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Northwest Notes: SGA, OKC, K. George, Jazz, R. Jackson

December 12th, 2023 at 9:26am CST by Luke Adams

After finishing fifth in NBA MVP voting in 2022/23, Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is building another strong case for the award this season, according to Joe Mussatto of The Oklahoman.

Gilgeous-Alexander is once again averaging over 30 points per game through his first 21 contests, and he’s scoring those points more efficiently, with career highs in field goal percentage (55.0%) and free throw percentage (91.7%). He’s also dishing a career-best 6.2 assists and is leading the NBA with 2.8 steals per night, establishing himself as a legitimate All-Defensive candidate, Mussatto opines. On top of all that, Oklahoma City’s 15-7 record is good for second place in the Western Conference.

According to Mussatto, if he were casting an MVP ballot today he’d have usual suspects Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid at the top, but Gilgeous-Alexander would come be at No. 3.

Here’s more from around the Northwest:

Oklahoma City voters will head to the polls on Tuesday to decide whether or not to approve a six-year, one percent sales tax that would help fund a new arena for the Thunder. Sean Murphy of The Associated Press has the story on the vote and the plan for a new arena, which is expected to cost at least $900MM.
The Jazz were beaten soundly in Oklahoma City on Monday to fall to 7-16 on the season, but the play of rookie guard Keyonte George was a silver lining, as he scores 30 points for the first time in his professional career, per Aaron Falk of The Salt Lake Tribune. “Tonight is good for his mentality,” head coach Will Hardy said. “Now he’s seen himself do it. … There’s always a part of your brain that’s not sure if you can actually do it.”
After the good vibes that last season generated, the Jazz have to tread carefully as they struggle to compile wins this season, writes Tony Jones of The Athletic. While Utah isn’t expected to be a playoff or play-in team, the club needs to make sure it’s competing hard and playing the right way to avoid developing a losing culture, Jones notes.
Speaking to Mark Medina of Sportskeeda, Nuggets guard Reggie Jackson discussed what it meant to win an NBA championship, taking on a bigger role in Denver this season, and the opportunity to play alongside Nikola Jokic (“the best player in the world”), among other topics.

P.J. Tucker: I Feel Like I’ve Still Got A Lot To Contribute

December 12th, 2023 at 7:40am CST by Luke Adams

After Shams Charania of The Athletic reported on Monday that P.J. Tucker has expressed frustration with his current situation in Los Angeles, the Clippers forward publicly addressed the issue later in the day, speaking to Tomer Azarly of ClutchPoints about being removed from the team’s rotation.

Tucker, who was sent from Philadelphia to L.A. last month as part of the James Harden blockbuster, appeared in each of his first 12 games as a Clipper, but averaged just 14.4 minutes in those contests, which would be a career low. He has been held out of the club’s past six games, with rookie Kobe Brown taking his place in the rotation.

“I don’t have a role on this team right now,” Tucker said on Monday when asked if he’s OK with his current role. “I’m not playing. I’m out of the lineup. It was a decision that was made, and I’m living with it right now. But obviously, I feel like I still got a lot to contribute to a team to be able to win, whether that’s here or somewhere else.”

Asked if he’s prioritizing playing time or contending for a championship, Tucker said ideally he’d have “both,” pointing out that he has played big minutes for multiple title contenders – including the 2021 champion Bucks – in recent years.

“It’s got to be a healthy compromise. I know myself, my worth. I know what I bring,” he said. “I know what I’ve brought. I know what I can continue to bring. And with that, I want to be able to go to a good team that I can be able to help that.”

Charania’s reporting on Monday indicated that Tucker and the Clippers are discussing ways to either get him regular minutes in L.A. or send him to a new team, with multiple contenders said to be monitoring the situation. When Azarly asked Tucker whether he sees a role for himself with the Clippers, the 38-year-old initially replied, “It’s not there,” before acknowledging that “obviously” that could change down the line.

“Coming here, you try to figure out the best way possible to be able to do what you do,” Tucker said. “But, you know, like I said, sometimes you see it and it ain’t there. Sometimes you see it, but the team doesn’t see it the way you see it.”

While Tucker is considered a versatile defender, a hard-nosed competitor, and a locker room leader, his offensive production is essentially non-existent (4.8 PPG since the start of the 2020/21 season) and he’ll turn 39 in the spring. He’s also earning about $11MM this season, with a $11.54MM player option for 2024/25, so his contract likely won’t have positive value on the trade market, which could complicate any Clippers efforts to work out a deal.

International Notes: Nader, McLemore, Frazier, Walker

December 11th, 2023 at 10:46pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Abdel Nader has signed with the South East Melbourne Phoenix for the remainder of the 2023/24 NBL season, the team says, (Twitter link via Olgun Uluc of ESPN). The NBA’s Suns waived Nader back in February 2022 and he never worked his way back into the league. Nader, 30, appeared in 202 NBA games with the Celtics, Thunder and Suns.

