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Bulls’ Alex Caruso Expects To Play On Friday

April 19th, 2024 at 10:30am CST by Luke Adams

APRIL 19, 10:30am: Caruso said that he expects to be able to play on Friday vs. Miami, per Jamal Collier of ESPN (Twitter link).

APRIL 18, 4:12pm: After undergoing further evaluation on his ankle, Caruso is experiencing reduced swelling and there’s increased optimism in his availability to play against the Heat on Friday in the play-in game, Wojnarowski reports (Twitter link). According to Wojnarowski, Caruso is expected to be a game-time decision.

APRIL 18, 6:45am: Bulls guard Alex Caruso has a “significant” left ankle sprain, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, who reports (via Twitter) that the injury casts doubt on Caruso’s availability for Friday’s do-or-die play-in game in Miami.

Caruso missed games on April 7 and April 12 due to what the Bulls referred to on the injury report as a left ankle contusion. The team indicated after Wednesday’s win over Atlanta that his latest injury is a re-aggravation of an earlier injury, per K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago (Twitter link).

The injury occurred when Andre Drummond stepped on Caruso’s right foot early in the second quarter (Twitter video link), sending him to the floor. According to Jamal Collier of ESPN, Caruso said that he aggravated his left foot issue while trying to keep his balance on that play. The veteran guard limped to the bench, then checked back into the game a few minutes later before eventually exiting for good until early in the third quarter.

“I do until I can’t,” Caruso said after the game when asked if he expects to play on Friday. “We’ll see how it goes the next couple days, but my mindset would be to play until my body tells me I can’t.”

Caruso is the Bulls’ top perimeter defender and helps balance a more offensive-minded starting lineup, so it would be a major loss if he’s unable to suit up on Friday. In that scenario, the team would likely have to count on another big offensive game like the one it got on Wednesday — Chicago’s four starters besides Caruso combined to score 107 of the club’s 131 points against Atlanta, with Coby White‘s career-high 42 leading the way.

As K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago writes, White’s career high won’t technically go into the record books, which don’t count play-in performances, but White said he’s “definitely counting it.” Head coach Billy Donovan praised the Most Improved Player candidate after the win for his all-around contributions, not just his 42 points.

“He did a good job playing aggressively, took his threes when they were there. And he made a lot of good passes to guys. I thought he played a really complete game,” Donovan said. “I know the number 42 is a huge game and really phenomenal. But I thought he played a really complete game. I thought he defended. I thought he assisted, got downhill, made the game easy for guys.”

The Bulls are already missing Zach LaVine, Patrick Williams, Lonzo Ball, and Onuralp Bitim due to season-ending injuries, so if they have to play without Caruso on Friday, they’ll lean more heavily on White and the rest of their healthy rotation players to try to keep their season alive.

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NBA’s Playoff Bonus Money Up 25% For 2023/24

April 19th, 2024 at 9:41am CST by Luke Adams

The pool of bonus money for NBA playoff teams this season will be worth approximately $33.7MM, according to Kurt Badenhausen and Lev Akabas of Sportico, who say the figure represents a 25% increase over last year’s total playoff bonuses.

The top six teams in each conference earn bonuses based on their regular season records, while the 16 playoff teams will also receive a chunk of money from the playoff pool, increasing the value of their payout with each series win. That bonus money will be divvied up among the players on each club’s roster.

Teams eliminated in the play-in tournament won’t be able to claim any of the playoff bonus money.

The breakdown for 2024’s playoff pool money is as follows:

Regular season achievements:

  • Best record in NBA (Celtics): $844K
  • No. 1 seeds in each conference (Celtics, Thunder): $739K each
  • No. 2 seeds (Knicks, Nuggets): $591K each
  • No. 3 seeds (Bucks, Timberwolves): $443K each
  • No. 4 seeds (Cavaliers, Clippers): $361K each
  • No. 5 seeds (Magic, Mavericks): $280K each
  • No. 6 seeds (Pacers, Suns): $198K each

Postseason achievements:

  • Teams participating in first round (all 16 playoff teams): $453K each
  • Teams participating in conference semifinals (eight teams): $552K each
  • Teams participating in conference finals (four teams): $923K each
  • Losing team in NBA Finals: $3,692,000
  • Winning team in NBA Finals: $8,549,000

A team that makes a deep playoff run would be entitled to more than one of the bonuses listed above.

