Skal Labissiere Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Injury Updates: Markkanen, Lillard, Hawks, Zion, KD

March 4th, 2020 at 2:09pm CST by Luke Adams

A pair of former top-10 picks are expected to return to action on Wednesday night after somewhat lengthy injury absences.

One of those players is Bulls forward Lauri Markkanen, who has been sidelined since January 22 due to a stress reaction in his pelvis. According to the team (via Twitter), Markkanen will return to Chicago’s starting lineup tonight in Minnesota, making him the third frontcourt player in the last week to get healthy for the team — Wendell Carter and Otto Porter are also back in action.

More importantly for the playoff race, Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard is being listed as probable for Wednesday’s game against Washington (Twitter link via Casey Holdahl of Blazers.com). Lillard has been out since injuring his groin on February 12. Including that game, Portland has gone just 2-5 since his injury, but the team remains in the postseason hunt, 3.5 games back of Memphis.

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

The Hawks announced today in a press release that big men Clint Capela (foot) and Skal Labissiere (knee) continue to rehab their respective injuries and will be re-evaluated in two weeks. Both players were acquired at the trade deadline, but it remains to be seen whether they’ll see much -if any – action for Atlanta this season.
In other Hawks-related injury news, swingman DeAndre’ Bembry, who is dealing with abdominal pain, has been cleared for non-contact work, head coach Lloyd Pierce said today (Twitter link via Sarah K. Spencer of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution). Bembry, a potential restricted free agent this offseason, hasn’t played since January 20.
Zion Williamson isn’t currently dealing with an injury, but the Pelicans have played it safe since he returned from knee surgery, opting not to play him in back-to-back sets. That’s expected to change tonight, with the No. 1 overall pick on track to play against Dallas after being active against Minnesota on Tuesday. Andrew Lopez of ESPN has the full story.
During TNT’s Tuesday broadcast (video link), Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports cited league sources who say Nets star Kevin Durant is making good progress in his Achilles recovery and is doing some 3-on-3 work. Durant is on track to be ready for training camp in the fall.

Hawks’ Capela, Labissiere Out At Least Two More Weeks

February 19th, 2020 at 3:59pm CST by Luke Adams

3:59pm: The Hawks have announced in a press release that both Capela and Labissiere will be re-evaluated in two weeks.

1:53pm: A pair of centers acquired by the Hawks at the trade deadline won’t be making their debuts for the team anytime soon, according to head coach Lloyd Pierce, who said today that Clint Capela and Skal Labissiere are still “weeks” away from playing, per Chris Vivlamore of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (Twitter links).

Capela missed the last seven games before the All-Star break – three with Houston and four with Atlanta – due to plantar fasciitis in his right heel. After being acquired by the Hawks in a four-team trade at the deadline, the 25-year-old said he was aiming to get back on the court later this month, but based on Pierce’s update today, it sounds like that won’t happen.

As for Labissiere, he has been on the shelf since December 28 due to a left knee injury. The Trail Blazers’ last update, issued on January 8, suggested he’d be re-evaluated in four weeks. Instead, he was traded to Atlanta around that four-week mark and we haven’t gotten a concrete update on his timeline since then.

The 15-41 Hawks are much closer to the top spot in the draft lottery than they are to the No. 8 seed in the East, so the club won’t rush its injured players back onto the court. Still, Atlanta would presumably like to see how Capela and Labissiere look alongside the team’s young core before the end of the season.

Labissiere will be eligible for restricted free agency this summer. Capela is on a long-term contract, but the Hawks will want to see if he meshes with big man John Collins, who will be eligible for a rookie scale extension during the 2020 offseason.

Hawks Notes: Dedmon, Labissiere, Collins, Goodwin

February 10th, 2020 at 2:50pm CST by Luke Adams

After engaging with the Kings earlier in the season about a possible Dewayne Dedmon trade, the Hawks didn’t necessarily expect to circle back to those discussions at last week’s trade deadline, according to Chris Kirschner of The Athletic, who says the team felt no real pressure to acquire another center following the Clint Capela trade.

