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Eastern Notes: Embiid, Joerger, Bucks, Rozier, Heat

January 24th, 2024 at 3:04pm CST by Luke Adams

When Sixers star Joel Embiid scored 30-plus points for a 21st consecutive game on Monday, he didn’t just eke past that threshold — he more than doubled it, eclipsing Wilt Chamberlain‘s franchise record of 68 points by racking up an eye-popping 70 in a victory over San Antonio, writes Tim Bontemps of ESPN.

The performance increased Embiid’s season-long scoring average to 36.1 points per game. James Harden (2018/19) is the only other player to average that many points in a single season since Michael Jordan did it in 1986/87.

Having already missed 10 games in 2023/24, Embiid isn’t a lock to reach the 65-game minimum required to qualify for end-of-season awards. But as long as he plays enough, he looks like the clear frontrunner to win a second consecutive MVP award.

“I keep telling everybody, we cannot take this for granted,” Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey said. “Not just as teammates, not as an organization, but as fans … even if you’re not a fan of Philadelphia, if you’re just a fan of basketball, you can’t take Jo for granted, man. What he’s doing right now is special.

“… He’s doing so much out there. And you know, the kicker is he’s on the other end, he’s anchoring the defense as well. He’s not taking any nights off on defense. So, you know, we appreciate him, and everybody else should appreciate him, as well.”

Here’s more from around the Eastern Conference:

  • Dave Joerger, who spent three seasons on Doc Rivers‘ staff in Philadelphia, is receiving consideration to join the Bucks as an assistant, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link). Rivers and Bucks general manager Jon Horst are expected to work together to finalize any additions to Milwaukee’s coaching staff, tweets Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report and TNT.
  • Examining the Terry Rozier trade between the Heat and Hornets, John Hollinger of The Athletic wonders if this deal is a sign that there won’t be any blockbuster trades completed at the deadline. As Hollinger explains, Miami’s front office typically prefers to use its assets to go star-hunting on the trade market, so if the the Heat were willing to give up a first-round pick for Rozier, they may have felt as if no impact players will become available at the 11th hour.
  • Elsewhere at The Athletic, Jared Weiss and William Guillory take a closer look at what the Heat‘s Rozier acquisition means for the teams at the top of the East. As The Athletic’s duo points out, there’s a good deal of overlap between Rozier’s and Tyler Herro‘s skill sets, so it may be a challenge to play them together in the postseason when their relative lack of size makes them susceptible to being hunted on defense.
  • In a comprehensive Insider-only story for ESPN.com, Bobby Marks breaks down the trade deadline for the 15 Eastern Conference teams, outlining the assets at their disposal and what sorts of deals might make sense for each club.
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Sixers Issue Injury Updates On Melton, Covington

January 24th, 2024 at 11:32am CST by Luke Adams

The Sixers will be without a pair of rotation players for the foreseeable future, according to the team, which issued injury updates today on guard De’Anthony Melton and wing Robert Covington, as Derek Bodner of PHLY Sports relays (Twitter links).

Melton (lumbar spine stress response) – who has missed Philadelphia’s past five games, and eight of the past 10 – has completed an “offloading” period and will begin ramping up to return. Although Melton will accompany the team on the five-game road trip that begins on Thursday in Indiana, he remains sidelined for the time being and will be reevaluated in approximately one week.

That recovery timeline suggests Melton will miss at least four more games, since the 76ers are also in action on Saturday, Monday, and Tuesday before concluding their trip in Utah next Thursday.

Covington hasn’t played at all this month due to left knee inflammation and a bone bruise in that knee, having sat out Philadelphia’s past 10 games. He has continued to receive treatment and will remain on the shelf for a while. According to the club, he’ll be reevaluated in three or four weeks.

Melton has started all 33 games he has appeared in this season, while Covington was averaging 16.1 minutes per night in his first 26 games back with the 76ers.

Nicolas Batum, Danuel House, and Patrick Beverley are among the players whose minutes have increased with Melton and Covington unavailable as of late. Beverley has missed the past two games with an illness, resulting in rotation minutes for Furkan Korkmaz.

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Team USA Announces 41-Player Pool For 2024 Olympics

January 23rd, 2024 at 3:54pm CST by Luke Adams

USA Basketball has officially announced a pool of 41 players who are in the mix for the 12 spots on the 2024 Olympic men’s basketball team.