For example, if the Celtics were to win the championship, their payout from the playoff pool would be worth a total of nearly $12.1MM — that amount would include their bonuses for posting the NBA’s best record, claiming the East’s No. 1 seed, making the first round, making the conference semifinals, making the conference finals, and winning the NBA Finals.

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UConn’s Stephon Castle Entering 2024 NBA Draft

April 19th, 2024 at 9:14am CST by Luke Adams

After winning a national title with UConn, freshman guard Stephon Castle is going pro, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, who reports that Castle is entering the 2024 NBA draft and hiring agents Joe Smith and Thad Foucher of Wasserman for representation.

In his first and only college season, Castle started 30 of 34 games for the Huskies, averaging 11.1 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 2.9 assists in 27.0 minutes per contest, with a shooting line of .472/.267/.755.

Castle was at his best during the Final Four, racking up 36 total points (on 50% shooting) and 10 rebounds in victories over Alabama and Purdue en route to Connecticut’s second consecutive national title.

The 6’6″ wing intrigued NBA evaluators over the course of the season due to his willingness to accept a complementary role on a talented UConn team, his toughness as a rebounder, and his play on defense, according to Wojnarowski and Jonathan Givony, who note that Castle was often tasked with slowing down the opponent’s top perimeter scorer.

Castle currently ranks ninth overall on ESPN’s big board, making him a probable lottery pick. Wojnarowski suggests the youngster is “one of the fastest rising players” on draft boards and could make his way into the top half of the lottery.

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Poll: Who Will Win Friday’s Play-In Games?

April 19th, 2024 at 8:02am CST by Luke Adams

If the Heat and Pelicans were fully healthy entering Friday’s play-in games, they’d likely be considered solid home favorites. Instead, both teams will be without their leading scorers, with Jimmy Butler sidelined for Miami due to an MCL sprain and Zion Williamson on the shelf for New Orleans as a result of a hamstring strain.

The injuries to Butler and Williamson don’t necessarily mean that the Heat and Pelicans won’t win and advance on Friday, but they’ve created a sense that anything could happen in either one of the remaining play-in games.

The Heat are still considered two-point favorites over the Bulls, per BetOnline.ag, which makes sense — Miami got used to playing without Butler this season, going 13-9 in games he missed, and Chicago has plenty of injury issues of its own. Zach LaVine and Patrick Williams are among a handful of Bulls players who are out for the season, while Alex Caruso‘s availability is up in the air due to an ankle injury.

Of course, Butler isn’t the only notable Heat player who will miss Friday’s game. Josh Richardson is out for the season following shoulder surgery and Terry Rozier continues to be affected by a neck injury.

The Heat/Bulls outcome will come down to which team’s healthy players step up in a win-or-go-home situation. Chicago’s starters did just that on Wednesday, with Coby White scoring a career-high 42 points while DeMar DeRozan, Nikola Vucevic, and Ayo Dosunmu combined for another 65. If Caruso can’t go, the Bulls will have to lean more heavily on reserves ike Jevon Carter, Torrey Craig, and Javonte Green for defensive purposes to complement those offensive weapons.

The Heat, meanwhile, will be looking for more from Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro. Adebayo had just 10 points in Wednesday’s loss to Philadelphia, and while Herro had 25 points and nine assists, he also missed 18 shots from the floor and turned the ball over five times.

In New Orleans, Williamson is the only player on the injury report, but he’s not the team’s only injury-related concern. Brandon Ingram has been back in action for just two games following a multi-week absence due to a knee injury and hasn’t looked 100% since returning — he didn’t play the final 7:38 of Tuesday’s loss to the Lakers.

The Pelicans have a deep roster featuring a plethora of talented two-way contributors, and they went 5-0 vs. the Kings this season, including a win last Thursday. But if Williamson is out and Ingram is hampered, it could be an uphill battle for New Orleans against a feisty Sacramento team that is currently a 1.5-point favorite, according to BetOnline.ag.

While Domantas Sabonis and De’Aaron Fox are the stars and both played well on Tuesday vs. Golden State, the Kings are extra dangerous when they’re getting major contributions from players like Keegan Murray, Harrison Barnes, and Keon Ellis, who combined to score 64 points against the Warriors. Ellis was especially active on defense, racking up three blocks and three steals — Sacramento was +27 during his 39 minutes.

