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Central Notes: Metu, Boeheim, Giannis, Jackson, White

March 21st, 2024 at 10:57am CST by Dana Gauruder

Chimezie Metu, who was signed by the Pistons to a 10-day contract on Wednesday, appeared in their game against Indiana. Two-way guard Buddy Boeheim also made his season debut, becoming the 30th player the Pistons have used this season.

That ties the 2020/21 Rockets for the most players used in one season in league history, Mike Curtis of The Detroit News notes. “It’s definitely different,” Pistons guard Cade Cunningham said. “I just see it as an opportunity to grow as a player, as a leader, as a guard. Making sure we’re organized is a guard’s job, so I find it as an opportunity to get better. When we have all these new guys come in, I try to catch them up to speed to make it easier on them on the court.”

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Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo missed Wednesday’s showdown with Boston due to hamstring tightness. Coach Doc Rivers said it wasn’t a tough decision, Eric Nehm of The Athletic tweets. “He’s feeling good, not great,” Rivers said. “Those things are something you don’t take a chance on, especially now, so it wasn’t very hard.”
Pacers forward Isaiah Jackson played 28 minutes at Detroit on Wednesday in his home state, one of his longest stints this season. Jackson was grateful to coach Rick Carlisle for giving him the opportunity for extended playing time with friends and family in the stands, according to Dustin Dopirak of the Indianapolis Star. “It means everything,” Jackson said. “I talked to him after the game. It’s something I feel like a lot of coaches don’t really do. I think it just shows the care that Rick has for us, everybody in general not just tonight. It means a lot to me and it means a lot to my family, too.”
Bulls guard Coby White practiced on Wednesday and is expected to play on Thursday against Houston. White said there was a silver lining to his absence, which was due to a hip strain. “It was good for me,” he told K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. “Obviously, I don’t want to miss games. But since it did happen and I was hurt, I wanted to take advantage of this time I had off and recover mentally, physically, emotionally spiritually. To me, I just tried to turn it into a positive.”

And-Ones: Jones, All-NBA, Bad Contracts, Replays, Stackhouse

March 21st, 2024 at 9:33am CST by Dana Gauruder

Big Sky Player of the Year Dillon Jones is declaring for the 2024 NBA draft and is expected to sign with the Roc Nation agency, according to basketball analyst Jeff Goodman (Twitter link).

The 6’6” Jones averaged 20.8 points, 9.8 rebounds and 5.2 assists for Weber State. He’s a potential first-round pick — Jones is currently listed as No. 32 overall and No. 9 among small forwards on ESPN’s Best Available list.

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With the new CBA stipulating that players must appear in 65 games to be eligible for postseason awards, there could be numerous newcomers to the All-NBA teams. HoopsHype’s Frank Urbina lists several players who could be first-time All-NBA honorees, including Jalen Brunson, Anthony Edwards and Zion Williamson.
Bradley Beal tops Keith Smith’s list at Spotrac of the worst value contracts in the league, opining the Suns wing isn’t worth an average annual value of over $50MM per season, considering his production level and injury issues. Jordan Poole and Zach LaVine also rank high on Smith’s top 10 list.
Following a contest against the Lakers in which the last two minutes took 20 minutes in real time due to clock malfunctions and replay reviews, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said replays are destroying the rhythm of the game. “I’m not a fan of replay. I think we should have replay just for the buzzer beaters,” he said, per Sportskeeda. “The whole goal with replay is to try to get everything right. There’s 100 plays at each end every night that are subjective. It’s not a game. It’s not tennis. It’s not a Hawk-Eye on whether it’s in or out. There’s all kinds of subjective stuff. We’re never going to get everything right. But I think the flow of the game is way more important.”
Being a former NBA star isn’t enough to attract top recruits and transfers when it comes to Division I coaching. In recent weeks, Michigan fired Juwan Howard and Vanderbilt parted ways with Jerry Stackhouse. NIL and the transfer portal have completed altered the college landscape, Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe notes. “Used to be where you could go, you make all the calls, you go show kids as much interest as you can, do all those type things,” Stackhouse said. “Now you’ve got to reach out to their agents. You know what I’m saying? That’s where it is in order to really get in the door.”

Pacific Notes: Thomas, Okogie, Paul, Powell

March 20th, 2024 at 11:01pm CST by Arthur Hill

Isaiah Thomas isn’t content just to be back in the NBA, writes Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports. The 35-year-old guard, who signed his 10-day deal with the Suns earlier today, hopes the opportunity will revive his career.

“I want to play a few more years in the league, so hopefully this is a setup for that,” Thomas said. “Whatever the opportunity is, I’m ready to make an impact each and every day. Whether I play or not, it’s bigger than putting the ball in the basket for me. Like, I’m able to lead — lead by example, lead by my experiences and just help in any way possible.”

Coach Frank Vogel said Thomas is a “guy that everyone loves,” but nothing has been promised beyond the initial 10-day deal. Phoenix has an opening on its 15-man roster, and Vogel indicated that the organization wants to see what Thomas can contribute before making a commitment. He added that Thomas fills a need because Saben Lee is running out of games on his two-way contract.

