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Al-Farouq Aminu Discusses FA Decision, Magic’s Goals

November 14th, 2019 at 8:54am CST by Luke Adams

After finishing last season with a top-10 defense and a bottom-10 offense, the Magic made the decision to double down on their strengths in the offseason. Rather than using their mid-level exception to add a play-maker or shot creator, Orlando used the full MLE to bring aboard Al-Farouq Aminu, a veteran forward best known for his perimeter defense.

As Aminu recently explained to Alex Kennedy of HoopsHype, improving that defense and making it one of the NBA’s very best units is a priority for the Magic.

“We discuss it every day. We want to be a top-five defensive team, if not No. 1,” Aminu said. “I think it’s definitely something that this team has the ability to do and we just have to continue to click together and understand where we need to be in order to do it. I think the more and more we play together and get that cohesiveness, the better we’ll become on defense. And out of the gate, we’re already talented on defense. Now, it’s just getting that continuity and that will take us over the top.”

Although the Magic currently rank third in defensive rating, the team has the NBA’s second-worst offensive rating, which has contributed to a slow start (4-7) this season. Those struggles have prompted head coach Steve Clifford to experiment a little with his rotation, and that experimentation hasn’t benefited Aminu, who only played two minutes in Orlando’s win over the Sixers on Wednesday. After averaging 24.1 minutes in the team’s first seven games, Aminu has played just 11.9 MPG in the last four.

Aminu is in the first year of a three-year contract worth over $29MM, so it’d be a surprise if he’s removed from the rotation altogether. However, it may be a while before we see him match the 29 minutes he logged on opening night.

Still, when the 29-year-old spoke recently to Kennedy, he was happy with his decision to join the Magic in the summer and optimistic about what he could bring the team. Here are a few highlights from that conversation, which is worth checking out in full:

On why Aminu chose the Magic in free agency:

“I like that they’re a young team and I thought that I could bring some veteran leadership to them. Also, they went to the playoffs last year, so I knew they had a good team. I like their style of play and different things like that. I’m glad I made that decision.”

On whether he’s excited about the Magic’s young core:

“Yeah, for sure. I really wanted to play a part in molding them. In a couple of years, when these guys are in their prime and doing their thing, it’ll be cool to be able to say that I put my touch on that. That’ll be cool. I was talking to them the other day and I told them, ‘Y’all are going to make a lot of money! Y’all play the right way, y’all are young and the league is just changing. Guys are getting paid.'”

On leaving Portland after spending four seasons with the Trail Blazers:

“It was [tough] because I’m leaving the guys I was playing with, but a lot of the guys ended up leaving anyway, so it was kind of like, ‘Well, nobody is there.’ Not ‘nobody,’ but you know what I mean. The gang’s not even there anymore anyway, so it wouldn’t have been the same even if I had stayed.

“It’s not the organization, it’s the people that you get to work with every day that you end up [getting close with]. … Sometimes, it’s just one person; like, I remember the first time it was Ed [Davis]. Me and him came into Portland together and we became really cool. Then, after three years, he was gone and that was tough. Then, I started becoming really cool with Moe [Harkless] and Evan [Turner] and now they’re gone, so it’s like, man… It’s kind of already tough to make friends in this industry anyway and then guys move on. And you still get to talk to them and stay close, but it’s different. But I think that’s why it isn’t as traumatic because those guys are in different places anyway, so the gang is gone.”

Lillard Prefers Staying With One Organization

November 11th, 2019 at 10:55pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Zach Collins hasn’t given up on playing this season, Casey Holdahl of the team’s website tweets. “For sure, it’s very realistic,” Collins told Holdahl. However, the Trail Blazers big man faces a long rehab after undergoing shoulder surgery last week. He’s expected to miss at least four months, which leaves only about a month before the end of the regular season in a best-case scenario.

Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard is content to stay the course with the Trail Blazers rather than joining forces with superstars in other organizations, as he explained to Medina in a separate story. Lillard signed a four-year, $196MM extension during the summer. “I just feel like there’s always a reward at the end. When you do things the right way and you do the work, you’re going to get the results,” Lillard said. “I really believe that. We’ve gotten the results. Even after failures, we come back and answer to it. We’re staying the course. That’s worth it to me.”

