Newsstand Rumors | Hoops Rumors

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.

De’Andre Hunter To Miss At Least Two Weeks With Right Knee Inflammation

December 25th, 2023 at 1:30pm CST by Arthur Hill

De’Andre Hunter will undergo a non-surgical procedure on Tuesday to address inflammation in his right knee, the Hawks announced (via Twitter).

Hunter’s condition will be reevaluated in about two weeks, the team added. The 26-year-old small forward sat out Atlanta’s last two games because of pain in his knee.

Hunter has appeared in 24 of the Hawks’ first 29 games and is averaging 14.9 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.4 assists per night while shooting 46% from the field and 40.4% from three-point range. He has been the subject of recent trade rumors as a result of Atlanta’s disappointing 12-17 start.

Hunter is in the first season of the rookie scale extension he signed in 2022 and has three more years left on his contract at $21.7MM, $23.3MM and $24.9MM.

Draymond Green’s Suspension Likely To Last 11-13 Games

December 25th, 2023 at 11:01am CST by Luke Adams

Among those involved in Draymond Green‘s return-to-play process, there’s a “general belief” that his indefinite suspension will end up covering about 11 to 13 games, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

The Warriors forward has missed six games since the NBA announced he would be sidelined indefinitely — today’s contest in Denver will be the seventh. The 11th game of his suspension would be on January 4 (vs. Denver), while the 13th would be on Jan. 7 (vs. Toronto).

As Wojnarowski outlines, Green is getting individual counseling sessions during his absence and is also taking part in periodic virtual meetings with officials from the Warriors, the league, and the National Basketball Players Association. Those Zoom meetings are aimed at charting his progress toward reinstatement and are playing in a role in how the NBA and NBPA evaluate Green’s progress working through “whatever issues might have contributed to repeated violent episodes,” Wojnarowski writes.

Green’s agent Rich Paul, Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr., and Golden State trainer Rick Celebrini are among those who have participated in the ongoing sessions, sources tell ESPN. Wojnarowski adds that Green has been described as “open and engaged” during the meetings.

While the Warriors and the players’ union were involved in designing the terms of Green’s suspension and the conditions for his return, the NBA will ultimately have the final say on when he’s reinstated, according to Wojnarowski.

Woj adds that even though Green is permitted to condition and practice with the Warriors, he likely won’t return to the team’s facility on a regular basis until early January.

The Warriors have played well as of late without their former Defensive Player of the Year and will put a five-game winning streak on the line this afternoon against the defending-champion Nuggets.

Gabe Vincent To Undergo Knee Surgery, Miss 6-8 Weeks

December 25th, 2023 at 9:00am CST by Arthur Hill

DECEMBER 25: Vincent will undergo arthroscopic surgery on his left knee as soon as Tuesday, according to Charania, who tweets that the Lakers guard is expected to miss six-to-eight weeks following the procedure.

DECEMBER 23: Lakers guard Gabe Vincent is “strongly considering” surgery to address the left knee issues that have sidelined him for most of the season, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic. The operation would include a projected recovery timetable of about six to eight weeks, Charania adds.

Vincent and his advisors are “exhausting all other options” before committing to surgery, adds Dave McMenamin of ESPN (Twitter link).

Lakers coach Darvin Ham addressed Vincent’s condition tonight in a pre-game session with reporters, saying he’s experiencing “a little bit of swelling” in the knee and the team is trying to determine the best way to deal with it (Twitter link). Vincent has played just five games this season, and his 14-minute appearance Wednesday night was his only on-court action since October 30.

After helping Miami reach the NBA Finals last season, Vincent signed a three-year, $33MM contract with L.A. in July. His $10.5MM salary for this season will jump to $11MM next year and $11.5MM for 2025/26.

The Lakers were planning to use Vincent as a primary ball-handler, either as a starter or off the bench, but the knee effusion has prevented him from establishing any kind of rhythm with his new teammates. He’s averaging 5.4 points, 1.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists in 25.4 minutes per night while shooting just 37.5% from the floor and 11.8% from three-point range.

Sixers Sign Kenneth Lofton Jr. To Two-Way Deal

December 23rd, 2023 at 6:00pm CST by Luke Adams

6:00pm: Lofton’s signing is official, the Sixers announced in a press release.