We have more from around the international basketball world:

Longtime NBA guard Ben McLemore has parted ways with Greece’s AEK Betsson, according to Johnny Askounis of Eurohoops.net. It was his first stint in Europe after playing in China last season. In Greece’s Stoiximan Basket League, McLemore averaged 9.7 points and 3.9 rebounds in seven appearances. McLemore played for the Kings, Grizzlies, Rockets, Lakers and Trail Blazers over the course of his nine-year NBA career, which spanned from 2013-22.
Greece’s Promitheas Patras has signed former NBA guard Tim Frazier, according to Eurohoops. Frazier previously played in that country with AEK Athens and, most recently spent time in France with SIG Strasbourg. The 33-year-old averaged 11.3 points, 5.0 assists and 2.8 rebounds with AEK in 2022/23 and posted 8.3 points, 4.4 assists and 3.3 rebounds over seven games with Strasbourg. He appeared in 289 NBA games, most recently in 2021/22 when he saw action in 12 contests with the Magic and Cavs.
Kemba Walker is enjoying his transition to European basketball, playing for AS Monaco, Eurohoops relays. In an interview with Joe Arlauckas of The Crossover, Walker said, “I wanted to have a new experience. I wanted to try to experience the world. And it’s really been an easy adjustment. These guys welcomed me with open arms, treated me with a lot of respect. Just really made my transition super easy.” The former NBA All-Star had a nine-game stint with the Mavs last season.

Pacific Notes: Beal, Durant, Paul, Thompson, Tucker, Lakers

December 11th, 2023 at 9:50pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Suns wing Bradley Beal will be in action for just the fourth time this season when Phoenix faces Golden State on Tuesday. He hasn’t played since Nov. 12 due to a back injury.

“I’m excited,” Beal told Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic after Monday’s practice. “It’s been a process for sure. It’s been a game of patience, but definitely ready.”

However, it’s not a given that the team’s big three will all be in action at the same time. Kevin Durant is listed as questionable with a left ankle sprain. Beal will be playing with Devin Booker for the first time.

“I’m beyond excited (to play with Booker),” Beal said. “He’s playing at an elite level right now. It was tough the last couple of games just seeing him double teamed, triple teamed.”

Grayson Allen is listed as out due to a groin injury.

We have more from the Pacific Division:

The Warriors’ Chris Paul and Klay Thompson are expected to play on Tuesday, Anthony Slater of The Athletic tweets. Paul missed the last game with an illness and Thompson sat out Sunday’s practice because he was under the weather. Both practiced on Monday in Phoenix.
P.J. Tucker has seen his playing time evaporate with the Clippers and it might be tough for him to break into the rotation again, Law Murray of The Athletic opines. Murray notes that Tucker lacks the height to deal with most big men, the athleticism to deal with most guards, and the offensive punch to be a helpful wing at this stage of his career. The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported on Monday that numerous contenders are looking at potentially acquiring Tucker.
The Lakers will hang an in-season tournament championship banner from the rafters. It will be unveiled Dec. 18 and will feature a different shape and color than the team’s 17 NBA championship banners, Marc Stein tweets.

Bulls, DeRozan “Far Apart” On Contract Extension

December 11th, 2023 at 8:16pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Bulls and veteran wing DeMar DeRozan are far apart on a potential contract extension, according to Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report (video link).

DeRozan is in the final season of a three-year, $81.9MM contract. He’s making $28.6MM this season and will be an unrestricted free agent if he doesn’t ink an extension.

Chicago was in a similar situation with center Nikola Vucevic last season but wound up re-signing him to a three-year, $60MM deal just before free agency.

However, Haynes’ sources said it’s unlikely that will occur with DeRozan. A more probable scenario is that they’ll look to move him rather than risk losing their leading scorer without getting some assets back for him.

“I was told that if DeRozan and the Bulls, if they cannot reach a contract extension, it is pretty likely that the Bulls may look to move DeMar DeRozan at the trade deadline,” Haynes said. “I don’t think the Bulls want to be put in a situation where DeMar DeRozan can walk in free agency and they get nothing in return.”

Haynes stressed that the Bulls aren’t currently shopping DeRozan, who is averaging 21.8 points, 5.0 assists and 3.8 rebounds per night. His shooting averages are down, compared to the last two seasons.

He posted averages of 24.5 points, 5.1 assists and 4.6 rebounds last season while shooting 50.45 from the field. He’s made 44.2% of his field-goal attempts through Chicago’s first 21 games this season.

The Heat and Knicks are among the teams that have previously been named as destinations that would appeal to DeRozan. The Lakers have also been thrown into the mix as a possible suitor.