However, Sacramento got back in touch and general manager Travis Schlenk saw an opportunity to land a player he liked, along with a couple second-round draft picks.

“They came in last minute,” Schlenk said of the Kings, per Kirschner. “The way the deal came together was we anticipated Jabari (Parker) was going to probably opt in (to his $6.5MM player option for 2020/21), so we weren’t going to be taking on that much money (by adding Dedmon’s $13.3MM salary for ’20/21).

“Now you’re taking on only $6MM, and we got two seconds. That’s really what drove us. I don’t want to say that we weren’t looking to do it when it came around, but we jumped at the opportunity because it was a small value money-wise, and we got two assets in it.”

Dedmon, who played well for the Hawks before signing with the Kings during the 2019 offseason, struggled in Sacramento and lost his starting role early in the season. According to Kirschner, there’s a belief in Atlanta that the big man was so unhappy with the Kings that it affected him on the court. Atlanta will rely on Dedmon and Capela to help improve an interior defense that has struggled this season.

Let’s round up a few more Hawks notes…

Schlenk had been eyeing Skal Labissiere since his days working as an assistant GM in Golden State, says Kirschner. The Hawks were able to acquire Labissiere from Portland on deadline day in what was essentially a salary dump, but it sounds as if the team will have interest in keeping him beyond this season if he looks good down the stretch. The big man can become a restricted free agent this summer.
John Collins‘ name popped up in trade rumors leading up to the deadline and there was speculation that the Hawks may start looking to move on from the former first-rounder if they acquired an impact center. However, Schlenk downplayed that notion, as Kirschner details. “John has been playing with Damian (Jones) all year,” Schlenk said. “His skill set is the same (as Clint’s). John has been playing with Bruno (Fernando) all year long. This isn’t the first time that John has played with another center. I think the public is making a lot more out of it than we are.”
Asked directly if Collins is considered is still considered a priority for the Hawks’ long-term future, Schlenk responded, “Yeah. John is one of our best players.”
The Hawks’ deadline moves left them with an open spot on their 15-man roster. According to Kirschner (via Twitter), one option being considered is promoting two-way player Brandon Goodwin to a standard contract. Goodwin has averaged 6.9 PPG and 2.5 RPG in 24 games (13.9 MPG) for Atlanta this season.

Blazers Trade Skal Labissiere, Cash To Hawks

February 6th, 2020 at 5:18pm CST by Luke Adams

5:18pm: The Hawks have officially announced the acquisition of Labissiere and cash. They traded their 2024 second-round pick (top-55 protected) in the swap, according to a press release. Meanwhile, Hollinger clarifies (via Twitter) that the exact amount of cash headed to Atlanta is $1,759,795.

12:40pm: The Hawks are accommodating another minor salary dump, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, who reports (via Twitter) that the Trail Blazers are sending big man Skal Labissiere and cash to Atlanta. The Hawks will also receive $1.9MM in cash from Portland to take Labissiere off its hands, John Hollinger of The Athletic tweets.

The Blazers will receive token consideration from Atlanta to legally execute the deal, likely a top-55 protected second round pick, Hollinger adds.

Atlanta is creating two roster spots this week. The Hawks are shipping out Alex Len and Jabari Parker to Sacramento while agreeing to re-acquire center Dewayne Dedmon and also waived Nene after acquiring the veteran big man from Houston as part of a four-team deal.

Labissiere has appeared in 33 games with Portland this season, averaging 5.8 PPG and 5.1 RPG in 17.2 MPG. He hasn’t played since December 28 due to a left knee articular cartilage lesion but the Hawks plan to keep the 23-year-old power forward, according to Chris Kirschner of The Athletic (Twitter link).

The deal will shave $3.8MM off Portland’s luxury tax bill, Bobby Marks of ESPN tweets. The tax bill is now down to $5.9MM while also opening up a roster spot, Marks adds.

The Hawks agreed to a similar acquisition with the Clippers on Tuesday involving guard Derrick Walton. Atlanta essentially rented out cap space to execute these types of moves before making the Dedmon trade official.

