NBA G League Rumors | Hoops Rumors

T.J. Warren, Jahlil Okafor Headline NBAGL All-Showcase Team

December 23rd, 2024 at 1:24pm CST by Luke Adams

The NBA G League has announced (via Twitter) a five-man All-Showcase Team following its 2024 Winter Showcase in Orlando, which wrapped up in Sunday. The standout players recognized by the NBAGL are as follows:

Josh Christopher (Sioux Falls Skyforce)
Leonard Miller (Iowa Wolves)
Jahlil Okafor (Indiana Mad Ants)
T.J. Warren (Westchester Knicks)
Jahmir Young (Grand Rapids Gold)

The event, which was the culmination of the G League’s fall Tip-Off Tournament, included an eight-team, single-elimination bracket made up of the top finishers in the Tip-Off Tournament. Those eight clubs were vying for the Showcase Cup, with the league’s other 22 teams each playing a pair of non-tournaments from Thursday to Sunday.

Warren’s Knicks defeated Christopher’s Skyforce in the Showcase Cup final, with Warren averaging 22.7 points per game on 54.8% shooting in Westchester’s three victories. The veteran forward had 24 points and four assists in Sunday’s championship game.

Four of the five players named to the All-Showcase Team were in the Showcase Cup bracket. The only exception was Okafor, who averaged 22.0 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game on 66.7% shooting in a pair of non-tournament victories for the Pacers‘ affiliate.

While Miller is on a standard NBA contract with the Timberwolves and Christopher is on a two-way deal with the Heat, Warren, Okafor, and Young aren’t currently controlled by NBA teams and could be freely signed by one at any time. Their performances over the weekend in front of scouts and executives should help strengthen their cases for NBA promotions, especially once the 10-day contract window opens in January.

Warren and Okafor are NBA veterans who each have several years of experience in the league, whereas Young is an undrafted rookie who was in camp with the Nuggets in the fall. The former Maryland standout had 22 points, nine assists, and seven rebounds in Grand Rapids’ win over the OKC Blue on Thursday, then put up 28 points, seven assists, six rebounds, and three steals in a losing effort to Westchester on Saturday.

And-Ones: Team Canada, DSJ, 2025 Draft, Kendrick

December 21st, 2024 at 9:50pm CST by Arthur Hill

Canadian players are still dealing with the disappointment of not winning a medal at this year’s Summer Olympics, writes Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca. Featuring a roster loaded with NBA talent, Team Canada had a chance to reach a milestone for the nation’s basketball program. Instead, they left Paris empty-handed with the realization that the next opportunity is four long years away.

“It’s different once it’s over and you realize that you’re not going to be in that position, not have a chance for four more years,” RJ Barrett said. “Like, that’s a rough part about it, especially when we felt like we had a team that had a great mix. I think we had young guys, but not rookies, you know, and we had guys in their prime or close to their prime, and we had some vets that are still at a good stage in their career. We had the experience, and we had the talent, we got we had the coach. We felt like that was our time, but I think experience, and those type of tournaments is huge.”

The Canadians looked like a legitimate threat to capture the gold after going undefeated in pool play against Greece, Australia and Spain, who were all viewed as medal contenders. But their hopes ended quickly with an 82-73 loss to France in the quarterfinal round. Grange notes that Canada was able to control Victor Wembanyama, holding him to seven points on 2-of-10 shooting with Dillon Brooks guarding him for much of the game, but Guerschon Yabusele and Mathias Lessort led the hosts to victory by combining for 35 points.

“Every year, I get a chance to win an NBA championship,” Shai Gilgeous-Alexander said, “(but it’s only) every four years I get a chance to try to win the Olympics, you know?”