At the start of the season, DeRozan said he wasn’t the type of player who pushes for a trade: “I feel like I wouldn’t be able to lay down comfortably if I went somewhere and said, ‘(Expletive) trade me. I’m tired of this.’ That’s just not me. I’m going to compete, be the best version I can be and let it go from there.”

Southwest Notes: VanVleet, Mavs’ Sale, Pelicans, Williamson

December 11th, 2023 at 6:37pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Fred VanVleet is averaging 37.8 minutes per game, the highest mark of any NBA player besides Philadelphia’s Tyrese Maxey. VanVleet, who signed a whopping three-year, $128.5MM contract to join the Rockets this summer, doesn’t mind a heavy workload.

“I’m a gamer, man,” VanVleet told Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle. “I never want to come out of the game. I’d play 48 if they would let me.”

VanVleet feels he needs to be on the court most of the time to organize his young teammates.

“Some of the things I bring, it’s hard to replace,” VanVleet said. “With such a young team, obviously, I have to do a little bit more. It’s something I have been accustomed to, and actually, I take a lot of pride in it.”

We have more from the Southwest Division:

The Mavericks franchise is even more valuable than previously reported. With Mark Cuban selling the majority share of the franchise to Las Vegas Sands Corp., the valuation is expected to be approximately $4 billion, according to Marc Stein (Twitter link). The valuation was previously said to be in the $3.5 billion range. A Board of Governors vote on the proposed sale is reportedly scheduled to take place on Dec. 2o.
The Pelicans entered their game against Minnesota on Monday still smarting from their in-season tournament semifinal loss to the Lakers, according to Christian Clark of the New Orleans Times Picayune. They lost by 44 points in a national-televised pounding. “We addressed the game,” coach Willie Green said. “… It was a letdown. It’s not our standard. It’s not who we’ve been. We wanted to get back to practice as soon as we could.”
It’s time for Pelicans forward Zion Williamson to show what he’s truly made of, William Guillory of The Athletic opines. After an embarrassing performance against the Lakers, Williamson took hits in the media, particularly for his weight and conditioning. Williamson needs to channel that criticism constructively and learn how to deal with failure, Guillory writes.

Community Shootaround: Pistons, Spurs Losing Streaks

December 11th, 2023 at 5:42pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Entering Monday’s action, the longest current winning streak in the league belonged to the Timberwolves with six straight victories. No other team had an ongoing streak longer than four games.

As for losing streaks, well that’s a different story. In terms of futility, the Pistons and Spurs are on record-setting runs.

Detroit was supposed to show significant improvement with the return of Cade Cunningham, who missed most of last season with a shin injury. Instead, the Pistons have fallen into a bottomless abyss. They’ve lost 19 straight, easily surpassing their previous single-season losing streak of 14 games.

The Spurs’ franchise was revitalized by winning the Victor Wembanyama sweepstakes in the draft lottery. Wembanyama mania was prevalent during the offseason and during camp.

However, San Antonio is only making news now by going 5 ½ weeks without a victory. The Spurs have dropped 16 straight, tying their franchise mark.

Both teams are in action tonight, with Detroit hosting the in-season tournament runners-up Pacers and San Antonio visiting much-improved Houston.

The remainder of the Pistons’ schedule before Christmas looks like this: a home-and-home with Philadelphia, at Milwaukee, at Atlanta, home vs. Utah, and at Brooklyn.

San Antonio’s remaining pre-Christmas schedule goes like this: two home games vs. the Lakers, home vs. New Orleans, at Milwaukee, at Chicago, at Dallas.

That brings us to our topic of the day: Will the Pistons and/or Spurs end their lengthy losing streaks before Christmas? If so, which opponent will they defeat to end their slides?

Please take to the comments section to weigh on this topic. We look forward to your input.

Terence Davis Claimed Off Waivers By Blazers’ G League Affiliate

December 11th, 2023 at 3:53pm CST by Rory Maher

It appears as though free agent wing Terence Davis will attempt to find an NBA job by playing in the G League, as he recently signed an NBAGL contract.

Davis was claimed off waivers by the Rip City Remix, the Trail Blazers‘ new affiliate, tweets Sean Highkin of Rose Garden Report. The move is official, according to the G League’s transactions log.

When a player — like Davis — signs a NBAGL contract for the first time, he’s placed on waivers. If no team claims him, he enters the available player pool. Davis was obviously claimed by the Remix, so he’ll presumably be heading to Portland to pursue his comeback.

Davis, 26, spent the past two-and-a-half seasons with the Kings. He was unable to find a new NBA team in unrestricted free agency over the offseason, despite having several clubs rumored to be interested in his services. The Kings renounced his rights in order to maximize their cap space this summer.

