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Pacific Notes: Clippers, George, Vincent, Nurkic, Green, Durant

December 14th, 2023 at 10:56pm CST by Tristan Tucker

After trading for James Harden, the Clippers went through a rough patch while adjusting to incorporating another ball-dominant player. Star wing Paul George said that it’s a growing pain plenty of teams with several All-Stars have historically experienced.

“They all went through some sort of adversity, regardless of the talent,” George said. “It’s going to take some time because you got to find how to be yourself when your usage rate isn’t going to be as high as it used to be [or] the possessions you were going to have.”

Now, Los Angeles has flipped its fortunes. The team holds the NBA’s longest active win streak (five games entering Thursday) and has won 10 of its last 13. Janis Carr of The Orange County Register says the Clippers are finding the “new you” in themselves by re-imagining their games and playing freely.

“I mean that’s it. Just all of us just combining into the defensive end and just wanting to get things going on that end first and then letting, whatever the offense, take care of itself since we got so many scorers,” said star forward Kawhi Leonard.

Harden made headlines earlier in the season, saying that he didn’t feel like the Sixers let him play like himself, a problem he isn’t having in coach Tyronn Lue‘s system.

“[Lue] allows me to just be free, be who I am and, like I said previously, that’s not just scoring, but just me reading defenses, seeing the different game and putting Kawhi and PG in better positions or in the pick-and-roll with [Ivica Zubac] getting easy layups or [Daniel Theis] getting easy layups,” Harden said. “It is everything that I thought it would be. It’s taken a little time, but as far as me playing and the chemistry on the court … it’s getting where it needs to be.”

We have more from the Pacific Division:

George sat out the second half of the Clippers‘ Tuesday win over the Kings with a sore left groin. According to ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk, Lue said George could have come back in and played if needed. However, he was ruled out before L.A’s Thursday game against the Warriors with hip soreness (Twitter link via Los Angeles Times’ Andrew Greif). He’s considered day-to-day, according to Youngmisuk.
Lakers guard Gabe Vincent is ramping up during the team’s three-game road trip, with coach Darvin Ham saying “everything is going according to plan,” The Orange County Register’s Khobi Price writes. Vincent hasn’t played since Oct. 30 due to a left knee effusion. The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported Monday that Vincent was targeting a Dec. 18 return to play. He’s averaging 6.0 points and 3.0 assists this season.
Even after taking a hit to the face from Warriors forward Draymond Green that led to Green being suspended indefinitely, Suns center Jusuf Nurkic still holds the four-time All-Star in a high regard, according to Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic. “I have a lot of respect for him, obviously, even before this,” Nurkic said Wednesday. “I still have it. I don’t know what people go through. It’s not our problem, but he’s an NBA champion for me, Hall of Famer still.“
Suns star forward Kevin Durant also reacted to the altercation on Wednesday, expressing well wishes to Green. “I hope he gets the help he needs,” Durant said (Twitter link via Rankin). Durant and Green played on the Warriors from 2016-19, winning two championships together. “[The altercation] was insane to see,” Durant said. “Glad Nurk is alright. Never seen that on the basketball court in an NBA game.“

Warriors Bench Andrew Wiggins

December 14th, 2023 at 9:42pm CST by Tristan Tucker

The Warriors will have Andrew Wiggins come off the bench in their Thursday matchup against the Clippers, tweets The Athletic’s Shams Charania. Rookie forward Brandin Podziemski is taking over Wiggins’ spot in the starting five, with Jonathan Kuminga also starting in place of the suspended Draymond Green.

It’s unclear whether Wiggins’ move to the bench is temporary or if this is a longer-term move, but Charania’s wording makes it sound like the latter.

The Warriors entered Thursday at 10-13, 11th in the conference. It’s a disappointing start for a team with big aspirations, and it’s the culmination of suspensions, injuries and players – like Wiggins – having down seasons.

Wiggins is averaging 12.1 points, 4.4 rebounds, 0.3 steals and 0.3 blocks this season while shooting just 41.3% from the field and 27.9% from beyond the arc. These are substantial drop-offs for the former No. 1 overall pick, who averaged 17.1 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.2 steals and 0.8 blocks last season on .473/.396/.611 shooting.

