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Veteran center DeMarcus Cousins, who last played in Puerto Rico, is drawing “strong” interest from a team in the Chinese Basketball Association, sources tell Orazio Cauchi of BasketNews.com. While it’s unclear which team in China is pursuing Cousins, one of BasketNews’ sources believes that a deal will be reached.
As Cauchi explains, Cousins – who has earned four All-Star nods and been named an All-NBA player twice – was already in China for a series of promotional events. Negotiations with the mystery CBA team have reportedly gotten more serious since he arrived in the country.
Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- While Las Vegas and Seattle are the destinations most frequently cited for the next round of NBA expansion, commissioner Adam Silver said during an appearance on NBC Sports Boston’s Celtics telecast on Monday (Twitter video link via The Shift) that he wouldn’t rule out a pair of Canadian cities as eventual homes for NBA franchises. “I know there’s interest from Montreal, we’ve heard from them,” Silver said. “There’s still ongoing interest in Vancouver. … There will be more opportunity (in Canada) over time.”
- Keith Smith of Spotrac recently took a closer look at each team’s projected spending power for the 2024 offseason, naming the Magic, Sixers, and Pistons as the clubs that are in the best position to create significant cap room.
- Netflix has conveyed some interest in broadcasting the NBA’s in-season tournament in future seasons, sources tell John Ourand of Sports Business Journal. The 2023/24 in-season tournament games are airing on ESPN, TNT, and regional sports networks, but that could change in the NBA’s next media deal.
- Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report ranked the best players and prospects on two-way contracts, with Pelicans sharpshooter Matt Ryan and Celtics big man Neemias Queta earning the top spots on his list.
Even after Dru Smith was promoted from a two-way contract to the Heat‘s standard roster at the end of the preseason, he wasn’t considered a great bet to have a consistent role — the modest guarantee ($425K) he received on his new deal suggested his roster spot wouldn’t even necessarily be secure for the entire season.
However, injuries to some rotation players, including guard Tyler Herro, have created a path to regular minutes for Smith as of late. In Miami’s past three games – all victories – he has averaged 7.7 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 1.3 steals in 23.1 minutes per night, impressing head coach Erik Spoelstra in the process, per Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel (subscription required).
“Dru was good throughout all the stuff that he does,” Spoelstra said after Sunday’s win. “Ninety percent of it doesn’t show up in the box score, but coaches and teammates understand what he does.”
For his part, the 25-year-old guard indicated that he’s happy to do the dirty work necessary to help the Heat win games. For instance, he’s averaging 6.7 deflections per 36 minutes, which ranks second in the NBA among players who have logged at least 50 total minutes.
“Just trying to continue to impact winning more than anything else,” Smith said. “Really, whenever I get out there that is all I’m trying to do, is trying to make plays that are helping inch us close to wins.”
Here’s more from around the Southeast:
- Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald shares 10 observations from the Heat‘s first 10 games of the season, including the fact that the team is 5-0 since Haywood Highsmith replaced Kevin Love in the starting lineup. As Chiang notes, one offseason goal for the team was to add a backup center who could help the team hold its own in the non-Bam Adebayo minutes, but Thomas Bryant hasn’t been the answer so far — Miami has a -10.6 net rating with Bryant on the court, prompting Spoelstra to start using Love as the backup five.
- Many of the “league observers” that Marc Stein (Substack link) has spoken to about the subject believe the Wizards‘ acquisition of Jordan Poole this offseason was more about trying to rebuild his value for a future trade than making him a long-term franchise cornerstone. If that’s the goal, it will take some more time to come to fruition — Poole is off to a slow start in D.C., with his shooting percentages dipping to 41.2% from the floor and 30.3% threes in the early going this season.
- Veteran guard Isaiah Thomas continues to seek an NBA roster spot and suggested on social media that he has contacted at least one of his former teams to gauge their interest. Replying to a fan who advised him to call up Hornets president of basketball operations Mitch Kupchak about a possible deal, Thomas tweeted, “I did lol.”
After spending last season in Milwaukee playing for a Bucks team with title aspirations, veteran forward Joe Ingles opted to sign with the Magic in free agency, joining a rising club that hasn’t made the postseason since 2020.
