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In-Season Tournament Updates: Pacers Clinch Top-Two Seed, Six Teams Eliminated

November 25th, 2023 at 11:23am CST by Tristan Tucker

The Nuggets, Bulls, Raptors, Thunder, Clippers and Mavericks were all eliminated from the NBA’s inaugural in-season tournament in the group stage following Friday’s game results, marking 12 total teams out of contention.

The Pacers and Lakers remain the only two teams to clinch spots in the quarterfinals so far, with six more spots up for grabs. The final day of group stage play is Tuesday, Nov. 28 and the quarterfinals will take place on Dec. 4 and 5.

ESPN’s Tim Bontemps took a look at all the action from Friday, which featured numerous upsets that set the stage for some interesting scenarios to play out. By beating Detroit on Friday, Indiana won East Group A and guaranteed a top-two seed in the Eastern Conference. The Bucks–Heat game on Tuesday dictates who earns the top overall seed in the East. If the Bucks win, Milwaukee is the conference’s top seed, but if Miami wins, it will be the Pacers. A Miami loss eliminates the Heat.

If the Heat and Knicks win, there will be a three-way tiebreaker between Miami, Milwaukee and New York that is determined by point differential. In that scenario, the Heat would have to beat the Bucks by eight more points than the Knicks beat the Hornets on Tuesday in order to have a chance.

Orlando defeated Boston on Friday, meaning the Magic‘s chances of winning East Group C are bolstered. With the Raptors and Bulls eliminated, the Celtics, Magic and Nets are competing for that group.

The Suns‘ win over Memphis in their final group stage game helped them take steps toward securing a wild-card spot, finishing their games at 3-1 with a plus-34 point differential. The Lakers play in West Group A alongside the Suns and, given the wild card team plays the top seed, it’s likely they’ll face off against each other in the quarterfinals. The only way the Lakers don’t earn the West’s top seed is if the Kings beat the Warriors on Tuesday by 46 or more points.

West Group B got shaken up with the Rockets upsetting and eliminating the Nuggets on Friday, and the Pelicans are now the runaway favorite to win the group, according to Bontemps. The Pelicans beat the Clippers, eliminating them, and improving to 3-1. The Pelicans are not in front of the Suns for the wild card spot and will need the Rockets to lose in order to clinch the group.

The Kings are looking like a top contender for the tournament title, sitting at 3-0 and plus-29. If the Kings beat the Warriors on Tuesday, they advance. If both Sacramento and Minnesota lose, the Warriors win the group. If both Golden State and Minnesota win, it sets up a three-way tie to be decided by point differential. The Warriors are plus-5 and the Timberwolves are minus-3.

Any team that makes the quarterfinals clinches per-player bonuses worth at least $50K. The value of those bonuses would increase to $100K if they advance to the semifinals, $200K if they make the final, and $500K if they win the entire tournament.

The full in-season tournament standings can be found here.

Bulls’ DeRozan “Beyond Frustrated” After Latest Loss

November 24th, 2023 at 11:34pm CST by Rory Maher

Bulls forward DeMar DeRozan received his second technical foul and was ejected with one second remaining in Friday’s loss at Toronto after having choice words with the Raptors’ bench.

As K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago writes, DeRozan was upset that Raptors forward Pascal Siakam attempted a three-pointer with three seconds remaining while Toronto was up 12 points and could have let the clock run out.

Raptors coach Darko Rajakovic told Bulls coach Billy Donovan after the game that they were focused on the point differential (for tiebreakers) during the in-season tournament contest, but Toronto had already been eliminated from the tournament when Orlando defeated Boston earlier in the day.

“I don’t care about no in-season tournament points, none of that. Just respect for the game,” DeRozan said. “If the roles was flip-flopped and I had the ball, hold it. It is what it is.”

“I mean, I knew that (they were eliminated),” DeRozan continued. “But I didn’t care about that either. Just everybody was yelling at him, ‘Score, score, score.’ Take the win. Get out of here. Like I said, if roles were reversed, needing in-season tournament points or not, just for the respect I have for my opponents, I hold the ball. Especially if there’s no shot clock. That’s just me.”

