Kevin Durant Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Atlantic Notes: Simmons, Embiid, Durant, Knicks

January 28th, 2022 at 10:29am CST by Luke Adams

In a column for SI.com, Chris Mannix makes the case that the Sixers should move sooner rather than later on a Ben Simmons trade, even if the team might be able to get a stronger return in the offseason. As Mannix argues, Joel Embiid is having an MVP-caliber season and the 76ers are a borderline title contender, so getting a couple good pieces in exchange for Simmons – who isn’t playing – could be enough to push the team over the top.

However, it doesn’t sound like the Sixers feel compelled to act yet. Acknowledging that Philadelphia’s stance has been “all over the place and difficult to read” over the last few months, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said on NBA Today (video link) on Thursday that the club still appears prepared to extend its standoff with Simmons beyond February 10.

“The most recent conversations out of Philly to opposing teams in trade talks are that not only are the Sixers showing signs that they are willing to keep Ben Simmons past this trade deadline, but they have not given up on Ben Simmons reversing his field and playing for them this season,” Windhorst said. “… Now, I don’t think that this is a viable option, based on my conversations with Ben Simmons’ side, but it is what the Sixers are saying today.”

Here’s more from around the Atlantic:

After a brief on-court altercation between Embiid and Pelicans rookie Jose Alvarado on Tuesday resulted in technical fouls for both players, Alvarado revealed on Thursday that the Sixers center was paying the $2,000 fine associated with his technical. Embiid explained to reporters, including Andrew Lopez of ESPN, why he covered the cost of Alvarado’s fine. “I just like his energy. He plays hard. He competes. Even when he picked up the tech, he wasn’t backing down,” Embiid said. “… I just felt like the least I can do because I made him pick up a tech and he doesn’t make as much as other guys in the league. I just felt like that was on me and I didn’t want him to lose that money because I’m sure we all need it.”
Nets forward Kevin Durant has earned a $1.1MM bonus as a result of making the All-Star Game, tweets ESPN’s Bobby Marks. Even if Durant hadn’t been named an All-Star starter, he would’ve received that bonus if he appears in at least 50 games, the Nets make the playoffs, or the Nets win at least 43 games, so it was a virtual lock. The former MVP’s cap hit going forward will be unaffected, since the bonus had already been considered likely.
Following the Knicks‘ loss to Miami on Wednesday, swingman Evan Fournier expressed frustration with the team’s inability to make in-game changes on offense to account for opposing defensive game plans. “We have to adapt. That’s the main thing,” Fournier said, per Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News. “Because we have the weapons, let’s be honest. We have guys who can score. It shouldn’t be a problem for us to score.” New York currently ranks 24th in the NBA in offensive rating.

Embiid, DeRozan Among All-Star Starters From Eastern Conference

January 27th, 2022 at 6:49pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Sixers center Joel Embiid, Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Nets forward Kevin Durant have been named All-Star starters from the Eastern Conference frontcourt pool.

DeMar DeRozan (Bulls) and Trae Young (Hawks) are the conference’s guards who will join them as starters, NBA Communications tweets.

Durant will be a team captain because he is the All-Star starter from the East with the most fan votes in the East. However, he’s currently sidelined by a knee injury and isn’t expected to play in next month’s All-Star Game at Cleveland.

DeRozan was the leader among Eastern Conference guards in the fan voting. The fan vote counted for 50% in the selection process, with player voting accounting for 25% and the media getting a 25% say.

It will be DeRozan’s third All-Star start and fifth All-Star game. In his first year with the Bulls, DeRozan is averaging 26.4 PPG, 5.0 RPG and 4.8 APG. All of the starters from the East are among the NBA’s top six scorers, led by Durant (29.3 PPG) and Embiid (29.0 PPG).

Nets Notes: Harden, Nash, Harris, Durant

January 26th, 2022 at 7:57am CST by Luke Adams

Asked on Tuesday about Jake Fischer’s report that suggested he was frustrated by certain aspects of his experience with the Nets and is becoming increasingly interested in testing the free agent market, All-Star guard James Harden denied that those claims came from him, tweets Alex Schiffer of The Athletic.

However, Harden didn’t explicitly call out the report as false, as Mike Vaccaro of The New York Post writes. And while the 32-year-old didn’t confirm that he has been frustrated by Kyrie Irving‘s inconsistent availability or the team’s constantly changing crunch-time lineups, he did acknowledge some disappointment about the way the season has played out so far.