“He’s a very well-liked, respected guy in this league, in this NBA player fraternity, but we’re gonna see where his game is at,” Vogel said of Thomas. “Again, I don’t know how much he’ll play for us. He’s really here from a depth standpoint because Saben Lee only has four games left.”

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Before tonight’s game, Vogel told reporters that Suns shooting guard Josh Okogie is close to returning from his lower abdominal strain (video link from Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic). Okogie hasn’t played since March 2.
Chris Paul talked to Scott Ostler of The San Francisco Chronicle about the role he played in driving Jonathan Kuminga and other young Warriors players to develop their talents. “It’s hard (on the young players), because I’ve got a very strong personality, man, and … it is like a coach, and you should be worried if I ain’t saying nothing to you,” Paul said. “Seriously, I’m just constantly trying to teach and play and compete at the same time.”
Clippers swingman Norman Powell is a strong candidate for Sixth Man of the Year honors, notes Broderick Turner of The Los Angeles Times. Among players who are primarily reserves, Powell ranks third in scoring, second in field goal percentage and three-point shooting percentage and fourth in minutes per game. “I think it would be amazing. It would be a lot for me,” he said. “It would be recognition for the importance for the team and being able to step up and help the team win and just a testament to all my hard work throughout the years. I feel like I’ve always been an underdog, having to earn my stripes and my spot. Even when I do really well one season, the next season it’s not automatically given. I’ve got to work to get it and prove myself.” Powell is dealing with a left leg contusion and it’s uncertain if he’ll play during the team’s two-game road trip, tweets Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN.

Heat Notes: Mills, D. Robinson, Jovic, Butler

March 20th, 2024 at 9:52pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Heat used their 33rd different starting lineup in Wednesday night’s victory at Cleveland, writes Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. Veteran guard Patty Mills, who signed with the team two weeks ago, made his first start of the season and scored 10 points in 25 minutes. Chiang notes that Mills filled the floor-spacing role normally held by Duncan Robinson, who was sidelined by discomfort in his back.

Miami set a franchise record Sunday in Detroit with its 32nd different starting lineup, as coach Erik Spoelstra has been navigating a series of injuries since the season began. Center Thomas Bryant also started Wednesday, replacing Bam Adebayo, who is dealing with a lower back contusion.

Chiang points out that two-way players Cole Swider and Alondes Williams are the only members of the current roster who haven’t made at least one start this season.

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Robinson returned to Miami on Tuesday to visit a back specialist, Chiang states in a separate story. Spoelstra said Robinson is considered day-to-day, but Chiang notes that his status could change depending on the results of his exam. “He wasn’t going to be able to play today,” Spoelstra said. “So we might as well just get him checked out there and start that process with [Heat senior director of rehabilitation] Jeff Ruiz and try to get him back as quick as we can. “He’ll get a scan just to make sure we know what it is. He’ll work with Jeff, start that process right now and we’ll see where he is.” Robinson has been a constant for the injury-riddled Heat, appearing in 63 of the team’s first 68 games. Chiang suggests that Swider, who has only played 55 minutes all season, could see an expanded role with Robinson and some of the team’s other outside shooters injured.
Nikola Jovic was back in the starting lineup after missing two games with a strained right hamstring, Chiang adds. “I’m feeling a lot better,” Jovic said. “I went through a little practice yesterday and now the shootaround, and it feels a lot better.”
Jimmy Butler also returned after sitting out the past two games with a right foot contusion. It was just the 48th game of the season for Butler, but Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel says the Heat have proven they can be successful with that formula as long as he’s healthy for the playoffs.

J.B. Bickerstaff Says He Was Threatened By Gamblers

March 20th, 2024 at 8:41pm CST by Arthur Hill

Meeting with reporters before Wednesday’s game, Cavaliers coach J.B. Bickerstaff talked about receiving threats from gamblers last season, writes Tom Withers of The Associated Press. After Bickerstaff reported the threats to the NBA, one of the people responsible was tracked down, but no charges were filed.

“They got my telephone number and were sending me crazy messages about where I live and my kids and all that stuff,” he said. “So it is a dangerous game and a fine line that we’re walking for sure.”

With sports betting now legal in 38 states and the District of Columbia, gambling has never had a more prominent role in the NBA. Withers notes that a sportsbook operates inside the Cavs’ arena, Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, and fans are able to place bets on their phones during games.

“It brings added pressure,” Bickerstaff said. “It brings a distraction to the game that can be difficult for players, coaches, referees, everybody that’s involved in it. And I think that we really have to be careful with how close we let it get to the game and the security of the people who are involved in it.

“Because again, it does carry a weight. A lot of times the people who are gambling like this money pays their light bill or pay their rent, and then the emotions that come from that. So I do think we’re walking a very fine line and we have to be extremely careful in protecting everybody who’s involved.”

The question of whether gambling has become too pervasive in the NBA crops up occasionally, most recently when Minnesota center Rudy Gobert received a technical for making a “money” gesture at officials after fouling out of a game at Cleveland earlier this month. Gobert accused the referees of letting gambling concerns influence their calls and was fined $100K for his comments.

