- Josh Hart is adapting to his new situation with a Trail Blazers team that is currently more focused on developing young players than winning games, notes Jason Quick of The Athletic. Coach Chauncey Billups said Hart is used to being a complementary player on teams with stars, rather than a primary scorer surrounded by youngsters. “I had to have some conversations with him, because Josh is a very, very competitive dude, and sometimes we’ve been in situations where we haven’t been very competitive,” Billups said. “And that’s tough, especially for a vet. So I’m challenging him right now to just control that, and help our guys. But it’s a tough deal.”
For the rest of the regular season and postseason, Hoops Rumors is taking a closer look at players who will be free agents or could become free agents this offseason. We consider whether their stock is rising or falling due to their performance and other factors. Today, we’re focusing on a handful of Northwest players.
Jusuf Nurkic, C, Trail Blazers
2021/22: $12MM
2022/23: UFA
Stock: Up ⬆️
A lengthy injury absence preceding a player’s free agency typically doesn’t help that player’s stock, but Nurkic’s value is on the rise despite the case of plantar fasciitis that will sideline him for at least four weeks and could end his season.
Prior to his injury, the veteran center was playing his best basketball of the season during a four-game winning streak (21.5 PPG, 14.0 RPG, and 4.3 APG). As a result, it’s safe to assume shutting him down was more about keeping the Blazers’ tanking efforts on track than it was about any long-term health concerns. After all, Portland has had essentially a neutral net rating (-0.1) during Nurkic’s minutes this season, compared to a -11.7 mark when he’s not on the court.
Nurkic looks like a good bet to get a new contract worth at least the $12MM per year he’s currently making — and likely more than that.
Derrick Favors, C, Thunder
2021/22: $9.72MM
2022/23: $10.18MM player option
Stock: Down ⬇️
Favors’ per-minute production hasn’t declined significantly during the last two seasons, but his 15.3 minutes per game in 2020/21 and his 16.7 MPG this season are the two lowest marks of his career. Injuries and DNP-CDs have also limited him to just 39 games so far in ’21/22.
At age 30, Favors should still have plenty left in the tank, and he could reverse the trend of his declining playing time if he ends up in the right situation next season. But he won’t get a contract offer on the open market that exceeds the value of his player option ($10.18MM). I’d expect him to opt in and then try to work with the Thunder on a trade or buyout.
Danuel House, F, Jazz
2021/22: Minimum salary
2022/23: UFA
Stock: Up ⬆️
Once a key three-and-D rotation player in Houston, House saw his numbers dip in 2020/21 and slide even further to start this season, leading to his release. It took him a little time to find a permanent new home following a 10-day deal with the Knicks, but he has hit his stride again in Utah, averaging 6.7 PPG with an impressive .453 3PT% in 18 games (18.8 MPG).
House isn’t the type of player who is a threat to go off for 30 points on a given night (his career high is 23), but his ability to knock down three-pointers and defend multiple positions could be very important for a Utah team hoping to make a deep playoff run. A strong postseason showing would further boost House’s stock entering the summer.
Josh Okogie, G/F, Timberwolves
2021/22: $4.09MM
2022/23: RFA
Stock: Down ⬇️
Okogie has received praise from head coach Chris Finch for his leadership and his attitude, but the former first-round pick is no longer part of the Timberwolves’ regular rotation, having logged just 48 minutes across seven games since the start of February. He has some value on defense, but doesn’t provide enough on offense to warrant consistent minutes.
While Minnesota can technically make Okogie a restricted free agent this offseason, doing so would require a $5.86MM qualifying offer — I expect the team to pass on that QO, letting Okogie become an unrestricted FA.
Jeff Green, F, Nuggets
2021/22: $4.5MM
2022/23: $4.5MM player option
Stock: Up ⬆️
After years of settling for minimum-salary contracts, Green earned a two-year, $9MM commitment from the Nuggets last summer. The veteran forward will turn 36 years old later this year, so he initially seemed like a safe bet to pick up his $4.5MM option for 2022/23. But that’s no longer a given, based on the way he has performed this season.
Stepping into a larger role than anticipated due to Michael Porter Jr.‘s extended absence (and, to a lesser extent, Vlatko Cancar‘s season-ending foot injury), Green has averaged nearly 25 minutes per game in 63 appearances (51 starts) for Denver, scoring 10.5 PPG on 51.4% shooting.
