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Bulls Notes: DeRozan, White, LaVine

December 31st, 2023 at 3:56pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

With two starters and one reserve sidelined due to long-term injuries, Bulls forward DeMar DeRozan has assumed a bigger responsibility offensively, writes K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. Star shooting guard Zach LaVine, center Nikola Vucevic and reserve forward Torrey Craig are all on the shelf, which has compelled DeRozan to play an average of 38.7 minutes per game this month.

DeRozan suggested that his veteran awareness has helped him find moments in a game where he can tactically rest, even when he’s on the hardwood.

“Me just knowing when a TV timeout is coming,” DeRozan said. “Me knowing a foul is going to happen at some point. Me understanding if you need to tie your shoe, it’s a lot of little things that go into it. If you’re not in the penalty, you can take a foul… Playing so long, you kind of understand when a stoppage is going to come and take advantage of those moments. When a timeout comes, sit there until that two minutes, 30 seconds is up. Just take advantage of the little gaps when you can because you know you want to be out there.”

Head coach Billy Donovan acknowledges he is somewhat worried about the mileage he’s putting on the 34-year-old.

“I’m concerned about that,” Donovan said. “I mean, he’s great. I talk to him all the time. But it’s kind of the situation we’ve been in with Torrey out, Vooch out and Zach out. I want to be mindful of that and always talk and communicate with him. He has played a lot of minutes and I probably need to look at that.”

There’s more out of Chicago:

Bulls point guard Coby White praised his teammates for their resilient resurgence following the team’s nadir thus far this season, a 124-97 blowout loss to the Celtics on November 28, writes Johnson in a separate piece. “At that moment, when adversity hit and we were at our lowest this season, we could’ve all grew apart,” White said. “Instead of doing that, we all came together. I think that contributes to how we played in the month of December.” Chicago has gone 9-5 this month. In December, White is averaging 22.6 PPG on .469/.402/.815 shooting, along with 6.4 RPG and 5.7 APG, across 14 bouts.
Billy Donovan revealed that LaVine, still dealing with right foot inflammation, could participate in contact practice for the Bulls late next week, Johnson writes in an additional article. “If (his recovery) continues to go like it’s going, I think that’s a very, very strong possibility,” Donovan said. After a two-game East Coast road trip, Chicago will return home for a game against the Hornets on Friday. “He has responded well [to treatment],” Donovan added.
In case you missed it, the present trade market for LaVine, a maximum-salaried former All-Star, remains fairly limited.

Northwest Notes: Thunder, Finch, Gordon, Hardy

December 31st, 2023 at 3:09pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

At 21-9, the Thunder are currently the second seed in a deep Western Conference. The team’s excellence is in part a credit to the ongoing greatness of its Big Three, as Joel Lorenzi The Oklahoman details.

Oklahoma City’s triumvirate of top-tier talent is made up of All-Star point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, rookie center Chet Holmgren, and power forward Jalen Williams. Williams put on an offensive masterpiece in a 129-120 win against the Knicks Wednesday, scoring a career-most 36 points.

“He just gets more comfortable — every game, every week — with his reps,” Gilgeous-Alexander raved of the second-year forward. “Biggest thing with him was just him being aggressive early in his career. He’s starting to get around to that and trust his work.”

Williams also noted that his two-man game with Holmgren is improving by leaps and bounds.

“We’re trusting each other a lot more than we had been earlier in the year,” Williams said.

