NBA Rumors - HoopsRumors.com

Central Notes: Lillard, A. Jackson, Smith, Merrill, Jerome

December 20th, 2023 at 6:13pm CST by Rory Maher

Bucks guard Damian Lillard became the 51st player in NBA history to surpass 20,000 career points in Tuesday’s victory over San Antonio, writes Steve Megargee of The Associated Press. Lillard scored a season-high 40 points, shooting 14-of-22 from the floor, 7-of-12 from long distance, and 5-of-5 from the free throw line.

“I don’t want to fake downplay it like it’s nothing,” Lillard said. “I know it’s a big deal. It’s a great accomplishment. It’s a rare space to be in.”

According to Megargee, Lillard is the eighth active player to reach the milestone, joining LeBron James, Kevin Durant, James Harden, Russell Westbrook, Stephen Curry, DeMar DeRozan and Chris Paul. Lillard, James, Harden and Curry are the only players in league history to record at least 20,000 points, 5,000 assists and 2,000 three-pointers, Megargee adds.

Here’s more from the Central:

Rookie Bucks wing Andre Jackson Jr. recently started two games in place of Malik Beasley, who was out with an illness. Beasley reclaimed his starting job on Tuesday, but Jackson will continue to receive rotation minutes, head coach Adrian Griffin told reporters, including Eric Nehm of The Athletic (Twitter link). “He did a tremendous job the past couple games. … We’re all extremely pleased with his progress so far,” Griffin said as part of a larger quote. Jackson, 22, was the No. 36 overall pick in the 2023 draft.
After missing the past nine games with a left knee bone bruise, Pacers big man Jalen Smith will be active for Wednesday’s contest vs. Charlotte, tweets Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star. Smith had been one of the more productive reserves in the league on a per-minute basis prior to the injury, averaging 10.0 points and 5.5 rebounds on .707/.667/.741 shooting through 14 games (15.4 MPG).
Cavaliers guard Sam Merrill hasn’t played much this season, averaging just 8.4 MPG in his 13 appearances prior to Monday’s game. But he was instrumental in the Cavs’ overtime victory over Houston on Monday night, scoring a career-high 19 points while also chipping in four rebounds, three assists, one steal and one block in 24 minutes, per Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. Merrill, whose contract is non-guaranteed, converted 5-of-10 from behind the arc in an expanded role with Darius Garland and Evan Mobley out for the next several weeks.
In a subscriber-only story for Cleveland.com, a source tells Fedor that Cavaliers guard Ty Jerome‘s recovery from a high ankle sprain has reached a “plateau,” and his progress (or lack thereof) has “confounded” the team’s medical staff. Jerome, who signed a two-year deal with the Cavs as a free agent over the summer, remains in a walking boot and is out indefinitely, Fedor writes.

Knicks’ Jericho Sims To Miss Time With Ankle Injury

December 20th, 2023 at 4:46pm CST by Luke Adams

4:46pm: The Knicks have confirmed (via Twitter) that Sims will be out at least seven-to-10 days, which is when he’ll be reevaluated.

1:36pm: Although he’s still listed on the injury report as questionable for Wednesday’s game in Brooklyn, Knicks center Jericho Sims is expected to miss one or two weeks due to his right ankle sprain, sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link). Sims suffered the injury during Monday’s victory over the Lakers.

Sims has averaged just 1.6 points and 1.7 rebounds in 7.4 minutes per game across 14 appearances so far this season, but he has become an important part of New York’s rotation since starting center Mitchell Robinson went down with a left ankle injury. Sims started the Knicks’ first five games without Robinson and had been playing between 17 and 21 minutes per night.

Although Isaiah Hartenstein had been handling the majority of the minutes at the five and looks like the obvious candidate to move into the starting lineup, the Knicks now find themselves shorthanded up front. With Robinson and Sims unavailable, the team’s only other center besides Hartenstein is 38-year-old Taj Gibson, who just made his season debut last week and probably shouldn’t be counted on for meaningful minutes.

Even before Wojnarowski revealed Sims’ recovery timeline, Stefan Bondy of The New York Post had suggested that something has to give for the Knicks, who can’t count on Hartenstein to keep playing 39 minutes per game like he did on Monday.

Head coach Tom Thibodeau has resisted the idea of using a power forward like Julius Randle as a small-ball five, since he prefers to always have some form of rim protection on the floor, but Thibodeau may need to be flexible on that front, writes Bondy.