While the pool is subject to change, Team USA’s 12-man roster for the 2024 Paris Olympics will, in all likelihood, be made up of players from this group.

The list figures to shrink as the summer nears due to players suffering injuries or opting not to participate for other reasons, but at some point prior to the July event the U.S. decision-makers will have to choose a final roster from the remaining candidates.

Here’s the full list of 41 players, 28 of whom have represented Team USA in a previous World Cup or Olympics:

  1. Bam Adebayo (Heat)
  2. Jarrett Allen (Cavaliers)
  3. Paolo Banchero (Magic)
  4. Desmond Bane (Grizzlies)
  5. Scottie Barnes (Raptors)
  6. Devin Booker (Suns)
  7. Mikal Bridges (Nets)
  8. Jaylen Brown (Celtics)
  9. Jalen Brunson (Knicks)
  10. Jimmy Butler (Heat)
  11. Alex Caruso (Bulls)
  12. Stephen Curry (Warriors)
  13. Anthony Davis (Lakers)
  14. Kevin Durant (Suns)
  15. Anthony Edwards (Timberwolves)
  16. Joel Embiid (Sixers)
  17. De’Aaron Fox (Kings)
  18. Paul George (Clippers)
  19. Aaron Gordon (Nuggets)
  20. Tyrese Haliburton (Pacers)
  21. James Harden (Clippers)
  22. Josh Hart (Knicks)
  23. Tyler Herro (Heat)
  24. Jrue Holiday (Celtics)
  25. Chet Holmgren (Thunder)
  26. Brandon Ingram (Pelicans)
  27. Kyrie Irving (Mavericks)
  28. Jaren Jackson Jr. (Grizzlies)
  29. LeBron James (Lakers)
  30. Cameron Johnson (Nets)
  31. Walker Kessler (Jazz)
  32. Kawhi Leonard (Clippers)
  33. Damian Lillard (Bucks)
  34. Donovan Mitchell (Cavaliers)
  35. Chris Paul (Warriors)
  36. Bobby Portis (Bucks)
  37. Austin Reaves (Lakers)
  38. Duncan Robinson (Heat)
  39. Jayson Tatum (Celtics)
  40. Derrick White (Celtics)
  41. Trae Young (Hawks)

Adebayo, Booker, Durant, Holiday, Lillard, and Tatum were part of the Olympic team that won gold in Tokyo in 2021. Jerami Grant, Draymond Green, Keldon Johnson, Zach LaVine, JaVale McGee, and Khris Middleton were also on that roster, but aren’t part of the preliminary pool this time around. It’s possible some of them turned down invitations.

“The United States boasts unbelievable basketball talent and I am thrilled that many of the game’s superstars have expressed interest in representing our country at the 2024 Olympic Summer Games,” national team managing director Grant Hill said in a statement. “It is a privilege to select the team that will help us toward the goal of once again standing atop the Olympic podium. This challenging process will unfold over the next several months as we eagerly anticipate the start of national team activity.”

USA Basketball also announced today that Team USA will face Team Canada in Las Vegas on July 10 in an exhibition game. It sounds like that contest will take place during the NBA’s 2024 Summer League.

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Maxey Reaches Starter's Criteria

January 22nd, 2024 at 6:53pm CST by Dana Gauruder
  • The Sixers have made swingman KJ Martin available on the trade market, Marc Stein reports in his latest notebook. Philadelphia is looking for a quality second-round pick in a potential deal. Martin has struggled for playing time on a veteran-laden team. He has appeared in 25 games this season but is only averaging 5.9 minutes in those outings. He’ll be an unrestricted free agent after the season.
  • By starting 41 games this season, Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey has met the starter’s criteria, bumping his qualifying offer to $8,486,620, ESPN’s Bobby Marks tweets. For a player at Maxey’s level, the increase of his QO isn’t significant, since he’s widely expected to receive a max contract from Philadelphia in lieu of exploring the restricted free agent market.
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Kevin Durant, Joel Embiid Named Players Of The Week

January 22nd, 2024 at 2:44pm CST by Rory Maher

Suns forward Kevin Durant and Sixers center Joel Embiid have been named the NBA’s Players of the Week, the league announced (via Twitter).

