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Lore, Rodriguez Move Closer To Finalizing Purchase Of Wolves

March 20th, 2024 at 5:09pm CST by Arthur Hill

Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez have submitted the financial documentation necessary to complete the purchase of a majority stake in the Timberwolves, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic.

The move comes after a report this morning that sale proceedings were disrupted when the Carlyle Group chose to withdraw. Lore and Rodriguez were able to replace the firm with Dyal Capital Partners, according to Charania’s sources.

Lore and Rodriguez have a March 27 deadline to make the final payment for a 40% share of equity that will enable them to replace Glen Taylor as lead owners of the franchise as well as the WNBA’s Minnesota Lynx. Taylor will retain a minority share in both teams, while the group led by Lore and Rodriguez controls 80% of the franchises.

The NBA still must give its approval to the new ownership structure, and Charania says it’s uncertain how long that might take.

Since 2021, Lore and Rodriguez have been involved in the purchase of the Wolves for $1.5 billion on a multi-phase payment plan. They have made two payments so far — giving them a 20% stake each time, for a total of 40%.

They exercised their option in December for the final 40% of the purchase, Charania adds. That began a 90-day window to submit the required documents and commitment letters to finalize the deal.

The Carlyle Group had planned to commit $300MM before pulling out of the sale, per Charania’s sources. The private equity firm couldn’t adhere to some NBA requirements for investors, so there was a mutual agreement for Carlyle to withdraw.

Lore and Rodriguez were quickly able to reach out to Dyal to take the firm’s place, notes Charania, who adds that the company’s ownership group includes Google CEO Eric Schmidt.

Charania points out that Lore and Rodriguez have already made an impact on the Wolves during their time as minority owners and played a significant role in recruiting Tim Connelly away from Denver to serve as Minnesota’s president of basketball operations.

Pistons Rule Out Thompson, Stewart For Remainder Of Season

March 20th, 2024 at 3:40pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Pistons will go without their starting forwards the remainder of the season, according to a team press release.

Lottery pick Ausar Thompson is being treated for a blood clot. He has been cleared to resume conditioning and will begin non-contact basketball activities at the conclusion of the regular season with a gradual ramp-up over the summer months. He’s expected to be fully healthy for the start of next season.

Isaiah Stewart suffered a right hamstring strain during the third quarter of Monday’s contest at Boston. He won’t recover in time for the season finale, per the team.

Thompson hasn’t played since March 9. The team had listed him as out due to an unspecified illness in recent contests. The No. 5 pick of last year’s draft was in and out of Monty Williams’ rotation but had received steady playing time since the trade deadline.

Noted for his defensive prowess and athleticism, Thompson averaged 8.8 points, 6.4 rebounds, 1.9 assists and a team-high 1.1 steals in 25.1 minutes per contest. He appeared in 63 games, including 38 starts. Thompson’s main issue was his perimeter shooting — he made just 18.6% of his 3-point attempts.

Stewart’s season was marred by a three-game league suspension for striking Phoenix’s Drew Eubanks during a pregame altercation prior to the All-Star break. He also missed a chunk of games due to toe and ankle ailments.

Stewart, who received a four-year extension last offseason, started all but one of the 46 games he played this season. He averaged 10.9 points, 6.6 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 30.9 minutes per night. He also displayed a much-improved 3-point shot (38.3%).

Lakers Notes: James, Davis, Russell, Vincent, Reddish

March 20th, 2024 at 3:08pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Lakers are in ninth place in the Western Conference standings, three games behind the sixth-place Kings to avoid the play-in tournament. With ground to make up in the playoff race, LeBron James was locked in against the Hawks on Monday, racking up 25 points, seven rebounds and 10 assists in 29 minutes. The Lakers recorded a 31-point victory.

“Just setting a tone, trying to set a tone,” head coach Darvin Ham said of James, per Jovan Buha of The Athletic. “It’s money time right now. We have no time to waste. It starts with our two captains.”

