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Southwest Notes: Whitmore, Zion, Williams, Luka, Sochan

March 12th, 2024 at 10:44pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Rockets rookie wing Cam Whitmore is expected to be out for approximately three weeks with a sprained right knee, Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle reports.

Whitmore is averaging 12.1 points and 3.9 rebounds in 17.8 minutes per game through 38 NBA appearances this season after the Rockets drafted him late in the first round.

“He has a sprained (lateral collateral ligament), the ligament in the knee and outside the knee,” Rockets coach Ime Udoka said. “So, it’s a three-week timetable as well. Felt some tightness in his knee in the game. Got that checked out. Kind of played through that. We’ll wee how he progresses with rehab and treatment, as well. They say three weeks, but it could be a shorter timetable based on how he reacts to it.”

The Rockets lost star center Alperen Sengun over the weekend due to a severe ankle sprain and bone bruise to his knee.

We have more from the Southwest Division:

  • After injuries marred his first four NBA seasons, Pelicans forward Zion Williamson is finishing strong this season, Christian Clark of the New Orleans Times-Picayune notes. He has appeared in 53 games, averaging 22.1 points, 5.6 rebounds and a career-high 5.2 assists per night. Getting in better shape has been the key. “I’m getting there,” Williamson said. “Just stacking my days. Extra conditioning over time. I’m starting to see some of those results. I just have to maintain and keep going.”
  • Before Grant Williams was dealt to the Hornets, he trash-talked Mavericks star Luka Doncic during practice. In a radio interview relayed by Brian Robb of Masslive.com, Dallas assistant GM Michael Finley said it didn’t go well for the power forward. “He decided he wanted to get under Luka’s skin. He felt Luka didn’t come that day ready to practice,” Finley said. “To make a long story short, they had a scrimmage going and he was talking trash to Luka up and down the court. So finally, Luka says ‘Okay,” and Luka went on a 26-6 run by himself. You can ask anybody, I’m not exaggerating. He showed everything, the threes, the postups, the floaters, everything by himself.”
  • The Spurs’ Jeremy Sochan is developing a reputation as an agitator and he has an admirer in a player who often gets under opponent’s skin — the Warriors’ Draymond Green, according to Mike Finger of the San Antonio Express-News. “Not caring what anybody thinks, that’s a skill in this league,” Green said. “Jeremy, he don’t give a (bleep). You can tell.”
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Pacific Notes: Booker, Young, Bol, Looney, Reddish

March 12th, 2024 at 9:13pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Devin Booker returned to the Suns‘ lineup on Monday night and the team’s big three carried it to a six-point win over Cleveland, Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic notes. Booker, Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal combined for 88 of the club’s 117 points. Booker scored 27 points after missing four games with a right ankle sprain. Phoenix is 15-9 with all three stars in the lineup.

“They’ve got a great ability to pierce single coverage or drop coverage in pick-and-roll and when they start bringing two to the basketball, they’re all willing passers,” Suns head coach Frank Vogel said.

We have more from the Pacific Division:

  • Veteran forward Thaddeus Young has only played in two games since the Suns signed him off the buyout market. “If the matchup fits, then we’ll use him, but for now he’s behind Drew (Eubanks) on the depth chart,” Vogel said, per Rankin (Twitter link). Bol Bol has received steady, if limited, minutes this month. He’s averaging 5.5 points and 4.0 rebounds in 11.2 minutes over six March outings. Regarding Bol’s minutes, Vogel said it’s about either matchup or being able to go zone to protect him on the defense, Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports tweets.
  • Warriors center Kevon Looney’s consecutive games played streak lasted 254 games in the regular season and 289 including playoffs — second in the NBA behind only the Nets’ Mikal Bridges. It ended not because of injury but due to losing his rotation spot. He was a DNP-Coach’s Decision against the Bulls and Spurs. “I still get to carry it a little bit. I was available. I can still say I didn’t get hurt. Knock on wood,” Looney told Anthony Slater of The Athletic as he knocked on his locker. “I’m still taking care of my body. Still feeling good. Still available whenever they call on me again. I’ll be ready.”
  • Lakers forward Cam Reddish won’t play against the Kings on Wednesday due to a right ankle sprain, Khobi Price of the Orange County Register tweets. LeBron James (left ankle) is listed as questionable.
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Desmond Bane Close To Returning From Ankle Injury

March 12th, 2024 at 7:40pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Grizzlies high-scoring guard Desmond Bane is close to returning from a Grade 3 left ankle sprain, Damichael Cole of the Memphis Commercial Appeal reports.