Davis, who went undrafted in 2019 out of Mississippi, spent his first season-and-a-half with Toronto prior to being traded to the Kings. He appeared in 64 regular season games (13.1 MPG) with Sacramento in 2022/23, averaging 6.7 PPG and 2.2 RPG on .423/.366/.791 shooting.

Another rumor over the summer stated that Spanish powerhouse FC Barcelona was keeping tabs on Davis, but a deal never came together.

As was the case with Davon Reed and Lance Stephenson, two other veterans attempting comebacks via the G League, Davis will remain an unrestricted free agent, because NBA contracts have a higher priority than NBAGL deals.

Lance Stephenson Joining Iowa Wolves

December 11th, 2023 at 2:25pm CST by Rory Maher

Former NBA guard/forward Lance Stephenson is signing an NBA G League contract to play for the Timberwolves‘ affiliate team in Iowa, reports Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link). Iowa confirmed in a press release that it has acquired Stephenson’s returning player rights from the Grand Rapids Gold (Denver’s affiliate) in exchange for the rights to Craig Randall II.

Stephenson hasn’t appeared in an NBA game since April 2022, when he finished out the 2021/22 season with the Pacers. The 33-year-old has played for eight different teams in parts of 10 seasons over the course of his career, primarily with Indiana. He also had a brief stint with Minnesota back in ’16/17.

In 554 regular season games, including 200 starts (22.9 MPG), Stephenson holds career averages of 8.6 PPG, 4.1 RPG and 2.9 APG on .445/.314/.694 shooting. The former second-round pick has also played professionally in China and — most recently — Puerto Rico.

Stephenson was born in Brooklyn and he said over the summer he was hoping to make an NBA comeback with the Knicks or Nets, but a contract never came to fruition. As Scotto notes, the Timberwolves have an open roster spot, and evidently Stephenson is hoping to make a strong impression on the franchise by playing with Iowa.

Stephenson will remain an unrestricted free agent even after he joins the Iowa Wolves, as NBA contracts take precedence over NBAGL deals.

And-Ones: Bronny, In-Season Tournament, Las Vegas, SGA

December 11th, 2023 at 1:31pm CST by Arthur Hill

Bronny James was grateful to be playing in a basketball game again Sunday, less than five months after he suffered cardiac arrest, writes Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN. With LeBron James in attendance to watch his son’s USC debut, Bronny totaled four points, three rebounds, two assists, two steals and a block in 16 minutes in a loss to Long Beach State. He came off the bench and played under a minutes restriction.

“I just want to say I’m thankful for everything,” Bronny said in his first public comment since the July 24 health scare. “Mayo Clinic, everything they helped me with, my parents, siblings for supporting me through this hard time in my life. I just want to give appreciation to everyone that’s helped me through this. Also, my coach, my teammates, all my other coaches. They’ve been with me since the start and I just want to say I’m thankful for them.”

LeBron posted an Instagram message expressing pride in his son and saying he’s already won the “ultimate goal/championship.” Bronny didn’t receive medical clearance to start playing again until November 30. He participated in full-contact practices Thursday and Friday in preparation for Sunday’s game.

“Everybody’s been through a lot emotionally,” Trojans coach Andy Enfield said. “Bronny the most. He’s handled it very well. And anytime you go through an emotional situation, it’s nice to have teammates and staff that care. And I thought his teammates did a great job with Bronny and he’s back now and we’re all excited for him.”

There’s more from around the basketball world:

The NBA is happy with the reception for its first in-season tournament, but changes are likely on the way. Tim Bontemps of ESPN reviews several alterations being considered, including a more substantial prize for the winner, increased financial incentives for players and coaches, toned-down court designs, a new name, potential changes to group play and tie-breakers, and a different way of scheduling the teams that fail to advance.
Las Vegas turned out to be a perfect host for the tournament’s final four, according to Barry M. Bloom of Sportico (subscription required). Although commissioner Adam Silver hasn’t determined if any of next year’s games will be played in Vegas, Bloom notes that there’s no other neutral site with the glamour to make it an attraction for NBA players. He adds that Saturday’s title contest attracted 19,021, and the semifinals and final brought in a total of 53,875 people.
Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has won the 2023 Northern Star award, which recognizes Canada’s top athlete, per Doug Smith of The Toronto Star. After earning his first All-Star and All-NBA (First Team) nods in 2022/23, the 25-year-old was named to the All-Star 5 at the World Cup, leading the Canadian national team to its first-ever medal finish at the event, claiming the bronze after defeating the favored Americans. As Smith writes, Gilgeous-Alexander also helped Team Canada clinch a spot in the Olympics for the first time since 2000. Hall-of-Famer Steve Nash is the only other basketball player to claim the Northern Star, Smith notes, with the former MVP point guard winning back in 2005.

Rory Maher contributed to this post.