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Bulls, DeRozan “Far Apart” On Contract Extension

December 11th, 2023 at 8:16pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Bulls and veteran wing DeMar DeRozan are far apart on a potential contract extension, according to Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report (video link).

DeRozan is in the final season of a three-year, $81.9MM contract. He’s making $28.6MM this season and will be an unrestricted free agent if he doesn’t ink an extension.

Chicago was in a similar situation with center Nikola Vucevic last season but wound up re-signing him to a three-year, $60MM deal just before free agency.

However, Haynes’ sources said it’s unlikely that will occur with DeRozan. A more probable scenario is that they’ll look to move him rather than risk losing their leading scorer without getting some assets back for him.

“I was told that if DeRozan and the Bulls, if they cannot reach a contract extension, it is pretty likely that the Bulls may look to move DeMar DeRozan at the trade deadline,” Haynes said. “I don’t think the Bulls want to be put in a situation where DeMar DeRozan can walk in free agency and they get nothing in return.”

Haynes stressed that the Bulls aren’t currently shopping DeRozan, who is averaging 21.8 points, 5.0 assists and 3.8 rebounds per night. His shooting averages are down, compared to the last two seasons.

He posted averages of 24.5 points, 5.1 assists and 4.6 rebounds last season while shooting 50.45 from the field. He’s made 44.2% of his field-goal attempts through Chicago’s first 21 games this season.

The Heat and Knicks are among the teams that have previously been named as destinations that would appeal to DeRozan. The Lakers have also been thrown into the mix as a possible suitor.

At the start of the season, DeRozan said he wasn’t the type of player who pushes for a trade: “I feel like I wouldn’t be able to lay down comfortably if I went somewhere and said, ‘(Expletive) trade me. I’m tired of this.’ That’s just not me. I’m going to compete, be the best version I can be and let it go from there.”

NBA Announces All-Tournament Team

December 11th, 2023 at 12:29pm CST by Rory Maher

The All-Tournament Team of the NBA’s inaugural in-season tournament features Giannis Antetokounmpo (Bucks), Kevin Durant (Suns), Tyrese Haliburton (Pacers), LeBron James and Anthony Davis (both of the Lakers), the league announced on Monday (via Twitter).

According to the NBA (Twitter link), the All-Tournament Team was selected by the media based on performance in both group play and the knockout rounds, with players chosen without regard to position. The full list of players receiving votes and the voters themselves can be found right here.

Antetokounmpo, Haliburton, James and Davis were all unanimous selections, which isn’t surprising considering their excellent play and how far they advanced in the tournament. The Lakers beat the Pacers in the final, with James claiming tournament MVP, Davis finishing second, and Haliburton third.

The Bucks fell in the semifinals to the Pacers, but Antetokounmpo put up his typical stellar numbers throughout the tournament, including averaging 36.0 points, 9.0 rebounds, 6.0 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.0 block while shooting 68.3% from the field in his two knockout appearances (37.2 minutes).

The final spot went to Durant, whose Suns narrowly lost in the quarterfinals to L.A. He received seven votes, with Brandon Ingram (four), Nikola Jokic (three), De’Aaron Fox (two), Damian Lillard (two), Jayson Tatum (one) and Myles Turner (one) also receiving consideration from the media panel.

Mitchell Robinson To Miss At Least 8-To-10 Weeks After Ankle Surgery

December 11th, 2023 at 11:34am CST by Arthur Hill

Knicks center Mitchell Robinson will undergo surgery on his left ankle and will be reevaluated in eight-to-10 weeks, the team announced today (via Twitter). The operation will be performed this week at the Hospital for Special Surgery, according to the Knicks.

Robinson had already been ruled out of tonight’s game after injuring the ankle in the first half of Friday’s contest at Boston. He had an X-ray and was able to return for five minutes in the third quarter before being pulled from the game.

The Knicks will miss Robinson as both a defensive anchor and a presence on the boards. Through 21 games, he’s averaging career highs of 10.3 rebounds and 1.5 steals per night, along with 1.3 blocks and 6.2 points while shooting 59.2% from the field.

Robinson’s place in the starting lineup will go to Isaiah Hartenstein, who has been an effective backup, averaging 5.3 points and 5.6 rebounds in 17.6 minutes per night over 21 games. Robinson’s absence should also mean more playing time for Jericho Sims, who has only appeared in nine games but was effective when Robinson was sidelined last season.

