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Grizzlies Sign Jordan Goodwin To 10-Day Contract

February 13th, 2024 at 10:18am CST by Rory Maher

FEBRUARY 13: The Grizzlies have officially signed Goodwin to his 10-day contract, the team announced today in a press release (Twitter link).

It will technically be an 11-day deal, since 10-day contracts are required to cover a minimum of three games. Memphis plays twice more before the All-Star break, then resumes play on February 23 vs. the Clippers.

FEBRUARY 12: The Grizzlies intend to sign Jordan Goodwin to a 10-day contract, sources tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link).

Goodwin played four college seasons at Saint Louis before going undrafted in 2021. He’s in his third NBA season, having previously played for the Wizards and Suns.

A 25-year-old guard who’s known as a strong rebounder and defender, Goodwin was sent from Phoenix to Brooklyn ahead of last week’s trade deadline in the deal that saw Royce O’Neale land with the Suns. Goodwin was subsequently released by the Nets, and after clearing waivers, he became an unrestricted free agent.

Goodwin appeared in 40 games with Phoenix this season, averaging 5.0 PPG, 2.9 RPG and 2.0 APG in 14.0 MPG. He struggled with scoring efficiency, posting a lackluster .389/.288/.862 shooting line.

As our tracker shows, Memphis currently has a full 15-man standard roster. However, the Grizzlies have been decimated by injuries in 2023/24 — as with several other players they’ve signed to 10-day contracts, Goodwin’s deal will almost certainly come via the hardship exception.

According to Wojnarowski, Goodwin is expected to join Memphis “as soon as Tuesday,” which means his Grizzlies debut could come on Wednesday vs. Houston.

Officials Admit To Missed Last-Second Call In Knicks Loss

February 13th, 2024 at 8:42am CST by Luke Adams

The Knicks lost their third consecutive game on Monday night, as their comeback effort in Houston fell just short. However, the outcome might have been different if not for an error by the officiating crew during the game’s decisive final seconds.

With the score tied at 103 on the final possession of regulation, Rockets guard Aaron Holiday corralled a loose ball and fired up a desperation fade-away three-pointer as time expired (Twitter video link). The shot missed, but Knicks guard Jalen Brunson was called for a foul and Holiday made two game-winning free throws with 0.3 seconds left on the clock.

After the final buzzer sounded, crew chief Ed Malloy admitted in an interview with pool reporter Fred Katz of The Athletic that Brunson should not have been whistled for a foul. A no-call would have sent the game to overtime.

“After seeing it during postgame review, the offensive player was able to return to a normal playing position on the floor,” Malloy said. “The contact, which occurred after the release of the ball, therefore is incidental and marginal to the shot attempt and should not have been called.”

Knicks players and head coach Tom Thibodeau were relatively muted in their criticisms of the officiating after the game, clearly not looking to give the NBA a reason to fine them. Brunson repeatedly – and sarcastically – referred to the game-deciding foul as a “great call,” while Thibodeau said, “If you look at the film, you see it.”

After watching the Rockets go to the foul line 33 times while the Knicks attempted just 12 free throws, Thibodeau offered some broader thoughts about the way the game is refereed, as Katz details.

“The thing with the officials — this is the way I feel about that, in general — is I don’t really care how tight the game is called,” Thibodeau said. “You can call it tight or you can call it loose. I just want consistency to be the same. And they have a job. They have to control and manage the game. That’s their No. 1 responsibility. They have to use their judgment, and I have respect for that. It didn’t go our way tonight.”

As Katz notes, the Knicks could technically file a protest, but a successful protest requires the team to prove that a rule was misapplied, not just that a judgment call was wrong, so it would almost certainly be futile.

The banged-up Knicks, who lost yet another player – Donte DiVincenzo (hamstring) – on Monday due to an injury, have one more game on their schedule before the All-Star break. They’ll play on Wednesday in Orlando, then hope to come back healthier when their schedule resumes on February 22 in Philadelphia.

