NBA G League Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Raptors Notes: Temple, Dick, Trent, Offense

November 26th, 2023 at 3:29pm CST by Luke Adams

Appearing on The Raptors Show with William Lou (audio link), veteran guard Garrett Temple said he had a preexisting relationship with Raptors president of basketball operations Masai Ujiri prior to this offseason, and that the two men exchanged numbers “as friends” during a 2018 event in South Africa. When Temple was waived by New Orleans this past July, Toronto was the first team to reach out to express interest in him.

“(Head coach) Darko (Rajakovic) called, told me he’d admired me from afar. Then I talked to (general manager) Bobby (Webster) and Masai,” Temple said. “They told me they wanted me to be a veteran leader, to be a guy that’s ready to play whenever my name is called, but first and foremost, be a guy that can be a good influence on the players here, show them what professionalism is. That’s what I’m trying to do every day.”

Temple has never been the sort of player who fills up a stat sheet, but he has long been valued for his on-court smarts, his defensive versatility, and his leadership in the locker room. The 14-year veteran has appeared in just five games for the Raptors so far this season, but has been effective when called upon, scoring 11 points on 4-of-5 shooting in 16 minutes of action.

Here’s more on the Raptors:

The Raptors assigned lottery pick Gradey Dick to the G League ahead of Saturday’s game vs. the Capital City Go-Go in order to get him more playing time than he’s getting with the NBA team, tweets Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca. However, Dick struggled in his Raptors 905 debut, scoring just two points on 1-of-12 shooting and committing three turnovers while recording a single assist. It sounds like the No. 13 overall pick may remain with the 905 for Monday’s game, notes Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca (Twitter links).
While the 2024 free agencies of Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby have stolen most of the headlines, the Raptors will also have to determine in the coming months what to do with Gary Trent Jr., who is on an expiring contract too. As Eric Koreen of The Athletic writes, Trent’s value is difficult to gauge, given that his play on defense has been inconsistent, so it’s unclear at this point whether he’ll emerge as a deadline trade chip or if he has a decent chance to stick with Toronto beyond this season.
The Raptors’ half-court offense, which has ranked near the bottom of the league in recent years, seemed to still be a problem at the start of this season, but the club has shown some encouraging signs offensively as of late, Grange notes at Sportsnet.ca. Although Toronto is still only 17th in overall offensive rating and has struggled against some top defenses, the team is making good on Rajakovic’s desire to pass more, ranking second in the NBA with 28.8 assists per game.

Heat Notes: Jovic, Adebayo, Smith, Bouyea

November 25th, 2023 at 2:37pm CST by Luke Adams

Heat forward Nikola Jovic was assigned to the G League for nearly a week, but will be back with the NBA club on Saturday, writes Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. According to Chiang, Jovic saw plenty of time at the five during his stint with the Sioux Falls Skyforce and believes that he may have a clearer path to playing time if he can get accustomed to playing center.

“I think it’s going to be the fastest way to get on the court because we have a lot of fours,” Jovic said. “It’s something that everybody can see. At five right now, we have Bam (Adebayo) and Kevin Love is coming off the bench as like a stretch five. So I think and I think the coaches also think the fastest way for me to get back on the court will be just playing at the five.”

While Adebayo typically gets the brunt of the playing time in the middle, he has been ruled out for Saturday’s game in Brooklyn – the second in a back-to-back set – due to a left hip injury (Twitter link via the team). Adebayo’s absence could result in an immediate opportunity for Jovic to get some minutes. Still, head coach Erik Spoelstra indicated he won’t be viewing the 20-year-old Serbian only as a center.

“I want to get him minutes at both positions,” Spoelstra said, per Chiang. “… And when he plays five for us, it looks a little bit different than it does down there (in the G League). He’s got a lot more bigger wings and there’s a dimension that can really help Jimmy (Butler) that’s intriguing to us. So he has to gobble up all those different experiences and it will change game to game.”

