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Northwest Notes: Sharpe, Hart, Agbaji, Bolmaro, Towns

October 29th, 2022 at 2:05pm CST by Luke Adams

With Damian Lillard sidelined due to a calf strain, rookie guard Shaedon Sharpe earned his first career NBA start on Friday and didn’t disappoint, scoring 14 points in the Trail Blazers‘ victory over Houston. Given that Sharpe didn’t play at all at Kentucky and just turned 19 this spring, there was a sense that he may not see much action right away, but head coach Chauncey Billups hasn’t hesitated to throw the youngster into the deep end.

“I look at it as, man, we lost a lot of basketball games to get Shaedon Sharpe; let’s play this kid,” Billups said, per Jason Quick of The Athletic. “Let me see what he’s got.”

While Sharpe wasn’t the reason Portland won on Friday, he was the Blazers’ most electrifying player, throwing down three big dunks over the course of the night and earning praise from coaches and teammates alike, with Billups calling him “must-see TV.” Veteran Blazers center Drew Eubanks is among those already excited about Sharpe’s long-term potential.

“I heard Dame say it earlier this year, he was saying like, Shaedon is the type of talent that could take us over the edge of being a fringe playoff team into a full-blown playoff team fighting for a championship,” Eubanks said. “When he said that, I was like, ‘Damn, I’m gonna kind of take that with a grain of salt.’ Because I hadn’t seen Shaedon play … but after watching him play these first six games, and in preseason, I’m like, he’s super talented. He has the world at his fingertips. I believe what Dame said now, for sure.”

Here’s more from around the Northwest:

Trail Blazers forward Josh Hart has entered the NBA’s concussion protocol, tweets Aaron Fentress of The Oregonian. Hart suffered the injury on Friday when he hit his head on the floor after a drive to the basket.
Ochai Agbaji and Leandro Bolmaro, two young players acquired in Utah’s blockbuster summer trades, got their first extended run with the Jazz on Friday night, as Sarah Todd of The Deseret News details. Agabaji scored nine points in 19 minutes, while Bolmaro flashed promising play-making and defense and was a plus-16 in 15 minutes. The Jazz have until Monday’s deadline to exercise Bolmaro’s $2.59MM option for the 2023/24 season.
As the Timberwolves adjust to their new-look frontcourt that now features Karl-Anthony Towns at power forward instead of center, head coach Chris Finch continues to praise his All-Star big man for his willingness to accommodate Rudy Gobert, writes Chris Hine of The Star Tribune. “That guy is All-NBA. There’s no other All-NBA player who is being asked to play a completely different position,” Finch said. “One that he’s willing to do and has approached it with an open mind-set, and he’s actually embraced it.”

Billups Interview With Sam Amick

October 28th, 2022 at 8:49pm CST by Rory Maher

Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups says that Damian Lillard missing most of last season after undergoing core muscle surgery forced Portland to acknowledge that the team around the star guard wasn’t good enough. The Blazers revamped their roster over the past year, adding Josh Hart, Jerami Grant, Gary Payton II, Justise Winslow and No. 7 overall pick Shaedon Sharpe, among others. “He’s the guy,” Billups told Sam Amick of The Athletic. “He’s our guy. We’re always gonna play through him. But we want to be good enough that when he goes 5-for-18 (from the field), that we can win a game. They’ve never been able to do that, you know what I’m saying? So it gives him confidence to know that (he doesn’t) have to be the best player in the league every night.” Lillard is currently sidelined with a right calf strain and will be reevaluated in one-to-two weeks, though he said he didn’t think the injury was serious.

NBA Teams With Open Roster Spots

October 28th, 2022 at 8:02am CST by Luke Adams

With 30 NBA teams each permitted to carry 15 players on standard contracts and a pair on two-way deals, there are a total of 510 roster spots available across the league. Nearly two weeks into the 2022/23 season, 500 of those spots are filled, with only 10 still up for grabs.

[RELATED: 2022/23 NBA Roster Counts]

The NBA’s transaction wire has been pretty quiet since the regular season tipped off on October 18, as the teams that began the year with open roster spots are in no rush to fill them.

In some cases, that’s about maintaining roster flexibility — teams want to be able to make trades where they acquire more players than they send out, or sign a free agent to a non-guaranteed contract to address a positional hole if multiple players start to go down with injuries.

