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Lakers Notes: Davis, Wood, Hayes, LeBron, Reddish, Reaves, Russell

November 13th, 2023 at 11:59am CST by Arthur Hill

Anthony Davis‘ desire to spend less time at center was behind the Lakers‘ decision to add Christian Wood and Jaxson Hayes, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPN. Davis has long preferred to play power forward, which enables him to take advantage of his mobility and requires less battling for position against other big men. He expressed that to the Lakers’ front office this summer, and they responded by signing Hayes in July and Wood in September.

It’s an arrangement with the potential to work out well for everyone involved, McMenamin notes. Even though Davis has started at center in every game he has played, he’s playing there less often as he and Wood have been finishing games together. Hayes and Wood each signed two-year deals with a player option, so they have a chance to raise their values and return to free agency in 2024.

Second-year coach Darvin Ham has adjusted to the new roster, and he understands management’s desire to keep one of its stars happy.

“I don’t get caught up in it,” Ham said about Davis’ dealings with the front office. “I know what he means about wanting to have his skill set be diversified on the floor. I get that part, and we are on the same page.”

There’s more on the Lakers:

A left calf contusion caused LeBron James to miss his first game of the season Sunday night, per Buster Holmes of ESPN. James was originally listed as questionable before being downgraded later in the day. “He has some issues with that shin that (got) kneed in the last game, so, (we’re) just being proactive,” Ham explained. “No reason to run him in the ground this early. But it’s an opportunity where he can get some treatment (and) not force it.”
Cam Reddish is getting the biggest opportunity of his NBA career after replacing Austin Reaves in the Lakers’ starting lineup, notes Dylan Hernandez of The Los Angeles Times. Reddish admits his confidence was waning after frustrating experiences with the Hawks, Knicks and Trail Blazers, but his Lakers teammates have been working to prop him up as he takes on an important role. “We know the type of talent he is,” Davis said. “He can be a big-time player for us and he has shown that, what we want from him, in the past couple of games.”
Jovan Buha of The Athletic wonders why Ham decided to remove Reaves from the starting lineup rather than D’Angelo Russell. The former starting backcourt was a bad fit together, but Buha points out that Reaves is one of only three Lakers with a contract that extends past three seasons.

Southwest Notes: Morant, Zion, Rockets, Oladipo

November 13th, 2023 at 10:59am CST by Arthur Hill

Off to a 2-8 start, the Grizzlies need Ja Morant back as soon as possible, but that won’t happen for at least 15 more games, writes Beth Harris of The Associated Press. The dynamic guard is still serving out his suspension for displaying a gun twice on social media. The NBA isn’t permitting him to be in the arena when Memphis is playing, but coach Taylor Jenkins said he’s closely involved with everything else the team does.

“He’s got a great positive attitude throughout this,” Jenkins said. “I know it can be frustrating for him, the team not having him around. We understand the circumstances.”

The earliest Morant could return is a December 19 game at New Orleans, but that date isn’t definite. Commissioner Adam Silver said Morant will be required to “formulate and fulfill a program with the league that directly addresses the circumstances that led him to repeat this destructive behavior” before he can be reinstated. The details of that program haven’t been made public.

In the meantime, Morant has been working with the Grizzlies’ reserves in practice and has been “fully accepting” of his role, according to Jenkins, who hasn’t decided if Morant will start right away when his suspension is lifted.

“He’s pushing every button possible to get himself prepared, but also help this team as best as he can through his brilliant IQ, his care factor, his voice, his presence, the spirit he brings,” Jenkins said. “It’s been awesome to see him take on, I don’t want to say a leadership role, but just his investment in the group has been awesome.”

