Jordan Clarkson Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Jazz Notes: Hendricks, Markkanen, Starters, Rotation

October 31st, 2024 at 12:07pm CST by Rory Maher

Second-year Jazz forward Taylor Hendricks requires surgery to repair his fractured right fibula and dislocated ankle, sources told Tim MacMahon of ESPN (Twitter link). Hendricks suffered the gruesome non-contact injury on Monday in Dallas. As MacMahon previously reported, Hendricks will miss the remainder of the season.

The No. 9 overall pick in last year’s draft, Hendricks is very well-liked by his teammates and showed consistent progress early on in 2024/25, particularly defensively, after an offseason of hard work; that made the injury all the more devastating, as Tony Jones of The Athletic writes.

“Taylor is very important to us,” starting center Walker Kessler told The Athletic. “In many ways, he’s our best defender. We were putting him on the other team’s best player every night. He’s such a great guy off the floor. He’s our brother. We didn’t see him (Tuesday), but we already miss him a bunch.”

Here’s more on the Jazz:

Star forward Lauri Markkanen is considered day-to-day after experiencing lower back spasms in the first half of Tuesday’s loss to Sacramento, per ESPN News Services. “His back pretty much locked up,” head coach Will Hardy told reporters. “He got treatment throughout halftime, and with about a minute left on the clock, was still on the table, not really able to move. So it was my decision, and our medical team’s decision, to hold him out.” Markkanen received treatment on Wednesday and will be reevaluated before Thursday’s game vs. San Antonio.
With Markkanen out for the second half, Hardy turned to rookie big man Kyle Filipowski, according to Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune, who notes that Hardy also made two other changes to the starting five on Tuesday: 2024 lottery pick Cody Williams replacing the injured Hendricks and Jordan Clarkson replacing Collin Sexton. After the game, Hardy offered an in-depth explanation for the decision to swap the two score-first guards.
“Yeah, we’re trying to make the two groups function a little bit better, and we can do that without impacting minutes too much, impacting opportunity too much. You know, I believe in Collin. Collin knows that this has nothing to do with his play. It’s about what makes the two groups function the best. I think early in the game, the first group showed some pretty decent cohesion offensively. I think I have some work to do to help Collin with that second group, if it’s something we continue to do,” Hardy said. “But nothing with our team right now is set in stone. I had a conversation with Collin before the game about wanting to try something different to see if we could find a little bit of a rhythm offensively. And Collin’s great. He understands he wants the team to do well. He’s always done anything and everything that I’ve asked from a role standpoint, and so it’s my responsibility that, if he is going to be accepting of those things, to continue to try to think about him and put him in a position to be successful.”

Western Notes: Wolves, Blazers, Jazz, Spurs, Missi

October 27th, 2024 at 2:57pm CST by Rory Maher

It came against an injury-depleted Raptors team, but the Timberwolves‘ new starting lineup had some encouraging moments in Saturday’s wire-to-wire home victory, according to Chris Hine of The Star Tribune.

“It looks like it’s starting to come together,” head coach Chris Finch said. “Things that I can see that maybe we can lean into are starting to form a little bit. We got to keep doing it particularly when it matters most, but it was good for those guys.”

Minnesota got off to a sluggish start in its opening road loss to the Lakers, but the team is starting to figure out how to play around Julius Randle, who contributed 24 points, nine rebounds and five assists in 37 minutes vs. Toronto. Center Rudy Gobert grew accustomed to playing alongside Karl-Anthony Towns, but Randle is less of a shooter and more of a driver.

“I try to be in a spot where I’m not in his way,” Gobert said of Randle. “Also he’s able to to find me if my man helps, or if someone collapses, find the shooter. …We gotta get a long way to go, but it’s fun. It’s fun to watch him work, and he’s a very good passer, too, so he’s gonna be able to find his teammates most of the time.”

