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LeBron James To Prioritize Family, Winning In Free Agency

April 9th, 2018 at 10:14am CST by Luke Adams

LeBron James remains cagey when asked about his upcoming free agency, having repeatedly reiterated that he’s focused on the shorter-term future – including the Cavaliers’ upcoming playoff matchups – for now. However, as Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com details, James was willing to state in general terms this weekend that his family and the opportunity to keep contending for titles will be the most important factors for him when he makes his decision this summer.

“My family. That’s all that matters,” James said. “I want to continue to win at the highest level, because I know I can still do it as an individual, and then my family. My family is what’s most important to me, more than anything.”

While James referred to his family as “all that matters” and as “what’s more important to me,” he isn’t about to join a team far away from championship contention simply based on where his family wants to live. While his family’s preferred city will be a key consideration for LeBron, it won’t fully dictate his decision, as he explained to Vardon.

“That’s just a small piece of it,” James said. “We make joint decisions all together, all the time. Once we get to it, my agent and my team we will all tackle it the right way, but my family plays a big part in it. And winning.

Any team with James on its roster has automatically been elevated to contender status for most of his career. Still, it’s worth noting that of the teams he’s believed to be considering – including the Cavs, Lakers, Sixers, and Rockets – some could present a more immediate path to a title than others.

James will be eligible for unrestricted free agency this July if he declines his $35,607,968 player option for 2018/19. While an opt-out is considered the most likely outcome, it’s not necessarily a lock. Chris Paul was in a similar situation last summer and used the threat of an opt-out to leverage a trade to the Rockets, picking up his player option in the process. James could take a similar approach if he decides he wants to join an over-the-cap team, such as CP3’s Rockets.

Injury Updates: Embiid, Bullock, Hill, Ross

April 8th, 2018 at 8:57pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Joel Embiid has been cleared to begin light non-contact conditioning as the Sixers center continues his recovery from a concussion and orbital fracture, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer reports. If he’s symptom-free from there, he can resume
on-court activities without contact, Pompey continues. The injuries occurred on March 28th and he had surgery on March 31st. The team is hopeful he can return at some point during the opening round of the playoffs, Pompey adds.

In other injury-related news from around the league:

Pistons shooting guard Reggie Bullock has been shut down for the rest of the season due to a swollen left knee, Rod Beard of the Detroit News reports. Coach Stan Van Gundy has Bullock’s knee had gotten worse in recent weeks. “First, they want to see how he responds to rest, but then it’ll be anything from an injection to a scope, which would be the most serious, at four to six weeks, but nothing long-term,” he said. Bullock emerged as a starter this season, averaging 11.3 PPG and making 44.5% of his 3-point tries.
Cavs guard George Hill is hopeful of returning to action Monday after participating in practice on Sunday, according to AmicoHoops.net. Hill sat out the last two games with a sprained left ankle. “It was good to get back out there and get up and down the floor a little bit,” he said. “So, we’ll see how I feel tomorrow.”
Magic swingman Terrence Ross played 10 minutes Sunday and had a 3-pointer and two assists in his first game since late November, John Denton of the Magic’s website reports. Ross has been sidelined most of the season with a right knee injury and bone bruise. “I felt good and it was a tribute to all of the workouts and the work with the strength (and conditioning) coaches,’’ Ross said. “Just being able to play is the victory. It felt really good.’’

Joel Embiid Already Free Of Concussion Symptoms

April 8th, 2018 at 12:59pm CST by Arthur Hill

Injured Sixers center Joel Embiid must pass through the NBA’s concussion protocol, but he has been free of concussion symptoms since March 29, tweets Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. That was the day after Embiid suffered an orbital bone fracture in a collision with teammate Markelle Fultz.

The team is hoping Embiid can be ready sometime during the first round of the playoffs. There are steps that Embiid has to meet before he can be cleared for full activity, but Pompey reports that the Sixers are confident he’ll be able to (Twitter link). Philadelphia has gone 5-0 without Embiid, but his 22.9 and 11.0 rebounds per night and his presence on defense will be important in the postseason.

Sixers Notes: Embiid, McConnell, Redick, LeBron

April 7th, 2018 at 2:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

Sixers center Joel Embiid will begin doing light cardio work as the first step toward returning from a fractured orbital bone, relays Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Embiid attended Friday night’s game, making his first appearance since having surgery March 31. Surgeons are examining him each day and are happy with his progress, Pompey adds, with “non-contact cardiovascular exertion steps” being planned to help him get through the league’s concussion protocol.

