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NBA Postpones Wednesday’s Warriors/Jazz Game

January 17th, 2024 at 11:07am CST by Luke Adams

The NBA has elected to postpone the game between the Warriors and the Jazz that had been scheduled for Wednesday night, the league announced in a press release (via Twitter).

The postponement is due to the medical emergency affecting Warriors assistant coach Dejan Milojevic. As we detailed this morning, Milojevic suffered a “sudden and serious” health issue on Tuesday during a private team dinner with Golden State coaches and players.

The exact nature of Milojevic’s health issue isn’t known, but the postponement of tonight’s game is a clear indication of how significant it is. He has been hospitalized in Salt Lake City.

[UPDATE: Milojevic has passed away at age 46]

According to the NBA, a new date for the game between the Warriors and Jazz will be announced at a later time.

The next game on Golden State’s schedule is a Friday contest at home vs. Dallas.

James Harden Hopes To Remain With Clippers Beyond Season

January 17th, 2024 at 10:11am CST by Luke Adams

Because James Harden is on a two-year deal and an NBA contract must cover at least three seasons to be extended, the Clippers star won’t become extension-eligible before he reaches free agency this summer. However, as Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN writes, Harden indicated on Tuesday that he’s enjoying his time in Los Angeles and hopes to remain with his hometown team beyond this season.

“I’m here, home,” Harden said. “We have an opportunity. I want to be able to keep the core together for a few years and I haven’t had those opportunities the last few years. So things are going well and I’m happy.”

It took a few games for the Clippers to hit their stride following the acquisition of Harden on November 1, but the club has been on a roll since getting off to a 3-7 start, winning 23 of its past 30 games. L.A. now holds a 26-14 record, good for the No. 4 spot in the Western Conference.

Harden’s 16.9 points per game this season would be his lowest mark since he was a sixth man in Oklahoma City in 2011/12, but he’s among the NBA’s assist leaders with 8.4 per night, and his 41.9% three-point rate would represent a career high.

Prior to Harden’s postgame comments, Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report and TNT reported during Tuesday’s TV broadcast that the former MVP would like to sign a long-term contract and spend the rest of his career with the Clippers. That suggests that Harden is conveying that desire both publicly and privately.

Still, as Timothy Rapp of Bleacher Report observes, this wouldn’t be the first time that Harden’s desire to spend the rest of his career with his current team was reported by the media or expressed by the guard himself, only for that not to come to fruition. Similar reports surfaced during Harden’s time in Houston, Brooklyn, and Philadelphia, and he ultimately asked to be traded out of all three spots.

Harden acknowledged on Tuesday that he “thought the same thing last year” about signing long-term in Philadelphia, per Youngmiusk, which is why he “did all those sacrifices” — that’s presumably a reference to the pay cut he took in 2022, as well as the role he accepted in the Sixers’ offense, which he later said felt like being “on a leash.”

Still, as long as his relationship with the Clippers’ front office doesn’t break down as dramatically as his relationship with Sixers president Daryl Morey did, it sounds Harden plans on remaining in L.A. past 2023/24. For what it’s worth, after Kawhi Leonard signed a three-year contract extension with the Clippers last week, he expressed a belief that “everybody is coming back,” while Paul George said he’s optimistic about reaching an agreement on a new deal of his own with the franchise.

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January 17th, 2024 at 9:47am CST by Tim Dierkes

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Warriors Notes: Milojevic, Payroll, Draymond, More

January 17th, 2024 at 9:02am CST by Luke Adams

Warriors assistant coach Dejan Milojevic has been hospitalized in Salt Lake City, team sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski and Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.

According to ESPN’s report, Milojevic – who was in Utah with the team for Wednesday’s game vs. the Jazz – was at a dinner with players and coaches when he suffered a “sudden and serious” health issue. The exact nature of that issue is unclear.

As Anthony Slater of The Athletic relays (via Twitter), the Warriors confirmed this morning in a statement that Milojevic suffered “a medical emergency” at a private team dinner, adding that updates on his status will be provided as appropriate.

