NBA G League Rumors | Hoops Rumors

And-Ones: Evans, COVID Boosters, DPOY, Barnes, Mobley

March 24th, 2022 at 7:49pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Tyreke Evans‘ drive to return to the NBA took another twist when the G League’s Wisconsin Herd waived him on Wednesday, according to a team press release. He appeared in two games for the Bucks’ affiliate, averaging 8.0 PPG, 2.0 RPG and 2.5 APG and suffering an ankle injury in the process.

Last month, Evans was reinstated into the NBA after being suspended by the league since 2019 for violating its drug policy. Prior to joining the Herd in the middle of this month, the 32-year-old guard had not played elsewhere since his ban.

We have more from around the basketball world:

While Kyrie Irving can now play home games, the NBA is still concerned about another COVID-19 outbreak. As part of a memo on the rollback of New York City’s vaccine mandate, the Players Association is encouraging eligible players to get booster shots ahead of the playoffs, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski tweets. The NBPA is concerned about the “possibility of new variants on the horizon.” Approximately 75% of the league’s players have already received a booster shot, the NBPA tweets.
There’s no clear-cut choice for the Defensive Player of the Year award, according to The Athletic’s Seth Partnow, and he takes a closer look at six serious candidates for the honor. That group includes Bam Adebayo, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Rudy Gobert, Jaren Jackson Jr., Marcus Smart and Robert Williams.
The all-around ability of the Raptors’ Scottie Barnes and the Cavaliers’ Evan Mobley has changed the narrative on this year’s Rookie of the Year award, Eric Koreen of The Athletic opines. Unlike most high lottery picks, they’ve made a major impact on teams headed to the playoffs.

Darren Collison To Join South Bay Lakers

March 22nd, 2022 at 8:02pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Free agent point guard Darren Collison is joining the South Bay Lakers, the Lakers‘ G League affiliate, per Shams Charania of The Athletic (via Twitter).

Charania notes that South Bay is currently the second seed, and that the addition of Collison could help the club make a postseason push. According to Charania, Collison is also hoping to make an impression on NBA clubs in the hopes of earning a call-up.

Collison, 34, initially retired in the 2019 offseason but returned this year on a 10-day hardship contract with the Lakers. In 12.3 MPG across three games with Los Angeles, Collison looked rusty, to say the least. The 6’0″ guard averaged 1.3 PPG on 28.6% field goal shooting, plus 1.3 RPG and 0.7 APG.

He holds career averages of 12.5 PPG, 5.0 APG and 2.7 RPG in 711 career NBA games, with a .471/.394/.853 shooting line.

Signing with South Bay represents something of a homecoming for Collison. A native of the Southern California suburb of Rancho Cucamonga, Collison was selected with the No. 21 pick out of UCLA by the then-New Orleans Hornets in 2009. In 10 NBA seasons prior to his first retirement, he also suited up for the Pacers in two separate stints, the Mavericks, Clippers, and Kings.

And-Ones: Japan Games, Hardy, Prospect Matchups, West

March 14th, 2022 at 10:55pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Warriors and Wizards will play two preseason games in Japan, the NBA announced in a press release. The NBA Japan Games 2022 will be played on September 30 and October 2. “We are excited to once again bring preseason games to our fans in Japan,” commissioner Adam Silver said. The NBA last played games in Japan in 2019, when Houston and Toronto squared off in a pair of preseason contests.

We have more from around the basketball world:

Shooting guard Jaden Hardy shouldn’t be discounted as a potential lottery pick, Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer opines. Hardy got off to a slow start with the G League’s Ignite but has averaged 22.5 PPG and 4.1 APG over the last eight games. Hardy made some progress as a pick-and-roll playmaker and is taking better shots, O’Connor adds. Hardy is currently ranked No. 24 on ESPN’s Best Available list after once being considered the draft’s second-best prospect.
The NCAA Tournament provides an opportunity for draft prospects to match their talents against one another. The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie takes a look at nine first-round matchups among this year’s class, including the University of Michigan big man duo of Hunter Dickinson and Moussa Diabate squaring off against Colorado State’s top scorer, David Roddy.
Former NBA player Delonte West participated in a BIG3 tryout in Washington, D.C. on Saturday, according to Kurt Helin of NBC Sports. West, who has struggled with drug addiction and bipolar disorder, was one of a handful of players from the tryout to get an invite to the BIG3 pre-draft combine on May 14 in Las Vegas.

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.

And-Ones: Brantley, Crawford, Ware, Labissiere

March 12th, 2022 at 3:46pm CST by JD Shaw

Free agent forward Jarrell Brantley has been acquired by the Greensboro Swarm, G League affiliate of the Hornets, Hoops Rumors has learned. Brantley recently left Russian club UNICS Kazan following the country’s invasion of Ukraine.

