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COVID-19 Updates: Hawks, Blazers, Celtics, Bucks, Nets

December 24th, 2021 at 6:00pm CST by Rory Maher

Wesley Iwundu, who just signed a 10-day contract with the Hawks on Thursday, has entered the NBA’s health and safety protocols, per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link). Iwundu played 23 minutes in the Hawks’ 98-96 victory over the Sixers Thursday night, scoring two points and grabbing five rebounds. ESPN’s Bobby Marks tweets that the Hawks will need to sign another replacement player to replace Iwundu — himself a replacement player.

Hawks big man Onyeka Okongwu, who made his season debut last week, has entered the protocols as well, Sarah K. Spencer of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution tweets. In three games this season (22.3 MPG), Okongwu is averaging 10.3 PPG, 5.7 RPG, and 2.0 BPG. The Hawks now have nine players in the protocols.

Here are a few more COVID-related updates:

  • Backup point guard Dennis Smith Jr. and two-way rookie Trendon Watford have entered the protocols for the Trail Blazers and the rest of the team will now be re-tested, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic (via Twitter). DSJ and Watford are the only players currently in the protocols for the Blazers.
  • The Celtics have four new players entering the protocols: C.J. Miles, Justin Jackson, Aaron Nesmith, and Bruno Fernando, tweets Jared Weiss of The Athletic. However, Al Horford, Juan Hernangomez, Jabari Parker, and Brodric Thomas, who’ve all been in the protocols, are listed as questionable for Saturday’s game against Milwaukee, so they could be exiting the protocols soon. Until those four are cleared, the Celtics will have 12 players in the COVID-19 protocols — the largest outbreak in the NBA.
  • In addition to Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bobby Portis has exited the protocols for the Bucks, Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press tweets. Like Horford and the other Celtics, Donte DiVincenzo, who’s also been in the protocols, is listed as questionable to make his season debut Saturday.
  • Meanwhile, Bruce Brown and James Johnson have exited the protocols for the Nets, but seven others, including star Kevin Durant, remain in the protocols for their game Saturday against the Lakers, according to Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports (via Twitter).
  • Warriors rookie Moses Moody has entered the protocols, according to Anthony Slater of The Athletic (Twitter link). Golden State now has four players in the protocols.
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Celtics Have Made Offer To Dennis Schröder

August 10th, 2021 at 9:46am CST by Luke Adams

The Celtics, who were reported last week to be in discussions with Dennis Schröder, have made a contract offer to the free agent point guard, league sources tell Jordan Schultz of ESPN (via Twitter).

According to Schultz, the Celtics’ offer to Schröder is a one-year deal worth the taxpayer mid-level exception (approximately $5.9MM). However, Schröder is seeking a second-year player option and a deal worth the full mid-level exception (about $9.5MM), per Schultz.

[RELATED: Values Of 2021/22 Mid-Level, Bi-Annual Exceptions]

Going above the taxpayer portion of the MLE would hard-cap the Celtics, which the team wants to avoid, Schultz notes. There have also been reports that Boston wants to create as much cap flexibility as possible in 2022, which may make the club reluctant to tack on a second-year player option for Schröder.

Despite the current impasse, there’s reason to believe the Celtics and Schröder could be a good match. Boston has been in the market for a new point guard after having traded Kemba Walker to Oklahoma City in June, and opportunities around the league are drying up for Schröder, who was viewed as one of the top point guards on the market entering free agency. A short-term deal that gives the Celtics another backcourt play-maker and scorer and gives the 27-year-old a chance to rebuild his value could benefit both sides.

According to Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report, the Celtics are exploring possible trades involving Kris Dunn and/or Bruno Fernando before “concluding” their conversations with Schröder. If Boston could shed salary in a deal involving Dunn and Fernando and create more breathing room below a potential hard cap, perhaps the team would be more willing to go above the taxpayer mid-level for Schröder.

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Kings Acquire Tristan Thompson In Three-Way Deal

August 7th, 2021 at 4:22pm CST by Dana Gauruder

AUGUST 7: The three-team trade is now official, the Kings, Celtics, and Hawks all announced today in press releases.

The 2023 second-round pick that the Hawks are sending to Boston originally belonged to the Trail Blazers and was shipped to Atlanta by the Clippers in the Lou Williams trade in March, according to Jared Weiss of The Athletic (Twitter link).

JULY 30: The Celtics are trading veteran big man Tristan Thompson to the Hawks for guard Kris Dunn, forward Bruno Fernando and a 2023 second-rounder, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN tweets.

However, Thompson isn’t staying with the Hawks. He’s being forwarded to the Kings, with guard Delon Wright going to Atlanta.

All the players in the three-way deal have expiring contracts. Thompson will make $9.7MM next season, while Dunn will secure just over $5MM and Fernando will collect $1.8MM. Wright will make approximately $8.5MM next season.