In most cases though, it’s more about financial concerns. Many of the teams with open roster spots are either already over the luxury tax line or dangerously close to it.

Here are the teams that have open roster spots:

Atlanta Hawks
Charlotte Hornets
Cleveland Cavaliers
Golden State Warriors
Los Angeles Clippers
Miami Heat
Minnesota Timberwolves
- Note: The Timberwolves’ opening is a two-way slot.
Philadelphia 76ers
Phoenix Suns
Portland Trail Blazers

Of these teams, the Timberwolves are the most likely to fill their roster opening in the coming days or weeks — since two-way signings don’t count against a team’s cap, there’s no compelling financial reason for a team not to be carrying two players on two-way deals.

Minnesota has a relatively healthy roster though, and the G League season hasn’t started yet, so there’s no urgent need to add a two-way replacement for Eric Paschall, who was waived last week.

Among the other teams on this list, only the Hornets and Cavaliers could sign a 15th man without any immediate luxury tax concerns, so they’re probably the first two teams to watch for potential signings. If they were to sign a player to a non-guaranteed contract, they’d only have to pay his daily salary and would be able to waive him at any time before January 7 without being on the hook for his full-season cap hit.

Damian Lillard Strains Calf, To Be Reevaluated In 1-2 Weeks

October 27th, 2022 at 4:32pm CST by Luke Adams

4:32pm: According to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link), Lillard will have his calf injury reevaluated in one-to-two weeks, so it sounds as though he’ll miss Friday’s game against Houston and next Wednesday’s game against Memphis at minimum.

The Blazers put out an official press statement confirming the injury and the timeline reported by Charania.

7:58am: Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard left Wednesday’s loss to Miami in the third quarter after straining his right calf and didn’t return. However, he doesn’t view the injury as a serious one and didn’t undergo an MRI, according to Aaron Fentress of The Oregonian.

“Honestly, if this was a playoff game, I would have played,” Lillard said, per Jason Quick of The Athletic. “(The calf) would have been tight and uncomfortable, but I would have played. If that gives you any indication of how concerned I am now or would have been … I feel if it would have been on the line, I would have played.”

An iron man for much of his NBA career, Lillard missed more than nine games in a season for the first time in 2021/22 when he underwent abdominal surgery. That experience has altered the way he approaches nagging injuries, especially those that come early in the season, Quick writes.

“My perspective has changed, and I want to be in it for the duration, for the long haul of the season,” Lillard said. “It’s early. We’ve gotten off to a good start, things feel good, and I haven’t felt this good since my second or third year. Everything I did this summer is adding up: I feel fast, I feel strong, I don’t get tired, and I don’t want to lose that. So I have to be patient, and I can’t get ahead of myself.”

Lillard told reporters that he’ll likely end up missing Friday’s game vs. Houston, but it doesn’t sound like he expects his absence to extend much – if at all – beyond that. His absence will give young players like Keon Johnson and Shaedon Sharpe the opportunity to play increased roles for the 4-1 Blazers, as Quick observes.

“We have a lot of guys on this team who are capable,” Lillard said. “Sometimes you don’t play for a little bit and you are on the bench and you don’t know when your time is going to come, and it’s just a lesson to be prepared.”

Forbes Releases 2022 NBA Franchise Valuations

October 27th, 2022 at 10:59am CST by Luke Adams

For the first time since Forbes began issuing annual valuations of NBA teams over two decades ago, a team other than the Knicks or Lakers ranks atop the publication’s list of 2022’s most valuable franchises.

According to Mike Ozanian and Justin Teitelbaum of Forbes, the Warriors are now considered the NBA’s most valuable club, with a record-setting valuation of $7 billion following a championship season.

Forbes’ duo explains that the Warriors generated more revenue and operating income in 2021/22 than any other team in NBA history, buoyed by $150MM in arena sponsorships and advertising, along with $250MM from premium seating.

While the Warriors enjoyed the biggest bump in value since Forbes’ most recent round of valuations, every other NBA team saw its valuation rise during that time as well, according to Ozanian and Teitelbaum, who say the average franchise is now valued at $2.86 billion. That’s 15% more than a year ago, despite the fact that the stock market is down 15% over the same time period.

