Grayson Allen Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Injury Notes: Leonard, Gafford, Lillard, G. Allen, Jackson

April 26th, 2024 at 7:38pm CST by Rory Maher

Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard was listed as questionable heading into Friday’s Game 3 against Dallas due to right knee inflammation, but he was later upgraded to available, notes Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN (via Twitter).

Leonard returned to action on Tuesday after being sidelined for three-plus week with the knee injury. He played 35 minutes in Game 2 and it’s unclear if two-time Finals MVP will be ready for more than that tonight.

“Not sure yet,” head coach Tyronn Lue said on Thursday, per Broderick Turner of The Los Angeles Times. “That’s something we got to talk about with medical. I’m not sure if the minutes will go up but he feels good.”

Leonard was understandable rusty in his first game back and needs to find his timing, Lue added, according to Janis Carr of The Orange County Register.

“I think mentally he felt OK (thinking) ‘I got over that hurdle. I feel good. I can do this,’” Lue said of Leonard. “I’m hoping he continues that at the start of (Game 3).

Here are a few more injury notes from around the NBA:

After previously being listed as questionable, Mavericks center Daniel Gafford (back spasms) went through his pregame routine unscathed and will be active on Friday, the team announced (via Twitter). Gafford made a big impact for Dallas in the second half of the season after being acquired from Washington at the trade deadline.
Bucks guard Damian Lillard appeared to suffer a left knee injury in the first quarter of Friday’s Game 3 vs. Indiana after his heel area was accidentally landed on by Pascal Siakam (Twitter video link via ESPN). Lillard was in significant pain and went back to the locker room to get checked out, tweets Jim Owczarski of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. However, the eight-time All-Star returned to action at the start of the second quarter and remained in through the conclusion of the overtime loss, so evidently the injury isn’t a serious one.
Suns wing Grayson Allen, who sustained a right ankle sprain in Game 1 in Minnesota and then re-injured the ankle in Game 2, said he felt “better than expected” on Thursday, per Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports (Twitter link). Allen was a partial practice participant on Thursday and is questionable for Friday’s Game 3 in Phoenix. However, John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 expressed doubt about his status tonight, tweeting that Sunday’s Game 4 looks like a more “realistic” return date.
Nuggets reserve guard Reggie Jackson was in a walking boot and using crutches on Friday, tweets Vinny Benedetto of The Denver Gazette. Head coach Michael Malone said Jackson has a sprained ankle and he’ll be questionable for Saturday’s Game 4 vs. the Lakers, with the boot a “preventative” measure, according to Brendan Vogt of DNVR Sports (Twitter links).

Injury Notes: G. Allen, Giannis, Hardaway, Kawhi

April 24th, 2024 at 10:00am CST by Luke Adams

Suns wing Grayson Allen re-injured his right ankle early in the third quarter of Game 2 vs. Minnesota on Tuesday, writes Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. Allen, who suffered a right ankle sprain in Game 1, turned that same ankle when he landed on Mike Conley‘s foot as he tried to block a shot attempt (Twitter video link).

Allen was unable to play the final 21 minutes for the Suns, who find themselves in a 2-0 hole after Tuesday’s loss. However, X-rays on the ankle were negative, per head coach Frank Vogel. Allen is considered day-to-day and isn’t ruling out the possibility of returning for Game 3.

“Forty-eight hours in between, two days,” Allen told reporters. “We’ll see how it goes after two days.”

Allen scored just three points in more than 17 minutes of action on Tuesday, but he’s an important connecting piece in Suns lineups featuring their three stars — he can defend on the perimeter and led the NBA with a .461 3PT% this season. Phoenix was a +3 in Allen’s time on the floor on Tuesday, but ultimately lost the game by 12 points.

