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Tyler Herro To Miss Multiple Weeks With Grade 2 Ankle Sprain

November 9th, 2023 at 2:39pm CST by Luke Adams

After undergoing an MRI on Thursday on his injured right ankle on Thursday, Heat guard Tyler Herro has been diagnosed with a Grade 2 sprain, according to Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald (Twitter links).

The plan is for Herro to wear a walking boot for the next 10 days and to be reevaluated in two weeks, Chiang continues.

It sounds like the guard’s absence will extend beyond the two-week mark, however. The Heat’s announcement indicates they’ll have a better of Herro’s return timeline at that point, and sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link) that the 23-year-old will be out for “several” weeks.

Herro suffered the injury on Wednesday vs. Memphis when he landed on Jaren Jackson Jr.‘s foot after shooting a floater in the first quarter. He fell to the court in pain, then hobbled to the locker room without putting any weight on the ankle.

“It was something I felt right when it happened,” Herro said. “I felt it and I kind of knew mentally. I heard some crunches and cracks in my ankle. I’m like, ‘Yeah, that will be it.’ I actually told the bench, ‘I’m done. I can’t keep going.’ It’s unfortunate, but I’m just going to continue to work hard. I’ve been through this injury stuff before and I’m just going to keep working.”

The subject of persistent trade rumors this summer as the Heat were linked to Damian Lillard for months, Herro stayed put in Miami and said in multiple media interviews ahead of the season that he was determined to make himself too valuable to move.

He was off to a good start toward that goal, having averaged 25.3 points per game on .446/.410/.909 shooting in his seven healthy games (all starts) while also chipping in 5.6 rebounds and 5.0 assists per night.

Duncan Robinson started the second half on Wednesday in Herro’s place and may see his role expand with the team’s other top shooter on the shelf. Kyle Lowry, Dru Smith, Josh Richardson, and Haywood Highsmith are among the other candidates to see bumps in minutes for as long as Herro remains unavailable.

Andre Iguodala Named Acting Executive Director Of NBPA

November 9th, 2023 at 2:19pm CST by Arthur Hill

2:19pm: The NBPA has formally announced Iguodala’s appointment as acting executive director, confirming the news in a press release.

“I am honored to take on this role and serve the players, who are the heart and soul of the NBA,” Iguodala said in a statement. “I’m presented with a unique opportunity to take all that I’ve learned as a player over the course of my 19-year career and apply it to creating an even stronger and more influential union for current and future generations of players. I am thrilled to work alongside our extremely committed Executive Committee to lead the brotherhood through its next stage of advancement and development.”

2:00pm: Andre Iguodala has been named the acting executive director of the National Basketball Players Association, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. He replaces Tamika Tremaglio, who is resigning after less than two years as head of the union. Shams Charania of The Athletic broke the news that Iguodala was being considered for the role (Twitter link).

Iguodala confirmed his retirement last month, officially ending his 19-year playing career. An All-Star in 2012, he will be best remembered for his role in helping the Warriors capture four titles.

ESPN hired Iguodala as a studio analyst in October, and he currently owns stakes in two soccer teams, Leeds United in the EFL and Bay Area FC in the NWSL, along with the San Francisco branch of the TGL golf league.

A formal search for Tremaglio’s successor will begin soon, sources tell Wojnarowski (Twitter link). There’s no indication on whether Iguodala will be considered as part of that search.

Although Tremaglio held the job for a relatively short time, she helped to negotiate the union’s new Collective Bargaining Agreement, which was approved in June. She began to discuss stepping down after the CBA negotiations ended, Wojnarowski adds (Twitter link).

Mason Plumlee To Miss “Multiple Months;” Clippers Interested In Daniel Theis

November 9th, 2023 at 1:04pm CST by Arthur Hill

Mason Plumlee will be sidelined for “multiple months” with an MCL sprain in his left knee, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic (video link). The Clippers are optimistic that Plumlee will be able to return sometime before the end of the season, Charania adds.

The team is considering several veteran big men as potential replacements, Charania hears, including Pacers backup center Daniel Theis. He states that Indiana isn’t “rushed” to make a move with Theis, but is willing to listen to offers.