Wizards Notes: Kuzma, Gafford, Jones, Holmes, Arena Battle

February 13th, 2024 at 7:47am CST by Luke Adams

After previously reporting that the Wizards nearly traded Kyle Kuzma to Dallas at last week’s deadline, Josh Robbins of The Athletic says head of basketball operations Michael Winger actually informed the forward that the general framework of a deal sending him to the Mavericks was in place. Winger didn’t necessarily love the return, so when Kuzma told him he’d prefer to stay in D.C., the Wizards decided not to move forward with it.

“There was a point in time, Dallas, they definitely did want me,” Kuzma told Robbins. “Winger presented me with what the trade was and obviously didn’t want to trade me and kind of left the decision up to me a little bit and asked me what I wanted to do. I told him I wanted to stay and continue to build something. And that was kind of the end of it.”

“… In my career, I won a championship,” Kuzma said in explaining why he opted against being traded to the Mavericks. “So, I understand that when we play this game of basketball it’s not about contending for a playoff spot. It’s about contending for an NBA championship. There’s only like three or four contenders — true contenders. I just felt like our timelines didn’t line up.”

As Robbins explains, Kuzma’s contract doesn’t include a no-trade clause, but the Wizards pledged to him and agent Austin Brown when re-signing him last offseason that unless they got a trade offer too good to refuse, they’d listen to his input when considering whether to move him. It’s unclear what the Mavericks offered for Kuzma, but it clearly didn’t blow Washington’s front office away.

“Kyle’s an important player for us and (a) significant contributor to our developing culture,” Winger told Robbins. “His commitment is necessary for us to achieve our competitive and environmental objectives. Under the circumstances, I wanted to check in with his belief to continue leading us. He reemphasized his desire to forge ahead, and we’re honored to have him.”

Here’s more on the Wizards:

After failing to agree to terms on a Kuzma deal, the Wizards and Mavericks pivoted in their discussions and completed a trade sending Daniel Gafford to Dallas. The big man scored 16 points and matched a career-high with 17 rebounds in a victory for his new team over his old one on Monday, writes Ava Wallace of The Washington Post. “Gaff’s got the easiest job in sports now,” Kuzma joked after the game. “Everybody’s just going to double (Luka Doncic), he’s going to catch the ball in the middle of the key, and he’s just got to make the right play, either pass it or dunk it. 16 and 17 in 24 minutes, that’s tough. That’s tough. Happy for him, very happy for him.”
As with Kuzma and his representatives, the Wizards had ongoing conversations with Tyus Jones and his agent Kevin Bradbury in the days leading up to last Thursday’s deadline about possible trades, according to Robbins. Jones said he appreciated the “open and honest” approach from the franchise, which reportedly has interest in re-signing him this summer. “I take a tremendous pride in being a leader in this locker room and being a leader on this team and for this organization,” Jones said. “So, for the front office to continue to trust in me and believe in me, I appreciate that, and we’re going to continue to take steps forward here.”
Richaun Holmes, traded from Dallas to Washington in the Gafford deal, made his Wizards debut on Monday against his old team, scoring 10 points in 13 minutes. He spoke over the weekend about what he’ll bring to D.C., as Chase Hughes of the Monumental Sports Network relays. “Just toughness, especially on the interior,” Holmes said. “Whether that’s rebounding or scoring, protecting the paint. Trying to bring toughness and camaraderie. Talk to those guys, help them on the backline on defense as well as freeing them up with screens on offense, rolling to the rim and finishing.”
The Wizards’ plans to build a new arena in Alexandria, Virgina have hit a snag, according to reports from Sarah Rankin of The Associated Press and Laura Vozzella and Meagan Flynn of The Washington Post. Senator L. Louise Lucas said on Monday that she has serious concerns about the public financing involved in the proposed deal and considers the bill “dead,” while D.C. mayor Muriel Bowser reiterated that she intends to enforce the Wizards’ lease agreement with Capital One Arena in Washington.

Western Notes: Thompson, Lee, Gobert, Biyombo

February 12th, 2024 at 10:48pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The prospect of a reduced role wouldn’t prevent Klay Thompson from re-signing with the Warriors this offseason, he told Logan Murdock of The Ringer. Thompson will become an unrestricted free agent if he doesn’t sign an extension.