Here are a few more injury-related notes from around the NBA:

Bucks head coach Doc Rivers told reporters that Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf strain) was taking shots and was “on the floor a bunch” on Tuesday, suggesting that he’s “getting closer” to a return (Twitter link via Eric Nehm of The Athletic). However, Shams Charania of The Athletic said on FanDuel’s Run it Back show (Twitter video link) that Antetokounmpo still has a number of benchmarks to clear. “Still not much cutting, no scrimmaging, no all-out running yet,” Charania said. “… I think the Bucks have to be prepared to keep playing on without Giannis (and) making sure he’s 100% when he does make it back.”
Mavericks swingman Tim Hardaway Jr. sprained his right ankle in Tuesday’s win over the Clippers and didn’t play at all in the second half (Twitter link). Hardaway’s status for Game 3 on Friday is unclear at this point.
Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard, who played 35 minutes on Tuesday in his first game since March 31, admitted that he has some rust to shake off, but said after the loss to Dallas that his right knee felt good, per Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN. Improving his conditioning and his rhythm will be a goal for Game 3. “This is my first game in 20-something days,” Leonard said. “We got to be better as a unit overall and it starts with me. And even if my wind is low, I got to find a way.”

Pacific Notes: Clippers, Powell, Fox, Ellis, Huerter, Allen

April 23rd, 2024 at 9:13pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Clippers found a way to hold the Mavericks to 30 points in the first half of Game 1. Coach Tyronn Lue knows that keeping Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving under control for Game 2 tonight will be even tougher, Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times writes.

“It’s very challenging,” he said. “You got two of the best scorers in the league on the same team. So, when they’re both on the court at the same time, it’s kind of hard to double-team one guy and leave the other guy. So, you got to pick your poison. I thought for the most part our guys did a good job with executing the defensive plan.”

We have more from the Pacific Division:

Clippers forward Norman Powell is upset he wasn’t one of the finalists for the Sixth Man of the Year award, Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN tweets. “I mean, I think it’s BS, to be honest, two years in a row,” he said. “I don’t know what else you’ve got to do to be a sixth man. Last year, you’re leading the league in bench points. Don’t get nominated. This year, the most efficient off the bench, given the fact I’m playing with four Hall of Famers, limited touches. … it’s just tough.” Powell averaged 13.9 points during the regular season on .486/.435/.831 shooting.
De’Aaron Fox said on Monday that it’s impossible to think of this Kings season as anything but a major disappointment, per Hunter Patterson of The Athletic. Sacramento was bounced in the play-in tournament. “You want to continue to play for more,” Fox said. “I don’t think we were bad this year, but obviously the West got tougher and I don’t think we stepped up to that plate. … We took a step backward a little bit as a team. We still have things we can continue to get better at as a group.”
In the same story, Patterson notes that Keon Ellis and Kevin Huerter could have a spirited battle for the Kings’ starting shooting guard spot next season. Ellis impressed with his defense, while Huerter is a career 38.2% 3-point shooter. “It’s definitely the season where I’ve kind of made a name for myself a little bit,” Ellis said. “We didn’t finish the way we wanted to with the injuries and all of the things that go into that, but definitely for me it’s a season I’m going to look back at and be like, ‘This is where it started for me.’”
Suns wing Grayson Allen suffered a right ankle injury in Tuesday’s game against Minnesota and did not return. Allen came into the game with a sore ankle, per The Arizona Republic’s Duane Rankin (Twitter link), but was deemed healthy enough to play.

Injury Updates: Vanderbilt, Kawhi, Giannis, Suggs, Anderson, Allen

April 23rd, 2024 at 8:56am CST by Luke Adams

Lakers forward Jarred Vanderbilt, who hasn’t played since February 1 due to a right midfoot sprain, is targeting a Game 3 return, a source familiar with the situation tells Dave McMenamin of ESPN.

According to McMenamin’s source, Vanderbilt has been ramping up his workouts in the past couple weeks and had one of his most intense on-court sessions yet on Monday. His availability on Thursday will be determined based on how his body responds to that increased intensity.