Bane has been doing three-on-three basketball activities the past two weeks and progressed to five-on-five in recent days. He could return to action as early as this weekend.

“He’s working really hard, so I envision in a couple games here, he’s back in the lineup,” coach Taylor Jenkins said.

Bane was in the midst of a career year prior to the injury, averaging 24.4 points, 5.3 assists and 4.6 rebounds in 37 games. He suffered the injury during a Jan. 12 game against the Clippers.

In the last update from the team on Feb. 22, Bane’s timetable was listed at three-to-five weeks.

Brandon Clarke, who suffered a torn left Achilles tendon last March, will start five-on-five workouts this weekend with hopes of getting some game action before the season ends.

“Really encouraged by all the signs he’s been showing,” Jenkins said. “He’s on schedule. We’re hopeful sometime maybe at the end of the month he’s in a Grizzlies uniform.”

Clarke is in the first year of a four-year, $52MM extension he signed in 2022.

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Nets Notes: Bridges, Thomas, Claxton, Johnson

March 12th, 2024 at 6:09pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Cam Thomas returned from an ankle sprain for the last two Nets games and it’s had a positive effect on their top player, Mikal Bridges, according to The New York Post’s Brian Lewis.

Thomas had 29 points and five assists in a win over Cleveland on Sunday, while Bridges had his best offensive output in five games, supplying 25 points and five assists. Bridges shot 9-for-14 from the field.

“It was good for Mikal, too, to see some shots go in, and coming off the curl, playing off [Thomas], just taking the pressure off himself and stepping up,” interim coach Kevin Ollie said. “He puts so much work in, so I know those seeds that he’s planted are going to bloom and blossom at some point.”

We have more on the Nets:

  • Speaking of Thomas, the team is looking for him to be a more well-rounded player instead of just being known as a scorer, Lewis writes. He showed signs of that against the Cavaliers. “Yeah, we challenged him about the EGBs [energy-generating behaviors]. He had seven rebounds, five assists. So it wasn’t all his scoring,” Ollie said. “He was contributing in other ways, and that’s great to see. I want him to keep that up. We’re gonna keep challenging him. We want him to be a masterpiece on the offensive end and a masterpiece on a defensive end. And he can do it. But we’ve got to keep challenging [him].”
  • Thomas is extension-eligible this offseason and it’ll be tough to attach a dollar figure to him due to his reputation as a one-dimensional player, Lucas Kaplan of NetsDaily.com opines. Meanwhile, unrestricted free agent Nic Claxton will be one of the top players on the market. Claxton is the team’s defensive stalwart but his inconsistent performances sometimes lead to bad losses, Kaplan writes.
  • Forward Cameron Johnson has been upgraded to probable for the team’s road game against the Magic on Wednesday, Lewis tweets. Johnson has missed the last three games.
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Karl-Anthony Towns Undergoes Knee Surgery

March 12th, 2024 at 4:22pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Timberwolves big man Karl-Anthony Towns underwent surgery on Tuesday to repair a left knee lateral meniscus tear, the team announced in press release. He will be reevaluated in four weeks, the statement adds.

Towns obviously won’t return for the regular season. The reevaluation timeline leaves the door open for Towns to make it back sometime during the postseason, depending on how his rehab goes and how deep a run Minnesota makes.

Towns was diagnosed with the injury after his most recent outing on March 4 against Portland. The Timberwolves have gone 1-2 since Towns was sidelined, sliding to third place in the Western Conference standings.

Towns, whose career has been marred by long-term injuries in recent seasons, averaged 22.1 points, 8.4 rebounds and 3.0 assists in 60 games this season.

A Grade 3 calf strain limited him to 29 regular season games last season. However, Towns bounced back strongly this season, sitting out only two games until he experienced soreness in his knee.

Naz Reid has averaged 24 points and six rebounds the past three games. The team signed T.J. Warren to a 10-day contract, which expires on Friday, and he’s gotten rotation minutes off the bench with Reid sliding into the starting lineup. Warren is averaging 5.7 points and 2.7 rebounds in 17.0 minutes per night over the past three games.

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Darius Bazley Signs With Jazz

March 12th, 2024 at 4:12pm CST by Arthur Hill

MARCH 12: Bazley has officially signed with the Jazz and they’ve terminated the 10-day contract of guard Kinsey, according to a team press release.

As we relayed in a separate story, Lofton officially signed his contract with Utah on Monday when the team waived Porter.

MARCH 11: The Jazz will sign Darius Bazley to a three-year, non-guaranteed contract, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link). Utah will also add Kenneth Lofton Jr. under the same terms, Wojnarowski tweets.