Of course, the bigger concern for the Bulls is the fact that they’re now 5-12, having lost three straight and six of their past seven games. According to Johnson, DeRozan was exasperated by the latest loss — he ripped a towel during a timeout and tore off his jersey after the ejection.

“I can’t fake it. I’m beyond frustrated. And I think it’s rightfully so as a competitor,” DeRozan said. “Everybody in this locker room is frustrated. It’s from a good place of being a competitor and wanting to figure it out that badly. Put a couple wins together. I really truly believe that can shift everything for us.

“… We gotta challenge ourselves. We can’t have those spiritual talks. We gotta challenge each other to leave it all the way out there. That’s a good thing to be challenged. Ask something of yourself more than you ever have at this point, myself included. That’s where we’re at.”

As we previously noted, things won’t get any easier for Chicago in the near future. The team has a really tough schedule over the next few weeks, so the Bulls will have to play much better to have a shot at turning their season around.

Kings Waive Filip Petrusev

November 24th, 2023 at 10:30pm CST by Rory Maher

10:30pm: Petrusev has been officially waived, per NBA.com’s transaction log.

10:05pm: The Kings plan to waive big man Filip Petrusev, a league source tells ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link).

According to Wojnarowski, the Kings intend to keep their 15th standard roster spot open “for the foreseeable future” once the move is official. Petrusev is expected to sign a contract overseas, Woj adds.

James Ham of TheKingsBeat.com reports (via Twitter) that the Serbian forward/center will be signing with EuroLeague team Olympiacos — there were rumors linking Petrusev to the Greek club last week.

Petrusev, 23, was the 50th pick of the 2021 draft. He was stashed overseas for a couple years before signing a two-year, minimum-salary contract with the Sixers this offseason. Philadelphia traded him to the Clippers in the James Harden deal, and he was immediately flipped to Sacramento for cash.

Although Petrusev was on a two-year deal, only his salary for 2023/24 included guaranteed money — he’ll make $559,782, half of the rookie minimum (or the equivalent to a two-way salary). That will also be the Kings’ cap hit when Petrusev clears waivers, tweets ESPN’s Bobby Marks.

Petrusev, who played college ball at Gonzaga, won a EuroLeague championship with Anadolu Efes in 2022, earned a Serbian League title with Crvena Zvezda in 2023, and was part of the Serbian national team that finished second at the 2023 FIBA World Cup. Now he’ll be heading back to Europe after what must have been a frustrating NBA experience — he was on three different rosters just a week into his rookie season.

Overall, Petrusev appeared in three games this season — one with Philadelphia, two with Sacramento — for 10 total minutes.

The Kings will have 17 players under contract once Petrusev is released, with all three of their two-way spots filled.

T.J. Warren Eyeing NBA Return, Says He’s Fully Healthy

November 24th, 2023 at 5:12pm CST by Rory Maher

Veteran forward T.J. Warren remains an unrestricted free agent after he was unable to find a new team during the 2023 offseason. Speaking to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, Warren said he’s still focused on finding another NBA job and is fully healthy after playing just four games from 2020-22.

Here are a few highlights from Scotto’s interview with the nine-year veteran, who averaged 7.5 points and 2.9 rebounds in 42 regular season games (16.4 minutes per contest) with Brooklyn and Phoenix in 2022/23.

On Warren’s preparation while he waits for another NBA opportunity:

“Every day, I’m working out, staying sharp, and staying ready. I’m continuing to do everything I can to prepare myself physically and mentally. All is well. I’m continuing to control what I can right now.”

On what type of role he envisions and for what types of teams:

“There are a lot of teams that can use bench scoring for sure. I watch the NBA every day, and I’m watching to see where I can see myself helping playoff teams get over the hump and be a presence on both ends of the floor. I take pride in being a two-way player. I know a lot of people doubt my defensive ability because I score easily. I take pride on both ends of the floor. There are definitely a lot of playoff teams I can contribute to and make an impact.”