“Yeah, there’s nothing wrong with that,” he said. “I’ll be 35 next year. At 35, coming off the ACL and an Achilles [tear] and still have the ability to be a really good player. Maybe not the guy who scored 60 in three quarters and scored an NBA record 37 points in a quarter, but still a great threat out there. I’ve modeled my game after Reggie [Miller] and Ray [Allen], and those guys were incredibly effective until their late 30s. So I plan on kind of following that mold.”

We have more from the Western Conference:

Damion Lee hasn’t played this season after undergoing knee surgery in October, but the Suns haven’t given up hope that Lee will return this season, even though he has yet to go through on-court activities, according to Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic. “Hopefully at some point towards the end of the regular season we can start talking about where he’s at in terms of getting back on the floor,” coach Frank Vogel said. The swingman re-signed with Phoenix as a free agent last summer, inking a two-year, minimum-salary deal that includes a player option.
The Timberwolves took plenty of heat last season for their blockbuster trade with the Jazz that brought Rudy Gobert to Minnesota. Bucks coach Doc Rivers recently said those critics have been muffled this season, Nolan O’Hara of Sports Illustrated relays. “I don’t think anyone’s laughing at that trade anymore,” Rivers said after Minnesota defeated Milwaukee last week. “They’re just so long, and they play hard, too.”
New Thunder big man Bismack Biyombo won’t make his franchise debut until after the All-Star break, Brett Dawson tweets. Biyombo signed with OKC after the Grizzlies waived him earlier this season.

Community Shootaround: Hawks’ Future Plans

February 12th, 2024 at 10:05pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Less than a week after the trade deadline, there’s already some buzz around the Hawks and their offseason plans.

Both Jake Fischer and Marc Stein have reported since Thursday’s deadline that there’s speculation around the league the Hawks might make Trae Young available, adding that the Spurs and Lakers are two potential landing spots if Atlanta goes in that direction.

Of course, Young’s backcourt partner was the subject of heavy trade rumors in recent weeks. The Hawks ultimately decided the offers they received for Dejounte Murray weren’t good enough.

The front office also decided to hold onto Clint Capela, Bogdan Bogdanovic, De’Andre Hunter, and AJ Griffin, all names that surfaced on the rumor mill.

The above-mentioned players are signed through at least next season, so the Hawks have very little payroll flexibility. It would be hard to imagine the Hawks running it back another season with the same core group of players, unless they drastically improve in the second half.

The front office hired Quin Snyder with much fanfare last February to get the most out of the roster it had assembled. But the Hawks continue to spin their wheels, entering the week five games below .500. They still have a good chance of making the play-in tournament but no one considers them a serious postseason threat.

Their recent drafts have been underwhelming. Jalen Johnson has emerged as a reliable starter in his third season but 2022 first-rounder Griffin and 2023 selection Kobe Bufkin have struggled to crack Snyder’s rotation.

That brings us to our topic of the day: What moves should the Hawks make this offseason? Should they trade Young and/or Murray? Or should they seek frontcourt upgrades to complement them?

Please take to the comments section to weigh on this topic. We look forward to your input.

USA Basketball Announces February AmeriCup Qualifying Roster

February 12th, 2024 at 8:46pm CST by Rory Maher

USA Basketball has announced its 12-man roster for a pair of AmeriCup qualifying games that will be played later this month, according to a press release written by Michael Terry. The Americans will host Cuba in Kissimmee, Florida, on February 22, then will travel to Cuba for a second game on Feb. 25.

The roster is as follows:

Ten of the 12 players have at least some level of NBA experience, with Davis and Jayce Johnson the only exceptions. Carter-Williams, Stanley Johnson, and Payton are all former lottery picks. None of those 10 players are currently on NBA rosters, however, with Hurt being the most recent to play in the league (with Memphis on a 10-day hardship contract).

As previously reported, Jerome Allen will be the head coach for this round of qualifying games, with Melvin Hunt, Sydney Johnson and Bill Bayno serving as assistants. Bayno will also be a scout, per the release. Allen, Hunt and Bayno are all former NBA assistant coaches.