We want to know what you think. Will the Heat and Pelicans hang on at home and give their injured stars a chance to try to make it back before the end of round one? Or will we see a pair of road teams pull off victories on Friday and claim the No. 8 seeds in their respective conferences?

Vote below in our poll, then head to the comment section to share your predictions for Friday’s games!

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Injury Notes: Giannis, Butler, Bulls, Pelicans/Kings

April 19th, 2024 at 7:20am CST by Luke Adams

After Adrian Wojnarowski reported on Tuesday that the Bucks are preparing to be without Giannis Antetokounmpo for the start of their first round series against Indiana, Shams Charania of The Athletic confirmed on Thursday on Stadium’s Playoff Preview show (Twitter video link) that the star forward’s status “is still in doubt” for the series.

“He has been rehabbing daily with that strained calf, getting treatment,” Charania said. “He has had even some stationary workouts on the court, but he is doubtful to start the series. I’m told this injury could be anywhere from two to four weeks, potentially. We know his superhuman ability, but that clearly puts his status for this series in jeopardy.

“The Bucks (and) Giannis have to have some level of caution in being careful with this calf injury. Already this season, Giannis has had Achilles tendinitis, a hamstring injury as well, and now this calf strain. The last thing (they) would want is for him to get back, rush on the floor with a calf injury, not being 100% and then potentially tweaking that or leading to even worse injuries.”

Crucially, Charania didn’t clarify whether or not the two-to-four-week timeline he cited applies retroactively — Antetokounmpo has been sidelined since April 9 as a result of the injury, so he has already been out for 10 days. Assuming the projected recovery timeline described by Charania began on the date of the injury, the two-time MVP still has a chance to play at some point in round one.

Here are a few more injury-related updates from around the NBA:

  • Jimmy Butler‘s agent Bernie Lee took exception with Thursday’s reports that his client would miss several weeks as a result of his knee injury, suggesting that they were premature, as Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald relays (via Twitter). “We’re going to see the doctor later today,” Lee said on Thursday afternoon, “and it just blows my mind that somebody that wasn’t in the arena has somehow come up with a medical timeline of something that literally four of us, one is the person that got hurt, and me, the person that has conversations with everything, that everything gets filtered through. We don’t even know and now we’re having to live in someone else’s created reality of you know something that I didn’t know.” The Heat subsequently confirmed that Butler had sustained an MCL sprain, though the team didn’t offer any sort of timeline beyond ruling him out for Friday’s play-in game. MCL sprains are typically multi-week injuries.
  • Bulls role players Alex Caruso (left ankle sprain), Ayo Dosunmu (right quad contusion), and Andre Drummond (left ankle sprain) have all been listed as questionable for Friday’s play-in game vs. Miami. Dosunmu and Drummond, who were also both listed as questionable for Tuesday’s contest, seem like relatively safe bets to play, while Caruso is expected to be a game-time decision.
  • There are no surprises on the Pelicans/Kings injury report for Friday, though the absences on each side are notable. Zion Williamson (left hamstring strain) is the only New Orleans player sidelined, while Sacramento is missing Malik Monk (right knee sprain) and Kevin Huerter (left shoulder surgery).
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Southwest Notes: Ingram, Thompson, Lively, Jackson Jr.

April 18th, 2024 at 10:42pm CST by Tristan Tucker

Brandon Ingram‘s outing against the Lakers in Tuesday’s play-in loss was just his second since returning from a bone bruise that forced him to miss 12 games. Ingram was pulled from that loss with 7:38 to go in the fourth quarter and didn’t return, finishing with 25 minutes of game time.

“I just liked the group that was on the floor at the time,” head coach Willie Green said. “B.I. is still getting back. Still getting his rhythm. So I didn’t want to force the issue. I liked the group that was going.”

However, as NOLA.com’s Christian Clark observes, the Pelicans are going to need to rely on Ingram more in Friday’s play-in outing against the Kings. Zion Williamson, who scored 40 points in the loss, was ruled out with a hamstring injury he suffered near the end of Tuesday’s game.

