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Clippers Notes: Chemistry, Harden, Westbrook, Frank, Batum

November 3rd, 2023 at 9:26pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Head coach Tyronn Lue said James Harden is in better shape “than I thought it would be” after the new Clippers guard participated in a scrimmage on Wednesday, according to Andrew Greif of the Los Angeles Times.

“He pushed the pace, he pushed the basketball, made plays for his teammates and he looked really good,” Lue said.

However, Lue realizes that developing chemistry among four ball-dominant players like Harden, Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and Russell Westbrook will be an ongoing process.

“When you have four guys that can score the basketball and make plays, you know, this is just gonna be a process understanding our rotations, how we want to play, who we want to have on the floor together,” Lue said.

We have more on the Clippers:

Even though Westbrook and Harden were teammates in Oklahoma City, they bring different styles that will require constant adjustments, Lue told Mark Medina of The SportingTribune.com. “Russ is more attack, get downhill and speed and pace. James is more slow, playing his game and so it’s a difference,” Lue said. “It’s a big difference between those two guys. Now when you’re staggering those guys, it’s going to be a different pace to the game.”
President of basketball operations Lawrence Frank isn’t worried about Harden making sacrifices, Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN writes. “James Harden should have been an All-Star last year,” Frank said. “But he’s a 10-time All-Star. He has an elite skill set, and all he cares about is one thing: He wants to win a championship for the L.A. Clippers. He wants to be part of something bigger than himself. He’s had all the individual awards. He’s about doing something really special.”
In a detailed analysis, The Athletic’s Sam Amick elicited opinions from numerous scouts regarding how, or if, Harden can blend his skills with the current Clippers roster.
Nicolas Batum, one of the players dealt to Philadelphia in the Harden blockbuster, thanked the Clippers organization and their fans on social media. Batum noted that the organization and fans embraced him at “the lowest point in my career.” The veteran forward fell out of favor in Charlotte before joining the Clippers prior to the 2020/21 season.

Pacific Notes: Booker, Beal, Durant, Reaves, Reddish

November 3rd, 2023 at 8:15pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Devin Booker had 31 points and 13 assists in his return to action on Thursday but the Suns’ star guard isn’t a lock to play on Saturday. He’s officially listed as questionable for their game against Philadelphia on Saturday due to a left ankle sprain, Gerald Bourguet of the PHNX Sports tweets. Bradley Beal, who hasn’t played since the preseason, remains out due to lower back spasms.

We have more from the Pacific Division:

Given all the hype, it’s understandable if Suns fans are disappointed with a 2-3 start. Kevin Durant says the team will be just fine, Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic writes. “It is still early,” Durant said. “I know we want to win every game and we know our fan base wants to win every game, but keep rallying, keep moving on to the next one. We’ve got a three-game road trip. Try to lock in and do our best to come back home with some wins.”
It’s been a rough offensive start for Lakers guard Austin Reaves but he feels he’s contributing in other ways, according to Khobi Price of the Orange County Register. Reaves, who signed a four-year, $54MM extension this summer, is averaging 11 points on 34.5% shooting. “I haven’t played bad,” Reaves said. “I haven’t made shots, and for me, there are a million other things that you can do on the court to help your team that not the normal fan or somebody that don’t really know basketball understands.”
Cam Reddish, a 2019 lottery pick, signed a two-year, veteran’s minimum deal to join the Lakers this offseason. Injuries to other wing players have allowed him an opportunity to play and the Lakers are expecting him to bring energy and defense, Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times writes. He played 37 minutes against the Clippers and contributed eight points, four rebounds, four assists and three steals. “I told him on the bench, no matter if you’re 40 minutes, 10 minutes, 12 minutes, 20 minutes, whatever, you’ve got to have this effect on the game,” Anthony Davis said. “He came out defensively getting steals, great contests even though they’re going to make shots. Playing well offensively and attacking the basket.”