There’s more from around the basketball world:

When Dennis Smith Jr. entered the G League player pool, he was expecting to be claimed by the Spurs‘ affiliate, Marc Stein and Jake Fischer write in a Substack column (subscription required). Instead, he wound up with the Bucks‘ affiliate, making his future in the G League less certain, sources tell The Stein Line. Real Madrid reportedly has interest if Smith wants to play in the EuroLeague.
Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey are making an impact at Rutgers, but the NBA executives and draft experts who talked to Adam Zagoria of NJ.com believe Duke’s Cooper Flagg remains very likely to be the top pick in 2025.
Frank Kendrick, who was part of a championship team with the Warriors during his only NBA season, died this week at age 74, the team announced (via Twitter). Kendrick also won an NIT title at Purdue and was inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame in 2002.

Pacific Notes: James, Harden, Harkless, Fox, Schröder

December 19th, 2024 at 8:58pm CST by Tristan Tucker

LeBron James enters Thursday just 10 minutes from passing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the most total minutes played in regular season NBA history after having passed him in total minutes (playoffs included) last year. He’s likely to set the regular season record against the Kings. James discussed the achievement with The Athletic’s Jovan Buha and Sam Amick.

“I just think it’s just a commitment to the craft and to the passion and love I have for the game,” James said. “I don’t take much time in the offseason. A little bit more time now, I didn’t take much time in the offseason, no matter if I was making the 10 Finals appearances back to back and just always trying to keep my body in tip-top shape.

“And I’ve been able to, like I said, play a lot of minutes and for the most part of my career be injury-free and be available. I don’t want to say injury-free. We all have our injuries in this league and in this sport. But to be available for the majority to my teammates, to the franchises, the three franchises I play for, is something I took very seriously.”

James has been rehabbing an injury over the past couple weeks, missing a pair of games last week. According to Buha and Amick, he’s open to resting down the line if it makes sense in the schedule.

“I’m just not a guy that likes to sit games, if I’m somewhat healthy,” James said. “It doesn’t matter. It’s just, it’s never been my thing. … If there’s an opportunity where it could benefit my body and benefit my play long-term for the better of the team, then I’m always open to having that conversation. So we’ll see what happens.”

We have more from the Pacific Division:

As a result of Kawhi Leonard‘s knee injury and Paul George‘s free agency departure, James Harden has been the only member of the Clippers‘ former big three still standing this season and has continued to keep the team competitive by providing strong leadership and playing big minutes, Janis Carr of The Orange County Register writes. Harden is averaging 22.1 points, 6.5 rebounds and 8.3 assists per game while shooting 35.3% from beyond the arc. The Clippers entered Thursday at 15-12. “If he has a bad shooting night, the next night he’s probably going to come back and play well,” head coach Tyronn Lue said. “That’s what good players do. They bounce back. We’ve asked him to do a lot. He’s carried a load offensively, making the right passes, reads and also scoring the basketball. And at 35 years old, that can get tiring. So, we are asking a lot of him.“
Current San Diego Clippers guard Elijah Harkless is drawing NBA interest ahead of the G League Showcase, SNY’s Ian Begley reports (via Twitter). Harkless is averaging 15.4 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 2.6 steals per contest for L.A.’s G League club. He went undrafted in 2023 out of UNLV and spent back-to-back offseasons on a training camp deal with the Clippers.
The Kings have won three of their last four games and four of their past six, but they dropped some winnable games earlier in the season and are at an uneven 13-14, good for 12th in the Western Conference. Head coach Mike Brown challenged star De’Aaron Fox to help the team continue to lock in and focus on the details, according to FOX 40 Sacramento’s Sean Cunningham (Twitter link). “Fox has to step up,” Brown said. “He’s a great player, on the verge of being a superstar…you have a lot of responsibility if you’re that guy, and he’s that guy. And he can’t be a part of not being locked in and he damn sure can’t be a part of letting it go if we’re not [locked in] as a team.“
Dennis Schröder appeared in his first game as a member of the Warriors, starting on Thursday after being traded by the Nets. As observed by ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk (Twitter link), Jonathan Kuminga moved to the bench after having started each of Golden State’s past six games.