Speaking to Eric Nehm of The Athletic, Ingles explained that Orlando and the Magic “ticked a lot of boxes” for him and his family when he was considering his options as a free agent this summer. There’s a local school that’s a good fit for his son Jacob, who is autistic, and he liked the role that head coach Jamahl Mosley was offering, as well as the ability to be a veteran leader on a young team.
“I’m very well aware of where I’m at in my career,” Ingles said. “Like, I’m not going to play 35 minutes, so I’ve been enjoying that side of it. And then obviously, the lifestyle for the kids and (my wife) Renae and everything just kind of lined up. The money’s a bonus in the scheme of things, but it kind of ended up being a pretty easy decision at the end of it.”
Ingles, who is earning $11MM in his first season in Orlando, spoke to Nehm about a handful of other topics. Here are a few of the highlights:
On spending the 2022/23 season with the Bucks:
“We really enjoyed the year. Everything was really good, except the way we lost. So that part was the disappointing part, but I guess that’s kind of like the NBA. It’s hard to win. I think we had the best record or the second-best record or whatever we had. It shows you how good the league is. … (But) I got to play with some great players and learn a lot and obviously playing for (Mike Budenholzer) and doing all that stuff was really cool. So definitely no regrets of why I went there or the decision, but obviously winning would have topped that off.”
On joining a team that isn’t currently considered a contender:
“It’s an adjustment, even just the mindset of like, ‘Yeah, you guys might not have won games previously or many games previously, but f–k that. We’ve been in every game this year, why can’t we win these games?’
“… I think it’s just us learning on the fly, playing the right way, winning, closing games. We talked a lot about like not beating ourselves, like I think we had 12 turnovers at halftime the other night. We were still in the game though, so those things can show how good we can be. And I think that is the defensive end. We might have 12 turnovers, but if we can be a top five, top 10 or whatever that ends up being defensively, then we’re going to put ourselves in a position to be in every game.”
On Paolo Banchero and the Magic’s “young” roster:
“(Banchero) works his ass off. He is really unselfish. He’s a great teammate. I think having that combination of stuff sets you up pretty well for the future. Obviously he’s got a lot of basketball ahead of him and so does Franz (Wanger). All that potential and now it’s about us harnessing that and putting it in the right spots. Using our young guys, or whatever people want to call them, in the right way.
“I think to me it’s like, ‘Oh, you’re young. You’re young, young, young.’ But I think it’s a positive, too. Like if we’re young, that means someone is old. So, it’s like, let’s use that to our advantage and a part of that is obviously getting experience. And I mean, there’s been two or three games this year we probably should watch like we should be 6-2 or 7-1. … So, for us, it’s just taking those lessons and yeah, it’s been a fun year so far.”
After being waived last month by the Wizards, forward Xavier Cooks has agreed to join the Chiba Jets in Japan’s top basketball league (B.League), reports Olgun Uluc of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
Cooks, who was born in Australia, has spent most of his professional career playing for the Sydney Kings after going undrafted out of Winthrop in 2018. After helping lead the Kings to a National Basketball League title earlier this year, the 28-year-old signed a four-year contract with the Wizards in March that included two guaranteed seasons — 2022/23 and ’23/24.
Cooks appeared in 10 games down the stretch last season with Washington, averaging 3.8 points and 3.8 rebounds in 12.6 minutes per night. However, the team overhauled its front office in the offseason, replacing the decision-makers who initially brought him aboard.
When the Wizards faced a roster crunch this fall, with 17 players on guaranteed contracts battling for 15 standard roster spots, Cooks was one of the odd men out despite his guaranteed $1,719,864 salary, which he’ll still receive from Washington.
Cooks is set to join a Chiba Jets team that plays its home games in Funabashi, just east of Tokyo. The club – which features one other former NBA player, D.J. Stephens – is off to an 8-6 start this season in B.League play and has won all three of its games in the East Asia Super League.
Commissioner Adam Silver dropped a hint that the league would consider having an NBA franchise in Mexico City, ESPN’s Eric Gomez writes.
