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Terrence Shannon Jr. Suspended Indefinitely By Illinois

December 28th, 2023 at 1:54pm CST by Rory Maher

Illinois wing Terrence Shannon Jr. has been suspended indefinitely after being charged with rape in Kansas, per Jeremy Werner of IlliniInquirer.com.

According to a press release from the university, the alleged incident occurred on September 8, when Shannon traveled to Lawrence, Kansas, to attend the Illinois at Kansas football game. He was not in Lawrence on official business, nor was he part of the travel party.

As Werner writes, the Douglas County District Attorney issued the warrant for Shannon’s arrest. He traveled to Lawrence on Thursday and turned himself in, later posting bail.

“The University and DIA take allegations of sexual misconduct seriously while respecting due process and the presumption of innocence afforded through the legal system.

“DIA and Urbana campus officials have been aware of a Lawrence police investigation into Shannon since late September but, until Wednesday, had yet to receive actionable information. Shannon’s arrest triggers the DIA student-athlete misconduct policy. Under that policy, Shannon has been immediately suspended from all team activities. Any change to Shannon’s status will be communicated in a timely manner.”

Shannon is a potential 2024 first-round pick who is currently No. 22 on ESPN’s best available players list. He averaged 21.7 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.0 steal and 1.3 blocks in 11 games this season.

Brandon Williams Signs Two-Way Deal With Mavericks

December 28th, 2023 at 11:25am CST by Arthur Hill

December 28: The move is official, the Mavericks announced in a press release (via Twitter).

December 27: The Mavericks are planning to sign G League point guard Brandon Williams to a two-way contract, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic. Williams is currently with the Osceola Magic, where he is averaging 23.9 points and 5.6 assists per game.

Williams, 24, was in training camp with Orlando on an Exhibit 10 contract, but was waived before the start of the season. He reported to Osceola, which is his third G League team in three years.

Williams’ first NBA opportunity came during the 2021/22 season when he signed a 10-day contract with Portland and was able to earn a two-way deal. He averaged 12.9 points, 3.1 rebounds and 3.9 assists in 24 games with the Trail Blazers, making 16 starts, but was waived before the beginning of the next season.

Dallas currently has a full roster, so another move will have to be made before Williams can be signed. Greg Brown, Dexter Dennis and A.J. Lawson hold the team’s two-way contracts.

Lore, A-Rod To Acquire Controlling Ownership Of Timberwolves

December 28th, 2023 at 10:59am CST by Arthur Hill

Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez will exercise their option to become controlling owners of the Timberwolves, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. They have a December 31 deadline to make the move, but sources tell Wojnarowski it could happen by today.

The option will give Lore and Rodriguez an additional 40% of the franchise, making them majority owners with an 80% stake by the early part of 2024, Woj adds (Twitter link). The purchase, which still must be approved by the NBA’s Board of Governors, values the team at $1.5 billion.

This will mark the third payment for the new owners, who made their second installment in March. They currently own 40% in their succession plan to take over the Wolves and the WNBA’s Minnesota Lynx from current owner Glen Taylor.

Gore and Rodriguez began buying into the Timberwolves in 2021, making their first payment that summer. There have been rumors throughout the process that they might not have the financial equity to complete the deal, but they have made every payment according to schedule.

A report last month said the duo was negotiating with the Carlyle Group, a private equity firm, to provide help with financing.

Woj: Zach LaVine Trade Market Is “Still Barren”

December 27th, 2023 at 9:43pm CST by Arthur Hill

The trade market for Bulls guard Zach LaVine is “still barren,” ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski writes on Threads in a question-and-answer session with fans.

LaVine’s right foot injury is complicating Chicago’s efforts to find a taker for LaVine, Wojnarowski adds. He hasn’t played since November 28, and the team announced in early December that he would be sidelined for another three to four weeks while receiving treatment for inflammation in the foot. He has reached the three-week mark and recently began working on “light cutting” in hopes of working his way back onto the court.