There’s more from the Southwest Division:

After committing six turnovers on Sunday, Zion Williamson talked about the Pelicans‘ new offense, which he claims has forced him to take a “back seat” compared to last season, per Christian Clark of NOLA. Williamson’s 21.6 points and 8.6 made field goals per game through eight contests are the lowest figures of his career. “Last year, we had a team meeting,” he said. “We brought up some things I could do better. Especially with buying into the program. It’s tough right now. I’m taking a little back seat right now. And I’m trusting the process. I’m trying my best to buy in right now.”
Nuggets coach Michael Malone noticed a stark difference in the new-look Rockets, who edged the defending champs Sunday night to pick up their sixth straight win, according to Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle. “They’re a different team,” Malone said. “Anytime you add an All-Star in Freddy VanVleet, and an All-Defense player in Dillon Brooks, a veteran in Jeff Green who helped us win a championship, a new coaching staff — obviously, (head coach Ime Udoka), his guys, have done a great job — they have a new identity, a new culture.”
Rockets guard Victor Oladipo has been working out at the Bayern Munich facility in Germany as he recovers from a patellar tendon injury in his left knee, reports Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews.

Clippers Notes: Harden, Lue, Westbrook, Hyland

November 13th, 2023 at 9:01am CST by Arthur Hill

After the Clippers lost their fifth straight game on Sunday, coach Tyronn Lue theorized that James Harden is being “too polite” as he tries to fit in with his teammates, writes Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN. During Saturday’s practice, Lue told Harden that he has “free rein” to play his normal style, but that didn’t translate well in his first game in front of his new home fans. Harden was limited to 11 points, four rebounds and three assists while shooting 4-of-12 from the field and 1-of-7 from three-point range.

“I think he’s doing too much to try to fit in,” Lue said. “So that’s on me. Just yesterday we had a talk amongst the team and just he has to be James Harden. He led the league in assists the last two or three years, and making plays and what he does in the pick-and-roll, he’s great. So we have to allow him to be himself.”

Responding to Lue’s message, Harden said he understands there’s a need to become more aggressive and make “the right basketball plays.” His teammates know they need the best version of Harden in order to succeed, and they’re willing to adjust to what he can do.

“We want James to be himself,” Paul George said. “James is used to having the ball and orchestrating offense and breaking offense down every possession. I’m sure it is tough when it’s not that every possession, and so he’s working through that. We’re all working through something, and we’re just trying to figure out how to be ourselves when those opportunities present themselves.”

There’s more on the Clippers:

Lue was more frustrated than he has been all season after L.A. lost at home to a Memphis team that entered the game with a 1-8 record, according to Law Murray of The Athletic. Murray notes that Lue built the team in training camp around Russell Westbrook‘s ability to push the ball and create open shots, but the offense had moved at a different pace since Harden was acquired. “I think playing too slow, just playing too slow,” Lue told reporters. “We get rebounds, you get stops, you got to push it. On makes, we got to push it, get up quick and attack early. You know, we can’t just f— … Sorry. No, I mean, we just can’t just walk around offensively. Like you got to get to the next actions.”
Bringing Harden off the bench might be the best solution for both him and the team, contends Mirjam Swanson of The Orange County Register. She suggests that Lue has already realized this, as Harden and Westbrook only shared the court for 11 minutes Sunday even though they both started.
Reserve guard Bones Hyland didn’t play in Sunday’s game, and Lue said he’s likely to remain out of the rotation for a while, tweets Clippers beat writer Joey Linn. Hyland has averaged 11.8 PPG in eight games and even made two starts, but Lue wants more size off the bench and plans to stick with the rotation he used against Memphis.

Sixers Notes: Maxey, Oubre, Batum, Harden Trade

November 13th, 2023 at 8:03am CST by Arthur Hill

During the best game of his career, Tyrese Maxey was thinking about his injured teammate, according to an ESPN report. The Sixers guard posted his first-ever 50-point performance in Sunday’s win over Indiana, then dedicated the outing to Kelly Oubre, who is recovering after being struck by a car Saturday night.

“This had nothing to do with me,” Maxey said. “This is all Kelly Oubre. We’re praying for him. Love my dawg. I just met him, but I love him. I hope he gets well soon.”

Oubre was on the mind of all the Sixers players in their first game since the accident, which left Oubre with a broken rib, along with bruises and cuts. They couldn’t reach him on FaceTime Sunday night, so they sent him a video of their locker room celebration.

“The game today, I’m sure Tyrese was thinking about it and we were all thinking about it,” Joel Embiid said. “We just want (Oubre) to take his time, recover and know that we have his back. He’s needed because he’s a big part of us. We missed him tonight, but he should take his time.”

