Doug McDermott

Spurs Notes: Wembanyama, McDermott, Branham, Barlow, Gray

March 5th, 2024 at 4:02pm CST by Luke Adams

ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne declared during an NBA Today segment on Monday (Twitter video link) that Spurs phenom Victor Wembanyama is “ready to win” and questioned how patient the Rookie of the Year frontrunner will be as the front office looks to build out the roster around him.

However, Mike Finger of The San Antonio Express-News (Twitter link) pushed back against the idea that Wembanyama will be urging the team to accelerate the roster-building process.

“I say this without an ounce of exaggeration or hyperbole: I talk to people about the Spurs every day. And of all those people, there is one who is, by far, the most forward-thinking and relentlessly patient when it comes to the plan,” Finger wrote. “It’s the 20-year-old kid. And it’s not close.”

Armed with plenty of cap flexibility and an excess of draft picks this offseason, the Spurs will be well positioned to continue adding talent to their young core, but there’s no indication that the club will be looking to consolidate several of its assets in a win-now move quite yet.

Here’s more on the Spurs:

Ahead of the Spurs’s game against the Pacers on Sunday, Zach Collins admitted that he was sad to see former teammate Doug McDermott go at last month’s trade deadline, though he appreciated that McDermott landed in a favorable situation. “I talked to him the day it happened and just told him I was going to miss him and that it was really fun playing with him,” Collins said, per Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News (subscription required). “But I am happy for him that he got to go (to a playoff contender). In the playoffs you need shooting, and he is going to be really valuable for them.” McDermott was unable to suit up against his old team on Sunday due to a calf injury.
A full-time starter for the Spurs in November and December, Malaki Branham had been coming off the bench since January 2. However, he earned a rare start on Sunday and took full advantage by scoring 18 points and handing out six assists, much to the delight of his teammates, Orsborn writes (subscription required). “I don’t have words to say how excited I am for him,” Keldon Johnson said. “I’m happy for him and the way he stepped up tonight. We really needed it and it was big.”
After having been promoted to the Spurs’ standard roster from his two-way contract, Dominick Barlow earned praise from head coach Gregg Popovich for having improved “pretty dramatically” since joining the team, according to Orsborn. “He is someone who plays in a solid manner,” Popovich said. “You don’t see him making mistakes really. He is not really a shooter. He is a pretty good defender and he goes to the boards pretty well, runs well. So, all those kind of basic things he puts together and plays a game that kind of complements everybody else.”
RaiQuan Gray‘s new two-way contract with the Spurs will cover two years, running through next season, Hoops Rumors has confirmed.

Pacers Notes: Sheppard, McDermott, Nesmith, Walker, Haliburton, Siakam

March 2nd, 2024 at 7:19pm CST by Arthur Hill

An illness forced Ben Sheppard to remain in New Orleans after missing Friday’s game, and the Pacers aren’t sure if he’ll be ready for Sunday’s contest in San Antonio, according to Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star. Sheppard will also stay in New Orleans tonight, and the team won’t decide his availability for the matchup with the Spurs until Sunday morning.

“If he feels better in the morning, he may join us here,” coach Rick Carlisle said. “If not, he’ll meet us in Dallas (for a game Tuesday).”

The Pacers have already announced that they’ll be without Doug McDermott, who will miss his third straight game with a strained right calf. The game marks a homecoming for McDermott, who was acquired from San Antonio at the trade deadline.

“It’s going to be a few more games,” Carlisle said of McDermott’s status. “He’s not doing any activity other than rehab.”