A former star player in Europe and the longtime head coach of Mega Basket in Serbia, Milojevic made the move to the NBA for the first time in 2021, joining Steve Kerr‘s staff in Golden State and winning a title to cap off his first year with the franchise. This is his third season as a Warriors assistant.

Here’s more out of Golden State:

Although the Warriors haven’t been shy about going deep into luxury tax territory in recent years, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN said during an appearance on NBA Today (YouTube link) that he believes the club will be more conscious of its financial situation going forward, in large part due to the increased restrictions facing teams above the second apron in the new CBA. “I don’t think their decisions are simply, right now, ‘Hey, we see a player we really like and we’re going to trade for him,'” Wojnarowski said. “Because financially they can’t keep going forward at the salary level they’re at.”
Draymond Green‘s return from his indefinite suspension on Monday didn’t go as planned for the Warriors, who fell to the undermanned Grizzlies by a score of 116-107. Green came off the bench and played just 23 minutes, telling reporters after the game that “it was fun being back on the court” despite the loss, per Kendra Andrews of ESPN. “I think (the minutes) will go up pretty fast, but until it does I will try to be the best I can be in the minutes I have and bring a spark to this team,” Green said.
Green wasn’t happy with the defensive effort he saw from the Warriors in Monday’s loss, according to Andrews. “(The defensive plan) falls off when it’s about having pride,” he said. “You have to have pride in yourself as a man, that I’m not going to let a guy score. But our closeouts were too soft, and rotations were too slow, so there’s just no pride. Until every guy takes pride in themself and wants to stop the guy in front of them, we’ll suck.”
Monday’s ugly loss in Memphis, which dropped the Warriors’ record to 18-22 on the season, increased the level of pressure on the team’s front office, suggests Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area.

Trade Rumors: Warriors, Gafford, Nets, Heat, Murray, Pelicans

January 17th, 2024 at 7:59am CST by Luke Adams

In a wide-ranging look at the in-season trade market, Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report examines the trade rumors surrounding Pascal Siakam, Dejounte Murray, Zach LaVine, Kyle Kuzma, and several other players and teams around the NBA.

Among Pincus’ most interesting tidbits? He hears that the Warriors are very high on rookie Brandin Podziemski and aren’t expected to move him, with one source advising that it’s safe to leave the guard out of “fake trades.”

Pincus also notes that while the Wizards have several intriguing trade candidates, including veteran guards Tyus Jones and Delon Wright, they’ve set a “greedy” asking price for center Daniel Gafford, who is on a multiyear contract. As Pincus explains, that’s not meant to be a shot at Washington — it’s simply a reflection of the fact that the team would need a significant return to part with its starting center, who is under team control through 2025/26.

Here are a few more trade-related rumors and notes from across the league:

Brian Lewis of The New York Post believes there’s a good chance that at least one, if not two, of the Nets‘ three oldest players – Spencer Dinwiddie, Dorian Finney-Smith, and Royce O’Neale – will be on the move ahead of the February 8 trade deadline. However, echoing a recent Adrian Wojnarowski report, Lewis stresses that there are no plans to deal forward Mikal Bridges, who remains a crucial part of the team’s core.
After a report last week suggested that the Heat could be a suitor for Hawks guard Dejounte Murray, Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald digs into how plausible a trade between the two teams might be. According to Jackson, one person in contact with Miami’s front office expressed skepticism about the odds of the Heat aggressively pursuing Murray, but that source doesn’t know for sure what the team will do.
Christian Clark of NOLA.com expects the Pelicans to explore the trade market in the hopes of adding a defensive-minded center capable of playing with the starters. As Clark explains, that would make the team more comfortable starting more offensively inclined players at other positions.

Spurs Notes: Jones, Wembanyama, Wesley, Collins

January 16th, 2024 at 10:50pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Tre Jones came off the bench the first two-and-a-half months of the season, but he has returned to the Spurs lineup as the starting point guard. Jones has started the past six games and racked up a season-high 12 assists in a 10-point loss to Atlanta on Monday. Jones is averaging 6.3 assists per game in those starts.

“Tre’s a guy who is going to get everyone organized,” forward Doug McDermott told Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News. “It’s been a big thing for our offense, playing a little faster right out of the gate.”

