Philadelphia 76ers Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Injury Notes: Green, Nance Jr., VanVleet, Dedmon, Gordon

February 26th, 2023 at 9:51pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Warriors forward Draymond Green missed his second consecutive game on Sunday due to a right knee contusion, according to Kendra Andrews of ESPN. Green suffered the injury on Thursday when he bumped knees with the Lakers’ Jarred Vanderbilt. Green’s knee unexpectedly flared up Sunday afternoon, something coach Steve Kerr categorized as a “setback.” He may undergo an MRI.

We have more injury-related news:

Pelicans forward Larry Nance Jr. will miss Monday’s game against Orlando due to a left ankle sprain, the team’s PR department tweets.
Raptors guard Fred VanVleet missed both of the team’s games this weekend for personal reasons, Blake Murphy of Sportsnet tweets. VanVleet is away from the club due to the birth of his third child.
Sixers head coach Doc Rivers said before Saturday’s contest that backup center Dewayne Dedmon is expected to miss a couple more games but doesn’t have a long-term injury, Kyle Neubeck of ThePhillyVoice.com tweets. Dedmon has yet to make his Philadelphia debut due to a hip issue.
Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon returned to the lineup on Sunday night after missing the previous five games due to a left rib contusion, Mike Singer of the Denver Post writes.

Sixers Notes: Niang, Simmons, Embiid, Harden, Dedmon

February 25th, 2023 at 12:55pm CST by Arthur Hill

Sixers players have been careful in their comments about how Ben Simmons‘ holdout affected the team, but Georges Niang addressed the issue Friday in a radio appearance, per Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. As a guest on The John Kincaid Show, Niang said the atmosphere has been much better this year without the distractions that Simmons caused.

“When you … are building rosters. I’m talking from a general manager standpoint, I don’t know how much he makes but it’s a max contract, so you immediately take that off the books (when Simmons says), ‘I’m not playing,’” Niang said. “Now, you have to figure out where other role players have to set up and replace passing, dribbling, rebounding, defense.”

Simmons’ dispute with Sixers management began during the 2021 offseason and lasted until he was shipped to the Nets at last year’s trade deadline. In addition to not having one of their supposed team leaders on the court, Niang said players were concerned about who else might be included in a potential Simmons deal.

“Then the trade deadline is coming up, and everybody is walking in like, ‘Who’s being attached to him that’s going (into a trade)?’ So you had that uneasy feeling,” Niang said. “So now (this season) it’s like we did trade Matisse (Thybulle in a four-team deal). We got Jalen (McDaniels). But you know who you’re going to war with every single night.”

There’s more from Philadelphia:

The Sixers carry a five-game winning streak into Saturday’s game with the Celtics, but Joel Embiid says they shouldn’t be focused on trying to prove anything to the team with the NBA’s best record, Pompey writes in another Inquirer story. “We’re not worried about Boston or Milwaukee,” Embiid said. “We are worried about ourselves. We can get better every single night.”
President of basketball operations Daryl Morey didn’t provide a direct answer when he was asked about James Harden‘s future during an appearance on ESPN’s SportsCenter (video link). Harden is expected to turn down his player option this summer, and there have been rumors that he is considering a return to the Rockets. “I know he’s just focused on this season and not the offseason, but I know that he’s focused on winning the championship,” Morey said. “He’s going to be wherever he feels like he has the best chance. Obviously his pairing with Embiid is very, very good and we feel like it’s the best pairing for the long term.”
Backup center Dewayne Dedmon has been ruled out for Saturday’s game with soreness in his left hip, tweets Sixers reporter Derek Bodner. Dedmon hasn’t played since signing with Philadelphia 11 days ago.

