New Orleans Pelicans Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Southwest Notes: McCollum, Murphy, Tate, Popovich

January 29th, 2023 at 2:21pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Pelicans star guard CJ McCollum, acquired just before last season’s trade deadline, reflected on his first calendar year spent with his new team, writes Howard Beck of Sports Illustrated.

“It’s been the most complex year of my life,” McCollum says. “It’s been a lot of character building, a lot of learning, a lot of trial and error, and a lot of meditation, therapy sessions with my therapist. And a lot of just heart-to-hearts with my family, with my wife, just trying to figure out next steps and what we want to accomplish in this life.”

As Beck notes, New Orleans finds itself at a crossroads, having slipped to fifth place in the West following long-term injuries to star forwards Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson. Ingram has returned to the Pelicans after a two-month absence. The 26-24 Pelicans are currently on a seven-game losing streak.

“It’s definitely been tough,” McCollum says of having a more featured role without the star forwards. “It’s been a unique challenge. And I’ve had conversations with [coach Willie Green] about it. And obviously there’s a different type of load, a different type of usage, when BI and Zion are playing.”

This season, McCollum is averaging 21.3 PPG, 5.8 APG, 4.5 RPG and 1.0 SPG across 45 contests for the Pelicans. He is posting a shooting line of .431/.388/.783.

There’s more out of the Southwest Division:

The league has invited Pelicans forward Trey Murphy III to participate in this season’s All-Star game dunk contest, sources inform Andrew Lopez of ESPN (Twitter link). It is unclear as of this writing if Murphy has accepted the invitation.
Teams are inquiring about the availability of young Rockets swingman Jae’Sean Tate, Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports said on his podcast Please Don’t Aggregate This (hat tip to HoopsHype for the transcription). “The Houston Rockets are a clear seller,” Fischer said. “Today I heard Jae’Sean Tate is a player that has has received a lot of incoming calls.” Tate, 27, is in the first-year of a three-season, $20.6MM deal he signed with Houston. The 6’4″ forward is averaging 7.7 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 3.1 APG and 0.8 SPG in a reduced role this season.
Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich is making sure to keep his young players motivated despite the rebuilding team’s increasing loss tally, reports Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News. “There are ups and downs in your life probably, and what do you do? You move on,” Popovich said. “You just go. I don’t pull out this piece of paper or this formula and go, ‘This is how I’m going to act because we didn’t make the playoffs.’”

Dyson Daniels To Miss Some Time

January 28th, 2023 at 9:00am CST by Luke Adams

After spraining his right ankle on Tuesday vs. Denver, Pelicans rookie Dyson Daniels is expected to be out for “a little bit of time,” head coach Willie Green said this week, per Andrew Lopez of ESPN (Twitter link). That timeline is pretty vague, but Daniels missed Wednesday’s game and has been ruled out for Saturday.
Last season’s CJ McCollum trade buoyed the Pelicans down the stretch and helped them earn a playoff spot. Given that the team has so many trade assets still on hand, Christian Clark of NOLA.com wonders whether another in-season trade is inevitable.

Pelicans Interested In John Collins; Have Discussed Hayes, Graham, Marshall

January 27th, 2023 at 7:54pm CST by Rory Maher

The Pelicans are interested in John Collins, but their talks with the Hawks have yet to gain much traction, sources tell Fischer. New Orleans is said to be looking for offensive upgrades and shooting, while Atlanta is searching for defensive upgrades. Money concerns may dampen the Pelicans’ pursuit of Collins, Fischer notes, as ownership has long avoided the luxury tax. Like Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report, Fischer hears Atlanta is comfortable hanging onto Collins if the team doesn’t find an offer it likes.
Jaxson Hayes, Devonte’ Graham and Naji Marshall are among the players the Pelicans have had preliminary discussions about, sources tell Fischer, though not necessarily for Collins.

Antetokounmpo, James Head All-Star Starters; Embiid Falls Short

January 26th, 2023 at 6:45pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Lakers forward LeBron James tied Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on Thursday with his 19th NBA All-Star selection. James, who currently shares the record with Abdul-Jabbar for most All-Star Games played with 18, was chosen as a starter, according to a league press release.