The Bulls have been trying for weeks to work out a LaVine deal as the first step in what was expected to be a larger roster shakeup. However, the team has played much better without him, winning nine of its last 13 games to climb into 10th place in the East.

LaVine remains a dangerous offensive player, even though his current scoring average of 21.0 PPG and his shooting percentages of 44.3% from the floor and 33.6% from three-point range are all down from recent years. Questions about LaVine’s defense and durability are affecting his trade value, along with a hefty contract that will pay him nearly $138MM over the next three seasons if he picks up his player option for 2026/27.

Also on Threads, Wojnarowski states that Toronto “just isn’t there” on decisions to part with Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby. The Raptors‘ forwards are both headed toward free agency next summer, but it appears team president Masai Ujiri will wait until closer to the February 8 deadline before determining whether to make them available.

Wojnarowski describes trade talks around the league so far as “lots of buyers, few sellers.” He says the play-in tournament affects that balance, with more teams seeing a potential path to the playoffs. A draft class that’s projected to be weaker than normal also comes into play, with teams less motivated to chase a high pick without a potential franchise changer like Victor Wembanyama available.

Wojnarowski expects the trade market to eventually heat up, but he predicts “the asking price is going to be high from the really bad teams to move off assets.”

Trevor Gleeson Joins Bucks’ Coaching Staff

December 27th, 2023 at 5:41pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Bucks have filled an opening on their coaching staff by hiring Trevor Gleeson as an assistant, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Head coach Adrian Griffin made the announcement prior to tonight’s game at Brooklyn.

Griffin and Gleeson worked together for the past two years on Toronto’s staff before head coach Nick Nurse was fired at the end of last season.

Before coming to the NBA, the 55-year-old Gleeson built a reputation as one of the top coaches in Australia’s National Basketball League, where he led the Perth Wildcats to five championships. He was a two-time winner of NBL Coach of the Year honors.

Gleeson will be given time to adapt to his new surroundings, tweets Eric Nehm of The Athletic.

“We’ve kind of had some talks already this year and even in Australia, he’s been watching our games and just kind of giving us and giving me feedback, but he’s someone that I trust,” Griffin told reporters. “He has a great mind for the game. But right now, I think we’ll just ease him in and let him get acclimated to our team, but he’s strong on both sides of the ball. He’ll definitely start doing some of the scouts as he gets more comfortable.”

There has been a vacancy on Milwaukee’s staff since former Trail Blazers head coach Terry Stotts resigned in October, just days before the start of the regular season.

Cuban’s Control Of Mavs’ Basketball Ops Not Formalized In Sale

December 27th, 2023 at 2:13pm CST by Rory Maher

While Mark Cuban has been assured that he’ll retain control of the Mavericks‘ basketball operations department, there’s no language in the sale agreement that will guarantee he’ll keep that role in the future, league sources tell Marc Stein (Twitter link). Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News had heard differently from his source.

Cuban is selling his majority stake of the franchise to the Adelson and Dumont families. The transaction received unanimous approval from the NBA’s Board of Governors and is expected to be finalized later this week.

Patrick Dumont will be the new Mavericks Governor, with Cuban the alternate. Cuban will remain a significant minority shareholder (27%) of the team.

Cuban’s position as head of basketball operations may not be formalized in writing, but Stein reiterates (via Twitter) that the longtime owner is expected to stay in the role going forward. Stein points out that the parties had been working together for several months to reach an agreement.

“We look forward to working in partnership with Mark Cuban as stewards of this great franchise and bringing another NBA championship to the city of Dallas,” Dumont said in a statement. “We are committed to the long-term success of the Mavericks and delivering a world-class hospitality experience to our fans, players, employees, sponsors and partners.”

Cuban originally purchased his majority stake of the Mavs in January 2000.

