NBA Rumors - HoopsRumors.com

Injury Notes: Harris, Rozier, Middleton, Plumlee, Rose, Hachimura

November 7th, 2023 at 10:00pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Pistons, who have been hit by a wave of injuries in the early going, got some more bad news on Tuesday. Joe Harris has an AC sprain in his shoulder and will be reevaluated in 10-to-14 days, James Edwards III of The Athletic tweets.

Detroit had six other players out on Monday against Golden State due to injury or illness. Harris, acquired from Brooklyn during the offseason, has averaged a modest 3.4 points in 14 minutes this season. He’s in the final year of his four-year, $75MM contract.

We have more injury-related news:

Hornets starting guard Terry Rozier will miss at least the next two games. He underwent an MRI which confirmed a left adductor strain, the team’s PR department tweets.
Bucks forward Khris Middleton will have the night off against the Pistons on Wednesday due to right knee injury management, Eric Nehm of The Athletic tweets.
Clippers backup center Mason Plumlee has been diagnosed with a left knee MCL sprain, according to ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk and Adrian Wojnarowski. Plumlee is undergoing further evaluation, but he’ll miss at least the next two games.
Derrick Rose has missed the last three games due to left knee soreness and he’s “week-to-week,” according to coach Taylor Jenkins, as Damichael Cole of the Memphis Commercial Appeal relays. He’s among eight Grizzlies players who will be sidelined when Memphis faces Miami on Wednesday, the team’s PR department tweets. John Konchar (hip strain) is listed as doubtful.
Rui Hachimura is listed as probable by the Lakers for their contest against Houston on Wednesday after missing four games while in concussion protocol, Khobi Price of the Orange County Register tweets.

Community Shootaround: Chicago Bulls

November 7th, 2023 at 8:26pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Now that the latest James Harden saga has been resolved, there’s no obvious major trade to be made in the coming weeks.

Activity might perk up a bit in mid-December, when many of the players who signed contracts as free agents this offseason will be trade-eligible again.

There are rumblings surrounding one particular team. The Chicago Bulls, possessing a roster of high-priced veterans, finished last season at 40-42 and lost in the play-in tournament.

Many wondered whether the front office would make major changes this summer and perhaps even begin a full rebuild. That didn’t happen. Instead, it took a “run it back” approach with only minor changes.

The Bulls re-signed center Nikola Vucevic and added under-the-radar free agents like Jevon Carter and Torrey Craig.

It hasn’t gone well for Chicago in the first two weeks of the season. The Bulls have a 3-5 record and there have already been some tense moments.

Vucevic reportedly exchanged words with coach Billy Donovan after the season opener. A players-only meeting was supposedly held after the regular season opener, even though Zach LaVine downplayed it, saying it was a “basketball conversation.” LaVine was criticized after a loss to Brooklyn on Friday for not taking responsibility for defensive errors.

The club declined to give Patrick Williams a rookie scale extension last month and the 2020 lottery pick has already been replaced in the starting lineup.

Lonzo Ball, of course, won’t play this season as he continues to rehab from his knee injuries.

Then there’s DeMar DeRozan, who will be a free agent after the season if he doesn’t sign an extension. DeRozan has said he’s not the type to ask for a trade, but he’d have value for a contender looking for that final piece.

Chicago could also get a nice trade package for LaVine, one of the most gifted scorers in the league. Vucevic isn’t eligible to be traded until Dec. 28 but he could attract interest from a team in need of a starting center.

Alex Caruso is another player that many contenders would covet if he’s made available.

On the flip side, it’s still very early. A nice winning streak would settle things down and quiet the speculation. Chicago defeated Utah 130-113 on Monday and Donovan noted the team played with better “spirit.”

That brings us to our topic of the day: Do you think the Bulls will make some major moves and revamp their roster this season? If so, which players do you believe are most likely to be dealt?

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

Central Notes: Umude, Stewart, Theis, Giannis

November 7th, 2023 at 7:01pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Pistons two-way player Stanley Umude made the most of his opportunity to play on Monday, Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press writes. With Detroit missing seven players due to injuries and illness, Umude received extended minutes off the bench and supplied 15 points against Golden State.

Umude thanked coach Monty Williams afterward.

