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Central Notes: Crowder, Pacers, J. Johnson, Osman

January 6th, 2024 at 8:45pm CST by Arthur Hill

Bucks forward Jae Crowder is nearing his return after being sidelined since tearing his left adductor muscle in a November 11 game, writes Jim Owczarski of The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. Crowder underwent surgery three days later and has been steadily increasing his activity level, with three five-on-five practice sessions upcoming this week.

“I did have a set target to get to this point,” Crowder said, “and I pushed myself to get to this point and took care of my body and tried to do the things I needed to do while I’m away from the medical staff, while I’m at home doing the little stuff that I needed to do to get myself back to where I need to be.”

Crowder had been dealing with an adductor issue since the first week of training camp, so the surgery eliminated the pain he was playing through in the early part of the season. He hopes to return soon to boost Milwaukee’s defense, which currently ranks 22nd in the league. He’ll spend some practice time with the G League Wisconsin Herd as he works his way back, and although a target date hasn’t been set, Crowder believes he’ll know when he’s ready.

“I just want to get back to feeling what I want, what I need to feel,” he said. “I think ultimately that I’ll be better. I think I’ll be better than I was before pre-injury, honestly. Just taking on the challenges of what we need to do, like helping these guys, taking on that matchup of stopping the best offensive player. I think I’ll be much better off than I was before and I felt like I was doing a decent job at it before.”

There’s more from the Central Division:

The Pacers are interested in “just about every starting power forward possible,” Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports said in an interview with The Trade Deadline (video link), adding that Indiana was pursing OG Anunoby before Toronto traded him to the Knicks. Fischer confirms that Buddy Hield is available after he failed to reach an extension with the team last summer, but says the Pacers have “pretty much rebuffed any teams’ interest in T.J. McConnell.”
The Pacers were hoping to re-sign James Johnson after last season, but they didn’t have an open roster spot until they reached a buyout agreement with Daniel Theis in mid-November, per Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files (subscription required). “We had talked about it really since the exit meetings last year,” coach Rick Carlisle said. “With the moves that were made early in July, we were gonna have 15 guaranteed contracts. Just weren’t sure about bringing him into camp and then having to cut him if it was going to be that kind of situation.”
After being traded to the Spurs last summer, Cedi Osman still has fond memories of Cleveland, according to Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News. Osman will make his return to the city on Sunday as his new team takes on the Cavaliers. “They really do care about their sports teams, with the Guardians, the Browns, the Cavs,” Osman said. “I always felt their support during games, even during a bad stretch. In my second and third year when we were kind of rebuilding, they were supporting us no matter what.”

Hornets Notes: Miller, Washington, Martin, Play-In Chances

January 6th, 2024 at 7:34pm CST by Arthur Hill

Not much has gone right for the Hornets this season, but Brandon Miller is looking like a solid choice with the No. 2 pick in last year’s draft, writes Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer. The 21-year-old forward out of Alabama may not be part of the Rookie of the Year discussion, but he quickly won a starting job and is averaging 14.7 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.2 assists through 29 games.

“It doesn’t even feel like he’s a rookie,” teammate Miles Bridges said. “He knows the insides and outs of the game. He plays with amazing pace, which is not something that a rookie plays with. So he’s been very good with us and he’s going to be great within the next few years and I’m just excited to see how he grows.”

Along with making the adjustment to the NBA, Miller has been forced to take on different roles as the Hornets deal with a constant string of injuries. The team didn’t expect him to be a featured part of its offense so soon, but the absences of LaMelo Ball, Gordon Hayward and others have made it necessary.

“With all the injuries he’s become more of a primary scorer,” coach Steve Clifford said. “He gets more play calls and also the other part of it now is with these other guys being out, he’s getting more primary defenders guarding him.”

There’s more from Charlotte:

The Hornets’ injury list got larger when P.J. Washington left Friday’s game at Chicago at the end of the first quarter, Boone notes in a separate story for the Observer. Washington landed on Nathan Mensah’s foot and had trouble putting weight on his right leg.
Cody Martin made his second consecutive start Friday night, Boone adds. Martin’s role has been expanding since he returned to the lineup two weeks ago after a nearly year-long absence due to arthroscopic surgery on his left knee. “He’s made a big difference for our team,” Clifford said. “Our defense has gotten a lot better and he’s a professional player. So, I think it’s going to take him a little time to get back to what he’ll do. But he’s worked so hard. He’s done everything he can do since he’s been out.”
The Hornets have been stuck in 13th place for much of the season, but they haven’t given up on the possibility of reaching the play-in tournament, Boone states in another piece. Charlotte is six games behind 10th-place Chicago, and the players believe they can make a move once the roster is closer to full strength. “It’s the beginning of January,” Bridges said. “We have a big month here, build off that in February and we could be in play-in talk. So we just want to continue to get better.”