There’s more out of the Northwest Division:

Although the Timberwolves are current a Western Conference-leading 24-7, head coach Chris Finch is convinced the team still needs to improve its scoring attack, according to Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic. “There’s a lot of ways to be immature,” Finch said. “And generally, this team has been very mature. But we’ve got to grow up offensively. It’s time.”
After suffering a dog attack on Christmas night that left him with hand and face lacerations, Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon is set to return to the team, informing Bennett Durando of The Denver Post (Twitter link) that he will be able to play on Monday against the Hornets. His own Rottweiler is the dog responsible for biting him on Christmas, Gordon reveals. “He’s a good boy,” Gordon claimed. Prior to the news, reserve point guard Reggie Jackson indicated that Gordon was more focused on the reigning champs’ progress this season than his own recovery, per Harrison Wind of DNVR Sports. “Aaron’s still concerned about the team,” Jackson said. “He wants to be back with the group, but we just want what’s best for him.”
With three wins in their past four road games, the Jazz are in an improved headspace, in the view of head coach Will Hardy, writes Aaron Falk of The Salt Lake Tribune. “Overall, it’s been a good road trip,” Hardy said. “We’ve been playing much better basketball the last three weeks than the beginning of the season… I do think our team is trending in the right direction.”

NBA Dates, Deadlines To Watch In January

December 31st, 2023 at 1:32pm CST by Luke Adams

At the start of the 2023/24 campaign, we looked ahead and identified several dates and deadlines to watch on the NBA calendar this season. While that list covered the general highlights, it’s worth taking a closer look at some of those key dates to keep an eye out for in January, which should be a busy month.

Let’s dive in…

Non-guaranteed contracts become guaranteed

January 10 is the date that all non-guaranteed NBA contracts for 2023/24 will officially become guaranteed, but January 7 is really the day to watch.

If a team wants to avoid having a salary become guaranteed, the player must clear waivers before January 10, which means he needs to be cut by January 7 — at the latest.

Many players without fully guaranteed salaries are in no danger of being waived by next Sunday, but some teams will take the opportunity to save a little money and open up a roster spot.

It’s worth noting that players on two-way deals (which are non-guaranteed) are subject to that January 7 waiver deadline as well, and will have their salaries become fully guaranteed if they’re still under contract as of January 8.

In past seasons, the salary guarantee date for players on two-way contracts has been January 20, but that changed in the NBA’s latest Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Teams can begin signing players to 10-day contracts

As of January 5, clubs will be able to sign players to standard 10-day contracts, which count against team salary for cap and tax purposes and require an opening on the 15-man roster to complete.

Prior to January 5, teams were able to sign players to 10-day contracts only if they qualified for a hardship exception. As our 10-day contract tracker shows, only the Grizzlies have met that bill so far this season.

Rebuilding teams generally use 10-day contracts to audition G League standouts or other prospects to see if they might be worth investing in beyond this season. Contending clubs are more inclined to use 10-day contracts to bring in veterans who can step in right away to address a need or provide depth at a position hit hard by injuries.

Currently, nine teams have an open spot on their 15-man rosters, making them candidates to sign a player to a 10-day deal. That number could increase after next weekend’s salary guarantee deadline.

More players become trade-eligible

A significant portion of the NBA’s offseason signees became eligible to be traded on December 15, but there are still many players who can’t be dealt. By the end of January, that list of players ineligible to be traded will shrink further, since there are 24 players currently on track to have those restrictions lift between now and January 31.

January 15 is the key date, with 17 players becoming trade-eligible as of that Monday. That group includes some players who almost certainly aren’t going anywhere, but a handful of players on the list could be involved in trade rumors in 2024, including some who have already been popular subjects of speculation. Jerami Grant, Kyle Kuzma, Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura, and Miles Bridges are some of the headliners.

A number of other offseason signees have unique trade-eligible dates in January, since they signed as free agents in October or inked a veteran extension in July. That list features names both big (like Domantas Sabonis) and small (such as Ish Smith). Notably, Jordan Clarkson and Dejounte Murray, who have each been at the center of some trade speculation, will become trade-eligible on January 7 and Jan. 9, respectively.

Last day to apply for a disabled player exception

January 15 is the last day that teams can apply for a disabled player exception to replace an injured player who is deemed unlikely to return this season.

