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Kawhi Leonard’s Status In Question For Game 1 Vs. Mavs

April 18th, 2024 at 9:12pm CST by Tristan Tucker

Clippers star forward Kawhi Leonard is still batting inflammation in his right knee and he’ll be listed as questionable for Los Angeles’s first game in the playoffs against the Mavericks on Sunday, according to ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk. Previously, coach Tyronn Lue had said he was preparing as if Leonard would be ready to play.

President of basketball operations Lawrence Frank said Leonard hadn’t gone through contact prior to Thursday’s practice but that his knee is “solid and intact” despite “very stubborn” inflammation.

“He’s doing everything,” Frank said of Leonard. “Our medical staff is doing everything to get the inflammation down so he can play. Progress has been made, but more progress needs — the inflammation needs to continue to reduce so he can do functional basketball movements.”

Leonard hasn’t appeared in a game since March 31 while dealing with the injury after averaging 23.7 points and 6.1 rebounds per contest this season. According to Shams Charania and Mark Puleo of The Athletic, the star forward received an injection in the affected knee in early April. It’s not specified whether or not that was a PRP (platelet-rich plasma) injection.

“There is no gamesmanship here and we’re very sensitive of the fact that questions are going to be asked and want to be as transparent as possible,” Frank said. “It’s OK to say what the truth is. It’s unpredictable. We’re hoping it’s trending in the right direction. It’s a very accurate statement. When it gets to a point where he’s able to play, then that’s when he’ll be back on the court.”

According to Frank, Leonard has gone through film study to personnel but hasn’t gone through many contact portions leading up to Thursday. Frank also didn’t go into specifics when asked about the reported injection.

“We would never put Kawhi or anyone on the court if there’s grave risk or there’s risk for future injury,” Frank said. “We’re hopeful that this inflammation will get reduced and he’ll be back on the court as quickly as possible. But you can’t predict something that’s unpredictable.“

Jimmy Butler Suffers MCL Injury

April 18th, 2024 at 3:46pm CST by Arthur Hill

APRIL 18, 3:46pm: Butler has been diagnosed with an MCL sprain and won’t be available for Friday’s play-in game, according to Heat PR (Twitter link). As was reported this morning, he’s expected to be out multiple weeks, sources tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

Rozier has also been ruled out for Friday’s play-in game with his neck injury.

APRIL 18, 8:15am: There’s now an expectation that Butler will be out for multiple weeks, according to Charania (Twitter link). That means he’d likely miss some or all of the first round of the playoffs even if Miami wins on Friday.

APRIL 17: There are concerns that Heat forward Jimmy Butler may have suffered an MCL injury in his right knee, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).

Butler told reporters after tonight’s play-in loss at Philadelphia that he plans to undergo an MRI on Thursday morning to learn the extent of the damage, tweets Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. Butler had a protective sleeve on the knee after the game and said he was having difficulty moving.

The initial diagnosis is a knee sprain, but the MRI will provide more clarity, Chiang adds (Twitter link). Butler needed help walking as he left the arena after tonight’s game (video link from Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports).

Butler played nearly 40 minutes and contributed 19 points, four rebounds, five assists and five steals in Miami’s 105-104 loss, though he shot just 5-of-18 from the field. The Heat will host Chicago in an elimination game Friday night, and Butler’s status appears to be in doubt regardless of the MRI results.

When asked about his knee, Butler responded, “It had me feeling that I couldn’t do too much,” tweets Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel.

Butler fell to the court and grabbed his knee in pain late in the first quarter, Chiang writes in a full story. After Kelly Oubre jumped on a pump fake, he landed on Butler and they both crashed to the floor. Butler remained down for a few minutes and limped to Miami’s bench. He was able to stay in the game, but he continued to limp and occasionally grabbed at the knee.

Although Friday’s contest will be at home, the Heat face a difficult path with the potential of an extended absence for Butler combined with the loss of Terry Rozier, who is sidelined with neck spasms. Friday’s winner will face the top-seeded Celtics in a series that starts Sunday afternoon.