As previously reported, Lakers big man Christian Wood (left knee surgery) is also aiming to make it back for Game 3 vs. Denver. It remains to be seen how much the team would use Vanderbilt and Wood – and how effective they’d be – following long layoffs. Still, given that they’re in a 2-0 hole against the Nuggets, head coach Darvin Ham and the Lakers will likely welcome all the help they can get as they look for a way to beat the defending champions.

Here are a few more injury updates from around the NBA:

Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (knee inflammation) is considered questionable to play in Game 2 vs. Dallas on Tuesday, writes Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN. Leonard took part in Monday’s practice, though head coach Tyronne Lue described it as a walk-through session with no contact.
Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf strain) went through a “pretty good, brisk workout” on Sunday, then had a “maintenance day” on Monday, per head coach Doc Rivers (story via Jim Owczarski of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel). While Antetokounmpo appears to be making some progress in his recovery, he’s listed as doubtful to play in Game 2 vs. Indiana on Tuesday.
Magic guard Jalen Suggs was carried off the court in the first quarter of Monday’s Game 2 with what appeared to be a significant left knee injury, but he was able to return and play for most of the second half, according to Tom Withers of The Associated Press. Suggs, whose injury was initially diagnosed as a left knee strain, expects to remain available going forward. “I’m good,” he said. “I was able to finish. It will be cool to get back home and get treatment for a couple of days. We play Thursday at 7 p.m. and I’ll be ready.”
Timberwolves forward Kyle Anderson was able to practice on Monday, tweets Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic, but he’s listed as questionable for Tuesday’s game due to a right hip pointer. Suns wing Grayson Allen is also considered questionable to suit up for that contest after spraining his right ankle in Game 1, tweets Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports.

Pacific Notes: Leonard, George, Allen, Warriors

April 20th, 2024 at 11:02pm CST by Arthur Hill

Clippers coach Tyronn Lue has decided on his fifth starter if Kawhi Leonard isn’t available for Sunday’s series opener against Dallas, according to Janis Carr of The Orange County Register. Lue didn’t reveal the name, but Carr speculates it will be Amir Coffey, who started 13 games this season, often as Leonard’s replacement.

Leonard is still officially listed as questionable with inflammation in his right knee that has sidelined him since March 31. He was expected to take part in shooting drills at today’s practice with more movement than he did on Friday, but he still hasn’t participated in anything involving full contact since the knee began flaring up.

Lue said he’s not counting on any one player to slow down the high-powered Mavericks’ attack led by Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving.

“It’s on all of us. It’s not just one player or two players, it’s all of us collectively doing our jobs and doing it the best we can do,” Lue said. “It’s not on one or two guys, it’s on everybody to produce, as well as me and the coaching staff.”

There’s more from the Pacific Division:

Paul George believes bad injury luck has prevented the Clippers from reaching their potential in the playoffs, Carr adds. George is making his return to the postseason after missing last season’s series with Phoenix due to a sprained knee. “Injuries happen. That’s part of the game (and there’s) no way of really avoiding it,” he said. “So, as much as chemistry and being on the floor together and playing the best basketball you could possibly play at this point of the season, a lot of it has to do with luck, too.”
X-rays were negative for Suns guard Grayson Allen, who left today’s game with an ankle injury, tweets Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports. Coach Frank Vogel told reporters that Allen has been diagnosed with a sprain. His availability for Tuesday’s Game 2 will depend on how he responds to treatment.
The Warriors will need to be aggressive on the trade market to have another chance at a title during the Stephen Curry era, writes Ron Kroichick of The San Francisco Chronicle. Kroichick suggests making a run at Karl-Anthony Towns if the Timberwolves are knocked out of the playoffs early or possibly Dejounte Murray if the Hawks decide to break up their backcourt. He lists Trail Blazers forward Jerami Grant, Pacers forward Pascal Siakam and Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram as others who might be obtainable.

Suns Sign Grayson Allen To Four-Year, $70MM Extension

April 16th, 2024 at 1:57pm CST by Arthur Hill

APRIL 16: Allen’s contract extension is official, the Suns announced today in a press release.