There’s more on the Pacers:

Aaron Nesmith was able to return to the court Friday night after sitting out the previous four games with a sprained right ankle, Dopirak adds. The team’s starting small forward said he’s “never felt that sensation before” when he injured the ankle on February 14, but tests showed the damage wasn’t as serious as he feared it might be. “I put a lot of work in the last couple of weeks so wind-wise, I felt pretty good,” Nesmith said after posting nine points and three rebounds in 20 minutes. “I didn’t feel out of shape or out of breath. It took a second to get warmed up and catch up to the game and let the game come to me.”
A depleted bench and a lopsided loss provided extended playing time for rookie forward Jarace Walker, Dopirak adds in a separate story. The lottery pick logged nearly 27 minutes, and Dopirak notes that it’s the first time since January 21 that he has played more than seven minutes in an NBA game. “He’s got much more solid defensively,” Carlisle said. “In his last stint with the G League team, we asked him to concentrate more on rebounding. He did that. He had double figure rebounds in at least a couple of those games. I like his feel and his vision in playmaking, and there were a couple of times he got to the rim tonight and that’s another thing we’ve been talking to him about. He did many good things and he was ready.”
Earlier this week, Tyrese Haliburton talked about building chemistry with Pascal Siakam, who was acquired from Toronto in a mid-January trade (YouTube link).

Pacers Notes: Siakam, Raptors, Haliburton, Meeting, McDermott

February 15th, 2024 at 1:14pm CST by Rory Maher

Pascal Siakam made an emotional return to Toronto on Wednesday evening, including converting a bank shot that sealed the Pacers‘ victory with 25 seconds remaining, per Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca.

“I tried to stay focused on the game as much as I could, but it [was] just hard, just coming in here and seeing so many familiar faces and reflecting on everything,” Siakam said. “Coming back here after eight years, just to see the reception and people being so genuinely happy for me, I think for me that was the most important thing. … I couldn’t really ever dream of that. It means a lot, so I appreciate everyone for everything. I’m humbled.”

As Lewenberg writes, Siakam seems truly happy to be playing for Indiana, which is a contrast to the “unfortunate end” of his tenure with the Raptors, who traded him to the Pacers last month.

“It feels amazing,” Siakam said before the game. “[From the moment I got to Indiana] it’s just been so much love, so much appreciation and just like overly supportive in everything. It feels good to be in a place like that. I’m just looking forward to continuing to be there and just have an opportunity to do something special with that team.”

A source tells Lewenberg the Raptors reached out to Siakam’s camp to see if he’d be interested in a three-year, maximum-salary extension before the 2023/24 season began, though Lewenberg cautions that the offer was “informal, at best.” Siakam, meanwhile, wanted a fourth year added, and talks broke down after that.

Lewenberg believes the Raptors took Siakam for granted, but the two-time All-NBA member is “excited to have the opportunity” to play for the Pacers. The 29-year-old is set to hit free agency this summer and is widely expected to sign a long-term deal with Indiana, which holds his Bird rights.

Here’s more on the Pacers:

Speaking to JJ Redick on his Old Man and the Three podcast (Twitter link), All-Star guard Tyrese Haliburton admitted he might’ve taken another game or two off following his hamstring injury if he didn’t have significant financial considerations at stake. Haliburton’s rookie scale extension features Rose rule language, which means he’s eligible to make 30% of next season’s salary cap instead of 25% if he makes an All-NBA team. However, he needs to play at least 65 games to qualify for major postseason awards due to a rule change in the new CBA.
Indiana held a brief players-only meeting following Monday’s loss to Charlotte, writes Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star. “Some things were addressed after the game,” center Myles Turner said. “We all got together and we spoke without the coaches and just talked it out and I think we’re headed in the right direction.” However, Turner was miffed by the team’s performance, starting with his own. “There’s no excuses, man,” Turner said. “This isn’t the first time this has happened this season. It starts with me as a leader of this team. Our defense just wasn’t there tonight. I wasn’t very good defensively tonight. I think as a whole going into All-Star break, these games matter. I don’t think we had the right mindset tonight.” As Dopirak notes, while the Pacers are currently 31-25, the No. 6 seed in the East, they have several losses to teams at the bottom of the standings, including the Hornets (twice) Trail Blazers (twice), Wizards, Grizzlies and Raptors.
Veteran sharpshooter Doug McDermott is “thrilled” to be back with the Pacers, who traded for him prior to last week’s deadline, according to Dopirak. “It feels good to be a part of winning basketball,” McDermott said. “I haven’t really been a part of that in a couple years. Just to be a part of the Pacer organization, I’m super excited but very thankful for my time in San Antonio. I’ve always felt like this place is home for me. It’s kind of the place where I revamped my career.” The Midwest native previously played three seasons with Indiana, from 2018-21.