Kentucky’s Reed Sheppard Entering 2024 NBA Draft

April 18th, 2024 at 3:06pm CST by Rory Maher

Kentucky guard Reed Sheppard announced (via Twitter) that he’s entering the 2024 NBA Draft and forgoing his remaining college eligibility.

Sheppard is a projected lottery pick, currently ranked No. 7 on ESPN’s big board.

“I’m going all-in,” Sheppard told ESPN’s Jonathan Givony. “The opportunity I have is great. I’ve gotten really good feedback showing where I can be in the draft. I had an unbelievable year at Kentucky. It was such a fun year. It’s not easy leaving the fans and the school I dreamed of playing at. I need to do what’s best for me, and that’s heading to the NBA.”

As Givony writes, Sheppard was a McDonald’s All-American coming out of high school, but he was not expected to be a one-and-done lottery pick entering his freshman year at Kentucky. That changed after an excellent 2023/24 campaign in which Sheppard averaged 12.5 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 4.5 APG and 2.5 SPG on an elite .536/.521/.831 shooting line in 33 games (28.9 MPG).

According to Givony, Sheppard grabbed the attention of NBA evaluators with his “shooting prowess, play-making acumen, defensive instincts, feel for the game, productivity and never-ending confidence.”

In his player profile, Givony writes that Sheppard doesn’t have an ideal physical profile for an NBA guard and there are questions about how that might translate to the next level. Sheppard also had one of his worst games of the season in Kentucky’s upset loss to Oakland in the first round of the NCAA tournament.

Still, there’s a reason he’s viewed as a lottery pick, as he put up one of the best college shooting seasons from long range for a projected first-rounder since Glen Rice in 1988/89, per Givony.

Pelicans’ Zion Williamson Out At Least Two Weeks With Hamstring Strain

April 17th, 2024 at 1:30pm CST by Luke Adams

1:30pm: After undergoing an MRI, Williamson has been diagnosed with a left hamstring strain, according to the Pelicans (Twitter link). He’ll be reevaluated in approximately two weeks, meaning that he’ll remain sidelined well beyond Friday’s play-in game if New Orleans advances.

12:51pm: Star forward Zion Williamson will be unavailable for the Pelicans when they host the Kings on Friday in the Western Conference’s final play-in game, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link).

Williamson exited Tuesday’s game, a Pelicans loss to the Lakers, with just over three minutes left in the fourth quarter due to an apparent left leg injury. Subsequent reporting suggested Williamson was dealing with a left hamstring ailment, which Wojnarowski confirms.

According to Woj, Williamson will be evaluated again in the “coming weeks.” That wording suggests that the former No. 1 overall pick wouldn’t be available to open round one of the playoffs if New Orleans defeats Sacramento on Friday.

It’s a brutal blow for the Pelicans, who were one win away from securing the No. 6 seed in the West and avoiding the play-in tournament altogether. However, they couldn’t beat the Lakers on Sunday, and that lost forced them to face the Lakers again on Tuesday in the No. 7 vs. 8 play-in game.

Williamson, who was coming off the healthiest season of his five-year NBA career (he started 70 games), had a huge night on Tuesday before injuring his hamstring, racking up 41 points, 11 rebounds, and five assists to keep the Pelicans in the game. It was tied at 95 when he checked out, but Los Angeles pulled out the 110-106 victory.

Tuesday’s game was the first time Williamson had played in the postseason at the NBA level. He missed the team’s two play-in games and first-round series in 2022 and was also on the shelf for its lone play-in game in 2023.

Williamson’s fellow star forward Brandon Ingram returned on Sunday from a left knee bone bruise, but doesn’t appear to be at 100% — he logged just 25 minutes on Tuesday and New Orleans was outscored by 16 points when he was on the court. With Williamson unavailable and Ingram not operating at full strength, the Pelicans are in danger of missing the playoffs entirely for a second straight year.