A former NBA Most Valuable Player and two-time Finals MVP, Durant averaged 31.0 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 2.7 APG and 2.3 BPG on a staggering .600/.478/1.000 shooting line last week. Phoenix went 3-0 in that span and is currently 24-18, the No. 7 seed in the Western Conference.

Reigning MVP Embiid, meanwhile, won the East’s weekly award for the third time already in 2023/24 after his dominant play buoyed the Sixers to a 4-0 week. He put up 37.8 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 5.0 APG, 1.3 SPG and 1.3 BPG on .545/.357/.909 shooting in 34.4 MPG across those four victories. Philadelphia is currently 28-13, the No. 3 seed in the East.

Embiid is the only three-time Player of the Week winner so far this season. Jalen Brunson and De’Aaron Fox have each earned the award twice.

According to the NBA (Twitter link), Devin Booker, Anthony Davis, Paul George, James Harden, Jerami Grant and Nikola Jokic were the other nominees in the West, while Brunson, Jarrett Allen, Donovan Mitchell, and Dejounte Murray were nominated in the East.

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Trade Rumors: Murray, Sixers, Mavs, Brown, Pelicans

January 21st, 2024 at 10:06am CST by Luke Adams

Shams Charania of The Athletic said a few days ago during an appearance on FanDuel’s Run it Back show (Twitter video link) that he has “not gotten the sense” that the Sixers will aggressively pursue Dejounte Murray, despite being identified earlier this month as a potential suitor for the Hawks guard.

Michael Scotto of HoopsHype also cast some doubt this week on the idea that Murray will be a top target for Philadelphia, suggesting that he’s a “questionable fit” next to rising 76ers star Tyrese Maxey.

However, Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer isn’t ruling out the possibility, exploring the idea of the Sixers going after Murray and positing that he would be a better fit alongside Maxey than he has been with Trae Young in Atlanta, since Maxey wouldn’t be uncomfortable operating off the ball and focusing on scoring.

Still, Pompey acknowledges that the Hawks’ reported asking price for Murray – two first-round picks and a quality player – would be steep for a Philadelphia team that isn’t necessarily loaded with valuable assets. It’s also unclear whether the Sixers view Murray as the sort of player for whom they’d be willing to sacrifice future cap flexibility, including 2024 cap room.

Here are a few more trade-related notes and rumors from around the NBA:

  • Brad Townsend of The Dallas News previews the trade deadline from the Mavericks‘ perspective, noting that minority owner and head of basketball operations Mark Cuban confirmed during a recent radio appearance that the team would like to further fortify its frontcourt. “If we can get a big who can also create off the dribble, that’d be a plus,” Cuban said. “Six-eight or bigger.”
  • After being sent from Indiana to Toronto this week, veteran guard Bruce Brown knows that he’s considered a candidate to be moved again before the trade deadline, but he tells Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca (Twitter link) that he’d be fine staying with the Raptors and hasn’t asked them to seek a deal. “I don’t know anything. I’m not requesting anything,” Brown said “… That’s up to (team president) Masai (Ujiri), whatever he wants to do. If he moves me he moves me. If he doesn’t, I’ll stay. It is what it is.”
  • After ducking below the luxury tax line by sending Kira Lewis to Toronto (via Indiana), what’s next for the Pelicans on the trade market? Christian Clark of NOLA.com explores that topic, suggesting that the team will almost certainly continue to keep an eye out for a center. Cavaliers starter Jarrett Allen has long been a top target for New Orleans, but he’s unlikely to be available, so a player like Wendell Carter of the Magic or Onyeka Okongwu of the Hawks could be a more viable option, suggests Clark. The poison pill provision applies to Okongwu, which could complicate any deal that involves him.
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And-Ones: Yabusele, All-Stars, Shannon, Awards

January 20th, 2024 at 2:44pm CST by Luke Adams

Former NBA first-round pick Guerschon Yabusele, currently a member of Real Madrid, likely won’t be looking to return stateside anytime in the near future, he said in an interview with French outlet L’Equipe.

“I would like to return to the NBA, but I play for the best team in Europe and win championships,” Yabusele said (hat tip to Eurohoops). “Why would I leave that to sit on a bench? I will join the French National Team after the end of the season this summer, so I am waiting for the Olympics, not the NBA.”