As The Athletic’s Anthony Slater observes (Twitter link), Thursday’s game marks Wiggins’ first career regular season game off the bench. He had previously started all 656 of his NBA appearances. His only career game as a reserve came in the postseason when he was returning from a prolonged absence last year.

Wiggins and Klay Thompson are both off to slow starts, contributing to Golden State’s lackluster season thus far. If the Warriors continue to disappoint, it’s possible another rotation switch involving Thompson, who is averaging his lowest scoring output since his rookie season, is on the horizon.

In Wiggins’ place, the Warriors are starting promising rookie Podziemski, who is averaging 8.1 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.4 assists this season. He’s shooting a scorching 44.2% from deep and is continuing to earn a bigger role with the organization, averaging 12.0 points and 7.2 rebounds over his past five games.

As of now, Golden State is starting Stephen Curry, Thompson, Podziemski, Kuminga and Kevon Looney, with Wiggins, Chris Paul, Moses Moody and Dario Saric among the top options off the bench.

Hornets Sign Nathan Mensah To Two-Way Contract, Waive Theo Maledon

December 14th, 2023 at 8:45pm CST by Tristan Tucker

8:45pm: The Hornets officially announced the signing of Mensah to a two-way contract in a press release.

5:38pm: The Hornets are planning to sign center Nathan Mensah to a two-way contract, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link).

Mensah has been playing with Charlotte’s G League affiliate, the Greensboro Swarm, this season after spending training camp with the Hornets this summer on an Exhibit 10 contract. Mensah is averaging 10.3 points, 8.6 rebounds, 2.1 blocks and 0.8 steals in 14 Showcase Cup games with the Swarm this season.

Mensah, 25, played five seasons for San Diego State, where he averaged 6.6 points, 6.2 rebounds and 1.6 blocks across 146 appearances with his collegiate team. In 2022/23, Mensah helped the Aztecs to an appearance in the NCAA national championship, where they ultimately fell to UConn.

To open up the two-way roster spot necessary for Mensah, the Hornets announced they officially waived guard Theo Maledon.

It’s a little surprising to see the Hornets part with Maledon, considering he’s made 57 appearances and eight starts over the past two years with the team in 18.5 minutes per night. However, he’s gotten off to a slow start to the season, shooting just 28.8% from the field. In two years with the Hornets, Maledon averaged 6.1 points and 3.2 assists after spending the first two seasons of his career with the Thunder.

With Mensah set to be signed, the Hornets will be back up to the limit of 18 players on the roster. Charlotte has 15 players on standard deals and, after Mensah’s signing is made official, will have him, Leaky Black and Amari Bailey on two-way deals.

Atlantic Notes: Siakam, Morris, Hartenstein, Quickley

December 14th, 2023 at 8:23pm CST by Tristan Tucker

Raptors forward Pascal Siakam has been subject to trade rumors for roughly a year while his team is middling, even though he has expressed his desire to stay in Toronto multiple times, according to Sportsnet.ca’s Michael Grange. Siakam says he isn’t letting the persistent rumors get to him.

“I don’t worry about that. I just live my life and try to be the best I can be every day,” Siakam said. “I don’t think about it. It’s not part of what I do. I control what I can control. I’ve always understood that, and I’m getting better at it and I’m actually really good at it now.”

Siakam is earning $37.9MM in the final season of a four-year, $136.9MM deal. Even without a long-term contract, Siakam deserves credit for keeping the 10-14 Raptors competitive, Grange writes. He’s averaging 21.2 points and 6.8 rebounds per game this season.

“The way I look at it, and that’s been in my life period, it’s never been easy,” Siakam said. “Hey, you got to fight. There’s going to be times where it’s hard out there … it feels like a boxing match where you get knocked down and everything. You can’t see nothing. You’re looking for your mouthpiece, trying to find anything on the floor. And the ref is counting, blood coming out of your mouth. And the thing about it is it’s going to happen more than once.

“So that’s a challenge. It is going to be hard. We just have to be able to overcome it. At the end of the day, like I said, we can talk about x’s and o’s and this and that. We’ve just got to be able to buckle up and go out there and do it.”

