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Northwest Notes: Lillard, Blazers, Wolves, Gee, Jazz

June 22nd, 2023 at 4:45pm CST by Luke Adams

Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard avoided dropping any bombshells during a Q&A with Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, offering fairly cagey responses when Scotto asked about his thoughts on this year’s top prospects and where he sees himself in five years.

However, Lillard did give an interesting answer when asked about the importance of winning a championship. According to the Blazers star, while winning a title is at “the top of the list” in terms of his goals, it wouldn’t necessarily significantly change the way he views his own legacy.

“A championship would mean a lot to me, but in my personal opinion, if I don’t win it, it’s not the end-all, be-all to me,” Lillard said. “I wouldn’t be happy with it, but I think when you talk about other people’s perception, I think it’s extremely important to my legacy. It’s extremely important to me, but my opinion of me not winning wouldn’t be the same as others.”

Here’s more from around the Northwest:

  • Hannah Grauert, who worked from the Trail Blazers from 2007-17 and most recently spent time with Nike and Microsoft, will be the president of the club’s new G League affiliate, the team announced in a press release. Grauert will be overseeing the NBAGL franchise as a whole, not focusing specifically on basketball operations.
  • While Timberwolves president of basketball operations Tim Connelly isn’t ruling out the possibility of making a deal or two on draft night, he doesn’t anticipate a move that will shake up the roster in a major way, writes Chris Hine of The Star Tribune.“We have a core and we’re excited to run it back,” Connelly said. “… We’re pretty excited about our core. [Chris Finch] is an elite coach. Having the year under his belt and hopefully a healthy year, we think we can be pretty good.”
  • Former NBA wing Alonzo Gee is now part of the Timberwolves‘ front office, tweets Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News. Gee appeared in 417 NBA regular season games from 2009-17 and continued to play internationally until 2022.
  • As Eric Walden of The Salt Lake Tribune relays, Jazz vice president of player personnel Bart Taylor shared his wide-ranging thoughts on the team’s draft preparation in general and the 2023 draft in particular. While Taylor made some interesting comments, he was tight-lipped when asked how many players are realistically in play for Utah at No. 9. “I mean, we have nine right now,” Taylor said. “One of them will be there. One of them I know will not be there, for sure.
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Alonzo Gee To Play In Australia

August 28th, 2018 at 1:03pm CST by Luke Adams

NBA veteran Alonzo Gee will head to Australia for the 2018/19 season, according to Olgun Uluc of Fox Sports Australia, who hears from sources that Gee has signed with the Brisbane Bullets of the National Basketball League.

Gee, a 6’6″ wing, made his NBA debut in 2010 and appeared in over 400 regular season gamse for six teams over the next seven years. He played most extensively for the Cavaliers, averaging 8.2 PPG and 3.8 RPG in 250 total games for Cleveland from 2010 to 2014.

Gee’s last stint in the NBA came during the 2016/17 campaign, when he appeared in 13 contests for the Nuggets. Last season, the 31-year-old played for the Sioux Falls Skyforce in the G League before signing with Caciques de Humacao in Puerto Rico to finish the season.

If Gee returns stateside and wants to play in the G League at some point in the near future, he may end up playing for the Wizards’ new NBAGL affiliate — the Capital City Go-Go acquired his G League rights during last week’s expansion draft.

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Go-Go Stock Roster in G League Expansion Draft

August 22nd, 2018 at 4:43pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Capital City Go-Go welcomed their first 14 players today in the G League expansion draft, tweets Adam Johnson of Two Ways and 10 Days. The Wizards’ new affiliate stocked its roster with a mixture of young players and veterans, including a few names familiar to NBA fans, including Lavoy Allen, Alonzo Gee and Luke Harangody.

As we saw with last year’s expansion draft, being selected isn’t a guarantee that any of these 14 players will take the court for Capital City in its inaugural season. Many of the players chosen today are still seeking NBA opportunities and some will head overseas.

Allen, 29, played 388 games for the Sixers and Pacers, with his last NBA action coming in the 2016/17 season. Gee, 31, played for six teams in eight seasons and has also been out of the league since 2016/17. Harangody, 30, appeared in 70 total games with the Celtics and Cavaliers and hasn’t been in the NBA since 2011/12.

