Anthony Davis Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Western Notes: Young, Brown, Davis, Morrow

November 29th, 2016 at 10:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

Lakers shooting guard Nick Young will undergo an MRI on Wednesday after leaving tonight’s game with a strained right Achilles tendon, writes Mark Medina of The Orange County Register. Young suffered the injury about two minutes into the game in New Orleans and had to be helped off the court. The Lakers are concerned that he might be out for an extended period, according to Medina. Young, who many observers thought might get waived during the offseason, has been a pleasant surprise for the Lakers and one of the reasons they are in playoff contention. He claimed a starting job and has averaged 14.6 points per game while shooting 45.8% from the field. The team’s starting point guard, D’Angelo Russell, is already sidelined with soreness in his left knee.

There’s more out of the Western Conference:

Pelicans guard Anthony Brown isn’t holding a grudge against the Lakers for waiving him during the preseason, according to Mark Medina of The Los Angeles Daily News. Brown said he understands it would have been hard to earn playing time on a team filled with wing players such as Young, Jordan Clarkson, Lou Williams, Brandon Ingram and Luol Deng. “He’s a smart kid and a smart player. I think it means he has the right attitude,” Lakers coach Luke Walton said of Brown. “It’s the truth. You can take these situations and pout and blame other people. Or you can use it to make you better and motivate you.”
Anthony Davis is rising to the defense of his much-maligned teammates, relays Justin Verrier of ESPN.com. Davis is putting up All-Star numbers once again, but the Pelicans are off to a 7-12 start amid complaints that the front office hasn’t put enough talent around their franchise big man. “I’m on social media, so I see it all the time,” Davis said in a recent interview with ESPN’s Marc Stein. “But I think, for me, it’s just about the guys in that locker room. I know they come out here every day in practice and every night in the game and fight and leave everything on the floor. It’s nothing that I try to pay attention to as much. But you see it. You have to pay attention to it. For me, that’s not my M.O. to get into all the media and all that stuff. I just worry about what’s going on in that locker room and on the floor with the guys I have in the locker room.”
Veteran shooting specialist Anthony Morrow is starting to get more playing time with the Thunder, writes Susan Bible of Basketball Insiders. Coach Billy Donovan has expanded Morrow’s minutes over the past three games and he has responded by averaging 15 points per night. “He can score,” teammate Russell Westbrook said. “I’m not worried about A-Mo. This is not a surprise to me. Maybe it surprised some other people, but to me, I’ve seen him do this since I’ve been here.”

Anthony Davis Reaffirms Loyalty To Pelicans

November 21st, 2016 at 10:02pm CST by Arthur Hill

A second straight disappointing start by the Pelicans has trade rumors swirling around star big man Anthony Davis, but he told The Vertical’s Shams Charania he has no desire to leave New Orleans.

The shorthanded Pelicans have won just four of their first 14 games and have been mired near the bottom of the Western Conference standings. The rash of injuries that ruined last season has not only continued, it has expanded to other misfortunes such as the offseason death of Bryce Dejean-Jones and the family health crisis that led Jrue Holiday to take a leave of absence.

Still, Davis has refused to complain about the situation and remains committed to seeing the franchise through its bad times.

“My desire to win here is the same,” he said. “I go out there and play. I don’t care what the record is. I just go out there and play. I have to lead this team and make sure my guys are always happy and high energy. I don’t care what people say about our team. They’re not in our locker room seeing us, not part of our group. That’s all white noise. I just try to control what I can: go out there and compete.”

Davis has been an early MVP candidate with averages of 31.7 points, 11.5 rebounds and 3.0 blocks per game. His talent would have virtually every NBA team salivating if the Pelicans ever did put him on the market, even after shoulder and knee injuries that limited him to 61 games last season. Davis also has one of the league’s richest contracts, being owed about $104MM over the next four seasons.

Trade speculation emerged last week involving the Celtics, with one writer suggesting Davis might be acquired for a package made up of Jaylen Brown, Avery Bradley and three first rounders, along with taking back Omer Asik‘s contract. However, there is no sign that New Orleans was ever considering such a deal.

Davis said his top priority for now is to leave the injury problems behind him and play an 82-game season for the first time since entering the NBA.

“Injuries happen, and there’s nothing I can do about it,” he said. “I just wanted to get my body right to be able to play all 82 [games] this year and then play the postseason. I know how important it is to take care of my body and stay on the floor as much as possible. I know this team and what people say is noise. We just want to compete and get wins.”