We have more on the Lakers:

Anthony Davis had 22 points, 15 rebounds and six assists in a team-high 31 minutes on Monday. He returned after missing three games due to a left corneal abrasion. He played without any protection on his eyes after consulting with medical specialists, according to The Associated Press. “Obviously (I would have) if the doctors had told me I needed it, but I didn’t need it,” Davis said.
D’Angelo Russell has made 183 three-pointers this season, tying Nick Van Exel’s franchise record. Russell is shooting a career-best 41.9% from beyond the arc this season. “It’s just really cool,” he told ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. “I said I don’t want to underdo it, understate it, overdo it. I just feel like it’s really cool to just be a part of something like that. I think I did something like that in Brooklyn, as well. Just to get credit for your game and what you work through and showcase it every night.”
Gabe Vincent still plans to play this season and his nearing a return, barring any setbacks, Marc Stein tweets. Vincent underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee in late December. Vincent was cleared for non-contact work last week.
Cam Reddish practiced on Wednesday and Ham expects him to play on Friday against Philadelphia, McMenamin tweets. Reddish hasn’t played since March 8 due to an ankle injury.

New York Notes: Anunoby, Randle, Hart, Thibodeau, Bridges

March 20th, 2024 at 1:12pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Knicks will take a conservative approach regarding OG Anunoby’s sore elbow, but the irritation has shown improvement since Monday, SNY TV’s Ian Begley reports.

Anunoby underwent an MRI on his surgically repaired right elbow and the results showed no additional damage. It’s uncertain when he’ll return to action.

As for Julius Randle, Begley says there’s still an expectation that he’ll be back in action at some point this season, though he has yet to be cleared for contact. Randle, who suffered a dislocated shoulder in late January, has been participating in other on-court activities.

We have more on the New York teams:

Josh Hart played all 48 minutes and recorded a triple-double in Monday’s win over the Warriors, joining Hall of Famers Clyde Frazier and Jerry Lucas as the only players in franchise history to accomplish that feat, Joseph Staszewski of the New York Post notes. Hart also became the first Knicks performer to play a full game since Jared Jeffries in 2010. “I ain’t making any shots, so I’ve got to do something else,” said Hart, who had his third triple-double of the month.
Considering all the major injury issues he’s had to deal with this season, this might be the Knicks’ Tom Thibodeau’s best coaching job of his career, Mike Vaccaro of the New York Post opines.
Nets forward Mikal Bridges played his 500th consecutive game in the team’s 104-91 loss to the Pelicans on Tuesday. He hasn’t missed a game during his pro career. However, his production has declined lately, including a 15-point outing against New Orleans. Asked if Bridges’ minutes should be reduced, interim coach Kevin Ollie told The New York Post’s Jared Schwartz, “We always sit down with our medical team. We think about what’s best for the organization, what’s best for the players. … We’re all talking about that. We’re gonna make the best decision for Mikal, and the best decision for our organization, if something ever arises like that.”

Isaiah Thomas Signs 10-Day Deal With Suns

March 20th, 2024 at 12:10pm CST by Arthur Hill

MARCH 20: The signing is official, Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports tweets.

MARCH 16: The Suns will add former All-Star guard Isaiah Thomas on a 10-day contract, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).

The 35-year-old guard recently joined the Salt Lake City Stars in the G League in hopes of landing another NBA opportunity. He showed he still has his scoring touch, averaging 32.5 points in four games while shooting 45% from three-point range.

Thomas will provide another veteran scorer with playoff experience for a Phoenix team that’s locked in a tight race to avoid the play-in tournament. The Suns entered tonight percentage points behind Sacramento for the sixth spot and one game ahead of eighth-place Dallas.

The 11-year veteran has been out of the NBA since the 2021/22 season, when he made brief appearances with the Lakers and Mavericks before ending the year with the Hornets.

Thomas was an All-Star with Boston in 2015/16 and ’16/17 before suffering a right hip injury that derailed his career. He bounced around the league after that, and most of his recent stops have been on 10-day contracts.