And-Ones: Hall Of Fame, Brown, Maledon, Lessort, G League

December 19th, 2024 at 4:58pm CST by Tristan Tucker

The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame officially announced its list of eligible candidates for the Class of 2025, including several-first-time nominees (Twitter link). Ten-time All-Star Carmelo Anthony and eight-time All-NBA team member Dwight Howard are among the notable names.

WNBA greats Sue Bird, Sylvia Fowles, Chamique Holdsclaw and Maya Moore are first-time nominees, as are legendary coaches Lisa Bluder, Billy Donovan, Mark Few and Doc Rivers. NBA stars Marc Gasol and Amar’e Stoudemire round out the list of new candidates, while Heat owner Micky Arison is nominated as a contributor. According to a report from The Associated Press, the 2008 U.S. Olympic men’s basketball team was among the repeat nominees.

Along with announcing the list, the Hall has adjusted its waiting period for candidates from three seasons out of the game to two.

“To better recognize the distinguished careers of potential first-ballot nominees in a more timely manner, the board has appropriately shortened the waiting period,” Hall of Fame chairman Jerry Colangelo said. “We are excited about this change and believe that honoring individuals while their contributions are still fresh in people’s minds is both meaningful and impactful.”

This is the first step in the process of enshrinement. Finalists are selected on Feb. 14 in San Francisco during NBA All-Star weekend and the full class will be revealed on April 5 in San Antonio at the NCAA Tournament. There are a total of 189 candidates in various categories, according to the Hall.

We have more from around the basketball world:

ESPN announced that 91-year-old Hubie Brown will call the final game of his broadcasting career on Feb. 9. That game, between the Bucks and the Sixers, will be jointly called by Brown and Mike Breen. Brown, a two-time NBA Coach of the Year, worked for the Knicks, Grizzlies and Hawks.
Former NBA guard Theo Maledon is reportedly being targeted by Real Madrid, according to a report from Sportando. Maledon is currently playing with French club ASVEL and is fourth in the EuroLeague in points per game (18.8). According to the report, Real Madrid offered a buyout to current guard Xavier Rathan-Mayes with an eye toward giving Maledon a multi-year deal. Maldeon most recently played with the Suns in 2023/24 and also had stints with the Thunder and Hornets after being selected with the 34th overall pick in 2020.
Mathias Lessort, whose draft rights are held by the Knicks, suffered a fibula fracture and will be out for the next four months, according to a report from Eurohoops.net. Lessort has been an impressive defensive force for Greek club Panathinaikos. There’s been some speculation that Lessort, the 50th overall pick in 2017, could make the move stateside at some point — he’s in the final year of his current contract.
The G League Union elected a new executive committee as the league is in the negotiation process of creating its first-ever CBA for players, ESPN’s Tim Bontemps tweets. Robert Baker of the Osceola Magic will serve as president, Yauhen Massalski of the San Diego Clippers will be secretary-treasurer, and College Park’s David Singleton and Salt Lake City’s Josh Pierre-Louis were elected as vice presidents, according to Bontemps (Twitter link).

Dennis Smith Jr. Signing G League Contract

December 18th, 2024 at 8:41am CST by Luke Adams

Free agent point guard Dennis Smith Jr. is signing a G League contract ahead of this week’s Winter Showcase in Orlando, sources tell Jake Fischer (Twitter link).

It’s not yet clear which team Smith will land with, but Marc Stein notes (via Twitter) that the Mexico City Capitanes and Long Island Nets are at the top of the NBAGL’s waiver order, meaning they’ll have first dibs once the veteran guard officially signs his contract. For now, there’s no mention of Smith in the G League’s transaction log.