Atlantic Notes: Batum, Morris, Barnes, Celtics’ Reserves, Nets

November 3rd, 2023 at 7:00pm CST by Dana Gauruder

It’s a mixed bag in terms of the availability of the players the Sixers acquired in the James Harden deal, Gina Mizell of the Philadelphia Inquirer tweets.

Nicolas Batum remains away from the team for personal reasons and coach Nick Nurse is unsure when he’ll return, while Marcus Morris is still ramping up after being out of the Clippers’ rotation. However, Robert Covington and KJ Martin have a chance to be in the Sixers’ rotation for the team’s game against Phoenix on Saturday.

We have more from the Atlantic Division:

Coming off a disappointing second NBA season, Raptors forward Scottie Barnes appears to be making major strides, according to Eric Koreen of The Athletic. Barnes has been a steady force thus far while averaging 21.3 points, 9.7 rebounds and 5.8 assists and shooting 52.6% from the field. While at times he’s tried to do too much, Barnes has also been a factor defensively, Koreen notes.
Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla organized a film session for his struggling bench on Tuesday and it paid off on Wednesday, as the backups lifted the team in a 155-point explosion against Indiana. The bench contributed 63 points. “I just thought we played with more of a sense of purpose, and they managed the game in that way,” Mazzulla said to The Boston Globe’s Adam Himmelsbach (subscription required). “And there’s certain things that you can do to put yourself in a better situation in those. It’s defend without fouling, it’s limiting them to one shot, it’s not giving up transition. Those are the three things that they didn’t do in the Washington game and those are the three things that they did a great job of taking away [against the Pacers].”
Speaking of reserves, the Nets got similar performances from their bench in a victory over Miami on Wednesday. That group included Armoni Brooks and Trendon Watford, making their first appearances with the Nets, and rookie second-rounder Jalen Wilson, Dan Martin of the New York Post notes. “This is a night when you see the depth and versatility of our group,’’ coach Jacque Vaughn said. “You also saw the fight and competitiveness of our group. Our pace didn’t change with subbing in guys.”

Hawks’ Kobe Bufkin Has Thumb Fracture

November 3rd, 2023 at 5:38pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Hawks rookie Kobe Bufkin has a left thumb fracture suffered during a practice with the team’s G League club, the College Park Skyhawks, on Thursday night, Lauren Williams of the Atlanta Journal Constitution tweets via a team press release.

Bufkin, a guard out of Michigan, was the first player taken outside the lottery this June. The 15th overall pick has made two cameo appearances with the Hawks.

Bufkin will be reevaluated in two weeks, so he won’t be available for Atlanta in the near future.

While the Hawks aren’t depending on Bufkin this season, it’s still a setback for a player they hope will develop into a starter. Bufkin zoomed up draft boards due to his shooting ability and versatility. He averaged 14.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.3 steals in his second and final season with the Wolverines.

And-Ones: Buzelis, Jenkins, Draft-Rights Players, More

November 3rd, 2023 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Matas Buzelis, a projected top-three pick in the 2024 NBA draft, tells Sam Yip of HoopsHype that there wasn’t a specific former player for the G League Ignite that influenced him to take that path before becoming draft-eligible — he simply thought it would be the best way for him to prepare for the NBA.

“I picked Ignite because at the end of the day you want to be a professional basketball player – that’s everyone’s goal,” Buzelis said. “So, why take a different route like college where you’re not playing NBA rules? You get to play NBA threes, shot clocks, everything. So it’s pretty much like a cheat code, I’d say.”

Buzelis singled out former NBA shooting guard John Jenkins, currently a member of the Ignite, as the teammate that has stood out the most to him early in his G League stint. According to Buzelis, Jenkins taught him to take care of his body by establishing a training routine, which is something he “didn’t really have” before this year.

“He was in the NBA before for like three NBA teams,” Buzelis said. “He’s like 32 years old and still killing. Taking care of his body and everything. So I take example from him that I can play a long time.”