Here’s more from the Western Conference:

The Trail Blazers gave up 140 points and were blown out in their opener, a 36-point home loss to Golden State. Although Portland blew a nine-point lead entering the fourth quarter on Friday and wound up losing a nail-biter to New Orleans, head coach Chauncey Billups was content with the team’s effort, writes Sean Highkin of The Rose Garden Report. “I thought we played good,” Billups said. “Obviously wished we’d come away with the win, but definitely, this is more who we are. We’re gonna compete, we’re gonna scrap. Defensively, I thought we did a pretty good job. It got away from us a few times. But I thought we played hard. I’m proud of our guys.”
The Blazers aren’t the only team to be throttled by Golden State this week. The Jazz only managed 86 points in a 41-point home loss to the Warriors on Friday. While Utah is expected to be among the worst teams in the league, Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune questions whether the second unit featuring Cody Williams, Brice Sensabaugh, Jordan Clarkson and John Collins can play competitive minutes together, as they don’t seem to possess complementary skill sets.
Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News (subscription required) shares three takeaways from the Spurs‘ 109-106 victory over Houston on Saturday, including head coach Gregg Popovich using lottery pick Stephon Castle in crunch time. “I feel like just being out there late game is credit to my defense,” Castle said. “I feel like that’s when it’s needed most. So I was really just trying to lock in on that and then on the other end, just execute whatever Pop calls.”
Big man Yves Missi was viewed by scouts as a raw prospect entering the 2024 draft, but the Pelicans believed in his athleticism and “capacity for learning,” which is why they selected him 21st overall, according to Christian Clark of NOLA.com (subscriber link). Missi has impressed through two games, averaging 10.0 PPG, 6.5 RPG and 2.5 BPG in 22.5 MPG. Clark details how the 20-year-old traveled from his native Cameroon to the U.S. as teenager to pursue his basketball dream.

Kyle Kuzma Wants To Play In 2028 Olympics

September 16th, 2024 at 9:21am CST by Arthur Hill

Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma is hoping to play in the 2028 Olympics, and he’s willing to represent another nation if he doesn’t land a spot with Team USA. In an interview with All-Star Magazine (YouTube link), Kuzma talked about watching the U.S. win a gold medal in Paris last month and wanting to be part of that experience.

“My number one goal is to play with Team USA in the Olympics, 100%, in four years,” he said during a visit to Manila. “I had the opportunity to play for Team USA back in the 2019 FIBA World Cup before I broke my foot, but I think it’s really cool that other players are going other places to play. Because it’s very, very tough to play for Team USA. It’s the top of the top, and it’s a little political at some times. But I’m going to work really hard and hopefully one day I can get back there.”

Kuzma celebrated his 29th birthday this summer, so he’ll be 33 when the Olympic Games return to Los Angeles in four years, likely making it his last chance to participate. While the Flint, Michigan, native prefers to represent his native country, he expressed an openness to the idea of playing for the Philippines national team, which would require clearance from FIBA and Team USA.

“I could rock out with JC (Jordan Clarkson),” Kuzma said. “That’d be cool.”

Kuzma is currently preparing for his eighth NBA season and his fourth with Washington. He’s one of the few veteran players on the Wizards, who are in the midst of a youth movement and are likely to have one of the top picks in next year’s draft.

Kuzma’s long-term role with the franchise appears uncertain. He’s coming off one of the best seasons of his career — averaging 22.2 points, 6.6 rebounds and 4.2 assists in 70 games — so he could have more value to a contender, and the front office may be willing to part with him to add to its stockpile of draft assets. Kuzma has three seasons remaining on the extension he signed last summer, so he doesn’t have much leverage if he decides he’d rather play for a team with a better chance of winning.

Among the other topics Kuzma addressed in the interview was his admiration for Heat president Pat Riley, although their paths have never crossed in the NBA.

“I’ve always admired him,” Kuzma said. “I just admired his no-nonsense approach when it came to basketball, and being professional, because that’s me. When I’m off the court, I’m very fun, I have all these different passions, but when I step (on the court), I’m very serious because I love it and it’s important to me. I just love what he stands for and his tutelage of the sport. From the Showtime (Lakers) years up until just building what the Heat culture is, it’s pretty phenomenal.”

Jazz Rumors: Markkanen, Lineup, Collins, Clarkson

July 30th, 2024 at 9:34am CST by Luke Adams

Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen will become eligible to renegotiate and extend his contract on August 6. Signing on that day would make him ineligible to be traded for six months, with the trade restriction lifting on the day of the 2025 trade deadline (February 6).

Making a Monday appearance on The Drive with Spence Checketts on ESPN 700 in Salt Lake City (audio link), Tony Jones of The Athletic explained why he’s not counting on an Aug. 6 announcement.

“I would expect him to sign on August 7th, or after August 6th,” Jones said (hat tip to HoopsHype). “Lauri doesn’t want to be traded, so if he signs the renegotiation and extension, which I expect him to do, I expect him to do it after August 6th so there’s no trade talk this year. I don’t even think him signing on August 6th is even that much of an option. We’re almost 100% trending towards him signing on August 7th.