Knicks Notes: Anunoby, Flynn, Sims, McBride, Gibson

January 6th, 2024 at 6:27pm CST by Arthur Hill

OG Anunoby had a rough shooting night Friday in Philadelphia, but his defensive impact showed why the Knicks were determined to acquire him, writes Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. Anunoby guarded everyone from Joel Embiid to Tyrese Maxey as New York limited the Sixers to 40.7% from the field, and the Knicks outscored Philadelphia by 20 points in his 37 minutes on the court.

“I think we have a good core that’s been together for a while now. So I think that can absorb people coming in and then a guy like OG is very serious,” coach Tom Thibdoeau said. “He wants to do well, and I think his mind is open. He plays incredibly hard on every possession, so even if it’s not perfect right now, it’s still gonna be good.”

The Knicks have won their first three games since last weekend’s trade, and Anunoby has played a significant role in all of them. His scoring is down slightly and he’s only connecting at 46.9% from the field since coming to New York after Friday’s 3-of-11 performance, but he’s finding other ways to make a difference.

“Your hustle can make up for a lot. And that’s really what he’s doing,” Thibodeau added. “And each day, he’ll get better and better and guys are starting to figure him out, as well. So that takes a little bit of time. But help where you can, hustle, be in passing lanes, get deflections, help out on the boards, play physical, run the floor, move without the ball. Those are things that he does great. And then as time goes on, he’ll find more places where he can get scoring opportunities, too.”

There’s more from New York:

Malachi Flynn, who was also acquired in the Anunoby deal, made his Knicks debut on Friday night, playing just one minute at the end of the game, Bondy adds. Flynn is considered “situational,” which Bondy notes is a word Thibodeau uses to describe players who aren’t in his rotation. Jericho Sims played two minutes Friday, having been bumped from the rotation when New York acquired Precious Achiuwa from Toronto.
Miles McBride, who is hoping to establish himself as the team’s new primary back-up point guard, had his best performance since the trade in Friday’s win, per Steve Popper of Newsday. This is McBride’s first opportunity at regular minutes in his three-year career. “I think what I bring to the table is a great thing for the team,” he said. “I think I can push the pace. I can obviously knock down shots and on the defensive end, really get stops and just keep the team positive and be a leader out there.”
Thibodeau would be open to making Taj Gibson an assistant coach when the 38-year-old big man is done with his playing career, tweets Fred Katz of The Athletic.

NBA Reinstates Draymond Green

January 6th, 2024 at 4:47pm CST by Arthur Hill

Warriors forward Draymond Green has been reinstated after missing 12 games during his suspension, NBA executive vice president Joe Dumars announced (Twitter link).

In a statement, Dumars says Green has made progress in counseling sessions since an indefinite suspension was imposed on December 14.

“Green completed steps that demonstrated his commitment to conforming his conduct to standards expected of NBA players,” the statement reads. “He has engaged in meetings with a counselor and has met jointly on multiple occasions with representatives of the NBA, the Warriors and the National Basketball Players Association, both of which will continue throughout the season.”

Green is expected to need about a week of preparation before he can start playing again, sources tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link). Green will likely be with the Warriors for Sunday night’s game against Toronto, Wojnarowski adds, marking his first public appearance with the team since the suspension was announced.

Golden State travels to Chicago on January 12, Milwaukee on January 13, and Memphis on January 15, so it appears Green’s return will happen in one of those games.

Green lost $1,847,291 in salary while missing 12 games, which results in an $8.8MM savings for the team, tweets Bobby Marks of ESPN. Golden State’s projected tax bill will be reduced from $192.5MM to $183.7MM.

Green was suspended after striking Suns center Jusuf Nurkic in the head during a December 12 game. He claimed the act was unintentional, but the league cited a “repeated history of unsportsmanlike acts” in announcing the suspension.

The Warriors managed to post a 7-5 record during Green’s suspension, but they remain under .500 and are just a half-game ahead of the Lakers for the 10th spot in the West.

Lakers Waive Alex Fudge, D’Moi Hodge

January 6th, 2024 at 4:38pm CST by Arthur Hill

In advance of the expected signing of Dylan Windler to a two-way contract, the Lakers have waived two-way players Alex Fudge and D’Moi Hodge, the team announced in a press release. The statement doesn’t mention Windler or indicate how the other open two-way slot might be used.

Sunday marks the waiver deadline to avoid having two-way contracts guaranteed for the remainder of the season, so L.A. won’t have any further financial obligations to either Fudge or Hodge. Both players earned approximately $248K on their two-way deals, and they each received a $250K bonus because the team won the in-season tournament.