As Terry writes, the two qualifying games this month are the first of three qualifying windows ahead of the 2025 AmeriCup. In the other two qualifying windows, held Nov. 2024 and Feb. 2025, the U.S. will face Puerto Rico and the Bahamas, respectively.

Per the release, qualifying rounds consist of 16 teams distributed into four, four-team groups. Each team will play each opponent in their group twice, once at home and once away. The top three teams in each group (12 total) will advance to next year’s AmeriCup, which will occur Aug. 23-31, 2025, in Managua, Nicaragua.

Team USA has won the AmeriCup seven times, according to Terry, with the last victory coming in 2017. The Americans won bronze in 2022, which was the last time the tournament was held.

Central Notes: Beverley, Lillard, Lowry, Duren, Siakam

February 12th, 2024 at 7:41pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Bucks’ biggest trade deadline move was the acquisition of pesky guard Patrick Beverley from the Sixers. General manager Jon Horst said Beverley provides “point-of-attack defense and defensive versatility.”

“He’s proven to be able to guard multiple positions in his career. He is an impactful point-of-attack defender,” the Bucks GM said, per Eric Nehm of The Athletic. “He plays with a physicality and a toughness that we think will help us.”

Damian Lillard has had some tense moments with Beverley during his career but he’s glad to have him as a Bucks teammate, Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report tweets. “He brings an edge and a defensive tenacity on the perimeter that we need,” Lillard said. “There are not many players who bring it on a nightly like him. I look forward to working together. Our past personal issues don’t trump an opportunity to win a championship.”

We have more from the Central Division:

The Bulls had some interest in signing Kyle Lowry after he was bought out by Charlotte, Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times reports, but Lowry chose to sign with the Sixers. Chicago could still sign another player via the buyout market. ‘‘If there’s someone who has an interest or [the front office feels] like it would be a good fit, they’ll bring me in and we’d probably get on the phone with the player,’’ coach Billy Donovan said. ‘‘But as of right now, nothing has moved forward in terms of any plans.”
The Pistons are increasingly looking to take advantage of Jalen Duren‘s passing skills, James Edwards III of The Athletic writes. Duren had a six-assist game against Sacramento during their current West Coast road trip. “When we throw it into him, it’s an opportunity for everyone to be open,” guard Jaden Ivey said. “He looks for us out on the perimeter. He’s finding guys. If he doesn’t have anything, he uses his strengths and abilities to put the ball in the basket.”
Pacers forward Pascal Siakam is still getting adjusted to playing with point guard Tyrese Haliburton. Siakam has been dazzled by Haliburton’s creativity, Tim Bontemps of ESPN writes. “I’ve just got to like always be ready and we’ve got to figure out rhythms. Him understanding my rhythms and me understanding also his rhythms,” Siakam said. “I definitely haven’t played with someone like him before, so I’m just learning on the fly and, and I think the more we’re out there we’ll get comfortable.”

Pistons Sign Tosan Evbuomwan To 10-Day Deal

February 12th, 2024 at 7:00pm CST by Tristan Tucker

FEBRUARY 12: The Pistons have officially signed Evbuomwan to his 10-day contract, per NBA.com’s transaction log.

FEBRUARY 11: The Pistons are signing forward Tosan Evbuomwan to a 10-day contract, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link). Detroit had an open roster spot, so no corresponding move is required.

Evbuomwan, 22, spent training camp with the Pistons and has suited up this season for their G League affiliate, the Motor City Cruise. In 29 games with the Cruise, Evbuomwan has averaged 15.1 points, 8.4 rebounds and 3.9 assists. He parlayed that productivity into a 10-day hardship deal with the Grizzlies. He averaged 2.5 points and 3.5 rebounds in 18.5 minutes across four contests with Memphis before that deal expired this past week.

The 6’7″ forward had a productive collegiate career at Princeton, where he led the Tigers to the Sweet 16 in the NCAA Tournament this past season. He averaged 15.1 points, 6.3 rebounds and 4.9 assists per contest in his senior season before declaring for the draft, where he ultimately went unselected. He was the 2021/22 Ivy League Player of the Year.