“Lauri has really taken to Utah. His family has taken to Utah. Obviously the Jazz can trade him between now and August 6th, and Lauri knows that, but Lauri has forged a really close relationship with (head coach) Will Hardy. And Will Hardy has really found a way to unlock his career in a manner that hasn’t been accomplished before. Lauri really recognizes that, understands that, and appreciates that. He wants to be a part of the rebuild.”

Jones confirms that the Jazz explored making “win-now” transactions at the start of the offseason, including pursuing Mikal Bridges. After those moves didn’t come to fruition, the expectation was that Utah might pivot to a more full-fledged rebuild by trading Markkanen. But Jones says the Jazz believe the 27-year-old’s game will age well and that he should still be in his prime when the team is ready to contend again.

“The likely scenario is Lauri signs on August 7th, the Jazz prioritize the young guys during the season, and they try to enter the Cooper Flagg sweepstakes in the draft in 2025,” Jones said.

Here are a few more highlights from Jones’ ESPN 700 radio appearance:

Later in his conversation with Checketts, Jones stressed that he doesn’t believe a Markkanen trade is likely to happen this offseason. Asked to rate the odds of a deal on a scale from one to 10, Jones said he’d “probably put it at a two” for the time being. “I think we’re trending toward the Jazz not trading Lauri,” he said. “I don’t think that there’s a package out there that they’re overly interested in.”
Asked what it would look like for the Jazz to “prioritize the young guys” in 2024/25, Jones said he expects the team to start Walker Kessler over John Collins at center while also potentially starting Keyonte George at point guard and Taylor Hendricks at power forward (with Markkanen at the three). Jones added that he could see 2024 lottery pick Cody Williams playing double-digit minutes “from day one.”
According to Jones, making sure the Jazz keep their top-10 protected 2025 first-round pick and end up in the top half of the lottery figures to be a priority for management. “I think that the front office is going to go into this with the mindset of, ‘We have to do anything we can to get a top-five pick in this draft,'” Jones said. “I believe that if the Jazz accomplish that, I think any of the top five picks in next year’s draft is a guy with franchise-level talent. … I think the Jazz realize how good this draft is. And I think they are going to act accordingly, whether they have Lauri on the roster or not.”
Jones thinks the Jazz would have liked to move Collins and/or Jordan Clarkson this offseason, but acknowledges that both veterans will probably open the season on the roster since they haven’t generated real interest on the trade market. “You can’t trade people if there aren’t people who want to trade for them,” Jones said. “John makes a little bit too much money. I don’t anticipate the Jazz being able to trade him until the last year of his contract. Jordan Clarkson is the one that surprises me because I thought he’d have a lot more of a market this summer, but it just hasn’t materialized.”

Western Notes: Jazz, Clarkson, Draymond, Klay, Blazers, Kings

July 25th, 2024 at 8:39pm CST by Luke Adams

Within a look at the Jazz‘s potential depth chart, Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune says that Jordan Clarkson hasn’t drawn any real trade interest this offseason, so it appears the veteran guard will still be on Utah’s roster when the regular season tips off this fall.

In Larsen’s view, Clarkson, Collin Sexton, and Keyonte George all possess similar skill sets as score-first guards who aren’t particularly strong on defense or super-efficient as shooters. While each of them may be best suited as a sixth man, Larsen projects George and Sexton as the starters, with Clarkson coming off the bench.

Rather than trying to start John Collins again alongside Lauri Markkanen and Walker Kessler in the frontcourt, the Jazz should give 2024 lottery pick Cody Williams a shot in the starting five, Larsen contends, noting that the team needs to gamble on upside and adding that Williams looks capable of fitting in as an offensive connector.

In his hypothetical Jazz depth chart, Larsen has Isaiah Collier, Taylor Hendricks, and Drew Eubanks joining Clarkson and Collins on the second unit.