Phoenix plays in Milwaukee at noon Central time on Sunday and has a three-day break before its next game, so it’s unclear whether or not Thomas will sign his new deal right away. If his contract begins when the team returns home on Wednesday, he would be eligible for six games over the following 10 days. A second 10-day deal would take him close to the end of the season, but the Suns would have to give him a standard contract to make him eligible for the playoffs.

Phoenix has a roster opening, so a corresponding move won’t be necessary to make room for Thomas, who will earn $183,704 over the course of his 10 days with the team. The Suns will take on a cap hit of $116,075.

DeJon Jarreau Signs Second 10-Day Deal With Grizzlies

March 20th, 2024 at 11:56am CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

MARCH 20: The Grizzlies have officially re-signed Jarreau, the team’s PR department tweets.

MARCH 19: Shooting guard DeJon Jarreau will sign a second 10-day hardship contract with the Grizzlies, sources inform Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link).

Jarreau made a quick impact on an injury-riddled Memphis club upon being promoted from the Grizzlies’ NBAGL affiliate, the Memphis Hustle. He averaged 5.4 PPG, 5.4 RPG and 3.4 APG across the five contests he played while on his initial 10-day deal with the team, posting a shooting line of .333/.375/.667.

Jarreau’s first 10-day contract will expire on Tuesday night, but the Grizzlies won’t let him hit the free agent market yet, keeping him around for at least 10 more days. A rest-of-season deal to keep him in Memphis beyond that is unlikely, since the team has a full 15-man standard roster.

The Grizzlies qualify for a hardship exception because they have at least four players who have been out for three or more games and project to miss at least two more weeks.

Grizzlies Add Maozinha Pereira Via 10-Day Contract

March 20th, 2024 at 11:54am CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

MARCH 20: The Grizzlies have officially signed Pereira, the team’s PR department tweets.

MARCH 19: The Grizzlies are signing young forward Maozinha Pereira to a 10-day deal, sources inform Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link). Pereira had most recently been playing with the G League’s Mexico City Capitanes.

In 40 Showcase Cup and NBAGL regular season games with Mexico City, the 6’8″ pro is averaging 10.8 PPG, 8.8 RPG, and 1.4 SPG in just 23.7 minutes per game. He boasts a shooting line of .621/.297/.627.

Pereira is the second player said to be joining the Grizzlies on a 10-day hardship contract. Shooting guard DeJon Jarreau has also reportedly agreed to a second 10-day deal, with his first contract set to expire on Tuesday night.

Several of the 23-46 Grizzlies’ key forwards are ailing, so it makes for the team to replenish its supply, at least temporarily. Power forward/center Brandon Clarke remains out as he continues to recuperate from an Achilles tear, combo forward Lamar Stevens is unavailable with an adductor injury, and small forwards Ziaire Williams and Yuta Watanabe are both on the shelf due to a grade 2 hip strain and a personal issue, respectively.

Guards Ja Morant and Derrick Rose, plus wing Marcus Smart, are also sidelined for a Memphis team that has been the NBA’s most injury-plagued squad this season.

Central Notes: Antetokounmpo, Bucks, Pistons, LeVert

March 20th, 2024 at 11:27am CST by Dana Gauruder

The Bucks won’t have their best player in uniform for their showdown with Eastern Conference leader Boston tonight. Giannis Antetokounmpo has been ruled out due to a hamstring injury, Shams Charania of The Athletic tweets.

Antetokounmpo also missed Sunday’s game against Phoenix. Bucks coach Doc Rivers stated earlier this week that his goal is to ensure his superstar is healthy for the postseason.

