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Bucks’ Thanasis Antetokounmpo Undergoing MRI On Adductor

August 28th, 2023 at 12:36pm CST by Rory Maher

Bucks forward Thanasis Antetokounmpo, who is currently competing for the Greek national team at the 2023 World Cup, is undergoing an MRI on his left adductor after experiencing discomfort in Greece’s loss to Team USA, reports Harris Stavrou of Sport24.gr (via Twitter).

Antetkounmpo is averaging 5.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.5 steals in 20.3 minutes through two games at the World Cup. Despite losing to the Americans on Monday, Greece still has a shot at advancing out of Group C — the team will face New Zealand to determine who makes it to the second round.

The 31-year-old has spent the past four seasons with the Bucks and re-signed with Milwaukee in free agency, agreeing to a one-year, minimum-salary deal that’s fully guaranteed. He hasn’t received much playing time over that span, which is why he considered signing with the Knicks this summer, but he ultimately decided to stay in Milwaukee.

Antetkounmpo recently told Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews.com that he would represent Greece in international competition whenever he was able to.

“This court, for me, is sacred,” he said. “When I step on the court, I play to win, I play to the best of my abilities, and whatever I have to give, I give. And certainly, I enjoy it. I enjoy this feeling in my heart.”

The Greek national team is already shorthanded, as Thanasis’ younger brother, two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, is out for the World Cup after undergoing minor knee surgery in June.

Lonzo Ball: “I’m Going To Play Again”

August 27th, 2023 at 10:31am CST by Arthur Hill

Lonzo Ball made his strongest comments about his NBA future on Saturday, vowing that he’ll overcome his knee issues and eventually return to the league, writes K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. The Bulls guard was at Invest Fest in Atlanta to promote Big Baller Brand, but he also addressed the injury that will cause him to miss another full season.

“Life is not easy,” Ball told the gathering. “If you want to get the most out of it, you gotta put your best foot forward. If you’re going to get knocked down, you gotta get back up every time if you want to keep going. You can always quit and take the easy way out and pout and go to the side. But for me, if you’re trying to get to a place where I want to get to, you just gotta get back up, dust off and keep going. I’m going to play again.”

Ball sat out all of last season because of the knee and hasn’t played since midway through 2021/22. He underwent cartilage transplant surgery in March, and he and the team have said that he won’t be available for at least another year.

Chicago received a $10.23MM disabled player exception for Ball, but Johnson points out that it will be difficult for the team to use it. The Bulls are already close to the $165.3MM tax threshold, with Carlik Jones and Terry Taylor both holding non-guaranteed contracts. The team can’t exceed its $172.3MM hard cap.

Ball will make $20.5MM this season, and he has a $21.4MM player option for 2024/25. That decision is due by late June, but it’s virtually certain that he’ll pick it up considering his physical condition.

Also at Invest Fest, Ball addressed his dispute this week with ESPN host Stephen A. Smith. After Ball said on Trae Young‘s podcast that he expects to play again, Smith claimed that Ball isn’t even able to get out of a chair.

“The outside noise doesn’t bother me,” Ball said. “The Stephen A. thing, he has a wide platform. And to me, I just don’t appreciate when people put out fake news like that, especially someone of his stature that can touch a lot of people. For me, I know what I gotta do to get back. And I’m just on a path doing what I gotta do every day, taking it step-by-step. I don’t look too far ahead. I know in my near future that I will be back on the court for sure.”

Overtime Elite Building Off Success Of Thompson Twins

August 26th, 2023 at 9:37pm CST by Arthur Hill

The success of the Thompson twins has brought a lot of exposure to Overtime Elite, commissioner Damien Wilkins tells Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe.

Amen Thompson, who was selected fourth in this year’s draft by the Rockets, and Ausar Thompson, who went fifth to the Pistons, were looking for an alternative route to the NBA when they joined the new league two years ago. Wilkins says the twins were “great for business” and generated increased interest in the league, but he doesn’t promise all his prospects that playing for Overtime Elite will get them drafted.

“A lot of what we do here is showing them and being honest with them and not just validating what they think they are but actually being honest with them,” he said. ” We don’t promise them a pro path. What we promise is we are going to help them be better every single day. If you lean into the program that we’re giving you, you’re going to leave here a successful person. Now what that looks like now for you, it may not involve professional basketball.”