While he has struggled from beyond the three-point line (30.1%), Green has been a crucial contributor this season for a Nuggets team trying to survive without two of its top scorers (Porter and Jamal Murray). It might be enough to justify an offseason opt-out — if he finishes the season strong, Green could potentially land one more multiyear deal.
The Trail Blazers have officially signed big man Drew Eubanks and guard Kris Dunn to 10-day contracts, the team announced today in a press release. Both deals, which were previously reported, were completed using hardship exceptions.
It’s Eubanks’ third 10-day deal with the Blazers. He has started seven games at center for the team, averaging 9.6 PPG and 8.1 RPG in 26.0 minutes per contest.
Dunn is a new addition, having been called up from the G League’s Agua Caliente Clippers of Ontario. The former No. 5 overall pick spent last season with the Hawks, but was limited to four games due to an ankle injury. He was traded from Atlanta to Memphis in the offseason and was subsequently waived.
Most of this year’s 10-day hardship contracts have been completed using the COVID-related hardship exception, but Eubanks and Dunn were signed using injury-related hardship exceptions. A team qualifies for an injury-related hardship exception if it has at least four players who have missed three or more consecutive games, as long as those players project to remain sidelined for at least the next couple weeks.
Portland has at least six such players – Damian Lillard, Nassir Little, Jusuf Nurkic, Didi Louzada, Joe Ingles, and Eric Bledsoe – and possibly as many as eight, if Anfernee Simons and Justise Winslow aren’t expected to return soon. That’s why the club is eligible for multiple hardship exceptions.
The new deals for Eubanks and Dunn will run through March 23, covering the Blazers’ next six games. Eubanks’ 10-day contract will pay him $99,380, while Dunn earns $111,457.
Portland’s roster count now temporarily stands at 19 players — 15 on standard contracts, two on 10-day hardship deals, and a pair on two-way pacts.
Kris Dunn will sign a 10-day hardship contract with the Trail Blazers, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
The 27-year-old guard has been out of the NBA since being waived by the Grizzlies in October after one preseason game. He joined the Agua Caliente Clippers in the G League in January and is averaging 11.8 points, 5.1 rebounds and 4.1 assists in 14 games.
The fifth selection in the 2016 draft, Dunn spent his first NBA season with the Timberwolves and then three years with the Bulls. He signed with the Hawks prior to the start of the 2020/21 season, but was only able to play four games before undergoing ankle surgery. Atlanta shipped him to Boston in a three-team trade in August, and the Celtics rerouted him to Memphis in a September deal.
Dunn will provide backcourt depth for the injury-riddled Blazers, who recently lost Anfernee Simons for the next week or two with mild patellar tendinopathy in his left knee.
Portland has a full roster, but can add players through hardship contracts because Damian Lillard, Didi Louzada, Jusuf Nurkic, Nassir Little, Joe Ingles and Eric Bledsoe are all sidelined with long-term injuries. Drew Eubanks is also on a 10-day hardship deal.
Dunn’s signing will likely take place on Monday, making him eligible to play in six games during the 10-day contract.
Drew Eubanks will sign a third 10-day contract with the Trail Blazers, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Eubanks, whose second 10-day deal expires tonight, has been productive during his short time in Portland, averaging 9.6 points and 8.1 rebounds in 10 games. The fourth-year big man turned in one of the best games of his career Saturday night with 20 points and 12 rebounds in a win over the Wizards.
Players are normally limited to two 10-day contracts with the same team in a single season, but the rules were relaxed this year in light of the COVID-19 outbreak that swept through the league. The Blazers, who are missing several players due to long-term injuries, completed Eubanks’ first two 10-day deals using an injury-related hardship exception, so he can continue to play under 10-day agreements.
The Trail Blazers’ next game is Monday, so if he signs his new contract tomorrow, Eubanks will be eligible for six games over the next 10 days.
- A depleted roster is a mixed blessing for several young Trail Blazers players, who are getting a chance to prove themselves at the NBA level but are also dealing with the embarrassment of frequent blowouts, notes Aaron Fentress of The Oregonian. Portland has eight players who are 22 or younger, including two-way player Brandon Williams, who moved into the starting lineup this week after an injury to Anfernee Simons. “When times get low, even when times get high, you can’t be nonchalant in this league because you have another game around the corner,” Williams said.