There’s more from Philadelphia:

Nicolas Batum replaced Oubre in the starting lineup, but the Sixers have plenty of options considering their roster depth following the James Harden trade, observes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Robert Covington and Marcus Morris, who were also acquired in that deal, should see expanded roles, and coach Nick Nurse has other experienced players he can turn to. “I would imagine, we’ve been using Covington, but (he) will probably take some of those minutes,” Nurse said. “There’s still (Furkan Korkmaz) and (Danuel House) there as well, kind of at that wing position that we can possibly see.”
The police report on Oubre states that he was hit in the upper chest by the mirror of a speeding silver vehicle and the driver left the scene, Pompey tweets. Oubre is reported to have injuries to his hip and right leg in addition to the broken rib. Nurse talked to Oubre and said he has an ‘”I’ll be back before you know it’ type of attitude.”
The Sixers are clearly a better team since resolving the Harden standoff, Pompey adds in a separate story. Batum and Covington have upgraded the defense, there’s more quickness all around and Maxey and Tobias Harris are thriving in expanded offensive roles.

Pistons Notes: Burks, Ivey, Duren, Injuries, Knox

November 12th, 2023 at 10:00pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Pistons finally got some good news on the injury front. Key reserve Alec Burks returned on Sunday against Chicago after missing six games with a forearm injury. Jaden Ivey was also back in action after missing four games due to a viral infection.

Coach Monty Williams was pleased to have more answers on his bench, Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press tweets.

“It helps settle the rotation down a bit,” Williams said. “You don’t have to stress guys out with long stretches of minutes. And then having the shooting out there, and AB’s IQ and calm demeanor, certainly helps.”

Burks, who scored 16 points in the loss to the Bulls, is on an expiring contract and could be a key trade piece.

We have more on the Pistons:

Second-year center Jalen Duren has been in and out of the lineup recently due to bilateral ankle soreness. He was unable to finish Friday’s game against Philadelphia. Williams didn’t have a timeline for Duren’s return when he spoke to the media on Sunday, Sankofa tweets. “We’ll see how he responds to the treatment, all that stuff,” Williams said. “I don’t want to speculate on how long. We just don’t wanna put him back out there again, and he plays a short stint and comes out again. We just want to be really careful.”
Detroit has now lost eight straight, but Williams wouldn’t use injuries — Bojan Bogdanovic, Monte Morris, Isaiah Livers haven’t played this season and Joe Harris is also sidelined — as an excuse for the team’s record, Sankofa writes. “Not gonna happen,” Williams said. “We can throw that out the window. We’ve shown that we can play against anybody. We have to sustain it. Everybody we put on the floor is trained to produce and be productive for four quarters. We’re not doing that. We’re not gonna blame anything on injuries.”
Kevin Knox is back with the Pistons on a one-year deal. Knox, who was traded by Detroit to Portland prior to last year’s deadline, told Mike Curtis of The Detroit News he’s thrilled to get a second stint with the Pistons. Knox also relayed the message that GM Troy Weaver gave him. “He just told me what they wanted from me,” Knox said. “They need a lot of shooting and playing hard on defense. Just fitting in with the guys. You got a young team, got a couple of older guys a little banged up but he just told me I have to come in and play my game and play hard.”
Knox scored a team-high 18 points off the bench on Sunday in his first game since he was signed. “It wasn’t just his offense. His defense was sound for someone who hasn’t been in our program,” Williams said via another Sankofa tweet.

Northwest Notes: Grant, Kessler, Collins, George, Holiday, Jokic

November 12th, 2023 at 8:30pm CST by Dana Gauruder

With Damian Lillard traded and Anfernee Simons injured, Trail Blazers forward Jerami Grant is averaging a career-high 22.8 points through eight games. Grant was the focal point of Detroit’s offense in 2020/21, when he averaged 22.3 PPG, so he’s familiar with being a No. 1 option. Yet it remains an unusual role for him.

“I’m pushing Jerami to shoot it more because we need it,” Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups told Aaron Fentress of The Oregonian. “A lot of times he has opportunities and it’s not his nature to do so.”