Pacers Notes: Hield, McDermott, Siakam, Draft Picks

February 10th, 2024 at 2:48pm CST by Luke Adams

The Pacers looked “lifeless” during a 22-point home loss to Golden State on Thursday, according to Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star. While it’s unlikely that Buddy Hield would have made up those 22 points and changed the outcome of Thursday’s game, the team seemed to be missing his “infectious spirit” hours after he was traded to Philadelphia, Dopirak observes.

“People just think about on the court,” Pacers center Myles Turner said in discussing Hield. “People don’t think about chemistry and energy and what he brings to our locker room, to our team. … His energy’s infectious. It’s something we’re definitely going to be missing. We gotta find a way to make it up somehow, someway. He’ll definitely be missed.”

The decision to trade the veteran sharpshooter to a conference rival was a bit of a curious one for a team that held the No. 6 seed in the East entering the deadline and was right on the heels of the No. 5 Sixers, Hield’s new team. However, Gregg Doyel of The Indianapolis Star has heard that Hield, who was unable to come to terms on an extension with Indiana earlier in 2023/24, asked to be dealt.

Explaining the move in the wake of the trade deadline, Pacers general manager Chad Buchanan referred to it as a “tough” decision to move Hield, but strongly hinted that the team wasn’t confident about its ability to re-sign him beyond this season. He said he hopes the Pacers players understand that the move – which netted multiple second-round picks – can pay dividends in the long run.

“Our team has done a great job of putting us in position to be a contender for a playoff spot,” Buchanan said. “Today was one of those decisions that maybe feels like it wasn’t helping the team now, but we’re trying to look long term and I can’t emphasize that enough with this group.

“… Any time you acquire draft capital, that puts you in position to make moves down the road to improve your team. I think you saw a lot of moves (Thursday) that involved a lot of second-round picks. There were players obviously involved, but draft capital is a really important thing to building a team and we acquired a lot of that today that we think could be beneficial down the road to help build the team. We acquired a pick last year at the draft that helped us obtain Pascal (Siakam). Draft capital is very valuable currency in the transaction business in our league.”

Here’s more on the Pacers:

The Pacers also acquired Doug McDermott in their three-team deal with Philadelphia and San Antonio. They began pursuing McDermott, another three-point specialist, after realizing they wouldn’t be keeping Hield, according to Buchanan. “We knew when there was a possibility we were losing the caliber of shooter we were losing in Buddy, your first instinct is, ‘Can you replace it?'” the GM said, per Dopirak. “There were candidates we looked at for that. Some were available, some were not. Doug is a guy who Rick (Carlisle) has coached before, we’ve obviously had him here as a Pacer before, but he’s never played with our group. He’s super-excited to come play with this group, the way we play, the way the ball moves, the pace we play at.”
The Pacers made their biggest in-season trade in January when they acquired Siakam from Toronto. As Dopirak relays, Buchanan also discussed that move this week, confirming that they view the forward as someone who will be with the team long-term: “That’s still the goal. He’s been a great fit so far. I think he’s happy so far.”
In a separate story for The Indianapolis Star, Dopirak takes a look at the impact Indiana’s deadline moves will have on the team going forward. As Dopirak points out, although the Pacers received three second-round picks for Hield, they used one to bring in McDermott and sold another second-rounder to Golden State for cash. That means, with Cory Joseph and Furkan Korkmaz already waived and McDermott unlikely to be re-signed, the only deadline asset the Pacers will be left with beyond this season is a single second-rounder.

Sixers, Pacers, Spurs Complete Hield, McDermott Deals As Three-Team Trade

February 8th, 2024 at 6:40pm CST by Luke Adams

The Pacers, Sixers, and Spurs have folded a pair of separate trade agreements into a single transaction, announcing in a series of press releases that the deals sending Buddy Hield to Philadelphia and Doug McDermott to Indiana have been officially completed as a three-team trade.