Trail Blazers guard Anfernee Simons has been diagnosed with mild patellar tendinopathy in his left knee after an MRI on Thursday, the team announced. He’s set to be reevaluated in one-to-two weeks.
Simons has missed Portland’s last two games while dealing with the injury. Through 57 games this season, the 22-year-old is averaging career-highs of 17.3 points, 2.6 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 29.5 minutes. He sports an efficient shooting slash line of .443/.405/.888 (.583 true).
Simons was the No. 24 overall pick of the 2018 draft. He’s a candidate for the Most Improved Player award after seeing his numbers increase across the board. His emergence this season is a primary reason why the team opted to trade CJ McCollum to the Pelicans last month.
The combo guard will be a restricted free agent this summer and will receive a significant raise on the $3,938,818 he’s making this season. Simons said a few weeks ago that he plans to re-sign with the Blazers.
“I 100% want to stay in Portland,” Simons said, per Ben Pickman of Sports Illustrated. “And I think everybody wants me to stay as well. I think it’s a perfect fit for me.”
After losing six straight games, the Blazers are currently 25-40, the No. 11 seed in the West. They trail New Orleans by one-and-a-half games for the final spot in the play-in tournament.
In the days leading up to the February 10 trade deadline, veteran forward Joe Ingles confirmed he was prepared for the possibility that the Jazz could trade him. Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, however, he admitted he was still “a little shocked” when he learned of the trade sending him to the Trail Blazers.
Still, after spending a month with the franchise, Ingles said it has been a “very, very good experience so far,” as Casey Holdahl of Blazers.com relays.
The Blazers have made it clear they weren’t just trading for Ingles’ expiring contract, indicating they have interest in him once he recovers from his ACL surgery. And while Ingles – who is still recovering in Utah for now – has previously talked about the possibility of returning to the Jazz after he becomes a free agent this summer, he’s not ruling out the possibility of a longer-term stay in Portland.
“Just talking to Renae, my wife, over the last few weeks about it, I almost feel like I owe Portland my best,” Ingles said on Wednesday. “They’ve bought in on me, obviously, being here now with everything off the court they’ve set up and helped with, head athletic trainer Jess (Cohen) coming to Chicago to do my surgery with me, make sure everything was good and spending a few days to make sure I got out.
“From top to bottom, I haven’t been around much, I’ve obviously been (in Salt Lake City) but I honestly feel like I’ve got to give them a chance. It would be very unfair of me, I think, for them to kind of buy in on me for now and then for me to walk away at the end of the year like ‘Thanks for getting my surgery and my (physical therapy) sorted, I’m going to leave you here!'”
Here are a few more of the most noteworthy comments Ingles made during his media session:
On his first impressions of the Blazers’ roster and situation:
“Just an exciting, young group that they’ve got now. But obviously a lot of flexibility in the summer as well. Excited to kind of see how it plays out.”
On his plan to eventually move his rehab from Utah to Portland:
“My rehab this whole summer is going to be in Portland. … I’ll head out to Portland for that home stretch of five or six games, whatever it is, at the end of March, I think it is. So I’ll go out there then, spend some time with everybody in Portland, which I think will be good for me, I think it will be good for them. … Excited about the future, I haven’t been a free agent since my second year really.”
On being traded after spending his first seven-and-a-half NBA seasons in Utah:
“I understand the business side of it, I understand the relationships. Eight years is a long time and I’ve built some pretty strong relationships here. And not even just (with the team), in the community, with my wife and what she does as well.
“… Regardless of if I’m injured or not, I still think I could have been an asset down there to help these guys. Knowing (Jazz head coach) Quin (Snyder), knowing the players, knowing what their goals are, I think I definitely could have still been important.
I have mixed emotions about it, obviously. … Very mixed emotions. I still get mad and frustrated some days with it. I’m living like 10 minutes up the road, so it’s annoying that I can’t go hang out — I guess I can hang out with the guys — go to the facility and do all that. It is what it is, like I said, I understand it. Do I necessarily agree with it or not? That could be up for debate… Just an interesting few months for me.”