Pelicans Rumors: Davis, Moore, Holiday, Benson

November 17th, 2016 at 6:44pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The lack of talent surrounding Pelicans power forward Anthony Davis is the biggest reason why his ability to make teammates better has been slow to develop, Kevin Ding of the Bleacher Report opines. Davis has not enjoyed the luxury of playing with another All-Star caliber player, which has led to his poor assist-to-turnover ratio, Ding continues while noting he’s only finished one season with a positive ratio. Davis’ usage rate, and the percentage of assists he’s had on those possessions, are comparable to low-post players like Brook Lopez and Zach Randolph, Ding points out, rather than a versatile superstar. Coach Alvin Gentry has also failed to develop an offensive support system to facilitate Davis’ growth, Ding adds.

In other news regarding the Pelicans:

Shooting guard E’Twaun Moore is grateful to have some job security after playing for three other organizations during his first five years in the league, Cody Taylor of Basketball Insiders writes. Moore, who left the Bulls and signed a four-year, $34MM contract as a free agent over the summer, is averaging a career-high 12.6 points. “It’s tough to stick around in this league; it’s not easy,” Moore told Taylor.
Guard Jrue Holiday believes his experience will help the club in late-game situations, according to an Associated Press story. Holiday will make his season debut on Friday after caring for his ailing wife Lauren. “Down the stretch, I do think I could help with some directing and just tightening it up,” Holiday said. Gentry said at he might pair Holiday at times with Tim Frazier, who has started at the point in his absence. “Jrue can play off the ball or on the ball,” Gentry told the AP. “That’s what makes him so good. I think he’s a versatile player. We need his shooting also.”
A lawsuit regarding the ownership of the team is close to being resolved, Greg LaRose of the Times-Picayune relays. The parties have asked Judge Jane Triche Milazzo for more time to complete settlement talks. The dispute surfaced when Pelicans owner Tom Benson sought to remove ownership shares of the teams from the inheritance of his daughter, Renee Benson, and his grandchildren. He wants to give control of the franchise to his wife, Gayle.

Atlantic Notes: Davis, Ainge, Brown, Poeltl

November 16th, 2016 at 3:05pm CST by Arthur Hill

Celtics play-by-play announcer Mike Gorman isn’t a believer in the Anthony Davis to Boston trade rumors. Speaking on the Toucher and Rich radio show, Gorman said neither Davis or the Pelicans are interested in a trade. “Joel Meyers, who’s been around the league forever and is a great play-by-play guy who does New Orleans, [told Brian Scalabrine] and I . . . ‘No shot [Davis is] leaving.’ There’s no shot he’s leaving. He is anchored to New Orleans, loves New Orleans, loves living there and wants to ultimately be the leader of a good team in New Orleans,'” Gorman said. “Well, good luck to him if that’s the case, because that’s going to take a while.” Gorman also doesn’t think DeMarcus Cousins or James Harden would be a good fit with the Celtics.

There’s more out of the Atlantic Division:

Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge speeded up the rebuilding process by making 19 trades since coach Brad Stevens was hired in July of 2013, writes Chris Forsberg of ESPN.com. Forsberg analyzes all 19 deals and finds that Ainge got at least equal value in return every time.
A coaching change in Philadelphia would be a mistake, argues Marcus Hayes of The Philadelphia Daily News. Hayes states that Brett Brown can’t be judged fairly until Joel Embiid has time to develop his game, the minutes restrictions are lifted on Embiid and Jahlil Okafor and the Sixers acquire a decent starting point guard.
Jakob Poeltl and fellow rookie Pascal Siakam have already been used as starters by the Raptors, notes Spencer Davies of Amicohoops. It’s a unique position for young players to get that opportunity on a team coming off the conference finals, and Poeltl addresses that topic in a wide-ranging interview. “It’s great for us to be out there and get the chance to learn,” he said. “Obviously, we had some injury problems — like, that played into it — but it’s great for [coach Dwane Casey] to be like, ‘Okay you know, I’ll give these young guys a chance. Let’s see what they’ve got.’ I think that shows a lot about him.”

Pelicans Notes: Davis, Evans, Frazier

November 15th, 2016 at 10:18am CST by Luke Adams

The Pelicans put themselves in a serious hole to start the 2016/17 season, losing their first eight games. Since then, the team has looked a little better, picking up wins against the Bucks and Celtics in the last three games. With Jrue Holiday expected to return soon, the tide may be shifting a little in New Orleans, but the Pelicans still have a significant uphill battle to contend for a playoff spot. Let’s check in on the latest Pelicans news and notes…

According to Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders, there’s a pretty decent chance that the Pelicans will make “big changes in the immediate future,” but those moves won’t involve Anthony Davis — New Orleans has never considered dealing the face of the franchise, and it’s hard to imagine a scenario in which the club would consider it, Kyler writes.
Injured guard Tyreke Evans is set to participate in “light practice” for the Pelicans today, reports Scott Kushner of The Advocate (all Twitter links). According to Kushner, it’s too early to pencil in an exact return date for Evans, but there’s a chance he’ll be back in the team’s lineup by Thanksgiving.
Tim Frazier, who started his career in the D-League, signed a guaranteed two-year, $4MM+ contract with the Pelicans this summer, but continues to fight to prove he belongs in the NBA, as Justin Verrier of ESPN.com outlines.