“Of course I’m frustrated because we’re not healthy,” Harden said. “There’s been a lot of inconsistency for whatever reason — injuries, COVID, whatever you want to call it. I think everyone in the organization is frustrated because we’re better than what our record is.”

Here’s more on the Nets:

Head coach Steve Nash was also asked on Tuesday about the claim that Harden has been frustrated by Irving’s status and Nash’s rotations. “I haven’t spoken to him about these things,” Nash replied, per Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link). “I’m not sure what to believe. James and I speak all the time. I think we have a great relationship. I’m not sure the validity of these comments, to be honest with you.”
Nets sharpshooter Joe Harris, who is recovering from left ankle surgery, flew to Indianapolis earlier this week to get a second opinion on his injury, Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports reported on TNT’s Tuesday night broadcast (video link). Harris still intends to return this season, but there’s no set timeline for when that will happen.
Kevin Durant is a shoo-in to make the All-Star team, but he doesn’t plan to play in next month’s All-Star Game in Cleveland, Haynes said on Tuesday night (video link). That’s not a big surprise, since Durant’s recovery from an MCL sprain may keep him sidelined beyond All-Star weekend anyway.

New York Notes: Harden, Irving, Burks, Quickley, Claxton, Sharpe, Mills, Aldridge

January 22nd, 2022 at 9:25am CST by Dana Gauruder

The Nets’ two healthy stars had a “breakthrough” performance on Friday, James Harden told ESPN’s Tim MacMahon and other media members. Harden and Kyrie Irving combined for 26 fourth-quarter points against San Antonio. Harden finished with 37 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists.

“For sure, it was a breakthrough,” Harden said. “(Kyrie)’s capable of doing that at any moment and any point in the game. That’s one of the reasons why we need him every single game, because he’s able to do that, especially with everything that’s going on with our team. But he’s able and more than capable of doing things like that whenever he wants. I think he just tries to get us involved a little bit more, but he’s a special talent.”

Of course, Irving can only play half the time due his unvaccinated status. Kevin Durant is sidelined by a knee injury and there’s no timetable for his return.

We have more on the New York teams:

There are all kinds of issues with the Knicks these days, including the lack of production from guards Alec Burks and Immanuel Quickley, Marc Berman of the New York Post notes. Burks signed a three-year, $30MM contract during the offseason and Quickley is on his rookie deal. They’ve tanked during the current three-game losing streak, shooting 22-for-77 (30.6%) from the field.
The Nets are reportedly looking for a way to deal Paul Millsap, who hasn’t been able to crack the rotation. That’s due to the increase in minutes for young players Nic Claxton and Day’Ron Sharpe, Brian Lewis of the New York Post writes. That has made it difficult for coach Steve Nash to fit in the numerous frontcourt veterans dotting the roster. “Just a difficult situation that we didn’t necessarily foresee, but here we are,” Nash said. “And Day’Ron and Nic have emerged.”
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich offered high praise for two of his former players, the Nets’ Patty Mills and LaMarcus Aldridge, Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio Express-News relays (Twitter links). Of Mills, Popovich said, “he’s always positive, a consummate pro in preparing for his job, gives everything he has in every practice and every game, supports everybody on the team and in the organization.” Regarding Aldridge, Popovich said, “LA did all the community things Patty did….He just did it quietly. … He was a great teammate with everybody, a heck of a player.”

Nets Notes: Harden, Durant, Harris, Aldridge

January 17th, 2022 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Within a Substack article about the Ben Simmons situation, veteran NBA reporter Marc Stein repeats a point that has been expressed by a number of league insiders in recent months, writing that there’s a belief the Sixers are willing to retain Simmons until the offseason in case they can use him to acquire James Harden from the Nets. Harden has a player option for 2022/23, so if he wants a change of scenery, he could either opt out and pursue a new team as a free agent or push for a trade while opting in.

According to Stein, “there is enough noise circulating leaguewide about Harden’s reported openness to relocation this summer” to convince Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey it might make sense to hang onto Simmons through the deadline.

Stein’s wording is a little convoluted, suggesting any intel on Harden’s intentions probably isn’t from a first- or even second-hand source. But the idea that the former MVP isn’t a lock to stay in Brooklyn is an intriguing one — he turned down an extension offer from the Nets prior to the season.

Still, Harden has also spoken about wanting to remain in Brooklyn for the rest of his career, and given how the NBA’s salary cap and Collective Bargaining Agreement work, his decision to forgo an extension may have been more about maximizing his future earnings rather than a desire to jump ship. The Nets’ performance in this spring’s playoffs will certainly be fascinating to follow, since both Harden and Kyrie Irving are eligible for free agency this offseason.

