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New York Notes: Lee, Ntilikina, Crabbe, Fultz

December 8th, 2018 at 6:20pm CST by Arthur Hill

Courtney Lee feels like he’s in training camp after missing the first 24 games of the season with a neck injury, relays Marc Berman of The New York Post. Lee showed obvious signs of rust in two games this week, making just two of seven shots from the field.

“It’s going to take a while to get reactivated to game-speed, game-like situations,’’ he said. “It’ll probably take couple of weeks to get back a rhythm and feel chemistry with the guys. I’ve been thrown out there with those guys and trying to play on the fly. Next couple of weeks, I’ll start to feel comfortable out there.”

Lee’s future with the Knicks remains uncertain as his age (33) and contract don’t fit in with the organization’s plans for the future. The Knicks are hoping to make an impact in free agency next summer and would like to unload Lee’s deal, which will pay him more than $12.76MM next season. Berman suggests the team may showcase him in the coming weeks in an effort to spark a trade.

There’s more from New York City:

After being held out of three straight games, Frank Ntilikina appears to be returning to the Knicks‘ rotation, Berman relays in the same story. Ntilikina will likely be used as the backup point guard while Trey Burke is sidelined with a sprained knee. “Frank’s a professional, he understands the game,’’ said coach David Fizdale. “He does a good job controlling what he can control. He’s doing extra work and supporting teammates and doing a great job at it. I wouldn’t say it’s a setback. It’s part of the NBA process. Frank’s handling it very well and learning how to be supportive of teammates.”
The pursuit of Allen Crabbe has been the only major mistake by Sean Marks since taking over as GM of the Nets, according to Zach Lowe of ESPN. Marks signed Crabbe to a four-year, $75MM offer sheet in 2016 that was matched by the Trail Blazers, then traded for him a year later. Crabbe’s scoring average has fallen under 10 PPG for the first time in four seasons and he is shooting just 25% on 2-point shots. Lowe notes that he’s not contributing enough in any other area to make up for his decline in offense.
The Nets‘ record on player development makes them a perfect environment for Markelle Fultz, contends Michael Smeltz of NetsDaily. Smeltz states that a trade for Fultz could speed up Brooklyn’s rebuilding process after mixed results on deals for D’Angelo Russell and Crabbe.

Sixers Work Out Rush, Afflalo, Others

December 6th, 2018 at 6:11pm CST by JD Shaw

The Sixers held a free-agent workout this week with multiple veteran players, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, who tweets that Brandon Rush and Arron Afflalo were among those in attendance.

The team also worked out Sean Kilpatrick, who last played for the Bulls, and Haywood Highsmith, who currently plays in the NBA G League, according to Charania.

The Sixers are not expected to make a roster move following the workout, a source told EJ Smith of the Philly Inquirer.

Philadelphia is likely seeking to bolster its bench and find another talent who can play on the wing. The team traded for All-Star Jimmy Butler last month and has a 17-9 record through the season’s first 26 games, good for third in the Eastern Conference.

Rush last played in the NBA during the 2016-17 season, scoring 4.2 points per game on 37% shooting in 47 contests with Minnesota. He holds nine years of experience and is a career 40% three-point shooter. Last season, Rush was waived by the Bucks in training camp and signed a 10-day deal with Portland, but didn’t appear in any games.

Afflalo, an 11-year veteran, spent 53 games with Orlando last season before reaching free agency in July. He averaged career-lows in points (3.4) and minutes (12.9) per game, but provided veteran leadership off the court for the Magic‘s younger players.

Kilpatrick, 28, has bounced around the NBA since going undrafted in 2014. He’s made stops with Minnesota, Denver, Brooklyn, Milwaukee, Chicago and the Los Angeles Clippers.

Highsmith plays for the Delaware Blue Coats, G League affiliate of the 76ers. He’s a 6’7” sharpshooter who’s impressed multiple league-observers this season, averaging 22 points, 12.5 rebounds and three assists per outing.

Sixers Lucky? What Is Thoracic Outlet Syndrome?

December 5th, 2018 at 10:40pm CST by clarkcrum

According to Brian Windhorst of ESPN, the Sixers start to this season should be considered a minor miracle given everything they’ve dealt with in the past nine months. Windhorst details Joel Embiid and his fractured orbital bone at a time when the Sixers had just won seven games in a row. Embiid needed surgery and missed 10 games, and when he came back in the playoffs he wasn’t himself.

Then, the team had to deal with the Bryan Colangelo drama earlier this year after their former GM’s purported Twitter accounts had some not-so-nice things to say about Embiid and Ben Simmons. As Windhorst surmises, would the absence of that debacle have helped the Sixers close on Nemanja Bjelica or another free agent?