After Robinson hurt his ankle on Friday, coach Tom Thibodeau expressed confidence in his reserve big men, according to Mark W. Sanchez of The New York Post.

“I felt all along that one of our strengths was that position,” Thibodeau said. “The way Mitch has been playing, the way Isaiah has been playing — actually, Isaiah has … deserved more [time]. But also, Jericho, we forget that he’s sitting there. And Jericho played very, very well for us last year.”

Vote On Mavericks Sale Reportedly Set For December 20

December 11th, 2023 at 8:57am CST by Arthur Hill

A vote on the proposed sale of the Mavericks to the Adelson and Dumont families will take place next week, writes Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News. A source familiar with the sale informs Townsend that commissioner Adam Silver has notified the 30 members of the league’s Board of Governors that the vote will be taken at a December 20 meeting.

Townsend’s source also says there will be only two parties remaining as shareholders once the sale is finalized. The Adelsons and Dumonts will serve as majority owners, with Mark Cuban holding a “sizeable stake” as the minority owner.

That means the five current minority owners have decided to cash out, Townsend explains. That list includes two previous majority owners, Ross Perot Jr. and the family of franchise co-founder Donald Carter.

Scheduling the vote indicates that the league has already finished vetting the new ownership group, which is led by Sands Corp. majority shareholder Miriam Adelson and her son-in-law, Patrick Dumont, who is president of the Sands Corp., Townsend adds.

The new owners are expected to be approved by a comfortable margin, according to Townsend. He notes that Adelson and Dumont have an estimated worth of about $33 billion, which would rank them among the wealthiest owners in U.S. professional sports, trailing only Clippers owner Steve Ballmer and the Walton family, which owns the NFL’s Denver Broncos.

The Adelson-Dumont family will need support from at least three-fourths of the Board of Governors for the sale to be approved.

Adam Silver To Meet With Ja Morant About Suspension

December 10th, 2023 at 9:31am CST by Arthur Hill

Commissioner Adam Silver will meet this week with Grizzlies star Ja Morant as he nears the end of his suspension, writes Joe Vardon of The Athletic.

In June, Morant was suspended for at least 25 games following a second incident of brandishing a gun in public. When he announced the suspension, Silver said he wants to assess Morant’s readiness to return before reinstating him. He indicated Saturday that the two-time All-Star is moving in the right direction.

“I have been monitoring this situation closely,” Silver told reporters before the in-season tournament finale in Las Vegas. “We together laid out a program for him over the last several weeks, and to the best of my knowledge, he’s complied with everything he’s been asked to do.”

Memphis has gotten off to a rough start without its best player, languishing toward the bottom of the Western Conference standings at 6-15. If Morant’s suspension is limited to 25 games, he will be eligible to return for a December 19 contest at New Orleans.

The two-time All-Star was suspended for eight games last season after an online video clip showed him waving a gun in a nightclub near Denver. A second video was later posted of Morant holding a gun and dancing while riding in a vehicle with friends, leading to his second suspension.

“We’re going to talk directly once, at least this week, before he comes back,” Silver said, “(and) I think we’ll review the program and just make sure the conditions are in place for him to be successful going forward.”

The commissioner addressed several other topics in his press conference:

Silver clarified comments on load management made before the start of the season by NBA executive vice president Joe Dumars, Vardon states. Explaining the league’s new player participation policy, Dumars indicated there’s no data showing that load management is effective. Silver said resting players can lead to better performances, but there’s no hard evidence that it prevents injuries. “The question is, I think the ultimate notion behind load management isn’t so much that there isn’t a fall for performance when you’re tired and fatigued,” Silver explained. “The question is does it lead to more injuries and especially the way load management is now used?”
Silver said he was “surprised” that Tamika Tremaglio stepped down as executive director of the NBPA after a new Collective Bargaining Agreement was reached this summer, according to Vardon. “As far as I can tell from the outside, it’s been a very smooth transition there to Andre Iguodala as I guess the interim executive director,” Silver said. “Nothing has changed in terms of our day-to-day relations with them, and I have no other knowledge about why either the players association or Tamika decided to, you know, change the relationship.”
Colorful courts will remain part of future in-season tournaments, Vardon adds in a separate story. Silver called himself “a big advocate” of the courts, saying they’re an indication that the game is something special. Silver also hinted that specially designed courts could be used in the NBA Finals. Other aspects of the tournament will be reviewed, particularly using point differential as the primary tie-breaker, the commissioner stated.