Skal Labissiere To Miss At Least Four Weeks

January 8th, 2020 at 8:02pm CST by ChrisCrouse

The Trail Blazers’ thin frontcourt has taken another hit. Skal Labissiere underwent a pair of MRIs, which revealed a left knee articular cartilage lesion. The injury will put the big man out of action for at least four weeks, according to the team’s website.

Labissiere suffered the injury during the team’s December 28 contest against the Lakers. He will be re-evaluated in early February.

The big man was eligible to sign a rookie-scale extension with the Blazers prior to the season but didn’t come to terms with the club. He is averaging 5.8 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 1.3 assists on 55.1% shooting this season.

Portland is already without injured big men Jusuf Nurkic and Zach Collins, so Hassan Whiteside will be leaned on for heavy minutes at center, while Carmelo Anthony, Mario Hezonja, and Anthony Tolliver will be among those who fill out the frontcourt rotation.

Skal Labissiere To Miss Time With Knee Injury

December 30th, 2019 at 2:23pm CST by Luke Adams

The Trail Blazers will be down another big man this week, as beat writer Casey Holdhal reports (via Twitter) that the MRI on Skal Labissiere‘s injured left knee this weekend was inconclusive. According to Holdahl, Labissiere has been ruled out of Monday’s game with left knee inflammation and won’t travel with the team on its five-game road trip, which begins on Wednesday in New York.

Labissiere barely played for Portland last season and wasn’t initially expected to have a major role for the club in 2019/20. However, with Jusuf Nurkic and Zach Collins both on the shelf due to long-term injuries, the former No. 28 overall pick has had the chance to play regular rotation minutes. Labissiere had logged double-digit minutes in 23 consecutive games before leaving Saturday’s loss to the Lakers in the first quarter.

For the season, Labissiere has averaged 5.8 PPG, 5.1 RPG, and 0.9 BPG in 17.2 minutes per contest (33 games). He’ll undergo a second MRI and be re-evaluated once his inflammation subsides, according to Holdahl (Twitter link).

While it’s possible that Labissiere could rejoin the Blazers’ during their road trip, it sounds as if the club expects him to miss that entire five-game stretch. If that’s the case, the earliest date he could return to action would be on January 11, when the Blazers return home to host the Bucks.

Labissiere, 23, will be eligible for restricted free agency at season’s end.

Blazers Not Actively Seeking Frontcourt Help

November 5th, 2019 at 7:06pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Despite missing Zach Collins and Jusuf Nurkic up front, the Trail Blazers, currently carrying 14 players on their roster, plan to rely on their depth and positional versatility rather than adding a free agent big man with their open 15th roster spot, according to Joe Freeman of The Oregonian. The Blazers announced on Tuesday that Collins, the team’s starting power forward, would miss four months of game action following left shoulder surgery.

A team source relayed to Freeman that signing a new frontcourt piece to shore up depth “is not a priority at this point.” Adding a 15th man would cost the Blazers more than just that player’s salary, since the team is over the luxury tax threshold.

Since Collins suffered the injury against Dallas on October 27, Portland coach Terry Stotts has opted to start journeyman veteran Anthony Tolliver (who can play either forward position) in his stead, with Skal Labissiere spelling Tolliver off the bench.

The Blazers’ 1-3 record following the loss of Collins (they are 3-4 on the year) includes a 127-118 defeat to an injury-depleted Golden State squad yesterday. In the ultra-competitive Western Conference, the Blazers face a tough schedule through November: they will be playing the Clippers, Spurs, Rockets and Bucks, all before Thanksgiving.

Pau Gasol, signed this summer, continues to rehabilitate a left foot stress fracture incurred in May while Gasol was with Milwaukee. Yesterday, Gasol partook in the team’s San Francisco morning shootaround and noted that he has engaged in 1-on-1 contact practice work with Portland assistant coaches. Gasol demurred when asked for a recovery timeline.

“It’s still early,” he told Freeman. “But hopefully I’m getting there.”