Hollinger’s Latest: Blazers, Warriors, Load Management

November 8th, 2019 at 8:36pm CST by Dana Gauruder

There hasn’t been an NBA trade since mid-July but the Trail Blazers appear to be a prime candidate to make a deal, according to John Hollinger of The Athletic. Zach Collins‘ shoulder injury, which is expected to cost him most of the season, creates an even bigger need at an already thin position. Journeyman Anthony Tolliver is the only true power forward remaining on the roster, Hollinger notes. The Blazers could also use another small forward in their rotation.

Portland has some desirable assets, including expiring contracts, young players and draft picks, in order to upgrade its forward spots. One offshoot of the Collins injury that the Blazers are playing with smaller, faster lineups and that could prove beneficial.

There’s more from Hollinger:

The Warriors may trade one of their free agent additions on expiring contracts in order to add one of their two-way players to the 15-man roster. Golden State is pushed up against the hard cap and could free some money by dealing center Willie Cauley-Stein or guard Alec Burks. Any potential deal involving a free agent signed this summer can’t happen until mid-December.
Waiving Marquese Chriss‘ non-guaranteed deal is also a strong possibility for Golden State, considering Chriss has already had his role reduced after a strong preseason. The Warriors have already used up eight of the 45 days on the service clock of two-way players Damion Lee and Ky Bowman and can’t convert either to a standard contract unless they make another move.
People who criticize load management fail to realize that the modern game is much more taxing on players’ bodies than in past decades, Hollinger writes. The goal is to maximize the number of high-quality games the player can play and that makes it a sound strategy.

Hassan Whiteside Discusses Departure From Heat

November 7th, 2019 at 10:58am CST by Luke Adams

Veteran center Hassan Whiteside won’t face his old team until January 5, when the Heat host the Trail Blazers, but Miami-based reporter Shandel Richardson of The Athletic caught up with the former Heat big man this week to discuss the trade that sent him to Portland in July.

According to Whiteside, both he and the Heat felt it was time to move on, and he doesn’t bear any “ill will” toward any staffers or former teammates in Miami. While there may be a perception that Whiteside left the Heat on bad terms, he insists that wasn’t the case, telling Richardson that Miami is “a great place to live” and that he’s still friendly with head coach Erik Spoelstra and team president Pat Riley.

In his conversation with Richardson, Whiteside addressed several other aspects of the deal that sent him from Miami to Portland, including whether or not he knew it was coming and what factors he believe led to the move.

If you have an Athletic subscription, the discussion is worth checking out in full, but here are a few of the more noteworthy comments from the Trail Blazers center:

On when he realized his time in Miami was nearing an end:

“We were working on something. It was something that I talked to them about, about getting traded. We talked about it within the last two years. We figured it out. I wanted to go somewhere I can play more and be more of a guy on the court. It’s never been about anything but that. I always just wanted to play. I could’ve sat back and chilled and collected checks, but I wanted to play.”

On the factors that led to the Heat trading him:

“I think the deciding factor was I got older. I’m 30 now. They bring in younger guys. I had four or five years at it. We got to the second round of the playoffs. We made the playoffs a couple of times. They just wanted to bring in new guys. That’s the business of it. It’s tough, especially when you’re seeing guys every day. But I’m used to it. I’ve played on so many teams. I’m not taking anything personal. I’m happy on my new team. I don’t really have anything much to say about the Heat. That chapter is over. I said my goodbyes. We had great memories. We had tough losses. That’s pretty much it for me.”

On facing criticism in Miami for not contributing at a level commensurate with his lucrative salary:

“Regardless of how many minutes I played in Miami, I always averaged a double-double. I always was top in defensive rating. You can look it up. I was No. 1 in the last year protecting the rim. Every year, you could say one thing but the numbers speak for themselves.

“A lot of people liked my 2015/16 season. I don’t even think that was my best season. I think my best season was the season I played the most the following year. I led the NBA in rebounds and averaged (17) points. That was my best year, the year after my contract. Unfortunately, I got an early season bone bruise the next year after I got 20 points and 20 rebounds (against Orlando). Then I missed a lot of games and basically times just got rocky.”

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.

Zach Collins To Miss At Least Four Months

November 5th, 2019 at 3:01pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Zach Collins underwent successful shoulder surgery today and is expected to be out of action for at least four months, the Blazers announced in a press release. It was reported late last week that the big man would undergo surgery, though no timetable was presented at that time.