As Ian Begley of SNY.tv notes (via Twitter), Brantley was sued by UNICS Kazan for $250K after leaving. He received a letter of clearance after a maximum six-day window, allowing him to sign in the G League. The state of the lawsuit is unclear, Begley adds.

Brantley played 37 games with the Jazz between 2019-21. The 25-year-old was drafted No. 50 overall in 2019 after spending four seasons at the College of Charleston.

There’s more around the basketball world tonight:

The Long Island Nets have re-acquired guard Jordan Crawford from the G League’s available player pool, the team announced in a press release. Crawford, who will replace Tyrone Wallace while Wallace plays for the Pelicans on 10-day deal, holds 281 games of NBA experience with five teams.
Free agent guard Casper Ware has signed with CSKA Moscow, the team announced (Twitter link). Ware played nine games with the Sixers during the 2013/14 campaign.
Former NBA big man Skal Labissiere has signed in Puerto Rico with Cangrejeros de Santurce, as relayed by Sportando. The 6’10” Kentucky product was drafted No. 28 overall in 2016. He last played in the NBA during the 2019/20 campaign, appearing in 33 games with Portland.

Jamal Murray’s Return This Season “50-50” Proposition

March 12th, 2022 at 9:32am CST by Dana Gauruder

Nuggets fans have been hoping that Jamal Murray will make a strong comeback this season and lift the team to another deep postseason run.

However, it’s not even certain Murray will play in 2021/22, Mike Singer of the Denver Post reports. Citing two league sources, Singer writes that it’s a 50-50 proposition Murray will take the court this season and that the decision might ultimately be made by the point guard himself.

Murray tore the ACL in his left knee last April and he’s continued to get treatment, test his knee and see how it reacts. The next steps include playing 3-on-3 and 4-on-4, improving his conditioning and getting his heart rate up.

Murray and Michael Porter Jr., who is recovering from another back surgery, could be assigned as soon as this coming week to Denver’s G League affiliate in Grand Rapids, Mich. Porter has been through lengthy rehabs before but this is new territory for Murray and the Nuggets are not sure if he’s mentally ready to play at this juncture, Singer adds.

Terrence Jones To Join Nuggets’ G League Affiliate

March 3rd, 2022 at 12:48pm CST by JD Shaw

Six-year NBA veteran Terrence Jones has signed a contract in the G League, agent Jerry Dianis told Hoops Rumors. Jones will be acquired by the Grand Rapids Gold, the Nuggets‘ NBAGL affiliate.

Jones, 30, was the No. 18 pick in the 2012 NBA Draft. He has made stops with Houston, New Orleans and Milwaukee during his NBA career, averaging 10.4 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.2 blocks in 23.8 minutes per contest.

“Terrence has absolutely dominated everywhere he’s been since last playing in the NBA,” Dianis said. “He averaged 32 points, 15 rebounds, seven assists and three blocks per game in the Philippines. He’s a versatile player who’s also an exceptional rebounder and passer.

“Everyone in the NBA knows how talented he is. This is an opportunity for him to prove it again on American soil. In their first G League season, Grand Rapids has proven to be fertile ground for experienced, ex-NBA players (such as Lance Stephenson and Isaiah Thomas) who are looking to resurrect their careers.”

Jones is one of several veterans to sign in the G League with hopes of making an NBA comeback this season. His last NBA stint came during the 2018/19 campaign with Houston, when he appeared in two games. Along with the Philippines, he’s also made stops in China and Puerto Rico over the course of his career.

Prior to being drafted, the 6’9″ Jones had a successful collegiate stint at Kentucky that included an NCAA championship in 2012. His last G League stint came in 2018/19, when he averaged 23.5 points and 9.4 rebounds in 26 games.

And-Ones: Boylen, Buyout Market, I. Cousins, Murry

March 3rd, 2022 at 9:58am CST by Luke Adams

Jim Boylen‘s stint as the Bulls’ head coach was short-lived and ultimately unsuccessful, as he led the team to a record of just 39-84 (.317) from 2018-20. After his tumultuous tenure in Chicago, Boylen was extremely appreciative to get the chance to coach Team USA’s qualifying team for the 2023 World Cup, as he tells Joe Vardon of The Athletic.

“This opportunity, you kind of get your sea legs back. I got my voice back,” Boylen said. “It was a godsend to come and do this, and also, this is the biggest challenge I’ve ever had.”

Boylen has led Team USA to a 3-1 record in the qualifiers to date, picking up wins in February over Puerto Rico and Mexico. There are four more qualifying windows to come, with the next one scheduled for June.

Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

When many of the top players available on the 2021 buyout market joined the Nets or Lakers, some league observers and fans pushed for changes that would prevent big-market teams from scooping up veteran talent essentially for free. However, ESPN’s Bobby Marks (video link) argues within a recap of 2022’s relatively quiet buyout market that the impact of buyout signings is generally overstated — none of last year’s moves were difference-makers and it’s unlikely that any of this year’s will be either, says Marks.
Former Oklahoma guard Isaiah Cousins has signed an NBA G League contract and is joining the Maine Celtics, according to our JD Shaw (Twitter link). Cousins was a second-round pick in the 2016 draft, but has yet to appear in a regular season NBA game, having spent most of his professional career in Europe.
One of the former NBA players who had been playing in Ukraine this season, Toure’ Murry spoke to Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today about his stressful experience leaving the country following Russia’s invasion last month. “There was risk of going to the Poland border and getting sent back. There were no guarantees. So we took a leap of faith going through Romania,” said Murray, explaining that he was eventually able to get a train to Bucharest, a flight to Amsterdam, and then a flight home to Houston. “It worked out in terms of getting across the border. But going through the situation, we had no idea if we would get out.”

Pacific Notes: George, Mann, Paul, Cook

February 26th, 2022 at 11:02pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Clippers got encouraging news from Friday’s MRI on Paul George, but it’s still going to be a while before the forward can resume playing, according to Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN. While the torn ligament in George’s right elbow has shown improvement, it’s too early to tell if he might be able to return this season.

“Just that he feels better, he’s making progress,” coach Tyronn Lue responded when asked for an update on George’s condition. “But he’s gonna need more time.”

George originally sprained the elbow in a December 6 game, then sat out two weeks for rest and rehab. He played two games after returning, but started to feel pain again. The team announced the torn UCL on December 25.

“Every competitor wants to play,” Lue said. “And so I’m bummed out, too. [But] hope is stronger than fear.”

There’s more from the Pacific Division:

Terance Mann‘s performance since the trade deadline may convince the Clippers that they don’t need to look for a ball-handler on the buyout market, per Andrew Greif of The Los Angeles Times. Since L.A. traded Eric Bledsoe to Portland, Mann has led the team in plus-minus rating at plus-10.8. Now that Goran Dragic is in Brooklyn, Greif questions whether there are any point guards available who could make a difference for the Clippers.
Playing their second game since Chris Paul was sidelined with a fractured right thumb, the Suns were blown out at home by the Pelicans Friday night, writes Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. Paul remained active on the bench, coaching and encouraging his teammates, but Phoenix will have to adjust to his absence on the court in order to keep the top spot in the West. “We just have to find ways,” Devin Booker said. “I think every game is going to be a new learning experience for us. Figuring things out.”
Former NBA guard Quinn Cook has joined the Kings‘ G League affiliate in Stockton, the team announced in a press release. Cook appeared in 188 games in five seasons with the Mavericks, Pelicans, Warriors, Lakers and Cavaliers, averaging 6.1 PPG and shooting 40.8% from three-point range.

Rockets Notes: Porter, Silas, Christopher, Brooks

February 26th, 2022 at 9:46pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Rockets‘ young backcourt hasn’t produced many wins this season, but Kevin Porter Jr. believes he and Jalen Green have a bright future, writes Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle. Porter is in his first full season as a point guard after learning the position after being acquired from the Cavaliers last year. Green, the No. 2 pick in the 2021 draft, has endured an up-and-down rookie season, but has been producing points lately at a much more efficient rate.

“We need momentum going into next year,” Porter said. “Finishing off the season — not even (for) next year — finishing off the season, we want to finish the right way. … We want to take it real serious and try to win each and every game. We’re going to try to jell, me and J’s chemistry on the court, because next year we’ve got to be scary. We’re going to be scary.”

Porter had to leave Friday’s game at Orlando after rolling his left ankle in the third quarter, but coach Stephen Silas said it’s just a routine sprain, according to Danielle Lerner of The Houston Chronicle. Porter was held out of practice today to receive treatment and will be a game-time decision on Sunday.

There’s more on the Rockets:

With his team well out of the playoff race, Silas will focus on improving the defense over the rest of the regular season, per Kelly Iko of The Athletic. The Rockets rank 29th in the league in points allowed in the paint and are the worst in the league by far in that statistic since the start of January. “I might try a few new things,” Silas said. “But it has been the rim, the restricted area, where teams are getting to the restricted area and shooting 60-something percent at the rim. So our rim protection has to be better, which means our bigger guys are lower and closer to the rim. That’s something that I’m going to be be toying around with.”
One pleasant surprise this season has been the emergence of rookie guard Josh Christopher, Iko adds. Even though Christopher only plays 16.5 minutes per night, the Rockets have been 5.8 points better when he’s on the court. Iko sees him developing into a valuable role player in Houston, possibly as a smaller version of Danuel House.
Armoni Brooks, who was waived to accommodate a three-for-one trade with the Celtics at the deadline, has joined the College Park Skyhawks in the G League, Iko tweets. He adds that Brooks declined several two-way contract offers and may still have a future with the Rockets.