The 16th overall pick in the 2016 draft, Yabusele joined the Celtics in 2017 and spent two seasons in Boston, appearing in 74 total games and seeing limited action. He averaged 2.3 points and 1.4 rebounds in 6.6 minutes per contest.

The 6’8″ forward, who is now 28, has had more success since returning to Europe in 2020. Yabusele won a French League (LNB Pro A) title with ASVEL in 2021, a Spanish League (Liga ACB) title with Real Madrid in 2022, and a EuroLeague championship in 2023 while playing a key role for his teams.

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

  • Zach Harper of The Athletic previews what this year’s All-Star rosters might look like and considers which players could be left on the outside looking in. The Western Conference backcourt will be especially competitive, according to Harper, who suggests that star guards like Devin Booker and De’Aaron Fox aren’t locks to be All-Stars.
  • A federal judge reinstated Illinois wing Terrence Shannon Jr. on Friday, ending his suspension and ruling that the university had violated his civil rights by depriving him of “protected property interests” without due process, according to John O’Connor of The Associated Press. Shannon, who had been considered a probable first-round pick in the 2024 draft, was suspended indefinitely by Illinois after being accused of rape last month.
  • Dan Devine of The Ringer picks his award winners for the first half of the 2023/24 season, including narrowly choosing Sixers star Joel Embiid over Nuggets star Nikola Jokic as the MVP so far.
  • John Hollinger of The Athletic poses a few questions for the Pacers and Raptors in the wake of their Pascal Siakam blockbuster, including what Siakam’s next contract will look like and whether Toronto will look to tank in the second half in an effort to hang onto its top-six protected first-round pick for 2024.
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Trade Rumors: Bucks, Murray, Nets, Sixers, Brown, Heat, More

January 19th, 2024 at 3:08pm CST by Luke Adams

The Bucks are among the teams registering interest in trading for Hawks guard Dejounte Murray, league sources tell Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report and TNT (Twitter link). Haynes’ report doesn’t include any details beyond that, so it’s unclear what sort of package a Bucks team short on trade assets might be willing to offer for Murray.

It’s safe to assume Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard aren’t going anywhere, which means a Milwaukee offer would need to be built around either Khris Middleton, Brook Lopez, or, more likely, a Bobby Portis/Pat Connaughton combo. No other players on the roster earn enough to viably match Murray’s $18MM+ salary (a package that includes only one of Portis or Connaughton could technically work, but would need to be at least a four-for-one or five-for one deal).

Middleton, Lopez, Portis, and Connaughton have all played significant roles in Milwaukee for the last few seasons. Middleton and Lopez, in particular, have been mainstays in the Bucks’ starting lineup for many years, while Portis and Connaughton have been among the team’s first players off the bench. All four were major contributors to the championship team in 2021.

Still, as the Bucks showed when they included Jrue Holiday and Grayson Allen in their package for Lillard in September, they’re willing to send out key rotation players in a trade if they believe the deal raises their ceiling. And with no first-round picks and only two second-rounders left to deal, the Bucks would need to send out a quality player or two to be a contender in the Murray sweepstakes.

Here are a few more trade rumors from around the NBA:

  • Responding to colleagues Tim Bontemps and Tim MacMahon, who argued on The Hoop Collective podcast (YouTube link) that the Nets should be sellers at the trade deadline, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst suggested that’s not necessarily the way the team is leaning. “I can’t speak to what the Nets are thinking right this very second, but the word through the NBA is the Nets are attempting to be buyers,” Windhorst said. Brooklyn doesn’t control its own 2024 first-round pick, which will be sent to Houston.
  • Despite some speculation that he could be a trade deadline target, the Sixers are unlikely to pursue Raptors guard Bruce Brown, reports Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer.
  • Appearing on the Locked on Heat podcast (Twitter video link), Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports suggested that the Heat aren’t explicitly shopping Kyle Lowry and Nikola Jovic, but they’re among the players on the roster who are considered by potential trade partners to be available.
  • Within his latest Insider-only story for ESPN.com, Zach Lowe shares a couple of notable trade-related tidbits. According to Lowe, before trading for Pascal Siakam, the Pacers were one of several teams to reach out to the Jazz about Lauri Markkanen, but Utah showed zero interest in moving him. Additionally, Lowe says that the Spurs reached out to the Hawks to explore the possibility of a reversal of sorts to their 2022 Dejounte Murray deal, but those talks don’t appear to have gotten far.
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Latest On Dejounte Murray

January 18th, 2024 at 4:19pm CST by Rory Maher

Hawks guard Dejounte Murray has reportedly drawn plenty of trade interest this season, and ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski previously stated he believes there’s a very good chance the former All-Star will be moved prior to the February 8 deadline.