Community Shootaround: Anthony Davis

November 10th, 2016 at 6:42pm CST by Dana Gauruder

No team in the NBA is floundering more than the Pelicans. The only other winless franchise heading into Thursday was a perennial doormat, the Sixers, whose best-laid plans were shattered when top pick Ben Simmons suffered a preseason foot injury.

New Orleans lost its first eight games despite the efforts of its franchise player Anthony Davis, who is averaging 30.9 points, 11.4 rebounds and 3.0 blocks. Clearly, the Pelicans have done a poor job surrounding the 23-year-old with the necessary pieces to be a contender. So, does it make any sense to explore trade options for Davis?

On the surface, the notion seems silly, almost unfathomable. Why would they give up on a budding superstar, a likely future MVP, who is under team control through at least the 2018/19 season?

Certainly, it would require a haul of quality young players and draft picks to even consider making such a move. And the Pelicans would basically be waving the white flag on the next few seasons, like the Sixers did in their rebuilding process.

The flip side is that the franchise has nosedived since its playoff appearance in 2014/15, after which Davis agreed to an extension. They hired a veteran coach in Alvin Gentry with the anticipation of being perennial playoff team but injuries and questionable personnel decisions have set them back.

Their current second- and third-leading scorers, guards E’Twaun Moore and Tim Frazier, won’t be mistaken for the backcourt of J.J. Redick and Chris Paul. They have two starters, Solomon Hill and Omer Asik, averaging a combined 8.1 points.

To be fair, the Pelicans have been without arguably their second- and third-best players. Tyreke Evans is expected to return sometime next month from a knee injury, while Jrue Holiday should be back soon after taking care of his ailing wife. But Evans has undergone three procedures this year, and both players are unrestricted free agents after the season.

The Pelicans lost Ryan Anderson and Eric Gordon in free agency and signed two unheralded players in Moore and Hill. In the long run, those moves might turn out to be solid investments but the Pelicans are undeniably lacking in impact players beyond Davis.

New Orleans could pin its hopes on attracting top free agents and finding a big-time player in the lottery. But its lottery pick from this year’s draft, Buddy Hield, has yet to find his shooting stroke.

Another potential issue is that Davis has struggled to stay on the court. He’s never made it through more than 68 games in any of his first four seasons.

That leads us to today’s question: Given the state of the franchise, should the Pelicans even consider trading Anthony Davis?

Take to the comments section below to share your thoughts and opinions on this topic. We look forward to what you have to say.

Injury Notes: Beverley, Davis, Williams

October 19th, 2016 at 9:26pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Patrick Beverley has missed the past four preseason games with knee irritation and a source tells Calvin Walkins of ESPN.com that he may have surgery on his left knee. Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders tweets that the injury is not severe and Beverley is seeking a second opinion, as team doctors are not exactly sure what is wrong with the knee. Beverley was penciled in as the starter for the Rockets and in his absence, coach Mike D’Antoni has played James Harden at the point guard position.

Here’s more injury news from around the league:

The Pelicans believe Anthony Davis will be available to play on opening night and the team is strongly considering letting him play in the team’s final preseason game on Thursday night, Ramona Shelburne and Marc Stein of ESPN.com pass along. Davis practiced today without any issue with his injured ankle, the pair of ESPN scribes relay.
Marvin Williams has a non-displaced fracture in his left middle finger, according to the Hornets‘ Twitter feed. He will remain out until at least next Tuesday, at which time he will be reevaluated.
Aron Baynes suffered a broken nose during Tuesday’s practice and he underwent surgery on it shortly after, according to a Pistons‘ press release. Baynes will not play in tonight’s preseason game.

Western Notes: Harris, Turner, Ford, Ulis

October 14th, 2016 at 10:27pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Nuggets shooting guard Gary Harris, who is making his way back from a groin strain he suffered during the team’s first preseason game, has resumed light basketball activities, which is good news for Denver, Christopher Dempsey of The Denver Post writes. “That was the most I’ve done in a while,” Harris said. “Really haven’t tried anything [until today]. Just tried to be cautious with it, make sure everything is cool. Don’t want to re-aggravate it and make sure I’m feeling nothing when I’m doing things. Right there I felt fine, didn’t feel anything. So as long as we keep doing that, don’t want to push it too much.”