On his health:

“I’m 100 percent healthy now. The foot injuries were a part of my career during those two years. I feel like I was reaching a crazy pinnacle right around the bubble. It was a great situation. Unfortunately, I had the injuries, and it set me back a little bit. I want to go out there and prove myself like I always have my whole career, being kind of under the radar. I feel like my production speaks for itself. I understand the concerns because two years was a long time, especially when you don’t know the situation thoroughly, but I’m completely healthy now and looking forward to the opportunity to prove myself again.”

Warren, 30, holds career averages of 14.6 points and 4.0 rebounds in 374 regular season games (27.4 minutes). Scotto’s full conversation with Warren can be found right here.

NBA Investigating Allegations Against Josh Giddey

November 24th, 2023 at 3:16pm CST by Luke Adams

The NBA is looking into allegations made against Thunder guard Josh Giddey, league spokesperson Mike Bass said today (Twitter links via Chris Mannix of SI.com and Shams Charania of The Athletic).

A series of videos and photos went viral on social media this week accusing Giddey, who turned 21 last month, of engaging in an inappropriate relationship with a minor.

Giddey was asked during a media session on Friday about the allegations and declined to address them, telling reporters, “I understand the question, obviously, but there’s no further comment right now” (Twitter video link via Rylan Stiles of Locked on Thunder).

Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault also rebuffed questions about the situation on Friday when he was asked about is being a possible distraction, referring to it as a “personal matter” and declining to comment (Twitter video link via Stiles).

There’s no indication to this point that Giddey won’t continue to be available for the Thunder while the NBA’s investigation is ongoing. He has started each of Oklahoma City’s 15 games so far, averaging 12.3 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 4.5 assists in 27.2 minutes per night for the 11-4 club.

Heat’s Dru Smith Out For Season With ACL Injury

November 24th, 2023 at 2:15pm CST by Luke Adams

Heat guard Dru Smith will miss the rest of the 2023/24 season due to a right knee injury, the team announced today (Twitter link via Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald).

The Heat referred to the injury as a third degree ACL sprain, according to Chiang. That’s essentially just an ACL tear, per the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.

It’s awful news for Smith, who underwent an MRI on his knee after injuring it in Wednesday’s game in Cleveland. As we previously relayed, the 25-year-old fell awkwardly along the sidelines in an area that has a drop-off for fans at courtside — head coach Erik Spoelstra blamed the court design after the game.

“It is a dangerous floor,” Spoelstra said. “It’s an accident waiting to happen. You close out and all of a sudden you’re going off a cliff. If the court was normal, there wouldn’t have been any kind of incident.”

Smith was on a two-way contract with the Heat in training camp but was promoted to the standard 15-man roster ahead of opening night, receiving a two-year, minimum-salary deal that included a $425K partial guarantee. He appeared in nine games in the first month of the season, averaging 4.3 points, 1.6 assists, and 1.6 rebounds in 14.6 minutes per night, with a .455/.412/1.000 shooting line.

While Smith won’t play again this season, the Heat likely won’t be in any rush to remove him from their roster, since there’s little incentive to do so for now. When a player on a non-guaranteed contract sustains an injury, his team must continue paying him until he’s healthy or for the rest of the season (if he’s out for the year). That means Miami will owe Smith his full $1.8MM salary and won’t save any money by cutting him before the league-wide January 7 salary guarantee deadline.

The Heat also already have an opening on their 15-man roster, so they don’t need to use Smith’s roster spot in the short term. That may change later in the season if the club makes a roster addition or two via free agency or trade.

Miami could apply for a disabled player exception in response to Smith’s injury, but the exception would be worth less than $1MM, so it likely wouldn’t be useful. A DPE would not afford the team an extra roster spot.

