Luka Doncic Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Southwest Notes: Kidd, Doncic, Valanciunas, Bane, Murray

December 5th, 2021 at 9:08pm CST by JD Shaw

Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd believes Luka Doncic would benefit from focusing less on the officiating, Tim MacMahon of ESPN writes. Doncic frequently holds discussions with the referees, taking his attention away from other on-court matters.

“I would lean toward playing 5-on-5 a bit more,” Kidd explained. “You’re not going to get any calls. Officials, they tend to not stop the game to change calls. You have to understand there’s a point in time in games — dead balls — to be able to talk to officials.

“While the game is going on, transition defense is one of the things we’ve talked about that we have to get better. If we’re lobbying for calls during live play, it puts us in harm’s way. … Just some things have got to be a little bit more important. I think we’re going to get better at understanding as a team when to talk to officials. Not just Luka.”

As MacMahon notes, Doncic agreed with his coach’s advice. The Mavericks are just 11-11 and have lost seven of their last nine games.

There’s more from the Southwest Division tonight:

Christian Clark of NOLA.com examines why Pelicans center Jonas Valanciunas has worked to expand his range. Valanciunas has made 30 of his 65 three-point attempts (46%) this season, good for one of the league’s best clips. The most threes he has ever made in a season is 32 (in 2019/20). “The big guy is evolving by being able to stretch the floor and shoot the 3,” Valanciunas said. “Being able to handle the ball. Those things, I wanted to add to my game as well. I don’t want to disappear. I want to be successful in this league. Whatever it takes to be successful.”
Grizzlies guard Desmond Bane recorded 29 points and nine rebounds to help defeat the Mavericks on Saturday. After the contest, Bane reflected on the Mavericks passing over him in the 2020 draft, as relayed by Callie Caplan of the Dallas Morning News. “I mean, Josh Green was drafted in front of me,” Bane said. “I don’t know if he played tonight, but that’s on them. That’s not on me.”
Spurs guard Dejounte Murray is taking a leap with the franchise this season, Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News writes. Murray is averaging a career-high 19.1 points, 8.6 rebounds and 8.2 assists per game, shooting 45% from the floor.

Southwest Notes: Forbes, McDermott, Doncic, Valanciunas

December 4th, 2021 at 7:46pm CST by Arthur Hill

Bryn Forbes has been providing instant offense throughout his career, so he’s comfortable handling that role with the Spurs, writes Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News. The latest example came Thursday night when Forbes delivered 16 points in the fourth quarter of a victory at Portland. Forbes didn’t play in the first half, but got an opportunity when Devin Vassell was sidelined by pain in his right quadriceps.

“I’ve been pretty good at doing that my whole career, just getting hot,” Forbes said. “I can make shots. I’m 42 (percent from 3-point range) for my career, so pretty good chance the ball is going in.”

After winning a title with the Bucks last season, Forbes returned to San Antonio, where he played the first four years of his NBA career. His playing time is down this year, but his shooting percentages have remained high — 48.1% from the field and 41.8% from three-point range.

There’s more from the Southwest Division:

Spurs forward Doug McDermott was back on the court Thursday after missing the previous four games with a sore right knee, McDonald adds. The knee has been a persistent issue that has sidelined him for seven games overall. “It’s a very minor injury, but it was just kind of nagging for a while,” McDermott said. “It’s nothing serious at all. I just wanted to be careful with it.”
Mavericks star Luka Doncic underwent an MRI on his left ankle today, tweets Callie Caplan of The Dallas Morning News. Doncic, who is being held out of tonight’s game, has been dealing with discomfort since suffering a sprain November 15. “He’s been sore. It’s just been a busy stretch of games,” coach Jason Kidd said.
Pelicans center Jonas Valanciunas has been improving his three-point shot in recent years, but he’s never had a night like Monday when he went 7-for-7 from beyond the arc in the first half, notes Andrew Lopez of ESPN. Some of his teammates started calling him “Dirk Valanciunas” in honor of former Mavericks sharpshooter Dirk Nowitzki. “Everybody wants to be (Dirk). He’s one of the greatest big guys in the game,” said Valanciunas. “But I still gotta work a lot to be like him. I’m just taking what’s out there. If I have an open shot, I’ll take it. If I’m making it, I’ll keep taking it. It’s as simple as that.”

Southwest Notes: Morant, Doncic, Williamson, Jones

December 4th, 2021 at 3:58pm CST by JD Shaw

Grizzlies star Ja Morant is making progress in his rehab from a left knee sprain, but his timeline for a return still hasn’t changed, according to Evan Barnes of the Memphis Commercial Appeal. Morant suffered the injury against the Hawks on November 26.

“He’s been responding really well to the treatments, the lift sessions that he’s had and we’re sprinkling in just small doses of on-court work just to make sure his knee’s moving and seeing how he’s responding day to day,” head coach Taylor Jenkins said.

