NBA Rumors - HoopsRumors.com

Scotty Pippen Jr. Signs Two-Way Contract With Grizzlies

January 16th, 2024 at 2:42pm CST by Luke Adams

2:42pm: Pippen has officially signed with the Grizzlies, the team announced today in a press release (Twitter link). He’ll be eligible to appear in up to 26 regular season games for the club.

2:30pm: Former Lakers guard Scotty Pippen Jr. has agreed to a two-way contract with the Grizzlies, agent Erika Ruiz tells Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link). According to Wojnarowski, it will be a two-year deal, covering not just the rest of this season but 2024/25 as well.

Pippen, the son of Hall of Famer Scottie Pippen, spent his rookie year in 2022/23 on a two-way deal with the Lakers after going undrafted out of Vanderbilt. He logged just 32 total minutes in six games at the NBA level, but played regularly for the South Bay Lakers, averaging 22.2 points, 5.3 assists, and 3.7 rebounds in 28.3 minutes per game across 35 NBAGL appearances in the Showcase Cup and regular season.

After spending training camp with Los Angeles again this past fall, Pippen was waived ahead of the regular season and returned to South Bay. He has put up 20.2 PPG, 5.9 APG, and 5.3 RPG with a .485/.329/.846 shooting line in 17 G League games this season.

The Grizzlies had a two-way slot available after promoting Vince Williams to their standard 15-man roster last week. Pippen will join G.G. Jackson and Jacob Gilyard as Memphis’ two-way players.

Once Pippen officially signs, Memphis will have a full roster of 15 players on standard contracts and three on two-way deals. However, as we outlined earlier this afternoon, the Grizzlies are in position to fill out their roster beyond the standard limits due to a series of injuries that will make the team eligible for hardship exceptions.

Clippers To Host 2026 NBA All-Star Game

January 16th, 2024 at 2:02pm CST by Rory Maher

JANUARY 16: The NBA officially confirmed today in a press release that the 2026 All-Star Game will take place at the Intuit Dome, the Clippers’ new arena.

JANUARY 12: The Clippers are “on track” to host the 2026 All-Star Weekend at owner Steve Ballmer‘s new Intuit Dome, though the NBA is still finalizing the plans, multiple sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium (Twitter link).

This year’s All-Star Game will be held in Indianapolis (Pacers), and the Warriors will host the event in 2025.

The Intuit Dome, which is located in Inglewood, California, is still under construction. It’s set to open for the 2024/25 season. Both the Lakers and Clippers currently play their home games at Crypto.com Arena, but it’s obviously far more famous for the Lakers than the Clips.

Former Microsoft CEO Ballmer is the wealthiest owner in the NBA and has shown a willingness to spend in multiple aspects of the Clippers business, including the team’s payroll and new arena. Star forward Kawhi Leonard just signed a three-year, $152MM extension two days ago, and Paul George is “optimistic” about his own extension talks.

The Clippers were 3-7 at one point in the immediate aftermath of the James Harden trade, but they’ve gone 21-6 since to currently hold a 24-13 record, good for the No. 4 seed in the West.

Grizzlies Expected To Qualify For Multiple Hardship Exceptions

January 16th, 2024 at 1:41pm CST by Luke Adams

As we explain in our glossary entry on the subject, an NBA team that qualifies for a hardship exception is permitted to add an extra player to its standard roster beyond the usual 15-man limit. In some cases, if a club’s roster is especially injury-plagued, that club can be granted multiple hardship exceptions and is allowed to sign multiple replacement players to 10-day contracts.

A team qualifies for a hardship exception when it meets all of the following criteria:

It has at least four players unavailable due to injury or illness.
All four of those players have missed at least three consecutive games.
All four of those players are expected to remain sidelined for at least two more weeks.

If a team has five players who meet those criteria, it can qualify for two hardship exceptions; six players who meet the criteria would result in three hardship exceptions.

The Grizzlies have dealt with a banged-up roster all season long and were awarded a pair of hardship exceptions simultaneously earlier in the season. Memphis used them to sign Jaylen Nowell and Shaquille Harrison to 10-day deals.