We have more on the Spurs:

Victor Wembanyama likes being coached hard, which makes him an ideal fit for the Spurs. Wembanyama feels his growth is tied to coach Gregg Popovich holding him accountable, McDonald writes in a separate story. Wembanyama bounced back after a scoreless first half against the Hawks by scoring 26 points. “I like to be coached,” Wembanyama said. “I like to be threatened to be sent to the G League if I don’t play the right way. I like when there are consequences to my mistakes.”
Blake Wesley has received rotation minutes lately, with 12 appearances in the past 13 games heading into Wednesday’s contest at Boston, according to McDonald. Wesley has cut into the playing time of Malaki Branham. “He’s in a kind of difficult position with the roster that we have right now and not knowing how much he’ll play or if he’ll even play,” Jones said. “I’m just trying to tell him to stay ready and be patient. He’s doing a great job. He’s a professional.”
Reserve center Zach Collins is getting close to returning from the right ankle sprain that has sidelined him for the past eight games. He could return as early as this weekend, as McDonald writes. “It’s feeling better,” Collins said. “I maybe just need a couple more games.”

Atlantic Notes: Knicks’ Second Unit, Brunson, Melton, Porter

January 16th, 2024 at 9:31pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Knicks’ bench, depleted by injuries and the OG Anunoby trade with the Raptors, has the front office seeking a proven scorer to bolster the second unit, according to Steve Popper of Newsday.

A report from The Athletic indicated that Quentin Grimes has been made available. The Knicks also have draft assets and Evan Fournier‘s contract to dangle to pursue a starter. They may wind up settling for a less high-profile acquisition like the Pistons’ Alec Burks, who was a favorite of coach Tom Thibodeau before the Knicks traded him, Popper notes.

The Knicks’ home loss to Orlando on Monday, which Jalen Brunson sat out, was due in part to the reserves getting outplayed.

“End of the third, start of the fourth,” Thibodeau said. “I thought their bench came in and hurt us.”

We have more from the Eastern Conference:

Speaking of Brunson, he’s listed as questionable to play against Houston on Wednesday. He has missed the last two games due to a calf injury. Josh Hart (knee) is also listed as questionable, Ian Begley of SNY TV tweets.
Sixers guard De’Anthony Melton (lumbar spine stress response) sat out against Denver on Tuesday and will also miss at least the next two games, Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports tweets. Melton, who has only appeared in two games this month due to back issues, will be reevaluated following this weekend.
With Precious Achiuwa getting traded to the Knicks and starting center Jakob Poeltl dealing with an ankle sprain, Raptors two-way player Jontay Porter has received steady playing time this month. He’s averaging 4.6 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 15.3 minutes per game during seven January appearances. Porter has been waiting to seize this opportunity, he told Josh Lewenberg of TSN. “You’ve been dreaming about this for the past three years, to get this opportunity again – wake up and attack the day. A million people would die to be in my position,” he said.

Clippers Center Ivica Zubac Out At Least Four Weeks

January 16th, 2024 at 7:35pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Clippers center Ivica Zubac will miss at least a month due to a right calf strain, Andrew Greif of the Los Angeles Times tweets. The team says Zubac will be reevaluated in four weeks.

Zubac has been one of the most durable players in the league over the last five seasons. He has appeared in at least 72 regular season games in each of the past four seasons, but it looks like that streak will come to an end in 2023/24.

In 38 starts this season, Zubac has averaged 12.4 points, 9.7 rebounds and 1.4 blocks in 27.1 minutes per game. He’s in the second season of a bargain three-year, $32.8MM contract.

It’s a huge blow for the Clippers, who are 17-4 over the last 21 games. Without him, the Clippers will have to rely on veterans Daniel Theis and Mason Plumlee to pick up the slack. The front office could also explore trade options to fortify the position.

Stein’s Latest: Rockets, Barnes, O’Neale, Hunter, Bogdanovic, Jazz, Murray

January 16th, 2024 at 6:58pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Rockets are pursuing frontcourt options to give Most Improved Player Award candidate Alperen Şengün some help, Marc Stein reports in his latest Substack post. They’re danging Victor Oladipo‘s expiring $9.5MM deal and Jock Landale‘s contract, which isn’t guaranteed beyond this season, as enticements. Houston is also seeking another shooter and has shown interest in the Kings’ Harrison Barnes, according to Stein.