Fudge, a 20-year-old small forward, saw minimal playing time in four games with the Lakers, and averaged 8.0 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 10 games for the team’s South Bay G League affiliate. The two-way contract he signed this summer covered two seasons, but the second year is non-guaranteed.

Hodge, a 25-year-old shooting guard, appeared in seven games with the Lakers and 16 for South Bay, averaging 11.2 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.4 steals with the G League team.

Kings To Cut Juan Toscano-Anderson

January 6th, 2024 at 3:49pm CST by Luke Adams

The Kings intend to waive Juan Toscano-Anderson prior to Sunday’s salary guarantee deadline, reports James Ham of The Kings Beat (Twitter link). The move will open up a spot on Sacramento’s 15-man roster.

Toscano-Anderson signed a non-guaranteed minimum-salary deal with the Kings on December 15, providing some depth on the wing for the club. However, he didn’t end up earning a role outside of garbage time, logging 19 total minutes in his eight appearances. He had two points, five rebounds, and three assists in his limited action.

Waiving Toscano-Anderson ahead of tomorrow’s salary guarantee date will give Sacramento some extra roster and financial flexibility ahead of the February 8 trade deadline. Assuming he officially hits waivers today and goes unclaimed, the 30-year-old will count for $311,063 against the Kings’ cap for his 25 days of service with the team. A club interested in claiming Toscano-Anderson would have to be prepared to guarantee his full $1,517,989 salary.

Sacramento, meanwhile, would be under no obligation to immediately fill the newly opened roster spot. However, the Kings could sign a free agent – including Toscano-Anderson, if he clears waivers – to a 10-day contract or two if they want to fortify their depth in the short term while keeping their options open for the trade deadline.

Southwest Notes: Mavs, Luka, Cuban, Rockets, Lopez, Murphy, Smart

January 6th, 2024 at 3:05pm CST by Luke Adams

The Mavericks are starting to get a better idea of what their optimal lineup might look like, but they haven’t gotten a chance to take a longer look at it due to ongoing injury issues, writes Tim Cato of The Athletic.

As Cato details, the Mavericks like the idea of leaning more on lineups that feature Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving, Dante Exum, and Dereck Lively. So far this season, Dallas has an eye-popping offensive rating of 145.5 to go along with a defensive rating of 97.0 when that quartet is on the court. However, the sample size is relatively tiny — the four players have shared the floor for just 31 total minutes across four games.

All four players have dealt with moderate or minor injuries at some point this season, which has limiteed the Mavs’ ability to play them more together. Irving has been active for the past three games after missing 12 consecutive contests due to a heel contusion, but Doncic (right ankle swelling), Exum (right heel contusion), and Lively (left ankle sprain) were all unavailable for Friday’s win over Portland.

The Mavs are hopeful that Doncic’s ankle ailment is just a day-to-day issue, writes Tim MacMahon of ESPN. In the team’s initial injury report for Sunday’s matchup with Minnesota, Doncic is listed as questionable, but Lively is doubtful and Exum has already been ruled out.

Here’s more from around the Southwest:

Longtime Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, who recently sold his majority stake in the franchise, informed team employees this week that he’ll paying them bonuses that total approximately $35MM, as Tim MacMahon of ESPN relays (via Twitter).
Confirming offseason reports, Bucks center Brook Lopez said on Saturday that he seriously considered the possibility of signing with the Rockets as a free agent this past summer, per Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle (subscription required). “It was pretty close,” Lopez said. “There was a lot of mutual interest. Watching this season, they’ve obviously done some great things. I love what (head coach) Ime (Udoka) has been doing. Obviously, the group of guys they have here have done great stuff.”
After returning on Friday from a three-game absence due to left knee tendonitis, Pelicans sharpshooter Trey Murphy said his knee feels OK. However, he’ll be on a restriction of 20-to-25 minutes per game for now as the team manages some inflammation he has recently experienced in that knee, tweets Will Guillory of The Athletic. Murphy made just 1-of-9 shots in 17 minutes off the bench on Friday.
In a conversation with Marc J. Spears of Andscape, Grizzlies guard Marcus Smart spoke about his reaction to being traded last summer and how he’s adjusted to his new NBA home, as well as what it’s been like mentoring Ja Morant and his young teammates in Memphis.

Warriors Notes: Moody, Podziemski, Joseph, CP3, Siakam

January 6th, 2024 at 2:34pm CST by Luke Adams

While Jonathan Kuminga‘s frustration with his fluctuating role was the bigger news this week, it sounds like he’s not the only Warriors youngster who has sought clarity on his place in the team’s rotation. According to Jason Dumas of KRON4 News (Twitter link), general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. has been “directly asked” about the team’s plan for Moses Moody, who would also like a more consistent role.