“It meant a lot to me because it showed that he was watching me and he cared about what I was doing, no matter what my contract situation is,” Umude said. “It meant a lot for me just going into the game with focus. It’s not even about making shots. It’s just about being ready to play, being ready to help the team in any way I can.”

We have more from the Central Division:

Isaiah Stewart put in plenty of work during the summer with the aim of becoming a stretch four, as James Edwards III of The Athletic details. The Pistons power forward even spent extensive hours in a YMCA in Rochester, N.Y. trying to refine his shooting stroke. Trainer Scott Finch tweaked his release and Stewart has made 46.4% of his 3-point attempts this season. “I feel like I can shoot with the best,” said Stewart, who signed a four-year extension this summer.
Daniel Theis, who expressed displeasure with his lack of minutes, hasn’t been able to crack the Pacers’ rotation and coach Rick Carlisle explained his reasoning, Dustin Dopirak of the Indianapolis Star tweets. “Jalen Smith has really won the (backup center) position. … Daniel is a very good player, no question about it, and he’s working really hard to stay ready. I know he doesn’t like sitting, but he’s being professional about it,” Carlisle said. Smith is averaging 11.2 points and 6.2 rebounds. The club holds a $9,522,404 option on Theis’ contract for next season, which seems likely to be declined.
The Bucks have won their last two games, but Giannis Antetokounmpo isn’t happy with the team’s defense. Milwaukee gave up 125 points to Brooklyn on Monday. “I hope we can be better defensively,” Antetokounmpo told Jim Owczarski of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “I feel like our gaps wasn’t tight. Guys felt comfortable going one-on-one and getting to the rim, drawing fouls. Our help defense has got to be better.”

Pacific Notes: James, Bates-Diop, Curry, Mann

November 7th, 2023 at 5:30pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Lakers were unhappy enough about the officiating in their one-point loss to Miami on Monday that they complained to the league office, according to Dave McMenamin of ESPN.

They were particularly upset about non-calls involving LeBron James, believing Heat defenders were allowed to get away with illegal contact. He only shot four free throws. Coach Darvin Ham spoke about it after the game.

“I see Bron shooting four free throws and the amount of times he attacked the rim, the amount of times he was slapped on the arm, which I could see plain as day, for that not to be called, man … he’s not flopping,” Ham said.

We have more from the Pacific Division:

Keita Bates-Diop is providing the Suns’ starting lineup with a little more size, Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic notes. Bates-Diop’s presence at power forward allows Kevin Durant to slide to the small forward spot. “He’s giving good length and defense and rebounding,” coach Frank Vogel said. Bates-Diop was signed to a two-year, veteran’s minimum contract this summer that includes a player option.
Stephen Curry will turn 36 in March and he could become the oldest player to win the Most Valuable Player award if he keeps up his current pace, Kendra Andrews of ESPN notes. Curry is averaging 30.9 points on 55.1% shooting from the field, 46.5% from beyond the arc and 94.4% from the free throw line. “The sky is the limit,” Klay Thompson said. “He might change the narrative of what it looks like to be elite till you’re 40. LeBron is doing the same and Steph is following suit.”
Terance Mann is listed as questionable to play against Brooklyn on Wednesday due to an ankle injury. When Mann is available, Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer believes the Clippers wing should start ahead of Russell Westbrook. He would provide better defense, spot-up shooting, and cutting in a starting unit in need of those qualities, O’Connor opines.

Bulls Notes: Williams, Caruso, White, Offense

November 7th, 2023 at 4:02pm CST by Luke Adams

The Bulls‘ 2017 lottery pick, Lauri Markkanen, spent his first four NBA seasons with the organization, but didn’t break out until two years later in Utah, well after Chicago signed-and-traded him away for a fairly modest return.

Head coach Billy Donovan doesn’t anticipate the team taking the same route with former No. 4 overall pick Patrick Williams, per Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times (subscription required). While the fourth-year forward has yet to break out and was recently pulled from the starting lineup, the Bulls remain committed to giving him every chance to figure things out.

“I do know that the goal is to have Patrick here for the long term,” Donovan said. “That I would say has been pretty consistent all the way through.

