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New York Notes: DiVincenzo, Hartenstein, Randle, Nets’ Loss

January 8th, 2024 at 8:06pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Knicks are undefeated since acquiring OG Anunoby. Donte DiVincenzo said the blockbuster deal with Toronto has lit a fire under the team, he told Stefan Bondy of the New York Post.

“There’s an energy right now that we have,” he said. “And it’s contagious. Guys are celebrating each other, guys are moving the ball.”

DiVincenzo is averaging 12.5 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.3 assists in 23.5 minutes during four January contests.

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In the four games since the trade, Knicks center Isaiah Hartenstein has been playing heavy minutes while averaging a double-double (10.5 points, 13.5 rebounds). He’s also leading the Knicks in steals (2.3) and blocks (3.0) per game and has become somewhat of a play-maker (2.8 assists). “It’s fun,” Hartenstein told Bondy. “I think it’s definitely a role that I always envisioned myself being in.”
Julius Randle has averaged 26.7 points, 9.0 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game since mid-November while scoring at least 20 points in 24 of those 26 contests. The Knicks forward is initiating more pick-and-rolls this season and taking fewer 3-pointers. He’s also reacting more quickly to double teams. “The key to having longevity in this game is adaptability and being able to adjust,” Randle told Fred Katz of The Athletic. “I’ve always been able to adjust as my career has gone on. But now, I think I’m just more sure of who I am as a player. It’s all kinda coming together for me at this point in my career.”
The Nets were furious at themselves after losing at home to the Trail Blazers on Sunday, according to Brian Lewis of the New York Post. They wasted Mikal Bridges‘ 42-point game in the process. “We definitely should have won. It’s frustrating,” Cameron Johnson said. “Very disappointing overall to not win this basketball game. Extremely disappointing,” coach Jacque Vaughn added.

Lakers Add Skylar Mays On Two-Way Contract

January 8th, 2024 at 8:03pm CST by Dana Gauruder

8:03pm: The signing has been announced in a team press release, Jovan Buha of The Athletic tweets.

4:38pm: The Lakers are adding Skylar Mays on a two-way deal, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports (Twitter link).

Mays was waived on Saturday by the Trail Blazers before his contract became fully guaranteed. Mays’ contract was partially guaranteed for just $850K and would have become fully guaranteed for approximately $1.86MM if he hadn’t been waived.

Mays will now draw a two-way salary and provide depth at point guard for the Lakers.

Los Angeles had an open two-way slot after waiving Alex Fudge and D’Moi Hodge over the weekend. Colin Castleton and Dylan Windler, who was signed on Saturday, hold the other two-way spots.

Mays’ two-way deal with Portland was converted to a standard deal in October. The LSU product had some impressive performances in November while Portland’s roster was banged up, averaging 11.1 points and 6.4 assists in 26.3 minutes across nine games from Nov. 3-21. However, he fell out of the rotation when the Blazers got healthier and averaged just 11.1 minutes in eight appearances after that.

Central Notes: LaVine, Ball, Lillard, Beasley, Cunningham

January 8th, 2024 at 5:35pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Bulls continue to make Zach LaVine available but they’re not looking to ship out multiple veterans and enter into a full-fledged rebuild, Marc Stein reports in his latest Substack post.

In fact, the Bulls haven’t ruled out using Lonzo Ball‘s insurance-covered contract as part of a trade package to be buyers on the market. LaVine holds a $21,395,348 player option on his contract for next season. However, 80% of Ball’s contract is covered by league-provided insurance because he’s been sidelined so long. A potential trade partner could lower its payroll by acquiring Ball and inheriting the Bulls’ insurance payments.