Based in Atlanta, the league provides another option for players to develop their skills apart from college basketball. They have access to top-notch training facilities to work on their games, along with academic help.

Wilkins, who had a long pro career after going undrafted in 2004, played two years at North Carolina State and two more at Georgia. He considers the environment for young athletes to be much better than it was 20 years ago.

“The biggest difference is just options. We were limited when I was coming up. We didn’t have anything like this,” Wilkins said. “We certainly didn’t have NIL. We didn’t even have social media. It was one thing and no matter how good we were or how hard we played, we weren’t profiting off of that at all. We might get a couple of pairs of shoes here and there but for the most part, anything more than that was an extra benefit that could take away your eligibility, now you see guys driving cars that people dreamed of having, going places, making tons of money in this space legally, appearing on platforms that just weren’t around or didn’t exist.”

Since the draft, Wilkins has heard from a lot more parents who want to explore what Overtime Elite can offer their sons. He calls it a “gift and a curse,” noting that there are few prospects with the natural talent of Amen and Ausar. Expectations will continue to rise with an upcoming Amazon documentary on the Thompsons and how they developed through the OTE program.

Wilkins has also heard the doubters who wonder how much Overtime Elite really helped the Thompson twins, so he and his staff are “super competitive” about proving they can produce more high-level prospects.

“We had to lace up our boots after the draft,” Wilkins said. “Can we do this again? Do we have enough (players) in the (program) to keep people coming back to us? We believe now that we do and we believe we can. Twelve pros in two years, that’s not bad so far. We understand we have a lot of work to do ahead of us, but I love where we’re trending.”

Latest On Bronny James

August 25th, 2023 at 6:59pm CST by Rory Maher

Bronny James, an incoming USC freshman, suffered cardiac arrest at the end of July. He was discharged from the hospital less than 48 hours later — an encouraging sign after such a major health scare.

Following consultations with heart specialists, the “probable cause” of the sudden cardiac arrest has been identified as an “anatomically and functionally significant” congenital heart defect, which is treatable, according to a family spokesperson (Twitter link via Shams Charania of The Athletic).

The family is “very confident” James will fully recover from the incident, with a return to the court possibly coming in the “very near future.”

Obviously, that’s terrific news for James, his family, and his future — both on and off the court. The McDonald’s All-American guard is a potential 2024 first-round pick, going No. 17 overall in ESPN’s mock draft back in June.

Lakers superstar LeBron James, Bronny’s father, has spoken repeatedly about wanting to play with his son at the NBA level. With a positive prognosis, perhaps that could still be in the cards down the line. We at Hoops Rumors wish Bronny well as he continues to recover.

Franz Wagner Expected To Undergo MRI On Ankle

August 25th, 2023 at 10:26am CST by Luke Adams

Germany got off to a strong start in the 2023 World Cup on Friday, defeating Japan by a score of 81-63. However, the victory was marred to some extent by an injury to Magic forward Franz Wagner, who didn’t finish the game after turning his ankle.

Speaking after the game to reporters, Germany head coach Gordon Herbert said that it “looks like a slight sprained ankle” for Wagner, according to Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel (Twitter link).

“We’ll know more after an MRI,” Herbert added, suggesting that Wagner’s ankle will undergo further testing before Germany’s next group-play game on Sunday vs. Australia.

If Wagner has a mild ankle sprain, as Herbert speculated, it shouldn’t have any impact on his availability for the Magic this fall. There are still several weeks until training camp, giving the former eighth overall pick plenty of time to recover.

However, it’s possible the ankle injury will affect Wagner’s availability for the German national team in the next few days. While Friday’s victory over Japan was a good start, Germany is in a tough group and will almost certainly need at least one more win in the first round – over either Australia on Sunday or Finland on Tuesday – to advance to the round of 16. Obviously, the Germans would like to have Wagner on the court for those games, if possible.

Wagner, who will turn 22 on Sunday, averaged 18.6 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 3.5 assists in 32.6 minutes per game across 80 appearances in 2022/23 for the Magic. He’s entering the third year of his rookie scale contract and will become extension-eligible during the 2024 offseason.

