Newsstand Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Trae Young Could Return As Soon As Wednesday

April 10th, 2024 at 9:27am CST by Luke Adams

Trae Young is nearing a return to action, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, who reports (via Twitter) that the Hawks‘ star guard could play as soon as Wednesday vs. Charlotte.

The team announced earlier this week that Young, who underwent left hand surgery in February after tearing a ligament in his finger, had been cleared for practice and contact, so Wojnarowski’s report doesn’t come as a major surprise.

It sounds like Atlanta’s goal will be to get Young back on the court for at least a couple games before the team’s play-in matchup vs. Chicago next week. After tonight’s contest vs. the Hornets, the Hawks will wrap up their regular season schedule by visiting Minnesota on Friday and Indiana on Sunday.

Although they’re locked into the No. 9 vs. 10 play-in game, the Hawks could gain home court advantage for that win-or-go-home showdown with a strong finish. They’re currently one game back of Chicago in the standings, though the Bulls hold the tiebreaker.

The Hawks won 12 of their first 20 games after Young went down in February, but are currently in the midst of a three-game losing streak and will welcome the return of their leading scorer. An All-Star this season for the third time in his career, Young has averaged 26.4 points and a career-high 10.8 assists in 51 games (36.5 MPG), with a shooting line of .426/.371/.856.

Kentucky’s Rob Dillingham Declares For 2024 NBA Draft

April 9th, 2024 at 3:01pm CST by Luke Adams

Following his freshman season at Kentucky, guard Rob Dillingham told Malika Andrews of ESPN on NBA Today this afternoon that he’ll declare for the 2024 NBA draft and go pro. As Jonathan Givony of ESPN relays, Dillingham said he has hired Klutch Sports for representation.

Dillingham came off the bench for the Wildcats in 2023/24, but put up big numbers in a somewhat limited role, averaging 15.2 points and 3.9 assists in just 23.3 minutes per game across 32 appearances. He also posted an impressive .475/.444/.796 shooting line.

Dillingham was named the SEC’s Sixth Man of the Year and earned a spot on the All-SEC second team as he raised his draft stock significantly over the course of his freshman year. Givony cites the 19-year-old’s “open-court explosiveness, advanced ball-handling ability, (and) creativity as a passer and finisher” as a few reasons why he’s now viewed as a potential top-five pick.

Dillingham currently ranks fourth overall on ESPN’s list of top 100 prospects for 2024. He’s the second-highest ranked NCAA prospect and the No. 1 point guard on ESPN’s board, though he says he’s not concerned about how high he gets drafted.

“It doesn’t matter what pick I am, if I get picked 60th,” Dillingham said. “I want to go to a team that trusts me and can help me build, and I can build with them, and make me better. I just want to help my team win, and they can develop me and teach me things.”

Suns Sign Isaiah Thomas For Rest Of Season

April 9th, 2024 at 12:47pm CST by Rory Maher

APRIL 9: Thomas’ rest-of-season contract with the Suns is now official, per NBA.com’s transaction log.

APRIL 8: The Suns intend to make veteran guard Isaiah Thomas playoff-eligible by signing him for the rest of the 2023/24 season, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic (via Twitter).

Thomas signed a pair of 10-day contracts with Phoenix, the second of which expires tonight. The 35-year-old will fill the 15th and final spot on the Suns’ standard roster.

A former two-time All-Star, Thomas had been out of the NBA for a couple years prior to getting another shot with Phoenix. He has only played 14 minutes of garbage time across four appearances this season, but he has reportedly played well in practices and has drawn praise from head coach Frank Vogel for being a good locker room presence.

Thomas, who has played for 10 different teams in his 12 seasons, will be an unrestricted free agent this offseason.

John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 first reported around the time that Thomas signed his first 10-day deal last month that he was expected to eventually get a rest-of-season commitment from the Suns.

The move signals that Saben Lee and Phoenix’s other two-way players will remain on their current contracts and won’t become playoff-eligible.

Grizzlies Sign Zavier Simpson, Jack White Via Hardship Exceptions

April 9th, 2024 at 9:58am CST by Luke Adams

The Grizzlies have re-signed guard Zavier Simpson following the expiration of his initial 10-day contract, the team announced today in a press release (Twitter link).

Simpson, 27, appeared in three games during his first 10 days with Memphis, averaging 5.3 points, 3.7 assists, 2.3 rebounds, and 1.7 steals in 24.0 minutes per night. He made just 22.7% of his field goal attempts, though he did knock down 3-of-8 three-pointers (37.5%).

The Grizzlies have also signed forward Jack White, according to today’s announcement. It will be White’s first time back on an NBA roster since he was waived by Oklahoma City in October.

White, who appeared in 17 NBA regular season games in 2022/23 as a member of the Nuggets, has spent this season with the South Bay Lakers in the G League. In 29 total appearances for the Lakers’ NBAGL affiliate, he averaged 9.6 PPG, 6.2 RPG, and 1.8 APG on .442/.321/.595 shooting.