Blazers starting center Nurkic remains out of commission as he recovers from compound fractures to his left tibula and fibula suffered in March. This summer, Portland traded for Hassan Whiteside to fill in for Nurkic. Portland’s lone All-Star, Damian Lillard, remained optimistic about his team’s ability to weather the absences of Collins and Nurkic.

“We’ve got to love them as our friends and as our teammates, but the job still has to get done on the court and I think our mentality has to be that it’s not too much for us to handle and we can still get the job done,” Lillard said.

Kings, Blazers Swap Skal Labissiere, Caleb Swanigan

February 7th, 2019 at 1:35pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Kings have sent Skal Labissiere to the Trail Blazers in exchange for Caleb Swanigan in a swap of little-used power forwards, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

A late first-round pick in 2016, Labissiere has barely played this season, appearing in 13 games and averaging 8.7 minutes per night. The Kings already picked up his option for next season, which will pay him $2,3MM.

Swanigan is averaging 8.1 minutes in 18 games. He will make a little more than $2MM next year.

Kings Considering A Coaching Change?

November 17th, 2018 at 8:53pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Kings‘ surprising start may not be enough for head coach Dave Joerger to keep his job, writes Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports.

Joerger is locked in a philosophical battle with the front office over minutes for some of the team’s younger players, Haynes explains. Management sees this as a development year for the organization, while Joerger is focused on winning as many games as possible.

Of particular concern is the way Joerger is treating Marvin Bagley III, the second player taken in this year’s draft, who is playing just 22.3 minutes per night. The 19-year-old is putting up decent numbers despite the limited playing time, with per-36-minute averages of 18.7 PPG and 8.9 RPG.

The front office wants to build around a core of Bagley, point guard De’Aaron Fox and young forwards Harry Giles and Skal Labissiere. Joerger has preferred to rely on veterans, including 30-year-old Nemanja Bjelica, who has started every game this season.

While management recognizes Joerger’s contributions to an 8-7 start, there are concerns that may lead to a coaching change. Several voices in the organization are calling for more playing time for Bagley, who many in the front office projected as a starter before the season began. Bagley is still seeing much more action than Giles, who is averaging 10 minutes per night, and Labissiere, who is at a career-low 5.6 minutes and has gotten into just five games.

The discontent in the front office, coupled with frustration from players over lack of consistency in their roles, could prove too much for Joerger, even though his contract runs through next season.

However, GM Vlade Divac responded to the report with a statement of support for Joerger, tweets James Ham of NBC Sports Bay Area. “Dave has our full support and confidence,” Divac said. “We continue to work together to develop our young core and compete.”

Kings Exercise Options On Five Players

October 26th, 2018 at 6:31pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Kings showed their commitment to the youth movement by exercising the rookie scale options on five players — guards De’Aaron Fox and Buddy Hield, small forward Justin Jackson and big men Harry Giles and Skal Labissiere, according to a team press release.

Teams have until the end of the month to make rookie scale option decisions but Sacramento beat the deadline by nearly a week. The biggest salary commitment, due to his status as the fifth overall pick in the 2017 draft, goes to Fox. He’ll have a salary just shy of $6.44MM for the 2019/20 season. Hield’s fourth-year option will result in a $4.86MM cap hit.

Jackson’s third-year option is worth $3.28MM while Giles will make approximately $2.58MM. Labissiere’s fourth-year option will cost nearly $2.34MM.

All of those affirmative option decisions were expected with the possible exception of Labissiere’s contract. However, he’s off to a productive start this season, averaging 8.5 PPG and 4.7 RPG.

Fox is emerging as one of the cornerstones of the franchise, averaging 17.6 PPG, 6.6 APG and 1.4 steals through five games during his sophomore campaign. Hield is scoring at a 14.0 PPG clip thus far while making 43.2% of his 3-point tries. Jackson has posted 9.0 PPG, 5.0 RPG and 1.6 APG, while Giles is averaging 3.8 PPG and 3.0 RPG while working his way back from major knee issues.

You can find all the rookie scale option decisions around the league here.