As we previously relayed, Jenkins said Morant would miss multiple weeks. Prior to injuring his knee, the 22-year-old was averaging a career-high 24.1 points per game in 19 contests. Memphis has still managed to win all three of its games without him, including a record 73-point victory over Oklahoma City on Thursday.

Here are some other notes from the Southwest Division:

Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic (left ankle soreness) will miss Saturday’s contest against the Grizzlies, the team announced on social media (Twitter link). Joining him will be Kristaps Porzingis (left knee contusion) and Willie Cauley-Stein (personal reasons). Dallas is just 4-6 in its last 10 games.
Andrew Lopez of ESPN examines whether the return of Zion Williamson can stabilize the Pelicans‘ season. Williamson (foot surgery rehab) has yet to play this season, leading to New Orleans accruing the third-worst record in the West at 7-18. In 61 games last season, he averaged 27 points, 7.2 rebounds and 33.2 minutes on 61% shooting.
Pelicans second-round pick Herb Jones has become one of the league’s best young defenders, William Guillory of The Athletic opines. Jones was drafted by New Orleans in July after spending four seasons at Alabama. “To be great on defense, you have to really want it,” he explained. “You have to play with a different kind of aggression, a different kind of desire. I take pride in always being the guy who’s ready to lay it all out there for my teammates. That’s what I care about the most.”

Porzingis: My Body Feels As Good As It Has “In A Long Time”

November 24th, 2021 at 11:22am CST by Luke Adams

Mavericks big man Kristaps Porzingis missed five games earlier this season due to lower back stiffness, raising concerns that 2021/22 might be another injury-plagued year for the former Knick. However, in nine games since returning to the lineup, Porzingis has averaged 23.9 PPG and 8.9 RPG on .510/.377/.932 shooting.

Before putting up 30 points in a Tuesday win over the Clippers, Porzingis told Mark Medina of NBA.com that he’s not currently dealing with any health issues.

“I feel great,” Porzingis said. “My body is feeling the best that it’s felt in a long time.”

Prior to last season’s trade deadline, reports surfaced indicating that the Mavs had been gauging the potential market for Porzingis. Team owner Mark Cuban denied those rumors at the time and, speaking to Medina, continued to dispute that Dallas ever shopped the former lottery pick.

“That’s not true. Why would I do that at all?” Cuban said. “Trades like that, you always end up further behind. When you trade a superstar, you never get the best end of it.”

The Mavs’ owner added that Porzingis is playing at an All-Star level and is “doing more and more unicorn things” this season.

“I’ve always believed that KP hasn’t played his best basketball yet. Now you’re seeing why we didn’t trade him,” Cuban said. “He’s a great player. He’s a good dude. All of my experiences with him have been positive. So why would we do that? But that’s NBA Twitter and that’s Mavs Twitter. That’s what they do. They’re probably trying to trade Luka (Doncic) right now.”

Here are a few more items of interest from Medina’s feature on Porzingis:

Porzingis didn’t share details on what sort of offseason workouts he completed, but said he spent the summer devoted to “a lot of physical work” and believes it’s paying off this season, per Medina. “I feel like my body has matured,” he said. “I feel strong on the court. It’s translating into my game.”
Porzingis acknowledged that he didn’t always feel comfortable with his role under former Mavs head coach Rick Carlisle and said he has noticed a difference since Jason Kidd‘s arrival: “My teammates have been trusting me. The coaching staff is trusting me and putting me in my most comfortable situations.”
There have been whispers in recent years that Porzingis and Doncic haven’t exactly built the strongest relationship, but KP says the Mavs’ two stars are “communicating more” this year and that he believes they can become one of the NBA’s best duos. “It’s all in the communication,” he said. “It’s as simple as that. Problems arise when you don’t communicate about things, and you don’t talk about it. So, we’re learning those things.”

Luka Dončić Returns On Tuesday

November 23rd, 2021 at 8:56pm CST by Rory Maher

Mavericks star Luka Dončić will return to action tonight against the Clippers, the team announced (Twitter link). He’s missed the last three games with left knee and ankle sprains.

We noted earlier today that Dončić appeared to aggravate the injury during Monday’s practice, but evidently another day of rest and recovery has enabled him to feel healthy enough to play.

In 13 games, Luka is averaging a fantastic 24.9 points, 8.3 rebounds and 7.9 assists (34.8 MPG), but his shooting line of .434/.308/.679 is below his normal standard. He signed a five-year, maximum-salary contract extension over the summer that starts next season.

The Mavs face the Clippers at 9:30 PM CT.

