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Atlantic Notes: Walker, Rose, Simmons, Durant, Raptors

December 25th, 2021 at 7:53pm CST by Arthur Hill

Kemba Walker capped off his comeback week with a triple-double in today’s win over the Hawks, leading to questions about why coach Tom Thibodeau pulled him from the Knicks‘ lineup in the first place, writes Marc Berman of The New York Post. Eight days ago, there were questions about whether Walker would ever play for New York again, but now it appears he has reclaimed the starting point guard job.

“I take it as a blessing in disguise — God works in mysterious ways, man,’’ Walker said of his temporary benching. “He helped me stay humble, grounded and got me through a tough situation. Guys went down and I’m back — the first game (in Boston) versus my old team in the starting lineup. The rest is history. This is not how I pictured it. But I’m not complaining, either.’’

After being held out of action for more than three weeks, Walker got a chance last Saturday against the Celtics due to a combination of injuries and players in the health and safety protocols. He responded with 29 points, then followed with 21 Tuesday against the Pistons and 44 Thursday against the Wizards before today’s 10-10-12 performance.

“Since he came back, he’s come out with a consistent energy,’’ Julius Randle said. “It’s a lot of fun to play with. We’re feeding off each other. We kind of got a second shot at it.’’

There’s more from the Atlantic Division:

With Derrick Rose likely sidelined until at least mid-February following ankle surgery, the Knicks are searching for ways to make up for the absence of their most dependable guard, observes Fred Katz of The Athletic. The ankle has been a season-long issue for Rose, who tweaked it during the team’s second preseason game, Katz adds. Although he was able to practice the next day, Rose had to miss three games in November with ankle soreness, which lingered until the decision to have surgery.
There was little discussion at the G League showcase in Las Vegas about the Sixers working out a Ben Simmons trade any time soon, Marc Stein of Substack said on his latest podcast. He adds that trade talks have taken a back seat in the wake of roster upheavals caused by COVID-19. Appearing today on “NBA Countdown,” ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski said there has been no progress on a deal or on Simmons returning to play for Philadelphia.
Head coach Steve Nash said the Nets haven’t received any word that Kevin Durant will test out of protocols in time to play against the Clippers on Monday, tweets Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Although it remains possible, Lewis states that it appears unlikely Durant will play.
Sunday’s game with the Cavaliers is still on, but the Raptors flew into Cleveland today with just four roster players and a limited number of coaches and staff members, tweets Josh Lewenberg of TSN Sports. Toronto has 10 players in health and safety protocols and is hoping to have at least four hardship additions cleared by game time.

D’Angelo Russell, Three Blazers Enter Protocols

December 25th, 2021 at 11:04am CST by Luke Adams

Timberwolves guard D’Angelo Russell has joined the growing list of Minnesota players in the health and safety protocols, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link).

The Timberwolves now have eight players affected, including stars Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards. They’ve already signed a pair of replacement players – Chris Silva and Rayjon Tucker – using hardship exceptions, but will likely make at least one more roster addition before their next game on Monday.

Here are more COVID-19 protocol updates from around the NBA:

Three Trail Blazers players – Robert Covington, Ben McLemore, and Keljin Blevins – have entered the health and safety protocols, per Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). That brings Portland’s total count to five affected players, all of whom have been placed in the protocols in the last two days.
Kevin Knox has exited the protocols, but Jericho Sims has entered, so the Knicks still have three players affected, according to the team (Twitter links). RJ Barrett is back in the starting lineup for New York today and Quentin Grimes is also expected to play, but Immanuel Quickley and Knox will need a little more time to ramp up their conditioning, says Tim Bontemps of ESPN (Twitter link).
Mavericks wing Josh Green has tested out of the protocols, but didn’t travel with the team to Utah and won’t play tonight, tweets ESPN’s Tim MacMahon.

Giannis Antetokounmpo Exits Protocols, Expected To Play Saturday

December 25th, 2021 at 8:53am CST by Luke Adams

DECEMBER 25, 8:53am: Antetokounmpo is expected to return to action for the Bucks on Saturday after missing the team’s last five games, Wojnarowski reports (via Twitter).