A disabled player exception can give a club extra cap flexibility, but not an extra roster spot, so they often go unused. So far this season, the Bulls, Grizzlies, and Trail Blazers have been granted DPEs, while the Knicks have reportedly applied for one.

Categories:
Hoops Rumors Originals

NBA Looking At Nets For Possible Load Management Violation

December 31st, 2023 at 11:45am CST by Luke Adams

The NBA is reviewing the Nets‘ roster decisions for this past Wednesday’s game, reports Brian Lewis of The New York Post. According to Lewis, the league is evaluating whether Brooklyn opting to rest most of their top players qualifies as a fineable offense.

As we previously covered, the Nets held out starters Cameron Johnson, Nic Claxton, and Spencer Dinwiddie vs. Milwaukee in the second game of a back-to-back set after all three played on Tuesday. Johnson and Claxton were listed as out due to “injury maintenance,” while Dinwiddie was simply listed as out due to “rest.”

Brooklyn also didn’t use Mikal Bridges, Royce O’Neale, or Cam Thomas after the first quarter, giving their other starters a de facto rest day too. The move irked Bridges, who said after the game that he would’ve been fine handling his usual workload and pushing harder for a victory.

The new “player participation policy” instituted by the NBA this season only affects players who were named to an All-Star or All-NBA team in the past three seasons. The lone player on Brooklyn’s roster who meets that criteria is Ben Simmons, who has been sidelined since early November due to a back issue, so the team didn’t violate that policy on Wednesday.

However, the league has other rules related to resting healthy players that were implemented in the past in an effort to curb load management. Notably, the NBA discourages its teams from resting multiple healthy players in the same game.

As Lewis points out, the Nets were previously fined $25K last December when they held out eight regulars in a game against Indiana.

Categories:
Brooklyn Nets

Knicks Notes: Anunoby Trade, Murray, Barrett, Quickley

December 31st, 2023 at 10:52am CST by Luke Adams

The Knicks will remain active on the trade market after acquiring OG Anunoby, Precious Achiuwa, and Malachi Flynn from Toronto on Saturday, league sources tell Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.

Having previously named Dejounte Murray as a possible Knicks trade target, Scotto reports that New York is still interested in Murray following this weekend’s deal. However, the team would no longer be able to offer Immanuel Quickley, who might have been a key piece of any outgoing package for the Hawks guard.

Scotto also spoke to multiple NBA executives to get their thoughts on the Anunoby trade for the Knicks. One of those execs questioned whether it might have been overpay, but acknowledged that the team remains well positioned to make another big move and said that justified the decision to part with two talented scorers in Quickley and RJ Barrett. A second exec is curious to see what New York’s front office has up its sleeve for its next move.

“There’s not a lot of shot creation for other players on the roster now, and there’s a lot of pressure on (Jalen) Brunson,” the exec told Scotto. “I get why New York made the trade. The team was playing selfishly. Anunoby is a better fit with what they have than Barrett.”

Here’s more on the Knicks and their latest trade:

The Knicks players who weren’t involved in Saturday’s deal had mixed feelings about the move, as Peter Botte of The New York Post details. “This probably for me is one of the toughest ones just because of the relationship I built with those two,” Julius Randle said, referring to Barrett and Quickley as “little brothers” and suggesting he’ll continue to root for them. Taj Gibson expressed excitement for the addition of Anunoby but said that it “kind of sucked” to say goodbye to the two departing Knicks: “I’ve been around them since they came into the league. Great young men. It’s just tough, one of the tough parts about the business. Being able to see them this morning and talk, it was tough.
Zach Kram of The Ringer, John Hollinger of The Athletic, and Keith Smith of Spotrac took a closer look at the five-player trade from both the Knicks’ and Raptors‘ perspectives, breaking down why it could be a win-win move for the two Atlantic rivals. Smith also explores each team’s financial situation and considers how new deals in 2024 for Anunoby and Quickley will affect their cap outlooks going forward.
Frustration about roles and playing time had been mounting in the Knicks’ locker room, according to Fred Katz of The Athletic, which is one key reason why the front office was motivated to make a consolidation trade sooner rather than later. Within Katz’s story, which examines the trade in greater detail, he cites league sources who say the Knicks and Celtics briefly discussed a deal centered around Quickley and Marcus Smart in the offseason before Smart was sent to Memphis. In other words, the team has been mulling swapping Quickley for an elite defender for a while.