Western Notes: Doncic, Zion, Nuggets, Blazers

November 23rd, 2021 at 11:33am CST by Luke Adams

Mavericks guard Luka Doncic, who has missed three games since spraining his left knee and ankle last week, appeared to be on the verge of a return to the court as he went through practice on Monday. However, as Callie Caplan of The Dallas Morning News writes, the team hasn’t provided an update since Doncic shouted in pain and came off the court holding his knee near the end of Monday’s practice.

Doncic may have just suffered a brief scare that won’t affect his ability to return to action as soon as tonight — he’s still listed as questionable for Tuesday’s game vs. the Clippers. However, it’s also possible that the Mavericks will decide to hold him out for another game or two after he seemingly aggravated his injury on Monday.

As we wait for an update on Doncic, here’s more from around the Western Conference:

Within a larger article about Zion Williamson‘s foot injury, Brian Windhorst and Andrew Lopez of ESPN say that the Pelicans kept news of Williamson’s offseason surgery quiet until Media Day out of respect to the young forward’s “preference for privacy.”
In a column for The Denver Post, Sean Keeler criticizes the Nuggets for their decision to sign Michael Porter Jr. to a rookie scale extension in the offseason, arguing that it was an unnecessary move for a team that can’t afford to swing big and miss. If the Nuggets hadn’t extended Porter, who is out indefinitely with a back injury, he would’ve been on track to reach restricted free agency in 2022.
The Trail Blazers, who are riding a three-game winning streak, are showing signs of evolving from a collection of players into a team, according to Jason Quick of The Athletic. Quick points to a few moments that have shown that evolution, including Larry Nance Jr. making sure rookie Trendon Watford got the game ball when he scored his first NBA points in a blowout loss to Denver.

Mavs Notes: Nowitzki, Cuban, Kleber, Doncic, Ntilikina

November 22nd, 2021 at 1:03pm CST by Luke Adams

As first reported last week by Marc Stein (Twitter link) and later confirmed by the team, the Mavericks will retire Dirk Nowitzki‘s No. 41 jersey on January 5, when they host the Warriors in Dallas.

Nowitzki will join Rolando Blackman (No. 22), Brad Davis (No. 15), and Derek Harper (No. 12) as Mavericks players who have had their jersey numbers retired by the franchise. All three players are expected to be in attendance for the ceremony on January 5, along with NBA commissioner Adam Silver, writes Eddie Sefko of Mavs.com.

“Dirk is everything to the Mavs. First, 41.21.1,” team owner Mark Cuban said, referring to Nowitzki becoming the first NBA player to spend 21 seasons with a single team. “And now, lifting his jersey to the rafters. It is a special day for the Mavs and Mavs fans around the world.”

Here’s more out of Dallas:

Mavericks owner Mark Cuban spoke on Sunday to a handful of reporters, including Mark Medina of NBA.com, about the team’s start to the season, his first impressions of new general manager Nico Harrison, and Nowitzki’s jersey retirement ceremony, among other topics. “He’s a learner,” Cuban said of Harrison. “To me, that’s always the most important part. Can you deal with the people? Can you get the results? And are you a learner? He’s a learner. He’s a sponge and always open to things. So I’m happy with what’s going on.”
Maxi Kleber returned to action on Sunday for the Mavs after sitting out nine games with a left oblique strain, but Luka Doncic remained sidelined, missing his third consecutive game due to left knee and ankle sprains. Doncic was a game-time decision on Sunday, which suggests he’s close to getting back on the court. Dallas is 0-3 without him after starting the season with a 9-4 record.
Mavs guard Frank Ntilikina left Sunday’s game due to a right calf injury and didn’t return (Twitter link). The severity of the injury isn’t yet known.

Luka Doncic’s Ankle Injury “Not Too Serious”

November 16th, 2021 at 3:01pm CST by Luke Adams

All-NBA guard Luka Doncic turned his left ankle on Monday and exited the Mavericks‘ win over Denver with less than a minute remaining on the clock. However, a source tells Tim MacMahon of ESPN (Twitter link) that Doncic’s ankle injury is “not too serious.”

Tests on Doncic’s left ankle and knee showed no structural damage, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link), who says the club will continue to evaluate its franchise player on a daily basis. MacMahon adds that Doncic will likely miss a little time, but Dallas isn’t expecting it to be a lengthy absence.

Doncic is with the Mavs as they embark on their four-game road trip, tweets Callie Caplan of The Dallas Morning News, though he won’t play on Wednesday in Phoenix, notes Marc Stein (Twitter link).

While Doncic’s shooting numbers (43.4% from the field, 30.8% on threes) are below his career rates so far this season, he’s still putting up his usual eye-popping stats, averaging 24.9 PPG, 8.3 RPG, and 7.9 APG in his first 13 games (34.8 MPG) and leading the Mavs to a 9-4 start.

If Dallas has to get by without Doncic for a few games, Jalen Brunson and Frank Ntilikina are among the top candidates for increased roles. Trey Burke, who has been out of the rotation so far this season, could also see some playing time.