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Speaking of LaVine, who returned from a foot injury on Friday, he’s now dealing with right shoulder soreness, K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago tweets. LaVine is available for tonight’s game against Charlotte after being listed as questionable.
Damian Lillard will miss the Bucks’ game on Monday for personal reasons, Eric Nehm of The Athletic tweets. Lillard, averaging 25.1 points and 6.9 assists in his first season with Milwaukee, has played in 34 of the Bucks’ first 36 games.
Malik Beasley wasn’t upset that Bucks coach Adrian Griffin benched him at the beginning of the second half against Houston on Saturday, Nehm adds in another tweet. “It was just coach’s decision. And like I said, I could play better. And on to the next one,” he said.
The Pistons are listing Cade Cunningham as out for Tuesday’s game against the Kings due to a left knee strain, James Edwards III of The Athletic tweets. Cunningham didn’t play in the second half of their loss at Denver on Sunday night

Southeast Notes: Ball, Hornets, F. Wagner, Queen, Jones

January 8th, 2024 at 3:47pm CST by Rory Maher

The Hornets have dealt with several injuries this season, most notably to point guard LaMelo Ball, who has been out since November 26 with a right ankle sprain. However, the former All-Star was a full practice participant on Sunday and also scrimmaged 5-on-5, which means he’s nearing a return, reports Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer.

Ball, 22, has averaged 24.7 points, 5.5 rebounds, 8.2 assists and 1.4 steals on .443/.388/.857 shooting in 15 games this season (33.4 minutes). He’s under contract through 2028/29 after signing a five-year, rookie scale max extension last summer.

According to Boone, reserve guard Frank Ntilikina has also been practicing and scrimmaging with the Hornets and could make his 2023/24 season debut in the near future. Ntilikina fractured his left tibia in the team’s preseason finale, but Charlotte decided to keep him past Sunday’s salary guarantee deadline.

As for P.J. Washington, he sustained a right foot sprain on Friday and it’s unclear how much time he might miss, Boone adds. All three players will be out for Monday’s contest vs. Chicago, per the league’s official injury report.

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Franz Wagner underwent an MRI on Thursday which confirmed a right ankle sprain, the Magic announced (via Twitter). Orlando is typically vague when it comes to injuries and recovery timelines and this was no exception; the team simply said “Wagner’s return to play will depend on how he responds to rehabilitation and treatment.”
While the Magic‘s update didn’t reveal much about Wagner’s injury, head coach Jamahl Mosley sounded relieved it wasn’t more serious, according to Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel, who notes that Wagner had to be helped off the court on Wednesday vs. Sacramento. “Seeing how he went down and how he was grimacing through that,” Mosley said, “to be an ankle sprain at that level is very great news to have at this moment.”
Injuries — including Wagner’s — recently created an opportunity for major minutes for Magic two-way guard Trevelin Queen, Beede writes for The Orlando Sentinel. The former G League MVP had only played one minute in one game leading up to Wednesday’s contest in Sacramento, but he played 38 minutes that night and 31 minutes two days later in Denver. As Beede notes, Queen was recently named to the NBAGL’s All-Showcase Team and he will likely continue bouncing back and forth between the NBA and G League. “I stay ready because I know it’s bigger than me,” Queen said. “For me, I don’t care what I’ve got going on, I’m just ready to hoop at any time. It’s just being mentally ready. Whether it’s for Osceola or Orlando, it’s just being the best teammate I can be.”
The Wizards‘ 6-29 record is underwhelming to say the least, but one bright spot in their season has been the leadership and play of point guard Tyus Jones, per Ava Wallace of The Washington Post. A full-time starter for the first time in 2023/24, Jones is averaging career highs in several categories, Wallace notes, and has helped cultivate a good locker-room environment for the Wizards despite their lack of on-court success.

Rockets’ Sengun, Knicks’ Brunson Named Players Of The Week

January 8th, 2024 at 2:34pm CST by Rory Maher

Rockets center Alperen Sengun and Knicks guard Jalen Brunson have been named the NBA’s Players of the Week, the league announced on Monday (via Twitter).

A third-year Turkish big man who will be eligible for a rookie scale extension in the offseason, Sengun is a Most Improved Player award candidate, having become the focal point of Houston’s offense under new head coach Ime Udoka. Sengun helped lead the Rockets to a 3-1 record last week, averaging 24.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.5 steals in four games (31.4 minutes).