Aaron Gordon Away From Nuggets After Being Bitten By Dog

December 27th, 2023 at 12:23pm CST by Rory Maher

Forward Aaron Gordon sustained lacerations to his face and hand after being bitten by a dog on December 25, the Nuggets announced (Twitter link via Harrison Wind of DNVR Sports). Gordon is in “good condition” but will remain away from the team as he recovers from his injuries, per the release.

The incident must have occurred on Monday evening, as Gordon helped Denver defeat Golden State that afternoon. He had a strong outing, recording 16 points (on 7-of-10 shooting), 10 rebounds and three assists in 32 minutes.

According to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link), Gordon suffered “serious dog bites” to his face and right shooting hand and received 21 stitches. It’s unclear how long Denver’s starting power forward will be sidelined, with Charania saying “it will take some time to heal.”

Obviously, it’s an unfortunate set of circumstances, and hopefully Gordon will recovery quickly from his injuries. The 28-year-old is in the midst of another solid season for the defending champions, averaging 13.6 points, 6.9 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.0 steal in 28 games (32.0 minutes).

Gordon, who is earning $22.3MM this season, is under contract through 2025/26, including a $23.8MM player option for that final season. He played a major role in helping the Nuggets win their first title in ’22/23.

With Gordon out, Christian Braun, Peyton Watson and Justin Holiday are all candidates to receive more playing time, with Michael Porter Jr. likely to slide up to power forward — that’s what happened when Gordon missed four games earlier this season with a heel injury.

Sale Of Mavericks Receives Unanimous Approval

December 27th, 2023 at 10:02am CST by Arthur Hill

Mark Cuban‘s agreement to sell his majority stake in the Mavericks to the Adelson and Dumont families has been approved by the league’s Board of Governors, tweets NBA writer Marc Stein. Sources tell Stein that the league’s 29 other owners all voted in favor of the move.

Sands Corp. Chief Operating Officer Patrick Dumont will take over as the Mavericks’ governor with a 73% stake, according to Stein (Twitter link). Cuban will retain a 27% share in the team and becomes alternate governor. The Mavericks’ valuation in the deal is likely to fall between $4 billion and $5 billion with the Sands Corp.’s promise of a new arena being included, Stein adds.

The transaction is expected to close this week, the league announced in a formal statement (Twitter link). Sale documents still have to be signed and money has to be paid to Cuban and the team’s five minority stakeholders who are being bought out in the deal, notes Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News.

A person familiar with the sale tells Townsend that the franchise is being valued between $3.8 billion and $3.9 billion without the arena considerations. He adds that it’s believed to be the largest pure cash transaction in the history of the league as Miriam Adelson sold $2 billion in Sands stock to help finance the deal.

Cuban was expected to retain control of basketball operations when news that he was selling broke in late November, and those provisions are being included in the sale documents, another source tells Townsend. Cuban purchased the team for $285MM in 2000.

[UPDATE: Cuban’s Control Of Mavs’ Basketball Ops Not Formalized In Sale]

With an estimated fortune of $33 billion, the Adelson and Dumont families will become the NBA’s second wealthiest owners, Townsend states, behind only the Clippers’ Steve Ballmer. Townsend adds that Cuban’s estimated worth of $6.2 billion and his high profile around the league will continue to serve as assets for the franchise.

The league office streamlined the voting process as a show of support for the new owners, Townsend tweets. A source tells him that the league recommended approval of the sale, then it passed unanimously through a BOG executive committee before today’s vote was taken.

Ja Morant, Joel Embiid Named Players Of The Week

December 26th, 2023 at 3:19pm CST by Luke Adams

It only took Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant three games to earn his first honor from the NBA this season. After leading Memphis to a three-game winning streak upon returning from his 25-game suspension, Morant has been named the Player of the Week for the Western Conference, the league announced today (via Twitter).

