New Orleans Pelicans Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Southwest Notes: Wood, LaVine, Pelicans, Vassell

December 29th, 2022 at 5:49pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Mavericks center Christian Wood, inserted into the team’s starting lineup in recent weeks, seems to finally be adjusting to his new Dallas teammates, and his two-way output has blossomed of late, writes Callie Caplan of The Dallas Morning News.

“Any time a trade happens, it’s just not the numbers or analytics,” head coach Jason Kidd said. “A human athlete has to perform and has to make the adjustments. As much as we want trades to happen and for them to be successful overnight, it just takes time… You can see he’s starting to get comfortable, and his teammates are getting comfortable with him, and now it’s just a matter of building on the foundation that we’ve built.”

“He’s active,” All-NBA guard Luka Doncic said of Wood earlier this week. “He listens to us, and that’s what he needs to do. He helped us a lot, not just [Sunday], but the last couple games he’s been amazing.”

Across his last eight contests, Wood has been averaging 20.3 PPG on 51.8% shooting and 9.1 RPG, while his net rating increased to plus-8.4 points per 100 possessions.

“I feel like my defense has picked up a little bit in these few weeks,” Wood said, “and these guys just having that confidence to trust in me to make defensive plays.”

Wood is now eligible for a four-year contract extension worth as much as $77MM, but Caplan notes that neither the Mavericks nor Wood’s reps seem to have made major inroads into negotiations as of now.

There’s more out of the Southwest Division:

Maximum-salaried Bulls shooting guard Zach LaVine could emerge as an intriguing trade target for the Mavericks, partnering Doncic with an elite backcourt scorer, provided the oft-hurt LaVine can stay healthy. Tim MacMahon of ESPN recently told colleague Zach Lowe on the latter’s Lowe Post podcast that some members of the Mavericks’ front office could have interest in LaVine. “I just know that there are fans of him that hold prominent positions within the Mavericks,” MacMahon said. “Again, I’m not sitting here and telling you there’s some great consensus. I think there’s enough fans of him where I wouldn’t totally rule it out.”
Though the Pelicans‘ lease on their current home court, Smoothie King Center, will expire in 2024, it does not appear that New Orleans is planning to migrate in the immediate future, writes Christian Clark of NOLA.com. “Their intention is to extend the lease,” vice president of stadiums for ASM Global Doug Thornton said. ASM Global handles lease negotiations with the Pelicans. “We’re going to determine what capital improvements need to be made. We’re always putting money into the arena. The question is how much?”
Spurs guard Devin Vassell has exhibited a skill set beyond just being a talented scorer, writes Jeff MacDonald of The San Antonio Express-News. Though Vassell has seen his scoring output improve from averaging 12.3 PPG last season to 19.6 PPG this season, the 22-year-old feels that he has grown as a leader as well for this rebuilding young San Antonio club. “I’ve had a good year when it comes to scoring, but it’s not just scoring,” Vassell said. He is set to sit tonight against the Knicks due to a sore left knee, Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News reports (Twitter link).

Pelicans’ Brandon Ingram Talks Toe Injury, Recovery

December 29th, 2022 at 4:02pm CST by Rory Maher

Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram has now missed 15 consecutive games — and over a month of action — due to a left big toe contusion, having sustained the injury on November 25. Based on his comments to the media on Thursday, it doesn’t sound like his return is imminent.

“Confidence in pushing off,” Ingram replied when asked what’s holding him back (Twitter link via William Guillory of The Athletic). “Confidence in being back to who I want to be. Trying to be explosive. Just trying to be myself. That’s the biggest thing. If I don’t feel like myself, then I know it’s not time to be on the floor.”

Guillory notes (via Twitter) that Ingram didn’t mention anything about dealing with pain, just that the recovery process has been unpredictable. When the 25-year-old was asked if he was close to returning, his reply was pretty vague, tweets Christian Clark of NOLA.com.

“It’s hard to tell. Some days I feel really, really good, and the recovery is bad. Some days, recovery is good. Whenever I feel 100%, I’ll give it a go. But it’s hard to say right now,” Ingram said.