Brunson, meanwhile, is the Eastern Conference Player of the Week for the second time this season, having previously won back in November. He helped New York to a 4-0 record to open January, averaging 27.3 points, 3.3 rebounds and 9.3 assists in 36.6 minutes per contest.

According to the NBA, the other nominees in the West were Desmond Bane, Jaren Jackson Jr., Anthony Davis, Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving, Paul George, Nikola Jokic, Lauri Markkanen, Domantas Sabonis and Anfernee Simons.

Jarrett Allen, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Paolo Banchero, Tyrese Haliburton, Myles Turner, Julius Randle, Pascal Siakam and Jayson Tatum were nominated in the East (Twitter links).

Atlantic Notes: Barrett, Sharpe, Giles, Watford, Morris

January 8th, 2024 at 11:59am CST by Arthur Hill

RJ Barrett has provided the scoring punch the Raptors were seeking when they decided to trade for him last week, writes Michael Grange of Sportsnet. Barrett had his best game since the deal Sunday night, posting 37 points in a lopsided win at Golden State.

“I’m just trying to help,” he said. “That’s all I’m trying to do, just trying to help. (Immanuel Quickley) and I, I think we’re adjusting great, but it’s a work in progress.”

Toronto is 3-1 with Barrett in the lineup, and he’s averaging 21.0 PPG while shooting 53.8% from the field and 52.6% from three-point range. Coach Darko Rajakovic noted that Barrett has been keeping the ball moving, handing out six assists on Sunday, and Barrett is enjoying the open shots he’s been getting in Toronto’s offense.

“Being here with the system we have, you get a lot of wide-open looks,” Barrett said. “We’re playing in a flow, in a rhythm, getting good shots that I work on every day … you know the ball is coming, you just have to be ready to shoot it.”

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Nets backup center Day’Ron Sharpe will undergo an MRI today after spraining his left knee late in Sunday’s game, according to Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Sharpe had to be helped off the floor after a collision, and coach Jacque Vaughn said he won’t accompany the team on its flight to France for Thursday’s international game. “He’ll stay back, won’t travel with us to Paris right now,” Vaughn said. “We’ll see if he’s going to join us in Paris.”
Harry Giles and Trendon Watford were thrilled to remain with the Nets as they learned over the weekend their contracts will be guaranteed for the rest of the season, Lewis adds. “I’m officially official,” said Giles, who has battled injuries throughout his NBA career. “(General manager) Sean (Marks) texted me in the morning, told me, ‘Glad you’re a Net, you’re here to say, well deserved.’… When I came in this morning, I saw Sean again. He gave me a hug, told me congrats and I’m glad you’re here to stay.”
Marcus Morris talked to Gina Mizell of The Philadelphia Inquirer about how much it means to him to be playing for his hometown Sixers and hearing “from North Philly” as part of his pregame introduction. “If you would have asked me this, in a million years, I would have said I didn’t think it was going to happen,” said Morris, who was acquired from the Clippers earlier this season. “… My boys being able to see it. My family being able to see it. It was big for me. Just grateful for the opportunity.”

Pistons Notes: Cunningham, Hayes, Sasser, Ivey, Thompson

January 8th, 2024 at 10:57am CST by Arthur Hill

A historically bad season in Detroit has the potential to get much worse. Cade Cunningham, who’s been one of the Pistons‘ few bright spots in this 3-33 campaign, left Sunday’s loss at Denver with a strained left knee midway through the second quarter, writes Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press.

There wasn’t a single play on which Cunningham appeared to get hurt, which raises more concerns about the potential injury. Coach Monty Williams wasn’t able to provide any specifics after the game, and Sankofa states that the team can’t rule out the chance that Cunningham will miss more time.

“He’s important,” Williams said. “Our franchise player. A guy like that can’t play, it has a trickle-down effect across the board. We have different guys stepping up in the pecking order, having to handle the ball and make plays and that kind of thing. Pretty clear how important Cade is to our program.”