All of the starters were revealed on Thursday night.

Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, Pelicans forward Zion Williamson, Warriors guard Stephen Curry and Mavericks guard Luka Doncic were the other starters chosen out of the Western Conference. James will serve as a team captain for the sixth straight year, since he received the most votes.

Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, named a team captain for the third time, heads the list of starters out of the Eastern Conference. Celtics forward Jayson Tatum, Nets forward Kevin Durant, Nets guard Kyrie Irving, and Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell will join him, but the league’s second-leading scorer, Sixers center Joel Embiid (33.4 PPG), didn’t garner enough votes.

The starters are selected by a weighted voting process with the fan vote accounting for half of the final outcome. The player and media portions of the vote each counted for 25 percent. Three frontcourt players and two guards were selected from each conference.

Embiid finished third in the player and media voting among Eastern Conference frontcourt players but fourth in the fan voting. All voting results can be found here.

The game will be played Feb. 19 in Salt Lake City. James and Antetokounmpo will choose their teams shortly before the game begins. James will set the league record for most All-Star appearances if he plays, since Abdul-Jabbar did not play in the 1973 game after being chosen.

The reserves, which are chosen by the league’s coaches, will be announced Feb. 2.

Celtics Notes: Gallinari, Poeltl, Hernangomez, Frontcourt

January 26th, 2023 at 10:01am CST by Luke Adams

After tearing his ACL during a World Cup qualifying game in August, Danilo Gallinari is considered highly likely to miss the entire 2022/23 NBA season, but the Celtics forward hasn’t given up on the idea of returning to action this spring, according to Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe.

“My mindset is that I want to play, and that I’m going to play at the end of the season,” Gallinari said. “I want to play in the playoffs. So that’s the mindset that helps me every day get better and motivates me even more.”

Recoveries from ACL tears often take a full calendar year, but that’s not always the case. Another veteran returning from a torn ACL, Danny Green, is on track to make his season debut next week, less than nine months after he sustained his injury. A similar timeline for Gallinari could put him in line for a return in May — it’s certainly possible the top-seeded Celtics will still be playing at that point.

However, as Himmelsbach observes, even if Gallinari’s recovery process moves quickly, the Celtics would likely be reluctant to bring him back in such a “high-intensity, high-stakes” environment when he hasn’t played for the entire season. The 34-year-old recognizes that and is prepared to accept the possibility of being sidelined until the fall, but he doesn’t want to give up hope on this season quite yet.

“My mindset is there is definitely a chance,” he said. “So when I think about the season, it’s definitely not a lost season for me. So, we’ll see. That’s the mindset that helps me and pushes me to get better every day. If it happens, it’s going to be great. If it doesn’t, I’m looking forward to next season.”

Here’s more out of Boston:

Jay King of The Athletic poses three key questions facing the Celtics at the trade deadline, including whether they’ll acquire more frontcourt help. Although King’s sources confirmed that Boston is scouring the market for big men, those sources downplayed the odds of the team making a play for Spurs center Jakob Poeltl, suggesting that if Poeltl is moved, it’ll be to a team that’s a better long-term fit for him.
Poeltl is one of the players on a list of six potential Celtics frontcourt targets compiled by Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports Boston. Naz Reid of the Timberwolves and Willy Hernangomez of the Pelicans are among the other options Forsberg explores. A report earlier this week from Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo suggested the Celtics and Heat are among the teams keeping an eye on Hernangomez, as Eurohoops relays.
The 35-14 Celtics have proven that they’re a legitimate championship contender, so the primary goal for the rest of the season should be managing minutes for their top eight players and ensuring they’re as healthy as possible entering the postseason, contends Chad Finn of The Boston Globe, writing that head coach Joe Mazzulla should be prioritizing June over January.

Brandon Ingram On Track To Play Wednesday

January 25th, 2023 at 8:41am CST by Luke Adams

After spending the last two months on the shelf due to a toe injury, Brandon Ingram will be available for the Pelicans on Wednesday night when they host the Timberwolves, barring any last-minute setbacks, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).