The other G League franchises were permitted to protect up to 12 players on their roster, and Capital City was limited to taking a maximum of two players from a single team. The Go-Go will begin play this fall, bringing the G League to 27 teams and leaving the Pelicans, Nuggets and Trail Blazers as the only NBA clubs without direct affiliates.

The other new members of the Go-Go, listed alphabetically, are:

Quinton Chievous

Michael Cobbins

Will Cummings

Alex Davis

Will Davis

Duje Dukan

Kellen Dunham

Tyler Harvey

Pe’Shon Howard

Vince Hunter

Stephen Zimmerman

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And-Ones: All-Star Draft, Team USA, G League

February 21st, 2018 at 11:51am CST by Luke Adams

While it’s not clear how much the new format was responsible for the NBA’s best and most competitive All-Star Game in years, commissioner Adam Silver was happy with the result, telling ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne that he was appreciative of the players and thought the game was “incredible.” Silver also suggested that fans’ biggest complaint about this year’s All-Star draft format will likely be addressed for next year’s event.

“When we sat with the union and we came up with this format, we all agreed, let’s not turn something that’s 100% positive into a potential negative to any player,” Silver said. “But then … maybe we’re overly conservative, because then we came out of there, and the players were, ‘We can take it. We’re All-Stars. Let’s have a draft.’ So it sounds like we’re going to have a televised draft next year.”

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

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And-Ones: George, Lakers, Team USA, 2019 Draft

February 12th, 2018 at 11:27am CST by Luke Adams

It was overshadowed last week by the excitement of the NBA trade deadline, but Thunder forward Paul George once again addressed his 2018 free agency, this time during a conversation with Sam Amick of USA Today. The last time George weighed in on his upcoming decision, he was telling ESPN that Russell Westbrook‘s advocacy for George’s spot on the All-Star team was making his free agency choice easier.

This time around, George continued to praise the Thunder – an organization he called “smart” and “savvy” – and laid out a strong case for why he might end up re-signing with Oklahoma City. However, he didn’t close the door on heading west to Los Angeles either.

“I’ve been really happy,” George told Amick. “(The Thunder are] a great organization to be a part of, but again, you know, I don’t want people looking at this and (saying) like, ‘Hey, because he said it’s his happiness at the end of the day (that he’s definitely re-signing).’ I don’t know whether I’m going to LA, or what I’m going to do this offseason. But I can say I am happy about being here. I’m happy with playing with Russ, happy with playing with Melo, and this organization. This front office has shown what they can do to go get pieces and how active they are about winning.”

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

  • RealGM has the unusual protection details on the first-round pick acquired by the Lakers in their deadline deal with the Cavaliers. The 2018 first-rounder is top-three protected, so it’s a virtual lock to change hands this year. But if the Cavs somehow fall out of the playoffs and jump into the top three in the lottery, the Lakers wouldn’t have another shot at the pick until 2023, when it’s top-10 protected.
  • Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer identifies several players who would be top candidates for a Most Improved Situation of the Year award, if such an award existed.
  • USA Basketball recently announced the 14 players who will participate in training camp for the next World Cup qualifying event. Former NBAers like Terrence Jones, Semaj Christon, and Alonzo Gee are among the players looking to represent Team USA.
  • Jonathan Givony of ESPN (Insider link) takes an early look at the 2019 draft class, which currently projected to be headed by a trio of Duke commits, R.J. Barrett, Cameron Reddish, and Zion Williamson.
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Southeast Notes: Heat, Wizards, Speights, Bacon

December 29th, 2017 at 12:22pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Heat will be eligible to apply for a hardship exception after tonight’s game, writes Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel. To qualify, teams must have at least four players miss three consecutive games with injuries and be ruled out for at least two more weeks by an independent medical specialist. Dion Waiters will sit out his third straight game tonight with a sprained ankle, joining Justise Winslow, who has missed eight games with a left knee sprain, and Rodney McGruder and Okaro White, who are both recovering from surgeries.