Bickerstaff didn’t pursue that route, but he said the influence of betting has “crossed the line.”

“The amount of times where I’m standing up there and we may have a 10-point lead and the spread is 11 and people are yelling at me to leave the guys in so that we can cover the spread, it’s ridiculous,” he said. “But again, I understand the business side of it and the nature of the business of it. But I mean, it is something that I believe has gone too far.”

Kings Notes: Huerter, Ellis, Vezenkov, Monk

March 20th, 2024 at 7:31pm CST by Arthur Hill

Kings shooting guard Kevin Huerter suffered a left shoulder injury in Monday’s game against Memphis and there are concerns that he could miss the rest of the regular season, writes Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee. Huerter had to leave the game after being fouled by Desmond Bane, and he was ruled out for tonight’s contest at Toronto.

The Kings are likely exploring treatment options for Huerter before making a formal statement on his prognosis, according to Anderson, who cites a 2020 study by the National Library of Medicine showing that NBA players are typically sidelined for 3.6 weeks with shoulder subluxations and 7.6 weeks with shoulder dislocations. Anderson notes that a four-week absence would keep Huerter out until the start of the playoffs, while an eight-week absence would have him returning in mid-May in the midst of the conference semifinals.

Huerter is a valuable part of Sacramento’s offense, averaging 10.2 PPG in 64 games this season while shooting 44.3% from the field and 36.1% from three-point range.

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Coach Mike Brown plans to start Keon Ellis while Huerter is unavailable, Anderson adds. Ellis, who had his two-way contract converted to a multi-year deal last month, has started six games and the Kings have won them all. “Obviously, with this team, it’s always next-man up mentality,” De’Aaron Fox said. “We have to be ready to play without Kev if it is some type of long-term thing, and I think everybody is confident in Keon. Whether he starts or comes off the bench, the minutes he’s been providing the last few games, especially since he’s been back in the rotation, have been great.”
Sasha Vezenkov isn’t quite ready to return from his right ankle sprain, Anderson tweets. The first-year power forward, who hasn’t played since February 9, had been upgraded to questionable for tonight, but the team opted to give him another night off.
In an interview with Anthony Slater of The Athletic, Malik Monk explains the career arc that has made him the favorite for Sixth Man of the Year honors as well as his decision to leave the Lakers and sign with the Kings as a free agent in 2022. “I feel like the organization needed a turnaround,” Monk said. “I feel like they needed new faces here. I feel like I could bring an energy that Sac had been waiting for since (DeMarcus Cousins) left. And my homie is here, my best friend here. Fox. This was going to be the most comfortable fit for me. Because leaving Los Angeles, a big city, coming here slows everything down. Slow pace. Now I can just focus on my craft. It’s been working for me.”

Atlantic Notes: Robinson, Hartenstein, George, Quickley, Mazzulla

March 20th, 2024 at 6:21pm CST by Arthur Hill

Knicks center Mitchell Robinson, who was rumored to be lost for the season after undergoing ankle surgery in December, was a full participant in Wednesday’s practice, according to Stefan Bondy of The New York Post.

“It wasn’t an extended (practice) obviously. But he did shooting. He did offense, defense, script,” coach Tom Thibodeau said. Asked when Robinson might be approved for game action, Thibodeau responded, “He’s got to go through contact for a while. So then he’s got to get cleared by the doctor.”

Robinson has missed 47 games since being diagnosed with a stress fracture in his left ankle. The Knicks applied for a $7.8MM disabled player exception, but that request was turned down in January because an independent physician wasn’t convinced that Robinson would be unavailable for the rest of the season.

Thibodeau said Isaiah Hartenstein will remain the starting center even when Robinson is cleared to return. Hartenstein is dealing with a sore Achilles and is currently playing under a minutes restriction.

There’s more from the Atlantic Division:

The Sixers will be an “eager” suitor for Paul George this summer if he can’t agree on an extension with the Clippers, Marc Stein writes in his latest Substack column (subscription required). League sources tell Stein that signing George would be an ideal way for Philadelphia to use its considerable cap space before giving a max extension to Tyrese Maxey. Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports (video link) also indicates that the Sixers are keeping their eyes on George, who has a $48.8MM player option for next season.
Immanuel Quickley is away from the Raptors on a personal/family matter and there’s no timetable for him to return, coach Darko Rajakovic told reporters before tonight’s game (Twitter link from Josh Lewenberg of TSN Sports). Bruce Brown will handle the ball more often while Quickley is gone, Rajakovic added.
Eric Koreen and Sam Vecenie of The Athletic discuss whether the Raptors would be better off giving their first-round pick to San Antonio this year or waiting until 2025 or 2026. The pick is top-six protected, and Toronto is currently seventh in the reverse standings, a half-game away from sixth-place Memphis.
Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla tried to block a shot by Phoenix forward Royce O’Neale after a timeout last week, but he’s been instructed to retire the lighthearted gesture, relays Brian Robb of MassLive. “I’ve been told I can’t do that anymore,” Mazzulla said during an appearance on a radio show, but he declined to say who made that request.

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.”

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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.