The move pushes the Celtics another $3MM below the luxury tax threshold, Bobby Marks of ESPN tweets. Dunn had a player option on his contract and opted in earlier this week, which made the trade viable.

After nine seasons in Cleveland, Thompson played in 54 regular-season games with the Celtics, including 43 starts. He averaged 7.6 PPG and 8.1 RPG.

Dunn’s lone season in Atlanta was a washout due to an ankle injury.  He only appeared in four regular-season games, but does give the Celtics another option for their backcourt rotation with Kemba Walker getting traded this offseason.

Fernando, an early second-round pick in 2019, appeared in 89 regular-season games during his first two years in the league.

Thompson gives the Kings some frontcourt insurance with Richaun Holmes entering free agency.

Wright averaged 10.0 PPG and 3.6 APG in 27 games with Sacramento after being acquired from Detroit at the trade deadline. Wright can play either guard spot and will likely slide into a backup role with Atlanta.

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Bruno Fernando Suspended, Joel Embiid Fined For Game 6 Confrontation

June 20th, 2021 at 11:28am CST by Arthur Hill

Hawks big man Bruno Fernando has been suspended for tonight’s Game 7 after leaving the bench area during an altercation Friday, the NBA announced (via Twitter). Sixers center Joel Embiid was fined $35K for escalating the dispute with Atlanta forward John Collins.

The incident occurred with 4:02 left in the fourth quarter after a hard collision between Embiid and Collins. Embiid was called for a foul on the play and then pursued Collins “in an unsportsmanlike manner,” according to the league. Embiid also refused to comply with an NBA Security interview after the game.

The loss of Fernando shouldn’t be significant for Atlanta, as he has made just two brief appearances during the playoffs, both against Philadelphia. He played 33 games this season, averaging 1.5 points and 2.4 rebounds in about seven minutes per night.

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NBA G League Assignments/Recalls: 1/15/20

January 15th, 2020 at 10:02pm CST by Arthur Hill

Here are Wednesday’s G League assignments and recalls from around the NBA:

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NBA G League Assignments/Recalls: 12/4/19

December 4th, 2019 at 8:35pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Here are Wednesday’s G League assignments and recalls from across the NBA:

  • The Bucks assigned power forward Dragan Bender to the Wisconsin Herd, the team’s PR department tweets. The fourth overall pick of the 2016 draft has averaged 21 PPG and 10 RPG in five starts with the Herd.
  • The Knicks assigned rookie forward Ignas Brazdeikis to the Westchester Knicks, the team’s PR department tweets. He’s appeared in six games with the NBA Knicks, averaging 7.0 MPG in those outings.
  • The Cavaliers assigned rookie swingman Dylan Windler to the Canton Charge, the team’s PR department tweets. He has yet to make his NBA debut. The first-rounder is working his way back into basketball shape after recovering from a leg injury.
  • The Pacers recalled Victor Oladipo and Edmond Sumner from the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, the team tweets. They practiced with the Mad Ants as part of their injury rehabs. There is no timetable for their return, the team adds.
  • The Clippers assigned center Mfiondu Kabengele to the Agua Caliente Clippers, the team tweets. The rookie first-rounder out of Florida State has appeared in six NBA games, averaging 3.8 MPG in those outings.
  • The Hawks recalled rookie forward Bruno Fernando and guard Tyrone Wallace from the College Park Skyhawks, the team tweets. Fernando, a second-round pick, is averaging 4.5 PPG and 3.0 RPG in 12.7 MPG while playing 21 games with the NBA team. Wallace has averaged 3.1 PPG in 12.0 MPG in 13 games with Atlanta.
  • The Thunder recalled center Justin Patton from the Oklahoma City Blue, according to a team press release. In eight games with the Blue, Patton is averaging 10.3 PPG and  7.5 RPG in 26.2 MPG.
  • The Hornets recalled Cody Martin from the Greensboro Swarm, according to a team press release. The rookie guard appeared in three games with the Swarm, where he averaged 14.0 PPG, 8.0 RPG and 5.3 APG in 34.3 MPG.
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NBA G League Assignments/Recalls: 12/3/19

December 3rd, 2019 at 10:13pm CST by Luke Adams

Here are Tuesday’s G League assignments and recalls from across the NBA:

  • The Hawks assigned guard Tyrone Wallace and rookie big man Bruno Fernando to the G League today, the team announced (via Twitter). Both players subsequently started for the College Park Skyhawks in a blowout win over Greensboro, combining for 35 total points.
  • After playing for the Capital City Go-Go earlier in the day, Admiral Schofield and Justin Robinson were recalled to the NBA by the Wizards for the evening game, per the team (Twitter link). Schofield, in particular, got in a full day’s work, playing a game-high 38 minutes for the Wizards’ G League affiliate, then seven more minutes for the NBA squad.
  • Jonah Bolden, who has frequently bounced back and forth between the NBA and G League over the last several weeks, was sent back to the Delaware Blue Coats by the Sixers today, per the NBAGL’s assignment log.
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NBA G League Assignments/Recalls: 11/25/19