Here’s more on the Heat:

According to Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel (Twitter link), the Heat confirmed on Friday that Dru Smith will eventually require surgery on his ACL injury, which will sideline him for the rest of the season. Erik Spoelstra also reiterated his dissatisfaction with the sideline area of the court in Cleveland where Smith fell and suffered the injury. “Maybe this is something that can be addressed with the league moving forward,” he said (Twitter link via Winderman). “I doubt anything will change with the floor. It is a hazard in our mind and probably in a lot of other teams’ minds, too.”
After being cut by Portland and clearing waivers, guard Jamaree Bouyea is rejoining the Sioux Falls Skyforce, Miami’s G League affiliate, tweets Winderman. Bouyea opened the season with the Skyforce before spending 10 days on a two-way contract with the Trail Blazers.
Yossi Gozlan of HoopsHype takes a closer look at the Heat’s roster, suggesting that if the team makes a trade before the deadline, the priority should be to try to bring some long-term stability to the point guard position.

Kobi Simmons Signs G League Contract, Joins Raptors 905

November 24th, 2023 at 12:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Veteran NBA guard Kobi Simmons has signed a G League contract and is joining the Raptors 905, who acquired his returning rights earlier this week, according to Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca (Twitter link).

Simmons, 26, appeared in 32 games for the Grizzlies as a rookie back in 2017/18 after going undrafted out of Arizona. He hasn’t played much in the NBA since then, having spent most of his career either in the G League or overseas (he played in Poland in 2021/22).

However, in addition to a single appearance with the Cavaliers in 2018/19, Simmons suited up for the Hornets in five games near the end of last season. He signed a two-way contract with Charlotte in March, then was elevated to the standard roster in April during the final week of the regular season. Simmons’ contract with the Hornets covered ’23/24 too, but his salary was non-guaranteed and he was waived prior to training camp.

Simmons averaged 19.2 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 4.5 assists in 33.7 minutes per game (46 games) and had a shooting line of .489/.381/.810 with the Greensboro Swarm, Charlotte’s G League affiliate, last season. The Swarm traded his rights to Toronto’s affiliate on Wednesday in exchange for the rights to Sterling Brown and Gabe Brown.

While the Raptors now control Simmons’ G League rights, he remains an NBA free agent and could sign with any team if he gets an offer.

Northwest Notes: Scoot, Malone, Jazz, LaVine

November 23rd, 2023 at 10:24pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Rookie point guard Scoot Henderson seems to be reinvigorating the Trail Blazers upon returning to action, writes Aaron Fentress of The Oregonian.

Fentress notes that an eye examination indicated that Henderson was in need of contact lenses. He is now wearing goggles to keep the lenses in place. On Wednesday, he suited up for his first game since incurring an ankle injury on November 1. Portland beat the Jazz 121-105.

“It was just as I’m getting older, even though I’m 19, eyesight changes sometimes,” Henderson said. “The doctor just recommended the contacts and just for protection, the goggles. And they are stylish.”

Power forward Jerami Grant appreciated what Henderson brought to the table. Although he scored just three points on 1-of-7 field goal shooting, Henderson also chipped in seven assists and three rebounds and was a plus-15 in 17 minutes of action.

“He brought us a spark,” Grant said. “He pushed the pace for us. We played faster than we’ve been playing over the last whatever games that he hasn’t played.”

There’s more out of the Northwest Division:

The Trail Blazers have assigned rookie wing Rayan Rupert to their NBAGL club, the Rip City Remix, Portland has announced (via Twitter).
Nuggets head coach Michael Malone recently weighed in on his lucrative new multiyear extension, writes Bennett Durando of The Denver Post. “It’s a place where I truly enjoy going to work every day because of the people I work with,” said Malone, the son of NBA lifer Brendan Malone. “I grew up in this business, and you know how difficult the job can be for a coach, for their assistant coaches, for the families. When I moved to Denver, I think my daughters were in third and fifth grade. And the fact that I’m going to see both my daughters graduate high school (in Denver) — that never happens in this business… So I always remind myself how lucky and fortunate I am, because to coach in the NBA is truly a blessing for me and my family.”
With Bulls shooting guard Zach LaVine possibly on the trade block, Tony Jones of The Athletic considers whether he’d be a good fit on the Jazz. LaVine’s skill set as a three-level scorer and terrific offensive contributor capable of improvising creatively late in games make him an intriguing piece for a team in need of some scoring punch. However, his pricey contract, which will pay him $43MM next season, should give Utah some pause, Jones opines.