Jontay Porter Banned From NBA

April 17th, 2024 at 11:20am CST by Luke Adams

Forward/center Jontay Porter, who was on a two-way contract with the Raptors this season, has been banned from the NBA, the league announced today in a press release (via Twitter).

“A league investigation found that Porter violated league rules by disclosing confidential information to sports bettors, limiting his own participation in one or more games for betting purposes, and betting on NBA games,” the league said in a statement.

The NBA began investigating Porter last month due to betting-related irregularities. The Raptors big man exited games early on January 26 and March 20, reportedly due to a re-aggravation of an eye injury and an illness, respectively.

The “unders” on Porter-related prop bets on those days received heavy action at sports books, including DraftKings. Prop bets allow bettors to wager on whether or not individual players will reach certain statistical benchmarks (e.g. points, rebounds, assists, etc.) in a game.

According to the release from the NBA, the league’s investigation turned up the following details, which resulted in Porter’s lifetime ban:

Prior to the March 20 game, Porter disclosed confidential information about his health to someone he knew to be an NBA bettor. Another individual with whom Porter associated and knew to be an NBA bettor subsequently placed an $80K parlay prop bet (to win $1.1MM) at an online sportsbook, wagering on Porter to underperform in that game.
Porter limited his own participation in at least one game to influence the outcome of one or more bets. The league suggests that this occurred in the March 20 game, when Porter claimed he felt ill after playing just three minutes. As a result of the “unusual betting activity and actions of the player,” the $80K prop bet was frozen and wasn’t paid out.
From January through March 2024, while under contract with the Raptors, Porter placed at least 13 bets on NBA games using an associate’s account. Those bets totaled $54,094 and paid out $76,059, resulting in net winnings of $21,965. Although none of those bets involved a game in which Porter played, three of them were multi-game parlays that included a Raptors game. In each case, Porter bet that the Raptors would lose.

According to the NBA, its investigation is ongoing and could result in additional findings. The league had discovered enough to this point to make the decision not to allow Porter to play in the NBA again.

The league also stated that it has shared – and will continue to share – its findings with federal prosecutors.

“There is nothing more important than protecting the integrity of NBA competition for our fans, our teams and everyone associated with our sport, which is why Jontay Porter’s blatant violations of our gaming rules are being met with the most severe punishment,” commissioner Adam Silver said in today’s release. “While legal sports betting creates transparency that helps identify suspicious or abnormal activity, this matter also raises important issues about the sufficiency of the regulatory framework currently in place, including the types of bets offered on our games and players. Working closely with all relevant stakeholders across the industry, we will continue to work diligently to safeguard our league and game.”

Porter, who is the younger brother of Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr., represented a feel-good story when he caught on with the Raptors this season, since he overcame a series of injuries – including a pair of ACL tears – to make it back to the NBA for the first time since 2021.

In 26 games for Toronto this season, including five starts, the 24-year-old averaged 4.4 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.3 assists in 13.8 minutes per night.

As Bobby Marks of ESPN notes (via Twitter), Porter earned $415K this season, pushing his career NBA earnings to approximately $2.8MM. He would have been eligible for restricted free agency this offseason.

Zion Williamson Leaves Pelicans’ Play-In Game With Leg Soreness

April 17th, 2024 at 6:13am CST by Dana Gauruder

APRIL 17: Williamson is believed to have suffered a left hamstring injury, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). The Pelicans star wasn’t walking with a limp when he exited the arena on Tuesday, notes Will Guillory of The Athletic (via Twitter).

APRIL 16: Zion Williamson left the Pelicans’ play-in game against the Lakers during the fourth quarter on Tuesday with what coach Willie Green described as “left leg soreness,” ESPN’s Andrew Lopez tweets. Williamson will undergo an MRI on Wednesday.