According to Grange, there is a “fairly robust” market for Siakam, though it may not be for the return Raptors president Masai Ujiri would want in such a deal. Despite the noise of a potential trade, Grange says there is a chance Siakam stays put and signs an extension with Toronto.

That means there could be a win-win situation for Siakam and the Raptors in which Toronto signs the All-Star forward to an extension in the next month or so, Grange writes. In that scenario, Siakam would be ineligible to be moved for six months and the Raptors could then explore the market again in the summer and become a major offseason player.

On the other hand, if the Raptors don’t see themselves signing Siakam to an extension soon, it would make sense to move him now, Grange notes.

We have more from the Atlantic Division:

After a slow start with the Sixers, Marcus Morris is emerging as a trusted part of Philadelphia’s rotation, writes The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Keith Pompey (subscriber link). Morris is averaging 8.3 points and 3.8 rebounds over his past nine games compared to 1.1 points and 1.0 rebounds in his first seven appearances with Philly. Still, given his large expiring contract, it’s possible Morris is moved ahead of the trade deadline as the Sixers continue to shape their contending roster, a fact he’s aware of. “I understand the business part,” Morris said. “I know we [are] actively in trade [inquiries].“
After losing Mitchell Robinson to injury for eight-to-10 weeks, the Knicks will continue to turn to Isaiah Hartenstein to help fill the void, writes the New York Post’s Zach Braziller. Jericho Sims has started in Robinson’s place, but Hartenstein has ultimately finished with more minutes and closed games, a strategy coach Tom Thibodeau employed last season when Robinson missed time. “I’ve always been ready for this opportunity. I think I’ve shown I can be in this role,” Hartenstein said. “At the end of the day, we are going to miss Mitch a lot. But I’m ready — I’m ready for whatever [Thibodeau] has in mind for me. … Last season, half of the games I would finish games. I’m used to this role, so I’m excited for it.“
It might make sense for the Knicks to explore trading guard Immanuel Quickley, writes the New York Post’s Stefan Bondy (subscriber link), who speculates the offseason Donte DiVincenzo signing, along with the lack of a preseason extension for Quickley, could signal a potential trade. With such a guard-heavy roster, the Knicks could look to move Quickley before he hits restricted free agency in July and get some value for him, Bondy reasons.

Spurs Waive Rice, Sign Duke To Two-Way Deal

December 14th, 2023 at 7:20pm CST by Rory Maher

8:20pm: The Spurs have officially signed Duke and waived Rice, according to a press release from the team.

3:43pm: The Spurs plan to sign David Duke Jr. to a two-way contract, agent Todd Ramasar tells ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link).

San Antonio is waiving Sir’Jabari Rice to make room for Duke, reports ESPN’s Andrew Lopez (via Twitter). That move is official, per NBA.com’s transaction log.

Duke spent the past two seasons with the Nets on two-way deals prior to being converted to a standard contract in April. The former Providence guard averaged 4.2 points and 2.1 rebounds in 45 games with Brooklyn from 2021-23, shooting 40.3% from the floor in 12.6 minutes per contest.

Duke, 24, inked an Exhibit 10 deal with the Sixers for training camp and was waived before the ’23/24 season began. He’s been playing for their G League affiliate, the Delaware Blue Coats.

Rice, who went undrafted in June’s draft, spent four college seasons at New Mexico State before transferring to Texas for his super-senior year in 2022/23. The 6’4″ guard appeared in 38 games for the Longhorns last season, averaging 13.0 PPG, 3.5 RPG, and 2.0 APG on .464/.371/.863 shooting.

Rice has yet to appear in an NBA game. He’s been playing for San Antonio’s G League affiliate in Austin to open his rookie season.

Warriors GM Dunleavy Talks Green, Roster Decisions

December 14th, 2023 at 5:10pm CST by Tristan Tucker

Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. emphasized the franchise is still committed to forward Draymond Green following his indefinite suspension during a media availability on Thursday, reports ESPN’s Kendra Andrews.

According to Andrews, Dunleavy said Golden State is truly treating this as an indefinite absence and that the end goal is for Green to get to a point where he can be with the team long term, which echoes reporting from Wednesday. However, Dunleavy doesn’t know for sure that these measures will change Green’s behavior in the long run, per Andrews.