Both Simpson and White were technically signed to 10-day contracts via hardship exceptions, which the Grizzlies qualified for due to the number of injured players on their roster. The deals will cover only the six days left in the regular season, however, before both players return to free agency. The club won’t hold any form of Bird rights this offseason on either player.

White will take Maozinha Pereira‘s spot on Memphis’ roster. Like Simpson, Pereira was on a 10-day contract that expired overnight on Monday, but it was his second 10-day deal with the Grizzlies, so he was ineligible to sign another one. The team is now carrying three extra players beyond its standard 15, with Simpson and White joining hardship signee Timmy Allen.

Celtics Promote Neemias Queta To Multiyear Standard Contract

April 8th, 2024 at 8:42pm CST by Rory Maher

8:42pm: While the terms of the deal were not disclosed, a source tells Brian Robb of MassLive that Queta received a multiyear contract. Since the Celtics don’t have their mid-level exception available, the deal can’t cover more than two seasons.

7:16pm: The Celtics have promoted center Neemias Queta from a two-way deal to a standard contract, the team announced in a press release.

Converting Queta makes him eligible for the postseason, and the move also completes Boston’s 15-man standard roster.

The NBA’s first player from Portugal, the Lisbon native was the 39th overall pick of the 2021 draft after playing three years of college ball at Utah State. He spent his first two seasons on two-way deals with Sacramento, but he was released in September and signed with the Celtics a few days later.

Queta, 24, has been a standout at the G League level over the past three seasons, including helping lead the Maine Celtics to their first ever appearance in the NBAGL Finals. Maine will face the Oklahoma City Blue, the Thunder’s affiliate, in a best-of-three series that begins on Tuesday.

In 26 games with Boston in 2023/24, Queta has averaged 4.6 points and 4.1 rebounds while shooting 61.4% from the field in 11.4 minutes per contest.

Hornets To Interview Lindsey Harding For Head Coaching Job

April 8th, 2024 at 5:59pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Hornets have been granted permission to interview the Kings’ G League coach, Lindsey Harding, for their head coaching opening, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski tweets.

Harding was named the NBAGL’s Coach of the Year in her first season in the role. The former WNBA star coached the Stockton Kings to the Western Conference Finals. Stockton was defeated by the Oklahoma City Blue on Sunday.

Harding was hired to coach Sacramento’s NBAGL affiliate last June. Harding spent the past four seasons as an assistant/player development coach with the NBA’s Kings.

The Hornets’ decision to interview a woman for their head coaching job isn’t unprecedented, but hiring one would be groundbreaking. Current WNBA coach Becky Hammon, a former Spurs assistant, interviewed for numerous NBA head coaching openings before taking the Las Vegas Aces job.

Steve Clifford announced earlier this month he would be stepping down from the Hornets’ job at the end of the season. Charlotte has already been granted permission to interview several assistants from around the NBA, including Charles Lee (Celtics), Jordi Fernandez (Kings), Kevin Young (Suns) and David Adelman (Nuggets).

Hawks Star Trae Young Cleared For Practice, Contact

April 8th, 2024 at 4:05pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Hawks star guard Trae Young has been cleared for team practice and contact, according to a team press release.

Young underwent hand surgery on Feb. 25 after sustaining a torn ligament in his left fifth finger on Feb. 23 during a home game against Toronto. He had his six-week follow-up evaluation on Monday.

The Hawks are locked into the Eastern Conference’s 9-10 play-in tournament game against the Bulls, though home court for that April 17 game has yet to be determined. Young’s potential return could have a significant impact in that tournament. The Hawks have done well enough without Young, going 12-10 since he was sidelined.

Young stated in a podcast last week that he was optimistic he could return soon. “Hopefully next week I can make a fist and I can get out of this cast. And then I can play,” he said at that time. “So hopefully next week.”

An All-Star this season for the third time in his career, Young is averaging 26.4 points and a career-high 10.8 assists this season in 51 games (36.5 MPG), with a shooting line of .426/.371/.856.

NBA’s 20 Postseason Teams Set For 2024

April 7th, 2024 at 5:57pm CST by Luke Adams

The 20 teams that will compete in either the playoffs or the play-in tournament (or both) have officially been set following the Rockets‘ loss to Dallas on Sunday, per the NBA (Twitter link).

There’s still much to be decided in the season’s final week, including exactly which six teams in each conference will secure playoff spots without having to win one or two play-in games. However, with the Rockets’ elimination, we at least know which teams from both the West and East will play beyond the end of the regular season next Sunday.

The Nuggets, Timberwolves, and Thunder have already clinched playoff berths in the West, while the Clippers‘ magic number for a playoff spot is down to 1. The Mavericks are also well positioned to claim a top-six seed following their win on Sunday. They’re followed in the standings by the Suns, Pelicans, Lakers, Kings, and Warriors.