LeBron James Named MVP As Lakers Win NBA’s First In-Season Tournament

December 9th, 2023 at 10:29pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Lakers pulled away from the Pacers Saturday night in Las Vegas to finish the in-season tournament unbeaten and claim the first-ever NBA Cup.

LeBron James was named tournament MVP after posting 24 points, 11 rebounds and four assists as L.A. secured a 123-109 victory in the title game. Anthony Davis was the night’s biggest star with 41 points, 20 rebounds and five assists, while Austin Reaves contributed 28 points.

James was the MVP choice of 14 of the 20 writers who voted (Twitter link from NBA Communications). Davis got five votes, and one went to Indiana’s Tyrese Haliburton.

At the post-game press conference, James said the Lakers showed growth as a team throughout the tournament (video link from Khobi Price of The Orange County Register).

“I feel like guys have felt a lot more comfortable in their roles,” he said. “We’ve had a pretty good understanding of rotations, who we’re going to be playing with, what guys want to do out on the floor. Like AD said, getting (Jarred Vanderbilt) back, getting Rui (Hachimura) back has definitely helped our size. Getting Cam (Reddish) back has helped us out a lot.”

Apart from two games with the Suns, the Lakers weren’t really tested as they posted a 7-0 record in tournament play. Assigned to West Group A, they began with a three-point win at Phoenix on November 10, then followed with comfortable victories over Memphis, Portland and Utah.

Knockout play began Tuesday with another three-point victory over the Suns, followed by a 44-point blowout of the Pelicans in Thursday’s semifinals.

Indiana suffered its first loss of the tournament after advancing out of East Group A, then upsetting the Celtics and Bucks in knockout games.

“We just got outplayed tonight from the start of the game to the end of the game,” Haliburton said (Twitter link from Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star). They just outplayed us.”

Woj: LeBron Already Working Toward Owning Expansion Team In Vegas

December 9th, 2023 at 8:46pm CST by Arthur Hill

LeBron James isn’t just discussing the possibility of owning an NBA expansion team in Las Vegas, he’s already trying to make it happen, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski said tonight on NBA Countdown (video link).

“He has been active behind the scenes and on a regular basis now in meetings with his advisors planning with a group about what a franchise would look like, how an organization would run and then obviously the finances,” Wojnarowski said. “It is going to be an expensive proposition to get an expansion team in this next round.”

Wojnarowski adds that one potential obstacle for an ownership group led by James was recently eliminated when the Adelson family reached a tentative agreement to purchase the Mavericks. The Adelsons are involved in the casino business and would have been “a real contender” to become the new owners of a Las Vegas team, according to Wojnarowski.

Woj also confirms that the NBA plans to begin considering expansion once its next media rights deal is finalized and has an eye on adding two teams, with Las Vegas and Seattle considered the current favorites.

“LeBron James is determined to be at the forefront of a Vegas expansion NBA team in the future,” Wojnarowski adds, “and he is putting the work in on it now.”

Kyrie Irving Escapes Serious Injury

December 9th, 2023 at 5:15pm CST by Arthur Hill

5:15 pm: The Mavericks confirmed (via Twitter) that Irving has a right heel contusion and has returned to Dallas for treatment. No timetable has been set for him to resume playing.

5:04 pm: Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving suffered a heel contusion in Friday’s night game at Portland, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic. He’s beginning treatment for the injury, and there’s no word on how long he might be sidelined.

According to an ESPN report, Irving was injured on a drive to the basket late in the first half. He fell to the floor after contact, and teammate Dwight Powell landed on him while chasing a loose ball.

Irving stayed on the court for several minutes, but was able to shoot two free throws before leaving the game. The team later announced that he wouldn’t return.

Mavericks officials are relieved that an MRI taken today showed that Irving’s injury is “just a bruise,” according to Tim MacMahon of ESPN (Twitter link). He adds that Irving has been dealing with soreness in his foot since the start of the season.

Irving didn’t travel with the team for Monday’s game at Memphis, a source tells Marc Stein (Twitter link). The team hasn’t made an official announcement about Irving’s status, but he’s expected to miss at least that game.