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

Within an interesting story about the rise of multi-team NBA trades in recent years, Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports provides an interesting tidbit on the guidelines governing trades of players’ draft rights. According to Fischer, in order for a draft-rights player to be traded, he must have been selected in one of the nine most recent drafts. In multi-team deals, the player must have been selected in one of last five drafts — or nine, if he earned a spot on the most recent All-EuroLeague team. Luka Mitrovic, the player whose draft rights were traded from the Kings to the Clippers in a deal this week, was picked nine drafts ago.
The second tax apron introduced in the NBA’s newest Collective Bargaining Agreement will make roster-building much more challenging for high-salary teams beginning in 2024. However, as Danny Leroux of The Athletic details, many current taxpayers are taking advantage of the transition rules in place during the 2023/24 season to make big moves that won’t be possible starting next offseason.
Italian team Olimpia Milano has been in the market for backcourt help, with head coach Ettore Messina acknowledging that Kendrick Nunn and Carlik Jones were among the players with NBA experience on the team’s radar, per Cesare Milanti of Eurohoops. Nunn ended up in Greece while Jones is continuing his career in China, so Milan will have to continue weighing its free agent options.

Injury Notes: Kyrie, Thunder, Mann, Lyles

November 3rd, 2023 at 3:00pm CST by Luke Adams

After missing the last two games due to a sprained left foot, Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving has been upgraded to available for Friday’s game vs. the Nuggets, as first reported by Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).

The Mavericks are the only undefeated team left in the Western Conference, but will face a tough matchup in their first in-season tournament game tonight as they visit the defending champions in the altitude of Denver, so they’ll be happy to have Irving back in their lineup.

Here are a few more injury-related updates from around the NBA:

There’s good and bad news on the injury front for the Thunder. Center Jaylin Williams will be available for the first time this season on Friday after having been sidelined with a right hamstring strain. However, star guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is among the team’s unavailable players vs. Golden State due to a left knee sprain (Twitter links via Rylan Stiles of Locked on Thunder).
Clippers guard/forward Terance Mann, who has yet to play this season due to what the team is calling a sprained left ankle, said in a YouTube video that he “overstretched” a muscle or “maybe tore it a little” (hat tip to Andrew Greif of The Los Angeles Times). Mann added that there’s no timeline for his return and he’s still focused on trying to reduce the swelling in the ankle.
The Kings have ruled out forward Trey Lyles for at least two more games, the team announced today (Twitter link via Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee). Lyles, hampered by a left calf strain, has yet to suit up for Sacramento this season.

Pelicans Sign Jeremiah Robinson-Earl To Two-Way Contract

November 3rd, 2023 at 2:11pm CST by Tristan Tucker

NOVEMBER 3: The Pelicans have officially signed Robinson-Earl to a two-way contract and waived Gates, the team announced today in a press release.

NOVEMBER 2: The Pelicans are signing forward/center Jeremiah Robinson-Earl to a two-way contract, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).

Robinson-Earl, 22, was the No. 32 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft. He holds career averages of 7.2 points and 4.9 rebounds in two seasons with the Thunder. Robinson-Earl appeared in 92 games (56 starts) with Oklahoma City. With the Thunder facing a roster crunch this season, they sent him in a trade to the Rockets, who waived him before the season.

According to Charania, the former Oklahoma City forward had standard contract offers elsewhere but chose to sign with the Pelicans for a potential better opportunity.

The Pelicans had all three of their two-way contract spots filled, with Dereon Seabron, Kaiser Gates and Matt Ryan under contract. New Orleans is waiving Gates to make room for Robinson-Earl, according to ESPN’s Andrew Lopez (Twitter link).

Gates signed a two-year, two-way contract with the Pelicans this offseason after averaging 14.0 points per game in the G League with the Long Island Nets last season. He shot 55.4% from beyond the arc on 5.0 attempts per game last year.

While the Pelicans have an opening on their 15-man standard roster, their proximity to the tax meant they were unlikely to convert one of their two-way guys to a standard deal.