Those exceptions expired once the roster got a little healthier, but the injury bug is doing a number on the Grizzlies again as of late, putting the team in position to once again qualify for multiple hardship exceptions.

Currently, the Grizzlies have four players who definitely meet the criteria: Steven Adams, Brandon Clarke, Ja Morant, and Marcus Smart. Adams and Morant are out for the season, while Clarke and Smart are still at least several weeks away from returning, and all four players have missed at least the past three games.

Once Desmond Bane misses his third straight contest on Thursday in Minnesota, the Grizzlies will have at least five players who meet the hardship criteria, since Bane is expected to be out for at least six weeks. That means Memphis will be in position to add at least two players via hardship exceptions.

It may not stop there — Derrick Rose has missed the past seven games due to a hamstring issue and his return timeline is unclear. If the Grizzlies aren’t counting on him to be back within the next two weeks, he’d meet the hardship criteria too. On top of that, Jake LaRavia is expected to be out for at least three weeks, so once he sits out a third consecutive game on Saturday, he’d fit the bill as well.

It’s unclear exactly how many hardship exceptions the Grizzlies will qualify for once the dust settles, but it certainly looks like the club is in position to begin supplementing its 15-man roster with temporarily fill-ins on 10-day contracts. It won’t be a surprise if Memphis signs a couple free agents for depth purposes at some point this week.

Categories:
Memphis Grizzlies

New York Notes: Thomas, Dinwiddie, DSJ, Walker, Brunson, McBride

January 16th, 2024 at 12:35pm CST by Luke Adams

Following his eighth game since being moved from the Nets‘ starting lineup to the bench, Cam Thomas was asked after Monday’s loss to Miami whether he has gained a feel for the rotation patterns and whether he’s gained a “comfortability” with them. Thomas quickly replied with a blunt “no,” then paused for a few seconds before continuing (Twitter video link via Erik Slater of Clutch Points).

“I mean, it could change,” Thomas said. “I’m just doing my job. I’m just doing what I need to do when I get out there to produce. No, I don’t really have no comfortability coming off the bench or starting. Whatever (head coach Jacque Vaughn) wants me to do, that’s what I’m gonna do.”

Thomas subsequently clarified that he meant he doesn’t feel any complacency, according to Brian Lewis of The New York Post.

Thomas has had a few big nights since moving back to the bench, including scoring 26 points last Thursday and 23 on Monday. But he has also had 0-for-11 and 0-for-7 performances during that eight-game stretch and is shooting just .339/.263/.700 since being removed from the starting five. Brooklyn has lost seven of those eight contests.

Here’s more on the NBA’s two New York teams:

Veteran Nets guard Spencer Dinwiddie continues to start, but played a limited role for a second straight game on Monday, logging just 20 minutes after playing only 16 on Thursday in Cleveland. As Lewis of The New York Post notes, Dennis Smith Jr. has been one beneficiary of Vaughn’s rotation tweaks — Smith played 32 minutes on Monday. “I’ve always talked about this being performance-based,” Vaughn said. “I thought Dennis had a good attack for us defensively. We’re just in a position right now where you have to perform, and that’s across the board. So that’s a challenge to the entire group from the beginning of the game to the end to be locked-in and to give everything you have on both ends of the floor.”
After Lonnie Walker scored 20 points in 25 minutes in last Thursday’s loss to the Cavs, Jared Schwartz of The New York Post wondered if the Nets might need to make more room for the veteran wing in the rotation. However, Walker has gone scoreless on 0-of-8 shooting in 21 total minutes in his other three appearances since returning from a hamstring injury.
Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson missed a second consecutive game on Monday due to a calf contusion, but his return doesn’t appear far off. Head coach Tom Thibodeau suggested that the issue is more about “pain tolerance” than concern about the risk of re-injury, writes Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. “It’s day-to-day,” Thibodeau said. “It’s a little better today. When he’s ready, he’s ready.”
With Brunson unavailable, Miles McBride got another start at point guard and set a new career high in points for the second time in three days, putting up 20 in a loss to Orlando. However, he blamed himself for the loss, citing his game management in a fourth quarter in which the Knicks scored just 16 points, per Bridget Reilly of The New York Post. “I’d say it’s my fault as a point guard. I needed to get everybody where they needed to be and manage the game a little bit better at the end,” McBride said. “… I gotta make sure I get everybody where they need to be and take control.”