Heat Notes: Love, Martin, Crowder, Tucker

February 25th, 2023 at 11:52am CST by Arthur Hill

Kevin Love‘s first game with the Heat was forgettable, but there’s reason to believe things will get better, writes Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. “We have to just throw that one away,” Love said after going scoreless in a 29-point loss at Milwaukee. However, Jackson points out that the night wasn’t a complete disaster for the veteran big man. He had eight rebounds and four assists and seemed to mesh well with his new teammates after going through just one practice.

Jackson notes that Bam Adebayo tends to excel when he’s paired with tall power forwards who can shoot, which hasn’t been the case for nearly two years. The most prominent examples are Kelly Olynyk and Meyers Leonard, who are both similar to Love in what they can do on the court.

“The biggest thing for me is passing, starting that fastbreak, closing possessions on the defensive end, using my shooting ability to help this team,” Love said. “… Nobody has to cater to me. I want to make the game easier for these guys.”

There’s more on the Heat:

Love’s addition means Caleb Martin is back on the bench after making 49 starts this season, Jackson adds. Martin, who was primarily a reserve during his first three NBA seasons, said he’s willing to accept whatever role coach Erik Spoelstra believes is best. “I prepared myself for something like that to happen,” Martin said. “It’s Spo’s job to figure out the best lineups, how guys fit in. He knows I’m one of those guys that’s willing to do what I’ve got to do.”
New Bucks forward Jae Crowder had Miami on his list of preferred destinations during his long holdout in Phoenix, Jackson tweets. Crowder, who made his season debut Friday night, played for the Heat when they reached the NBA Finals in 2020.
Because of an oddity in the schedule, the Heat won’t get their first look at P.J. Tucker until Monday night, notes Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel. The defensive specialist played an important role in helping Miami post the best record in the Eastern Conference last season, but he hasn’t fit in as well with the Sixers. “Tuck always figures it out,” Spoelstra said. “I mean if you’re going to judge him by that last line in the box score, you are just really mistaken of how he can impact winning. Tuck does all those little, intangible things that really impact winning, that most people don’t really recognize.”

Sixers Notes: Barton, Dedmon, Embiid, McClung

February 24th, 2023 at 7:55am CST by Luke Adams

The Sixers have inquired about veteran guard Will Barton, a source tells Jason Dumas of KRON4 News (Twitter link). Barton, who is now a free agent after clearing waivers on Thursday, continues to weigh his options after being bought out by the Wizards, Dumas adds.

The 76ers currently have a full 15-man roster, so if the team wants to sign Barton or another free agent, someone would have to be waived to open up a spot.

Furkan Korkmaz, who requested a trade prior to this month’s deadline and remains out of Philadelphia’s rotation, would theoretically be a candidate to be cut, but his contract includes a $5.37MM guaranteed salary for next season. The only Sixers whose contracts don’t feature a guarantee or a player option for 2023/24 are Georges Niang, Shake Milton, Jalen McDaniels, Paul Reed, and recently signed big man Dewayne Dedmon.

Here’s more out of Philadelphia:

Dedmon’s debut with the Sixers was pushed back by at least one game, as he was ruled out of Thursday’s matchup vs. Memphis due to left hip tightness, writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. It’s unclear whether or not the veteran center will be good to go on Saturday vs. Boston.
Joel Embiid wasn’t on the Sixers’ injury report on Thursday for the first time in several weeks, according to Tim Bontemps of ESPN, who notes that the Sixers star was being listed as questionable due to left foot soreness for a while. After racking up 27 points, 19 rebounds, and six blocks in a dramatic win over Memphis, Embiid said he benefited from some time off over the All-Star break. “Like I said before the (break), whatever it is is all about rest, and I’ve had a couple (days off),” he said. “There’s a reason why I wasn’t part of (All-Star) Saturday, because I wanted to make sure I could get more rest.”
One Sixer who was a big part of All-Star Saturday was Mac McClung, who remains in the G League with the Delaware Blue Coats on his two-way deal. According to Jaylon Thompson of USA Today, Delaware’s ticket revenue has been five times higher than its usual rate since McClung won the dunk contest in Salt Lake City. “It means a lot to this community to have somebody that they can say, ‘Hey, he’s our guy’ and they can take pride in that,” said Blue Coats president of business operations Larry Meli.

