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Nets’ Sharpe, Watford Out Multiple Weeks With Hamstring Strains

October 7th, 2024 at 1:11pm CST by Rory Maher

A pair of Nets players sustained left hamstring strains during practices last week, the team announced in a press release (Twitter link via Ian Begley of SNY.tv). According to the Nets, forward Trendon Watford will be reevaluted in two weeks, while center Day’Ron Sharpe will be reexamined in six weeks.

The timing of the injury is very unfortunate for Sharpe, who is eligible for a rookie scale extension until Oct. 21, the day before the NBA’s regular season begins. In addition to missing Brooklyn’s preseason contests, he will also be sidelined for at least 14 regular season games (through Nov. 17), and he’ll likely miss additional time beyond that, even in a best-case scenario.

Sharpe, 22, was the 29th overall pick of the 2021 draft. He appeared in 61 games for the Nets last season, averaging 6.8 points and 6.4 rebounds in 15.1 minutes per contest.

Watford’s injury appears to be far less severe. Assuming things go well in his recovery, he might only miss a few regular season games; two weeks from today is Oct. 21, a couple days before Brooklyn’s regular season opener vs. Atlanta.

If Sharpe doesn’t sign an extension in the next couple weeks, he’ll be eligible for restricted free agency next summer, while Watford will be an unrestricted free agent.

Starting center Nic Claxton is also dealing with hamstring soreness and will miss Tuesday’s preseason opener vs. the Clippers, though the injury is considered relatively minor.

With Sharpe and Watford sidelined, second-year big man Noah Clowney seems primed to earn significant rotation minutes. The 20-year-old has been one of Brooklyn’s standouts during training camp, per Brian Lewis of The New York Post.

“Noah, he’s getting better, man. He’s getting real good,” veteran forward Dorian Finney-Smith gushed of Clowney. “He’s getting real good. You know, the game is slowing down for him. That tends to happen in your second year after you get some bump. He’s shooting the ball a lot more, and with a lot more confidence. So, again, he’s going to have a great year. He’s been getting better all summer.”

P.J. Tucker Away From Clippers Indefinitely

October 6th, 2024 at 2:31pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

The Clippers and P.J. Tucker have mutually agreed that the veteran forward will remain away from the team indefinitely, per Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).

According to Marc J. Spears of Andscape (via Twitter), L.A. is working with Tucker’s agent to try find a new situation for the former NBA champ.

“We’ve had ongoing conversations with P.J. throughout the offseason and have both decided that he won’t be with the team for the time being,” the Clippers said in a statement, first shared by Spears. “P.J. is a pro who has achieved a lot in his career and there’s more he wants to accomplish. We will continue working with P.J. and his representative to find the best situation for him moving forward.”

It sounds like the two sides will try to find a trade involving Tucker’s expiring $11.54MM contract, but given his recent production, a buyout may be the inevitable outcome.

As Law Murray of The Athletic notes (via Twitter), Tucker – who was a healthy scratch during the Clippers’ Saturday preseason bout against the Warriors – was the lone L.A. player to not attend the team’s media day festivities last Monday.

The 6’5″ combo forward had an effective run as a venerated three-and-D role player on playoff teams in Houston, Miami and Milwaukee. Tucker won his lone NBA championship to date as a member of the Bucks in 2021 — a trade deadline addition that year, he came off the bench down the stretch for Milwaukee, then was elevated to the starting lineup during the team’s postseason title run.

The Texas alum was traded to the Clippers from the Sixers early in the 2023/24 season as part of the deal that also landed James Harden in Los Angeles. Tucker subsequently had his least productive season since his rookie year in 2006/07, serving as a fringe rotation player in L.A. and appearing in just 28 games for the team, including none for nearly three months from late November to late February.

Tucker spent some time away from the Clippers last season after word broke that he was unhappy with his situation in L.A. He was fined by the NBA in February for publicly expressing a desire to be traded. While there was a sense after he exercised his player option for 2024/25 in June that the Clippers might part ways with Tucker over the offseason, reporting in August indicated he was likely to open the season with the team.

Tucker, 39, averaged a career-worst 1.7 points per game in 31 total appearances for the Sixers and Clippers, adding 2.7 rebounds, 0.5 assists, and 0.5 steals in 15.7 minutes per contest. However, as a deep-bench piece on a more favorable contract, the aging pro could still add value to a contending franchise as a versatile frontcourt defender.

Even during his most prolific offensive season, 2013/14 with the Suns, Tucker averaged a fairly modest 9.4 points on .431/.387/.776 shooting, along with 6.5 boards, 1.7 assists and 1.4 steals per game. He finished 12th in Defensive Player of the Year voting that season.