Here are more tidbits from Stein’s story:

Barnes could be on the move, despite signing a three-year, $54MM extension last offseason. However, the Kings would prefer to get an impact player using Barnes as part of the package. They’ve had discussions with the Raptors regarding a potential Pascal Siakam deal. The Kings have also made Kevin Huerter and Davion Mitchell available but have no interest in dealing second-year forward Keegan Murray.
Stein suggested a couple of days ago that the Cavaliers might pursue Royce O’Neale to fill their 3-and-D need. He now hears that the Nets forward is indeed on Cleveland’s list of targets. The Hawks’ De’Andre Hunter could also be a target to watch for Cleveland, but his contract — he’s in the first year of a four-year, $90MM extension — would make the Cavs’ future cap issues more challenging. O’Neale will be a free agent after the season.
The Pistons had some exploratory discussions with a number of teams regarding swingman Bojan Bogdanović. However, it’s not a certainty they’ll deal him, says Stein. They may want to keep him around to help avoid setting the NBA record for the worst all-time season record, currently held by Sixers (9-73).
The Jazz’s surge up the Western Conference standings has made it tougher to predict what their front office will do in the coming weeks. Kelly Olynyk and Jordan Clarkson are the veterans most frequently mentioned as potential trade pieces but the chatter regarding John Collins has died down since he became the team’s starting center, according to Stein. Top exec Danny Ainge will still likely listen to trade pitches for virtually any player on the roster.
Dejounte Murray‘s list of potential suitors includes the Spurs, Lakers, Nets, Knicks and Pistons, Stein reports. The Hawks, as previously noted, are looking to replenish their draft assets after they gave up three first-round picks (two of their own) and a pick swap to acquire him from San Antonio in 2022.

Southeast Notes: Butler, Ntilikina, Hayward, Murray

January 16th, 2024 at 5:26pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Heat forward Jimmy Butler was able to play 40 minutes on Monday after missing 11 of the previous 12 games with a toe and calf injuries. Butler supplied 31 points in the overtime win over the Nets.

“I got my rhythm as I was coming back,” he said. “Guys were looking for me, got out in open court.”

It was only the ninth time all season that the Heat’s top three players — Butler, Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro — all played in the same game, and the seventh time all season they finished the game, Tim Bontemps of ESPN notes.

“We just have to keep playing basketball the right way with or without myself, Tyler, and Bam in the lineup,” Butler said. “We’ve always found a way to win games. We will continue to do so. But I like the idea of us three being on the court at the same time.”

We have more from the Southeast Division:

Frank Ntilikina has yet to make his Hornets debut, but that should change soon, according to Roderick Boone of the Charlotte Observer. The guard is currently in the advanced stages of his rehab and on-court work. He suffered a non-displaced fracture in his left tibia in the preseason finale. Ntilikina had a non-guaranteed deal but the team chose to keep him past the league-wide January 10 salary guarantee date. “I want one thing: “I just to get back on the court with these guys. I feel like everybody out here trusts me, the coach, my teammates,” Ntilikina said. He’s listed as questionable to play Wednesday against New Orleans, Boone tweets.
Another injured Hornets player, Gordon Hayward, will need more time to recover from his latest injury. Hayward has missed the last nine games with a strained left calf and has only been able to do light work, Boone reports. “It’s a tricky situation with a calf strain like that,” Hayward said. “I’m not there yet, so it’s not like there’s a timeline or anything. But it is getting better.” Hayward’s $31.5MM salary will come off the Hornets’ books after the season, if he’s not dealt in the coming weeks.
Hawks guard Dejounte Murray is well aware of the trade rumors enveloping him. Murray told Andscape’s Marc J. Spears “I love my teammates,” adding that he tries to keep the chatter out of mind. “I know what the main goal is. The main goal is today,” he said. “Today, I’m an Atlanta Hawk and that’s all that matters. Help do my job and try to get a win. That’s the most important.”