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Nuggets’ Murray Leaves Game With Ankle Sprain, Now Ineligible For Awards

March 1st, 2024 at 9:11am CST by Luke Adams

Nuggets guard Jamal Murray was forced out of action before halftime in the team’s win over Miami, having sprained his right ankle in the second quarter, writes Bennett Durando of The Denver Post. Murray exited the game and didn’t return.

“I talked to him right at the half, and he thought he was gonna be able to try to maybe give it a go — see how it warmed up,” Nuggets head coach Michael Malone said. “And it just wasn’t responding the way he had hoped, so I think it was a smart decision not to have him out there. Just trying to be as careful as possible at this point of the season.”

According to Malone, Murray has yet to be ruled out for Saturday’s game against the Lakers, so it remains possible that the ankle sprain won’t cost him any additional games.

However, it’s worth noting that even if he returns to action on Saturday and plays every Nuggets game for the rest of the season, Murray will no longer be eligible for end-of-season awards.

The NBA’s new 65-game rule for award eligibility considers players to have reached 65 games if they play at least 20 minutes in 63 contests and at least 15 minutes in two more. The Nuggets guard has missed 16 games and – after logging just 14 minutes on Thursday – has played fewer than 15 minutes in two additional outings.

That means that even though he could still technically appear in up to 66 games this season, Murray will fall short of meeting the requirements for the 65-game minimum. The rule was written that way in the NBA’s latest Collective Bargaining Agreement to avoid a scenario in which a player just made cameo appearances in multiple games in order to reach 65.

For what it’s worth, a player who doesn’t meet the 65-game criteria is permitted to appeal his award eligibility in the event of “extraordinary circumstances.” Perhaps if Murray ended up missing out because he played in 14 minutes instead of 15 in one game, that would qualify, but since this is the first time this rule has been in effect, there are no precedents to compare it to. That case would also no longer hold weight if he misses more time as a result of his ankle injury, which remains a possibility.

“If there’s any hesitancy, then he won’t play in L.A.,” Malone said, per Durando. “If the ankle’s not right. … The question is never, ‘Can I go play?’ No, (it’s), ‘Can you play effectively?’ Because if you’re not playing effectively, you’re putting everybody else at a disadvantage. So we’ll see. And if he’s not able to play against the Lakers because of the ankle injury, then we’ll hopefully get him back for Phoenix (next Tuesday).”

Murray is averaging 20.5 points and a career-high 6.3 assists in 31.2 minutes per game for Denver through 44 appearances (all starts) this season. His 47.9% field goal percentage and 42.3% three-point percentage are also career bests.

The 27-year-old may have been a long shot for All-NBA recognition even if he were eligible, given the strong competition he’d face, but the fact that he’ll miss out is notable, since he would’ve met the performance criteria for a super-max extension if he had earned one of those 15 All-NBA spots. Nuggets general manager Calvin Booth said back in October that the team was “anticipating” paying Murray the super-max.

Murray, who will earn approximately $36MM in the final year of his current contract in 2024/25, will be eligible to sign an extension worth up to his standard max (30% of the cap) this offseason. If he wants to play out his current deal, he could still qualify for a super-max contract (worth 35% of the cap) with the Nuggets by making an All-NBA team in 2024/25.

Murray joins Joel Embiid, Kyrie Irving, Jimmy Butler, and LaMelo Ball as a few of the stars who are no longer eligible for an All-NBA berth or other major awards in 2023/24 due to the number of games they’ve missed. Others, including Trae Young, may join that group before the end of the season.

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Players Waived After Friday Won’t Be Playoff-Eligible

March 1st, 2024 at 7:16am CST by Luke Adams

In order to retain his postseason eligibility for a new NBA team, a player must be waived on or before March 1. That means that any player who remains on an NBA roster after Friday won’t be eligible to suit up in the playoffs for a new team, though there’s at least one key exception to that general rule.

A player who is currently on a 10-day contract – or who signs one after March 1 – will retain his playoff eligibility going forward. For instance, once Justin Jackson‘s 10-day deal with the Timberwolves expires on Saturday night, he’d still be able to re-sign with Minnesota or join a new team and be eligible to play in the postseason, since he’s not being placed on waivers after March 1.