Miami, which signed White under similar circumstances last season, has a roster candidate playing for its G League affiliate, Winderman notes. Veteran swingman Alonzo Gee is averaging 17.8 points in five games with Sioux Falls. The 30-year-old, who last appeared in the NBA when he signed a 10-day contract with the Nuggets in January, has played for six teams in eight years.

There’s more from the Southeast Division:

  • John Wall and Bradley Beal both used the word “selfish” to explain why the Wizards frequently suffer letdowns like the one that resulted in Wednesday’s loss to the Hawks, relays Candace Buckner of The Washington Post. Washington was expected to be among the top teams in the East, but has dropped games to the Mavericks, Suns, Lakers, Clippers, Nets [twice] and Hawks, who all have losing records. “We talk about it. We say when we play these teams that are not above .500 or not one of the great teams, we go out there playing for stats,” Wall said.
  • At age 30, Marreese Speights has become a leader on a young Magic team, notes John Denton of NBA.com. Speights, who signed with Orlando this summer, has been around seasoned veterans throughout his career and is passing on the knowledge he gained to his new teammates. “You never know when this game is going to get taken away from you, and that happens to a lot of people, so you have to cherish it every time you get to play,’’ he said. “You have to understand this is bigger than what you think it is. I never take it for granted putting that jersey on.’’
  • Hornets guard Dwayne Bacon will have a short stay in the G League, relays Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer. The rookie out of Florida State made an impression Thursday with 45 points, nine rebounds and five assists for the Swarm. “Barring injury to a Hornets player [Friday against Golden State], the plan is to have Bacon play in Greensboro tonight [i.e. Thursday] against Wisconsin, and then on Saturday in Iowa,” GM Rich Cho wrote in a text message. “We would then recall him after the game on Saturday and have him join [the Hornets] in LA.”
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And-Ones: Doncic, Gee, Mexico City, NBPA

December 15th, 2017 at 2:19pm CST by Luke Adams

A highlight of Real Madrid star Luka Doncic crossing over former Trail Blazers forward Victor Claver went viral on Thursday, and representatives from a number of NBA teams were on hand to see it in person. According to international basketball reporter David Pick (Twitter link), the Sixers, Suns, Clippers, Magic, Mavericks, Pelicans, Wizards, and others all had officials in attendance.

Of course, given how highly regarded Doncic is, most of these teams are unlikely to have a shot at him in the 2018 NBA draft. In singling out some of the risers and fallers in the latest update to their 2018 big board, Jonathan Givony and Mike Schmitz of ESPN (Insider link) explain why Doncic is at the top of their rankings.

According to Givony and Schmitz, who refer to Doncic as “the most productive European prospect of all time,” the 6’8″ guard could have a legit chance to win the EuroLeague’s MVP award this season. Some scouts worry about his athleticism, his defense, or his ability to create shots, so it’s not a lock that he’ll go No. 1 in June. But Doncic, at age 18, is already one of the best scorers and facilitators in Europe, in the eyes of Givony and Schmitz.

Here’s more from around the basketball world:

  • Veteran NBA swingman Alonzo Gee is headed to the G League, according to Adam Johnson of 2 Ways & 10 Days, who tweets that the Heat‘s affiliate (the Sioux Falls Skyforce) has claimed Gee off waivers. The 30-year-old, who has appeared in regular season games for six NBA clubs, last played for the Nuggets in 2016/17.
  • After reporting last week that the NBA intends to establish a G League franchise in Mexico City, Marc Stein of The New York Times takes a deep dive into the issue and outlines why the league is more seriously considering the viability of eventually expanding to Mexico — not just with a G League team, but with an NBA club. The fact that Mexico City shares a time zone with so many current NBA clubs is a major plus, as commissioner Adam Silver observes.
  • The players’ union and former NBPA executive director Billy Hunter have reached a settlement in their legal battle, according to Liz Mullen of SportsBusiness Journal (Twitter links). After the NBPA fired Hunter in 2013, the longtime executive director sued the union for $10MM+, and the union counter-sued. Terms of the settlement weren’t disclosed, but Hunter said in a statement that he’s happy about “moving forward after years of hard-fought litigation on both sides.”
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Nuggets Sign Johnny O’Bryant To 10-Day Deal

January 26th, 2017 at 11:15am CST by Luke Adams

JANUARY 26: The Nuggets have made it official, announcing in a press release that they’ve signed O’Bryant to a 10-day contract.