Morant averaged 28.0 points, 9.0 assists, and 5.7 rebounds in 35.1 minutes per game over the course of three Grizzlies wins, securing last Tuesday’s victory over New Orleans with a game-winning shot at the buzzer. Having opened the season with 19 losses in 25 games, Memphis looks revitalized with Morant running the show, having not lost since reactivating the star guard.

Meanwhile, Sixers star center Joel Embiid became the Eastern Conference’s first repeat winner of the Player of the Week award this season. He also earned the honor once in November.

While the 76ers opened last week with a loss to Chicago, Embiid had 40 points in that game and followed it up with 51 points in a victory over the Timberwolves and 31 more in a win against the Raptors. In his three games last week, the big man put up impressive averages of 40.7 PPG, 12.0 RPG, 6.0 APG, and 2.3 BPG in 36.0 MPG.

Morant beat out fellow nominees Stephen Curry, Anthony Edwards, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, LeBron James, Jamal Murray, and Domantas Sabonis in the West. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jarrett Allen, Trae Young, DeMar DeRozan, Derrick White, Tyler Herro, and Embiid’s teammate Tyrese Maxey were the other nominees in the East (Twitter links).

Woj: Durant Frustrated By Beal’s Health, Suns’ Supporting Cast

December 25th, 2023 at 5:48pm CST by Rory Maher

2023/24 has been a roller coaster season thus far for the Suns. After starting off 4-6 amid injuries to Bradley Beal and Devin Booker, Phoenix reeled off seven straight victories after Booker returned to hold an 11-6 record.

However, the Suns have gone 3-8 since and are currently an underwhelming 14-14 heading into Monday’s game against Dallas. Beal has only appeared in six games, first dealing with a back injury and then spraining his ankle, which will likely keep him out until January.

Appearing on NBA Countdown, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski said star forward Kevin Durant is growing frustrated by the situation in Phoenix (YouTube link).

“Start with Kevin Durant. You talk to people in Phoenix and around that organization, you know, they can feel the frustration with Durant,” Wojnarowski said. “Part of that certainly is the missed games for Brad Beal. This team was build around those three stars.

“The underwhelming supporting cast that comes from those massive trades for Durant and Bradley Beal that really gutted the organization and left them having to sign a lot of minimum players to fill out the payroll. And then an understanding that they lack the assets, the draft picks, the trade capital to really improve this team.

“This is something they’re going to have to manage in Phoenix with Kevin Durant. You’ve seen it before. And it reminds you — it is a stark reminder — of how short of a window, and how this team has to win big, and they have to win big quickly, based on how it was constructed. And having Kevin Durant still playing at an All-NBA level, and a healthy Kevin Durant. There’s a lot at stake for this organization. It’s got to change soon.”

As Wojnarowski alluded to, it’s ironic that Durant is frustrated by a situation he specifically asked to be traded into — and not just once, but twice. Brooklyn eventually acquiesced and sent him to the Suns in February 2023, but he initially asked to be traded in the summer of 2022.

The Nets received Mikal Bridges, Cameron Johnson, four unprotected first-round picks and a first-round swap from the Suns for Durant (plus a couple second-rounders from the Bucks for Jae Crowder). One of those Suns picks has already conveyed — Brooklyn selected Noah Clowney 21st overall in 2023.

Durant is 35 years old, so some level of win-now frustration is understandable to an extent. And Wojnarowski is certainly correct that the 13-time All-Star continues to play at an elite level, as Durant is averaging 30.9 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 5.4 APG and 1.1 BPG on .521/.473/.871 shooting in 24 games (36.6 MPG). His 47.3% mark from three-point range currently leads the NBA.

The Suns don’t have many options leading into the February trade deadline. They don’t control any of their future first-round picks, and Jusuf Nurkic, Grayson Allen and Nassir Little — who were all acquired in the offseason as part of the trade that sent Deandre Ayton and Toumani Camara to Portland and Damian Lillard to Milwaukee — are the only the only mid-sized contracts on the roster.