The Pacers initially agreed to acquire Marcus Morris, Furkan Korkmaz, three second-round picks, and cash from Philadelphia in exchange for Hield, then reached a deal to flip Morris, one of those second-rounders to San Antonio, and cash for McDermott. Those three pieces will go directly to the Spurs instead.

Here are the full details:

Sixers acquire Hield.
Pacers acquire McDermott, Korkmaz, the Raptors’ 2024 second-round pick (from Sixers), the Trail Blazers’ 2029 second-round pick (from Sixers), and cash (from Sixers).
Spurs acquire Morris, the Clippers’ 2029 second-round pick (from Sixers), and cash (from Sixers).

The 2024 second-round pick going from Philadelphia to Indiana technically includes “most favorable” language and could come from a different team, but there’s essentially no chance it won’t be Toronto’s second-rounder, given their place in the standings.

Folding the two trades into one deal doesn’t materially change much, but it will introduce one notable new wrinkle. If Morris had been traded to Indiana, then sent to San Antonio in a separate deal, he would’ve been eligible to re-sign with the Sixers in the event the Spurs buy him out. However, due to the structure of the deal, he now won’t be permitted to sign with Philadelphia if he’s waived by San Antonio.

A player is prohibited from rejoining a team that traded him if his new team waives him, but if he’s traded twice before being cut, he’s only ineligible to join the club that traded him most recently.

Korkmaz, who is being waived by the Pacers, will also be prohibited from re-signing with the Sixers, though as we noted in a separate story, that was never a likely outcome.

For more details on the Hield and McDermott deals, check out our full stories on the trade agreements.

Spurs Trading Doug McDermott To Pacers

February 8th, 2024 at 1:52pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Pacers will acquire Doug McDermott from the Spurs, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

San Antonio will receive Marcus Morris, a second-round pick, and cash in return, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). One of the picks is in 2029, according to Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link).

Morris, whom Indiana is acquiring from Philadelphia in the Buddy Hield trade, will likely be bought out by San Antonio, Charania adds (Twitter link).

If Morris becomes a free agent, he would be ineligible to return to the Pacers or join the seven teams operating above the first or second tax apron: the Celtics, Nuggets, Warriors, Clippers, Heat, Bucks and Suns. Morris would be able to return to the Sixers if the trades involving Hield and McDermott are separate, rather than one three-team transaction.

The Pacers will create a $3.4MM trade exception in the deal, according to Yossi Gozlan of HoopsHype (Twitter link). They also get a useful shooter after sending Hield to Philadelphia, while adding some draft assets.

McDermott returns to Indiana, where he spent three seasons before leaving for San Antonio in a sign-and-trade deal in 2021. The 32-year-old forward has seen his playing time reduced this season, but he’s a career 41.2% career shooter from long distance and is connecting at 43.9% through 46 games this season.

Although Morris is unlikely to join the Spurs, it’s something of a reunion for him as well. Gozlan notes that he was close to signing with San Antonio five years ago before changing his mind.

Southwest Notes: Spurs, McDermott, Oladipo, Pelicans, Mavs

February 8th, 2024 at 7:32am CST by Luke Adams

Although they were linked earlier in the season to Atlanta guard Dejounte Murray, the Spurs are much more likely to be sellers than buyers at Thursday’s trade deadline, says Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News (subscription required). According to head coach Gregg Popovich, San Antonio’s goal in any deal would be to improve its prospects beyond this season.

“Our focus is not immediate other than individual development and team concepts,” Popovich said. “But if there’s a trade that would make sense both now and for the long-term, of course we look at it.”

According to McDonald, veterans Doug McDermott, Cedi Osman, and Devonte’ Graham appear to be the Spurs’ most likely trade candidates. McDermott, who is on an expiring contract, said it’s “always good to be wanted,” but admitted he feels fortunate to be coached by Popovich and wouldn’t mind sticking around through the deadline — and even beyond that.