Here’s the list of players currently on 10-day contracts who will retain their playoff eligibility when their current deals expire:

It’s also worth clarifying that a player doesn’t have to sign with a new team by March 1 to be playoff-eligible — he simply has to be placed on waivers by 11:59 pm Eastern time on Friday. As long as a player who fits that bill signs with a new team by the final day of the regular season (April 14), he can play in the postseason (including the play-in games).

The buyout market in 2024 has been somewhat active, with veterans like Spencer Dinwiddie, Kyle Lowry, Danilo Gallinari, Delon Wright, and Thaddeus Young among those who have been waived since the trade deadline and found new teams.

All of those players – and those who have been waived but haven’t yet signed with new teams, such as Mike Muscala, Marcus Morris, and Patty Mills – will be playoff-eligible for their new clubs, but anyone on a standard contract who is waived after Friday won’t be. We’ll be keeping a close eye on the NBA’s transaction wire today to see if anyone else is placed on waivers before that deadline passes.

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Atlantic Notes: Hartenstein, Raptors, Springer, Muscala

February 29th, 2024 at 10:45pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Isaiah Hartenstein earned some extra money on top of his base salary on Thursday. The Knicks center surpassed 1,350 minutes this season, which triggered a $350K bonus, ESPN’s Bobby Marks tweets.

The bonus had been deemed likely and was included in his cap hit for 2023/24 since the Knicks big man met the same minutes benchmark in ’22/23. Hartenstein has a base salary of approximately $8.2MM, along with $1.05MM in likely bonuses.

The Knicks hold Early Bird rights on Hartenstein, who will be an unrestricted free agent after the season. New York can offer him a multiyear contract with a starting salary of up to $16MM.

We have from the Atlantic Division:

  • The Raptors can feel cautiously optimistic about their lineup, The Athletic’s Eric Koreen opines, since Immanuel Quickley, Scottie Barnes, Gary Trent Jr., RJ Barrett and Jakob Poeltl are playing well together. The only hitch is that Trent will be an unrestricted free agent, though Gradey Dick might be ready to take that spot. They could also use a defensive specialist on the wing, Koreen adds.
  • Jaden Springer didn’t anticipate getting traded at this stage of his career, he admitted to Gina Mizell of the Philadelphia Inquirer. He was dealt from the Sixers to the Celtics earlier this month. “I wasn’t expecting that,” the 2021 first rounder said. “But I [didn’t] really think about it too much. It happened, and I was OK with moving on to the next thing. I’m here [in Boston] now, and that’s what I’m really focused on.” Sixers exec Daryl Morey didn’t view Springer as a rotation player in the postseason for the next few seasons, Mizell explains, which is why he was shipped out for an asset — a 2024 second-rounder — that could potentially be flipped for a veteran role player.
  • The Celtics are eligible to sign Mike Muscala but it doesn’t seem likely, Brian Robb of Masslive.com writes. Muscala was bought out by the Pistons this week after he was acquired in a trade with Washington in mid-January. However, teams like the Knicks and Sixers would appear to be better fits, given that Muscala could get immediate playing time in their frontcourts. Boston would not be able to offer him any regular minutes while the team is healthy, and the C’s added a big man at the trade deadline in Xavier Tillman.
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Pacific Notes: Thompson, Beal, Gordon, Lue, James

February 29th, 2024 at 9:11pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Warriors coach Steve Kerr revealed that Klay Thompson initially balked at the prospect of being the team’s sixth man, he told ESPN’s Kendra Andrews. Thompson yelled at Kerr and some members of the staff during a meeting prior to the All-Star break before later returning to apologize.

“It was not an easy conversation,” Kerr said. “This is maybe the hardest part about getting further away from our prime. It’s just, after 12 years [of Thompson starting], it wasn’t easy. And still moving forward, it’s not going to be easy. But I told him, ‘If you really embrace it, you can help your team win.'”

Thompson said the All-Star break helped ease his mind over the coaching staff’s plan.

“It was having a complete reset, a huge mental reset. It helped so much,” he said.

Thompson stated in an interview with The Athletic’s Sam Amick that his new role wouldn’t play into his decision during free agency this summer. Thompson, who is eligible for a four-year extension, remains open to a shorter-term deal, according to Andrews.