We have more from the Central Division:

The Bucks still hold the rights to their first-round pick in this year’s draft and also owns Portland’s second-rounder. With that in mind, The Athletic’s Eric Nehm breaks down potential prospects participating in the NCAA Tournament who could be available late in the first round and early in the second.
The Pistons’ young core of Cade Cunningham, Jaden Ivey, Ausar Thompson, Isaiah Stewart and Jalen Duren have a fatal flaw that may force the front office to seriously consider whether they can succeed in the long run, James Edwards III of The Athletic opines: Detroit doesn’t have enough three-point threats within that group. Stewart has developed as a solid outside shooter but he lacks the upside of the other four building blocks. Cunningham has improved in that area but Ivey is subpar from deep and the other two aren’t three-point threats at all.
Caris LeVert is making a case for the Sixth Man of the Year award and Cavaliers teammate Tristan Thompson feels he needs to spread the word, Chris Fedor of the Cleveland Plain Dealer tweets. “Gotta start the campaign,” Thompson said. “We don’t reward teams that are in seventh place. We don’t reward guys who start. Caris LeVert for Sixth Man. For real. Start pushing it.” LeVert is averaging 14 points, 4.4 rebounds and 5.2 assists in 56 games.

Pistons Sign Chimezie Metu To 10-Day Contract

March 20th, 2024 at 9:44am CST by Dana Gauruder

The Pistons have signed big man Chimezie Metu to a 10-day contract, according to a team press release.

Metu, who will turn 27 on Friday, appeared in 37 games (five starts) for the Suns this season and averaged 5.0 points, 3.0 rebounds and 0.5 assists in 12.1 minutes per contest. He signed with Phoenix last offseason on a one-year, minimum-salary deal after spending the previous three seasons with the Kings.

Phoenix dealt him to the Grizzlies just before the trade deadline and Memphis quickly waived him.

The Pistons have an open roster spot, so they didn’t need to make a corresponding move to create room for Metu, who has appeared in 246 career games (31 starts) for San Antonio, Sacramento and Phoenix. The No. 49 overall pick in the 2018 draft, the sixth-year forward/center holds career averages of 5.6 points and 3.3 rebounds in 12.8 minutes per game.

Metu will earn a salary of $134,863 over the course of his 10 days with the Pistons, who will take on a cap hit of $116,075.

Timberwolves Notes: A-Rod, Lore, Garza, Edwards

March 20th, 2024 at 9:07am CST by Dana Gauruder

Former baseball star Alex Rodriguez and business partner Marc Lore must find new financial backers to gain majority ownership of the Timberwolves franchise, according to ESPN News Services.

They’ve lost the financial backing of the Carlyle Group with one payment left to claim majority ownership from current owner Glen Taylor. That payment would complete a process that began in April 2021 for Lore and Rodriguez to purchase the Timberwolves in installments. Lore and Rodriguez previously purchased two installments of 20% at a $1.5 billion valuation for the franchise.

They exercised their rights to buy an additional 40% of the franchise earlier this year. The final installment is due on March 27.

We have more on the Timberwolves:

With Karl-Anthony Towns, Rudy Gobert and Naz Reid sidelined on Tuesday, two-way player Luka Garza received extended playing time. He posted 11 points and six rebounds in 22 minutes during the 115-112 loss to Denver. “I’ve just been working this entire year to help this team when I’m out there,” Garza told Chris Hine of the Minneapolis Star Tribune. “I still feel like there’s another level I can get to. All I know is I did everything I could. I played hard.”
Despite being shorthanded and one the second night of a back-to-back, Minnesota pushed the Nuggets to the limit on Tuesday. Anthony Edwards, who dislocated a finger the previous night, missed a 3-point attempt that could have sent the game to overtime. “They’re really well-coached. They execute really well. They have Ant, who is one of the best players, most talented players, in the NBA right now,” Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic told Bennett Durando of the Denver Post. “You have Mike Conley, who’s a really good veteran. They just play really well. They play hard. They run their plays with purpose. That’s why they’re good. Even from the (2023) playoffs — they missed a couple guys in the playoffs, too, but they still had really good fight.”
Having appeared in his 65th game this season, Edwards is now eligible for postseason awards, ESPN’s Bobby Marks tweets. That could lead to a bump in his salary. Edwards signed a five-year maximum-salary rookie extension last summer, which could rise in value from $204MM (25% of next season’s cap) to $245MM (30% of the cap) if he’s named All-NBA this season. The former No. 1 overall pick is averaging 26.7 points, 5.4 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game.