Goran Dragic Officially Announces Retirement

December 31st, 2023 at 8:40am CST by Tristan Tucker

DECEMBER 31: Dragic has officially confirmed his retirement in a statement of his own, published in a story on Instagram.

“I am officially announcing my retirement from professional basketball. I have lived my greatest dream and I am extremely grateful for the countless people in my life who have enabled me to play and to play this long,” Dragic wrote before specifically thanking several of the people who have aided him in his journey, as well as the fans who supported him.

“… I am prepared to pursue my next challenge and I’d love to stay involved in the game of basketball, which is and always will be something I love. I also want to spend as much quality time as possible to raise my children. … All good things come to an end but this dream of basketball will always be with me.”

DECEMBER 30: Fifteen-year NBA veteran and Slovenian basketball legend Goran Dragic has announced plans to retire in 2024, with a farewell game set for August, according to Mozzart Sport.

The August farewell event, hosted by Spontanzo and the Goran Dragic Foundation, is set to take place over the span of two days in Ljubljana and, according to BasketNews, the details of the match are to be unveiled on Jan. 4.

It’s unclear if Dragic, currently a free agent, intends to call it a career immediately or if he still plans to seek out an opportunity before the end of the 2023/24 season. In November, we wrote Dragic was looking for an NBA job and; a report in September indicated that he had interest in playing for the Heat. However, he has remained unsigned.

Dragic, 37, most recently suited up for the Bucks last season. He spent 51 games with the Bulls in 2022/23 before being waived in February and joining Milwaukee in March.

Dragic made his NBA debut in 2008 with the Suns, then was traded to Houston in 2011. The Slovenian point guard returned to Phoenix in 2012 and it was there he emerged into one of the league’s top floor generals.

In ’13/14, Dragic was named to the All-NBA Third Team and earned the league’s Most Improved Player award, averaging 20.3 points and 5.9 assists with Phoenix. Then, in the ’14/15 season, the Suns traded Goran and his brother, Zoran Dragic, to the Heat. Goran aided the Heat to four playoff appearances, including a run to the Finals in 2020. He was named an All-Star with Miami in ’17/18 and also had stints with the Raptors and Nets.

In 946 career NBA games (530 starts), Dragic holds career averages of 13.3 points, 4.7 assists and 3.0 rebounds.

Raptors Notes: Siakam, Trade Rumors, Quickley, Barnes

December 31st, 2023 at 8:33am CST by Luke Adams

After word of the OG Anunoby trade broke on Saturday, the general consensus among league insiders who spoke to Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca is that the Raptors were just getting started, with multiple sources suggesting that the deal with the Knicks may be the first of several moves made by Toronto.

“It’s a reboot around Scottie Barnes, that’s for sure,” one source told Grange.

After previously reporting that league sources expect Pascal Siakam to be on the move sooner or later, Grange adds the Mavericks to the list of teams likely to to pursue the Raptors forward. The Hawks, Pacers, and Kings are the clubs that have been repeatedly cited as presumed suitors for Siakam.

Jalen Johnson was a player the Raptors coveted in previous talks with Atlanta, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, though the Hawks won’t be particularly inclined to include him in an offer in the midst of his breakout season. Along similar lines, the Kings have been unwilling to discuss former No. 4 overall pick Keegan Murray, Scotto confirms.

As Scotto has previously observed, Pacers forward Jarace Walker, this year’s No. 8 overall pick, seems to fit the mold of the kind of young, controllable player the Raptors would like. Walker’s lack of playing time so far in his rookie season has some people around the league wondering if Indiana would give him up in a package for an impact player.