Giannis On Future With Bucks, Career Goals, More

August 24th, 2023 at 5:31pm CST by Rory Maher

Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo recently sat down for an honest, insightful interview with Tania Ganguli of The New York Times, which is worth reading in full for any NBA fan.

As Ganguli writes, the two-time MVP is eligible for a three-year extension in a few weeks, worth a projected $173MM. However, Antetokounmpo has no intention of inking a new deal before the 2023/24 season starts — as he notes, he could make more money if he waits until next offseason, but that certainly doesn’t sound like a lock, either.

“The real question’s not going to be this year — numbers wise it doesn’t make sense,” Antetokounmpo said. “But next year, next summer it would make more sense for both parties. Even then, I don’t know. … I would not be the best version of myself if I don’t know that everybody’s on the same page, everybody’s going for a championship, everybody’s going to sacrifice time away from their family like I do. And if I don’t feel that, I’m not signing.”

The 28-year-old is technically under contract through ’25/26, but that final season is a player option. He will make a guaranteed $94.4MM over the next two seasons, and could hit free agency in 2025.

Interestingly, Antetokounmpo says he considered walking away from basketball during the ’20/21 campaign. He had lost his joy for the game, according to Ganguli, but rediscovered it with the help of his older brother and teammate, Thanasis Antetokounmpo, as well as the assistance of a sports psychologist. The season culminated in Milwaukee’s second NBA championship, 50 years removed from the first.

“I think it’s the best feeling that I’ve felt so far in basketball,” Giannis told Ganguli.

In an ideal world, the seven-time All-NBA big man would like to spend his entire career with the Bucks. He has a goal of playing 20 seasons, and he’s halfway there.

“But at the end of the day, being a winner, it’s over that goal,” Antetokounmpo said. “Winning a championship comes first. I don’t want to be 20 years on the same team and don’t win another championship.”

Damian Lillard Confirms Trade Request, Yearns For Title

August 24th, 2023 at 12:45pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Damian Lillard confirms he has asked to be traded but avoided questions regarding the Trail Blazers and its management team in an interview with Andscape’s Marc J. Spears.

Loyal to the organization since he entered the league in 2012, Lillard finally grew weary of the franchise’s direction and requested a trade, which became public on July 1. Shortly thereafter, Lillard’s desire to be traded to the Heat became general knowledge.

“I can say that there was [a trade request] and I would just prefer not to speak on the Trail Blazers,” he told Spears.

Lillard hoped that the Blazers would add several impactful veterans to the bench, according to Spears. Lillard’s request came at the start of free agency, after Portland had declined offers for the No. 3 pick in the draft and used it on Scoot Henderson, another point guard.

Lillard wouldn’t budge when asked what motivated him to be dealt.

“I’m not going to speak on the Blazers. It’s lot of love and respect, but I won’t speak on the Blazers,” Lillard said.

It remains to be seen what Lillard would do if he’s not traded before training camp. The guard’s friends and confidants have advised him to sit back and let the process play out.

“The best word of advice is just that, ‘Everything will come to pass,’” Lillard said. “When you in a little bit of a storm, a lot is going on and you’re being talked about, you get a little bit antsy and you feel like you got to react to stuff sometimes, but I know me. I know the type of principle I stand on. I know that I’ve been solid in everything that I’ve done every step of the way.”

The NBA fined James Harden $100K this week for “indicating that he would not perform the services called for under his player contract unless traded to another team.” Lillard hasn’t gone that far, but the Collective Bargaining Agreement gives the league the latitude to fine a player up to $150K for making a trade request public.

Of course, that would be a proverbial drop in the bucket for a player who will make $45.64MM next season and nearly $48.8MM in 2024/25 before his two-year, $121.8MM extension kicks in.

What’s paramount for Lillard at this stage of his career is to get a ring.

“I would say the desire for that now is as high as it’s probably going to be. That’s literally the thing at the top of my list,” he said about winning a title. “When I wake up and I got to get up and go do what I got to do, I got to train, I got to make time for my kids, I still got to lift, I got to do all these things and I got to make sure that training and the preparation is still my priority. Even with being a father of three now, not one, and having all these other responsibilities, you need something that you feel pretty strong about to stay committed the way I’ve been committed. It’s as high as it’s going to get. That’s ultimately what I want to experience and that’s what I want to get done.”