“Grayson embodies our values and we are committed to him being a key member of our core as we continue to build together into the future,” Suns president of basketball operations James Jones said in a statement. “He has been outstanding for us this season, leading the league in three-point shooting while providing a versatile skillset and competitive spirit on both ends of the floor. Phoenix has become a home for Grayson and his family, and we are thrilled that they want to be part of this community and our winning culture for years to come.”

“I love being in Phoenix and believe in what we can achieve here,” Allen added in a statement of his own. “Thank you to Mat Ishbia and the organization for embracing me. I’m excited to make a long-term commitment to remain in this community and continue building with this team.”

APRIL 15: Grayson Allen has agreed to a four-year, $70MM extension with the Suns, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. The deal, which includes a player option for the final season, was confirmed to Wojnarowski by Allen’s agents, Mitch Nathan, Aaron Mintz and Steven Heumann of CAA Basketball.

Allen has thrived in his first year in Phoenix, becoming the NBA’s leader in three-point shooting percentage this season at 46.1%. He also reached career highs by averaging 13.4 points, 3.9 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 33.5 minutes per game while making 73 starts.

Wojnarowski notes that the new contract will continue to escalate the Suns’ tax bill, which has exploded since Mat Ishbia bought the team midway through last season. Allen will make $15.6MM next season, pushing the team’s projected payroll to $206MM. That will result in an estimated $104MM in luxury tax payments, which would be the highest figure in the league.

Phoenix is currently projected to exceed the second apron by $16MM in 2024/25, Woj adds, triggering the most severe restrictions under the new Collective Bargaining Agreement. The Suns won’t be permitted to send out cash in trades, aggregate contracts or make use of a preexisting trade exception. They also won’t be able to trade their 2032 first-round pick if they finish next season above the second apron.

Allen had been headed for unrestricted free agency this summer, so the agreement locks up an important part of the Suns’ offense for at least three more seasons. With Phoenix already well above the salary cap, the team would have faced few options for replacing Allen if he had signed elsewhere.

The 28-year-old guard had bounced around the league since being selected by Utah with the 21st pick in the 2018 draft. The Suns were his fourth team in six years when they acquired him last summer as part of the three-team deal that sent Damian Lillard to Milwaukee. Allen had been a starter for the Bucks the past two seasons, but he was able to fully unlock his game on a Phoenix team where he’s surrounded by elite scorers in Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal.

Pacific Notes: Davis, Lee, Allen, Kawhi, Kings, Warriors

April 15th, 2024 at 1:30pm CST by Luke Adams

Anthony Davis missed the final six minutes of Sunday’s victory over New Orleans due to back spasms, but he’s confident he’ll be ready to go on Tuesday when the Lakers and Pelicans meet again in the play-in tournament, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPN.

“No doubt that I’m going to play,” Davis said after Sunday’s game.

Davis’ injury occurred with 5:52 remaining in the fourth quarter when he was attempting to grab a rebound and was pushed in the back by Pelicans big man Larry Nance Jr. (video link). According to McMenamin, Davis said the contract resulted in hyperextension when he landed and that his back “just locked up.”

“I was in the air,” Davis said. “Obviously it’s a dangerous play. I know he’s not a dirty player.”

Here’s more from around the Pacific:

Suns wing Damion Lee admits that he went through some “dark days” during the lengthy recovery process from an October meniscus surgery that sidelined him for the entire regular season, as Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic relays. However, Lee is in a better place now as he nears the end of that recovery process — he also hasn’t given up on the idea of returning this spring. “To be determined,” Lee said. “I’ll just leave it at this. I feel like the longer we go in the postseason, the more likely there is a chance. No timetable necessarily. It’s all feel based. You saw me out here shooting, jumping. Running.”
Grayson Allen gave up a little money to sign an extension with the Suns, according to John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 (Twitter link), who says the veteran swingman could have secured $80-85MM on the open market. Allen has reportedly agreed to a four-year, $70MM deal with Phoenix.
The Clippers continue to be evasive about Kawhi Leonard‘s outlook for the start of the playoffs, writes Janis Carr of The Orange County Register. Asked on Sunday whether Leonard has been doing workouts, head coach Tyronn Lue said he’s “been doing a little something,” but Lue declined to say whether or not he expects the star forward to be available in the postseason.
It won’t be an easy path to the playoffs for the Kings or Warriors, who will each have to win two play-in games just to claim the No. 8 seed in the West. Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee takes a look at the challenge facing the Kings, while Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic checks in on a Golden State team in “March Madness mode.”

Pacific Notes: O’Neale, Allen, Hyland, Leonard, Monk, Sabonis

April 11th, 2024 at 9:32am CST by Dana Gauruder

Suns coach Frank Vogel switched up his rotation in the team’s 124-108 win over the Clippers on Wednesday, Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic reports. Royce O’Neale was inserted into the lineup in place of Grayson Allen, while Thaddeus Young replaced Drew Eubanks as the backup center.

However, the Suns could go right back to Allen as the starter against Sacramento on Friday. “It’s just something we’ve been talking about,” Vogel said. “If we get into a playoff matchup where we have a bigger opponent, then we feel like (O’Neale’s) size in the starting lineup is something that would make sense. We didn’t want to go to that with Grayson coming off the bench for the first time having never done it. We used this one game to let Grayson just feel the rhythm of coming off the bench, if it’s needed in the playoffs.”

We have more from the Pacific Division:

Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, Russell Westbrook, James Harden, Ivica Zubac and Norman Powell sat out the second game of a back-to-back on Wednesday. Bones Hyland carried the Clippers‘ offense in their absence, pumping in a career-high 37 points, Janis Carr of the Orange County Register notes. Leonard sat out his sixth consecutive game because of inflammation in his right knee. He might not return until the postseason but coach Tyronn Lue believes his superstar forward will be ready to go by that point.
Kings guard Malik Monk was the solid frontrunner for the Sixth Man of the Year award until he suffered a sprained MCL in his right knee late last month. Center Domantas Sabonis said Monk still deserves the honor. “Monk has to win it,” Sabonis told HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto. “If he doesn’t win it, it’s rigged. He definitely brings energy and light. If we’re down, he’s always up and in a good mood off the court, too, so that really helps during a long season with ups and downs.” Coach Mike Brown concurs. “It should not even be a debate on Sixth Man of the Year with Malik’s body of work and us fighting for a playoff spot,” Brown said. “He should be the hands-down winner.”
Monk will be an unrestricted free agent after the season. Sacramento has Early Bird rights on Monk and can sign him up to $78MM over four years. “I’d love to play here again, for sure. I’ve been here for two years and made friends with everyone, including the training staff and front office,” Monk told Scotto. Sabonis said the organization can’t afford to lose him: “We’ve got to keep him. He’s a big piece for us moving forward.”
Sabonis saw his 61-game double-double streak end on Tuesday, Cliff Brunt of The Associated Press writes. He had eight points and 13 rebounds against Oklahoma City. It’s the seventh-longest streak in league history and the longest since the NBA and ABA merged prior to the 1976/77 season.

Pacific Notes: Lakers, Allen, Myers, Curry, Leonard

April 6th, 2024 at 11:03pm CST by Arthur Hill

It won’t be easy for the Lakers to reach the top six in the West, but they haven’t been looking like a play-in team, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPN. L.A. blew out Cleveland this afternoon to move into eighth place, which is the team’s highest spot since late December. With nine wins in their last 10 games, Anthony Davis believes the Lakers are ready for whatever challenges they face in the postseason.

“We’re very confident in our ballclub,” he said after posting 22 points, 13 rebounds, six blocks and three steals. “We laugh about, like, ‘Oh, winning nine out of 10,’ and we haven’t went anywhere [in the standings]. So, it’s how good the West is. But we’re confident, very confident in our ballclub and any time we step on the floor.”