Here’s more on the Nets:

The Nets have yet to offer any specific timeline for Kevin Durant‘s recovery from a left knee sprain, and Nash remained evasive today when he discussed the star forward’s status, as Brian Lewis of The New York Post writes. “I think we don’t have a timeline, and it’s also a few weeks before we reevaluate it,” Nash said. “So, right now we’re just going to wait and see how it heels and how he recovers over the next few weeks, and then there will be more of an evaluation and hopefully some sort of timeline.” Adrian Wojnarowski previously reported that a four-to-six week recovery timetable is the expectation for Durant.
Joe Harris, who is coming off November ankle surgery, is with the Nets on their current road trip and is doing some shooting, but he won’t play during the trip, according to Nash (Twitter link via Lewis). That means Harris will remain sidelined for at least the next four games.
After missing the Nets’ last five games due to right foot soreness, LaMarcus Aldridge is back in action on Monday, tweets Nick Friedell of ESPN.

Atlantic Notes: Williams, Durant, Thybulle, Stevens

January 16th, 2022 at 7:32pm CST by JD Shaw

Celtics center Robert Williams III had a strong performance in the team’s 114-112 victory over Chicago on Saturday, Jared Weiss of The Athletic writes. Williams finished with 14 points, 13 rebounds, six assists and two blocks, helping Boston secure a much-needed win at home.

“I think he was just out there playing with a lot of energy, staying solid, and he’s handled it very well,” Celtics veteran Al Horford said of Williams. “He looks more and more comfortable, and that’s a good time for us.”

Williams agreed to a four-year, $54MM contract extension with Boston last summer. In 35 starts this season, he’s averaged a career-best 10.0 points, 9.2 rebounds and 2.1 blocks, playing 29.3 minutes per game. The Celtics rank sixth in defensive rating (107.3) largely because of his play.

Here are some other notes from the Atlantic:

Alex Schiffer of The Athletic examines what Kevin Durant‘s MCL sprain means for the Nets. Durant is averaging 29.3 points per game this season, his highest mark since the 2012/13 season. He’s also shooting 52% from the floor, 37% from three and 89% from the charity stripe. “We’ve been a resilient group all year since I’ve been here,” James Harden said. “So, we just got to keep pushing.”
Sixers wing Matisse Thybulle will be out for at least one week after an MRI revealed a right shoulder sprain, Tom Moore of the Bucks County Courier Times tweets. Thybulle missed the team’s game against Miami on Saturday due to the injury, starting in 17 of his 32 games so far this season.
A. Sherrod Blakely of Full Court Press spoke to Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens about the upcoming trade deadline. The deadline falls on February 10 this season, just three weeks from Thursday. “It’s always the same goal here,” Stevens said. “Whatever we do has to make sense…putting yourself in the mix to compete for the next banner.”

Kevin Durant Diagnosed With Sprain, May Return In 4-6 Weeks

January 16th, 2022 at 10:04am CST by Arthur Hill

The Nets appear to have avoided a serious injury with Kevin Durant, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic. An MRI showed that Durant has a sprained medial collateral in his left knee and is expected to return to full strength after treatment.

Team officials are optimistic that Durant will only need four-to-six weeks of rehab work on the knee before he can resume playing, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link).

Durant suffered the injury in the second quarter of Saturday’s game when Bruce Brown was knocked backwards into his knee while playing defense. Durant attempted to remain in the game, but decided to go to the locker room to have it checked. He underwent an MRI this morning.

The Nets, who are in a tight race for the top spot in the East, will have to survive an extended stretch without the former MVP, who is leading the league in scoring at 29.3 PPG. Eleven of their next 14 games are away from home, which means Kyrie Irving will be eligible to play.

Kevin Durant To Undergo MRI On Left Knee

January 15th, 2022 at 8:03pm CST by Arthur Hill

8:39pm: Durant was able to walk out of Barclays Center, although he had “a little bit of a limp,” Friedell tweets. Durant expressed hope that the injury isn’t too serious, but said the team will wait for the MRI results before deciding whether he will travel to the next game in Cleveland.

8:03pm: Nets star Kevin Durant will undergo an MRI on his left knee on Sunday, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Durant had to leave tonight’s game with the Pelicans after a collision resulted in what the team is calling a sprained knee, according to Tim Bontemps of ESPN (Twitter link).

Durant was injured in the second quarter when teammate Bruce Brown, who was defending Herb Jones on a drive to the basket, fell backwards and struck Durant’s knee, according to Nick Friedell of ESPN.