“Do I think Patrick needs a change of scenery? I didn’t think Lauri needed a change of scenery, that was my opinion. I’m not surprised what he evolved into. He kind of went to a couple different places. Sometimes when you go through that you look internally too where, ‘Geez, I’m in Chicago, I’m in Cleveland, now I’m in Utah, like I’ve got to figure some stuff out here.’ And I think Patrick is pretty driven on figuring things out.

“I’ve got nothing at all from him where he’s like, ‘Hey, I need a change of scenery.’ There’s been none of that. He’s really good in determining what he needs to do, instead of point around and saying, ‘I need this, I need that.’ When guys get like that it never goes well.”

Here’s more on the Bulls:

Williams reciprocates Chicago’s interest in a long-term relationship, according to K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. “I love it. I love it here. I love the city, I love the team. I love what we’re about,” he said on Monday. “We’re about winning. There’s no gimmicks. There’s no moral victories over here. Obviously, I love it.” The former No. 4 pick, who didn’t sign a rookie scale extension this offseason, admits he’d like “a big contract” eventually but says that’s not his priority right now. “My main focus now is helping this team get over the next hump and myself over that hump,” Williams said.
Donovan and the Bulls recently mulled the idea of moving Alex Caruso into the starting five, but decided against it in part because they want to manage his minutes and keep him within the 26-to-28 minute range, Cowley writes for The Sun-Times.
Coby White hasn’t just claimed the Bulls’ starting point guard job by default this fall, Cowley says in another Sun-Times story. White has also shown that he’s capable of being an “on-the-court general who is not afraid to use his voice,” Cowley writes, pointing to the 23-year-old’s evolution into a vocal leader.
After placing 24th in offensive rating last season, the Bulls brought back a similar roster but hoped to improve that ranking by changing their offensive approach. As NBC Sports Chicago notes, the results have been underwhelming so far. Even after a 130-point outburst on Monday vs. Utah, Chicago is just 19th in offensive rating this season.

Heat Hire Udonis Haslem As VP Of Basketball Development

November 7th, 2023 at 1:20pm CST by Luke Adams

Udonis Haslem, who spent 20 years with the Heat as a player, is officially back with the franchise — this time in a front office role. According to Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press, Miami has hired Haslem as the club’s vice president of basketball development.

As Reynolds details, Haslem’s duties will include working with the coaching staff, mentoring players with the Heat and the Sioux Falls Skyforce (Miami’s G League affiliate), and representing the franchise in the community and in business endeavors.

Haslem has spent some time at Heat practices in recent weeks, with a report ahead of opening night indicating that he was expected to receive a formal front office title soon.

During his final years as a player, Haslem repeatedly said that he didn’t have much interest in coaching but that he would like to have a post-retirement role with the Heat in the front office or as a minority stakeholder. While an ownership shares hasn’t materialized so far, Haslem’s new position will keep him involved in the organization for the foreseeable future.

As Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel tweets, Haslem is the latest in a long line of former Heat players to work for the team after retiring. He joins Alonzo Mourning, Shane Battier, Caron Butler, Malik Allen, Wayne Ellington, Glen Rice, and Chris Quinn in that group.

Western Notes: Kings, Tucker, McCollum, JRE, Thunder

November 7th, 2023 at 12:59pm CST by Luke Adams

With De’Aaron Fox on the shelf due to a right ankle sprain, the Kings are struggling to establish their identity and display the sort of physicality and stalwart defense that head coach Mike Brown wants to see, per Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee. After suffering back-to-back blowouts to the Rockets in Houston on Saturday and Monday, Brown suggested changes might be coming to the rotation.

“I’ve got to evaluate some things,” Brown said. “In this business, you always have to have a sense of urgency, but you have to believe in what you do whenever you make any type of change or any time you do this instead of that. For me, I’m going to go back and I’m going to watch the film, and if I feel the same way after the film, then I’ve got to try to make sure I keep trying to put five guys out there who are going to do what we ask, which is to play together and play the right way while playing fast and bringing a sense of physicality.

“I always have a 24-hour rule, especially after something like this,” Brown continued. “So, I’m going to sleep on it and I’m going to watch this film, and if you earn a chance to play, I’m going to play you. Nobody’s position on this team is sacred.”