“I can’t guarantee you that,” Dunleavy said. “I can just say we will continue to do the right things to help him. I think we’ve done a decent job at that in the past and we’ll continue to work through it all. There are a lot of parties involved. The biggest thing here to me is not the punishment, it’s helping and giving assistance.”

The Warriors continue to emphasize to Green that they’re a better team with him on the court than off it and are telling him he has to do whatever he can to stay on the floor. As Andrews points out, Green has missed eight games from a combination of suspension, injuries and personal reasons this year, along with having been ejected from three more.

There is some level of concern that Green might not be able to stay on the floor when he returns, according to Andrews, with continued harsher punishment being plausible for further incidents.

“His ability this year has been great, his availability has not,” Dunleavy said. “… That’s part of the dance we got to walk and part of things we need to address. He’s got to be aware of it. Hopefully, we can get him to a point where he’s still the same high-energy, competitive guy. And if situations arise, he’s got to find a way to regulate that.”

The Warriors are disappointed in Green’s failure to regulate his actions on the court, according to Andrews. ESPN sources said Golden State lost leverage in holding Green accountable when they didn’t do so after he punched former teammate Jordan Poole last year. At some point, there could be a shift in how the Warriors handle Green, especially if the bad outweighs the good he does on the court, per Andrews.

Still, at 10-13, the Warriors and Dunleavy are hoping this ends up differently.

“I think this is something a lot of people see as a problem, but we’re looking to turn it into a positive,” Dunleavy said. “He’s at a point in his career and his life where you want to get some things straightened out. Maybe you need a jolt like that. I think it’s been very positive, very open and I’m extremely optimistic we can get where we need to go.”

There’s more from Dunleavy’s media session:

Dunleavy said Green will remain with the team throughout his suspension, but he won’t be there every day and he wasn’t in attendance for the team’s Thursday shootaround in Los Angeles, tweets Sportskeeda’s Mark Medina. According to Medina, he’ll be able to practice with the team but obviously won’t be able to play in games or be at the arena during the suspension. “We think the healthiest thing is for him to be around,” Dunleavy said. “It may not be every day but we are not jettisoning the guy off somewhere.“
Dunleavy said the next 15-20 games will be critical in determining whether or not the team will explore trades at the deadline, tweets The Athletic’s Anthony Slater. The Warriors would rather build a larger sample size before seeing what needs to be done.
With several players becoming trade eligible on Dec. 15, Dunleavy was asked about potential trades. “The question as to whether we’ll be aggressive, I think you have to be open to see things and look at everything,” Dunleavy said (Twitter link via Medina). “If something makes sense, you do it. But I would never do something just to do something. I’ve had a pretty good track record recently of making positive deals where we’ve been able to look out for our long-term salary spending and acquire good players. We’ll continue to do that.“
Echoing similar reports from Wednesday, Dunleavy said he and Green’s camp worked together with the NBA to come up with the indefinite suspension (Twitter link via Andrews). “We understand there’s a punishment that will take place but this is also about helping somebody,” Dunleavy said. “They 100% agreed. So did Draymond.“
Appearing on ESPN’s First Take (Twitter link), NBA Executive Vice President Joe Dumars said the point of the indefinite suspension was to look beyond a specific number and instead to help Green. “We want to see you at your best and the best way for you to do that is to get yourself mentally and emotionally back to where you need to be,” Dumars said. “That’s how we got to indefinite.“

Jazz’s John Collins Reportedly On Trade Block

December 14th, 2023 at 3:24pm CST by Rory Maher

The Jazz are open to trading forward John Collins, a team source tells Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune (subscriber link).

The news is somewhat surprising, since Utah just traded for Collins in July. Still, the Jazz only gave up a second-round pick to acquire the 26-year-old, who was essentially salary dumped by the Hawks after being involved in rumors for years.

As Larsen explains, the Jazz have been “frustrated” by Collins’ “slow uptake” on learning the team’s system on both offense and defense. He also has the worst net rating differential on the team (minus-11.8), and hasn’t provided much beyond his solid shooting and rebounding, says Larsen.