Michael Scotto of HoopsHype evaluates the teams that have been linked to Murray and offers new intel on the 27-year-old’s market. For example, league sources tell Scotto that in a potential Murray deal, in addition to acquiring draft and player assets, Atlanta does not want to take on salary beyond the 2023/24 season.

A Lakers deal for Murray would likely include D’Angelo Russell, according to Scotto’s sources, but the Hawks aren’t interested in Russell — they’d have to be able to flip him to a third team in that scenario. As Scotto explains, Russell has a $18.9MM player option for 2024/25 and isn’t viewed as a viable fit alongside another offense-first guard in Trae Young.

The Hawks did inquire about Austin Reaves in talks with L.A., but Scotto confirms the Lakers shot down that idea. Reaves is in the first season of a four-year contract — it’s unclear if Atlanta would want to keep the 25-year-old guard or potentially flip him as well.

As first reported by Scotto, the Knicks have looked into Murray. However, due to their strong play of late after acquiring OG Anunoby, Scotto hears New York doesn’t want to meet Atlanta’s asking price. The Nets also haven’t been inclined to offer a minimum of two first-round picks for Murray, per Scotto.

For various reasons, the Sixers, Pistons and Heat — three other teams linked to Murray — aren’t viewed as great fits, Scotto writes. It’s unclear what the Spurs are thinking this early in their rebuild, but Murray did say on Monday that he would welcome the opportunity to play for his former team and coach.

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Northwest Notes: Jokic, George, Ayton, Blazers, Gobert

January 18th, 2024 at 8:54am CST by Luke Adams

Sixers star Joel Embiid racked up 41 points, 10 assists, and seven rebounds in a comeback victory over the Nuggets on Tuesday, but after the game he had nothing but praise for opposing center and fellow MVP Nikola Jokic, as Bennett Durando of The Denver Post writes.

Embiid joked that there’s a “war” on Twitter between Sixers and Nuggets fans about which player is better, but suggested that Jokic has earned that honor, at least for now, after leading Denver to a championship in 2023.

“He deserves (the title of best in the NBA),” Embiid said. “Until you knock him down, that’s the best in the league, and he’s the Finals MVP. So until someone else takes that away, then you can claim that.

“But then again,” Embiid continued, with a smile. “I also believe in myself. … I’ve just gotta get there.”

Here’s more from around the Northwest:

  • Following a victory over Oklahoma City on Tuesday, Paul George said the 2019 trade that sent him from the Thunder to the Clippers for a package that included Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and several first-round picks has been a win for both sides — and acknowledged that it may have been a bigger win for OKC. “I just think both sides won. I did think it was quite a lot that the Clippers were willing to give up, but their commitment to me is my commitment to them,” George said (Twitter video link via Joey Linn of SI.com). “… We knew Shai was gonna be really, really good, but he’s special. In a way, Oklahoma won that trade with picks and a future MVP. Great trade for both sides.”
  • After missing the Trail Blazers‘ past 11 games due to a knee issue, starting center Deandre Ayton was on track to return Wednesday vs. Brooklyn, but icy conditions in Portland prevented him from getting to the game, as Sean Highkin of Rose Garden Report tweets. Ayton will presumably be available on Friday vs. Indiana.
  • Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups tried a new starting lineup on Wednesday, with Jerami Grant, Anfernee Simons, Malcolm Brogdon, Duop Reath, and Jabari Walker making up the 19th starting five the team has used this season. After the game, Billups explained that he wanted to make a change due to the slow starts the Blazers had been having (Twitter link via Highkin). The original plan, Billups added, was to move Shaedon Sharpe into Scoot Henderson‘s starting spot, but Sharpe is sidelined with an abdominal injury.
  • While Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert has been lauded for a bounce-back season on defense, he lauded his teammates for making things easier on him at the end of the court, per Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic. “We got people that can guard. We got people that can move their feet and take the challenge,” Gobert said.
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