Plumlee suffered the injury Monday when Knicks forward Julius Randle hit his knee while diving for a ball. Plumlee couldn’t put any weight on the knee and had to be helped off the court by two members of the team’s training staff.

The 33-year-old center had appeared in all six of L.A.’s games before the injury and was averaging 5.0 points and 5.5 rebounds in 17 minutes per night. The Clippers acquired him from Charlotte in a February trade, and he re-signed with the team this summer.

Theis, who hasn’t played yet this season, expressed unhappiness with his situation in Indiana last week. He is currently fourth among centers on the Pacers’ depth chart and doesn’t appear to have a future with the team.

After playing just seven games last season, Theis was hoping for an expanded role following his performance with Germany in the World Cup this summer, but it looks like a trade or buyout is the only way that will happen.

Theis makes $9.1MM this season, and his contract includes a $9.5MM team option for 2024/25.

Bradley Beal To Make Suns Regular Season Debut On Wednesday

November 8th, 2023 at 6:10pm CST by Luke Adams

November 8: Beal will play on Wednesday but he’ll be on a minutes restriction, Vogel told reporters, including Rankin (Twitter video link).

November 7: Suns guard Bradley Beal is getting closer to making his regular season debut for his new team, having gone through a full practice on Tuesday, according to Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic.

Beal, who appeared in just two preseason games and has missed Phoenix’s first seven regular season contests due to back issues, has been upgraded to questionable for Wednesday’s game in Chicago. Rankin suggests the former Wizard is “on course” to play vs. the Bulls, barring a setback.

“He got some good work in yesterday, he got some live work in today,” head coach Frank Vogel said (Twitter video link via Rankin). “He looks good, we’ve just got to make sure we see how he feels from the work today, see how his body responds to it.”

Vogel added with a smile that it was “awesome” to see Beal go through a full practice after the three-time All-Star was limited in workouts for weeks.

“It’s great to see him doing his thing in a Suns uniform and soon our fans will get a chance to see that as well,” Vogel said.

While Beal is seemingly on the verge of suiting up for the Suns, Devin Booker has already been ruled out for Wednesday’s game due to his right calf strain and his return doesn’t appear imminent. According to Rankin, Vogel said that Booker didn’t take part in practice at all today except for some light shooting at the end of the session.

Jamal Murray Likely Out 3-4 Weeks With Hamstring Strain

November 8th, 2023 at 5:18pm CST by Rory Maher

Nuggets guard Jamal Murray will likely be out three-to-four weeks due to his right hamstring strain, sources tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

Murray sustained the injury in the second quarter of Saturday’s game vs. Chicago. In addition to missing the rest of that contest, he also sat out Monday’s game and will likely be sidelined for the remainder of November, according to Wojnarowski.

Wojnarowski’s report lines up with what head coach Michael Malone said on Monday.

“We’ll kind of continue to talk to our doctors, but his injury is not a one- or two-game injury,” Malone said. “That’s what I do know. This will be something that will be longer than we would like.

“… You have to have the big picture in mind and make sure we’re putting him in position to get healthy before he comes back. Because this is an injury that, if you keep having recurring hamstring injuries or soft tissue injuries, they can linger and become even worse. And that’s the one thing we do not want to happen.”

It’s a tough blow for Murray, who missed the entire 2021/22 season with a torn ACL. His return last season was well worth the wait, however, as he had a spectacular playoff run in helping Denver win its first title.

Through six healthy games, Murray was averaging 18.7 PPG, 2.7 RPG and 8.7 APG on .436/.438/.842 shooting (34.4 MPG). Denver’s starting point guard is under contract through ’24/25.

Murray is one of the players who would become eligible for a super-max veteran extension – worth 35% of the cap instead of 30% – if he earns All-NBA honors in ’23/24. But the league instituted a games-played requirement (min. 65) to make All-NBA teams going forward, and the 26-year-old will likely be out at least 12-to-14 games with the hamstring strain. Even assuming he has an All-NBA caliber season, it could be challenging for him to play at least 65 games.

Reggie Jackson has been starting in Murray’s place, with Collin Gillespie receiving minutes at backup point guard. Rookie first-rounder Julian Strawther has also been receiving more run and playing well. The defending champions are currently 7-1 ahead of Wednesday’s matchup with Golden State.