We have more from the Pacific Division:

  • The Suns had three late scratches on Thursday against Houston, according to Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic. Bradley Beal missed his fifth straight game due to left hamstring injury management. Eric Gordon sat out with left groin soreness. They were listed as questionable on Wednesday. Nassir Little didn’t suit up due to left knee inflammation after not being on the initial injury report.
  • Clippers coach Tyronn Lue had a health scare when he was coaching Cleveland due to stress and poor eating and sleeping habits. He’s learned from that experience and has a much healthier diet and exercise plan, he told Andscape’s Marc J. Spears. “I’ve been working out. Eating better. I still have my moments. [I’m] eating less. It’s been good,” Lue said. “(Strength and conditioning coach Daniel Shapiro) has done a good job of staying on me because I can stray away. I’m just doing 20 to 30 minutes per day … Now I’m about 208 [pounds]. Back [in Cleveland] I was 241. I can’t believe I got that big.”
  • LeBron James sparked the biggest fourth-quarter comeback of his career against the Clippers on Wednesday in the two teams’ final matchup as cohabitants of Crypto.com Arena. The Lakers rallied from 21 points down with the aid of three three-pointers early in the fourth from James, who finished with 34 points. “It’s just a zone, and you can’t really describe it,” James said, per ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. “You wish you could stay in it forever, but obviously it checks out once the game ends. But during it, you don’t feel anything. It’s just like a superpower feel.“
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Central Notes: Stewart, Fontecchio, Bitim, White

February 29th, 2024 at 7:21pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Pistons forward Isaiah Stewart returned to action on Tuesday after serving a three-game NBA suspension for punching the Suns’ Drew Eubanks during a pre-game altercation. Stewart played 34 minutes and contributed 11 points and nine rebounds, along with providing a much-needed defensive presence. He’ll remain in the lineup going forward, coach Monty Williams said.

“We’re gonna run with these guys for a while and see if we get some synergy, especially on defense,” Williams told Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press.

Stewart offered an apology for losing his temper, Sankofa relays (Twitter links). “I always want to represent the organization in great fashion,” he said. “I apologized to my teammates and coaches because it’s been a tough season and I don’t want to bring anything upon them. And I’m glad they had my back.”

We have more from the Central Division:

  • Forward Simone Fontecchio joined the NBA last season by signing with the Jazz. Fontecchio, 28, felt it was a now-or-never opportunity after starring in Europe. He was acquired by the Pistons at this month’s trade deadline. “It was a no-brainer to be honest. Once you see that train passing you, you just want to catch it,” Fontecchio told James Edwards III of The Athletic. “I just thought, ‘It’s a three-year deal. I’m going to do everything I can to make this work. If it doesn’t, I’ll just go back to Europe. It’s OK. I tried my best.’ I’ve been putting in a lot of work the last two years. I’m thankful to be in the position that I am now.” He’ll be a restricted free agent after the season.
  • Bulls rookie Onuralp Bitim got extended playing time against Cleveland on Wednesday with Alex Caruso sidelined and made a favorable impression. Bitim scored the first 10 points of his NBA career and added six rebounds in 27 minutes, including all 10 minutes in the double-overtime triumph. “I really can’t describe how I feel. But it’s not about my English, even my own language,” Bitim, a native of Turkey, told K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. “I was dreaming of this moment for a really long time. And I was really trying to be ready and my teammates really helped me, my coaches. I knew the chance was going to come. You just never know when. You just have to be ready.” Bitim was promoted from a two-way deal to a multiyear standard contract on Sunday.
  • Coby White is having a breakout season, but the Bulls are concerned about their point guard burning himself out by putting in too much work, rather than pacing himself, according to the Chicago Sun-Times’ Joe Cowley. “You don’t want to lose that perspective, but there’s a point of how efficiently you can work with the time you have and developing the routine,” coach Billy Donovan said. “And we’ve talked to him a lot about it where, ‘Listen, coming in the gym and driving yourself into the ground is not always the solution or the answer.’ I would rather have a guy like Coby that’s willing to put the work in than a guy where you’re like, ‘Come on, let’s watch more film, let’s get in the gym.’ He’s never shied away from work. But I also think that when you’re coaching somebody, the routine has got to be theirs because there’s nothing worse for a player than to go into a game with the anxiety of, ‘I’m not prepared.’ Where is that balance? He’ll have to strike that for himself.”
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New York Notes: Anunoby, DiVincenzo, Simmons, Graham

February 29th, 2024 at 5:46pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Forward OG Anunoby has been cleared to do some on-court work, but still isn’t doing any contact, Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau told ESPN’s Tim Bontemps (Twitter link) and other media members on Thursday.