Orlando Robinson To Miss At Least Four Weeks With MCL Sprain

October 5th, 2024 at 4:20pm CST by Arthur Hill

A sprained MCL will keep Kings center Orlando Robinson out of action for at least four weeks, tweets Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee. Robinson injured his left knee at Thursday’s practice and will be reevaluated early next month, adds James Ham of Kings Beat (Twitter link).

The 24-year-old big man signed with Sacramento in August after a strong performance with Houston’s Summer League team. He spent his first two NBA seasons with Miami and averaged 2.8 points and 2.3 rebounds in 36 games in 2023/24.

Robinson has a one-year contract valued at $2.09MM, but it won’t become fully guaranteed until the league-wide guarantee date of January 7. He holds a partial guarantee of $500K, so it wouldn’t be a major expense to the Kings if he doesn’t make the roster, though Sacramento doesn’t have a ton of wiggle room below the luxury tax line. The team currently has 12 players with fully guaranteed deals, and all three two-way slots are filled.

If he does make the team, Robinson will have to battle for playing time in Sacramento’s crowded frontcourt. Domantas Sabonis is the starting center, and Alex Len serves as the primary backup.

Shaedon Sharpe To Miss 4-6 Weeks With Shoulder Injury

October 5th, 2024 at 3:07pm CST by Arthur Hill

Shooting guard Shaedon Sharpe has suffered a small posterior labral tear in his left shoulder and will likely be sidelined four to six weeks, the Trail Blazers announced (via Twitter). Sharpe underwent an MRI this week that confirmed the injury.

It’s a frustrating way to start the season for Portland, which is counting on the 21-year-old to be one of the cornerstones of its youth movement. Sharpe underwent core muscle surgery last season and was limited to 32 games, averaging 15.9 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.9 assists in 33.1 minutes per night.

He was fully recovered by summer and was able to take part in a pre-Olympic camp with Team Canada. He also played in an August pro-am game in Vancouver.

After being selected with the seventh pick in the 2022 draft, Sharpe showed flashed of stardom in his first season as the Blazers began moving toward a younger roster. He’ll be eligible for a rookie scale extension next summer, so it would benefit him to have a healthy season.

A four-week absence would have Sharpe back in the lineup by November 2, which means he would only miss six games. If the injury keeps him out the full six weeks, he’ll be sidelined for an additional seven games.

Dante Exum Injures Right Wrist; Surgery Possible

October 4th, 2024 at 4:40pm CST by Luke Adams

Reserve Mavericks guard Dante Exum has sustained a “serious” injury to his right wrist, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). Sources tell Charania that various treatment options are under consideration for Exum, with surgery viewed as one possibility.

The Mavericks confirmed the injury in a statement of their own, but offered no additional details, simply stating that Exum has injured his right wrist and will continue to be evaluated, with updates to come (Twitter link).

It’s a disappointing setback for Exum, who dealt with an injury affecting his right index finger over the summer. A compound dislocation of that finger sidelined the veteran guard for Australia’s first contest in the Paris Olympics, though he was able to suit up for the team’s remaining three games and was a key contributor for the Boomers, with averages of 11.0 points and 4.0 assists per game.

Exum told reporters earlier this week that he was “fully healthy” after getting nearly two months to recover from that injury. Now it appears he’ll open the 2024/25 season on the shelf.

Exum, 29, was the fifth overall pick in the 2014 draft, but battled health issues early in his NBA career and struggled to become a reliable rotation piece. He spent two seasons overseas from 2021-23 and earned another shot in the NBA with strong performances for FC Barcelona in Spain and KK Partizan in Serbia.

The 6’5″ guard signed a two-year contract with the Mavericks during the 2023 offseason and played a regular role for the Western Conference champions last season, averaging 7.8 PPG and 2.9 APG with a .533/.491/.779 shooting line and strong defense in 55 games (19.8 MPG).

If Exum has to miss time this fall, it could result in additional opportunities for Spencer Dinwiddie, Quentin Grimes, and/or Jaden Hardy.

Robert Williams Out At Least Two Weeks With Hamstring Strain

October 4th, 2024 at 2:51pm CST by Rory Maher

Center Robert Williams has been diagnosed with a grade 1 left hamstring strain, the Trail Blazers announced in a press release (Twitter link). The 26-year-old big man will be reevaluated in about two weeks, per the team.

It’s a disappointing development for Williams, who has been plagued by injuries over the course of his NBA career, having played more than 35 regular season games just twice in six years. However, he has made a significant on-court impact when healthy, earning a spot on the All-Defensive Second Team in Boston in 2022.

After undergoing knee surgery last fall that ended his season early and limited him to just six appearances in 2023/24, Williams had been taking part in five-on-five scrimmages in recent weeks and expected to be ready for the start of the ’24/25 season. He was a full practice participant on Tuesday but evidently that’s when the hamstring injury occurred, as he sat out Wednesday’s practice with soreness.