DECEMBER 24, 12:17pm: Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo has exited the NBA’s health and safety protocols, sources tell ESPN’s Zach Lowe and Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link).

According to Lowe and Wojnarowski, Antetokounmpo is expected to get on the court today and make a decision tomorrow about whether he’ll be able to suit up for the Bucks in their Christmas Day game vs. Boston. The two-time MVP will have to pass cardiac tests before he’s cleared to return following his stint in the health and safety protocols.

Although Giannis still has a chance to play on Saturday, it appears the same can’t be said for Hawks star Trae Young. League sources tell Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link) that Young isn’t expected to be cleared in time to be activated for Atlanta’s Christmas Day contest in New York.

It’s an unfortunate turn of events, given the burgeoning rivalry that Young and the Hawks have established with the Knicks and the fans in New York. However, it doesn’t come as a surprise — Young just entered the COVID-19 protocols five days ago, so the odds of him testing out this quickly were low unless his initial test was a false positive.

In addition to not having to face Young on Saturday, the Knicks also may get some additional reinforcements, as guard Immanuel Quickley has exited the protocols, per the team (Twitter link). New York now has just three players still in the protocols — Kevin Knox, Nerlens Noel, and Miles McBride.

Head coach Tom Thibodeau did caution today that Quickley may not be ready to play on Christmas, but said RJ Barrett, who also exited the protocols this week, has a better chance to be active (Twitter link via Tim Bontemps of ESPN).

Bradley Beal, Trevor Ariza, Jarrett Culver Enter Protocols

December 23rd, 2021 at 3:45pm CST by Luke Adams

Wizards star Bradley Beal has entered the health and safety protocols and will miss Thursday’s game vs. New York, according to the team (Twitter link). Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is also currently in the protocols for Washington.

If Beal hasn’t registered a confirmed positive COVID-19 test, it’s possible he could exit the protocols in a matter of days. But if he did test positive, the 28-year-old figures to be sidelined for at least 10 days unless he can return two consecutive negative tests.

Beal, who remained unvaccinated as of September, missed the Olympics earlier this year because he tested positive for the coronavirus just before Team USA left for Tokyo.

Meanwhile, Lakers forward Trevor Ariza and Grizzlies wing Jarrett Culver have also been placed in the COVID-19 protocols, according to their respective teams (Twitter links). Ariza is the fifth Laker in the protocols, while Culver is the second Grizzlies player affected, joining Ziaire Williams.

While three players enter the protocols, another has exited — the Knicks announced that Quentin Grimes has been cleared to rejoin the team (Twitter link).

Knicks Sign Danuel House To 10-Day Contract

December 23rd, 2021 at 10:57am CST by Luke Adams

After being waived last weekend by the Rockets, forward Danuel House has found a new NBA home, at least temporarily. The Knicks have signed House to a 10-day contract, the club announced in a press release.

It’s a hardship signing for the Knicks, who still have five players in the health and safety protocols even after Obi Toppin and RJ Barrett were cleared. New York has already signed three other replacement players to 10-day contracts — House joins Tyler Hall, Damyean Dotson, and Matt Mooney.

House had been a reliable contributor for the Rockets in past years, averaging 9.7 PPG and 3.9 RPG on .431/.373/.759 shooting in 138 games (27.7 MPG) in the three seasons preceding 2021/22. However, he fell out of Houston’s rotation this year as the team prioritized younger players. In 16 games (14.6 MPG), he averaged just 4.8 PPG and 2.7 RPG on .338/.294/.895 shooting.

House, whose $3,894,000 salary with the Rockets for this season was fully guaranteed, will earn another $111,457 on his 10-day deal with New York. That money won’t count against the Knicks’ team salary for cap or tax purposes.

House’s contract will run through January 1, covering the Knicks’ next five scheduled games.