However, Collins’ “iffy” performance early in 2023/24 — plus the $77MM he’s owed over the next three years — could make it difficult for the Jazz to find a trade partner, according to Larsen. Utah acquired the seven-year veteran to either have him as long-term piece or to flip him in the future for a positive return. Both of those scenarios seem unlikely at this point.

Here are a few more Jazz notes and rumors from Larsen:

Aside from Collins, guards Jordan Clarkson and Collin Sexton are also in Larsen’s “more likely to be traded” category, and he notes that a previous report from Michael Scotto of HoopsHype indicated that Talen Horton-Tucker and Kelly Olynyk could be on the trade block too. Clarkson, Sexton and Horton-Tucker are all guards who “have had a penchant for over-dribbling, turnovers, and poor shot selection” in ’23/24, Larsen writes. Utah likes Sexton’s intensity and effort, but is looking for long-term backcourt members “who are more natural play-makers or have more defensive size.”
Scotto reported that the Jazz could be in the market for a veteran point guard, but Larsen hears they’d only be interested if the price is right. The team’s disappointing start will likely have the front office prioritizing the future over a big win-now splash unless a superstar becomes available, per Larsen.
The Jazz are unlikely to trade for Bulls guard Zach LaVine “unless it comes at a bargain-basement price,” the source tells Larsen.
As for the players the team wants to keep, that group features Lauri Markkanen, Keyonte George, Taylor Hendricks, Walker Kessler and Ochai Agbaji, according to Larsen. Hendricks was selected ninth overall in June’s draft, but has spent most of the season in the G League. However, the Jazz are strong believers in his potential, and declined “an otherwise promising trade opportunity” involving Hendricks over the summer, Larsen reports.

Celtics Sign Drew Peterson To Two-Way Contract

December 14th, 2023 at 3:00pm CST by Luke Adams

December 14: Peterson’s two-way deal is official, the Celtics announced.

December 13: The Celtics are expected to sign G League forward Drew Peterson to a two-way contract, according to Adrian Wojanrowski of ESPN (Twitter links). Agents Mike Silverman and Troy Payne tell Wojnarowski that Peterson has agreed to sign with the C’s and is on track to join the team as soon as Thursday.

Peterson, 24, went undrafted earlier this year after spending two seasons at Rice and three at USC. As a “super senior” in 2022/23, he averaged 13.9 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game, posting a .442/.358/.752 shooting line in 33 games (35.9 MPG) for the Trojans.

As an undrafted free agent, Peterson quickly agreed to an Exhibit 10 deal with Miami and joined the Heat for summer league play and training camp. He was cut before the regular season began and was designated as an affiliate player for the Sioux Falls Skyforce, Miami’s G League team.

Peterson was off to a strong start in his first professional season, putting up 15.2 PPG, 5.5 RPG, and 4.2 APG on .528/.407/.857 shooting in his first 13 games with the Skyforce. Once he officially signs with Boston, he’ll make the move to the Maine Celtics. He’ll also be eligible to appear in up to 35 NBA games, assuming he officially signs on Thursday.

The Celtics won’t need to make a corresponding roster move to open up a spot for Peterson, since they already cut a two-way player earlier this week, parting ways with Nathan Knight on Tuesday. Neemias Queta and JD Davison are Boston’s other two-way players.

If Peterson signs on Thursday, his two-way salary will be $395,708. That salary would become fully guaranteed if he remains under contract through January 7.

Mavs Notes: Exum, Supporting Cast, Luka, Kyrie

December 14th, 2023 at 12:37pm CST by Rory Maher

In his first injury-plagued NBA stint, former No. 5 overall pick Dante Exum was not known for his shooting prowess. However, the Australian guard/forward had an impressive turnaround in his percentages over the past couple seasons in Europe, and after signing with the Mavericks over the summer, Exum is starting to make teams pay for leaving him open.

Exum started the 2023/24 season slowly, as he wasn’t a regular part of Dallas’ rotation. Over his first 17 games, he was just 5-of-22 (22.7%) beyond the arc. But he’s been increasingly earning the team’s trust due to his timely cutting, connective passing and defense, which has led to a jump in playing time (injuries have also been a factor).