In signing Robinson-Earl, the Pelicans are adding more depth to a frontcourt that has been affected by injuries. As a player with extensive NBA experience, it’s possible Robinson-Earl gets playing time right away, much like two-way player Ryan is.

Once Robinson-Earl officially joins the team, the Pelicans will still have three players on two-way deals and 14 players signed to standard contracts.

2023/24 NBA Two-Way Contract Conversions

November 3rd, 2023 at 2:00pm CST by Luke Adams

At Hoops Rumors, we track virtually every kind of transaction, including free agent signings, trades, contract extensions, and many more. One form of roster move that has become increasingly common in recent years is the two-way conversion, involving a player either being converted from an Exhibit 10 contract to a two-way deal, or from a two-way deal to the standard roster.

We’re going to track all of the two-way conversions (either to or from the standard roster) in 2023/24 in the space below.

Let’s dive in…

Exhibit 10 contracts to two-way contracts:

When a player signs a contract during the offseason that includes Exhibit 10 language, he gives his new team the ability to unilaterally convert his deal into a two-way contract. The deadline to convert such a deal is the day before the season begins — this year that was Monday, October 23.

A player who signs a training camp contract that doesn’t include Exhibit 10 language could still sign a two-way deal with his club as long as his camp contract doesn’t include a guarantee exceeding $75K. However, he’d have to clear waivers before inking that new two-way contract.

Here are the players who had their Exhibit 10 contracts converted into two-way deals in 2023/24:

Charles Bediako (Spurs) (story)
Marques Bolden (Bucks) (story)
Charlie Brown Jr. (Knicks) (story)
Greg Brown (Mavericks) (story)
Dexter Dennis (Mavericks) (story)
Jordan Ford (Kings) (story)
Justin Minaya (Trail Blazers) (story)
Daishen Nix (Timberwolves) (story)
Trevelin Queen (Magic) (story)
Javonte Smart (Sixers) (story)
Cole Swider (Heat) (story)
Jacob Toppin (Knicks) (story)
Stanley Umude (Pistons) (story)
Jeenathan Williams (Rockets) (story)

The majority of these players were invited to training camp on Exhibit 10 contracts and ultimately earned two-way slots based on their performances in camp and the preseason.

No additional names will be added to this list for the rest of the 2023/24 season, since players can’t be converted to two-way deals after the regular season begins.

Two-way contracts to standard contracts:

A player who is on a two-way contract can have his deal unilaterally converted a one-year, minimum-salary contract by his team (or a two-year, minimum-salary contract if the player’s two-way deal covers two years, but this is rare).

Generally though, the team’s preference is to negotiate a longer-term contract with the player in order to avoid having him reach free agency at season’s end.

When converting a player from a two-way contract to the standard roster, the team can use cap room or the non-taxpayer mid-level exception to negotiate a deal of up to four years; the room exception for a deal up to three years; or the taxpayer mid-level exception, bi-annual exception, or minimum salary exception for a two-year deal.

The player must agree to any deal that is worth more than the minimum or exceeds the number of years left on his two-way pact.

Here are the players who have been converted from two-way deals to standard contracts so far in 2023/24, along with the terms of their new contracts, in chronological order:

E.J. Liddell (Pelicans): Three years, minimum salary (story). First two years guaranteed. Third-year team option. Signed using non-taxpayer mid-level exception.
Dru Smith (Heat): Two years, minimum salary (story). First year partially guaranteed ($425K). Second year non-guaranteed. Signed using minimum salary exception.
Dylan Windler (Knicks): One year, minimum salary (story). Non-guaranteed. Signed using minimum salary exception.
Skylar Mays (Trail Blazers): One year, minimum salary (story). Partially guaranteed ($850K). Signed using minimum salary exception.
Joshua Primo (Clippers): Two years, minimum salary (story). First year guaranteed. Second year partially guaranteed ($1MM). Signed using minimum salary exception.
Vince Williams (Grizzlies): Four years, $9,144,340 (story). First three years guaranteed. Fourth-year team option. Signed using mid-level exception.
GG Jackson (Grizzlies): Four years, $8,511,167 (story). First three years guaranteed. Fourth-year team option. Signed using mid-level exception.
Keon Ellis (Kings): Three years, $5,105,710 (story). First year guaranteed. Second year non-guaranteed. Third-year team option. Signed using room exception.
Lindy Waters III (Thunder): Two years, minimum salary (story). First year guaranteed. Second year non-guaranteed. Signed using minimum salary exception.
Craig Porter Jr. (Cavaliers): Four years, $8,019,739 (story). First year guaranteed. Second year partially guaranteed ($1MM). Third year non-guaranteed. Fourth-year team option. Signed using mid-level exception.
Duop Reath (Trail Blazers): Three years, $6,221,677 (story). First two years guaranteed. Third-year non-guaranteed. Signed using mid-level exception.
Jeremiah Robinson-Earl (Pelicans): Two years, minimum salary (story). First year guaranteed. Second-year team option. Signed using minimum salary exception.
Lester Quinones (Warriors): One year, minimum salary (story). Fully guaranteed. Signed using minimum salary exception (straight conversion).
Stanley Umude (Pistons): Two years, minimum salary (story). First year guaranteed. Second-year team option. Signed using minimum salary exception.
Onuralp Bitim (Bulls): Three years, $4,613,534 (story). First year guaranteed. Second and third years non-guaranteed. Signed using mid-level exception.
Trent Forrest (Hawks): One year, minimum salary (story). Fully guaranteed. Signed using minimum salary exception (straight conversion).
Eugene Omoruyi (Wizards): Two years, $3,096,970 (story). First year guaranteed. Second year non-guaranteed. Signed using mid-level exception.
Jalen Wilson (Nets): Three years, $4,963,534 (story). First year guaranteed. Second year partially guaranteed ($75K). Third-year team option. Signed using mid-level exception.
Javon Freeman-Liberty (Raptors): Two years, minimum salary (story). First year guaranteed. Second year partially guaranteed ($100K). Signed using minimum salary exception.
Dominick Barlow (Spurs): One year, minimum salary (story). Fully guaranteed. Signed using minimum salary exception (straight conversion).
A.J. Lawson (Mavericks): Four years, $7,912,032 (story). First year guaranteed. Second, third, and fourth years non-guaranteed. Signed using mid-level exception.
Kendall Brown (Pacers): Three years, $5,522,280 (story). First year guaranteed. Second year non-guaranteed. Third-year team option. Signed using room exception.
Luka Garza (Timberwolves): One year, minimum salary (story). Fully guaranteed. Signed using minimum salary exception (straight conversion).
Jeff Dowtin (Sixers): Two years, minimum salary (story). First year guaranteed. Second-year team option. Signed using minimum salary exception.
Jared Butler (Wizards): Three years, $5,828,471 (story). First year guaranteed. Second year non-guaranteed. Third-year team option. Signed using mid-level exception.
Neemias Queta (Celtics): Two years, minimum salary (story). First year guaranteed. Second-year team option. Signed using minimum salary exception.
Ricky Council (Sixers): Four years, $7,384,092 (story). First year guaranteed. Second and third years non-guaranteed. Fourth-year team option. Signed using mid-level exception.
Matt Ryan (Pelicans): Three years, $6,078,471 (story). First year guaranteed. Second year non-guaranteed. Third-year team option. Signed using mid-level exception.
Usman Garuba (Warriors): One year, minimum salary (story). Fully guaranteed. Signed using minimum salary exception (straight conversion).

Players on two-way contracts can be converted to standard deals until the last day of the regular season, so this list won’t be considered complete until mid-April.

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Pacers’ Daniel Theis “Not Happy” With Lack Of Minutes

November 3rd, 2023 at 12:47pm CST by Luke Adams

Through the first four games of the 2023/24 season, 14 of the 15 players on the Pacers‘ standard roster have appeared in at least two games and logged at least 18 total minutes. The only exception is center Daniel Theis, who has been a DNP-CD in all four contests.