12:32pm: Shortly after being waived by the Grizzlies, free agent forward Kenneth Lofton Jr. has agreed to sign a two-way contract with the Sixers, sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link).

Lofton became the victim of a roster crunch in Memphis when the team needed to open up a roster spot to activate Ja Morant following the completion of his 25-game suspension. Lofton was part of the 15-man roster to open the regular season, but lost his spot to Bismack Biyombo, whom the Grizzlies signed when they placed Morant on the suspended list in early November.

Lofton, who went undrafted out of Louisiana Tech in 2022, spent most of his rookie season on a two-way deal with Memphis. He appeared in 24 games for the NBA club, averaging 5.0 points and 2.1 rebounds in 7.3 minutes per contest, and received a promotion to the standard roster near the end of the season.

However, the burly 6’7″ forward failed to establish himself as a regular rotation piece this fall, averaging just 2.6 PPG and 1.0 RPG in 15 appearances (6.6 MPG) and making only 37.8% of his shots from the floor. Because his contract wasn’t guaranteed beyond this season, he became a logical release candidate once the Grizzlies decided they wanted to hang onto Biyombo.

In order to make room for Lofton, the Sixers are waiving guard Javonte Smart, reports Wojnarowski (Twitter link).

Smart got into just one game this season for Philadelphia, having spent most of the season with the Delaware Blue Coats in the G League. Across 16 Showcase Cup games for Delaware, he averaged 21.0 points, 5.8 assists, and 3.9 rebounds in 34.5 minutes per game, with an impressive shooting line of .466/.424/.970.

Lofton will add some depth to the 76ers’ frontcourt and will join guards Terquavion Smith and Ricky Council as the team’s two-way players.

Eric Gordon Seeking Bigger Role With Suns

December 23rd, 2023 at 1:48pm CST by Luke Adams

Veteran guard Eric Gordon was reinserted into the Suns‘ starting lineup for Friday’s contest in Sacramento, but had one of his worst games of the season. Gordon, who was a minus-25 in Phoenix’s 15-point loss, went scoreless for the first time this season and attempted a season-low two shots from the floor.

Speaking to Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report, Gordon expressed some dissatisfaction with his role on offense.

“Early on in the season, it was better. And lately, there just hasn’t been an emphasis [to get me more looks],” Gordon said. “So, it’s definitely different. Lately I haven’t been getting hardly any touches really.”

Head coach Frank Vogel admitted that he’s “not doing a good enough job” making sure that Gordon gets involved in the offense, adding that the 16-year veteran is “a guy that can really help us.” Gordon, who will turn 35 on Christmas Day, tells Haynes that he plans to talk to Vogel about ways to incorporate him more.

“Everybody knows the type of player I am and what I’m about. I came here to win, but what I do is score,” Gordon said. “And I think when I score, it really opens up the door for a lot of people because I can score in big games and in big ways. That’s just what it is.”

Phoenix won seven straight games in November and had an 11-6 record at one point, but has since lost eight of 11 to slip to .500 (14-14). Gordon has averaged just 9.8 points on 8.8 shots per night during that recent stretch after posting 14.9 points on 12.1 attempts per night (with a .469/.404/.786 shooting line) through the club’s first 17 games. His usage rate has dipped to 17.5% for the season, which would be a career low.

With Bradley Beal sidelined due to an ankle injury, the Suns are looking to get some secondary offense from players besides Kevin Durant and Devin Booker. In Phoenix’s past two losses, those two stars have combined to average 59 points per night, but no other player has scored more than 11 in either game.

Pistons Owner Tom Gores: “We Will Make Changes”

December 23rd, 2023 at 11:55am CST by Tristan Tucker

After the Pistons inched closer to making the wrong kind of history by losing to the depleted Jazz on Thursday night, Pistons owner Tom Gores spoke to select media to address Detroit’s current 25-game skid.

“I think [the fans] deserve an answer,” Gores said in a Q&A with The Athletic’s James L. Edwards III and others.

While the Pistons weren’t expected to be a contender this season, they were hoping to take steps toward being a more competitive team. Clubs such as the Magic and Thunder have catapulted themselves into playoff contention this year behind young cores, and while the Pistons were definitely a tier below those two, the goal was to at least vie for a play-in spot following four straight seasons with 23 or fewer wins.