RJ Barrett Exits Protocols

December 23rd, 2021 at 10:13am CST by Luke Adams

RJ Barrett has exited the NBA’s health and safety protocols, the Knicks announced today (via Twitter). The news comes on the heels of Obi Toppin clearing the protocols on Wednesday night, a sign that the team is hopefully getting through the worst of its COVID-19 outbreak.

Assuming Barrett and Toppin pass the necessary cardiac tests, they could be back in the lineup as soon as tonight vs. Washington or Saturday vs. Atlanta. Five Knicks remain in the protocols for the time being, as our tracker shows.

Atlantic Notes: J. Johnson, Schröder, Griffin, Toppin

December 22nd, 2021 at 8:06pm CST by Arthur Hill

Joe Johnson is excited to resume his NBA career in the same place it started 20 years ago, writes Patrick McAvoy of NESN. After three years out of the league, Johnson signed a 10-day contract with the Celtics, who selected him with the 10th pick in the 2001 draft. Johnson only played 48 games in Boston before being traded to the Suns, but he says it has a feeling of home.

“Man, I’m just going to enjoy the moment. It’s almost like a familiar place but I was only here for about six months my rookie year and I got traded,” Johnson said. “But you know it’s fun, there’s still a lot of familiar faces out there for the organization and I was surprised to see. It’s good to see some familiar faces and good to be in a familiar place.”

Johnson told reporters he wasn’t ready to play 5-on-5 basketball last year, but he spent the past 12 months working on conditioning, tweets Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe. Johnson was spending time with his daughter on Tuesday when his agent called and said the Celtics might be interested, adds Jay King of The Athletic (Twitter link). The agent called back 30 or 40 minutes later and told him to get on a plane.

There’s more from the Atlantic Division:

Dennis Schröder will represent the first major trade deadline decision for new Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens, King states in a full story. Schröder has been productive in his first season with the team, averaging 16.8 points and 4.7 assists per game, but he’s on a one-year bargain contract and Boston will be limited to an offer beginning at about $7MM this summer. King notes that Schröder also takes playing time away from Payton Pritchard, who is among the team’s best shooters.
The COVID-19 outbreak that has strained the Nets‘ roster gave Blake Griffin a chance to revive his season, per Mark W. Sanchez of The New York Post. Griffin was out of the rotation when the virus hit, but with only eight active players he logged a season-high 32 minutes Saturday night. He has played better since returning to the lineup five games ago and could see regular minutes once the roster is back to normal. “Blake’s played great,” coach Steve Nash said. “Like I’ve said to him, we know there’s always something around the corner, so although he was out of the rotation for a little while, we knew something would happen and he’d get his opportunity again, and he’s a pro. Worked his butt off, stayed in shape, found a rhythm. He’s playing good basketball.”
The Knicks, who have also been decimated by the virus, got good news today with Obi Toppin clearing health and safety protocols, the team announced (Twitter link).

Derrick Rose Has Ankle Surgery, May Miss 8 Weeks

December 22nd, 2021 at 6:54pm CST by Arthur Hill

Knicks guard Derrick Rose underwent surgery on his right ankle today, the team announced (via Twitter). Rose is set to be re-evaluated in eight weeks, but there’s optimism that his timetable may be closer to six weeks, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.

Rose has been experiencing pain in the ankle and hasn’t played since last Thursday when he logged 12 minutes against the Rockets. He has been a steady presence for New York this season, averaging 12.0 points and 4.0 assists in 26 games.

The 33-year-old guard has a long injury history, dating back to a torn ACL in the 2012 playoffs. He has experienced issues with both ankles throughout his career.

With Rose sidelined, more point guard duties will likely revert to Kemba Walker, who was benched for more than three weeks before returning to the lineup Saturday. He will try to help keep the 14-17 Knicks in the playoff race until Rose can return.

Luka Doncic, Trey Burke, Nerlens Noel Enter Protocols

December 22nd, 2021 at 1:19pm CST by Luke Adams

Two more Mavericks players have entered the NBA’s health and safety protocols, according to the team (Twitter link). Luka Doncic and Trey Burke are the fifth and sixth Dallas players in the protocols.