Here’s more from around the Western Conference:

Appearing on the Club 520 Podcast with Jeff Teague (YouTube link), Warriors big man Draymond Green said he’s happy Klay Thompson was able to move on from Golden State this summer — for Thompson’s sake. “I’m happy as hell he’s gone, and the reason I’m happy he’s gone is because he wasn’t happy anymore,” Green said. “As a brother, I only want what’s best for you. Not what’s best for me, not what’s best for this team, not what’s best for the organization. … To see him unhappy – I wouldn’t even necessarily say unhappy, he was uneasy though, just bothered – and to see him that way… that bothered me. … I think it was time for him.”
The Trail Blazers have announced an addition to their coaching staff, issuing a press release to officially confirm the hiring of Ronnie Burrell as an assistant under Chauncey Billups. A former UNC Greensboro standout and a professional player in Europe, Burrell spent last season on Brooklyn’s staff after serving as head coach of the Long Island Nets in 2022/23.
Jim Moran, who coached the Rip City Remix in the G League last season, is joining Mike Brown‘s staff as a Kings assistant, league sources tell Sean Cunningham of FOX 40 Sacramento (Twitter links). Moran previously served as an assistant under Dwane Casey in Detroit and Terry Stotts in Portland, Cunningham notes.

Fischer’s Latest: Redick, Lakers, Valanciunas, Knicks, Jazz, Rockets, Bridges

June 24th, 2024 at 8:52pm CST by Dana Gauruder

J.J. Redick was just introduced as the Lakers head coach in a formal press conference on Monday, but he has already talked to members of the current roster about how he plans to maximize their personnel offensively, Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports reports.

Redick is going to put a premium on positional versatility, three-point shooting, and play-making, and has discussed specific roles with the players. He’ll also utilize lineups that can optimize LeBron James — his former podcast partner — off the ball.

League insiders continue to push the notion that the Lakers will look to upgrade the center position so that Anthony Davis can spend more time at power forward, Fischer writes. Baylor freshman Yves Missi and Indiana sophomore Ke’lel Ware are two possibilities they’ll look at with the No. 17 pick. However, they might be willing to move down the first round.

The Knicks and Jazz are each willing to trade their latter first-round pick and second-round draft capital to move up into the teens of this draft, Fischer hears. Utah owns the No. 29 and 32 picks and the Lakers might consider drafting Bronny James at one of those spots, rather than hoping LeBron’s son is still available with their second-rounder at No. 55.

Here’s more intel from Fischer:

Pelicans center Jonas Valanciunas could be a free agent target for the Lakers if they decide to get veteran help at that spot. Hawks guard Dejounte Murray and Trail Blazers forward Jerami Grant remain potential trade targets.
As previously reported, the Rockets are expected to pick up their $7.56MM option on Jae’Sean Tate and guarantee the salaries of Jeff Green and Jock Landale at $8MM apiece. That doesn’t mean they will remain on the roster. Houston could use those contracts as trade pieces. The Rockets are open for business on the No. 3 overall pick as they’re looking for win-now upgrades.
Numerous teams continue to check on the availability of Nets forward Mikal Bridges, including the Rockets, Knicks and Jazz. Utah could be well-positioned to make a significant move. It can dangle some significant contracts — John Collins ($26.5MM) and Jordan Clarkson ($14MM) — along with its 2024 draft capital (No. 10, 29, 32) and future picks from the Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell trades. The Jazz also have substantial cap room to absorb salary.
Along with the Knicks and Jazz, the Suns, Timberwolves and Celtics are among the teams with late first-rounders entertaining trade possibilities that could move them up or down in the draft.

International Notes: Giannis, Team Canada, Hezonja, Clarkson, Vildoza, Ataman, Team China

June 20th, 2024 at 9:11am CST by Dana Gauruder

Giannis Antetokounmpo is looking forward to participating in Greece’s training camp, though he’s still dealing with the injury that short-circuited the Bucks’ playoff run. Milwaukee’s superstar will look to help Greece advance out of the FIBA Olympic qualifying tournament in Piraeus early next month.

“I have not practiced yet, but I feel better. I cannot wait to join the training camp,” he told Johnny Askounis of Eurohoops.net and other reporters.

Antetokounmpo suffered a calf strain late in the NBA regular season. The announcement that he would play for Greece was made at the beginning of this month.