In other Heat injury news, the results of an MRI on Duncan Robinson‘s injured right thumb were far more encouraging, Chiang notes. Robinson has been diagnosed with a sprain and is considered day-to-day.

Grizzlies Sign Harrison, Nowell To 10-Day Contracts

November 24th, 2023 at 9:55am CST by Rory Maher

NOVEMBER 24: The 10-day deals for Nowell and Harrison are official, the Grizzlies announced today in a press release (Twitter link). They’ll run through December 3, covering Memphis’ next five games.

NOVEMBER 23: The Grizzlies are signing guards Shaquille Harrison and Jaylen Nowell to 10-day hardship contracts, sources tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link).

As Wojnarowski explains, the NBA recently granted Memphis two extra roster spots via the hardship provision because the club has five players who have missed at least the past three games with injuries and will be sidelined for at least the next two weeks. Those five players are Steven Adams (knee surgery; out for the season), Brandon Clarke (torn Achilles tendon), Marcus Smart (sprained left foot), Jake LaRavia (eye surgery) and Luke Kennard (left knee bone bruise).

It’s possible the Grizzlies could qualify for a third 10-day hardship deal, depending on the prognosis for big man Xavier Tillman — he’s considered week-to-week as he recovers from a left knee injury. Memphis is already carrying one extra player on its standard roster while Ja Morant is on the suspended list.

Harrison spent training camp and preseason with the Grizzlies this fall after inking an Exhibit 10 contract. He was waived before the season started. There was speculation that Harrison might receive the initial extra roster spot after Morant missed the first five games and was placed on the suspended list, but that went to center Bismack Biyombo once Adams was ruled out for the season.

There were also rumors that Harrison, who is now in his seventh NBA season, might head to Europe, but apparently those talks fell through. The defensive standout has appeared in 180 total regular season games with Phoenix, Chicago, Utah, Denver, Brooklyn and Portland, holding career averages of 5.3 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 1.7 APG and 1.0 SPG on .435/.281/.718 shooting in 15.4 MPG.

Nowell averaged 10.8 PPG, 2.6 RPG and 2.0 APG in 19.3 MPG across 65 appearances in ’22/23 as a regular part of the Timberwolves’ rotation. However, after becoming an unrestricted free agent, he remained on the open market for nearly three months before eventually settling for an Exhibit 10 contract with Sacramento. The Kings waived him last month before the season started, making him an unrestricted free agent once again.

Still just 24 years old, Nowell was the 43rd pick of the 2019 draft. He spent his first four seasons with Minnesota, averaging 9.1 PPG, 2.2 RPG and 1.9 APG in 184 regular season games (17.0 MPG).

While the 3-11 Grizzlies need help up and down their roster, it makes sense that they would prioritize a pair of guards with NBA experience to help out in the backcourt. Ordinarily, Morant, Smart and Kennard would receive major minutes, but they’re all unavailable at the moment.

Heat Not Pursuing Zach LaVine

November 24th, 2023 at 9:16am CST by Luke Adams

The Heat aren’t actively pursuing a trade for Bulls guard Zach LaVine, according to Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald, who says he’d be surprised if that stance changes. Miami was previously cited as a destination LaVine would have interest in.

As Jackson explains, the Heat’s proximity to the tax aprons going forward is an important factor in their decision not to go after LaVine. Moving Tyler Herro as the centerpiece in a LaVine trade would significantly increase the team’s salary in future seasons, since Herro is owed $120MM over the next four years, while LaVine will make $178MM.

Herro is also five years younger than LaVine and is still improving as a scorer, so the Heat don’t particularly want to give him up in a deal for the Bulls guard, Jackson notes. Using Kyle Lowry‘s expiring contract and other pieces in an offer for LaVine would be another option, but that would create even higher tax penalties and more financial restrictions and in future seasons, and LaVine and Herro have overlapping skill sets.

Essentially, as Jackson writes, it sounds like the Heat don’t view LaVine as the sort of player who is worth surrendering key trade assets and sacrificing future flexibility for. The Bulls, on the other hand, have reportedly set a high asking price for the two-time All-Star, so the two teams are unlikely to agree on his value.