Anunoby underwent elbow surgery earlier this month. At that time, he was ruled out for at least three weeks. He hasn’t suited up since Jan. 27.

Isaiah Hartenstein is returning to action against Golden State on Thursday evening after missing Tuesday’s game against New Orleans due to Achilles soreness. Jalen Brunson, who also sat out Tuesday due to neck spasms, will play tonight too, Steve Popper of Newsday tweets.

We have more on the New York teams:

  • Donte DiVincenzo‘s impact on the Knicks’ offense during this injury-filled stretch can’t be overstated, Popper writes in a subscriber-only story for Newsday. DiVincenzo is averaging 22.2 points and 3.2 assists this month.
  • The Nets’ Ben Simmons is sitting out against the Hawks on Thursday due to left leg soreness, Ian Begley of SNY TV tweets. Simmons has appeared in eight games this month, averaging 5.4 points, 5.8 rebounds and 4.4 assists in 18.8 minutes.
  • With the Nets losing assistant general manager Jeff Peterson, who is heading to the Hornets as their head of basketball operations, Pelicans assistant GM Bryson Graham could be a candidate to replace him, according to Net Income. Graham is currently working under GM Trajan Langdon, who was also a candidate for the Hornets job.
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Marcus Morris Finalizes Buyout Agreement With Spurs

February 29th, 2024 at 5:31pm CST by Dana Gauruder

5:31pm: The Spurs have officially waived Morris, the team announced in a press release.

4:07pm: Marcus Morris and the Spurs have agreed to a buyout, The Athletic’s Shams Charania tweets.

Morris will hit the waiver wire before the Friday night deadline for free agents to be eligible for the postseason. He can now look for an opportunity to join a playoff contender.

Morris was dealt from Philadelphia to San Antonio at the trade deadline in a three-team swap involving the Sixers, Pacers and Spurs. It was expected he’d get a buyout from San Antonio, which sits at the bottom of the Western Conference standings.

Morris won’t be able to return to Philadelphia this season. He also can’t sign with the Celtics, Nuggets, Warriors, Clippers, Heat, Bucks and Suns since those teams have salaries above the first or second tax aprons.

Morris was on an expiring $17.1MM contract this season. That figure is well above the mid-level exception ($12.4MM), which makes teams above the tax aprons ineligible to sign him under the CBA rules.

A couple of weeks ago, former teammate Patrick Beverley (Twitter link) said Morris was leaning toward the Timberwolves if he was bought out.

Morris didn’t suit up for San Antonio. He appeared in 37 games with Philadelphia this season, including seven starts. The 34-year-old averaged 6.7 points and 2.9 rebounds in 17.2 minutes before the trade to San Antonio.

Morris started regularly for the Clippers the past three-plus seasons before being sent to the Sixers as part of the James Harden trade in November. He has averaged 12.1 points and 4.5 rebounds in 820 career games. He’s a career 37.7% 3-point shooter, which should add to his appeal once he clears waivers.

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Nuggets Notes: Nnaji, Murray, Gordon, Jokic

February 29th, 2024 at 3:59pm CST by Rory Maher

After signing a four-year, $32MM rookie scale extension in the offseason, Nuggets forward/center Zeke Nnaji surely hoped to take a step forward in 2023/24. Instead, he’s been out of the team’s rotation for much of the season, averaging fewer minutes per game (9.9) than he did over the previous two campaigns (17.0 and 13.7, respectively).

However, head coach Michael Malone reinserted the 23-year-old into the rotation a few games before the All-Star break and Nnaji is trying to take advantage of the opportunity, according to Vinny Benedetto of The Denver Gazette.

“I feel like I’m playing well,” Nnaji said after Sunday’s win vs. Golden State. “Maybe (it’s) the work that I’m putting in, but I found a little rhythm.”

Nnaji, who views himself as a natural power forward instead of a center, which he’s played far more of this season, says he’s remained even-keeled amid his inconsistent playing time, Benedetto writes.

“Never get too high, never get too low,” Nnaji said of his approach while playing time has waxed and waned. “I have confidence in the practice and the work that I put in every day, whether it’s a game day or an off day. Whenever I get my opportunity, I just go out there and try to make the most (of it) and help the team win however I can.”