Kevin Love Signs With Heat

February 20th, 2023 at 5:28pm CST by Luke Adams

FEBRUARY 20: Love has officially signed with the Heat, the team announced (via Twitter).

FEBRUARY 19: Veteran forward Kevin Love intends to sign with the Heat after he clears waivers, agent Jeff Schwartz has confirmed to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link).

Miami had been considered the frontrunner to sign Love after he completed a buyout agreement with the Cavaliers on Saturday. However, reports at the time indicated that he hadn’t yet made a final decision, with Wojnarowski noting that the 34-year-old still wanted to meet with the Sixers. Now, following that conversation with Philadelphia, it appears Love has made up his mind (Twitter link).

The Heat were viewed as a logical landing spot for Love because they can offer him the ability to play a key role right away. Miami has been on the lookout for power forward help for months, following P.J. Tucker‘s exit in free agency last summer. Caleb Martin has been the de facto starter at that spot for much of the season, but the 6’5″ wing lacks the size to match up with stronger, more physical fours.

Love, who fell out of the rotation in Cleveland last month and played his last game as a Cavalier on January 24, can’t replicate what Tucker did for the Heat last season, since he’s not as stout or as versatile defensively. But the five-time All-Star will bring some size, scoring, and rebounding to a Miami team that ranks 26th in the NBA in offensive rating (111.1) and 27th in rebounds per game (41.4) at the All-Star break.

Love’s averages of 8.5 PPG and 6.8 RPG on .389/.354/.889 shooting in 41 games (20.0 MPG) for the Cavs this season are somewhat underwhelming, but he put up 13.6 PPG, 7.2 RPG, and a .430/.392/.838 shooting line in a similar role (22.5 MPG) across 74 appearances for Cleveland last season.

The Heat won’t have to make a corresponding roster move to sign Love, since they have two open spots on their 15-man roster following the expiration of Jamaree Bouyea‘s 10-day deal with the team. Even after signing Love, Miami will have one more opening to either bring back Bouyea on another 10-day contract, promote Orlando Robinson from his two-way deal, or sign someone else.

According to Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press (Twitter link), Cody Zeller – who recently worked out for the Heat – has emerged as a strong candidate to fill that final open roster spot.

Having been officially waived on Saturday, Love will clear waivers on Monday, so the Heat are in position to sign him before their season resumes on Friday in Milwaukee. Miami has a portion of its mid-level exception and its full bi-annual exception available, giving the club the ability to offer Love more than the veteran’s minimum, but the terms of his deal haven’t yet been reported.

In addition to Miami and Philadelphia, the Suns and Lakers were among the other teams believed to have some level of interest in Love.

Sixers Notes: McClung, Embiid, Love, Reed, Dedmon

February 18th, 2023 at 11:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

Mac McClung has only played in two NBA games, but for one night he was the league’s brightest star. McClung dominated Saturday’s Slam Dunk Contest with three perfect scores on his four dunks, all of which drew a massive reaction from the crowd at Vivint Arena, writes Ben Golliver of The Washington Post.

“It’s great,” McClung said after defeating the Pelicans’ Trey Murphy in the finals. “I’m truly blessed and grateful to the NBA for giving me this opportunity. If you guys will have me, I’ll be back (next year).”

The 6’2″ guard wowed the packed house with his incredible leaping ability and acrobatics, leaving some of the NBA’s top players and former stars visibly impressed. He started the final round with a “double double-clutch” dunk, as Golliver describes it, then ended the night with a spinning reverse slam.

It was a memorable performance for a player who had been in the G League all season before signing a two-way contract with the Sixers on Tuesday. After brief trials with the Lakers, Bulls and Warriors over the last two years, McClung will try to use his newfound fame to help him stick on an NBA roster.