The Heat might have interest in guard Alex Caruso if Chicago makes him available, Jackson says, but he’s not sure the team would even part with a first-round pick for the defensive stalwart. If that’s the case, Miami almost certainly wouldn’t be the highest bidder for Caruso, who is expected to generate widespread interest.

Chris Paul After Ejection: “It’s Personal” With Ref Scott Foster

November 23rd, 2023 at 8:01am CST by Luke Adams

Chris Paul‘s return to Phoenix was cut short on Wednesday night, as the Warriors guard was assessed with a pair of technical fouls and ejected from the game during the final minute of the second quarter. The referee who handed out those technicals was Paul’s longtime nemesis Scott Foster, as Kendra Andrews of ESPN.com writes.

“It’s personal,” Paul said. “We had a situation some years ago and it’s personal. The league knows. Everybody knows. There’s been a meeting and all of that. … I’m OK with a ref saying whatever they’re saying, but don’t use a tech to get your point across.”

While Paul’s teammates and head coach Steve Kerr generally agreed that the veteran guard earned his first technical by complaining about a foul call, they took issue with Foster’s decision to hit him with a second technical just seconds later. Foster said after the game that both technicals were for “unsportsmanlike conduct” (Twitter link via Kellan Olson of Arizona Sports).

“I didn’t think Chris deserved to be ejected,” Kerr said. “The first tech, absolutely. But I thought the second one was unnecessary. Everybody gets frustrated out there.”

“When both player and ref engage in conversation, that has to stay there,” Stephen Curry said. “I told Scott that after he ejected him. There are certain situations where players overstep. There are times when you know you have to back off. But when both are engaging, I don’t like that.”

As Andrews details, Paul’s former teams lost 13 games in a row in which Foster was the crew chief, and he has a 3-17 playoff record in games that Foster has officiated. CP3’s teams were favored in 15 of those 20 contests, according to Tom Habertstroh (Substack link).

According to Andrews, the animosity between Paul and Foster may have originated during the guard’s stint with the Clippers. In his media session following Wednesday’s loss, Paul mentioned an incident involving his son and Foster from that time, adding that it led to a meeting that included him, his father, Foster, and former Clippers head coach Doc Rivers, among others (Twitter video link via NBC Sports Bay Area).

Paul declined to go into further detail about that incident, suggesting that he’ll simply need to avoid putting himself in position to be T’d up in future games that Foster officiates.

“I’ve got to do a better job at staying there for my teammates, but it is what it is,” he said, per Andrews. “I’ll probably see [Foster] in a Game 7 sometime soon.”

Ibou Badji Signs Two-Way Contract With Blazers

November 22nd, 2023 at 8:17pm CST by Luke Adams

8:17pm: Badji’s signing is official, the Blazers announced in a press release.

2:40pm: After waiving guard Jamaree Bouyea, the Trail Blazers are signing big man Ibou Badji to a two-way contract, sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link).

A 7’1″ Senegalese center with a 7’9″ wingspan, Badji spent much of last season on a two-way contract with Portland, though he didn’t appear in an NBA regular season game. He played in Spain from 2019-22 and joined the Wisconsin Herd (the Bucks’ G League affiliate) to begin the 2022/23 campaign after going undrafted in 2022.

Badji, 21, signed with the Blazers last November and inked a second two-way deal with the team this July, but was waived at the start of the regular season last month to create a two-way opening for fellow center Duop Reath.

Badji rejoined the Herd at the start of this G League season and has appeared in six games for the team, averaging 3.5 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks in 15.3 minutes per night. Given his relatively raw skill set, the big man seems likely to continue playing primarily in the NBAGL. As long as he remains under contract with Portland, Badji will now suit up for the Rip City Remix, the Blazers’ affiliate.

Once Badji officially signs his deal, the Blazers will once again have the maximum 18 players under contract — 15 on standard deals and three on two-ways.