At 45-33, L.A. is a half-game behind New Orleans and a half-game ahead of Sacramento in a tight race for seedings. The Lakers trail Phoenix by a game-and-a-half for the coveted sixth spot, but they’re two games back in the loss column and will need some help to catch the Suns.

“I think the biggest difference is just that we’re just having fun,” Davis added. “We’re holding each other accountable. If somebody messes up we’re yelling, screaming at him. But nobody is taking it personal. Because we all know what we’re here for, to try to win. So we’re having fun, we’re having a great time out there playing basketball, and we’re staying together.”

There’s more from the Pacific Division:

Suns coach Frank Vogel indicated that he might consider replacing Grayson Allen with Royce O’Neale in the starting lineup depending on the postseason matchup, tweets Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. “Grayson has been our starter, I expect it to stay that way,” Vogel said, “but you get into or near the playoffs, everything is on the table.”
Appearing on JJ Redick’s podcast, former Warriors general manager Bob Myers said the team was never able to determine who provided the media with video of Draymond Green punching Jordan Poole at practice (video link from ClutchPoints). Myers said the organization conducted an investigation and even brought in a third party in an effort to find the culprit.
The Warriors will rest Stephen Curry for Sunday’s game with Utah, according to Anthony Slater of The Athletic (Twitter link). Andrew Wiggins and Jonathan Kuminga are both listed as questionable.
Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard will miss his fourth straight game Sunday against Cleveland for treatment and recovery on his right knee, tweets Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN.

Suns Notes: Allen, Beal, Nurkic, Spurs Loss, Schedule

March 26th, 2024 at 7:07pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Suns play the Nuggets on Wednesday. It’s also a significant day for wing Grayson Allen.

Allen becomes eligible tomorrow for a four-year extension that could be worth up to $75MM. If he doesn’t sign an extension, he’ll be an unrestricted free agent, with the Suns holding his Bird rights. If he were to sign an extension with a maximum starting salary of $16.4MM, Phoenix’s luxury tax bill projects to jump another $65-70MM, Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic notes.

“I try not to think about it too much,” Allen said about a potential offer. “One, because it’s not a done deal until it’s signed. You don’t want to count it, start counting stuff too early before it happens. Another part of is it’s March and we’ve got 11, 10 games left. We’re getting at a time where you don’t want to have stuff like that on your mind cause it’s an individual goal for me and right now, it’s the Suns and team stuff. I don’t want to think about that kind of stuff too much.”

We have more on the Suns:

Not only did the Suns lose to San Antonio on Monday, they came out of the game with a couple of new injuries, ESPN’s Andrew Lopez tweets. Bradley Beal left with a sprained right ring finger late and could not return. X-rays were negative. Jusuf Nurkic left the game earlier with a sprained right ankle. Neither one practiced on Tuesday, according to Rankin (Twitter links). They’re listed as questionable for Wednesday’s game, Gerald Bourguet of GoPhnx.com tweets.
The Suns had defeated the Spurs by 25 points two days earlier and San Antonio didn’t have Victor Wembanyama in the lineup during the rematch. Yet the Spurs were able to pull out a two-point win against a team fighting for playoff position. “It’s disappointment,” Beal told Lopez and other reporters. “We came in here and laid an egg. We thought it was going to be easy with no Wemby. Just got our (butt) kicked. They came out aggressive, just like Coach (Frank Vogel) told us they would, and we didn’t respond. Well, we did, but we didn’t withstand their punches.”
Phoenix’s final 10 opponents have a combined winning percentage of .648, Lopez notes. According to ESPN, it’s the toughest final 10-game stretch for any team since the 2015/16 Grizzlies. However, Vogel said that shouldn’t impact how the Suns finish. “We like our chances against anybody,” he said. “We don’t worry about the schedule.”