It’s especially tough timing for Doncic, who appeared to be on the verge of returning to action after missing the Mavs’ last five games due to a left ankle ailment. Assuming he has tested positive, he’ll now be out for the next 10 days or until he can return two consecutive negative tests at least 24 hours apart.

We suspected that two more Mavericks may have entered the protocols today, since the club has now signed or reached agreements with six replacement players in the last week. The NBA’s new roster rules allow clubs to sign a replacement for each player in the protocols.

Meanwhile, a former Mav has also been placed in the COVID-19 protocols today, per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, who tweets that center Nerlens Noel is the latest Knicks player to be affected by the virus.

New York now has seven players in the protocols, though a couple of those players – Obi Toppin and RJ Barrett – have reached the 10-day mark and should hopefully be cleared soon.

Atlantic Notes: Galloway, Walker, Sixers, Stauskas

December 21st, 2021 at 6:37pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

New Nets guard Langston Galloway is viewing his 10-day contract with the top team in the East as an audition for a longer-term return to the NBA, writes Shlomo Sprung of Boardroom.tv. Galloway – who was most recently playing with the Hawks’ NBAGL affiliate, the College Park Skyhawks – is averaging 16 MPG across his first two contests with Brooklyn.

Galloway, 30, went undrafted out of Saint Joseph’s in 2014, but eventually latched on with the Knicks in the middle of the 2014/15 season. The 6’1″ combo guard suited up for five NBA teams across seven NBA seasons before landing with Brooklyn this year. In 447 total games played with the Knicks, Pelicans, Kings, Pistons, Suns, and now Nets, he holds averages of 8.2 PPG, 2.5 RPG, and 1.5 SPG.

Galloway played in just one game with the Skyhawks this year before being scooped up by Brooklyn. He notched 12 points, seven assists, three boards, and one steal.

“It gives guys an opportunity for another look,” Galloway said of his G League experience prior to joining the Nets. “Playing in G League games is great, but it’s nothing like having eyeballs on you at the NBA level and being able to show that I could really still do this. It’s a huge opportunity.“

There’s more out of the Atlantic Division:

Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau offered measured praise for point guard Kemba Walker, who poured in a season-best 29 points in a 114-107 loss to the Celtics this weekend, Walker’s first game back in the rotation since his unceremonious benching nine games prior, writes Greg Joyce of the New York Post. “Well, that’s who he is,” Thibodeau acknowledged about Walker’s solid offensive game. “He’s an accomplished player. I have to do what I think is best for the team. And that’s how I’m gonna make my decisions.” The Knicks went 2-7 in their nine games without Walker. Though Thibodeau was noncommittal after a Monday practice about whether or not Walker would play in further games, it appears fate is forcing his hand. Fred Katz of The Athletic reported (via Twitter) that point guard Derrick Rose would be unavailable for New York’s next game, Tuesday night against the league-worst Pistons, with an ankle injury. With six other Knicks still in the NBA’s COVID-19 health and safety protocols, Walker will officially start for New York again this evening, tweets Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News.
Sixers head coach Doc Rivers reflected this week on just how deeply Philadelphia is feeling the absence of embattled point guard Ben Simmons, writes Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer. The team was the top seed in the East last year, but at 16-15 is currently the sixth seed in the conference as Simmons continues to sit out. “You see the glaring holes that he leaves us,” Rivers said of the club’s missing All-Defensive First Teamer. “And you know, he may or may not play. If he does, great. If he doesn’t, then whoever we get can help us.”
New Raptors shooting guard Nik Stauskas, a former lottery pick most recently with the Grand Rapids Gold, is delighted to be joining his hometown Toronto team, per Mike Singer of the Denver Post (Twitter link). The 28-year-old Michigan alum has logged time with the Kings, Sixers, Nets, Trail Blazers, and Cavaliers, but has not appeared in an NBA game since the 2018/19 NBA season.