Unlike last season, when the Pelicans struggled mightily without the former All-Star, the team continues to play well even with Ingram sidelined in 2022/23. Still, he was averaging 20.1 PPG, 5.1 RPG, 4.7 APG and 0.9 SPG on .472/.467/.868 shooting through 15 games (32.1 MPG), and he was the Pelicans’ top performer in last year’s playoffs, so they’re obviously a better team when he’s available.

On a positive note, second-year defensive ace Herbert Jones was back at practice on Thursday, per Clark (Twitter link). Jones was placed in the health and safety protocols over the weekend.

Injury Updates: Finney-Smith, Green, Beal, Williamson, Payne

December 27th, 2022 at 10:50pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Mavericks forward Dorian Finney-Smith will be out for several more games. He’ll be reevaluated in two weeks, per coach Jason Kidd, Eddie Sefko of Mavs.com tweets. Finney-Smith hasn’t played since Dec. 19 due to a groin injury. Guard Josh Green, who has been out since Dec. 9 due to a sprained right elbow, will get an examination on Friday.

We have more injury-related news:

On a night when the Wizards finally had a full, healthy roster, star Bradley Beal departed with just over four minutes remaining on Tuesday due to left hamstring soreness, according to Josh Robbins of The Athletic. Beal has been limited to 23 games this season after missing time with thigh and right hamstring injuries.
Pelicans forward Zion Williamson, who has missed three games due to a stint in the league’s health and safety protocols, is listed as probable to play on Wednesday against Minnesota, according to a team press release. Herbert Jones, who was also placed in protocols over the weekend, is listed as questionable.
Suns guard Cameron Payne, who has not played since Dec. 13 due to a right foot strain, is hopeful of returning during the team’s in-progress six-game road swing, Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic reports. “It’d be hard just sitting back and watching, but kind of got to fight through the discomfort,” Payne said. “Just try to get me back to 100%. Just get me back to normal. I think I’m getting close. It’s been a rough two weeks, week and a half, but it’s coming to a close. Just getting close.”

Zion Williamson Doubtful For Monday's Game

December 26th, 2022 at 11:57am CST by Arthur Hill

The Pelicans are listing Zion Williamson as doubtful for Monday’s game against the Pacers, citing “return to competition reconditioning,” according to Jim Eichenhofer of NBA.com. It would be the third straight missed game for Williamson, who is part of a long injury list for New Orleans.

Williamson Exits Health And Safety Protocols

December 25th, 2022 at 8:26pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Zion Williamson is no longer in the league’s health and safety protocols, ESPN’s Andrew Lopez tweets. He’s not listed on the injury report heading into the Pelicans’ game against Indiana on Monday. Williamson missed two games this past week.
Jaxson Hayes has been buried on the Pelicans’ bench, but with Williamson out on Friday, Hayes produced his best outing of the season, William Guillory of The Athletic notes. Hayes had 21 points, six rebounds and four assists against the Thunder. “As a player, you never want to be out of the rotation, but obviously things happen. … Having this opportunity to come back in and show what I can do still was really nice,” Hayes said. The Pelicans will have to extend Hayes a qualifying offer, currently valued at $9,170,460, to make him a restricted free agent next summer.

Injury Updates: Hachimura, Zion, Maxey, Wiggins

December 21st, 2022 at 7:36pm CST by Arthur Hill

After missing more than a month with a bone bruise in his right ankle, Wizards forward Rui Hachimura is expected to play Thursday, tweets Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington. The team announced that Hachimura, who has been out of action since November 18, will be available for the game at Utah.

Hachimura was originally diagnosed with ankle soreness, but an MRI revealed the bruise. Head coach Wes Unseld Jr. offered an encouraging progress report on Hachimura last week, saying he had started one-on-one contact work.

Hachimura’s return is welcome news for the Wizards, who had lost 10 straight games before winning Tuesday night in Phoenix. Washington is 12th in the East at 12-20, but the club is starting to get some of its rotation players back after a string of injuries. Bradley Beal returned Sunday after missing two weeks with a hamstring issue, and Delon Wright should be back soon after being sidelined since October 25 with a strained hamstring.