We have more international basketball news:

Canada’s preliminary Olympic roster is loaded with NBA players and there will be tough decisions ahead to pare it to 12 players, Josh Lewenberg of TSN notes. Kings forward Trey Lyles, former NBA bigs Khem Birch and Mfiondu Kabengele and two-time National Player of the Year Zach Edey are some of the players who, on paper, will be fighting for the last two spots on the roster, writes Lewenberg.
Former NBA forward Mario Hezonja announced on social media that he’s re-signing with Real Madrid, Sportando relays. “Real Madrid believed in me when many didn’t, cared for me and my family since the first day I arrived and made us feel at home. My only intention was to stay so I am happy to communicate to you that I will continue my journey at MY HOME, MY REAL MADRID for a long time!” he wrote. There had been speculation he might look at NBA opportunities.
Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson was not on the Philippines’ 12-man roster for the FIBA Olympic qualifier. Coach Tim Cone opted for continuity, according to executive director Erika Dy. Cone decided to go with the same group that participated in an Asia Cup qualifier over the winter. “Premise of coach Tim, we have the same roster every time. The shorter training periods will accumulate, and the players will build chemistry,” Dy said, per BasketNews.
Virtus Bologna is reportedly interested in former NBA guard Luca Vildoza, who is leaving Greece’s Panathinaikos, according to another Sportando report. Vildoza had a seven-game stint with the Bucks in 2021/22.
After leading Panathinaikos to a Euroleague title, Ergin Ataman is eager to get a shot at coaching in the NBA. But he told the Spanish outlet AS that he only wants to make the jump if he’s offered a head coaching job. “Before it was my dream, now it’s not, but if you want a star coach from Europe, here I am. Why would I be afraid of training NBA stars?” he said, per Eurohoops.net.
The Chinese national team will participate in the California Classic in Sacramento next month, Jason Anderson of the Sacramento Bee reports. They’ll be grouped against Summer League teams from the Kings, Hornets, and Spurs. Squads from the Warriors, Lakers and Heat will play against each other in San Francisco.

Northwest Notes: Jazz, Sexton, Clarkson, Wolves, Nuggets

June 16th, 2024 at 12:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Jazz are “casting a wide net” as they decide what to do with their three selections in this year’s draft, writes Tony Jones of The Athletic. Sources tell Jones that Purdue center Zach Edey, French forward Tidjane Salaun, Marquette guard Tyler Kolek and Virginia guard Ryan Dunn are among the players Utah has hosted in the past week.

Jones is especially intrigued by Dunn, who he says could be the best perimeter defender in the draft. However, the 6’8″ guard doesn’t have a developed offensive game and he might not fall into the team’s current draft range — No. 10 seems too high to take him, and he could be off the board when the Jazz pick again at No. 29 and 32.

Utah’s most pressing need is a small forward who can contribute on both ends of the court, according to Jones, who examines the potential fit of Tennessee’s Dalton Knecht, Colorado’s Cody Williams, G League Ignite’s Ron Holland and Salaun. He also looks at Providence’s Devin Carter if the Jazz opt for a guard.

There’s more from the Northwest Division:

Executives from rival teams believe the Jazz could explore trade opportunities this summer involving Collin Sexton and Jordan Clarkson, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. Sexton has two years remaining on his contract at $18.4MM and $19.2MM, while Clarkson will make $14MM next season and $14.3MM in 2025/26.
The Mavericks’ struggles against Boston in the NBA Finals are an indication that the Timberwolves still aren’t at the level of title contenders, according to Michael Rand of The Star Tribune, who notes that Dallas handled Minnesota pretty convincingly in the conference finals, including a Game 5 rout to close out the series. Rand believes the Wolves should follow the Celtics’ path for improvement and be willing to gamble on a major trade or two.
Talk of a Nuggets dynasty has faded with this year’s second-round exit, and Troy Renck of The Denver Post believes the focus should turn to winning the next title. He accuses the organization of taking a “macro view” by trying to win multiple championships rather than doing what is necessary to get the next one. Renck contends that approach led to personnel decisions that created a thin bench and left the team unable to close out Game 7 against Minnesota.

Northwest Notes: Finch, Nori, Wolves, Clarkson, Thunder

May 4th, 2024 at 2:55pm CST by Tristan Tucker

There is “increased optimism” that Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch will be seated near the team’s bench when Game 1 of the Timberwolves/Nuggets series tips off on Saturday, according to The Athletic’s Jon Krawczynski and Shams Charania (Twitter link). Finch suffered a torn patellar tendon during Minnesota’s first-round series against Phoenix and underwent surgery on the knee on Wednesday.

With Finch’s mobility impacted due to the injury, assistant coach Micah Nori will take on a larger role, as expected (Twitter link via Krawczynski). But it sounds like the Wolves will at least be able to have their head coach nearby rather than watching the game from the locker room or a suite. As Chris Hine of The Star Tribune tweets, team staffers appeared to be working with Finch on Friday to figure out a spot for him to sit, with the goal to get him as close to the floor as possible.