November 25th, 2019 at 8:08pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Here are Monday’s assignments and recalls from around the NBA:

  • The Wizards assigned forward Admiral Schofield and guard Justin Robinson to the Capital City Go-Go, the team’s PR department tweets. In six games with the Go-Go, Schofield has averaged 18.0 PPG and 6.0 RPG, while Robinson has posted averages of 12.8 PPG, 7.2 APG and 3.2 SPG.
  • The Knicks assigned rookie forward Ignas Brazdeikis to the Westchester affiliate, the team’s PR department tweets. The second-round pick is averaging 18 PPG and 7.1 RPG in four games at the G League level.
  • Suns rookie guard Ty Jerome was assigned to the Northern Arizona Suns, the team’s PR department tweets. The first-round pick is rehabbing from an ankle injury.
  • The Hawks recalled forwards Bruno Fernando and guard Tyrone Wallace from the College Park Skyhawks of the NBA G League, the team tweets. Fernando posted nine points and nine rebounds in a game with College Park while Wallace, another second-round pick, scored 26 points and grabbed seven rebounds.
  • The Pacers recalled forward Alize Johnson from the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, according to a team press release. Johnson had 36 points, 14 rebounds, seven assists, and two steals against the Windy City Bulls on Sunday. Johnson has appeared in five games with the Pacers this season, averaging 2.6 PPG and 2.4 RPG.
  • The Mavericks assigned rookie forward Isaiah Roby to the Texas Legends, the team’s PR department tweets. Roby has averaged 11.8 PPG and 8.2 RPG in five G League games.
  • The Nets recalled forward Rodions Kurucs from their Long Island affiliate, Brian Lewis of the New York Post tweets. Kurucs, a 2018 second rounder, has appeared in nine games with Brooklyn this season.
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NBA G League Assignments/Recalls: 11/24/19

November 24th, 2019 at 8:29pm CST by JD Shaw

Here are Sunday’s assignments and recalls from around the NBA:

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Kevin Huerter Talks Hawks’ Draft, 2019/20 Goals

September 3rd, 2019 at 1:36pm CST by Luke Adams

Culture and locker-room fit were important considerations for the Hawks as they made roster moves this offseason, second-year shooting guard Kevin Huerter tells Alex Kennedy of HoopsHype. As Huerter explains, head coach Lloyd Pierce talked on multiple occasions about not bringing in anyone who would be detrimental to the culture the team is trying to build in Atlanta.

“I think every player we brought in has some sort of relationship with one of our coaches or [executives], so they know that we’re bringing in really good guys,” Huerter said. “I think that was really important, first and foremost, especially with a team that could still go through a lot of ups and downs. You don’t want someone in the locker room who is making everyone miserable.”

While Huerter is optimistic about what Allen Crabbe, Jabari Parker, Evan Turner, and Chandler Parsons can contribute on the court, he views those incoming veterans as guys who will “contribute off the court as well,” as he tells Kennedy.

Huerter spoke to Kennedy about many more topics, including the Hawks’ draft, their future free agent outlook, and their expectations for the 2019/20 season. The Q&A is worth checking out in full, but here are a few highlights from the former Maryland standout:

On the Hawks drafting De’Andre Hunter, Cam Reddish, and Bruno Fernando:

“I thought our draft was great. There are very few teams that can come out of the draft saying they got exactly who they wanted, but those three guys are literally the exact players we wanted going into the draft. Anytime that happens, it’s an extremely successful draft.

“I think those guys bring a different dynamic to our team that we didn’t have. De’Andre is a 3/4 and he’s a really good defender, so he was a great pick for us. Cam just has so much potential on the offensive end and what his ceiling could be makes him great for us as well. Bruno is NBA-ready. I think it can be tough for some bigs as they enter the NBA because of how physical it is, but Bruno is physically NBA-ready. Again, I thought it was a really good draft for us.”

On whether free agents will seriously consider the Hawks as they continue to improve:

“Hopefully. Any team that wins becomes pretty attractive to free agents. You see that happen a lot. But for me, our core group of guys could – and should – be enough for us. That’s the way that winning teams are built, at least in the old days. When you want to want to build something that lasts, it’s homegrown guys. But, again, hopefully if we win, [players will want to sign here] and we can figure out which positions we need moving forward. Adding free agents down the line won’t be a bad thing, but first you need to win and then everything else comes with it.”

On whether the Hawks have discussed a goal of making the playoffs in 2019/20:

“Honestly, no. Playoffs, for us, isn’t really a word we talk about – all we talk about is winning more than 29 games. We know how honestly close we were last year – we weren’t too far off from that eighth seed – but we’re probably not going to talk about it for most of the year. It’s not something we talk about in the locker room, trying to sneak in [to the playoffs]. It’s literally just, ‘We’re going to win more than 29 games and continue to get better.’ Then whatever happens, happens.”

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