According to Brian Windhorst of ESPN, the Sixers start to this season should be considered a minor miracle given everything they’ve dealt with in the past nine months. Windhorst details Joel Embiid and his fractured orbital bone at a time when the Sixers had just won seven games in a row. Embiid needed surgery and missed 10 games, and when he came back in the playoffs he wasn’t himself.

Then, the team had to deal with the Bryan Colangelo drama earlier this year after their former GM’s purported Twitter accounts had some not-so-nice things to say about Embiid and Ben Simmons. As Windhorst surmises, would the absence of that debacle have helped the Sixers close on Nemanja Bjelica or another free agent?

On top of all that, the Sixers’ 2018 first-round pick, Zhaire Smith, has still not played this year and probably won’t after undergoing a thoracoscopy for a severe allergic reaction to sesame. The team apparently knew he was allergic to peanuts, but not sesame.

Then, just recently, guard Markelle Fultz was diagnosed with thoracic outlet syndrome and is expected to miss three to six weeks as he rehabs his right shoulder away from the team. Time will tell what happens with Fultz, but the Sixers should be commended for how well they’ve done this season given all of the above.

For a more thorough explanation of thoracic outlet syndrome, the medical condition that Fultz is currently working through away from the Sixers, take some time to read this informative piece from Stephania Bell of ESPN.

Markelle Fultz Out Indefinitely With Thoracic Outlet Syndrome

December 4th, 2018 at 7:13pm CST by ChrisCrouse

7:13 pm: With the Sixers’ support, Fultz will work with renowned physical therapist Judy Seto, who formally was employed by the Lakers, Shams Charania of The Athletic tweets. Seto has previously worked with Kobe Bryant and Sixers GM Elton Brand when they both were in the NBA.

4:17 pm: Markelle Fultz has been diagnosed with Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, according to a team press release. The condition involves compression or irritation in the thoracic outlet (the area between the lower neck and upper chest).

Fultz is expected to undergo physical therapy and he is out indefinitely. Fultz’s agent, Raymond Brothers, emphasizes that the ailment is a physical injury.

“Markelle [Fultz] has been diagnosed with Neurogenic Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, [TOS], a physical injury. TOS affects nerves between the neck and shoulder resulting in abnormal functional movement and range of motion, thus severely limiting Markelle’s ability to shoot a basketball,” Brothers said (via Adrian Wojnarowski’s Twitter feed). “TOS is treatable by physical therapy.”

Wojnarowski hears (Twitter links) that there’s optimism with the Sixers organization that Fultz can return to the court in three-to-six weeks. The timetable will ultimately depend on the success of rehab.

Brothers tells Wojnarowski that he is strongly confident that the rehab will address Fultz’ shooting issues. The rehabilitation will begin in Los Angeles, away from the Sixers.

Fultz has seen upwards of 10 specialists since the start of last offseason, a team source tells Sarah Todd of the Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter link). His appointment today was reportedly the first time that doctors recommended that Fultz should not play.

Woj Believes Sixers Could Have Got First-Rounder For McConnell

December 4th, 2018 at 3:19pm CST by Luke Adams

Appearing last week on The Russillo Show, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski mentioned that he’s “very confident” the Sixers could have acquired a first-round pick in exchange for T.J. McConnell within the last few weeks, as Dan Feldman of NBC Sports relays. Wojnarowski had previously reported that the 76ers weren’t looking to move McConnell. Woj is obviously more plugged in than any other NBA reporter, so it’s hard to doubt his intel, but I’d have to think that there’s a catch here — perhaps the pick would have been heavily protected, or the Sixers would have had to take on some salary.

Appearing last week on The Russillo Show, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski mentioned that he’s “very confident” the Sixers could have acquired a first-round pick in exchange for T.J. McConnell within the last few weeks, as Dan Feldman of NBC Sports relays. Wojnarowski had previously reported that the 76ers weren’t looking to move McConnell. Woj is obviously more plugged in than any other NBA reporter, so it’s hard to doubt his intel, but I’d have to think that there’s a catch here — perhaps the pick would have been heavily protected, or the Sixers would have had to take on some salary.
In an Insider-only article for ESPN.com, Kevin Pelton explores the Sixers‘ options with Markelle Fultz, writing that the team doesn’t have to make a decision on the former No. 1 overall pick right away, with the trade deadline still two months off.

Jimmy Butler Is Focused On Winning

December 2nd, 2018 at 4:52pm CST by Eric Spyropoulos

Since joining the 76ers, Jimmy Butler is averaging the fewest minutes per game since his sophomore season and the fewest shot attempts since his third year in the league. However, as Keith Pompey points out for The Philadelphia Inquirer, Butler is focused on winning and leading the 76ers, especially in crunch time moments, which he has done several times this season.