Detroit hired Monty Williams, who oversaw Phoenix’s transformation into a contender from a rebuilding team, and got former No. 1 overall pick Cade Cunningham back from injury. The Pistons also have multiple promising young players, including Jalen Duren, Ausar Thompson and Jaden Ivey. Despite making what seemed like decent moves on paper, they never addressed their three-point shooting and are the worst team in the league in that regard. Now, rather than taking a leap forward, they’ve regressed and are at the lowest point of their rebuild.

However, Gores still believes in the future of the team and sees the Pistons as having the flexibility to improve moving forward.

“So, as much as this vision feels blurry, to me, it’s the same vision I had at the beginning of the season about a bright future,” Gores said. “… We have an incredible set of young players. We’ve built ourselves to be flexible and nimble, so we’re not stuck in this problem. We have a problem. We’ve lost way too many games. We’re not stuck in it, though. We’re nimble. We can bounce from this. We have a tremendous amount of cap space.”

Despite his optimistic outlook on the franchise’s overall health, Gores insisted that changes are imminent.

“We require change,” Gores said. “We’re not doing well. As far as where we were going in getting this set of players and flexibility, I think the work is still there. We have to assess what’s not working. I’m down to Monty and I talking about rotations. I don’t normally do that. Monty is so good and knows what’s he doing, he’s open to even talking about it. We do have to change something. I can’t tell you what it exactly is. … We’re on it already. We will make changes. We will make them. We don’t know exactly what they’ll be yet.”

While he was unwilling to commit to specific changes, Gores said they’ll have to be made “in the near future.” He also went on to say that a successful season would be getting wins and keeping the health of the young core in tact. However, Gores was clear he wants changes to extend to the roster as well.

“I expect [general manager] Troy [Weaver] to find ways to change the makeup of our team and find ways to be more successful,” Gores said. “I do expect him to find ways, and he knows that. If we do nothing to improve ourselves, I’m going to be disappointed. That’s nothing new to Troy. He knows that.”

Gores ended the interview by shutting down outside perceptions that there are voices moving in different directions within the organization, as well as they idea that he’d sell the team, as fans chanted on Thursday.

“They can say what they want, but that’s ridiculous,” Gores said. “Other than winning — and we should win more games — we do a lot in the community. Players, the organization, we do a lot in the community. If you put aside winning, we’ve made a very big difference in the community. That means a lot to me. I understand that’s only going to mean a lot to people if we win, but the underworking of what’s happening and with our community, over all these years, is there. We’re doing multibillion-dollar things outside of (basketball). I understand the fans being upset, but it’s a ridiculous thought.“

Knicks Sign Dmytro Skapintsev To Two-Way Contract, Waive Jaylen Martin

December 23rd, 2023 at 9:00am CST by Tristan Tucker

9:00am: The Knicks have indeed waived Martin to make room for Skapintsev, according to team PR (Twitter link).

He hasn’t yet made his NBA debut, but averaged 9.7 points in 16 Showcase Cup games with Westchester. SNY’s Ian Begley tweets the Knicks still hold Martin’s G League rights if he continues to play there.

Shortly after waiving Martin, the Knicks officially announced the Skapintsev signing (Twitter link).

8:39am: The Knicks are signing center Dmytro Skapintsev to a two-way contract, according to HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto (Twitter link).

With New York dealing with injuries to both Mitchell Robinson and Jericho Sims in the frontcourt, the 7’1″ center who has been playing with the Knicks’ G League team in Westchester will add some depth.

As we relayed on Thursday, the Knicks were said to be eyeing Skapintsev as they scanned the league for center help. As we wrote then, New York is at the roster limit for two-way contract players with Jacob Toppin, Jaylen Martin and Charlie Brown Jr. under contract. It’s worth noting the Knicks shuffled Martin on and off a two-way deal through October and November, and could do so again.

Skapintsev helped the Westchester Knicks win the G League Winter Showcase championship on Friday, as they defeated the Indiana Mad Ants 107-99. Skapintsev had six points, two rebounds and two blocks in the win and averaged 5.9 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.2 blocks across 13 Showcase Cup games.