“We see this as a gateway, essentially, to the rest of Latin America,” Silver said of the city. “We think, whether it be additional G League franchises in Mexico City and ultimately a larger footprint here in Latin America or ultimately the dream of an NBA franchise coming to Mexico City one day.”
Silver added that the league would definitely play another game or two in Mexico City next season. Orlando and Atlanta played there last week.
We have more from around the basketball world:
- In his latest notebook on Substack, Marc Stein confirms that free agent John Wall remains focused on trying to find another NBA opportunity, as he suggested last week. Wall practiced with the South East Melbourne Phoenix on a recent trip to Australia since he’s part of the franchise’s ownership group, but he’s not looking to play there. Wall appeared in 34 games with the Clippers last season.
- Former WNBA star Lindsey Harding — the only woman currently serving as a head coach of an American men’s professional basketball team — made history as the first female NBA or G League coach in the Stockton Kings’ opener on Friday, The Athletic’s Joe Vardon notes. Nancy Lieberman served as head coach for the Texas Legends, the Mavericks’ affiliate, from 2009-11 when the minor league was called the D League.
- Italy’s Happy Casa Brindisi has shown interest in former NBA guard Brandon Knight, according to Emiliano Carchia of Sportando. Knight, who appeared in 451 NBA regular season games, was most recently in the NBA during the 2021/22 season, when he played five games with Dallas.
- Another former NBA guard, Frank Jackson, is expected to part ways with France’s ASVEL Villeurbanne, according to Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews. Jackson, who has appeared in six EuroLeague games, missed the EuroLeague derby against AS Monaco last week and was absent in the French league game against Dijon over the weekend. Jackson played one game with Utah last season and saw action in 53 games with Detroit the previous season.
The Pelicans have lost five straight games and they got more bad news on Monday. Key reserve Larry Nance Jr. has a right rib fracture, according to a team press release.
He’ll be re-examined in 10-to-14 days to determine his healing progress.
Nance is averaging 3.8 points and 4.4 rebounds in 15.7 minutes per contest this season. Last season, Nance averaged 6.8 points and 5.4 rebounds in 21.7 minutes per night over 65 regular season games.
Nance has dealt with a variety of injuries throughout his career. In the last four seasons alone, he has missed time due to knee, wrist, hand, shoulder, Achilles, neck, groin and ankle ailments.
New Orleans has already been beset by injuries to key performers this season, including CJ McCollum, Herbert Jones, Trey Murphy and Jose Alvarado.
Veteran Cody Zeller could see increased playing time off the bench with Nance sidelined.
With Jae Crowder out approximately eight weeks due to an adductor and abdominal tear, Bucks coach Adrian Griffin confirmed that MarJon Beauchamp and rookie Andre Jackson Jr. would have expanded roles, according to Eric Nehm of The Athletic.
“I just think, starting with MarJon, he’s done a terrific job on both sides of the ball. Really pleased,” Griffin said. “I’m a defense-first coach, so I just like his athleticism, his length. … He can guard multiple positions. And then offensively, he’s more athletic than what people may think. He’s a strong player. He can get to the rim and finish above the rim and then he’s a capable 3-point shooter.”
“And then I love what I see out of ‘Dre. I think the most important thing with ‘Dre is his competitive spirit,” Griffin added. “He gets out there and he flies around. He’s gonna make some rookie mistakes. Last game, he stepped out of bounds and stuff like that … So, there’s going to be a learning curve with him, but I feel good with him on the floor.”
We have more from the Central Division:
- Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton says he has no qualms about lobbying free agents to join him in Indiana, he told Rob Mahoney of The Ringer. “I play a style of basketball that people want to play,” said Haliburton, who signed a max five-year extension over the summer. “I think that’s part of the reason why they signed me to the deal they signed me to. I’ve got long-term stability here because they know that I can help bring people here—not only with who I am as a basketball player, but who I am as a person.”