The Kings, winners of 48 games last season, are off to a 2-4 start in 2023/24 and rank 22nd in the NBA in defensive rating (114.0).

Let’s round up a few more notes from around the Western Conference…

New Clippers forward P.J. Tucker admitted on Monday that, despite the trade rumors that swirled around teammate James Harden all offseason, he hadn’t anticipated being part of a Harden deal. “I wasn’t expecting to get traded, so I didn’t know,” Tucker told Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. “It kind of came out of nowhere.”
Pelicans head coach Willie Green told reporters on Monday that the team doesn’t have any new details on CJ McCollum‘s collapsed right lung, but expressed optimism that the ailment isn’t too serious, writes Christian Clark of NOLA.com. “We don’t think it’s too bad,” Green said. “But we have to run more tests and see where we are after that.” As Clark observes, McCollum dealt with a similar health issue during his time in Portland and it cost him 18 games.
Jeremiah Robinson-Earl‘s two-way contract with the Pelicans is just a rest-of-season deal, Hoops Rumors has learned. That means Robinson-Earl will be eligible for restricted free agency at the end of the 2023/24 season, assuming he plays out his new contract.
Some rival scouts and executives think the Thunder are capable of being a top-four seed in the West this season, but head of basketball operations Sam Presti is preaching patience and appears in no rush to accelerate his team’s contention timeline, as Tim MacMahon details in an interesting feature for ESPN.com.

Warriors Sign Gui Santos To Three-Year Deal

November 7th, 2023 at 11:39am CST by Rory Maher

NOVEMBER 7: The Warriors have officially signed Santos, per NBA.com’s transaction log. His contract is worth the minimum across all three seasons, including a prorated $1,029,483 salary for the rest of the 2023/24 season.

Only $75K of that money is guaranteed, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link), who adds that the second and third seasons are non-guaranteed. The deal includes a third-year team option.

NOVEMBER 6: The Warriors are finalizing a three-year contract with 2022 second-round pick Gui Santos, report Adrian Wojnarowski and Ramona Shelburne of ESPN (Twitter link).

Golden State will use the second-round pick exception to sign Santos, notes ESPN’s Bobby Marks (via Twitter). Due to their tax situation, the Warriors can only offer free agents a minimum-salary contract, which can only run for up to two years. Using the second-round exception will allow the Warriors to give Santos a three-year deal.

Santos, 21, was selected No. 55 overall last year. He signed a G League contract with Santa Cruz (Golden State’s affiliate) in 2022/23 and was essentially a draft-and-stash prospect because the Warriors still held his NBA rights.

A 6’8″ forward from Brazil, Santos averaged 12.7 PPG, 6.0 RPG and 2.2 APG on .500/.333/.813 shooting in 26 regular season games with Santa Cruz last season. He had a strong Summer League showing for the Warriors this offseason and also played for the Brazilian national team at the World Cup.

A report at the end of August indicated that Santos was unlikely to play for the Warriors this season, in part because they would have to buy out his contract from Brazilian club Minas. That deal reportedly expires at the end of ’23/24. Evidently there was a change of plans, however, and now Golden State will be giving the young wing a three-year standard contract.

The Warriors only have 13 players on standard contracts after waiving several training camp invitees before the ’23/24 season started. Instead of signing an external free agent, they’ll be adding Santos for their 14th spot, which they were required to fill within 14 days.

Golden State will still have a standard roster opening even after signing Santos, but it seems unlikely that the team will sign a player to fill that 15th spot until later in the season in order to maintain roster and financial flexibility.

Southwest Notes: Eason, Brooks, Biyombo, Wemby

November 7th, 2023 at 11:36am CST by Luke Adams

Rockets forward Tari Eason is nearing a return from the leg injury that has sidelined him for the first two weeks of the 2022/23 season, writes Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle (subscription required). According to Feigen, head coach Ime Udoka said on Monday that Eason will practice on Tuesday and could be cleared to play in Wednesday’s game vs. the Lakers.

The second-year forward missed the Rockets’ final three preseason games and has been out for the club’s first six regular season contests due to a stress reaction in his left leg. Eason is one of Houston’s stronger defenders, so the team – which is riding a three-game winning streak – could use benefit from his presence on the wing.