JANUARY 24: The Nuggets intend to sign free agent power forward Johnny O’Bryant to a 10-day contract, reports Chris Dempsey of The Denver Post (Twitter link). Denver was previously believed to be lining up another 10-day deal for Alonzo Gee when a roster spot became available, but it seems the club has opted to go in another direction.

O’Bryant, 23, was the 36th overall pick in the 2014 draft, and spent his first two NBA seasons with the Bucks. In 100 games for the club, O’Bryant averaged 3.0 PPG and 2.4 RPG. The LSU product signed as a free agent with the Wizards prior to training camp last fall, but didn’t earn a regular-season roster spot with the team.

O’Bryant subsequently joined the D-League’s Northern Arizona Suns, and has averaged 18.5 PPG and 8.7 RPG in 24 games for Phoenix’s affiliate this season. He has even added a three-point shot to his game, making 38.0% of his attempts and averaging more than one three-pointer per game.

With O’Bryant set to join the Nuggets, Mo Williams has been waived by the team to create a roster spot. The move was expected after Denver claimed Williams off waivers on Monday. Earlier today, I explained why Williams’ contract appeals to the Nuggets, who have now traded for, cut, and reclaimed the point guard. Denver will hope that he passes through waivers this time around.

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Stein’s Latest: Nurkic, Millsap, Gay, Tucker

January 20th, 2017 at 10:58am CST by Arthur Hill

The latest column from ESPN.com’s Marc Stein is filled with fresh rumors as next month’s trade deadline approaches. We’ve already shared the Bulls’ interest in Chris Bosh and the Magic’s offer for Goran Dragic. Here are some more intriguing trade tidbits:

  • Nuggets big man Jusuf Nurkic is almost certain to be traded before the February 23rd deadline. Denver officials admitted that pairing Nurkic with Nikola Jokic didn’t work, and they want to ship him to a team where he has a chance to be a starting center.
  • Teams are very skeptical about the Hawks‘ assertion that All-Star forward Paul Millsap has been pulled from trade consideration. The 31-year-old has a player option worth nearly $21.5MM for next season and is expected to test the free agent market.
  • The Kings had numerous offers for Rudy Gay, mostly during the offseason but also more recently, but elected to keep him in hopes of earning a playoff spot. The Thunder, Heat and Blazers were the most interested teams last summer. Gay is out for the season after tearing an Achilles tendon Wednesday night.
  • The Kings would like to find teams willing to take Ben McLemore and Arron Afflalo.
  • The Clippers offered the Suns a future second-round pick for P.J. Tucker, but Phoenix is holding out for a first-rounder. The Clippers owe their first-round pick this year to Toronto and in 2019 to Boston, so the next first-rounder they could offer would be in 2021.
  • Tucker and Brandon Knight are considered the most available Suns. Coach Earl Watson said this week that the team will not trade veteran center Tyson Chandler.
  • The Nuggets would like to sign Alonzo Gee to another 10-day contract once Mo Williams clears waivers. Gee’s first 10-day contract expired Wednesday, the same day Williams was waived after being acquired in a trade with the Hawks.
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Nuggets Re-Sign Alonzo Gee To 10-Day Deal

January 8th, 2017 at 6:08pm CST by Will Joseph

The Nuggets re-signed Alonzo Gee to a 10-day contract just two days after waiving him, Denver announced on its official team website. Christopher Dempsey of The Denver Post had first reported that the Nuggets were interested in bringing back Gee.

Gee will be with the team for Thursday’s game vs. Indiana in London. Denver had parted ways with Gee to avoid Saturday’s deadline that would have guaranteed his contract for the rest of the season.

Gee has appeared in just 13 games for the Nuggets, averaging 0.8 points and 0.8 rebounds in 6.8 minutes per night. Denver signed him in November after he was waived by New Orleans. The 6’6″ forward has played for six franchises in his eight-year NBA career including stops with the Spurs and Cavs.

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