- Pistons general manager Troy Weaver and coach Monty Williams have discussed using rookie Ausar Thompson in more pick-and-rolls but don’t want to overload him with too many responsibilities at this stage, Keith Langlois of Pistons.com writes. Thompson is regularly assigned the opposition’s top scorer and is also relied upon for his rebounding skills. “I told him I trust him because of the work he puts in,” Williams said. “He doesn’t run from any situation. Sometimes I get too far ahead when I put too much on his plate, so expanding him right now is not at the forefront because he does have a lot on his plate.”
- Pistons guard Jaden Ivey missed four games due to an illness and there were some whispers on social media that Ivey’s absence had more to do with him losing his starting job. Ivey refuted that notion after returning to action against Chicago on Sunday, Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press relays. “I thank the trainers for helping me get back, because I was really, really struggling,” Ivey said of the viral infection. “I could barely even watch TV. I had some symptoms going that were crazy, some symptoms that I’d never really experienced before ever. I’m back on my feet now.”
7:40pm: Fox will play on Monday night vs. Cleveland, per Charania and Amick (Twitter link). He won’t be on a minutes restriction, head coach Mike Brown told reporters, including James Ham of The Kings Beat (Twitter link).
1:54pm: Kings star De’Aaron Fox could return to action as soon as Monday’s contest vs. Cleveland or Wednesday’s game against the Lakers, sources tell Shams Charania and Sam Amick of The Athletic (Twitter link).
Fox, who has missed the past five games due to a right ankle sprain, was a full participant during Monday’s shootaround, tweets Sean Cunningham of Fox 40.
The 25-year-old is coming off a stellar 2022/23 campaign in which he earned his first All-Star and All-NBA appearances. Sacramento broke its record-long playoff drought last season, finishing 48-34 and entering the postseason as the West’s No. 3 seed. The team ultimately lost its first-round series against Golden State in seven games.
Fox was off to an outstanding start in ’23/24, averaging 31.3 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 6.0 APG and 1.3 SPG on .486/.375/.810 shooting through three games (35.3 MPG). The Kings went 2-1 with him in the starting lineup and currently hold a 4-4 record.
While Stephen Curry has produced like a Most Valuable Player, his teammates haven’t been contributing at their usual levels, ESPN’s Kendra Andrews notes. Curry has delivered six 30-point games, but the Warriors have gotten just one 20-point performance from anyone else.
“No question, we need some scoring and some play-making elsewhere,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said.
Golden State has lost three straight and Curry expects some tweaks to be made.
“Everything is on the table for us for adjustments,” Curry said. “When you’ve lost three straight, you have to make adjustments.”
We have more on the Warriors:
- Andrew Wiggins is one of those players who is looking to regain his offensive rhythm. Wiggins had just six points in 25 minutes against Minnesota and hasn’t scored more than 17 in any contest this season. He hasn’t been part of the closing unit, either. “It’s tough,” Wiggins told Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic. “I’ve just got to do what I can to give them a reason to keep me in. Whether it’s crashing the glass harder, defensively picking up. … If your shot is off, you’ve got to do other stuff to stay on the floor. Or someone else will come in.”
- Along the same lines, Klay Thompson is searching for answers to his shooting slump, as Anthony Slater of The Athletic details. Thompson, who is headed to free agency unless he signs an extension, is averaging 16.1 points per game — his lowest output since his rookie year. He’s shooting a career low 34.7% on 3-point attempts. Thompson says there’s nothing wrong with him physically and he hasn’t lost any confidence. “If history shows us anything, it’s most definitely coming. What’s the point of panicking and pressing? I’ve been through this more than a decade,” he said. “It’s hard. Basketball is hard. I’m not going to lose faith or confidence. One thing I’ve proved is the resiliency within me. I’ll come back and have a great month.”
- The Warriors had financial motives to add 2022 second-round pick Gui Santos on a three-year contract, as John Hollinger of The Athletic explains. Santos is considered a “draft rookie” and thus his minimum salary for luxury-tax purposes is just $1.03MM instead the $2.02MM for a veteran on a minimum contract. Factoring in the luxury and repeater taxes, the Warriors would have been out another $8MM if they had used the 14th roster spot on a veteran. Due to the non-guaranteed status of Santos’ contract, the Warriors could waive Santos just before the Jan. 10 guarantee date, go two weeks with a 13-player roster and then add another player prior to the trade deadline.