The other option would be for the front office to add another center via free agency. The Knicks currently have a full roster, but a few players, including Ryan Arcidiacono and DaQuan Jeffries, don’t have fully guaranteed contracts, so the team has some flexibility to move players in and out if necessary.

Nets Announce Injury Updates On Simmons, Walker, Smith

December 20th, 2023 at 4:33pm CST by Rory Maher

While Nets guard Ben Simmons “has displayed consistent strength improvement” with the nerve impingement in his lower left back over the past couple weeks and has ramped up his individual on-court work, he’s still out at least two more weeks, the team announced in a press release (Twitter link via Adam Zagoria of Zagsblog.com).

Simmons has been sidelined since November 6 due to the back injury. He has been dealing with similar issues for the past three years, and back pain played a role in limiting him to 42 games last season. The 27-year-old is up to 20 missed games thus far in 2023/24, with several more to follow — the Nets play nine times over the next couple weeks, including three back-to-backs.

Brooklyn also provided updates on guards Lonnie Walker (hamstring strain) and Dennis Smith Jr. (upper back strain). Walker, who has been out for the past eight games, has gradually increased his activity and is expected to play 5-on-5 soon, per the release — the team hopes he’ll return to the lineup next week.

Smith, who has missed the past six games, is the closest to returning. He has been cleared for full basketball activities, and while he’s out tonight against New York, he’s listed as questionable for Friday’s contest vs. Denver.

The Nets are currently 13-13, the No. 9 seed in the Eastern Conference.

And-Ones: IST, Draymond, Bulls, Lakers, Napier, Mannion, Sarr

December 20th, 2023 at 4:01pm CST by Luke Adams

There were some complaints this fall about the unique court designs that debuted in the NBA’s first in-season tournament, with some fans viewing the bold-colored floors as eyesores. Joe Dumars acknowledged that those courts would be up for discussion next season, but the NBA’s head of basketball operations told Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic that he was a fan of the way they immediately identified a game as part of the tournament.

“I did like the idea that if you were flipping the channels and you saw one of those courts, you knew immediately, ‘Oh, man,'” Dumars said. “Even if you have forgotten that was a Tuesday or Friday, you’re flipping channels and you saw that court, you immediately knew.”

Dumars told Vorkunov that he thinks next season’s in-season tournament final will once again be played in Las Vegas and also discussed a couple other topics, including the thinking behind the league’s indefinite suspension for Warriors forward Draymond Green. Dumars explained that the NBA viewed Green’s case as a “special situation” and felt it was important to give him time to get help for his behavior.

“The only thing we really want to see him do is get better so when he comes back, we’re not dealing with the same issues over and over again,” Dumars said. “And so that was the whole purpose behind indefinite, and when he is ready, then he’ll come back. When we feel like he’s ready, he’ll come back. When the team feels like he’s ready, he’ll come back.

“… “He’s been very receptive to this right here. He’s not pushed back on this. He has agreed this is what needs to happen. He hasn’t been defiant about this at all.”

Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

How likely are the Bulls and Lakers to be trading partners this season? The Athletic’s Bulls beat writer, Darnell Mayberry, thinks all signs are pointing toward the two teams making a deal, but his colleague, Lakers beat writer Jovan Buha, is skeptical that they’ll find common ground. Buha, who previously reported that the Lakers have more interest in DeMar DeRozan and Alex Caruso than Zach LaVine, discusses the possibilities with Mayberry in a story for The Athletic.
A pair of former NBA guards are reportedly on track to join new teams in Italy. Shabazz Napier is said to be making the move from Crvena Zvezda in Serbia to Olimpia Milano, according to Eurohoops, while Dario Skerletic of Sportando reports that Nico Mannion is headed to Pallacanestro Varese after starting the season with Baskonia in Spain. The Warriors continue to retain Mannion’s rights as a two-way restricted free agent in the event that he returns to the NBA.
In an Insider-only story for ESPN.com, Jeremy Woo makes Alexandre Sarr‘s case to be the No. 1 pick in the 2024 NBA draft. There’s no consensus top player in this year’s draft class at this point, so ESPN will likely follow up with similar articles discussing other candidates for the No. 1 spot.