The Pelicans saw most of their success on Tuesday with a bench-heavy lineup centered around Williamson. Meanwhile, Ingram finished with 12 points while CJ McCollum had just nine. As Clark writes, if Williamson didn’t get hurt, Green may have finished the game without either Ingram or McCollum on the floor. The Pelicans were outscored by 3.2 points per 100 possessions with Williamson, Ingram and McCollum sharing the floor this season.

We have more from the Southwest Division:

  • The Magic have previously been mentioned as a potential suitor for unrestricted free agent Klay Thompson. According to The Athletic’s Sam Amick, the Mavericks are another team worth monitoring as a landing spot for Warriors‘ the five-time All-Star. Thompson had his worst shooting night of the season in the play-in against the Kings, missing all 10 of his shots. However, as Amick writes, he’d been playing better toward the end of the season, averaging 21.8 points on 41.6% shooting from deep in the 10 games after getting his starting job back.
  • Dereck Lively II‘s status for Game 1 against the Clippers on Sunday is still in the air, but he went through practice on Tuesday and appeared to be moving well, Mavs.com’s Eddie Sefko reports. Lively, who has been out since March 31 after averaging 8.8 points and 6.9 rebounds per game in his rookie season, pairs with Daniel Gafford to provide a one-two punch for the Mavericks at the center position.
  • The Grizzlies are looking to add more size to their rotation next season after shipping Steven Adams and Xavier Tillman out in separate deals this season. However, as Grind City Media’s Michael Wallace writes, they’re not yet committed to playing Jaren Jackson Jr. to strictly one position. “I like seeing Jaren out there at [power forward] more, with another big man, and then me coming off the bench,” teammate Brandon Clarke said. “That was kind of how it was the past four years. But we just really got to get healthy first. And we’re going to get a good pick in the draft. So, I trust the front office with what they choose. But sounds like we need somebody big and somebody strong down there for us.“
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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.“

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Southeast Notes: Hawks, Miller, Heat, Wizards

April 18th, 2024 at 7:45pm CST by Tristan Tucker

The Hawks fell to the Bulls in the play-in, failing to reach the playoffs for the first time since 2020 as a result. With a roster that doesn’t fit together even when healthy, Atlanta could look to go in a number of different directions this offseason. The Hawks are stuck in the middle, lacking incentive to tank due to the first-round picks they owe the Spurs as a result of acquiring Dejounte Murray and also having several talented players on the roster.

As The Athletic’s John Hollinger observes, attention will likely turn to star guard Trae Young after trade talks involving Murray didn’t pan out at the deadline this year. Speculation regarding Young’s future continues to run rampant, and teams like the Lakers and Spurs are some of the most frequently named potential destinations.

Additionally, the Hawks will have significant money tied up in the frontcourt to both Clint Capela and Onyeka Okongwu, prompting Hollinger to wonder whether the team will look to trade one. Atlanta’s most significant impending free agent is Saddiq Bey, who is set to be restricted this summer, but he’ll be recovering from an ACL tear.

Both Hollinger and ESPN’s Bobby Marks assert the Hawks need to pick a lane by making a significant move of some kind, whether that’s moving Young or Murray. Armed with a young core that includes extension-eligible Jalen Johnson, Kobe Bufkin, Okongwu and AJ Griffin, along with potentially two top-16 picks (if Sacramento makes the playoffs), Atlanta has the assets necessary to retool rather than fully rebuild if they so choose.

We have more from the Southeast Division:

  • Hornets rookie Brandon Miller had a terrific first season and while he won’t win the Rookie of the Year award (that honor will almost certainly go Victor Wembanyama), he cemented himself as a franchise cornerstone in just one year, Alex Zietlow of The Charlotte Observer writes. In 74 games, Miller averaged 17.3 points while shooting 44.0% from the field and 37.3% from three. “He can be whatever he wants to be,” teammate Seth Curry said. “I see All-NBA, perennial All-Star, possible MVP consideration in his future. All the talent, all the size, the competitive nature. I think he’s going to work on his game and add stuff every year. So I’m excited to see him grow.“
  • The Heat are in the same position on Friday that they were a season ago. They hosted the Bulls in a win-or-go-home play-in tournament game for the eighth seed last season and will do so again this year, Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald writes. From Miami’s perspective, the win over Chicago jump-started a historic run that saw the Heat become the first No. 8 seed in a non-lockout season to reach the NBA Finals. However, the Bulls remember last year in a much more painful view, which could be a motivating factor against a Heat team without Jimmy Butler and Terry Rozier. “I remember that plane ride back home [last year] vividly, everybody was just frustrated,” Bulls guard DeMar DeRozan said.
  • Wizards general manager Will Dawkins and president Michael Winger admitted that year one of Washington’s rebuild featured growing pains, but they saw some positive steps within the organization, The Athletic’s Josh Robbins writes. Young players like Deni Avdija, Corey Kispert and Bilal Coulibaly all showed progress from the beginning to the end of the season. “We feel very strongly that we have the right fans, that we have the right principles, that we have the right market to build a sustainably great team,” Winger said. “We set out to do that a year ago. That plan has not changed at all.“
  • The Washington Post’s Ava Wallace tackles a similar topic, noting that the Wizards‘ regime is excited to dig into its first full offseason. As Wallace writes, the most significant move the team will make this season could be its head coaching hire.
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And-Ones: Awards, Flagg, Celtics, Thunder, Porter