Irving has been an important component to the early-season success for Dallas, which is third in the West at 13-8. Through 17 games, he is averaging 23.0 points, 3.9 rebounds and 5.2 assists while shooting 47.1% from the field and 38.4% from three-point range.

Gorgui Dieng Working For Spurs As Basketball Operations Representative

December 9th, 2023 at 3:51pm CST by Luke Adams

Veteran big man Gorgui Dieng never formally announced his retirement as a player, but it sounds as if he has moved onto the next stage of his career. As Jeff McDonald details for The San Antonio Express-News (subscription required), Dieng is working with the Spurs as a basketball operations representative, a title the team created for him.

According to McDonald, Dieng splits his time between the front office and coaching staff, working with general manager Brian Wright in addition to mentoring young big men like Victor Wembanyama and Charles Bassey.

“I’m very free on what I’m doing,” Dieng said. “I’m in the front office learning and doing stuff. When they start practice, I come here and help the team. I’m here just to be around them and help.”

Dieng, who will turn 34 in January, appeared in a total of 628 regular season NBA games from 2013-23, averaging 7.3 points and 5.6 rebounds in 20.1 minutes per night for the Timberwolves, Grizzlies, Spurs, and Hawks. In 2022/23, he played in 31 games for San Antonio, providing some veteran frontcourt depth and serving as a leader in the locker room.

“Everyone around me knew I wanted to play 10 years and that was it,” Dieng said. “I always said that. When I reached 10, I said I’ve reached my goal. It was time to stop and try different stuff.”

Despite his stated desire to play just 10 years, Dieng was open to contract offers this past offseason, but didn’t generate much interest on the free agent market, McDonald reports.

The Senegalese forward/center, who has a house in San Antonio and spent some time at the team’s practice facility during the summer, approached Wright about joining the organization as an intern, according to McDonald, who says the team insisted on giving Dieng a formal position and a salary. Head coach Gregg Popovich and the Spurs’ players are happy to have him around.

“He’s a wonderful human being,” Popovich said. “He’s one of the all-time favorite teammates of everybody. He’s a great source of experience in the league, and anybody can talk to him.”

“He’s someone you can always talk to at any time,” Spurs guard Tre Jones agreed. “He is always open. I think just having that personal connection to everybody and having such good relationships with people, that’s what makes him who he is.”

For his part, Dieng says he’s “learning a lot of stuff” in his new role and that he’s especially enjoyed the work he’s doing in the Spurs’ front office. According to McDonald, Dieng said he can imagine himself one day becoming a team’s top basketball operations executive, but for now he’s happy to play a far more modest role in San Antonio and perhaps work his way up the ladder.

“The front office, it takes talent,” Dieng said. “It takes hard work. Us (players), we just play and go home. They put everything together.”

Jontay Porter Signs Two-Way Deal With Raptors

December 9th, 2023 at 9:17am CST by Rory Maher

DECEMBER 9: The Raptors have officially signed Porter, the team announced today in a press release.

DECEMBER 8: Free agent big man Jontay Porter is signing a two-way deal with the Raptors, his agents Andy Shiffman and Mark Bartelstein tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link).

Toronto has a two-way opening after waiving Ron Harper Jr., who will undergo season-ending shoulder surgery, so no corresponding move will be necessary to sign Porter.

Porter, 24, is the younger brother of Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. Like his brother, Jontay dealt with injury issues early in his career, including a pair of ACL tears. However, he appeared in 32 G League games last season for the Wisconsin Herd, averaging 12.4 PPG, 10.1 RPG, 3.1 APG, and 2.2 BPG in 28.2 MPG, with a shooting line of .390/.341/.667.

The 6’11” forward/center signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Pistons in September in a move designed to give him a bonus for playing for their G League affiliate, the Motor City Cruise. He was waived in October, before the ’23/24 season began.

In 10 Showcase Cup games (33.7 MPG) with the Cruise this fall, Porter has averaged 16.8 PPG, 10.7 RPG, 2.7 APG and 2.9 BPG on .456/.273/.667 shooting. He seems likely to spend most of his time with the Raptors 905, Toronto’s NBAGL affiliate.

Porter’s only previous NBA experience came in 2020/21, when he saw limited action in 11 games for the Grizzlies.