Celtics Hold Workout With Glenn Robinson III

August 24th, 2023 at 9:37am CST by Arthur Hill

Free agent Glenn Robinson III recently worked out for the Celtics, sources tell Ian Begley of SNY.tv (Twitter link).

The 29-year-old swingman hasn’t played professionally since being waived by the Kings in February of 2021. He also had a workout scheduled with the Warriors this month as he tries to return to the NBA.

Boston has at least two open roster spots and is conducting an extensive search to fill them. Reports on Tuesday stated that T.J. Warren, Lamar Stevens and Louis King are set to work out for the team, which appears to be targeting veteran wings.

The Celtics currently have 11 fully guaranteed contracts, the fewest in the league, with Dalano Banton holding a partial guarantee and Luke Kornet on a non-guaranteed deal. There’s plenty of flexibility to add any players who make a positive impression during workouts, and bringing back veteran big man Blake Griffin may be a possibility as well.

Robinson played for six teams during his seven years in the NBA. An accomplished three-point shooter at 37.3% for his career, he appeared in 304 total games with averages of 5.9 points and 2.6 rebounds per night.

Montrezl Harrell Undergoes Knee Surgery

August 23rd, 2023 at 5:26pm CST by Arthur Hill

Sixers big man Montrezl Harrell had successful surgery on his right knee, tweets Tim Bontemps of ESPN. Harrell suffered a torn ACL and a medial meniscus tear earlier this summer.

Philadelphia has opted to keep Harrell on its roster even though the minimum-salary contract he signed in July only covers one year. The team has a surplus of centers with Mohamed Bamba, Paul Reed and Filip Petrusev all capable of backing up Joel Embiid.

Because he was a free agent this summer, Harrell won’t become eligible to be traded until December 15. He gave up his right to veto a trade when he re-signed with the Sixers.

Harrell, 29, originally came to Philadelphia as a free agent last summer, signing a two-year deal with a player option. He re-signed in mid-July after turning down the option and testing the free agent market.

Harrell appeared in 57 games during his first season with the Sixers, averaging 5.6 points and 2.8 rebounds in 11.9 minutes per night. An offseason coaching change and the presence of so many other big men on the roster left him with an uncertain role for the upcoming season even before the knee injury.

It often takes players a year or more to recover from an ACL tear, so it’s possible that Harrell will miss the entire season before becoming a free agent again next summer.

Celtics To Work Out T.J. Warren, Lamar Stevens

August 22nd, 2023 at 7:36pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Celtics will work out free agent forwards T.J. Warren and Lamar Stevens this week in Boston, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (video link).

Boston has 11 players with guaranteed contracts and two others with partial guarantees, so it has the roster space to make an addition or two if Warren and/or Stevens make a favorable impression.

The Celtics will also take a look at free agent wing Louis King, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype tweets.

Warren, 29, appeared in a combined 42 games with Brooklyn and Phoenix last season, all as a reserve. He also came off the bench for the Suns in six postseason contests. He appeared in just four games the previous two seasons due to foot injuries.

Warren, who signed a one-year, veteran’s minimum deal with the Nets last summer, was a consistent scorer for Phoenix and Indiana earlier in his career. He has averaged 14.6 points in 27.4 minutes per game in 374 career regular season contests.

Stevens was waived last month by the Spurs. The 26-year-old’s contract for 2023/24 was partially guaranteed at $400K and San Antonio cut him loose before his full $1.93MM salary becomes guaranteed. He had been sent to the Spurs by Cleveland as part of the Max Strus sign-and-trade.

The combo forward went undrafted in 2020 after four college seasons at Penn State, later signing a two-way deal with the Cavaliers. He was promoted to a multiyear standard contract in April 2021, the end of his rookie season.

Overall, Stevens averaged 5.3 points and 2.8 rebounds in three seasons with the Cavs (165 games, 16.0 MPG).

King, 24, was on a two-way contract with the Sixers for most of last season but appeared in only one NBA game. He became an unrestricted free agent when Philadelphia didn’t give him a qualifying offer.