“The people around Moses, they’re frustrated with the lack of having a role and the lack of consistency,” Dumas said during a subsequent radio appearance on 95.7 The Game (Twitter video link). “He’s in the rotation one day, he’s out of the rotation one day. For lack of a better term, he almost seems like the sacrificial lamb, so to speak. Whenever there’s a logjam, he’s gonna be the guy that falls out.

“From what I’ve been told, Moses loves the Bay Area and he loves playing for the Warriors, but I think it’s understandable that someone in his position with a lot of talent, young, would be frustrated and would want a clearer path to playing time, whether it be here or somewhere else.”

Moody was a DNP-CD for three consecutive games leading up to Friday’s contest vs. the Pistons. The third-year shooting guard received a standing ovation when he checked into that game in the fourth quarter, as Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic notes (via Twitter), though he ultimately went scoreless in six minutes of action.

Here’s more on the Warriors:

Chris Paul‘s hand injury will help create more regular minutes in the rotation for Moody, head coach Steve Kerr confirmed on Friday (Twitter link via Anthony Slater of The Athletic). Kerr said that rookie Brandin Podziemski and veteran Cory Joseph will also get some additional ball-handling reps during Paul’s absence.
Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic doesn’t expect Paul’s hand injury to have much of an impact on his trade value, even if it sidelines him beyond the February 8 deadline. As Thompson explains, if the Warriors decide to move CP3, they’d likely be sending him to a team that wants him more for his large expiring salary than for what he can provide on the court.
Appearing on a Bleacher Report live stream on Friday (Twitter video link), veteran NBA reporter Chris Haynes said that rival executives view Golden State as a potential “dark horse” suitor in the Pascal Siakam sweepstakes.
Prior to Friday’s victory over Detroit, Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer questioned some of the Warriors’ rotation decisions and took a deep dive into the club’s recent struggles, while Marcus Thompson II covered similar ground in a story for The Athletic.

Ricky Rubio Gave Up $5.4MM In Cavs Buyout

January 6th, 2024 at 1:34pm CST by Luke Adams

Veteran point guard Ricky Rubio gave up $5.4MM in his buyout agreement with the Cavaliers, according to reports from Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, Keith Smith of Spotrac, and Bobby Marks of ESPN (all Twitter links).

That’s a significant portion of the remaining guaranteed money that was owed to Rubio, who initially had a salary of $6,146,342 for 2023/24 and a $4,250,000 partial guarantee for ’24/25 (his full cap hit for next season would have been $6,439,025).

While Rubio had earned a prorated portion of this season’s salary, he was still owed about $3.5MM in 2023/24, along with his $4.25MM guarantee for next season, for a total of $7.75MM. He’ll receive approximately $2.35MM of that total, but the Cavaliers will recoup the rest, giving the team some extra cap flexibility this season and next.

As Marks notes, Rubio’s new cap hit this season is approximately $3.7MM and he’ll be on Cleveland’s books for about $1.3MM in ’24/25. The Cavaliers’ team salary this season had been about $752K below the luxury tax line prior to the buyout, but that cushion has increased to approximately $3.2MM, Marks adds.

That extra flexibility puts the Cavs in position to immediately sign one or two players to their roster to fill out their 15-man squad. Now that the 10-day contract window has opened, Cleveland may opt for short-term additions for now, maintaining some roster flexibility ahead of the trade deadline, but the team technically has enough breathing room below the tax to add two minimum-salary players for the rest of the season.

Since teams are only permitted to carry fewer than 14 players on standard contracts for up to two weeks at a time, Cleveland will have to make at least one roster addition by January 18, two weeks after officially parting ways with Rubio.

Nets Waive Armoni Brooks

January 6th, 2024 at 1:11pm CST by Luke Adams

The Nets have waived two-way guard Armoni Brooks, the team confirmed today in an official announcement. The move was first reported by Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link).

Since Brooks was cut ahead of Sunday’s waiver deadline, Brooklyn won’t be on the hook for his full two-way salary for the rest of the season.

Brooks, who previously spent time in Houston and Toronto, signed with the Nets in July and has appeared in 10 games this season, averaging 4.2 points and 1.8 rebounds in 10.4 minutes per night. The 25-year-old made just 32.6% of his shot attempts from the field during his time in Brooklyn, though he did knock down 34.4% of his three-pointers.

Brooks has seen more action for the Long Island Nets in the G League, averaging 15.0 PPG and 4.3 RPG on .436/.393/.800 shooting in 14 games (25.6 MPG) for Brooklyn’s NBAGL affiliate in 2023/24.

The move opens up a two-way slot for the Nets alongside Jalen Wilson and Keon Johnson. The deadline to sign a player to a two-way contract doesn’t arrive until March, so the team won’t be under any pressure to fill that opening right away.