“He’s a guy that kind of comes up with everything all the time,” Udoka said of Eason last week. “A great offensive rebounder. Just some grit and toughness that he brings. I think that physicality, obviously, is beneficial for our group. He does some things that are very instinctual and natural for him that we stressed.”

Here’s more from around the Southwest:

While he’s known for his defense, offseason addition Dillon Brooks is providing the Rockets with solid offensive play in the early going this season, Feigen writes in another subscriber-only story for The Houston Chronicle. Brooks has posted a scorching hot .593/.565/.938 shooting line through his first six games in Houston.
In his second game with the Grizzlies on Sunday, Bismack Biyombo was the team’s starting center, replacing Xavier Tillman (knee) and logging 26 minutes. The big man helped Memphis secure its first win of the season by putting up eight points, 11 rebounds four assists, and three blocked shots. Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal has the story on Biyombo’s instant impact in the middle.
The Grizzlies signed Biyombo to his one-year, $5MM contract using a portion of their non-taxpayer mid-level exception, Hoops Rumors has confirmed. The Grizzlies also could have signed Biyombo using a disabled player exception if they were granted one for Steven Adams‘ season-ending knee injury, but there has been no confirmation yet that the team has been approved for a DPE for Adams.
The Spurs have a 110.9 defensive rating when Victor Wembanyama is on the court compared to a disastrous 129.4 mark when he sits, a remarkable split for a rookie, albeit in a small sample. Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News (subscriber link) and Kelly Iko of The Athletic take a closer look at the impact that the No. 1 pick is having on defense for San Antonio.

And-Ones: All-Star Game, Bronny, Caboclo, BAL

November 7th, 2023 at 10:24am CST by Luke Adams

Having made the decision to revert back to the East vs. West format and a standard 12-minute fourth quarter for the 2024 All-Star Game, commissioner Adam Silver tells Marc J. Spears of ESPN’s Andscape that the NBA is also planning additional changes in the hopes of improving the game’s level of play.

As Silver explains, a conversation with Chris Paul made him realize that the All-Star Game’s alterations to pregame and halftime protocols – including longer pregame introductions and an extended musical performance at the half – disrupt players’ typical routines and making them more inclined to treat it like a meaningless exhibition.

“I’ll take responsibility for that,” Silver told Spears. “We’re sending mixed signals. And if we want guys to treat this like a real game, and again, this is not about Finals intensity, it’s just a fun game. But if we want players to treat it that way, we have to treat it that way. And so, it means that the introduction is going to have to be a little bit shorter and halftime’s going to have to be a little bit more typical, starting in Indianapolis.

“… I anticipate we’ll still have halftime entertainment. But it won’t be as long,” Silver continued. “I recognize this is not the Super Bowl. It’s an All-Star Game. It’s a different vibe, and we can still have an entertaining halftime but get the guys back on the floor in a more reasonable time. When it comes to the [All-Star] Game, we just got to make it clear to everybody involved, coaches included, that we’re looking for a basketball game.”

The NBA’s All-Star Game will be played in Indianapolis in 2024 and in San Francisco in 2025.

Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

LeBron James offered an update on his son Bronny James on Monday, telling reporters – including ESPN’s Dave McMenamin – that Bronny will undergo a medical examination later this month following his July cardiac arrest. If he passes that exam, the plan is for Bronny to return to practice for USC with the intention of playing this season, according to LeBron.
Former NBA first-round pick Bruno Caboclo has signed a contract with KK Partizan, the Serbian team announced today in a press release. While Caboclo’s new deal with Partizan runs through the 2024/25 season, Italian club Reyer Venezia has maintained that it holds the rights to the forward for the ’23/24 campaign after signing him earlier this year, so it’s unclear whether or not Caboclo has officially negotiated his release from that contract.
The NBA announced on Tuesday that the Basketball Africa League’s fourth season will tip off in March 2024 and will expand to South Africa for the first time in league history.
While it’s not necessarily surprising that the Nuggets and Celtics have looked like the NBA’s best teams through the season’s first two weeks, it’s impressive that the two clubs have played so well early on after overhauling their rotations during the offseason, writes John Hollinger of The Athletic.