We have more from the Northwest Division:

Nick Williams of The Star Tribune takes a closer look at the next step in the Timberwolves‘ ownership dispute after a mediation session this week was unsuccessful. As Williams details, the two sides – current majority owner Glen Taylor and minority owners Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez – will now head to arbitration, which must take place in Minneapolis within the next six months. A three-person panel will hear the case, according to Williams, with each side choosing one arbitrator and then agreeing on a retired judge from Minnesota to serve as the third arbitrator.
There’s a chance that veteran guard Jordan Clarkson appeared in his last game for the Jazz this season, Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune writes. The oldest and longest-tenured player on the roster, Clarkson is under contract for two more seasons, but has a team-friendly deal that could make him an appealing offseason trade target. “Tomorrow’s tomorrow, I don’t really try to look too far forward,” Clarkson said. “But I love this organization, I love this state, city. I love playing for this team, [head coach Will Hardy] and everybody. If it’s the last, that just is what it is.” If the Jazz were to move him, it would be to make way for younger players on the roster. He’s due to make about $14MM in each of the next two seasons.
The Thunder followed up a week-long break at the end of the regular season with a four-game sweep of New Orleans in the first round, so it’s no surprise that head coach Mark Daigneault has no problem with another lengthy layoff before the second round begins. “If you’ve got bumps and bruises it gives you time to heal and get everybody’s tank full from a recovery standpoint,” Daigneault said, according to Joe Mussatto of The Oklahoman. “Disadvantages would just be a lot of time in between games, an amount of time we’re not used to. … But I thought we managed it pretty well in the last stretch.”

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

Northwest Notes: Ayton, Murray, Wolves, Jazz

March 14th, 2024 at 5:22pm CST by Rory Maher

After an uneven first few months with his new club, Trail Blazers center Deandre Ayton has been living up to his self-styled nickname (“DominAyton”) over the past several weeks, according to Sean Highkin of Rose Garden Report.

“I think we’ve unlocked him,” head coach Chauncey Billups said. “We’re getting the best version of him. He’s been a monster.”

As Highkin writes, since January 24 — a stretch that covers 16 games for Ayton — the Bahamian center has averaged 20.0 PPG, 12.4 RPG, 1.1 SPG and 0.9 BPG while shooting 63.2% from the field and 94.7% from the free throw line in 33.5 MPG. In Wednesday’s victory over Atlanta, the 25-year-old scored a season-high 33 points (on 15-of-20 shooting) and pulled down 19 rebounds, the second time in three games he’s had at least 30 points and 19 boards.

“Coming into these games, I’m trying to do everything,” Ayton said, per Highkin. “Not only do my requirements, my role for this team, but do a lot more. That’s where I’m at. I’m more dominant. People like to laugh at it, but it’s the truth.”

Here’s more from the Northwest:

Nuggets guard Jamal Murray doesn’t hold any individual awards, but he knows he’s respected and feared by his opponents, he told Melissa Rohlin of Fox Sports. “Of course,” Murray said when asked if he thought he was one of the best players in the league. “And I strive to be the greatest. I want to be the best player ever. Obviously, if you don’t shoot high, then you’re never going to get there. I think (Nikola) Jokic is the greatest player right now. And I try to be a close second.” A brilliant postseason performer, the 27-year-old said he has his sights set on the award his teammate Jokic won last year: Finals MVP.
With Karl-Anthony Towns out at least four weeks following knee surgery, it’s natural that people would begin to question the Timberwolves‘ status as a postseason contender, despite their excellent season to this point — they’re currently 45-21, one game back of the top-seeded Nuggets. According to Chris Mannix of SI.com, Minnesota is embracing being an underdog. “We got a team full of dogs, man,” said point guard Mike Conley. “We got guys who want the opportunity that we have. It’s all uphill and people are doubting and that’s where we work best, I think. We’re just going to go out there and do what we do, block the noise out and kind of hold it down until he gets back and be ready to go.” The Wolves have gone 2-2 since Towns was injured.
The Jazz provided injury updates on three injured players on Wednesday, per Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune (Twitter links). Rookie forward Taylor Hendricks (toe sprain) was a full practice participant yesterday, while Lauri Markkanen (right quadriceps contusion) was a partial participant. Hendricks has missed the past three games, while Markkanen has missed four straight. Jordan Clarkson (right groin strain) did not practice. Larsen speculates that Hendricks could return on Friday vs. Atlanta, but the other two players may take a little bit longer to return.