Sixers’ Jimmy Butler Not Concerned With Reduced Role

December 1st, 2018 at 11:55am CST by marksuleymanov

Through nine games with his new team, Sixers swingman Jimmy Butler has seen his fewest minutes per game since his sophomore season with the Bulls. He’s also attempting 13 shots per game, his lowest total since the 2013/14 season.

However, since Butler arrive in Philadelphia, the team has gone 7-2 through nine games. As Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer writes, Butler is not concerned with his reduced role thus far and he’s only focused on winning.

“I don’t care how many points I score, how many shots I shoot,” Butler said. “I’ve always been like that. I always will continue to be that way. Just win at all cost.”

In his nine games, Butler is averaging 17.8 PPG, 4.9 RPG and 3.0 APG for the Sixers, and has nailed a pair of game-winning shots. However, those totals are all his lowest per-game averages since the aforementioned 2013/14 season. Still, the four-time All-Star maintained confidence in both his abilities and the team’s chances of winning.

“I’m a good basketball player,” Butler said. “When my time comes, my time comes. Like I said, I’m all for winning. I’m not worried about being an All-Star. I’m not worried about that, any of that stuff. I think winning takes care of everything. Winning helps everybody look great.”

Markelle Fultz To Continue Seeing Specialists

November 30th, 2018 at 2:43pm CST by Luke Adams

Sixers guard Markelle Fultz will continue to visit medical specialists through early next week, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. A team source tells Wojnarowski that the 76ers aren’t expected to provide an update on Fultz’s status until after those visits are complete.

Word first broke 10 days ago that Fultz would be visiting a shoulder specialist on November 26 and wouldn’t participate in any practices or appear in any games for the Sixers until after that appointment. On Monday, we learned that the former No. 1 pick would be seeing more specialists throughout the week, and today’s report indicates those appointments will continue into next week.

While various reports have indicated that Fultz may be bothered by shoulder, wrist, and thumb issues, there have also been rumors – sometimes within those same reports – suggesting that the second-year guard’s shooting problems are mental rather than physical. If there’s a medical issue plaguing Fultz, it seems it’s one not easily diagnosed, given all the doctors he’s visiting.

Once Fultz wraps up his visits to specialists, the Sixers should have a better sense of what the next step will be for 2017’s first overall pick. The club has insisted he’ll get a chance to regain a role off the bench if and when he’s healthy, though there has also been plenty of speculation about a possible trade. Potential suitors for Fultz will be keeping a close eye on his status, since they’ll want to know what they’d be getting into if they look to roll the dice on the 20-year-old.

Sixers' Next Moves Even More Important Now With Jimmy Butler

November 29th, 2018 at 10:38pm CST by JD Shaw

The Sixers‘ next moves are even more important now that they’ve acquired a third All-Star in Jimmy Butler, Derek Bodner of The Athletic writes. Philadelphia must convince Butler that this should be his long-term home before he reaches free agency in July, and the team could package Markelle Fultz in a trade for talent that can help the club compete now.

Suns Among Teams With Interest In Fultz

November 29th, 2018 at 10:48am CST by Luke Adams

The Suns are among the teams with some level of interest in Sixers point guard Markelle Fultz, a source tells Keith Pompey of Philly.com. The Cavaliers were also eyeing Fultz, though it’s not clear whether they remain interested now that they’ve agreed to trade Kyle Korver in another deal.

Although Fultz’s trade value has slipped precipitously in the last year and a half, teams would still be interested in acquiring him under the right circumstances, according to Pompey, who suggests that the 20-year-old’s camp would need to be truthful potential suitors. A team with interest in Fultz doesn’t want to be told that his shoulder and wrist are bothering him if his problems are actually mental, a source tells Pompey — in other words, clubs would simply want to know what they’d be getting into.

According to Pompey, the Suns had interest in Fultz leading up to the 2017 draft, with their analytics people believing that his upside was substantial. However, Phoenix also had concerns about the young guard’s support system, Pompey adds.

If the Suns and Sixers were to engage in discussions on Fultz, Philadelphia would likely target veteran forward Trevor Ariza, whose outside shooting and perimeter defense would make him an ideal fit in the 76ers’ lineup.

Ariza is on a one-year deal, so getting something in return for him could appeal to the Suns, who won’t be contenders this season and have been seeking a point guard for months. Ariza’s contract would also be favorable for the Sixers, who could significantly increase their projected cap room for 2019 by moving Fultz for a player on an expiring deal.

The salaries for Ariza ($15MM) and Fultz ($8.4MM) don’t quite match up, but adding – for instance – Justin Patton‘s expiring contract ($2.7MM) would make a deal legal.

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