Four of those teams will compete in the play-in tournament for two playoff spots, but the exact play-in participants and matchups remain very much up in the air. Of the Western clubs in the back half of the top 10, only Golden State is a virtual lock to be a play-in team, since the Dubs are currently four games out of sixth place.

Over in the Eastern Conference, the Celtics are the lone club to secure a playoff berth so far and have also clinched the No. 1 seed. They’re followed by the Bucks, Magic, Knicks, Cavaliers, Pacers, Heat, and Sixers, with the Bulls and Hawks well out of eighth place and locked into the No. 9 vs. 10 play-in game.

The East’s playoff race remains tight, with No. 2 Milwaukee and No. 8 Philadelphia separated by only 4.5 games at the time of this writing.

Pelicans Say Brandon Ingram Making Progress Toward Return

April 6th, 2024 at 8:33pm CST by Arthur Hill

Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram has been cleared to begin individual on-court workouts as he recovers from a left knee bone contusion, according to a tweet from the team.

Ingram, who hasn’t played since March 21, had his condition reevaluated this morning, the Pelicans stated. He will gradually increase the intensity of his rehab work, but a firm timetable hasn’t been set for him to resume playing.

Ingram has already been ruled out for Sunday’s game at Phoenix and Tuesday’s contest at Portland, but nothing is definite beyond that. New Orleans will play Thursday at Sacramento and Friday at Golden State before ending the season at home against the Lakers on April 14.

Ingram was projected to miss at least two weeks when he was diagnosed with the injury, so his comeback is right about on schedule. He also hyperextended his knee in that March 21 game against Orlando and had to be helped to the locker room.

The Pelicans have fallen into play-in territory after dropping their last four games, so they need Ingram back as quickly as possible. He’s their second-leading scorer this season at 20.9 PPG while shooting 49% from the field and 35.6% from three-point range.

Basketball Hall Of Fame Officially Announces 2024 Class

April 6th, 2024 at 10:54am CST by Luke Adams

The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame has officially announced its Class of 2024, confirming in a series of tweets the inductees that have been previously reported as well as the other finalists who were elected to the Hall.

Here’s the full list of new Hall of Famers:

Chauncey Billups: A five-time All-Star who made three All-NBA teams and a pair of All-Defensive teams, Billups won a championship and a Finals MVP award with the Pistons in 2004. He is currently the head coach of the Trail Blazers. (Twitter link)
Vince Carter: Carter played for an NBA-record 22 seasons and scored 25,728 career points, which currently ranks 24th in league history. He’s an eight-time All-Star, a two-time All-NBA member, and was the 1999 Rookie of the Year. (Twitter link)
Michael Cooper: Cooper won five NBA championships with the Lakers, earning eight All-Defensive nods and won the Defensive Player of the Year in 1987. (Twitter link)
Walter Davis: A six-time All-Star and two-time All-NBA member, Davis won the Rookie of the Year award in 1978 and remains the Suns’ all-time leading scorer with 15,666 points. He died in 2023. (Twitter link)
Jerry West: A Hall of Famer already as a player and as a member of the 1960 U.S. Olympic team, West is being enshrined for a third time as a contributor due to his work as an executive for the Lakers, Grizzlies, Warriors, and Clippers. (Twitter link)
Doug Collins: A four-time All-Star as a player, Collins is being inducted as a contributor for his work as a head coach of the Bulls, Pistons, Wizards, and Sixers, including 442 career regular season wins, as well as his time as a broadcaster. (Twitter link)
Herb Simon: Simon has been the Pacers’ owner since 1983, making him the longest-tenured governor in NBA history. (Twitter link)
Seimone Augustus: Augustus was a two-time Naismith College Player of the Year and was the WNBA Rookie of the Year in 2006. She won four titles in the league, made eight All-Star teams, and claimed the WNBA Finals MVP award in 2011. (Twitter link)
Dick Barnett: Barnett, an NBA All-Star in 1968, won championships with the Knicks in 1970 and 1973 after earning three NAIA titles with Tennessee A&I College (now Tennessee State University) from 1957-59. (Twitter link)
Bo Ryan: Ryan was the longtime men’s basketball head coach at Wisconsin. He won four-time Big Ten Coach of the Year awards and made back-to-back Final Four appearances in 2014 and 2015. (Twitter link)
Michele Timms: A WNBA All-Star in 1999 and a Defensive Player of the Year runner-up in 1997 for the Phoenix Mercury, Timms won Olympic bronze and silver medals with the Australian national team. (Twitter link)
Harley Redin: The former men’s and women’s basketball coach at Wayland Baptist University (Texas), Redin won six AAU national championships. He died in 2020. (Twitter link)
Charles Smith: Smith is the winningest high school head coach in Louisiana history and has led nine teams to high school state championships. (Twitter link)

The enshrinement of the 2024 class will take place in Springfield, MA on Friday, August 16 and Saturday, Aug. 17.