Grant signed a five-year, $160MM contract with the Blazers this summer.

We have more from the Northwest Division:

Walker Kessler‘s elbow sprain will delay the answer to a key question for the Jazz. Can John Collins and Kessler be effective together? Sarah Todd of the Deseret News notes that the spacing on offense is better without Collins and Kessler on the court together, but the defense is even weaker. Utah has allowed more than 120 points in its last four games.
On a positive note for the Jazz, rookie Keyonte George has been poised and measured well beyond his years even before he was thrust into a starting role, Tony Jones of The Athletic writes. Jones notes that Jordan Clarkson has scored a combined 59 points in two games since George took over at the point and Lauri Markkanen had an efficient offensive game against the Grizzlies on Friday.
Journeyman Justin Holiday hasn’t played much for the Nuggets this season but he’s gotten an up close look at the brilliance of Nikola Jokic, who is posting MVP-style numbers again. “No matter who comes in here, who does what, Jokic doesn’t get too high or too low,” Holiday told Harrison Wind of TheDnvr.com. “I know he enjoys playing basketball, but if you saw him — I know a lot of people talk about his expressions — he just goes out there, he’s going to kill you, and then go onto the next game. He doesn’t care about the personal accolades, which I think is pretty cool.” Denver added Holiday, who has played in three games, on a one-year deal this summer.

Hornets’ Bridges To Play Major Role After Suspension

November 12th, 2023 at 6:52pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Hornets forward Miles Bridges will jump right into the rotation when his suspension is lifted on Friday, Kristian Winfield of the New York Daily News reports (hat tip to Kurt Helin of NBC Sports).

That may come as a surprise to some, in light of Bridges’ most recent domestic violence allegations.

Bridges was suspended for the first 10 games of this season. That concluded an NBA investigation into the original domestic violence incident that forced him to miss all of last season while his legal case played out. He signed a one-year, $7.92MM qualifying offer as a restricted free agent in July.

“I think he’ll be ready to play. He’s in practice every day,” Hornets coach Steve Clifford said. “So, he’s been well organized when he’s there. He’s in really good shape. He’s worked hard. I’ll be honest, we’ve been playing every other day… But he will have a significant role right away.”

Bridges will be eligible to play against Milwaukee on Friday.

His latest off-the-court incident occurred on Oct. 6 during a custody exchange at Bridges’ residence in Charlotte. The 25-year-old allegedly threw billiard balls at his ex-girlfriend’s vehicle while their two children were inside it, which smashed the windshield and dented her car. A criminal summons issued for Bridges also stated that he threatened his former girlfriend.

The CBA requires the NBA to let the legal process to play out. The team could have taken action, but that hasn’t happened. As Clifford said, Bridges has been attending practices regularly during his suspension.

Bridges is scheduled to appear in court on Monday to answer a summons tied to a violation of a protective order from January, which is separate from the October incident.

Hawks’ Bufkin, Gueye Will Miss Extended Time

November 12th, 2023 at 5:25pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Hawks will be without two of their rookies for an extended period, according to a team press release.

Guard Kobe Bufkin underwent an X-ray and medical review on his fractured left thumb on Saturday. His return to play timeline is eight-to-10 weeks from the date of injury, which occurred on Nov. 2.

Bufkin was injured during a practice with the team’s G League club, the College Park Skyhawks.

Bufkin, a guard out of Michigan, was the first player taken outside the lottery this June. The 15th overall pick has made two cameo appearances with the Hawks.

Forward Mouhamed Gueye, who has missed the last two games with a right lower back strain, underwent an MRI on Saturday that revealed a right low back stress fracture. He will be reevaluated in four weeks.

Like Bufkin, Gueye made two brief NBA appearances prior to the injury.

Gueye was the 39th overall pick, which the Hawks acquired in a draft-night trade with the Celtics. Gueye signed a four-year, $7.64MM deal in July.

Pacific Notes: Booker, Wiggins, Kerr, Green, Plumlee

November 12th, 2023 at 4:21pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

All-Star Suns guard Devin Booker continues to progress from his right calf strain injury, which has sidelined him for the past four games, writes Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. He could return at some point this week.