Central Notes: Holiday, Bucks, Pacers, Allen

November 22nd, 2023 at 5:36pm CST by Rory Maher

The top two teams in the East — the Celtics and Bucks — face off on Wednesday night in Boston. It will be All-Star guard Jrue Holiday‘s first matchup against his former club this season.

Holiday, who was traded to Portland in the Damian Lillard blockbuster before being rerouted to the Celtics, says he has no hard feelings towards the Bucks, though he would’ve appreciated a heads-up that he might get dealt, according to Tim Bontemps of ESPN. Holiday expressed a desire to be a “Buck for life” just days before the trade was made.

“I think that they got what they wanted, so I can’t be mad at that,” Holiday said. “A warning would’ve been cool. But other than that, I’m in the best place that I can be to compete against them, which is for the top team in the East and, hopefully, the top team in the league.”

Holiday helped the Bucks win their first championship in 50 years in 2021, but he says Wednesday’s matchup doesn’t hold any particular significance to him other than two of the best teams in the league competing against each other.

“It’s not like I circled this one on my calendar or anything,” Holiday said. “I think that this is a big game because of the two teams that are playing, I think because of the caliber players that are on the court and all that, so that’s what I would like for it to be about, not me playing against the Bucks.”

Here’s more from the Central:

The Pacers made a change to their starting lineup on Tuesday, replacing Bennedict Mathurin and Obi Toppin with Buddy Hield and Aaron Nesmith. Hield and Nesmith started most of last season, but had been coming off the bench in 2023/24. As Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star writes, head coach Rick Carlisle said the move was designed to give the starters more shooting, with the Pacers trying to clinch their in-season tournament group — which they did after defeating Atlanta. All four players performed well in a game that didn’t feature much defense — the final score was 157-152. However, Carlisle wouldn’t commit to that new starting five going forward, and Nesmith will be sidelined for Wednesday’s game against Toronto with a right wrist sprain, Dopirak tweets. Second-year guard Andrew Nembhard will also miss his third straight game with lower back soreness.
The Pacers selected Jarace Walker No. 8 overall and Ben Sheppard No. 26 overall in June’s draft, but neither player has been in the team’s rotation this fall. On Wednesday, the two first-round picks were sent to the G League to play for Indiana’s affiliate, the Mad Ants, and were recalled ahead of tonight’s matchup with the Raptors, per Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star. “I was happy,” said Walker, who scored 30 points in a Mad Ants win. “Hooping is hooping to me at the end of the day, no matter if it’s NBA, G-League, JUCO, I just love basketball. Just being out there, even with an awesome group of guys that I got to get closer with today, I had a good time today.”
A slow 2-3 start for the Cavaliers this fall coincided with the absence of center Jarrett Allen, who was dealing with a bone bruise in his ankle. As Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com details in a subscriber-only story, the Cavs have started to climb the standings upon Allen’s return, going 6-3, including four straight victories, despite other players being injured. While he doesn’t always put up gaudy individual stats, the 25-year-old is the defensive anchor for Cleveland, according to Fedor, who notes that Allen did an admirable job slowing Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid the past two games.

Southeast Notes: Love, Washington, Gafford, Howard

November 21st, 2023 at 6:57pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Kevin Love won’t return to Cleveland to face his former team on Wednesday. He’s listed as out for personal reasons, Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald tweets. It would have been Love’s first game in Cleveland since he was bought out last season.

Prior to that announcement, Love told Chiang and other media members he was looking forward to the trip. The veteran Heat big man also indicated it took awhile to adjust to his new surroundings. “I think at first, it was a bumpy transition. I think it is with anybody trying to find their place in a new organization, especially after eight-and-a-half years there. But I definitely feel like this has been a great landing spot for me,” he said.