Head coach Michael Malone noted that Harris could be ready for the season opener, a date the guard wouldn’t commit to just yet, Dempsey notes. “I’m just going day by day, just trying to get better each day,” Harris said. “That’s two weeks down the road: We’ll see. I’m just trying to get better each day.”

Here’s more from out West:

Evan Turner‘s new $70MM contract with the Trail Blazers spans four years, so he’ll have plenty of time to make sure the team gets its money’s worth. For now though, as Jason Quick of CSNNW.com writes, Turner is “still finding his way” with his new club, in the words of head coach Terry Stotts.
Quincy Ford, who was waived by the Jazz on Thursday, will join the team’s D-League squad as an affiliate player, Chris Reichert of Upside and Motor reports (via Twitter).
The Pelicans have officially confirmed via pres release that Anthony Davis will miss 10-14 days due to a sprained right ankle. Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated first reported the injury.
Suns rookie point guard Tyler Ulis has been receiving extensive preseason minutes as the team wants to get him as much experience as possible, Paul Coro of The Arizona Republic writes. “It’s perfect for me,” Ulis said of averaging 17 minutes in four preseason games with two preseason games to go. “I know I’m getting valuable minutes right now. They want to see what I can do. I’m learning more and more. [Coach] Earl [Watson] is teaching me which spots to go at. This is fun. It’s a process. I’m happy to learn and it’s better to learn in a game than watching.”

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

Southwest Notes: Nowitzki, Mavs, Pelicans, Forbes

October 13th, 2016 at 4:01pm CST by Luke Adams

Dirk Nowitzki isn’t thinking about retirement quite yet, but when he does decide to call it a career, he’ll have a standing offer with a team in Germany. As The Dallas Morning News notes, Uli Hoeness, the president of Bayern Munich’s basketball team, told German news outlet Bild that his club would “warmly welcome” Nowitzki if he has interest in an advisor role. Of course, if Nowitzki wants a coaching or front office role after his playing career is over, he should have no shortage of NBA opportunities either, particularly with the Mavericks.

Let’s check in on some other items from around the Southwest division…

Anthony Davis is about to start his fifth season with the Pelicans, and the franchise doesn’t seem any closer to title contention this year than in past years, writes Colin McGowan of RealGM.com. Davis is locked up for at least four more years, so he’s not going anywhere anytime soon, but McGowan wonders if the franchise big man will start to get restless if the team doesn’t show real signs of improvement soon.
The Spurs have five players battling for one roster spot, which means Bryn Forbes will have to beat out a handful of other camp invitees to make the team’s 15-man squad. However, as Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News outlines, Forbes’ perimeter shooting makes him an intriguing option for the team.
Matt Mosley of SportsDayDFW.com believes Harrison Barnes will be a fine addition for the Mavericks as long as he doesn’t get consumed with having to live up to his max contract, and suggests A.J. Hammons should get “plenty of chances” to deliver on his upside.

Anthony Davis Sprains Ankle, Out 10-15 Days

October 12th, 2016 at 10:09am CST by Luke Adams

A handful of players left today’s Pelicans/Rockets game in China with what appeared to be minor injuries. Of those players, none were being watched more closely than Anthony Davis, who has never played in more than 68 regular-season games in any of his four NBA seasons. According to Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated (via Twitter), the Pelicans big man suffered a Grade 2 ankle sprain, and is expected to out for 10 to 15 days.

While Davis’ latest injury is unfortunate news for both him and the Pelicans, there’s still a chance that the three-time All-Star could be ready for the club’s regular-season opener, which takes place two weeks from today. The ankle sprain almost certainly ensures that Davis won’t play in any of New Orleans’ remaining preseason games, however.

A left knee injury and a torn labrum in his left shoulder brought Davis’ 2015/16 campaign to a premature end this past spring, and he has dealt with ankle injuries in the past as well. The Pelicans certainly won’t be in any rush to get their former No. 1 pick back on the court — if he misses a couple regular-season games while returning to health, that would be preferable to risking re-injury. Still, Spears notes that Davis was “walking around fine” after leaving today’s game.

During today’s contest, Pelicans guard E’Twaun Moore and Rockets guard Pablo Prigioni also left with injuries. Moore suffered a heel contusion, which eventually forced him out of action, as Scott Kushner of The Advocate writes. As for Prigioni, he suffered a left shoulder strain, per Fran Blinebury of NBA.com (Twitter link). Neither injury appeared to be major, though we’ll have to wait for the two teams to confirm that.