There’s more injury news to pass along:

Pelicans forward Zion Williamson has been placed in the league’s health and safety protocols and will miss Thursday’s game against the Spurs, according to Christian Clark of NOLA.com. Clark notes that Williamson was able to play 40 minutes Monday, but he wasn’t at practice today. New Orleans also plays on Friday and may be facing an extended stretch without Williamson and Brandon Ingram, whom coach Willie Green has already confirmed will miss both games.
Sixers coach Doc Rivers told reporters tonight that Tyrese Maxey, who has a broken bone in his left foot, is improving, but there’s still no set timetable for him to return, tweets Kyle Neubeck of The Philly Voice. “We will see him at some point,” Rivers said. “I just don’t know when.”
Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins may be targeting Christmas Day to try to return from a right adductor strain, tweets Anthony Slater of The Athletic. Wiggins is sitting out tonight’s game at Brooklyn, along with Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Donte DiVincenzo and JaMychal Green.

Community Shootaround: Best Team In The West

December 21st, 2022 at 1:51pm CST by Luke Adams

After defeating Memphis on Tuesday, the Nuggets are the Western Conference leaders, becoming the latest club to take its turn atop the West’s standings. The Nuggets, who also briefly held the No. 1 seed for a couple days in mid-November, are the fourth team to lead the West so far in December, as the conference’s would-be contenders play musical chairs with the top seeds.

Since the regular season began in October, eight different teams have held the No. 1 spot in the West, with five of those clubs spending at least six days atop the conference. Of those teams, only one has spent more than 10 days holding the top seed — the Suns have led the West for 23 days so far this season.

While the Suns look like a worthy contender to finish the season as the West’s best team, they’ve been in a tailspin in the last couple weeks, losing six of their last nine games. The absences of Cameron Johnson (due to injury) and Jae Crowder (away from the team) have hurt a club that has also dealt with injuries to starting guards Chris Paul and Devin Booker in recent weeks.

The Nuggets, the current West leader, have a strong starting group led by two-time MVP Nikola Jokic and own the conference’s second-best offense (behind Phoenix), but they still need to get more from their bench and improve their defense, which ranks 24th in the NBA.

The Trail Blazers have led the conference for 10 days so far this season, but have had some rough patches and currently hold the No. 7 seed, albeit just 2.5 games behind Denver. Like the Nuggets, they’ve had some defensive lapses and are focused on improving a unit that ranks 23rd in the league.

The Grizzlies and Jazz have each been atop the West for nine days, though they’ve appeared headed in opposite directions as of late. Even after losing their last two games, the Grizzlies have won nine of their last 12, while Utah has dropped 10 of 16 since opening the season with a 12-6 record. The Jazz have proven to be surprisingly resilient for a club viewed as a tanker entering the season, but it’s probably safe to assume the Grizzlies will be the better team the rest of the way.

The Pelicans held the West’s top seed for six days earlier this month and remain very much in the hunt for that spot, just one game behind the Nuggets. Former No. 1 pick Zion Williamson has been firing on all cylinders in the last few weeks and we still haven’t seen New Orleans at full strength — Brandon Ingram has been sidelined since November 25 and will add another dimension to the team’s offense once he’s ready to return from his toe injury.

The Warriors (three days) and Clippers (one day) technically held the No. 1 spot in the West briefly during the early part of the season and were considered two of the best bets to make the NBA Finals entering the fall. Injuries have disrupted their momentum so far, but as long as they secure playoff berths and get healthy by the spring, no one will want to face them in the postseason.

Of the remaining seven Western teams who haven’t led the conference at all this season, the Kings (16-13), Timberwolves (16-15), Mavericks (15-16), and Lakers (13-17) are probably the only legitimate threats to make the postseason. It may be be a long shot for a Sacramento squad lacking in playoff experience or a Lakers club lacking in depth to make much noise this season, but Minnesota and Dallas have the star power necessary to make a second-half push.

We want to know what you think. In what appears to be a wide open Western Conference field, which team do you think will finish the regular season as the No. 1 seed? Do you expect the same team to represent the conference in the NBA Finals, or do you like another club to win the West in the postseason?