We have more from the Southeast Division:

With Miles Bridges back in the lineup on Monday, P.J. Washington came off the bench for the first time since the 2021/22 season. However, it didn’t come as a surprise. Hornets coach Steve Clifford and Washington had been discussing the possibility for awhile. Washington will continue to get a steady diet of minutes. “PJ and I have been talking about this ever since Miles came back. So, he’s still going to play,” Clifford told Roderick Boone of the Charlotte Observer. “His minutes won’t change. PJ will play just as many minutes as he was before, but we have to get to playing groups like we were talking about before the game. And so they’re going to play together, too. PJ is all about the team. He’s extremely team-oriented. He grew up in a basketball family. He has no problems with it, and again, this has been something that’s been discussed since Miles came back.”
Wizards center Daniel Gafford has started a majority of the games he’s appeared in the past two seasons but this is the first season he’s the unquestioned starter. Gafford is enjoying that comfort zone while playing a career-high 24.1 minutes per game, he told Chase Hughes of Monumental Sports Network. “They’re putting all their trust in me,” he said. “For me to be trusted with this role, it’s something I’ve always wanted. It’s on my side and my part to keep up that trust and confidence in me. They threw me in the fire, so I’ve gotta put the fire out.” Gafford is in the first year of a three-year, $40.2MM contract.
Lottery pick Jett Howard will play for the NBA G League Osceola Magic this week, Jason Beede of the Orlando Sentinel tweets. Orlando coach Jamahl Mosley said it will be great for Howard to get steady minutes with Osceola. The 11th overall pick has made just five brief appearances in Orlando’s games this season.

And-Ones: Bronny, LeBron, Shaq, Bacon, Vaughn

November 20th, 2023 at 10:10pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Bronny James took another step toward making his collegiate debut on Sunday, as he warmed up with his USC teammates prior to a game for the first time this season, according to an ESPN report. LeBron’s son suffered cardiac arrest in July during a team workout.

“He went through warmups with the team. He’s a big part of our program and our team. He’s a terrific teammate,” USC coach Andy Enfield said. “We look forward to hopefully one day getting him back on the court, but when that day is, that’s not my decision. We’re going to be patient and go through the process.”

Bronny was considered a potential first-round pick prior to his health issues.

We have more from around the basketball team:

Shaquille O’Neal has previously expressed he’d like to own a piece of an NBA franchise in Las Vegas if the league expands there. He hinted that LeBron James might also be part of the ownership group, according to Sportando’s Alessandro Maggi. “If there’s ever an NBA team coming here, I’d definitely like to be involved,” O’Neal said. “With LeBron, without LeBron, I just want to be involved.”
Former NBA wing Dwayne Bacon has signed with China’s Shanghai Sharks, Emiliano Carchia of Sportando tweets. Bacon played in Greece last season and also joined an Israeli team for three exhibition games in the U.S. this fall. The former second-round pick’s last NBA campaign was in 2020/21 with Orlando.
Former first-round pick Rashad Vaughn has signed a contract with Greece’s Apollon Patras BC, Sportando relays. Vaughn, who was drafted by the Bucks with the No. 17 pick in 2015, spent the 2022/23 season in the NBA G League with the Cavaliers’ affiliate, the Cleveland Charge. His last taste of NBA action came in 2017/18, when he played a combined 28 games with Milwaukee, Orlando and Brooklyn.

Dewayne Dedmon Joining Ontario Clippers

November 17th, 2023 at 8:27pm CST by Rory Maher

Free agent center Dewayne Dedmon is signing a G League contract to play with the Ontario Clippers, league sources tell Michael Scotto of HoopHype (Twitter link). Ontario is, of course, the Clippers‘ NBAGL affiliate.

A 10-year NBA veteran, Dedmon was unable to find a team as an unrestricted free agent this offseason. He appeared in 38 regular season games with the Heat and Sixers in 2022/23, averaging 5.2 points and 3.5 rebounds in 11.2 minutes per night.