Evbuomwan provides an athletic forward for depth purposes for Detroit’s new-look bench. His contract will cover the team’s final two games before the All-Star break — at Los Angeles on Feb. 13 and at Phoenix on Feb. 14 — as well as the first game after the break, which is at Indiana on Feb. 22. Since 10-day contracts must cover at least three games, the deal will run through Feb. 22 even if he signs it Sunday or Monday.

After it expires, the Pistons could decide to sign him to a second 10-day deal or let him become a free agent. After a potential second 10-day deal, he’d need to be signed to a rest-of-season contract to be retained.

Grizzlies Notes: Watanabe, Jackson, Jemison, Gilyard

February 12th, 2024 at 6:38pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Yuta Watanabe was initially “sad” when he found out from his agent that he’d been traded. When he heard he was going to the Grizzlies, his demeanor changed, he told the media (video link) after a team shootaround on Monday.

“I’m excited now. Good to be back here,” he said. “This is where my NBA career started … I’m a grown man now, playing with confidence. … I’m so much better than I used to be.”

Watanabe, who played 33 games for Memphis in his first two NBA seasons from 2018-20, was included in the three-team deal among the Grizzlies, Nets and Suns on Tuesday.

We have more on the Grizzlies:

Memphis signed GG Jackson to a four-year contract on Friday. The last year of the deal – 2026/27 – will be a team option, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype tweets. Jackson had been on a two-way contract.
Jackson was not in uniform on Monday. He was held out by the club due to a violation of team rules, coach Taylor Jenkins told Jonah Dylan of the Memphis Commercial Appeal. The rookie second-rounder had scored in double figures in his last four games.
Trey Jemison, who was added on a two-way deal on Friday, received a two-year contract, Scotto confirms (via Twitter).
Two-way player Jacob Gilyard is closing in on his 50-game NBA limit for the season, ESPN’s Bobby Marks tweets. Gilyard had only three games remaining entering Monday’s action. He is not eligible to be on the active roster once he reaches 50 games, unless he signs a standard contract.

New York Notes: Sharpe, Johnson, Simmons, Knicks Injuries, Bogdanovic

February 12th, 2024 at 5:37pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Nets big man Day’Ron Sharpe will return to action on Tuesday night against the Celtics, according to Lucas Kaplan of NetsDaily.com. Sharpe has missed the last 15 games due to a left knee hyperextension.

“I ain’t think I would be out this long,” Sharpe said. “But you know, it could have been worse.”

Cameron Johnson, who has missed the last three games due to an adductor issue, won’t play the first of two consecutive games against Boston. He participated in full-court five-on-five at practice on Monday but may be held out until after the All-Star break.

We have more from the New York teams:

Nets guard Ben Simmons scored a season-high 13 points against San Antonio on Saturday, missing just one field goal attempt. Simmons is gaining more confidence in his body after missing a good chunk of the season, according to Brian Lewis of the New York Post . “Feeling better. It takes time. It’s one of those things where it’s just up and down each day. But I’m just staying with it. The storm doesn’t last forever,” Simmons said. “You know, I’m gonna get back to where I was. So just staying on it. And you know, each day is a day to get better.”
Frontcourt injuries have sapped some of the Knicks’ greatest strengths — notably, strength, size and rim protection, Mark W. Sanchez of the New York Post writes. That was evident in a loss to Indiana on Saturday. The Knicks will have to make do with a depleted frontcourt once again when they play Houston and Orlando prior to the All-Star break. “It’s always tough when you’re small,” Donte DiVincenzo said, “but I think over these next two games, we’ve just got to find a way to win. Hopefully, we get guys back, but if you don’t, you’ve gotta be ready, gotta be scrappy, and collectively we have to hit the boards a little bit better.”
Bojan Bogdanovic got a taste of what it’s like playing for the home team in Madison Square Garden on Saturday, producing 11 points in 33 minutes during his Knicks’ debut. He was acquired from Detroit at the trade deadline and was blown away by the atmosphere at the Knicks’ home arena, Sanchez writes in separate story. “It’s crazy. I think that we all European players dream to play in the Garden,” he said. “So being able to be part of the Knicks, it’s really special for me. The building was on fire the whole game. So I really appreciate the support and love that they showed me (Saturday).”