The ninth overall pick in the 2017 draft, Smith has appeared in a total of 326 regular season games for the Mavericks, Knicks, Pistons, Trail Blazers, Hornets, and Nets over the course of seven NBA seasons. He made 56 appearances last season for Brooklyn, averaging 6.6 points, 3.6 assists, 2.9 rebounds, and 1.2 steals in 18.9 minutes per game, with a shooting line of .435/.294/.741.

Smith isn’t much of a scorer or shooter, with career marks of 40.7% from the floor and 29.8% on three-pointers. However, he’s a solid ball-handler and distributor and an above-average point-of-attack defender.

The 27-year-old will be looking to show executives and scouts in Orlando that he deserves another shot in the NBA. The G League’s Winter Showcase tips off on Thursday and runs through Sunday, with each team playing at least two games.

Big man Frank Kaminsky and point guard Devonte’ Graham are among the other NBA veterans who have recently signed G League contracts in the hopes of making an impression at the Winter Showcase.

Pacific Notes: Leonard, Schroder, Van Arsdale, Bronny

December 17th, 2024 at 8:04pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Kawhi Leonard, who has yet to make his season debut as he rehabs his right knee, took part in two non-contact practices last week. Noting that Leonard has “progressed very well,” Clippers coach Tyronn Lue didn’t offer any real hints about when his star forward might suit up, but said Kawhi may accompany the team on its upcoming two-game road trip.

“I think we’re going to be more excited to have him for a full practice,” James Harden told Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times. “We don’t really have contact practice, but when we do, just contact practice and then games. So, he’s inching his way back towards the court and take his time. Whenever he’s ready, we’re ready for him.”

We have more from the Pacific Division:

Warriors coach Steve Kerr said that newly-acquired Dennis Schröder will take some of the offensive burden off Stephen Curry. “We need a pick-and-roll player right now,” Kerr said, per Grant Afseth of the Dallas Hoops Journal. “The last 10 games, our pick-and-roll efficiency is dead last in the league. Teams are loading up on Steph. You can’t ask him to run every pick-and-roll. Dennis is a pick-and-roll player.”
Suns legend Dick Van Arsdale has passed away at the age of 81, the team’s PR department tweets. He was the first selection in the expansion draft to build the Suns’ roster and scored the first points in team history. Van Arsdale earned three All-Star selections, was a member of the team’s NBA Finals team in 1976 and retired as the franchise’s all-time leading scorer in 1977. Van Arsdale was also a broadcaster and front office executive for the franchise.
Lakers rookie guard Bronny James will participate in the NBA G League Winter Showcase this week, Shams Charania and Dave McMenamin of ESPN report. The Lakers’ front office and James’ agents at Klutch Sports partnered on the plan to have the guard play in the Orlando event as another step in his development, the ESPN duo adds. Bronny has averaged 20.7 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists over his past three games for the South Bay Lakers.

Central Notes: Atkinson, Okoro, Bucks, Giannis, Duarte

December 17th, 2024 at 1:01pm CST by Luke Adams

Visiting Brooklyn on Monday for the first time as the Cavaliers‘ head coach, Kenny Atkinson – who coached the Nets from 2016-20 – picked up a resounding win over his old team, with Cleveland blowing out Brooklyn by a score of 130-101. Magnanimous in victory, Atkinson made it clear he harbored no ill will toward the Nets for dismissing him midway through the 2019/20 season, according to Brian Lewis of The New York Post.

“I don’t look at it that way. I just look at it as part of the story, right, part of your growth,” Atkinson said. “You have good things happen, you have setbacks, and — it’s like a player, how do you bounce back? And it was definitely a bounce back. And in the long run, the journey after Brooklyn really helped me, helped me grow as a coach. Who knows? If that doesn’t happen, maybe I’m not in Cleveland; I don’t improve as much as a coach if that didn’t happen. So I look at it more as a positive.”

While Atkinson wasn’t necessarily seeking revenge or vindication entering Monday’s matchup, he admitted that facing his former team provided an extra layer of motivation.