“Shooting is at premium in this league, and I know I can do it with the best of them,” McDermott said. “At the same time, I love being here, I love being with this young team. I think there is a lot of potential for the future here and it is awesome to be a part of. … It’s a special place to be. I would love to be here forever.”

Here’s more from around the Southwest:

Victor Oladipo, whom the Grizzlies acquired as a salary-matching piece in last week’s Steven Adams trade, will be waived after the deadline if he’s not flipped to a new team today, confirms Chris Herrington of The Daily Memphian (Twitter link).
Both Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report (link via Marc Stein) and Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (via the Woj Pod) stated that the Pelicans have talked to the Hawks about Dejounte Murray, corroborating similar reporting from Jake Fischer. However, Stein says those discussions don’t appear to have gained much traction.
Following an impressive victory over the Clippers on Wednesday, the Pelicans have now won four straight at hold a top-six seed in the West at 30-21. After dealing with injury issues in recent seasons, New Orleans has been thriving this year in large part due to the availability of its “big three” of Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram, and CJ McCollum, as Christian Clark of NOLA.com outlines.
The Mavericks have played sub-.500 basketball since Christmas and could really benefit from a trade or two, writes Kevin Sherrington of The Dallas Morning News. As Sherrington details, offseason addition Grant Williams has faded after a strong start and Maxi Kleber isn’t available enough to be relied upon, so a wing and a big man figure to be atop Dallas’ wish list.

Stein’s Latest: Hield, Wiggins, Finney-Smith, O’Neale, Fultz, McDermott, Osman

January 14th, 2024 at 5:26pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Pistons and Wizards pulled off a trade involving four players and two draft picks on Sunday. Expect a lot more activity in the coming weeks, according to Marc Stein in his latest Substack post.

Stein offers a number of interesting tidbits from around the league:

Buddy Hield‘s name was prominently mentioned around the trade market after the veteran guard and the Pacers failed to reach an extension agreement during training camp. Sources tell Stein that Indiana continues to look for ways to move Hield. The Pacers are trying to package his expiring $18.6MM contract and a future first-rounder to get an impact player. Raptors forward Pascal Siakam continues to be talked about as a potential Pacers target. However, Indiana would be reluctant to give up second-year guard Bennedict Mathurin or rookie Jarace Walker in any trade.
Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins is looked upon as another potential Pacers target but it may be difficult for Golden State to create a market for him, Stein writes. Wiggins not only has three more years left on his contract, his production has nosedived.
Dorian Finney-Smith and Royce O’Neale could be on the move. The Nets are listening to offers for both of those forwards and Stein suggests the Cavaliers should pursue O’Neale, considering they need a wing and he’s close friends with Donovan Mitchell. O’Neale has an expiring contract, while Finney-Smith is signed through 2025/26.
Speaking of expiring contracts, the Magic are “exploring the trade market” the top pick of the 2017 draft. They’ve made guard Markelle Fultz and his $17MM expiring deal available, along with center Wendell Carter Jr, per Stein.
Another team dangling expiring contracts is the Spurs. Forwards Doug McDermott and Cedi Osman are available for teams looking to clear cap room this summer or upgrade their second unit, according to Stein.

Southwest Notes: Branham, Spurs, Irving, Doncic

January 2nd, 2024 at 10:48pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Malaki Branham suffered a right ankle sprain during the first half at Memphis on Tuesday and was ruled out, Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio Express-News tweets.

The Spurs’ staff has been willing to allow Branham to work through his mistakes at the point, according to Orsborn.

“It’s a whole new world for him and he’s absorbing it every game, basically trying to figure out the role,” coach Gregg Popovich said. “It’s a tough role. It’s the most difficult on the court really in some ways. So, he’s been very successful in taking steps each time to understand how he can help the team, with being aggressive, decision-making, all those sorts of things. He’s dealing with all that, been doing well.”