Collins, who suffered a shoulder dislocation last week, began the season as a starter in Portland. With Jusuf Nurkic also sidelined, the team’s frontcourt now appears shallow, with Hassan Whiteside as the only healthy proven option. The Blazers inked Pau Gasol for depth this offseason but the future Hall-of-Famer hasn’t yet seen game action because of foot woes.

Collins will be eligible for a rookie-scale extension next summer. He averaged 9.0 points and 4.0 rebounds during his three games (28.7 MPG) this season.

Rodney Hood Suffers Bone Bruise On Knee

November 4th, 2019 at 9:24pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Trail Blazers guard Rodney Hood suffered a knee injury on Saturday but he didn’t sustain any structural damage, Jason Quick of The Athletic reports. The team’s medical staff determined that Hood has a bone bruise. Hood re-signed with Portland this offseason on a two-year, $11.7MM contract. Veteran center Pau Gasol, who joined Portland on a one-year, veteran’s minimum contract, has ramped up his workouts as he continues rehab from offseason foot surgery. Gasol did a series of shooting drills after a shootaround last week.

Joakim Noah Still Hoping To Sign With Contender

November 4th, 2019 at 3:13pm CST by Luke Adams

Free agent big man Joakim Noah suffered an injury over the summer, but has recovered and is working out again, according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, who tweets that Noah is looking to sign with a contending team.

Noah, 34, appeared in only seven games for the Knicks in 2017/18, but rejuvenated his career last season in Memphis after being bought out by New York. In 42 contests with the Grizzlies, the veteran center averaged 7.1 PPG, 5.7 RPG, and 2.1 APG in just 16.5 minutes per game.

After hitting free agency again this summer, Noah didn’t land with an NBA team right away and was reportedly recruited by the New Zealand Breakers, R.J. Hampton‘s team in the National Basketball League.

Opting to remain stateside, Noah had an “impressive” workout for the Lakers in August, but was passed over for Dwight Howard. While a report in September suggested that Noah would work out for L.A.’s other team, that Clippers audition was allegedly cancelled, a hint that he may have been dealing with an injury at that time.

NBA teams generally aren’t looking to shake up their rosters this early in the season, but it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Noah get a chance with a contender at some point, especially if injuries start to pile up around the league.

For instance, although Jason Quick of The Athletic tweets that the Trail Blazers likely won’t add a 15th man for now, since they remain optimistic about Pau Gasol‘s recovery, the Blazers are one team that could consider adding a big man like Noah, with Jusuf Nurkic and Zach Collins both on the shelf.

Troy Caupain Signs With Israeli Team

November 4th, 2019 at 9:58am CST by Arthur Hill

NOVEMBER 4: Caupain has officially signed with Hapoel Holon, as Emiliano Carchia of Sportando passes along.

NOVEMBER 2: Israel may be the next stop for Troy Caupain, who was waived by the Trail Blazers before the start of the season, relays Nicola Lupo of Sportando. Caupain is reportedly in talks with Hapoel Holon, according to a report from Walla Sport of Israel.

A 6’4″ guard out of Cincinnati, Caupain spent last season as a two-way player with the Magic. He got into just four NBA games, but averaged 16.4 points, 5.9 rebounds and 5.0 assists in 49 games for Lakeland in the G League. The 23-year-old signed an Exhibit 10 contract with Portland in September, but wasn’t able to earn a roster spot.

Caupain’s teammates with Hapoel Holon would include Malachi Richardson, who played briefly for the Raptors last season.

Trail Blazers’ Zach Collins To Have Shoulder Surgery

November 2nd, 2019 at 8:26pm CST by Arthur Hill

Trail Blazers big man Zach Collins will undergo surgery to repair a dislocated left shoulder, tweets Jason Quick of The Athletic.

The third-year center/power forward was checked by multiple doctors, and Collins and his representatives were given the choice of surgery or rehabilitation, Quick adds (Twitter link). A timeline for his return will be set after the operation.

Collins suffered the injury in Sunday’s game and underwent an MRI on Monday. He said after the game that his shoulder “popped back in cleanly.”

Collins moved into the starting center role this season and averaged 9.0 points and 4.0 rebounds through the first three games. Portland picked up his 2020/21 team option in September, and he will be eligible for a rookie scale extension next summer.