“I’m competitive, right? And when you have setbacks, you remember things, right?” Atkinson said. “And players do the same thing. If something happened or a team beat you or you get fired, you’re motivated. You’re motivated to prove people wrong; and that’s kind of how I took it. It’s a chip on your shoulder or whatever you want to call it. But there’s definitely some of that. I think any competitor feels the same way.”

Here’s more from around the Central:

Isaac Okoro, who has been the Cavaliers‘ starting small forward since November 4 with Max Strus still sidelined, will undergo further testing on a right shoulder injury he sustained in Monday’s win over Brooklyn, reports Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (subscription required).
Ahead of the Bucks‘ appearance in the final of the NBA Cup on Tuesday, Jamal Collier of ESPN and Eric Nehm of The Athletic explore how the team bounced back from its 2-8 start and the role Giannis Antetokounmpo has played in the turnaround, not just as an MVP-level performer but as a more confident leader. “He was being vocal, talking about things he wanted (on the court), talking before the game, things that the first couple years he didn’t really do as often as he does now,” Bobby Portis, who has been with the Bucks since 2020, told Collier. “It’s cool to see guys’ leadership go to another level. Especially at a time of the season when it was critical for us to get back to at least playing some good ball.”
Bucks rookies Tyler Smith and AJ Johnson aren’t playing much so far this season, but they’re poised to supplement their first-year salaries with lucrative bonuses as a result of the team’s NBA Cup run and are enjoying being part of the experience in Las Vegas. Jim Owczarski of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has the story and the quotes from the two 20-year-olds.
The Bulls have assigned fourth-year wing Chris Duarte to the G League for the first time this season ahead of the Winter Showcase, per the team (Twitter link). Duarte, who was acquired in the DeMar DeRozan trade in July, has played sparingly for Chicago this season and is on an expiring contract, so he figures to be a trade candidate at the deadline — playing for the Windy City Bulls in Orlando at the G League Showcase, which begins Thursday, will give him an opportunity to try to catch the eye of scouts and executives from around the league.

Frank Kaminsky Expected To Join Raptors 905

December 14th, 2024 at 1:05pm CST by Rory Maher

Free agent big man Frank Kaminsky has decided to enter the NBA G League player pool in advance of next week’s NBAGL Winter Showcase in Orlando, according to NBA insider Marc Stein, who reports (via Twitter) that the former Wisconsin star is expected join the Raptors 905, Toronto’s affiliate.

A former lottery pick (No. 9 overall in 2015), Kaminsky is an eight-year veteran who dealt with a knee injury in his last couple NBA seasons. Kaminsky, whose most recent NBA stint came in 2022/23 with Houston, spent last season in Serbia with Partizan Belgrade.

The 31-year-old signed a training camp contract with Phoenix this fall, earning praise during the preseason from head coach Mike Budenholzer. However, the Suns have the most expensive roster in the league, and chose to waive Kaminsky — and all the other players vying for the 15th standard spot — before the ’24/25 campaign began, likely due to the exorbitant luxury tax penalty for someone who was unlikely to receive minutes.

Instead of immediately entering the G League or heading back to Europe, Kaminsky decided to join Team USA’s roster for a couple of AmeriCup qualifying games in November, viewing it as an opportunity to show NBA teams he could still contribute. Robert Covington and Keita Bates-Diop were among the other notable veterans who suited up for the Americans.

According to Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca (Twitter link), the Raptors 905 have a high waiver priority, and while Kaminsky will likely be a short-term addition, he’ll still help the team “immensely” on offense right now. As Murphy observes, 10-day contracts begin in January, so the veteran forward/center will certainly be hoping to make a good impression.

Every season, veteran free agents who don’t make rosters in the fall choose to audition for NBA teams by playing in the Winter Showcase, which will take place in Orlando next week. Guard Devonte’ Graham signed with the South Bay Lakers on Friday.