The Sixers didn’t let Embiid speak to reporters, but he watched his teammates during warmups and sank a few 3-pointers. He has missed five games since colliding with Markelle Fultz on March 28, and his prognosis calls for him to return in another one to three weeks.

There’s more today out of Philadelphia:

T.J. McConnell‘s playing time has nosedived since Fultz returned from his injury, Pompey notes in a separate story. The reserve point guard was on the court for just 5 minutes and 27 seconds Friday against the Cavaliers, the second-shortest stint of his three-year career. The Sixers have a $1.6MM team option on McConnell for next season that must be exercised by June 29.
As one of the few Sixers with playoff experience, J.J. Redick will have an important role once the postseason begins next weekend, Pompey writes in another piece. This will mark the 12th straight playoff appearance for Redick, who has played 88 games with the Magic, Bucks and Clippers. The only other players in Philadelphia’s rotation with a playoff history are Marco Belinelli (48 games), Amir Johnson (42) and Ersan Ilyasova (23).
Sixers fans will be happy to hear that LeBron James paid them a compliment after Friday’s game, according to Marc Narducci of The Philadelphia Inquirer. “They love their team, they love their ball club. They come out and support,” he said. “Obviously riding the winning streak, you know, and also you add in Villanova and you add in the Eagles, obviously that helps as well but it has always been kind of rowdy coming here.” Philadelphia has been rumored as a possible destination for James when he hits free agency this summer.

Fultz Was Hurt By Prolonged Absence

April 7th, 2018 at 10:37am CST by marksuleymanov

Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer relays that Fultz was “hurt” with the situation because he was not able to play.

Michael Scotto of The Athletic (subscription required) writes that Nets coach Kenny Atkinson sees the Sixers rebuilding model as a point of reference for the Nets. In the lengthy read, Scotto breaks down Atkinson’s view of Philadelphia and how Brooklyn views some of its young players as de facto lottery picks.

First overall pick Markelle Fultz missed 68 games due to injury and at one point, it seemed that his entire rookie year would be lost to a phantom shoulder ailment. Instead, Fultz has returned and given a spark to the Sixers the last seven games.

In a separate story, David Murphy of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes that having a healthy Fultz play alongside Rookie of the Year candidate Ben Simmons presents an interesting lineup scenario for the Sixers. While the duo has shared the backcourt for small increments since Fultz’s return, coach Brett Brown has liked what he has seen in a small sample.
J.J. Redick has been part of playoff teams every season in his career but now his focus is on winning a championship, Sarah Todd of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes. The Sixers are in third place and Redick thinks the team is good enough to go far in the postseason. “I don’t want to put a ceiling on our team this year,” Redic said. “I think this group has the potential to win the Eastern Conference. Whether that’s this year or three years from now, having guys like Ben [Simmons] and Jo [Embiid], you have a chance. Those guys are that good.”
Michael Scotto of The Athletic (subscription required) writes that Nets coach Kenny Atkinson sees the Sixers rebuilding model as a point of reference for the Nets. In the lengthy read, Scotto breaks down Atkinson’s view of Philadelphia and how Brooklyn views some of its young players as de facto lottery picks.

Cavs Notes: Green, Zizic, Korver

April 6th, 2018 at 5:47pm CST by Austin Kent

The Cavaliers will start Jeff Green for the remainder of the season, Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com writes. Head coach Tyronn Lue cites the team’s recent success against some Eastern Conference contenders as the inspiration behind the 31-year-old combo forward’s promotion.

Lue likes Green’s ability to check opposing teams’ elite guards and certain metrics suggest that the Cavs are better both offensively and defensively with Green in the lineup alongside LeBron James.

“I just like that we can switch a lot of 1 through 4 stuff and it gives us another ball handler on the floor too, so I just think it’s the right thing for us to start,” Lue said.