Williams’ latest injury means he will be sidelined for the rest of training camp and will almost certainly miss Portland’s three preseason games as well, with the finale set for Oct. 18, exactly two weeks from today. Ordinarily that wouldn’t be a big story, since the regular season is what really matters, but Williams hasn’t played in a game in 11 months, and soft-tissue injuries can be problematic even in best-case scenarios.

What’s less clear is if Williams’ absence will extend into the ’24/25 regular season. The Blazers’ season opener is on Oct. 23, with six additional games running through Nov. 2, approximately four weeks from now. The team will likely want to err on the side of caution after how much time he’s missed the past couple seasons.

If Williams does miss some regular season games, rookie lottery pick Donovan Clingan is the most obvious candidate to receive backup center minutes behind Deandre Ayton. Big man Duop Reath is also in that mix.

The 27th overall pick of the 2018 draft, Williams is under contract for two more seasons. He’ll make $12.4MM in ’24/25, followed by $13.3MM in ’25/26 before hitting free agency.

Knicks Hire Patrick Ewing As Basketball Ambassador

October 4th, 2024 at 9:25am CST by Rory Maher

The Knicks have hired Patrick Ewing as a basketball ambassador (Twitter link), a new position in which the Hall of Famer will assist both the basketball and business operations departments. ESPN’s Malika Andrews and Chris Herring were first to report the news.

“As I said the day my number 33 jersey lifted into the rafters at MSG, I will always be a Knick and I will always be a New Yorker,” Ewing said. “I can’t wait to get started in this new position and to officially be back with the organization I love so much. The Garden has always been my home and I’m looking forward to working with (president of basketball operations) Leon Rose, Coach (Tom) Thibodeau, the team and everyone else that makes this place so special.”

Sources tell ESPN that Ewing will work directly with Thibodeau and the front office in his new role.

A franchise legend, Ewing was selected by the Knicks with the No. 1 overall pick of the 1985 draft. He made 11 All-Star appearances, seven All-NBA teams, and earned three All-Defensive nods during his 15 seasons with New York and is the team’s all-time leading scorer.

The Knicks made two trips to the NBA Finals with Ewing, losing on both occasions (to the Rockets and Spurs, respectively).

As Herring writes, Ewing was a longtime NBA assistant coach following his playing career and was head coach at his alma mater, Georgetown, prior to being fired last year. He most recently served as a coaching consultant with the Hornets.

Ewing, who won two gold medals (in 1984 and 1992) with Team USA, was also named an assistant coach for USA Basketball ahead of the AmeriCup qualifiers in November and February, per a press release. Former Rockets coach Stephen Silas will serve as head coach for the qualifiers, while veteran NBA coach Keith Smart will be another assistant on Silas’ staff.

Pelicans’ Trey Murphy Out At Least 3 Weeks With Hamstring Strain

October 3rd, 2024 at 3:50pm CST by Rory Maher

Pelicans wing Trey Murphy sustained a right hamstring strain during Wednesday’s practice, the team announced (via Twitter). An MRI on Thursday confirmed the injury, and Murphy will be reevaluated in approximately three weeks.

The timing of the injury is certainly unfortunate for Murphy, who is eligible for a rookie scale extension until Oct. 21, the day before the 2024/25 regular season begins. It’s obviously discouraging news for New Orleans as well, which will be without one of its best shooters for the rest of training camp and preseason.

It seems likely that Murphy will miss some regular season games as a result of the injury. Soft-tissue injuries are notoriously tricky to manage, and Murphy will be reexamined in three weeks; that doesn’t mean he’ll be ready to play at that point. Three weeks from today is Oct. 24, and the Pelicans season-opener is Oct. 23 vs. Chicago. They also have five more games at the end of October.

Murphy, 24, was the No. 17 pick of the 2021 draft. The start of his ’23/24 season was delayed by knee surgery, which caused him to miss the team’s first 19 games. Overall, he averaged 14.8 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 2.2 APG and 0.9 SPG on .443/.380/.815 shooting in 57 regular season games last season (29.6 MPG).

Murphy will make $5.16MM in ’24/25, which is the final season of his rookie scale contract. If he doesn’t sign an extension this fall, he will be eligible for restricted free agency next summer.

Frank Vogel Joins Mavericks As Coaching Consultant

October 2nd, 2024 at 2:47pm CST by Luke Adams

After being fired by the Suns in the spring, Frank Vogel is working with the Mavericks as a coaching consultant, head coach Jason Kidd said today, according to Marc Stein (Twitter link). Kidd referred to Vogel as “part of our coaching staff.”

“It took a lot of begging,” the Mavs’ head coach joked, “but he was talked into it and I’m happy he said yes.”