Devonte’ Graham Joins South Bay Lakers

December 13th, 2024 at 5:37pm CST by Luke Adams

Veteran NBA point guard Devonte’ Graham has signed a G League contract and joined the South Bay Lakers, Los Angeles’ affiliate, the team announced today (via Twitter). South Bay waived forward Tommy Rutherford in order to make room for Graham.

A former second-round pick (No. 34 overall in 2018) who played four years of college ball at Kansas, Graham had some productive seasons with the Hornets during his first few years in the NBA, including a strong 2019/20 campaign in which he averaged 18.2 points, 7.5 assists, 3.4 rebounds and 1.0 steal per game with a .373 3PT% across 63 outings (35.1 MPG).

However, the six-year veteran saw his playing time decline in recent years as he moved on to the Pelicans and then the Spurs, only appearing in 23 games and averaging a career-low 13.6 MPG for San Antonio last season. Graham was traded back to Charlotte in a salary-dump deal over the summer, was subsequently waived, then spent training camp and the preseason on a non-guaranteed contract with the Trail Blazers before being cut again.

There were rumors in October that Graham would head overseas and play for the Shanghai Sharks in China, but that never came to fruition. Instead, the 29-year-old will remain stateside, catching on with the Lakers’ G League squad ahead of the league’s Winter Showcase in Orlando next week.

The Winter Showcase, which takes place from December 19-22, serves as a meeting point for executives and scouts around the NBA, so it will be a good opportunity for Graham to make his case for an NBA contract.

Lakers Notes: LeBron, Reaves, Bronny, Slump

December 11th, 2024 at 10:01pm CST by Arthur Hill

LeBron James was absent for personal reasons Wednesday as the Lakers held their first full practice during a break in the schedule, writes Khobi Price of The Orange County Register. After missing his first game of the season on Sunday due to soreness in his left foot, James “wasn’t in the building” Tuesday for what coach J.J. Redick called a voluntary “get what you need day.” James had an excused absence today, and it hasn’t been determined if he’ll travel with the team for Friday’s game at Minnesota.

“I don’t know yet,” Redick told reporters. “Again, it’s personal reasons, so he’s taking some time.”

James continues to put up remarkable numbers in his 22nd NBA season, averaging 23.0 points, 8.0 rebounds and 9.1 assists through the first 23 games, but he may be getting worn down from the long schedule as his 40th birthday approaches later this month. He played 43 minutes in Friday’s overtime loss at Atlanta, leading to the decision to hold him out on Sunday.

Max Christie said the Lakers are staying focused on the task ahead of them while James is away.

“Having a leader like that that’s not here is tough, but I know some of that stuff is out of our control,” Christie said. “It’s kind of like a next-man-up mentality, still, even in practice. The guys still competed really hard even though he wasn’t here. There was some good leadership, there was good vocalization for us as a team, good collaboration, so it was a good practice.”

There’s more on the Lakers:

Austin Reaves was nearly a full participant in today’s practice as he works his way back from a bruised left pelvis that has caused him to miss the last five games, Price adds. Reaves was held out of one drill that Redick described as “particularly physical,” but he was able to take part in five-on-five scrimmages and other portions of the session. He’s still considered day-to-day.
Bronny James will begin playing in G League road games, with the first one coming Thursday in Phoenix against the Valley Suns, according to NBA insider Chris Haynes (Twitter link). Earlier in the season, Bronny was shuttling back and forth between the Lakers and the G League, but there was always the possibility that he would increase his time with South Bay, notes Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).
Jovan Buha of The Athletic looks at what’s gone wrong for the Lakers during a 3-7 stretch has dropped them into eighth place in the Western Conference. There’s plenty to address as L.A. ranks 28th in the league offensively and 24th defensively over its last 10 games. Redick and the players deserve their share of the blame, Buha states, but most should be directed at the front office for bringing back essentially the same roster as last season. He suggests that at least two trades could be necessary to contend for a title, which might mean parting with first-round picks in 2029 and 2031.