“[Booker is] increasing his work on the floor with his shooting, the intensity, speed and intensity of it, but still not ready yet,” Phoenix head coach Frank Vogel said.

Phoenix has struggled without Booker in general, but has really had difficulty during the minutes All-Star forward Kevin Durant has sat. As Rankin notes, the Lakers went on a 19-2 run against the Suns on Friday with Durant on the bench, en route to an eventual 122-119 comeback victory.

Although Phoenix is just three weeks into the 2023/24 season, the team’s issues are already at least somewhat concerning, writes Doug Haller of The Athletic. Phoenix has blown three fourth quarter leads already this year, and fissures seem to be appearing with regards to the team’s chemistry among its new players, plus its lackluster defense. Booker remains doubtful for Sunday’s matchup against the Thunder, Rankin writes in a separate piece.

There’s more out of the Pacific Division:

Despite forward Andrew Wiggins‘ early-season struggles, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr will not consider removing the swingman from his starting five, reports Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area (Twitter link). Through 10 games, the 6’7″ swingman is averaging just 11.0 PPG on .411/.167/.529 shooting.
The Warriors were frustrated by a retroactively called technical foul that caused the ejection of power forward Draymond Green in a 118-110 loss to the Cavaliers, writes Kendra Andrews of ESPN. Referees assessed Green his second technical foul minutes after a confrontation with Cavs guard Donovan Mitchell. “I am the same person that got suspended from the [2016] NBA Finals for flagrant fouls that were all called from after the game,” Green told Andrews. “Nothing surprises me.”
Clippers reserve center Mason Plumlee will be reassessed in four weeks as he continues to recover from an MCL sprain, per Mark Medina of The Sporting Tribune (Twitter link). The 6’11” big man is reportedly expected to miss “multiple months” with the ailment.

Knicks Notes: Quickley, Thibodeau, DiVincenzo, Second Unit

November 12th, 2023 at 2:50pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Despite seeing his minutes take a dip thus far in 2023/24, Knicks reserve shooting guard Immanuel Quickley is still hoping for a hyper-efficient shooting season with New York, writes Zach Braziller of The New York Post.

Quickley played 28.9 minutes per contest in 2022/23, en route to finishing second in the league’s Sixth Man of the Year voting. This season, he’s averaging 24.1 MPG.

“I want to try to get over 40 [percent] from 3, for sure,” Quickley said. “Overall [from the field], I want to be over 50 [percent]… If you set a goal for yourself, you’re going to try to get it. So I’m going to try to get it.”

Through his first six contests this year, the 6’3″ wing is averaging a career-high 15.1 PPG on .473/.326/.864 shooting.

There’s more out of New York:

Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau believes that three of his key reserves have starter potential, and has applauded their willingness to play off the bench for New York, Braziller adds. “The one thing we ask everybody is to sacrifice,” Thibodeau said. “You could make a case that Quick is a starter, Donte [DiVincenzo] is a starter, Josh [Hart] is a starter. They’re sacrificing that for the team.” Fewer minutes means fewer touches, and thus lower stats, and a reserve role also can reflect negatively on a player angling for his next deal. It’s a testament to the team’s buy-in that these wings are open to the gig.
New Knicks guard DiVincenzo is adjusting splendidly to his new role on the team’s bench, opines Braziller in a separate piece. “I think that’s pretty special,” teammate Quickley said of DiVincenzo’s fit on the New York bench. “When you can have guys connect and gel right off the bat without much time together is always a sign of something that can be special.” The 6’4″ wing is averaging 7.3 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 1.6 APG, and 1.0 SPG in 19.4 MPG.
The Knicks have benefited from terrific production from their second unit, writes Steve Popper of Newsday. New York has been playing starter RJ Barrett alongside Quickley, DiVincenzo, Josh Hart and Isaiah Hartenstein. That lineup has compiled a +24.0 net rating across 20 minutes together. “I feel like no matter who’s in there… we have a system as far as what we do,” Quickley said. “And whoever’s in there, we all understand how we want to play. And that’s fast, get stops and run. That’s when we are at our best.”