Amid the Pistons’ disastrous season, Cunningham has enjoyed a career year, averaging 23.4 points, 7.4 assists and 4.1 rebounds while appearing in all 36 games so far. The top pick in the 2021 draft has been playing his best basketball recently, Sankofa adds, scoring 30 points or more in six of his last nine games. He has also improved as a play-maker while reducing his turnover rate and has shown no lingering effects from the shin surgery that limited him to 12 games last season.

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Killian Hayes replaced Cunningham in the starting lineup for the second half Sunday and Marcus Sasser was back in the rotation, notes James L. Edwards of The Athletic. They’re likely to have expanded roles if Cunningham is forced to miss games, and Edwards expects Jaden Ivey to be given more play-making duties. Edwards also notes that the Pistons are considered to be buyers rather than sellers as the trade deadline approaches, hoping to add veteran leaders to mentor their young talent, but a prolonged absence for Cunningham could make them reconsider that approach.
In an interview with Basket USA, Hayes expressed a desire to continue his career with the Pistons beyond this season. He’s headed toward restricted free agency after not reaching an extension with the team. “Right now, I’m in Detroit and we’re going to do everything we can to finish the season strong and then we’ll have discussions this summer,” Hayes said. “I’ve spent my entire NBA career in Detroit and it would be a pleasure to be able to stay. After all, it’s not just me who decides, but Detroit is my home. It’s been my home for three, four years and I hope to stay.”
Williams explained why rookie Ausar Thompson has seen a reduced role after a strong start, Edwards tweets. “Other guys are back and playing and, at the same time, every young player needs to process when they make repetitive mistakes,” Williams said. “There are a number of ways to develop players.”

Draymond Green Says Adam Silver Talked Him Out Of Retiring

January 8th, 2024 at 9:46am CST by Arthur Hill

Draymond Green considered retirement around the time he was suspended last month, but NBA commissioner Adam Silver convinced him to keep playing, relays ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. The Warriors star explained the situation on the latest edition of his podcast, “The Draymond Green Show.”

“I told him, ‘Adam this is too much for me. … This is too much,” Green said. “It’s all becoming too much for me — and I’m going to retire.’ And Adam said, ‘You’re making a very rash decision and I won’t let you do that.’

“We had a long, great conversation — very helpful to me. Very thankful to play in a league with a commissioner like Adam who’s more about helping you than hurting you; helping you than punishing you. He’s more about the players.”

The podcast marks Green’s first public comments since Silver handed down an indefinite suspension on December 14 after Green was thrown out of a game for striking Phoenix center Jusuf Nurkic in the face. It was the second suspension of the season for Green, who was also docked five games for putting Minnesota’s Rudy Gobert in a choke hold in November.

Green’s latest suspension was lifted on Saturday, but he still hasn’t returned to action. He’s currently working on his conditioning and could be back on the court by the end of the week.

During his time away from the game, Green underwent counseling with representatives from the league office, the team and the players association, as well as his agent, Rich Paul of Klutch Sports. Green was reported to be “open and engaged” during the counseling sessions, which are expected to continue for the rest of the season.

The Warriors have publicly expressed support for Green throughout the process, but coach Steve Kerr said after the incident with Nurkic that Green “has to change and he knows that.”

L.A. Notes: LeBron, Ham, Leonard, Lue, Russell

January 8th, 2024 at 9:00am CST by Arthur Hill

In need of a signature win to turn their season around, the Lakers hope they got it Sunday night against the cross-town Clippers, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPN. Coming into yesterday’s game, the Lakers had been slumping badly, with just a 3-10 record since winning the in-season tournament. LeBron James, who sparked the victory with a game-high 25 points, said the team needs to move past the mistakes that have led to losing.

“Try to use this to try to catapult a little bit better play from us,” he said. “But it still doesn’t take away from the fact of how we’ve been playing like the last 11, 12 games. Tonight was a good start. Hopefully we can start from here and continue to build.”

The win should ease the pressure on Darvin Ham amid recent rumors that his security as Lakers’ head coach is starting to be shaky. Ham, who told reporters before the game that he doesn’t feel like he’s coaching for his job, was happy with how the team responded to adversity.