The Pelicans lost to the Lakers 110-106 and will need to win on Friday to grab the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference playoffs.

Williamson made a tying basket with 3:19 remaining with a drive into the lane. However, he felt pain in his leg immediately after scoring and had to be removed after that play. The former No. 1 overall pick went to the bench briefly, then slammed a towel onto the floor while retreating to the locker room.

Williamson had played arguably the best game of his career until that point, pouring in 40 points, grabbing 11 rebounds and dishing five assists in 36 minutes.

Williamson, whose career has been marred by injuries, appeared in a career-high 70 games this season. He averaged 22.9 points, 5.8 rebounds and 5.0 assists per night.

Kawhi Leonard Completes Team USA’s Star-Studded Roster For Olympics

April 16th, 2024 at 6:07pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Team USA has completed its selection of an All-Star laden 12-player roster for the 2024 Paris Olympics, Shams Charania and Joe Vardon of The Athletic report (Twitter link). Kawhi Leonard was chosen for the final roster spot, USA Today’s Jeff Zillgitt tweets.

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported on Monday the 11 other selections for the roster. Team USA received a firm commitment from Leonard on Tuesday, Wojnarowski tweets.

Unlike USA Basketball’s FIBA World Cup roster last summer, which lacked size and interior strength, the Olympic roster is filled with quality bigs. Joel Embiid, Bam Adebayo and Anthony Davis will be joined at the power positions by LeBron James and Kevin Durant.

The wings will be manned by Jayson Tatum, Leonard, Devin Booker and Anthony Edwards. Jrue Holiday, Tyrese Haliburton and Stephen Curry round out the backcourt.

Haliburton and Edwards are the only players from the FIBA World Cup roster to make Team USA’s Olympic roster.

Team USA has won the gold medal in each of the last four Summer Olympics.

Potential Lottery Pick Ron Holland To Enter Draft

April 16th, 2024 at 5:06pm CST by Dana Gauruder

G League Ignite wing Ron Holland, a potential lottery selection, will enter the draft, he told ESPN’s Jonathan Givony.

The 6’7” Holland averaged 19.5 points, 6.6 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 2.3 steals per game for the Ignite this season after decommitting from Texas last spring. Holland is currently rated No. 13 overall on ESPN’s Best Available list.

“This season was an opportunity to learn and grow,” Holland said. “Emotionally, all the losing was draining, but it helped me grow mentally learning my role, how to play and letting the game come to me.”

In past years, players who joined the Ignite became automatically draft-eligible after their first season or during the calendar year in which they turned 19, but the NBA’s new Collective Bargaining Agreement tweaked that rule so that those prospects now won’t become draft-eligible until they enter of their own accord or until the calendar year when they turn 22. That’s why Holland has to declare for the draft.

Holland’s stock has slipped a bit, since he rated No. 2 in the ESPN 100 back in 2023. He said he plans on reminding NBA scouts during the pre-draft process why he was so highly touted prior to joining the Ignite, which won only six of 50 games. The Ignite program, which was created to develop prospects, will be disbanded.

“Nothing has changed with me,” Holland said. “I’m still the same competitor who won two gold medals with USA Basketball, won AAU tournaments and state championships, and was on the No. 1 team in high school basketball. I’m going to keep doing what it takes to win games, diving on the floor for loose balls and making 50/50 plays. I can defend every position and [I’ve] improved as a facilitator quite a bit playing with other great players.”

Holland’s season was cut short by a ruptured tendon in his right thumb, forcing him to miss the Ignite’s final 19 games. He said he was cleared for full basketball activities several weeks ago.

Suns Sign Grayson Allen To Four-Year, $70MM Extension

April 16th, 2024 at 1:57pm CST by Arthur Hill

APRIL 16: Allen’s contract extension is official, the Suns announced today in a press release.

