-man roster nearly a month ago, while the Kings‘ opening has existed since they waived Louis King on February 17.

Lopez Traveling With Team, Practices Going Well

March 9th, 2022 at 9:54pm CST by Rory Maher

Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said Brook Lopez will travel with the team for the upcoming West Coast road trip. Lopez was cleared for full contact five-on-five practices last Friday. “We’ll just continue to evaluate and see how he’s doing with the 5-on-5 and he’s making good progress and just hope that continues,” Budenholzer said, per Eric Nehm of The Athletic (Twitter link). Lopez has played just one game this season after suffering a bulging disc in his lower back which required surgery, but it appears he’s getting close to returning for the defending champs.