“Everybody contributed, competed at a very high level,” Ham said. “And I’m proud of them. Now the cat’s out the bag for this one, in terms of how we need to approach each and every game and everybody do it as a committee.”

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Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said a minutes restriction is the reason Kawhi Leonard was pulled from the game with 2:47 remaining, McMenamin states in the same story. Leonard, who recently missed four games with a left hip contusion, didn’t return until there were 17 seconds left to play. “He was close to his minutes restriction, and we got a back-to-back tomorrow,” Lue explained. “We got five games in eight days, so my thought was we need him in the game [earlier in the fourth] because the game kind of got away from us a little bit. … He had to play his extended minutes early in the quarter instead of late in the quarter. So that’s on me as a decision that I made to get him in early to come back.”
The Clippers have been on a roll lately, but James believes it’s more attributable to Lue’s guidance than the trade for James Harden, McMenamin adds. “Nah, it’s the T-Lue Clippers,” James said. “I know T-Lue very well. It don’t take T-Lue long to make sure s–t get right. It took him five games, and they’ve been cooking since.”
The Lakers were boosted by the return of D’Angelo Russell, who was back on the court after missing three games with a bruised tailbone, per Khobi Price of The Orange County Register. Russell, who started 28 straight games before being moved to a reserve role, came off the bench again Sunday with 13 points and six assists. Russell left without talking to reporters, but Ham said his presence makes a difference. “Obviously, a guy that can orchestrate things, a guy that can stretch the floor, just his 3-point shooting ability and his ability to make shots,” Ham said. “You can’t have too much of that on your team. He definitely provides that.”

Warriors Notes: Wiggins, Kuminga, Green, Myers

January 8th, 2024 at 8:04am CST by Arthur Hill

The Warriors haven’t been effective with Andrew Wiggins and Jonathan Kuminga on the court together, but their athletic potential is so tantalizing that coach Steve Kerr tried the combination again Sunday night, writes Anthony Slater of The Athletic.

Kerr employed his 13th different starting lineup of the season, using Wiggins and Kuminga as the forwards, but the results were disappointing again as Toronto jumped to an early 24-12 lead that Golden State was never able to overcome.

“We’ve talked about trying to get (Wiggins and Kuminga) together,” Kerr said. “Theoretically our two longest, most athletic players. We have not been a good defensive team this year, so we wanted to try it. It hasn’t connected, really. But we’re experimenting. We’re trying to find a two-way lineup that can help us. But obviously that lineup didn’t click.”

Kerr pulled the plug on the experiment by intermission, as the Raptors scored 76 first-half points and held a 27-point lead. He replaced Wiggins, Kuminga and Trayce Jackson-Davis with Brandin Podziemski, Dario Saric and Kevon Looney to start the third quarter.

“I didn’t want to go back to the same lineup,” Kerr said. “The only thing I was interested in in the second half was just competing. What that means — you can say compete, but what does that mean? It means talking on defense. I didn’t hear anything. It was silent in the first half. We needed to have some talk, some chatter. So I went with that lineup because I felt they would give us that.”

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Kerr will have to juggle his rotation even more when Draymond Green returns, Slater adds. Green, whose suspension was lifted Saturday after 12 games, was in the arena with his teammates Sunday night. Green is expected to miss at least one more game while working on his conditioning, according to Slater, but he should be back on the court by the end of the week.
With the trade deadline now just a month away, the front office is facing a crucial decision on Kuminga, who likely has the highest value of any of the Warriors’ available players, notes Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area. Kuminga’s athleticism makes him an intriguing prospect for rival teams, and he’s only 21 with another year remaining on his rookie contract. There are no signs that management will consider breaking up the long-standing trio of Green, Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, Poole adds.
The NFL’s Washington Commanders have hired former Warriors general manager Bob Myers as part of their search team for a new head of football operations and head coach, per Adrian Wojnarowski and Adam Schefter of ESPN. Myers, who left Golden State when his contract expired last summer, will be part of an advisory committee that also includes former NBA star Magic Johnson. Myers will continue his studio work with ESPN on NBA games.