There’s more on the Sixers:

McClung would have missed the opportunity to become an All-Star Weekend sensation if he had accepted one of the offers received to play overseas last summer. According to Rich Hofman of The Athletic, McClung could have made more than $1MM with either Fenerbahce in Turkey or the Shanghai Sharks in China. He opted for an Exhibit 10 deal with Philadelphia that he believed gave him a better path to the NBA.
A Sixers source tells Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer that the organization believes Joel Embiid intends to play in Sunday’s All-Star Game, but Pompey suggests it would be better for Embiid and the team if he sits it out. Pompey notes that Embiid has been dealing with soreness in his left foot for much of the season and hasn’t been fully healthy for about a month.
Kevin Love will reportedly talk to the Sixers before deciding on his next team, but Kyle Neubeck of The Philly Voice isn’t convinced that it would be a good fit. Philadelphia has a full roster, so someone would have to be waived to make room for Love, and Neubeck sees Paul Reed or the recently signed Dewayne Dedmon as the best choices. Although Love could provide an upgrade with his rebounding, Neubeck points out that the Sixers already have a similar forward in Georges Niang.

Cavs, Kevin Love Complete Buyout; Heat In Lead To Sign Him

February 18th, 2023 at 3:46pm CST by Luke Adams

3:46pm: The buyout is now official and Love has been waived, the Cavs announced in a press release.

“Kevin Love had an outstanding run with the Cavaliers, including memorable on-court moments, four NBA Finals appearances and an NBA Championship in 2016,” said president of basketball operations Koby Altman. “Kevin represented the organization and the city of Cleveland with the utmost charm and professionalism during his nine seasons in Northeast Ohio.

“He also embodied everything a franchise would want in a player, and the admiration and gratitude we have for him will ultimately land his jersey in the rafters of Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. We thank Kevin for his impact and wish him nothing but the best, knowing that he has solidified his place in the hearts of Cavaliers fans and this organization forever.”

11:07am: The Cavaliers and Love have completed a buyout, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (via Twitter). Wojnarowski confirms that Miami is the frontrunner to sign Love, but says he intends to talk to to the Sixers before finalizing a decision.

9:29am: The Heat have emerged as the frontrunners to sign Kevin Love once he finalizes a buyout agreement with the Cavaliers, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).

As Charania explains, other teams with interest in signing Love believe he favors Miami due to the Heat’s ability to offer a defined role, as well as their position in the standings.

The Heat are currently the seventh seed in the East, but have a three-game cushion on the eight-place Hawks and are within striking distance of the Knicks and Nets, the two teams directly ahead of them for the East’s final two guaranteed playoff berths.

Miami has been on the lookout all season long for power forward help following P.J. Tucker‘s exit in free agency last summer. Caleb Martin has served as a de facto starter at that spot for much of the season, but the 6’5″ wing lacks the size to match up with stronger, more physical fours.

Love, who has been out of the Cavs’ rotation and is said to be nearing a buyout, can’t replicate what Tucker did for the Heat last season, since he’s not as stout or as versatile defensively. But the 34-year-old can bring some size, scoring, and rebounding to a Miami team that ranks 26th in the NBA in offensive rating (111.1) and 27th in rebounds per game (41.4).

Love’s averages of 8.5 PPG and 6.8 RPG on .389/.354/.889 shooting in 41 games (20.0 MPG) for the Cavs this season are somewhat underwhelming, but he put up 13.6 PPG, 7.2 RPG, and a .430/.392/.838 shooting line in a similar role (22.5 MPG) across 74 appearances for Cleveland last season.

The Heat have an opening on their 15-man roster, so no corresponding move would be necessary to add Love, though there are still a few steps to go before the move can become official. The Cavs will need to formally buy out and waive Love, then he’ll spend two days on waivers. Once he become a free agent, Miami would still need to hold off a last-minute push from rival suitors to make things official with the five-time All-Star.