Hoops Rumors Glossary: G League Assignments

December 20th, 2023 at 2:53pm CST by Luke Adams

NBA G League teams have no shortage of ways to stock their rosters. They can retain players’ returning rights, add players through the G League draft, acquire players via waivers, take on affiliate players from NBA training camps, sign players they find in preseason tryout camps, and carry players on two-way contracts. Yet perhaps the most noteworthy players to pass through the G League come via NBA assignment.

The players assigned to the G League by NBA teams aren’t quite like other G-Leaguers. NBA players receive their full NBA salaries while on G League assignment, whereas a G League player without an NBA contract receives far more modest annual earnings ($41K for most NBAGL players in 2023/24).

A G League assignment could technically come at a financial cost for an NBA player, since performance in the NBAGL doesn’t count toward any incentive clauses built into an NBA contract. So if a player heads down to the G League on a rehab assignment and plays in a couple games for his NBA club’s affiliate, none of the numbers he puts up during that assignment would count toward the performance incentives built into his contract.

Generally speaking though, only longer-tenured veteran NBA players have incentives in their contracts, and most of those players won’t be assigned to the G League. Virtually all of the NBA players assigned to the G League have fewer than three full years of experience, since players in their first, second or third NBA seasons are the only ones whom NBA teams can unilaterally send down to the G League.

A player with at least three years of NBA service under his belt can be assigned to the G League, but it requires the player’s consent and a sign-off from the players’ union. Most of the time, these assignments are for injury rehab purposes, like when the Cavaliers sent Jarrett Allen to the Cleveland Charge while he was working his way back from a left ankle bone bruise early in the season.

Occasionally, a healthy player with at least three years of experience will approve a G League assignment. For instance, Trail Blazers center Moses Brown, who hasn’t been part of Portland’s regular rotation at the NBA level this season, has accepted multiple assignments to the Rip City Remix, where he has gotten the opportunity to play a larger role.

Once a player has been assigned to the G League, he can remain there indefinitely, and lengthy stints aren’t uncommon. However, since there’s no limit to the number of times an NBA team can assign and recall a player, assignments can also be very brief, particularly now that many teams are in close geographical proximity to their G League affiliates. There have even been instances in which a player suits up for an NBAGL team earlier in the day, then is recalled to play for his NBA club later that night.

A total of 27 NBA teams own their G League affiliates outright, while two others (the Rockets and Nuggets) operate the basketball operations of their affiliates in “hybrid” partnerships with local ownership groups. Teams that have these arrangements can set up a unified system in which the G League club runs the same offensive and defensive schemes as its parent club, and coaches dole out playing time based on what’s best for the NBA franchise.

Only one NBA club – the Suns – doesn’t have a G League affiliate of its own in 2023/24. However, Phoenix can still assign players to the G League via the “flexible assignment” rule. If, for instance, the Suns want to send Jordan Goodwin to the G League, NBAGL teams can volunteer to accept him. Phoenix can choose from those clubs if there are multiple volunteers, but if no G League team raises its hand, the NBAGL will randomly choose one of its hybrid affiliate teams to accept Goodwin.

Goodwin isn’t a viable candidate for a G League assignment, since he plays regular minutes for the Suns, but he’s the only player on the roster who has fewer than three years of NBA service, making him the only Phoenix player who could be unilaterally assigned to the NBAGL.

Only players on standard NBA contracts can be assigned to the G League and recalled to the NBA — while players on two-way contracts can also be shuttled back and forth between the two leagues, those moves are referred to as “transfers,” rather than assignments or recalls.

Note: This is a Hoops Rumors Glossary entry. Our glossary posts will explain specific rules relating to trades, free agency, or other aspects of the NBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement. Larry Coon’s Salary Cap FAQ was used in the creation of this post.

Earlier versions of this post were published by Luke Adams and Chuck Myron, most recently in 2021.

Hawks Announce Several Injury Updates

December 20th, 2023 at 1:15pm CST by Luke Adams

Hawks forward Jalen Johnson has been cleared to resume practicing in full, the team announced today in a press release, adding that Johnson’s status will be updated “as appropriate.”

Johnson was in the midst of a breakout season before suffering a left distal radius fracture on November 25. In his 14 healthy games this year, the 22-year-old averaged 14.6 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 2.5 assists in 31.4 minutes per night, with a .590/.421/.774 shooting line.

The Hawks have gone 3-8 without Johnson and have a +4.6 net rating when he’s on the court this season, which is the highest mark for any player on the roster. The fact that he seems to be nearing a return is great news for the slumping club.