Bazley, a 23-year-old center/power forward, made a brief NBA appearance last month when he signed a 10-day contract with the Sixers. He saw limited playing time in three games and didn’t receive a second 10-day deal.

Bazley returned to the Delaware Blue Coats in the G League, where’s he’s averaging 20.5 points and 9.5 rebounds in 22 regular season games.

The Jazz will be third team this season for Lofton, a 21-year-old power forward. He began the season in Memphis, where he played on a two-way contract in 2022/23, but he was waived in mid-December after appearing in 15 games.

The Sixers signed him to a two-way contract five days later, but released him at the beginning of March. He’s averaging 2.4 points and 1.1 rebounds in 17 total games this season.

Utah currently has a full roster, but that includes Taevion Kinsey, whose 10-day contract began on Saturday. Kinsey may be released early from that deal, or the Jazz could wait a few days to make the Bazley or Lofton signings official.

Veteran forward Otto Porter, who hasn’t played since being acquired from Toronto at the trade deadline, seems likely to be waived to open another roster spot.

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Latest On Stephen Curry

March 12th, 2024 at 3:54pm CST by Luke Adams

After announcing on Saturday that Stephen Curry would miss at least two games due to his sprained right ankle, the Warriors provided an update on their two-time MVP on Tuesday, issuing a press release (via Twitter) stating that he has been cleared for on-court workouts.

Curry, who injured his ankle last Thursday vs. Chicago, was unavailable for a pair of games vs. the Spurs on Saturday and Monday and has been ruled out for Wednesday’s matchup with the Mavericks. According to Golden State, he’s expected to join the team in Los Angeles for practice on Friday and will be reevaluated again following that practice.

After Wednesday’s contest in Dallas, Golden State will be in action on Saturday vs. the Lakers, and it sounds as if Curry might be able to return for that game, tweets Anthony Slater of The Athletic. If that’s the case, it would be great news for the Warriors, who are battling for play-in positioning and currently trail L.A. by one game for the No. 9 seed in the West.

Curry hasn’t been at his best in recent weeks, making just 37.0% of his shots from the field, including 32.8% of his threes, over his past 10 games. However, his season-long numbers remain strong — he has averaged 26.9 points, 4.9 assists, and 4.4 rebounds in 32.8 minutes per game across 59 starts, with a .449/.407/.920 shooting line.

The 15-year veteran, who will turn 36 this Thursday, needs to play in six more games to be eligible for end-of-season awards, including All-NBA. If he doesn’t return on Saturday in Los Angeles, his next opportunity to play would be in the Bay Area next Monday as the Warriors open a three-game home stand by hosting the Knicks.

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Rockets’ Sengun Has Severe Ankle Sprain, Bone Bruise On Knee

March 12th, 2024 at 3:29pm CST by Dana Gauruder

MARCH 12: It’s a Grade 3 right ankle sprain for Sengun, according to Shams Charania of Stadium (Twitter video link), who confirms that the big man will be out for several weeks and is unlikely to return this season. The bone bruise isn’t considered as serious as shouldn’t take as long as the ankle to heal, sources tell Kelly Iko of The Athletic (Twitter link).

MARCH 11: Rockets center Alperen Sengun has a severely sprained ankle and a bone bruise on his right knee, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports (Twitter link).

All things considered, the news isn’t as bad as it could have been. Sengun escaped a major injury to his knee, though he’s likely done for the season. While that hasn’t been officially determined yet, “significant healing” would have to occur for him to be cleared to play before the end of the season, sources tell Wojnarowski (via Twitter).

The Rockets’ regular season finale is April 14 and they’re 4.5 games behind the Warriors for the final play-in spot in the Western Conference.

Sengun underwent an MRI on Monday to determine the extent of the damage.

The breakout star big man was taken off the court in a wheelchair with 39.1 seconds remaining the Rockets’ 112-104 victory over Kings Sunday night. Sengun landed awkwardly after contesting a shot in transition by Domantas Sabonis. He immediately grabbed his right knee in agony and put his hands over his face as he was wheeled off the court.

Sengun is averaging 21.1 points, 9.3 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game in his third season with the Rockets and is a prime candidate for the Most Improved Player award, even though he fell short of the 65-game minimum required for award eligibility. A player who appears in at least 62 games and then suffers a season-ending injury can retain his eligibility if he appeared in at least 85% of his team’s games and is deemed more likely than not to be sidelined through May 31.

Sengun will be eligible for a rookie scale extension this offseason.

With the Rockets’ starting center out, Jock Landale, Jeff Green and Boban Marjanovic could all see a jump in playing time.