Head to the comment section below to weigh in with your two cents!

Pelicans' Defense Led By Homegrown Talents

December 18th, 2022 at 8:53am CST by Luke Adams

The Pelicans no longer have All-Defensive mainstays like Jrue Holiday and Anthony Davis on their roster, but homegrown players like Naji Marshall, Jose Alvarado, Herb Jones and Dyson Daniels are buoying one of the NBA’s best defenses, writes Christian Clark of NOLA.com (subscription required). New Orleans currently ranks sixth in the league in defensive rating (109.7).

Southwest Notes: Lewis, Morant, Adams, Grizzlies, Kleber

December 14th, 2022 at 7:56pm CST by Rory Maher

Pelicans point guard Kira Lewis played in an NBA game for the first time in a little over a year in Tuesday’s loss to Utah, writes Christian Clark of NOLA.com. The 21-year-old, who tore the ACL in his right knee last December, finished with four points and one rebound in six minutes.

“It’s been a long year,” Lewis said. “If anything, I have learned patience. With this leg, I couldn’t rush it or nothing. I just had to be patient and take it day by day. Here we are.”

The third-year guard added that the most challenging part of the rehabilitation process wasn’t physical.

“That’s probably the toughest, managing the mental,” he said. “Because you know you can’t play basketball. That’s something you have been doing your whole life. Just take it day by day. Talk to your people. And keep on moving. Use it as motivation.”

The Pelicans picked up Lewis’ fourth-year option for 2023/24, so he’ll earn a guaranteed $5,722,116 next year. Lewis, the No. 13 overall pick of the 2020 draft, will be eligible for a rookie scale extension in the offseason.

Here’s more from the Southwest:

Ja Morant and Steven Adams were both sidelined for the Grizzlies in Monday’s blowout victory over the shorthanded Hawks, but they were full participants in Wednesday’s practice and are “trending towards playing” on Thursday against Milwaukee, per Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal (Twitter link). Morant is averaging career highs in points (27.7), rebounds (6.6) and assists (7.8), while Adams leads the NBA in offensive rebounds per game (4.8) for the second consecutive season.
The Grizzlies‘ bench has struggled to an extent this season, partly due to injuries, but Monday showed why the second unit has a lot of potential, Cole writes for The Memphis Commercial Appeal. Tyus Jones and Brandon Clarke and had productive games starting in place of Morant and Adams, and some little-used reserves also had strong outings. “We’re deep,” Xavier Tillman said. “It’s a real 15 deep. Nobody’s role is too extreme to where we need them to do more than they’re capable of.” Memphis is currently 18-9, tied with New Orleans for the best record in the West.
Head coach Jason Kidd told reporters on Wednesday that Mavericks big man Maxi Kleber suffered a hyperextended knee in Tuesday’s practice, which is why he was ruled out for Wednesday’s game against Cleveland, according to Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News (Twitter link). The Mavs are still evaluating Kleber’s condition to determine how much time he might miss.

Brandon Ingram To Miss At Least Four More Games

December 13th, 2022 at 10:45pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Brandon Ingram will be sidelined at least another week after what was described as a minor setback in his rehab from a toe injury, according to Andrew Lopez of ESPN.

The Pelicans forward missed his eighth consecutive game on Tuesday due to a left big toe contusion. The Pelicans did more imaging on the injury, Lopez adds, which continued to show just a bruise. However, the team will proceed with caution.

Ingram will be reevaluated in a week, so he’ll be out at least four more games.

New Orleans has cruised along without Ingram, winning seven straight games until falling to the Jazz on Tuesday. Zion Williamson led the club in scoring in all but one of those victories.

Ingram’s stats are down slightly over recent seasons, which is understandable given Williamson’s reemergence. Ingram is averaging 20.8 points, 5.1 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game while shooting a career-best 47.1% from beyond the 3-point arc.

Injuries have nagged Ingram throughout his career. After appearing in 79 games as a rookie with the Lakers, he has not played more than 62 regular-season games in any of the past five seasons.

He’s in the third season of a five-year, $158MM+ contract.