Here are a few more injury updates announced today by the Hawks:

Hawks rookie guard Kobe Bufkin, who fractured his left thumb on November 2, has also been cleared to practice in full. His recovery timeline was said to be eight-to-10 weeks from the date of his injury, which occurred approximately seven weeks ago, so it sounds like his return isn’t far off.
Another rookie, forward Mouhamed Gueye, underwent a CT scan on his right low back stress fracture on Monday and has been given the go-ahead to begin light on-court individual work. Gueye isn’t close to returning, however, with Atlanta announcing he’ll be reevaluated four weeks from now.
Bogdan Bogdanovic, who has missed the past two games due to right ankle inflammation, received treatment on Tuesday and is questionable to play in Wednesday’s game vs. Houston.
Reserve forward AJ Griffin remains unavailable for personal reasons and will miss a fifth consecutive game on Wednesday. The 2022 first-rounder hasn’t been a part of the Hawks’ regular rotation this season, averaging just 9.2 minutes per game in 12 appearances.

Cavs, Ricky Rubio Discuss Possible Parting Of Ways

December 20th, 2023 at 12:40pm CST by Luke Adams

12:40pm: Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com confirms that the Cavaliers and Rubio are discussing options, but says they’re not close to reaching a resolution at this time. A trade would be Cleveland’s preferred path, Fedor adds.

12:15pm: The Cavaliers and Ricky Rubio have begun to discuss the possibility of a parting of ways, sources tell Shams Charania and Joe Vardon of The Athletic.

Rubio hasn’t been with the Cavs at all this season after announcing in August that he was pausing his playing career for mental health reasons. The veteran point guard, who remains in Spain, isn’t expected to play this season and there are “serious doubts” about whether he’ll ever resume his career, according to Charania and Vardon, who hear that the 33-year-old isn’t believed to be engaging in basketball activities to stay sharp.

The Cavs, meanwhile, are dealing with long-term injuries to Darius Garland, Evan Mobley, and Ty Jerome, and are carrying an open roster spot for luxury tax reasons — they’re only $752K below the tax line, per ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Twitter link). Freeing up some money and a roster spot would put the team in a better position to address its roster depth, particularly in the backcourt.

Rubio’s cap hit for this season is approximately $6.15MM. He’s on the books for $6.44MM next season, though only $4.25MM of that 2024/25 salary is guaranteed.

As Charania and Vardon detail, a buyout, a waive-and-stretch, and a trade are some of the potential routes the Cavaliers figure to consider. A waive-and-stretch transaction is presumably the least attractive of those options, since the deadline to stretch this season’s salary has passed — Rubio’s $6.15MM cap charge for ’23/24 would remain unchanged, meaning Cleveland wouldn’t create any additional financial flexibility below the tax line.

Negotiating a buyout with Rubio would allow the Cavaliers to reduce his cap hit for this season, but Charania and Vardon note that the team wants to “do right” by the veteran, who is considered a major part of the team’s resurgence in recent years. That suggests the front office may be reluctant to ask him to give up a significant chunk of money.

Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports reported earlier today that a trade involving Rubio was a possibility, and it might be the most appealing option if the Cavs can find the right sort of deal. If Cleveland were to attach a draft asset to Rubio and move him in a trade for a player who’s earning less than him, it could clear a path for the club to fill the 15th spot on its roster without surpassing the tax threshold. In that scenario, Rubio’s new team would then be responsible for either negotiating a buyout or simply waiving him.

Austin Rivers, John Wall Work Out For NBA Teams

December 20th, 2023 at 11:07am CST by Luke Adams

A pair of veteran free agent guards, Austin Rivers and John Wall, worked out for NBA evaluators on Wednesday, according to Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report and TNT (Twitter links). Between 10 and 15 teams were in attendance to watch the session, Haynes adds.

Rivers and Wall have appeared in more than 1,350 regular season games between them, but neither player has been on an NBA roster this season. They’re looking to get back into the league and opted to hold a private workout in Orlando, where teams and executives have gathered this week for the annual G League Showcase.

Rivers, 31, spent last season with the Timberwolves, averaging 4.9 points, 1.6 rebounds, and 1.4 assists in 19.5 minutes per night across 52 contests (10 starts) for the club. His shooting line was .435/.350/.769.

Wall opened last season with the Clippers after sitting out the entire 2021/22 campaign while under contract with Houston. The 33-year-old appeared in 34 games (22.2 MPG) for the Clippers, averaging 11.4 PPG and 5.2 APG, before he was sent back to the Rockets in a trade deadline deal. Houston subsequently waived him and he has been a free agent since then.