It’s a reversal of roles for Kidd and Vogel, who previously worked together in Los Angeles. Kidd was an assistant on Vogel’s staff with the Lakers for two years from 2019-21 before accepting Dallas’ job three years ago. The two men won a title together with the Lakers in 2020.

Vogel still had four seasons left on the five-year contract worth a reported $31MM that he received from Phoenix in 2023, so he’s still getting pay checks from the Suns and didn’t have to rush into another job. Still, consulting for the Mavs will give him a chance to work with a colleague he’s comfortable with and to have a role with the reigning Western Conference champions.

In addition to having coached the Suns and Lakers, Vogel also had previous head coaching stints in Orlando and Indiana. Before that, he worked as an assistant for the Pacers, Sixers, and Celtics.

Knicks Officially Acquire Karl-Anthony Towns In Three-Team Trade With Wolves, Hornets

October 2nd, 2024 at 1:56pm CST by Luke Adams

The Karl-Anthony Towns blockbuster involving the Knicks, Timberwolves, and Hornets is now official, according to press releases from each of the three teams involved in the deal.

Word first broke last Friday night that an agreement had been reached, with more details reported on Tuesday. The full terms of the trade are as follows:

Knicks acquire Towns and the draft rights to James Nnaji.
Timberwolves acquire Julius Randle, Donte DiVincenzo, Keita Bates-Diop, and the Pistons’ 2025 first-round pick (top-13 protected; from Knicks).
Hornets acquire DaQuan Jeffries (sign-and-trade), Charlie Brown Jr. (sign-and-trade), Duane Washington (sign-and-trade), either the Nuggets’ or Sixers’ 2025 second-round pick (whichever is least favorable; from Timberwolves), the Warriors’ 2026 second-round pick (from Knicks), the Knicks’ 2031 second-round pick, and cash ($7.2MM; from Knicks).

“We are beyond excited to welcome Karl-Anthony Towns to the New York Knicks family,” Knicks president of basketball operations Leon Rose said in a statement. “Karl-Anthony brings a skillset that is unique to the game of basketball. He possesses a blend of playmaking, shooting, rebounding and defending that in combination with his size allows him to compete at a level that is rare in this league. Karl-Anthony has demonstrated throughout his career to be a high caliber player and person on and off the court who will complement the type of team and culture we continue to build in New York.”

Minnesota waived camp invitee Jaedon LeDee in order to accommodate the one-for-three swap, while Charlotte cut guards Marcus Garrett and guard Caleb McConnell to make room on its roster for the three incoming players.

Both the Wolves and Hornets are now at their 21-man preseason limits, while the Knicks have five open spots on their 21-man squad. They’ll reportedly fill one of those spots by re-signing Chuma Okeke.

Our original report on the trade includes more details on the on-court implications of the move for the Knicks and Timberwolves. We also discussed how it will affect New York’s ability to fill out the rest of its regular season roster.

Here are a few more additional notes on the transaction:

Randle received his full 15% trade bonus as part of the transaction, confirms ESPN’s Bobby Marks (via Twitter). That bumps the forward’s cap hit for 2024/25 from $28,939,680 to $33,073,920. The cap charge for Randle’s ’25/26 player option ($30,935,520) remains unchanged, since the trade bonus doesn’t affect option years.
Towns also had a trade kicker in his contract, but it’s voided because he’s already earning his maximum salary, Marks adds (via Twitter).
The three players the Knicks signed-and-traded to the Hornets will each earn exactly $1 more than their respective minimum salaries, per Marks. That works out to $2,425,404 for Jeffries, $2,237,692 for Brown, and $2,162,607 for Washington. Teams aren’t permitted to aggregate multiple minimum-salary contracts for matching purposes in offseason trades, and since Bates-Diop is on a minimum deal, Jeffries, Brown, and Washington couldn’t be. Fred Katz of The Athletic (Twitter link) has heard that the NBA “isn’t thrilled” about the way in which the Knicks circumvented that rule, but it’s technically legal.
The Hornets used their $7,983,000 room exception to accommodate those three incoming salaries, becoming the first team to take advantage of the new rule allowing clubs to use their non-taxpayer mid-level exception, room exception, or bi-annual exception to acquire a player via trade. Charlotte now has just $1,157,297 left on that exception.
The Timberwolves will create a $4,686,880 trade exception in the deal, which they’d be allowed to use this season despite being a second-apron team. Teams operating above either tax apron are prohibited from using trade exceptions that were generated during the previous season, but can use newly created TPEs.
Because they sent approximately $7.2MM to the Hornets in the deal, were responsible for paying Randle’s $4.13MM trade bonus, and will reportedly pay Partizan Belgrade an estimated $850K for Washington’s buyout, the Knicks are on the hook for more than $12MM in cash, separate from player salaries, as a result of the deal.