“Grayson embodies our values and we are committed to him being a key member of our core as we continue to build together into the future,” Suns president of basketball operations James Jones said in a statement. “He has been outstanding for us this season, leading the league in three-point shooting while providing a versatile skillset and competitive spirit on both ends of the floor. Phoenix has become a home for Grayson and his family, and we are thrilled that they want to be part of this community and our winning culture for years to come.”

“I love being in Phoenix and believe in what we can achieve here,” Allen added in a statement of his own. “Thank you to Mat Ishbia and the organization for embracing me. I’m excited to make a long-term commitment to remain in this community and continue building with this team.”

APRIL 15: Grayson Allen has agreed to a four-year, $70MM extension with the Suns, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. The deal, which includes a player option for the final season, was confirmed to Wojnarowski by Allen’s agents, Mitch Nathan, Aaron Mintz and Steven Heumann of CAA Basketball.

Allen has thrived in his first year in Phoenix, becoming the NBA’s leader in three-point shooting percentage this season at 46.1%. He also reached career highs by averaging 13.4 points, 3.9 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 33.5 minutes per game while making 73 starts.

Wojnarowski notes that the new contract will continue to escalate the Suns’ tax bill, which has exploded since Mat Ishbia bought the team midway through last season. Allen will make $15.6MM next season, pushing the team’s projected payroll to $206MM. That will result in an estimated $104MM in luxury tax payments, which would be the highest figure in the league.

Phoenix is currently projected to exceed the second apron by $16MM in 2024/25, Woj adds, triggering the most severe restrictions under the new Collective Bargaining Agreement. The Suns won’t be permitted to send out cash in trades, aggregate contracts or make use of a preexisting trade exception. They also won’t be able to trade their 2032 first-round pick if they finish next season above the second apron.

Allen had been headed for unrestricted free agency this summer, so the agreement locks up an important part of the Suns’ offense for at least three more seasons. With Phoenix already well above the salary cap, the team would have faced few options for replacing Allen if he had signed elsewhere.

The 28-year-old guard had bounced around the league since being selected by Utah with the 21st pick in the 2018 draft. The Suns were his fourth team in six years when they acquired him last summer as part of the three-team deal that sent Damian Lillard to Milwaukee. Allen had been a starter for the Bucks the past two seasons, but he was able to fully unlock his game on a Phoenix team where he’s surrounded by elite scorers in Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal.

Rockets’ Rafael Stone, Eli Witus Received Contract Extensions

April 16th, 2024 at 12:55pm CST by Luke Adams

Rockets general manager Rafael Stone and assistant GM Eli Witus signed multiyear contract extensions with the franchise earlier this season, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link). The deals were agreed to in January, per Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle (subscription required).

Stone and Witus were promoted to their current basketball operations roles back in 2020 when longtime head of basketball operations Daryl Morey left the Rockets. The revamped front office immediately faced trade requests from veteran stars Russell Westbrook and James Harden and launched a full-fledged rebuild after having made eight consecutive playoff appearances.

That rebuild began to pay dividends this season, as third-year center Alperen Sengun enjoyed a breakout year while third-year guard Jalen Green had a big second half. Other young players, including rookies Amen Thompson and Cam Whitmore, as well as second-year big man Jabari Smith, showed promise in regular roles for Houston.

Additionally, free agent additions like Fred VanVleet and Dillon Brooks fit in well with the Rockets, and new head coach Ime Udoka led the team to a 41-41 record following three straight seasons between 17 and 22 wins.

All of those positive developments were factors in ownership’s decision to extend both Stone and Witus, according to Wojnarowski.

“It became clear that the Rockets had executed our plan to draft and develop young potential cornerstones for the franchise, stabilized the team with veterans that translated to winning games and found our coach for the present and future,” Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta said, per Feigen. “We wanted to show them as well as the public we’re excited with the direction the Rockets were going.”

The Rockets are projected to control at least one lottery pick this June, and Sengun and Green will become extension-eligible in July, so Stone, Witus, and the rest of the front office will have plenty of big decisions to make in the coming months.