Here’s more on the defending champions:

  • Point guard Jamal Murray missed the second game of a back-to-back last week in Portland. John Hollinger of The Athletic asked Malone about the injury, with the coach saying it’s something Murray and the team will have to manage for the rest of the season. “It’s shin splints,” said Malone, “and everything he’s dealing with right now, every time he plays it’s gonna be an issue. This is not second night of a back-to-back ‘resting.’ He is managing an injury. It’s just something we’re just going to have to find a way to figure out.” Malone added that in order for Murray’s shin splints to fully heal, he’ll need an extended period of rest, almost certainly in the offseason. “I’m sure it’s very painful,” Malone continued, “and the more he plays — and Jamal is gonna be a guy who is going to play upwards 35, 36 minutes a night. We just have to try to limit his load as much as possible — shootarounds, practices, whatever we’re doing — to make sure that game days are holy and he can be available for as many of them as possible.” For what it’s worth, Murray isn’t on the injury report tonight vs. Miami, which is also the second game of a back-to-back, as Benedetto tweets.
  • The Nuggets entered the All-Star break on a three-game losing streak, but they were unconcerned about their form entering the home stretch of the season, writes Bennett Durando of The Denver Post. The team has reeled off four straight victories post-break, and forward Aaron Gordon says the team didn’t want to peak too early. “We know what time it is now,” Gordon said after Wednesday’s win. “It’s time to start ramping up. I know we didn’t want to be playing our best basketball early in the season.”
  • Mo Dakhil of The Athletic breaks down some of the “genius” of two-time MVP Nikola Jokic, who is the frontrunner for the award again in ’23/24. Jokic has recorded a triple-double in just three quarters in each of the past four games, and his teammates have great timing on cuts to the basket when the Serbian center is double-teamed, Dakhil writes.
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Pacific Notes: Wiggins, Suns, S. Lee, Fox, Huerter, Reddish

February 29th, 2024 at 2:27pm CST by Rory Maher

Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins will miss his second straight game on Thursday vs. New York due to personal reasons, with Anthony Slater of The Athletic describing the absence as a “family matter.” It’s unclear when Wiggins will return to the lineup, though head coach Steve Kerr said the team expects him back at some point.

“Don’t know,” Kerr said of a return timeline. “We’ll obviously respect Andrew’s wishes for this to remain private. Personal reasons.”

As Slater notes, Wiggins missed the final 25 games of the 2022/23 season due to personal reasons, returning just before the postseason began.

Here are a few more notes from the Pacific Division:

  • The Suns have an open roster spot. Veterans Mike Muscala (Pistons) and Patty Mills (Hawks) were recently waived by their former clubs, with Muscala reaching a buyout agreement. Would Phoenix be interested in either of those players? John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 says the answer is no (Twitter links). The Suns are much more likely to convert Saben Lee‘s two-way contract to a standard deal, according to Gambadoro, who says (via Twitter) the odds of that happening are “very high.” It’s worth noting that Lee, who was the 38th pick of the 2020 draft, is in his fourth NBA season — he will not be eligible for two-way contracts in 2024/25 and beyond.
  • After building an early lead on Wednesday against the Nuggets, the Kings wound up being blown out in Denver without star point guard De’Aaron Fox, writes Chris Biderman of The Sacramento Bee. Fox, who sustained a left knee contusion in Monday’s loss to Miami, went through the team’s shootaround yesterday morning and his pregame shooting routine prior to being ruled out, which seemingly indicates the injury is relatively minor.
  • According to Biderman, guard Kevin Huerter was frustrated with his lack of playing time following Wednesday’s game, in which he played just 18 minutes. “I don’t know if I could put my finger on one (thing),” Huerter said of the Kings being outscored by 35 points over the second and third quarters. “I wish I was out there to help us more though.” Huerter declined to expand on those comments, but Biderman points out that the 25-year-old is playing a career-low 25.2 minutes per game and briefly lost his starting job in December before reclaiming it.
  • After missing the previous 14 games with a right ankle sprain, Lakers wing Cam Reddish returned to action in Wednesday’s win over the Clippers, per Khobi Price of The Southern Califnornia News Group. The former lottery pick played 20 minutes and supplanted second-year guard/forward Max Christie in the rotation, Price adds.
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