Dedmon, 34, holds career averages of 6.3 points and 5.8 rebounds over 510 regular season contests, including 210 starts (17.3 minutes).

The Clippers reportedly kicked the tires on Kai Jones in their search for a frontcourt help after losing Mason Plumlee to a knee injury. They wound up signing veteran center Daniel Theis as a temporary Plumlee replacement, but perhaps Dedmon is hoping if that move doesn’t work out and he impresses with Ontario, he could sign with the Clippers and serve as the backup center instead.

Either way, a veteran signing a G League deal as a way to audition for NBA jobs is something that occurs multiple times every season, and that’s almost certainly what Dedmon will be aiming for as well.

Dedmon will remain an NBA free agent after joining Ontario, as the Clippers will only hold his G League rights.

And-Ones: Sarr, Thompson, Miller, Hawkins, Jacobs, Officiating

November 14th, 2023 at 10:53pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Perth Wildcats big man Alexandre Sarr sits atop the 2024 draft board compiled by The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie, though it’s a lukewarm endorsement. Sarr, who draws comparisons to Brooklyn’s Nic Claxton, occupies the No. 1 spot by default, as he’s looked the best of the prospects who have been in action, Vecenie explains. USC guard Isaiah Collier and G League Ignite wing Ron Holland are next on Vecenie’s list.

We have more from around the basketball world:

Victor Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren squared off on Tuesday but they’re not the only rookies who have made a strong impression, Sam Amick of The Athletic notes. The Pistons‘ Ausar Thompson, the Hornets‘ Brandon Miller and the Pelicans‘ Jordan Hawkins have also played their way into the Rookie of the Year discussion early in the season.
Malique Jacobs had to come up with $250 for a tryout with the Pistons‘ NBA G League squad, the Motor City Cruise. The former Kent State player not only earned an invite to training camp, but claimed a spot on the roster. The Athletic’s James Edwards profiles Jacobs’ underdog story.
There have been some questionable ejections this season and Yahoo Sports’ Vincent Goodwill spoke with NBA head of referee development and training Monty McCutchen about that issue, as well as other concerns regarding the officiating.

And-Ones: Mexico, Silver, Wall, Harding, Knight, Jackson

November 13th, 2023 at 10:50pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Commissioner Adam Silver dropped a hint that the league would consider having an NBA franchise in Mexico City, ESPN’s Eric Gomez writes.

“We see this as a gateway, essentially, to the rest of Latin America,” Silver said of the city. “We think, whether it be additional G League franchises in Mexico City and ultimately a larger footprint here in Latin America or ultimately the dream of an NBA franchise coming to Mexico City one day.”

Silver added that the league would definitely play another game or two in Mexico City next season. Orlando and Atlanta played there last week.

We have more from around the basketball world:

In his latest notebook on Substack, Marc Stein confirms that free agent John Wall remains focused on trying to find another NBA opportunity, as he suggested last week. Wall practiced with the South East Melbourne Phoenix on a recent trip to Australia since he’s part of the franchise’s ownership group, but he’s not looking to play there. Wall appeared in 34 games with the Clippers last season.
Former WNBA star Lindsey Harding — the only woman currently serving as a head coach of an American men’s professional basketball team — made history as the first female NBA or G League coach in the Stockton Kings’ opener on Friday, The Athletic’s Joe Vardon notes. Nancy Lieberman served as head coach for the Texas Legends, the Mavericks’ affiliate, from 2009-11 when the minor league was called the D League.
Italy’s Happy Casa Brindisi has shown interest in former NBA guard Brandon Knight, according to Emiliano Carchia of Sportando. Knight, who appeared in 451 NBA regular season games, was most recently in the NBA during the 2021/22 season, when he played five games with Dallas.
Another former NBA guard, Frank Jackson, is expected to part ways with France’s ASVEL Villeurbanne, according to Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews. Jackson, who has appeared in six EuroLeague games, missed the EuroLeague derby against AS Monaco last week and was absent in the French league game against Dijon over the weekend. Jackson played one game with Utah last season and saw action in 53 games with Detroit the previous season.