Knicks Rumors: Grimes, Fournier, Robinson, Trade Rumors

January 16th, 2024 at 10:56am CST by Luke Adams

Quentin Grimes is a name to watch as a potential candidate to be moved ahead of the trade deadline, according to Fred Katz of The Athletic, who hears from rival executives that the Knicks are “actively fielding offers” for the third-year wing.

As Katz notes, the Knicks have made an effort to keep Grimes out of trades talks in the past, but the 23-year-old has taken a step back this year following a strong sophomore season in 2022/23 and has moved down the depth chart due to the offseason acquisition of Donte DiVincenzo. He’s playing just 19.8 minutes per night this season after averaging 29.9 MPG a year ago.

If they move Grimes in the next few weeks, the Knicks’ preference would be to attach him to Evan Fournier‘s expiring contract to bring back a player whose salary is in the neighborhood of $20MM, give or take a few million, Katz explains. The idea would be to acquire a quality player who could help immediately and whose contract could also be used – if necessary – in a deal for a star down the road. New York’s preference would be not to part with Grimes in a trade for a player who could walk in free agency this summer, league sources tell The Athletic.

No deal involving Grimes is imminent at this point, and the Knicks could also make a move with him this summer if he’s not traded at next month’s deadline, Katz writes.

Here’s more on the Knicks:

New York’s front office has been more interested in acquiring another ball-handler and facilitator rather than another center, according to Katz, who says the team is “increasingly optimistic” about Mitchell Robinson‘s chances of returning before the season ends — that optimism will influence how the club operates on the trade market.
With the Knicks not necessarily hopeful that a star-caliber player who fits into their plans will be available at the deadline, their ideal target would meet the following criteria, per Katz: He’d be someone on a tradable salary who is under contract beyond this season; he’d be able to run the offense when Jalen Brunson isn’t on the floor; and he’d be someone Tom Thibodeau can trust.
The Knicks haven’t been willing to put any unprotected first-round picks on the table in their trade talks so far, Katz reports, though they’re open to parting with protected first-rounders. New York controls four such picks from other teams, including Dallas’ top-10 protected 2024 first-rounder, which is the only one of the four likely to convey this year.

Bucks’ Jae Crowder Set To Return Wednesday

January 16th, 2024 at 9:31am CST by Luke Adams

Bucks forward Jae Crowder, who underwent surgery in November after suffering a left adductor and abdominal tear, has been cleared to return to action for Wednesday’s game in Cleveland, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).

Crowder was a key part of Milwaukee’s rotation early in the season, averaging 27.9 minutes per night in his eight healthy games. He registered 9.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per contest with a .543/.533/.600 shooting line in those eight games before sustaining his injury in his ninth appearance on November 11. He has missed the past 31 games.

The Bucks had the NBA’s fourth-best defensive rating in 2022/23 but rank just 19th in that category so far this season, so they’ll benefit on that end of the court from Crowder’s return. The veteran forward is a versatile defender with size who is capable of matching up with bigger wings.

Although Crowder started a couple games for the Bucks in the fall, he’ll likely come off the bench as long as everyone’s healthy, since the club has settled on a starting five consisting of Giannis Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard, Khris Middleton, Brook Lopez, and Malik Beasley.

Lakers Revert To Opening Night Lineup, Intend To Stick With It

January 16th, 2024 at 9:05am CST by Luke Adams

Against the Thunder on Monday, Lakers head coach Darvin Ham turned back to the starting lineup that he used to open the season: LeBron James, Anthony Davis, D’Angelo Russell, Austin Reaves, and Taurean Prince.