The former MVP walked around and tried to stay in the game, but eventually decided to check out and go to the locker room to be examined. The Nets announced at halftime that he wouldn’t return.

Durant, who’s leading the NBA in scoring at 29.7 PPG, sat out Thursday’s game for rest. He is attempting to play something close to a full schedule for the first time since suffering a torn Achilles in the 2019 NBA Finals. He appeared in 35 games last season and has played 36 of Brooklyn’s 42 games so far this year.

Atlantic Notes: Celtics, IT, Smart, Durant, Boucher, Carter, Kemba

January 14th, 2022 at 10:41am CST by Luke Adams

Following 10-day stints with the Lakers and Mavericks, Isaiah Thomas is once again a free agent. Meanwhile, the Celtics have an open spot on their 15-man roster after waiving Jabari Parker. Appearing on the Toucher & Rich radio show in Boston, president of basketball operations Brad Stevens was asked whether a reunion with Thomas was possible, and while he didn’t rule it out, Stevens also didn’t suggest it’s something Boston is pursuing.

“I’m a huge Isaiah fan, always have been,” Stevens said, per Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports Boston (Twitter link). “… Our roster situation right now is complicated enough that we’ve got to get through next month to see where it lands and what it looks like. We’ll make other decisions, whether we have spots or adds or whatever the case may be. Isaiah is everything everyone has made him out to be.”

Here’s more from around the Atlantic:

The Celtics have ruled out Marcus Smart for Friday’s game in Philadelphia due to the health and safety protocols (Twitter link via Marc Stein). Smart had originally been listed as questionable, suggesting perhaps he registered an inconclusive or false positive COVID-19 test, but based on the latest update, it appears he had no luck testing out of the protocols.
The NBA announced today that the league has hit Nets star Kevin Durant with a $15K fine for using profane language during a media interview and failing to comply with an NBA Security interview as part of the review process.
In his latest rumor roundup, Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report identified a pair of under-the-radar Atlantic trade candidates, writing that Raptors big man Chris Boucher is considered available and that the Nets are believed to be exploring the idea of trading guard Jevon Carter.
Although Knicks point guard Kemba Walker appears to be nearing a return from his knee soreness, there’s no guarantee that he’ll return to the starting lineup right away, and he may not play both parts of back-to-back sets again this season, writes Marc Berman of The New York Post.

Nets Notes: Harris, Irving, Durant, Lineup, Bembry

January 8th, 2022 at 9:24am CST by Dana Gauruder

The Nets could soon have one of their top perimeter shooters back in the lineup. Joe Harris is expected to return to practice soon and could be back in action “in the next couple weeks,” ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski said on SportsCenter (hat tip to Adam Zagoria of Forbes).

Harris, who is in the second year of a four-year, $75MM contract, was averaging 11.3 PPG and 4.0 RPG in 14 starts before he underwent ankle surgery on November 29. At that time, he was given a four-to-eight week timetable for his return. Harris is a 43.9% career 3-point shooter and would be a huge boost for a club currently ranked No. 16 in 3-point shooting.

We have more on the Nets:

Kyrie Irving would be more than just a part-time player if he got vaccinated. However, Kevin Durant said he won’t pressure the enigmatic point guard to get the shots, Nick Friedell of ESPN writes. “I told him how important he is, how much I want him to play — play every game. But I’m not about to force somebody to get a vaccine, like that’s not my thing. So he can play basketball? Nah, I’m not about to do that,” Durant said. “We’ve had conversations about wanting him to be a part of the team and conversations about him being here full-time, but that’s on his time.”
Brooklyn’s lineup won’t have any stability due to Irving’s status, but coach Steve Nash will try to keep it as simple as possible, according to Brian Lewis of the New York Post. Patty Mills started on Friday when the team lost at home to Milwaukee. “I think it’s to be simple,” Nash said. “Two things. One, keeping it simple is best for everyone. Two, something is always going on with our squad and availability, so we’re mixing-and-matching often. So keeping it simple in this case is probably the best way, and the way that makes the most sense. “
DeAndre’ Bembry got his salary guaranteed for the rest of the season on Friday but he’s not content with signing one-year, non-guaranteed deals every season, as he told Kristian Winfield of the New York Daily News. “I’m not the one to just sit there and think about the contract. I’m thankful for these opportunities as always,” Bembry said. “But like I said, (I’m) looking forward to the next opportunity. I want more and feel like I deserve more, and I’m definitely going to go out there and take it.”