The Suns are among the teams believed to have interest in Love, while the Lakers were also reportedly “kicking the tires,” ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said during a TV appearance (YouTube video link).

Dedmon Appreciates How Far He, Sixers Have Come

February 18th, 2023 at 7:58am CST by Luke Adams

One of Dewayne Dedmon‘s first NBA contracts, a 10-day deal, came back in 2014 with a 19-63 Sixers team that had just launched “The Process.” Back in Philadelphia nine years later and with over 500 NBA games under his belt, Dedmon appreciates how far both he and the team have come since then. “It’s great growth for the organization, you know what I’m saying?” Dedmon said, per Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. “Doing big things. Just the whole processing years have turned out some really good things going on here. And for myself, just keep working and it’s paying off. I’m back here now and I’m ready to win.”

And-Ones: World Cup Qualifiers, Nike Summit, MVP Race, Rising Stars, Draft

February 17th, 2023 at 8:52am CST by Luke Adams

With two more qualifying matches for the 2023 World Cup right around the corner, USA Basketball has officially announced the 12-man roster that will compete in February’s games. Team USA’s squad is made up primarily of G Leaguers, but features a number of players with NBA experience.

The 12 players who will represent the U.S. on February 23 vs. Uruguay and Feb. 26 vs. Brazil are Deonte Burton, Will Davis II, Abdul Gaddy, Langston Galloway, Treveon Graham, Dusty Hannahs, Nate Hinton, Jay Huff, Xavier Moon, Elijah Pemberton, Reggie Perry, and Craig Sword.

So far, Canada is the only team in the Americas field to qualify for the 2023 World Cup, having won all of its first 10 qualifying contests. However, Team USA – which has an 8-2 record so far – will clinch a World Cup berth by winning either one of its two games this month, tweets Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today.

Meanwhile, USA Basketball also announced the rosters for the 2023 Nike Hoop Summit, an annual showcase of U.S. high school prospects that will take place on April 8. The most notable name on the men’s roster is Bronny James, but Bronny isn’t the only son of a former Cavaliers lottery pick to be named to the event — the 13-player roster also includes Dajuan Wagner Jr.

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

Nuggets center Nikola Jokic is building a strong case for his third consecutive MVP award and leads the way in the latest straw poll conducted by ESPN’s Tim Bontemps. Bontemps’ survey asks 100 media members for their current MVP ballots — Jokic received 77 first-place votes, easily besting runners-up Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Bucks (11 first-place votes) and Joel Embiid of the Sixers (6).
Rockets guard Jalen Green (left groin strain) and Pistons center Jalen Duren (right ankle sprain) have been forced to withdraw from Friday night’s Rising Stars event at All-Star weekend due to injuries, according to the NBA (Twitter link). They’re being replaced by Bulls guard Ayo Dosunmu and Rockets forward Tari Eason.
In his latest mock draft for The Athletic, Sam Vecenie moves Alabama wing Brandon Miller up to No. 3, writing that Miller is considered the safest bet in the 2023 draft class – outside of Victor Wembanyama and Scoot Henderson – to be a “really good player” at the NBA level. Vecenie’s top five is rounded out by Overtime Elite guard Amen Thompson at No. 4 and Houston forward Jarace Walker at No. 5.

Embiid Dealing With Foot Injury, Might Not Play In All-Star Game

February 15th, 2023 at 11:34pm CST by Rory Maher

Sixers star Joel Embiid might not compete in the All-Star Game, as he’s been dealing with a nagging foot injury, according to Kyle Neubeck of PhillyVoice.com. “I’m not sure, I’m not healthy,” Embiid said when asked if he’d play in Sunday’s game. “I haven’t been healthy for the past three weeks or month, I was just trying to get to the All-Star break without missing games and stuff. I feel like I’ve reached the point where I really need to follow the doctor’s advice and miss, back then he said I should have been sitting for two weeks. Going to see how the next few days go and go from there.”

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