That was the Lakers’ starting group for five of the first seven games of the season, including the first four. However, those players hadn’t started together since November 6, as Ham first moved Reaves to the bench and later did the same with Russell. After Los Angeles came away with a 112-105 victory over Oklahoma City, Ham indicated he plans to stick with his original starting five going forward, writes ESPN’s Dave McMenamin.

“Just wanted to put as much skill and shot-making on the floor around our two captains,” Ham said, referring to James and Davis. “And those five, they’ve been pretty much our most consistent guys throughout the season thus far. So just put them together. For the foreseeable future, that’s going to be our lineup, barring any type of injury.”

The Lakers have used 11 different starting lineups so far this season, leaning most frequently on a group consisting of James, Davis, Russell, Prince, and Cam Reddish. Reddish is a stronger defender than Reaves, but didn’t provide as much on the offensive end of the court. He’s currently unavailable due to a knee issue.

Los Angeles also experimented with a starting five that featured Reaves in Russell’s place alongside the two star forwards, Prince, and Reddish, but that group has posted a -13.2 net rating in 99 minutes of action. The opening night lineup, which Ham turned back to on Monday, has a +1.3 rating in 150 total minutes.

In spite of Monday’s impressive victory, the Lakers remain below .500 (20-21) at the season’s midpoint and are feeling a sense of urgency to pick up some more wins during their current stretch of games in L.A., writes Khobi Price of The Orange County Register. That stretch of games, which includes four more home games and a “road” contest vs. the Clippers, runs through next Thursday.

Last season, a series of moves at the trade deadline helped kick-start the Lakers to a second-half surge and two playoff series wins, but Ham doesn’t necessarily think the team needs to seek out similar moves this winter.

“People talk about trades and this and that. No one’s sugarcoating anything. You have an opportunity to get better, you’re going take advantage of it,” Ham said, per McMenamin. “But that said, what we have in that locker room, we just need to buckle down, focus, take care of the details. We have more than enough in that locker room to make some things happen.”

Blazers Rule Out Sharpe For At Least Two Weeks

January 16th, 2024 at 7:59am CST by Luke Adams

Trail Blazers guard Shaedon Sharpe, who has missed the past two games due to what the team was referring to as adductor soreness, underwent an MRI and has been diagnosed with a lower abdominal strain, according to a press release.

Sharpe will be reevaluated in two weeks, per the club, so he won’t be back on the court until the very end of the month or sometime in February, at the earliest.

The seventh overall pick in the 2022 draft, Sharpe is averaging career highs in points (15.9), rebounds (5.0), and assists (2.9) per game in 2023/24. However, that’s largely a byproduct of his increased role.

After coming off the bench in 65 of his 80 games as a rookie and averaging 22.2 minutes per night, Sharpe has started 25 of 32 contests so far in 2023/24 and has seen his playing time increase to 33.1 MPG for the retooling Blazers. The 20-year-old’s usage rate has risen to 22.2%, but his shooting percentages (.406 FG%, .333 3PT%) are well below the marks he posted as a rookie.

Despite his dip in scoring efficiency, Sharpe is considered a cornerstone piece in Portland and is one of the few players on the roster who looks like a lock to stay put at this season’s trade deadline.

The 10-29 Blazers, who are nine games out of a play-in spot and who have been outscored by 203 points in their past eight contests, will likely consider a wide range of trade scenarios in the coming weeks as they look to continue building a roster capable of contending within a few seasons.

Central Notes: Burks, Dosunmu, Williams, Jackson Jr.

January 15th, 2024 at 10:52pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Pistons reserve guard Alec Burks continues to pump up his trade value, despite the team’s woeful season. Burks tied his career high with 34 points on Monday as the Pistons defeated the Wizards and collected just their fourth win this season.

Burks is averaging 18.7 points over the last 11 games. He has an expiring $10.9MM contract and could help a contender in need of a shooter.