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Lakers Notes: Vincent, Vanderbilt, Bronny, Russell

March 12th, 2024 at 2:35pm CST by Luke Adams

Lakers guard Gabe Vincent, who underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee in late December, has been cleared for non-contact on-court work, head coach Darvin Ham told reporters today (Twitter link via Khobi Price of The Southern California News Group).

Shams Charania of Stadium and The Athletic reported on Monday during an appearance on FanDuel’s Run It Back (Twitter video link) that Vincent had progressed to “conditioning and ramping up,” adding that he could return to action as soon as next week. While that remains possible, Ham’s update on Tuesday suggests that the veteran still isn’t taking contact, so he has a little more work to do before he’s ready to suit up.

Vincent, who received a three-year deal worth most of the Lakers’ mid-level exception this season, has been limited to just five appearances due to health issues after having been an important part of Miami’s rotation during the team’s NBA Finals run last spring. He’s owed guaranteed salaries of $11MM in 2024/25 and $11.5MM in ’25/26.

Here’s more on the Lakers:

  • Lakers forward Jarred Vanderbilt, sidelined since February 1 due to a left foot sprain, doesn’t appear to be quite as far along as Vincent in his rehab process. Ham said today that Vanderbilt is making progress but hasn’t yet been cleared for on-court work (Twitter link via Price).
  • With USC’s season nearing its end, Bronny James has yet to establish himself as “any kind of draftable player for 2024,” according to John Hollinger of The Athletic, who writes that the idea of LeBron James teaming up with his son next season in Los Angeles looks increasingly unlikely. The optimal developmental path for Bronny probably involves him remaining in college for at least another year, Hollinger adds.
  • Within the same Athletic story, Hollinger notes that D’Angelo Russell‘s expiring contract has long been viewed as a logical trade asset for the Lakers this offseason, but wonders whether it’s a lock that the point guard will pick up his $18.7MM player option for 2024/25, given how well he has played as of late (22.5 PPG and 6.4 APG on .477/.457/.848 shooting in his past 26 games). If Russell opts out, it could complicate Los Angeles’ plans on the trade market, Hollinger observes, since the team won’t have any other sizable expiring deals.
  • It’s impossible to predict how this Lakers’ season will end, Bill Plaschke writes in a column for The Los Angeles Times. As Plaschke details, a recent stretch that included impressive wins over Oklahoma City, Milwaukee, and Minnesota also featured disappointing losses to potential playoff opponents like Denver and Sacramento. Ham said on Sunday that he believes the team is “trending in the right direction,” but stressed that L.A. must bear down to continue that trend: “Just take things one day at a time, one game at a time.”
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Community Shootaround: 2024 Buyout Market Impact

March 12th, 2024 at 1:01pm CST by Luke Adams

As our tracker shows, eight notable veteran players were waived at some point after last month’s trade deadline and subsequently landed with teams that have playoff or championship aspirations. Those players are as follows:

Unlike last year, when Russell Westbrook joined the Clippers after being let go by Utah, there are no former MVPs in this year’s group of buyout-market additions. But Lowry is a six-time All-Star; he and Mills have won titles; Gallinari, Dinwiddie, and Young have strong career résumés; and guys like Wright and Muscala have been consistent, reliable contributors for years.

Of course, it’s rare for any buyout market acquisitions to play important roles for championship-caliber clubs, and several of these players likely won’t be part of their respective teams’ playoff rotations. Still, Lowry is starting for the Sixers, while Gallinari is playing semi-regular minutes for a Bucks team that appears capable of making a deep postseason run. Others could emerge as key contributors, especially in the event of injuries.

This was also the first season that a new rule was in place prohibiting players who were earning more than the non-taxpayer mid-level exception ($12.4MM) before they were waived from joining teams whose salaries are above either tax apron.

That rule applied to Lowry and Dinwiddie, who weren’t eligible to sign with the Celtics, Nuggets, Warriors, Clippers, Heat, Bucks, or Suns. Those seven teams are also prohibited from signing a couple of veterans still available in free agency: Marcus Morris and Joe Harris.

Those tax-apron teams were still able to be players on the buyout market, but they were only able to target free agents whose pre-waiver salaries had been below $12.4MM, such as Gallinari, Wright, Mills, and Young.

Now that the NBA’s buyout season is just about over, we want to know what you think about this year’s moves. Which buyout market addition has the potential to make the biggest postseason impact? Will any of the players still on the free agent market play rotation roles for playoff teams? Did you appreciate the new restrictions placed on apron teams in the buyout market or find that rule unnecessary?

Head to the comment section below to weigh in with your two cents!

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