Here’s more on the Raptors:

Finding a guard who is comfortable playing off the ball and who can space the floor alongside Barnes was a priority for Toronto, according to Grange, who says there’s a lot of enthusiasm among Raptors officials about what Quickley can bring to the team. “Quickley is the perfect pairing next to Scottie Barnes because of the shooting and floor spacing he’ll provide,” one rival executive told Scotto.
While the Raptors’ goal is to add pieces that better complement Barnes, the young forward declined to comment when asked about Saturday’s trade, which sent three of his best friends on the team to New York, Grange notes. “This is the NBA, that’s the thing, right?” Siakam said of the deal. “Like we got to be robots and just move on. Because that’s what it is. We get paid for it, right? So you have to move on… (but) it sucks. It’s not easy. For some people is the first time (they’ve been through it) but I’ve seen it happen. So I understand. … It’s a business and you learn about it every day, and every day you try to just be out there you know, like look out for yourself, look out for your teammates, and do the best that you can.”
Following a loss to the lowly Pistons on Saturday, the Raptors are 12-20 on the season, and postgame comments from Dennis Schröder indicated that the club isn’t exactly a “cohesive, well-oiled” machine, writes Grange. “When I got here, (head coach) Darko (Rajakovic) did a great job just putting this system into the organization,” Schröder said. “But I think we just got to follow that. Everybody just being unselfish, sharing the ball… to be a winning team, we need everybody, Even the guys who don’t really, really play. People got to be grateful, cheering on their teammates when they get a stop, when they get on the floor, dive, pick them up, being excited for one another. I don’t want to go deep into that, but I need to feel that because in the summer I did. … I went to war with all my brothers from the (World Cup champion German) national team. But we knew we had each other. I don’t feel it here yet like that.”

Florida Notes: Butler, Highsmith, Carter, Fultz

December 30th, 2023 at 10:59pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Heat have a new injury concern with Jimmy Butler, writes Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. Returning to the lineup after missing the previous four games with a left calf strain, Butler had to leave Saturday’s contest at Utah after hurting his right foot in a collision with Collin Sexton. According to Chiang, Butler walked slowly to Miami’s bench after the play and then headed to the locker room.

Head coach Eric Spoelstra wasn’t able to offer an update on Butler’s condition after the game, but X-rays taken on his foot were negative. Chiang states that the team will see how Butler is feeling over the next few days before deciding whether to perform an MRI.

Chiang notes that Butler has already missed eight games this season and may have to add to that total. With Tyler Herro sidelined for a long stretch due to a sprained ankle and Bam Adebayo dealing with nagging injuries, the team’s three best players have only been together for eight games.

There’s more on the two Florida teams:

Haywood Highsmith was helped to the locker room in the final seconds of Saturday’s game after he also collided with Sexton and was hit in the head and neck area, Chiang adds. Injuries have already caused Highsmith to miss 11 games. The Heat were using their 18th different starting lineup of the season Saturday, as ongoing injuries gave rare starts to Nikola Jovic and two-way player R.J. Hampton.
Goga Bitadze was back in the Magic‘s starting lineup on Friday, but he didn’t find out about the assignment until an hour before game time, per Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel. Wendell Carter Jr.‘s right knee flared up during warm-ups and he was ruled out because of tendinitis. “Honestly, even before the game I thought he was going to play,” Bitadze said. “We talked with him an hour before the game. I don’t want to say it was hard, but it was different. You’ve got to lock in differently when you start the games than when you come off the bench. I had to lock in and find a place [mentally] where I was ready to start. I think I did a good job and it was a great win.” Coach Jamahl Mosley said the medical staff will monitor Carter closely as he continues to work his way back after missing 20 games with an injured left hand.
Markelle Fultz is listed as questionable for the Magic‘s contest Sunday at Phoenix, meaning there’s a chance he could return after missing 23 games with tendinitis in his left knee, Beede adds.