Ingram has been limited to just 15 games so far this season after sustaining a contusion affecting the big toe on his left foot during a November 25 loss in Memphis. Prior to the injury, he was his usual productive self for the ascendant Pelicans, averaging 20.8 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 4.7 assists in 32.1 minutes per game on .472/.467/.868 shooting.

Ingram’s return couldn’t come at a better time for New Orleans. The team got off to an 18-8 start this season, but has struggled in recent weeks with Ingram unavailable and Zion Williamson dealing with his own health ailments.

The Pelicans have lost 10 of their lost 13 games, including their last five, and are now just 26-22. They still hold the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference, but their margin of error has disappeared — the nine teams currently holding the Nos. 5-13 seeds in the West are all within four games of New Orleans.

With Williamson ruled out for at least two more weeks, getting Ingram back should give the Pelicans a shot in the arm as they look to snap their losing streak and hang onto their top-four spot in the conference standings.

Pelicans’ Zion Williamson Out At Least Two More Weeks

January 24th, 2023 at 5:00pm CST by Rory Maher

The Pelicans announced in a press release that star forward Zion Williamson was recently reevaluated, and while he is “making good progress” in his recovery from a right hamstring strain and is “healing as expected,” he will be out for at least two more weeks. He’ll be evaluated again at that time.

Williamson sustained the hamstring strain on January 2 against Philadelphia. He has missed the last three weeks with the injury.

At the time he was injured, the Pelicans were 23-14 and held the third-best record in the Western Conference. They have gone 3-7 in their 10 most recent games without Williamson, including four consecutive losses, to fall to 26-21, the fourth-best record in the West.

The 22-year-old was having a stellar season prior to his latest injury, averaging 26.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 1.1 steals while shooting 60.8% from the floor and 71.4% from the line through 29 games (33.0 minutes per contest). He almost certainly would have earned his second All-Star nod had he stayed healthy, and there’s still a chance he gets voted in, but it’s looking doubtful that he’ll return before the break and be able to participate in the exhibition game at this point.

Until Williamson and Brandon Ingram (toe) are able to return to the lineup, New Orleans will continue to lean on players like CJ McCollum, Jonas Valanciunas and Trey Murphy, among others, for offensive production. Ingram and fellow forward Naji Marshall (toe) have been ruled out for Tuesday’s contest against Denver, per head coach Willie Green (Twitter link via Christian Clark of NOLA.com).

Haynes’ Latest: Pelicans, Collins, Blazers, Celtics, VanVleet

January 24th, 2023 at 11:31am CST by Luke Adams

The Pelicans are among the teams to reach out to the Hawks about forward John Collins, according to Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report. Haynes hears from sources that those discussions were merely preliminary, however.

A report earlier this month stated that Atlanta had previously pitched the idea of a Collins trade involving Trey Murphy and one of New Orleans’ many first-round picks. It’s unclear whether the Pelicans are open to that sort of package — if so, they would need to add more outgoing salary, with Devonte’ Graham looking like a prime candidate to be dealt.

According to Haynes, the Hawks remain comfortable with the idea of keeping Collins on their roster beyond the trade deadline if they don’t get an offer they like.

Here’s more from Haynes:

The Trail Blazers are “intensely engrossed” in seeking further upgrades for their roster and are open to listening to a wide variety of ideas, league sources tell Bleacher Report. Portland has struggled since getting off to a hot start, but remains focused on making the playoffs this season and has no plans to tank, Haynes adds.
The Celtics are in the market for another frontcourt player and will try to add a big man in the buyout market if they’re unable to trade for one at the deadline, Haynes writes. Boston isn’t necessarily seeking an impact player, but Robert Williams has dealt with injuries in the past year and Al Horford is 36 years old, so the team would like a reliable insurance policy.
Raptors point guard Fred VanVleet has parted with his representatives at Par-Lay Sports & Entertainment and will hire a new agent soon, league sources tell Haynes. The timing of the move is noteworthy, since VanVleet is likely headed for unrestricted free agency this summer and has been mentioned as a possible trade candidate.