1:47pm: Eubanks’ second 10-day contract is now official, the Blazers announced in a press release. Eubanks will earn $99,380 over the course of the deal, which will run through March 13.
8:11am: The Trail Blazers are signing big man Drew Eubanks to a second 10-day contract, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link). Eubanks’ first 10-day deal with the team expired overnight.
Eubanks appeared in three games during his first 10 days with Portland, averaging 9.3 PPG and 7.7 RPG on 70.6% shooting in 22.3 minutes per contest. He stepped right into the starting lineup at center due to Jusuf Nurkic‘s foot injury and the club’s limited depth at the position.
Eubanks began the season in San Antonio and was traded to Toronto at last month’s deadline in the Thaddeus Young/Goran Dragic deal. The Raptors immediately waived him, opening the door for him to join the Blazers.
Portland doesn’t have an opening on its 15-man roster, but qualifies for an injury-related hardship exception, since so many players on the roster are sidelined with long-term injuries. Damian Lillard (abdominal surgery), Didi Louzada (knee), Nurkic (foot), Nassir Little (shoulder), Joe Ingles (knee), and Eric Bledsoe (Achilles) are among the players unavailable for the Blazers.
A player is typically ineligible to sign more than two 10-day contracts with the same team in a given season. That restriction hasn’t applied to COVID-related hardship deals, but we haven’t gotten clarity on whether injury-related hardship deals are also exempt. If they are, the Blazers could continue signing Eubanks to short-term deals once his next 10-day contract expires. If they’re not, the team would have to sign him for the rest of the season or let him walk once his second 10-day is up.
The Blazers don’t play again until Saturday. If they wait until tomorrow to officially re-sign Eubanks, he’d be under contract for Portland’s next five games before becoming a free agent on March 15.
Trail Blazers center Jusuf Nurkic, an unrestricted free agent this summer, will be sitting for at least four weeks with a plantar fasciitis injury. John Hollinger of The Athletic reads the tea leaves and examines Nurkic’s potential future in Portland, as well as explaining why the club will likely operate over the cap during the 2022 offseason.
Nurkic is in the final season of a four-year, $48MM deal with the Trail Blazers and has averaged 17.4 PPG, 12.6 RPG and 3.4 APG since the start of 2022. Though the 27-year-old is no longer the shot blocker he was before suffering a compound fracture of his left leg near the end of the 2018/19 NBA season, Hollinger notes that the rest of his game seems more or less to have returned. The 6’11” big man is averaging 15.0 PPG, 11.1 RPG, 2.8 APG and 1.1 SPG this year.
As Hollinger writes, the Trail Blazers could sign Nurkic to a contract extension that starts at $14.4MM, a 120% annual increase of his current salary. However, Hollinger believes that Nurkic should be able to net significantly more than that in free agency this summer. If they re-sign Nurkic and retain Josh Hart, the Blazers would likely be an over-the-cap team, allowing them to retain their $20MM+ trade exception.
There’s more out of the Northwest Division:
- Injured Timberwolves point guard McKinley Wright IV, currently on a two-way deal with the club, will start taking contact in team practices as he continues to recover from a left UCL issue, per Minnesota’s official PR team (via Twitter). The Timberwolves are set to reassess Wright on Sunday. The 23-year-old rookie out of Colorado has appeared in just three games with Minnesota this year.
- Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. will soon scrimmage with the Grand Rapids Gold, Denver’s NBA G League affiliate, per Mike Singer of the Denver Post. Porter, still working to rehabilitate following a December 1 back surgery, has already resumed one-on-one contact workouts. “You got a 6-foot-10 guy that shoots it like that, and then you start to remind yourself, ‘Man, like, last year, before we had injuries to [guard Jamal Murray], we all felt we had a chance to win it,’” head coach Michael Malone said. “Whenever we get those guys back, this year or next year, we feel the same way. We have a chance to win it when we get fully healthy… As of right now, still in the early steps of trying to re-integrate those guys back slowly, and as they get cleared to do more and more things, then, obviously, we can ramp it up with them.”
- The Nuggets have hired former NBA forward Darrell Arthur to serve as a basketball operations associate for the team, Denver announced (Twitter link). Arthur, 33, played for nine NBA seasons, appearing in 503 games. He was with the Nuggets from the 2013/14 season through the 2017/18 season.