As Eddie Sefko of Mavs.com writes, Exum was scorching hot in Tuesday’s victory over the Lakers, finishing with season highs of 26 points and 36 minutes. He was extremely efficient, going 8-of-10 from the floor, including 7-of-9 from deep. Seven made three-pointers was a career-high for the 28-year-old.

It’s an admittedly very small sample size, but Exum is averaging 21.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 1.0 steal on .639/.667/.750 shooting over the past three games, all victories (34.7 minutes). If he continues lighting it up, his $3MM contract for ’23/24 will look like a bargain (his $3.15MM salary for ’24/25 is non-guaranteed).

Here’s more on the Mavs:

There’s no question that Luka Doncic is the driving force behind the team’s third-ranked offense, but the supporting cast also deserves praise for the Mavs’ 15-8 start, according to Tim Cato of The Athletic, who says offseason additions Exum, Dereck Lively, Grant Williams and Derrick Jones Jr. have all provided solid contributions in ’23/24. The team’s depth is much improved from last season’s 38-win campaign, Cato writes.
Tuesday’s victory over L.A. was the second of a back-to-back for Dallas, which beat Memphis on Monday. With Kyrie Irving (foot), Josh Green (elbow) and Maxi Kleber (toe) all injured, Doncic has been tasked with an extremely heavy workload, playing 44 minutes on Monday followed by 43 on Tuesday. Following the latest win, Doncic, who was listed as questionable leading into the contest with a lower back contusion, said he was surprised he was able to suit up. “I don’t know how I played,” Doncic said, per Tim MacMahon of ESPN. “I slept very little today. Everything hurts. I’m getting old, man, but we got two back-to-back wins, which is amazing, especially against a team like the Lakers. So I’m really proud of these guys.”
Irving is wearing a protective boot and using crutches after sustaining a right heel contusion on Friday, MacMahon tweets. Head coach Jason Kidd said there’s still no firm timetable for Irving’s return.

Southwest Notes: Brooks, Morant, Nowell, Green, Bassey

December 14th, 2023 at 10:59am CST by Arthur Hill

Dillon Brooks doesn’t know what kind of reception to expect when he returns to Memphis on Friday, but he’s been looking forward to it ever since he signed with the Rockets this summer, writes Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal. Brooks’ new team has beaten the Grizzlies twice already, including on Wednesday night, but both games were played in Houston. He knows the atmosphere will be different in front of the fans at FedEx Forum.

“I can’t wait to get back out there playing,” Brooks said. “This has been circled out there on my schedule.”

For six seasons, Brooks was a fiery part of a brash Grizzlies team, clashing with opponents and challenging teammates to raise their intensity level. However, after saying last month that he felt like a “scapegoat” for the team’s playoff loss to the Lakers, he’s not sure how Memphis fans will receive him.

“I’m excited,” he said. “I miss the Forum. I just can’t wait to get out there, shoot on the court and see what it’s all about. We’ll see what happens.”

There’s more from the Southwest Division:

Ja Morant, who may be nearing the end of his suspension, will speak to the media Friday morning, Cole tweets. If commissioner Adam Silver agrees to reinstate Morant after 25 games, he will be eligible to return Tuesday at New Orleans.
With the Grizzlies facing a roster crunch ahead of Morant’s return, they’re not likely to keep Jaylen Nowell, whose second 10-day contract expired Wednesday. Nowell called his time with the organization “a blessing,” according to Cole (Twitter link). “They accepted me, and I’m real thankful for that,” he said. “I definitely think that these guys are going to pick it up and be one of the best teams in the West, for sure.”
Rockets coach Ime Udoka is proving that he’s willing to bench anyone who isn’t performing up to expectations, notes Kelly Iko of the Athletic. Jalen Green sat out the entire fourth quarter for the second straight game on Wednesday amid a poor shooting night and questionable decision making. “Play harder like the group that was in,” Udoka responded when asked about his advice for Green. “It starts with effort. Continuing the play through it. Learn from those things, but it’s not always a result of what they don’t do. It’s more so the other lineup and what they’re doing.”
Spurs teammates say Charles Bassey is in good spirits despite suffering a season-ending ACL tear, according to Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News. “He is resilient,” Collins said. “He has come back from stuff before. He is a very positive guy. But we are going to miss him.”

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