Injury Updates: LaMelo, Martin, Dragic, Gallinari, Ingram

January 23rd, 2023 at 7:28pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Star Hornets point guard LaMelo Ball will not play in tonight’s contest against the Jazz, per Rod Boone of The Charlotte Observer (Twitter link). Ball has been sidelined since the 18th due to ankle and wrist injuries. Ball has missed 25 games thus far this year with various ailments, mostly related to his left ankle.

When he has been available, Ball has put up solid numbers. The 6’7″ guard is averaging 23.5 PPG on .409/.370/.875 shooting splits, 8.2 APG, 5.2 RPG and 1.1 SPG for the 13-34 Hornets.

Boone adds that Charlotte small forward Cody Martin, who has appeared in just seven games all year due to a knee injury, has also been ruled out for this evening as a result of left knee soreness.

We have more injury news:

Bulls reserve point guard Goran Dragic will miss tonight’s game against the Hawks and possibly all of the team’s forthcoming three-game road trip, reports K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago (via Twitter). Bulls head coach Billy Donovan indicated that, should Dragic begin to feel better, there is a chance he catches up with the team later on during the road jaunt.
Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla offered a minor update on the recovery of injured forward Danilo Gallinari, who tore his ACL before the start of the season, writes Jared Weiss of The Athletic (Twitter link). “I saw him jogging on the treadmill and I was like, ‘I haven’t seen you run much faster than that in a game,'” Mazzulla joked. “So I thought he was playing tonight.” The Celtics still expect Gallinari to miss the whole 2022/23 season.
The Pelicans are “hopeful” that star forward Brandon Ingram can rejoin his club at some point during New Orleans’ current stretch of home games, per Erin Summers of the ACC Stars podcast (via Twitter). “I’m going to see how I feel, but that’s the plan,” Ingram said of his return timeline (Twitter link). Ingram has been unavailable since November 25 due to a toe contusion. Summers adds that Naji Marshall played in half of the team’s practice, and that All-Star forward Zion Williamson will undergo imaging this week.

Spurs Rumors: Poeltl, Free Agency, McDermott, Richardson

January 23rd, 2023 at 6:08pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

The Spurs are in the midst of discussing trades oriented around starting center Jakob Poeltl with over half a dozen clubs, reports LJ Ellis of Spurs Talk. Ellis previously stated in December that Poeltl, an unrestricted free agent in 2023, had been San Antonio’s most popular player on the trade market. With just a few weeks left until the February 9 trade deadline, interest appears to be heating up.

Two sources inform Ellis that the Raptors are interested in reacquiring Poeltl, whom Toronto initially traded as part of its deal for All-Star small forward Kawhi Leonard in 2018. A three-team deal that includes the contract of Raptors guard Gary Trent Jr. has been discussed.

The Celtics are interested in shoring up their front line with Poeltl, and are reportedly prepared to move an unprotected future first-round pick in 2028.

Because Poeltl is less concerned with low post touches than their incumbent starting centers, the Trail Blazers and Pelicans are reportedly also potentially intrigued by the Spurs’ big man. The Mavericks view a hypothetical addition of Poeltl as an improvement on their current big men, a Western Conference scout tells Ellis.

Conversations with the Warriors have stalled, as the Spurs don’t have much interest in acquiring either James Wiseman or Jonathan Kuminga in a Poeltl deal, per Ellis.

There’s more out of San Antonio:

A team insider tells Ellis that, should San Antonio not find a deal it likes, it would try to re-sign Poeltl. League sources tell Ellis that Poeltl could earn “at least” a four-year, $80MM contract as a free agent, far above an extension offer the Spurs could offer him this season, which would be worth up to $58MM.
The Lakers have stayed somewhat engaged in potential trade conversations with San Antonio as well, Ellis reports. L.A. may still want to offload the $47.1MM expiring contract of reserve point guard Russell Westbrook, and could be interested in adding sharpshooters Josh Richardson and Doug McDermott, in addition to Poeltl.
San Antonio wants solid returns for both McDermott and Richardson, a source informs Ellis. The Spurs are seeking a first-round draft pick for Richardson, while also hoping for solid value out of McDermott. “Dougie won’t be traded for a second round pick, I can tell you that,” the source told Ellis.