There’s more out of Cleveland tonight:

The Cavaliers saw a brief glimpse of what they acquired in the Kyrie Irving trade when rookie big man Ante Zizic was thrust into a more prominent role in the Cleveland rotation last month. Jason Lloyd of The Athletic talks about the Turkish pivot’s rise through the Adriatic League and the steps he’s taking to make a meaningful impact in the NBA.
The Cavs weren’t the only team interested in Kyle Korver when the veteran hit free agency last summer. Dave McMenamin of ESPN writes that among Korver’s suitors were the 76ers, Lakers and Spurs.
A commitment to a healthier diet and exercise has allowed Tyronn Lue to return to the sidelines after missing nine games related to chest pains he experienced last month. “This was the first time in 20 years where I really just had a chance to focus on me and get myself right and [Warriors coach Steve Kerr] reminded me of that,” Lue told Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com. “We get so wrapped up in the game that we forget about real life, and it was the best advice I got so thank Steve for that.“

Sixers Won't Last Long Without Embiid

April 2nd, 2018 at 9:46pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Sixers’ playoff appearance will likely be a one-and-done experience if Joel Embiid can’t return for the first round, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer opines. The center’s participation is uncertain due to a concussion and a fractured orbital bone near his left eye. The Sixers have outscored opponents by 11.6 points per possession when he plays and outscored by 3.9 points when he doesn’t play, Pompey notes. The team doesn’t have anyone to match up with the Pacers’ mobile center, Myles Turner, if they face Indiana in the first round without Embiid, Pompey adds.

Joel Embiid Has Surgery, May Be Back In Two Weeks

March 31st, 2018 at 3:26pm CST by Austin Kent

MARCH 31, 3:26pm: Embiid had surgery today to repair an orbital fracture, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. He could be cleared by team doctors to return for the start of the playoffs in two weeks, but the date will depend on his pain threshold (Twitter link).

MARCH 29, 6:57pm: The Sixers have announced in a press release that Joel Embiid has, in fact, been diagnosed with a concussion and will additionally undergo facial surgery after a CT scan revealed an orbital fracture of his left eye.

There is no current timetable for his return, although Zach Lowe of ESPN tweets that a source of his suggests Embiid could resume playing in two-to-four weeks, pending the results of surgery.

Initially Embiid cleared the NBA’s concussion protocol but began to exhibit symptoms later on after being taken to a hospital for further evaluation and testing. Embiid, the team says, has now been formally placed in the league’s concussion protocol.

As we wrote earlier today, Embiid suffered the injury after a collision with teammate Markelle Fultz.

There is no set date for Embiid’s surgery, the team having only specified that the procedure will be performed in the coming days.

Markelle Fultz Could Make Impact On Defense

March 29th, 2018 at 8:43pm CST by Austin Kent

The Sixers are happy that Markelle Fultz has regained his shooting form but another area where he could have an impact for the team is on defense, David Murphy of The Philadelphia Inquirer writes. “He’s better than I thought,” head coach Brett Brown said. “He’s got an amazing basketball body. His hips are somewhere near my shoulders. He uncoils and he’s 7-foot-6; he’s got size-15 feet. He just is long.“

Joel Embiid Injured, Released From Hospital

March 29th, 2018 at 4:08pm CST by Arthur Hill

4:08pm: There is a sense that Embiid is likely to miss more than the two games on Philadelphia’s current road trip, Derek Bodner of The Athletic tweets.

2:12pm: Embiid was released from the hospital today, but will not join the Sixers on their trip to Atlanta, Camerato tweets.

9:00am: The Sixers are awaiting a medical update on Joel Embiid, but a social media message from the center last night is raising concerns, writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Embiid was hospitalized after suffering a facial contusion in a collision with teammate Markelle Fultz. He offered an update on his condition in a video he posted on Instagram that was captioned, “Not good.”

Fultz was driving to the basket midway through the first half when they collided and his shoulder struck Embiid’s head. Embiid was knocked over, sat up briefly then fell back to the court.

“I was trying to go get the ball at the same time I was watching him,” Fultz said. “But my heart dropped, really, because I know he hit me. But he’s a tough guy and I know he’s going to be OK. All I can do is pray for him.”

Embiid was helped to the locker room, but bent over in pain in the hallway. Fultz added that his head may have also struck Embiid in the face.

Embiid successfully went through the concussion protocol, then was taken to an area hospital for precautionary concussion testing, according to Jessica Camerato of NBC Sports Philadelphia. The Sixers are awaiting the results before putting together a time frame for his return.

This has been the healthiest season by far for Embiid, who sat out his first two years in the NBA with complications from a broken foot, then was on a strict minutes limit as a rookie. He has appeared in 63 games this season and is averaging 30.3 minutes per night.

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