Speaking to Brian Robb of MassLive on Wednesday, Theis admitted that he’s not thrilled by having a nonexistent role in Indiana so far this fall.

“Obviously after a great summer, I’m not happy with the situation I’m in right now,” Theis said. “I want to play and take all the good stuff from the summer into the season but it’s a long season. We are going to see what’s going on and what’s happening.”

Theis’ comments about his summer are references to the fact that he played a key role for the German national team en route to a gold medal in the World Cup. After being limited to just seven NBA appearances last season due to a knee injury, he averaged 10.9 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 1.9 assists in 21.8 minutes per game in Germany’s eight World Cup contests.

Theis had been hoping to carry over that success into the NBA season, but the Pacers have a crowded frontcourt behind starting center Myles Turner, with Isaiah Jackson and Jalen Smith also in the mix for minutes. Both players have been ahead of Theis on the depth chart in the early going.

“There’s communication but it’s also coach’s decision,” Theis told Robb. “I just stay ready, do my thing and whatever happens, happens.”

While Theis gave no indication that he’s seeking a trade or buyout at this point, his contract makes him a candidate for such a move. The 31-year-old is earning approximately $9.1MM in 2023/24 and has a $9.5MM team option for ’24/25, which will almost certainly be declined, so he’s essentially on an expiring deal.

Whether it happens in Indiana or somewhere else, Theis is clearly hoping to earn a bigger role at some point this season.

“I want to play and want to be part of the team, which is the most important thing,” he said.

Western Notes: Kerr, Vincent, Reaves, Kidd, Holmgren

November 3rd, 2023 at 11:43am CST by Luke Adams

Warriors head coach Steve Kerr suggested on a press call with international media on Thursday that he’d consider the idea of taking a sabbatical from the NBA if the longtime core players of his championship teams – Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green – were no longer the roster, according to Leonard Solms of ESPN.

“With the core group of Steph, Klay and Draymond, we’ve been together now almost a decade. If they were not here, I could see [myself] maybe taking a sabbatical,” Kerr said. “It might be refreshing and recharging to do so in some ways, but I love these guys and this team so much and we have this window and I’m not going anywhere for the time being. I want to be with them and continue to coach them [for] the next few years.”

Wary of burnout for both himself and his team, Kerr indicated that he plans to manage the workloads of the Warriors’ top players carefully this season in order to avoid fatigue and to keep them fresh. That could provide an opportunity for young players like Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody to play more significant roles on a more regular basis.

“I think the players will enjoy it, and I know the coaches are excited about it,” Kerr said. “We’re not going to treat it like the NBA Finals — I’m not going to play Steph Curry for 45 minutes because we have to think of the long-term health of our team — but we definitely want to win, and we’re going to be very competitive.”

Here’s more from around the Western Conference:

Lakers guard Gabe Vincent has been diagnosed with left knee effusion and will miss at least two weeks of action before being reevaluated, the team announced on Thursday night (Twitter link via Broderick Turner of The Los Angeles Times). With Vincent unavailable, more minutes should open up for reserve guard Max Christie behind starters D’Angelo Russell and Austin Reaves.
In Vincent’s absence, the Lakers will also need more from Reaves, who got off to a slow start this season following a big summer that saw him sign a four-year, $54MM contract and represent Team USA in the World Cup. The club is optimistic that a solid game against the Clippers on Wednesday will be a jumping-off point for Reaves, writes Dylan Hernandez of The Los Angeles Times.
Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd is battling a non-COVID illness and didn’t travel with the team to Denver for Friday’s game, sources tell Marc Stein (Twitter link). Assistant coach Sean Sweeney will be Dallas’ acting head coach for the team’s first in-season tournament game, Stein adds.
Following a lost rookie season, Thunder center Chet Holmgren is healthy again, and the way he’s playing on both ends of the court has clarified the team’s playing style, according to Zach Kram of The Ringer, who says the big man is also capable of accelerating Oklahoma City’s contention timeline.

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