Here’s more from the Southwest Division:

Discussing the right ankle sprain that is expected to sideline teammate Zach Collins for two-to-four weeks, Spurs sharpshooter Doug McDermott said he appreciates the franchise’s conservative approach to injury management. “They look after your body,” McDermott told Orsborn. “They are very player-friendly in that regard. Pop is one of the best I have been around with that stuff. They care about your career. We all appreciate how they go about that.”
Kyrie Irving returned on Monday from a heel contusion that had sidelined him since Dec. 8. As Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News details, the Mavericks guard admitted he was very concerned when the injury occurred, as teammate Dwight Powell fell on his leg. “Oh, yeah, I was scared, man. I was very scared,” Irving said. “My daughter was at the game. I was trying to make sure she was good first, so I went into daddy mode right after. But once I got home, man it was a struggle, just even going to sleep. You could feel the throbbing. I wasn’t sure of the significance of the injury and how long I was going to be out.”
Luka Doncic is grateful the Mavericks signed Dante Exum, who is currently dealing with a heel injury, as a free agent last summer, Grant Afseth of Sports Illustrated writes. Exum has made an unexpected impact since returning to the NBA from the EuroLeague, starting 14 games and making contributions across the board. “Honestly, he’s been amazing so far,” Doncic said of Exum. “Not just really good, but amazing. His IQ is insane. He’s driving to the basket. His layups, he’s been hitting threes. I’m really happy that he’s on the team because he’s been a great addition to our team.”

Spurs Notes: Vassell, Defense, Jones, Birch, Bassey

October 5th, 2023 at 2:30pm CST by Rory Maher

Spurs guard Devin Vassell recently signed a five-year, $135MM+ rookie scale extension. As Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News writes in a subscriber-only story, Vassell’s contract is the largest in team history.

While some may have been surprised by the price tag, his teammates say Vassell doesn’t get enough recognition.

“If you really watch the league, the players in this league, the coaches, they all respect Devin,” said second-year forward Jeremy Sochan. “I feel like he is underrated, but he is a special player, too.”

After being limited to 38 games in 2022/23 due to a knee injury, Vassell spent the offseason focused on weight training to improve his conditioning and withstand the rigors of an 82-game schedule. Vassell thinks the added muscle will help improve his finishing at the basket as well, according to McDonald.

Head coach Gregg Popovich believes Vassell is on the right track, both now and going forward.

“He wants to prove himself, both as a player and a leader,” Popovich said. “He has already taken some big steps.”

For his part, the 23-year-old wing says he’s focused on helping the Spurs reclaim their status as a perennial playoff team and bringing a sixth championship to San Antonio.

“This is where I want to be,” Vassell said, per McDonald. “Now all I am trying to do is win, get championships and put some more banners up there.”

Here’s more from San Antonio:

No. 1 overall pick Victor Wembanyama has made an instant impact in training camp with his defense, according to Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News (subscriber link). “I came off a handoff and thought I had a wide-open three,” said forward Doug McDermott. “All of a sudden an arm comes out of nowhere and takes the ball. He’s pretty special. He’s going to dominate on that end of the floor.” Still, after finishing with the worst defense in NBA history last season, the Spurs know they can’t just rely on their prized rookie to lift them up. As Orsborn writes, Keldon Johnson struggled defensively in 2022/23, but he believes he has become an “elite defender” this offseason. “I feel like I’ve grown a lot this summer,” Johnson said. “I put a lot of hard work and time into my body and my craft in basketball. So, I’m ready. I’m excited to prove all the doubters wrong.”
Point guard Tre Jones, who signed a two-year, $19MM+ deal in free agency to return to the Spurs, started 65 of his 68 games last season. However, Popovich was noncommittal when asked if Jones will start in 2023/24, tweets Orsborn. “We haven’t made any decisions on who is where,” Popovich said.
Even after waiving Cameron Payne and Reggie Bullock, the Spurs are still facing a roster crunch, with 16 players on guaranteed contracts. Two players who might be battling for the final roster spot are centers Khem Birch and Charles Bassey, who both dealt with knee injuries last season. According to Orsborn, Popovich said the two big men have been full participants in practices thus far (Twitter link).

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