April 18th, 2024 at 6:06pm CST by Tristan Tucker

The finalists for the NBA’s seven end-of-season awards honoring the top performers of the 2023/24 season are set to be unveiled on Sunday, April 21, according to the league (Twitter link). The finalists will be revealed on NBA on TNT at 6:30 p.m.

The performance awards include the Most Valuable Player, the Most Improved Player, Defensive Player of the Year, Rookie of the Year, Sixth Man of the Year, Coach of the Year, and Clutch Player of the Year.

Nikola Jokic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Luka Doncic are among the expected frontrunners for MVP. Tyrese Maxey and Coby White are considered the favorites for Most Improved, and that may be one of the closer races among all awards. The battle for Sixth Man of the Year, which figures to feature the likes of Naz Reid and Malik Monk, may also be close. Victor Wembanyama is widely expected to earn the Rookie of the Year award and should also receive consideration for Defensive Player of the Year.

We have more from around the basketball world:

  • Projected 2025 No. 1 overall pick and Duke commit Cooper Flagg recently completed his stint at the Nike Hoop Summit, where top young prospects showcase their skills in front of scouts. Flagg sat down with HoopsHype’s Sam Yip to discuss the event, his upbringing and why he chose to play for the Blue Devils. “Fit and feel,” Flagg said. “Great relationship with Coach Scheyer. Durham is a great place, a great environment. I mean just the environment and the feel and the fit for me.“
  • The Celtics and Thunder‘s G League affiliates made the NBAGL Finals this season. That best-of-three series corresponded with the end of the NBA’s regular season, which is when many developmental players often get a chance to shine. Jared Weiss of The Athletic explores how the teams’ two-way players were impacted by bouncing between getting big NBA minutes and having to prepare for a the G League championship. “That’s really the spirit of what the G League is, where you have guys moving between the leagues,” G League commissioner Shareef Abdur-Rahim said. “On any given night, you can be in a G League game and the next night play in an NBA game. That’s illuminated at this time, with how concentrated our playoffs are.” In a fun story, Weiss further explores the logistical side of being a two-way player in the G League. The Oklahoma City Blue won the championship, helped by the presence of two-way Thunder guard Lindy Waters III.
  • In the wake of former Raptors two-way big Jontay Porter being suspended for violating league gambling rules, the NBPA responded in a statement. “The NBPA exists to protect and support the interests of all 450 NBA players – both as individual players and as a collective,” the statement reads. “Adherence to league gambling policies is paramount to maintaining the integrity of our athletes and protecting the future of the sport. The NBPA will make sure Jontay has access to the resources he needs during this time, in light of the NBA’s decision. All players, including Jontay, should be afforded appropriate due process and opportunity to answer to any charges brought against them.“
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NBAGL All-League, Defensive, Rookie Teams Announced

April 18th, 2024 at 4:27pm CST by Rory Maher

The NBA announced all of the major All-NBA G League teams on Thursday (All Twitter links found here), including the First Team, Second Team, Third Team, All-Defensive Team, and All-Rookie team.

Several current and former NBA players are among the honorees. Here is the full list of winners for the 2023/24 season.

All-NBA G League First Team:

All-NBA G League Second Team:

All-NBA G League Third Team:

G League All-Defensive Team:

G League All-Rookie Team:

* Denotes two-way contract

^ Denotes standard contract

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