“I’m happy for AB, man. He’s a great vet. He can really score the ball,” forward Isaiah Stewart said, per Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press. “I love playing with him. Every time he steps out on the floor, he’s in range. He’s the type of guy that just hits all types of shots, and once he’s hot, he’s hot. Seeing him have a performance like that today, he deserved that and I’m happy for him.”

We have more from the Central Division:

Bulls guard Ayo Dosunmu is dealing with a shoulder stinger, though he’s hopeful he won’t miss any games, according to K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. “In the San Antonio game, I had caught a stinger and it was bothering me. Pretty much all year but it wasn’t every day, just on the occasion when I got hit,” Dosunmu said. “And I got hit in San Antonio (on Saturday). (Monday), I went for an offensive rebound and there was some contact and my shoulder just went numb, dead and weak.”
Patrick Williams missed Monday’s loss to Cleveland with a right ankle sprain but the Bulls power forward hasn’t contributed much on the stat sheet since Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic returned from injuries, Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times notes. Williams moved back to the second unit and averaged 6.0 points and 2.6 rebounds before injuring his ankle. “What I try to explain to Pat is everything you go through as a young guy will mold you and turn you into the pro you need to be,” DeMar DeRozan said. “Right now it can be tough trying to constantly figure out what’s needed from him, but my thing is once you get it you’ll find the appreciation of the ups and downs.”
Bucks rookie Andre Jackson Jr., who won a national championship with UConn, recorded his first NBA double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds against Golden State on Saturday. Jackson was drafted with the No. 36 overall pick and traded to Milwaukee on draft night. “He made big-time plays,” coach Adrian Griffin told the Milwaukee Sun Sentinel’s Jim Owczarski and other media members. “He’s a big-time player. he was a winner in college. Has a motor like i haven’t seen in a long time. Imposes his will on the game. He just made big-time plays, he made winning plays. That’s who ‘Dre is. That was his first double-double. We needed every rebound. He had six offensive rebounds, he’s guarding the best layer on the other side. He’s shaping into being a really, really special player in this league.”

Northwest Notes: Porter Jr., Brown, Jazz, Leonard

January 15th, 2024 at 10:02pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Nuggets coach Michael Malone marvels at what Michael Porter Jr. can do athletically after three back surgeries. Porter wears a brace on his left leg due to those back injuries.

“I don’t think he gets the credit he deserves,” Malone told Bennett Durando of the Denver Post. “What he’s doing has never been done before, from a medical standpoint. If you’re really gonna understand and look at what he’s doing, from a medical standpoint, the brace he wears every night and for him to go out and do what he’s doing — if you just take a step back, it’s just incredible.”

Porter is averaging 16.3 points and 7.2 rebounds per game and hasn’t missed a game this season.

“I’ve gotta remind myself of that,” Malone said. “Because no one else has done what he’s doing, and I really admire that.”

We have more from the Northwest Division:

The Nuggets couldn’t afford to keep Bruce Brown, who played a sixth man role in last season’s championship run. Brown left for a lucrative deal with the Pacers and Denver misses him, Sean Keeler of The Denver Post writes. Denver’s fast break hasn’t been the same without Brown and the team also misses his defensive intensity and swagger.
The Jazz’s recent hot streak has pushed them over the .500 mark. Coach Will Hardy said that surge has set the team up for a meaningful second half of the season. “I would describe the first 41 games as a success because of what we have a chance to do going forward,” Hardy told The Athletic’s Tony Jones. “It’s not the record that I’m happy with. I’m happy with how we got here. I think the team has shown grit and character. Because of that, I think this team has developed a lot of confidence. When we’re going through game preparations, the players walk away knowing if they do certain things they can win the game that night. That’s a big step in the right direction for us.”
Clippers star Kawhi Leonard noticed how well the Timberwolves are connected on defense, Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic relays. The Timberwolves collected a four-point win over the Clippers on Sunday. “They’re very long,” Leonard said. “They help each other out. They want you to shoot shots outside the paint. It’s not a team where you make one pass and you’re able to score on them. You gotta move it around a little bit, try to get some open looks and share it.”