NBA teams will be permitted to sign players to standard (ie. non-hardship) 10-day contracts beginning on January 5, so it’s possible more opportunities will open up for veteran free agents like Rivers and Wall at that time.

Cavs Rumors: Mitchell, Rubio, Allen, Bickerstaff

December 20th, 2023 at 10:04am CST by Luke Adams

The injuries that will sideline Darius Garland and Evan Mobley well into the new year aren’t expected to significantly impact the Cavaliers‘ plans for this season, according to Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports, who says the franchise remains committed to its core of Garland, Mobley, Donovan Mitchell, and Jarrett Allen.

As Fischer writes, there has been “incessant chatter” among rival executives about the possibility of Mitchell leaving Cleveland in 2025, when he can opt out of his current contract, with speculation about his next destination focusing on the New York teams (the Knicks and Nets). However, those whispers haven’t affected the Cavaliers’ resolve to this point, Fischer explains.

In the event that the Cavs begin to struggle and slide down the standings without Garland and Mobley available, it’s possible the front office will have to reconsider its approach to the trade deadline. But Koby Altman and his group seem to have the “sturdy backing” of ownership, per Fischer, so the odds appear slim that a substantial change in direction will occur in the coming weeks.

Here’s more from Fischer on the Cavaliers:

One move Cleveland might make on or before the February 8 deadline would involve Ricky Rubio, according to Fischer, who suggests the team would like to turn Rubio’s salary slot into a player who could contribute this season. The veteran point guard announced in August that he’d be pausing his career to focus on his mental health, and there has been no indication that the “pause” will end anytime soon, so he’d be a buyout candidate if he’s traded to a new team, Fischer adds.
While the Cavs have no plans to trade him, Allen would receive “plenty” of interest from playoff contenders if he were ever made available. League sources tell Fischer that the Pelicans are one team that has long had its eye on Allen and would be interested if Cleveland is willing to listen to offers down the road.
There was some noise early in the season about whether J.B. Bickerstaff‘s hold on his head coaching job might be slipping, but Fischer hears from sources that the Cavs don’t seem to be in any rush to make a change on the sidelines. Injuries to Garland and Mobley may actually reduce the pressure on Bickerstaff, Fischer points out, since expectations for the club will be tempered without those two young stars in the lineup.

Southeast Notes: Carter, Fultz, Magic, Heat, Wizards

December 20th, 2023 at 9:07am CST by Luke Adams

Magic center Wendell Carter Jr., who underwent surgery to address a broken bone in his left hand in early November, appears set to return to action on Wednesday, according to Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel, who notes that Carter doesn’t show up on the injury report for the team’s game vs. Miami.

Carter has started 139 of 146 games for the Magic since joining the team in 2021, including the first five contests of the 2023/24 season. However, the team has been thriving in recent weeks with center Goga Bitadze in the starting five, posting a 13-7 record since Carter last played, so it’s unclear if the former lottery pick will immediately reclaim his starting job.

The Magic will soon face a similar dilemma with Markelle Fultz, who started five games early in the season but hasn’t played since November 9 due to a knee issue. As Beede writes, Fultz is nearing a return too, though he has been ruled out for Wednesday’s game and head coach Jamahl Mosley said this week that he’ll “probably a little bit longer” than Carter.

Here’s more from around the Southeast:

The Magic‘s home arena has a new name, as Beede details in a separate Orlando Sentinel story. Known as the Amway Center for the past 13 years, the building will henceforth be known as the Kia Center. According to Beede, the Magic’s original deal with Amway Global in 2010 was worth $40MM over 10 years; this new agreement with Kia is likely more lucrative.
The Heat are getting Kyle Lowry back in their lineup on Wednesday after Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo returned on Monday, but the team isn’t quite fully healthy yet, writes Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. Jimmy Butler (left calf strain) has been ruled out for the game in Orlando, as has Kevin Love (stomach illness).
Teo Armus of The Washington Post answers some frequently answered questions about the Wizards‘ tentative plan to move from D.C. to Alexandria, Virgina, noting that an unfavorable lease at Capital One Arena is the primary impetus for the move. The proposed “entertainment district” in Alexandria would cost taxpayers an estimated $1.35 billion, with Monumental Sports contributing $819MM, Armus notes.