Walker Kessler Out At Least Two Weeks With Elbow Sprain

November 8th, 2023 at 4:55pm CST by Rory Maher

Second-year center Walker Kessler suffered a sprained ulnar collateral ligament in his left elbow and will be reevaluated in two weeks, the Jazz announced in a press release.

According to the Jazz, Kessler initially sustained the injury during the team’s season opener on October 25. However, the injury wasn’t formally diagnosed until recently, when the 22-year-old underwent an MRI. He had been playing through discomfort the past couple weeks.

While it’s obviously unfortunate that Kessler was injured, it doesn’t sound like the UCL sprain will require surgery. The 7’1″ big man will be resting and participating in non-contact activities over the next two weeks in order to facilitate his recovery process, per the team.

Tony Jones of The Athletic first reported that Kessler would likely be out multiple games with an elbow injury.

Kessler, the 22nd overall pick in 2022, was an All-Rookie First Team selection in 2022/23 and finished third in Rookie of the Year voting after averaging 9.2 PPG, 8.4 RPG and 2.3 BPG while shooting 72.0% from the field across 74 games (40 starts, 23.0 MPG). He was particularly effective in the second half of last season once he became Utah’s full-time starting center, averaging 11.9 PPG, 10.5 RPG and 2.9 BPG in 34 games (29.0 MPG).

The Jazz have gotten off to a slow start in 2023/24, currently sitting with a 2-6 record. Kessler’s numbers are down compared to his rookie season as well — he has averaged 8.3 PPG, 7.9 RPG and 2.1 BPG while shooting 54.9% from the floor through eight games (24.0 MPG). Obviously, the elbow injury may have been negatively impacting his performance.

With Kessler sidelined for at least the next seven games, frontcourt players like Kelly Olynyk, Omer Yurtseven and Luka Samanic figure to move up on the depth chart.

Pistons Sign Kevin Knox

November 8th, 2023 at 2:59pm CST by Luke Adams

2:59pm: The Pistons have officially signed Knox, the team confirmed today in a press release (Twitter link).

11:50am: The Pistons have reached an agreement to bring back free agent forward Kevin Knox on a one-year deal, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).

The ninth overall pick in the 2018 draft, Knox spent his first three-and-a-half NBA seasons in New York but has bounced around since then, spending time with Atlanta, Detroit, and Portland from 2022-23.

He signed a two-year, $6MM contract with the Pistons during the 2022 offseason and appeared in 42 games last season for the club before being traded to the Trail Blazers in the four-team deadline deal that sent James Wiseman to Detroit.

Knox averaged 6.6 points and 2.8 rebounds in 15.1 minutes per game across 63 total appearances for the Pistons and Blazers in 2022/23, then had his $3MM team option for ’23/24 turned down by Portland in June.

The Blazers re-signed him, but Knox’s contract was non-guaranteed and he didn’t make the regular season roster. He reported to the Rip City Remix – Portland’s G League affiliate – last week for training camp.

Rather than opening the season in the NBAGL, however, Knox is being promoted back to the NBA, where he’ll fill the 15th spot on the Pistons’ roster. As we noted a few days ago when we examined the open roster spots around the NBA, Detroit was one of the few teams with an open 15-man spot and no luxury tax concerns, so we expected that opening to be filled sooner rather than later.

Knox will provide some depth for a club whose roster has been plagued by injuries this fall. Bojan Bogdanovic (calf), Alec Burks (forearm), Joe Harris (shoulder), Jaden Ivey (illness), Isaiah Livers (ankle), and Monte Morris (quad) are all currently on the shelf, while Jalen Duren (ankle) has been in and out of the lineup.

Beyond the fact that it’s a one-year deal, the details of Knox’s agreement with the Pistons have yet to be reported. A non-guaranteed minimum-salary contract is most likely, but we’ll have to wait for confirmation on that.

NBA Considering Making Draft Two-Day Event

November 8th, 2023 at 12:50pm CST by Luke Adams

At a meeting on Wednesday with the league’s general managers, the NBA discussed the possibility of expanding the draft from a single-night event to a two-day affair, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter links).

As Charania explains, the idea has come up more frequently in recent meetings, since team executives believe they would benefit from having more time to make picks in both the first and second rounds.

If the league decides to make a change, it could go into effect as soon as for the 2024 draft, Charania adds.