Mavericks Notes: Redick, Doncic, Brunson, Harrison

November 12th, 2021 at 2:47pm CST by Luke Adams

After finishing the 2020/21 season in Dallas, J.J. Redick had Early Bird rights with the Mavericks. The veteran sharpshooter ultimately ended up retiring, but he said on the latest episode of his Old Man and the Three podcast that it briefly looked like the Mavs might want to use those Early Bird rights to send him elsewhere in a sign-and-trade deal that would’ve resulted in a significant payday.

“About a week before free agency, my agent and I are talking, and I said to him, ‘I’m not ready to commit to anything right now,'” Redick said, per Dan Feldman of NBC Sports. “Teams were gauging interest. And I said, ‘I’m not ready to commit to anything, so on August 2nd, please just tell them I’ll talk to them later in the fall or early winter.’

“And he called me the next day, and he said, ‘Dallas has your rights. There’s a team that may do a sign-and-trade with them. If that’s the case, they’ve got to use you and your salary to make it work. You could make about $16 million.’ And I was like, ‘Alright, I’ll play another year.'”

Redick doesn’t offer any further details, so there are a lot of specifics we don’t know, as Feldman observes. It’s unclear which team the Mavs were talking to, which free agent they were targeting, and whether the discussed deal would’ve paid Redick a fully guaranteed $16MM in 2021/22. It’s a moot point now — as Redick notes, both teams ultimately “went in a different direction.”

Here’s more on the Mavs:

Dallas came into the season that adding Reggie Bullock and Sterling Brown and getting a healthy Kristaps Porzingis back in the lineup would help push the team to the next level. However, Kevin Herrington of The Dallas Morning News is skeptical that the roster tweaks will make much of a difference, writing that the Mavs will still only go as far as Luka Doncic takes them.
Jalen Brunson is averaging a career-high 28.6 minutes per game so far this season, and many of those minutes are coming alongside Luka Doncic. Eddie Sefko of Mavs.com takes a look at the thinking behind Jason Kidd‘s decision to have the two guards share the court more often, especially in closing lineups. “He’s learning how to play with J.B.,” Kidd said of Doncic. “You can see he’s not afraid to give J.B. the ball. There’s a good trust, good relationship between those two.” Brunson will be an unrestricted free agent at season’s end.
Callie Caplan of The Dallas Morning News conducted a brief Q&A with Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison, asking him about Brunson’s contract situation, Porzingis’ health, and more. Harrison didn’t specifically address potential extension talks for Brunson, but said the team is happy with his performance. “The fact that he’s playing great, we want that to continue,” Harrison said. “All that does is make it easier for us. And it makes it easier for him, too.” Brunson is extension-eligible, but can’t be offered more than about $55.6MM over four years prior to free agency.

Western Notes: Howard, Davis, Mitchell, Doncic, Dragic, Beverley

October 23rd, 2021 at 11:56am CST by Dana Gauruder

Dwight Howard tried to downplay his altercation with Anthony Davis during the Lakers’ loss to Phoenix on Friday night, according to Dave McMenamin of ESPN. The two big man had a verbal exchange on the bench during the second quarter.

“We squashed it right then and there,” Howard said. “We just had a disagreement about something that was on the floor. We’re both very passionate about winning.”

Davis said of the spat, “it’s over with.” Howard is one of many Lakers bench players signed to a one-year, veteran’s minimum contract.

We have more from the Western Conference:

The Kings surprised a lot of people when they drafted a guard, Davion Mitchell, in the lottery for the second straight year, but Mitchell is already making an impression with his ball-hawking defense, Jason Anderson of the Sacramento Bee tweets. Swingman Buddy Hield has high praise for the rookie. “I think he’s the best on-ball defender in the league,” he said. “The way he hawks the ball is different. His lateral movement. The way he closes out is different. It’s just a special gift he has.”
The Mavericks will play Toronto on Saturday in a matchup of Luka Doncic and Goran Dragic at the point. The Slovenian national team members could soon join forces in the NBA, Callie Caplan of the Dallas Morning News notes. There were rumors swirling during the offseason after Dragic was traded to the Raptors that he could eventually wind up in Dallas. That could happen closer to the trade deadline or perhaps next summer, when Dragic becomes a free agent.
Patrick Beverley will make his Timberwolves debut on Saturday after serving a one-game league suspension. He’s says his impact on the young Minnesota roster will go beyond the stat sheet, Chris Hine of the Minneapolis Star Tribune writes. “Born leader, came natural for me since I was a kid, very outspoken,” Beverley said. “Even some of my ex-Clippers guards, teammates [Thursday] night after their loss to Golden State, they called me and we chopped it up a little bit. I always have a good positive spirit, positive energy. That just kind of rubs off on people every night.”