Miles McBride Signs Three-Year, $13MM Extension

December 30th, 2023 at 9:29pm CST by Arthur Hill

9:44pm: McBride’s extension is official, the Knicks announced (via Twitter).

9:29pm: The Knicks have reached an agreement with Miles McBride on a three-year contract extension worth $13MM, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. The deal was confirmed to Wojnarowski by McBride’s agents, Mark Bartelstein and Andy Shiffman of Priority Sports.

The 23-year-old guard was the 36th pick in the 2021 draft and was acquired by New York in a draft-night trade. He’s making $1.8MM this year and would have been on a path toward restricted free agency after the season if not for the extension. The deal will keep him under contract through the 2026/27 season.

All three years of McBride’s extension are fully guaranteed and his salary will decrease each season, a source tells Stefan Bondy of The New York Post (Twitter link).

The extension comes just hours after a trade that sent RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley to Toronto, which should open up an opportunity for McBride. He saw a season-high 18 minutes in tonight’s game at Indiana, scoring five points with one assist.

McBride hasn’t received consistent playing time in any of his three seasons with the Knicks, averaging 10.0 minutes over 122 combined games. Before tonight, he had appeared in 18 games this season, putting up 1.9 points, 0.3 rebounds and 0.4 assists in 4.6 minutes per night.

The extension clears up a small piece of New York’s upcoming offseason, but the team still has 11 potential free agents (including two-ways), as our tracker shows.

Celtics Notes: Kornet, Trade Deadline, Title Odds, Porzingis

December 30th, 2023 at 8:42pm CST by Arthur Hill

Luke Kornet looked comfortable in the Celtics‘ starting lineup Friday, even though he was making his first start in two-and-a-half years, writes Jay King of The Athletic. With Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford both sitting out the second night of a back-to-back, Kornet played 30 minutes and delivered a season-high 20 points and eight rebounds while shooting 9-of-11 from the field.

There had been doubts this week regarding Kornet’s future in Boston’s rotation considering the recent surge by two-way big man Neemias Queta. Kornet missed six games due to an adductor strain earlier this month and was held out of the last two in favor of Queta. He decided to focus on doing whatever he can to help the team rather than worrying about his own playing time.

“I feel like when you’re concerned about yourself and you’re in that situation, one, you start feeling a little bit powerless and stuff like that, which isn’t great,” Kornet said. “But then also you’re not really uplifting or benefiting anybody. And especially on an NBA roster and those 18 spots, there’s going to be a lot of guys who aren’t playing on any given night and you kind of have the choice to be able to, yeah, sort of like offer your work to the good of the group or just kind of close in on yourself. To me, it seems like the better solution is pretty clear in that.”

There’s more from Boston:

Kornet’s performance may reduce the urgency for the Celtics to pursue another big man before the trade deadline, observes Brian Robb of MassLive. Robb points out that that Boston doesn’t have many sizeable contracts to use for salary matching outside of its top six players, and Kornet and Queta are playing as well as any center who might be available in that salary range.
The Celtics are an even bigger favorite to win the NBA title after a successful West Coast trip and rival executives are taking notice, per Steve Bulpett of Heavy. “Before, they’d fall into a lot of one-on-one with (Jayson) Tatum and (Jaylen) Brown when things got tough, but you’re not seeing that really now,” a rival front office member told Bulpett. “Those guys are giving it up more when they should, and they’ve got too many people who can beat you.” Bulpett also spoke to sources about the impact that Boston’s offseason trades have had on the club.
In an interview with Mark Medina of Sportskeeda, Porzingis acknowledges that it wasn’t easy coming to a team that traded its emotional leader to acquire him. “What they’re giving up for me was a big piece of this team — Marcus Smart,” Porzingis said. “I’m having to come in and not replace him, but come in with who I am and bring what I bring to a team. There was some responsibility.”

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