The annual NBA draft always takes place on a Thursday evening, with teams getting five minutes to make a pick in the first round and then two minutes per selection in the second round. While the second round moves quickly, the event typically wraps up pretty late in the evening. Then, after the draft ends, GMs hold press conferences to discuss their picks, while reports of undrafted free agents reaching contract agreements with NBA teams pour in well past midnight Eastern time.

By contrast, the NFL’s draft takes place across three days, with teams receiving 10 minutes per pick in the first round. Of course, the NFL draft features seven rounds, while the NBA’s is only two.

Still, the NBA likely sees value on multiple levels in extending the event across a second day — besides giving teams more time to consider strategies and to regroup ahead of the second round, it would put the league’s TV partners in better position not to rush their broadcasts, especially in the second round. Two-time MVP Nikola Jokic, for instance, was famously drafted while a Taco Bell commercial aired during ESPN’s broadcast of the 2014 draft.

Heat Hire Udonis Haslem As VP Of Basketball Development

November 7th, 2023 at 1:20pm CST by Luke Adams

Udonis Haslem, who spent 20 years with the Heat as a player, is officially back with the franchise — this time in a front office role. According to Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press, Miami has hired Haslem as the club’s vice president of basketball development.

As Reynolds details, Haslem’s duties will include working with the coaching staff, mentoring players with the Heat and the Sioux Falls Skyforce (Miami’s G League affiliate), and representing the franchise in the community and in business endeavors.

Haslem has spent some time at Heat practices in recent weeks, with a report ahead of opening night indicating that he was expected to receive a formal front office title soon.

During his final years as a player, Haslem repeatedly said that he didn’t have much interest in coaching but that he would like to have a post-retirement role with the Heat in the front office or as a minority stakeholder. While an ownership shares hasn’t materialized so far, Haslem’s new position will keep him involved in the organization for the foreseeable future.

As Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel tweets, Haslem is the latest in a long line of former Heat players to work for the team after retiring. He joins Alonzo Mourning, Shane Battier, Caron Butler, Malik Allen, Wayne Ellington, Glen Rice, and Chris Quinn in that group.

Warriors Sign Gui Santos To Three-Year Deal

November 7th, 2023 at 11:39am CST by Rory Maher

NOVEMBER 7: The Warriors have officially signed Santos, per NBA.com’s transaction log. His contract is worth the minimum across all three seasons, including a prorated $1,029,483 salary for the rest of the 2023/24 season.

Only $75K of that money is guaranteed, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link), who adds that the second and third seasons are non-guaranteed. The deal includes a third-year team option.

NOVEMBER 6: The Warriors are finalizing a three-year contract with 2022 second-round pick Gui Santos, report Adrian Wojnarowski and Ramona Shelburne of ESPN (Twitter link).

Golden State will use the second-round pick exception to sign Santos, notes ESPN’s Bobby Marks (via Twitter). Due to their tax situation, the Warriors can only offer free agents a minimum-salary contract, which can only run for up to two years. Using the second-round exception will allow the Warriors to give Santos a three-year deal.

Santos, 21, was selected No. 55 overall last year. He signed a G League contract with Santa Cruz (Golden State’s affiliate) in 2022/23 and was essentially a draft-and-stash prospect because the Warriors still held his NBA rights.

A 6’8″ forward from Brazil, Santos averaged 12.7 PPG, 6.0 RPG and 2.2 APG on .500/.333/.813 shooting in 26 regular season games with Santa Cruz last season. He had a strong Summer League showing for the Warriors this offseason and also played for the Brazilian national team at the World Cup.

A report at the end of August indicated that Santos was unlikely to play for the Warriors this season, in part because they would have to buy out his contract from Brazilian club Minas. That deal reportedly expires at the end of ’23/24. Evidently there was a change of plans, however, and now Golden State will be giving the young wing a three-year standard contract.

The Warriors only have 13 players on standard contracts after waiving several training camp invitees before the ’23/24 season started. Instead of signing an external free agent, they’ll be adding Santos for their 14th spot, which they were required to fill within 14 days.

Golden State will still have a standard roster opening even after signing Santos, but it seems unlikely that the team will sign a player to fill that 15th spot until later in the season in order to maintain roster and financial flexibility.