Of the NBA’s 30 teams, only one – the Nets – lost money last season, per Forbes’ report, which states that record-setting sponsorship and advertising revenue ($1.35 billion last season) has put the league back on its “pre-Covid growth trajectory.” Further growth is anticipated going forward, with a new television and media deal to be negotiated in the coming years — it will take effect in 2025.

Although Forbes’ figures are just estimates and often don’t quite match up with the sale prices for franchises that change hands, they’re still useful for getting a sense of the league’s most and least valuable teams.

Here’s Forbes’ full list of NBA franchise valuations for 2022:

Golden State Warriors: $7 billion
New York Knicks: $6.1 billion
Los Angeles Lakers: $5.9 billion
Chicago Bulls: $4.1 billion
Boston Celtics: $4.0 billion
Los Angeles Clippers: $3.9 billion
Brooklyn Nets: $3.5 billion
Dallas Mavericks: $3.3 billion
Houston Rockets: $3.2 billion
Philadelphia 76ers: $3.15 billion
Toronto Raptors: $3.1 billion
Miami Heat: $3 billion
Phoenix Suns: $2.7 billion
Washington Wizards: $2.5 billion
Milwaukee Bucks: $2.3 billion
Portland Trail Blazers: $2.1 billion
Cleveland Cavaliers: $2.05 billion
Sacramento Kings: $2.03 billion
Utah Jazz: $2.025 billion
San Antonio Spurs: $2 billion
Atlanta Hawks: $1.975 billion
Denver Nuggets: $1.93 billion
Detroit Pistons: $1.9 billion
Oklahoma City Thunder: $1.875 billion
Orlando Magic: $1.85 billion
Indiana Pacers: $1.8 billion
Charlotte Hornets: $1.7 billion
Minnesota Timberwolves: $1.67 billion
Memphis Grizzlies: $1.65 billion
New Orleans Pelicans: $1.6 billion

Northwest Notes: Timberwolves, Gobert, Towns, Simons, Lillard

October 25th, 2022 at 5:39pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

The star-studded Timberwolves have stumbled out of the gate to begin the 2022/23 NBA season, writes Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic. The 2-2 Wolves have now dropped games against the Jazz and Spurs in what had been projected as a fairly easy opening stretch for a team that reshaped its roster by adding former Utah All-Star center Rudy Gobert in a blockbuster deal this summer.

Krawczynski observes that, in the Wolves’ third home game of the year against San Antonio, they looked particularly listless defensively, star shooting guard Anthony Edwards appeared disengaged on offense, Gobert struggled to hold onto rebounds, and the club was playing through boos from the Target Center crowd in Minneapolis. Gobert posited after the game that the club needed to improve its communication on the floor.

“It doesn’t take much energy to talk,” Gobert offered. “You just gotta want to do it. We’re not there yet. Hopefully, you know, we’re gonna get there soon, and we’re gonna learn.”

There’s more out of the Northwest Division:

One big issue for the Timberwolves‘ new jumbo-sized starting lineup has been its transition defense, writes Chris Hine of The Star Tribune. Starting two nominal centers in the frontcourt, Rudy Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns, could be part of the trouble. Hines notes that the team is permitting opposing clubs to score 21 fast-break points per game, which is the worst such average in the NBA. “We have to understand what our flaws are and how we have to cover them,” head coach Chris Finch acknowledged. “Such as, we may not be the fastest of foot from end line to end line, but we’ve got to make a better effort.”
A huge sharpshooting night for Trail Blazers guard Anfernee Simons on Monday serves as an indicator that Portland’s hot 4-0 start to the 2022/23 season has nearly as much to do with the newly-revamped club’s role players as it does with the constant brilliance of point guard Damian Lillard, opines Jason Quick of The Athletic. Simons connected on his first eight straight shots, which included six triples, to help Portland blow out the Nuggets 135-110.
Lillard has been a big part of the team’s undefeated start. As such, the Trail Blazers guard has taken an early leap in the NBA’s MVP race, per Cole Huff of The Athletic. His odds have risen from +6600 to +2500.

Lillard: Hart "Winning" Teammate

October 24th, 2022 at 9:44pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Josh Hart‘s contributions are a big part of any Trail Blazers success, according to Damian Lillard. “He’s a winning teammate,” Lillard told Aaron Fentress of The Oregonian and other media members. “The way he plays the game. He plays hard. He’s physical. He does everything that you ask him to do. He’s got his teammates best interest. He communicates.” Hart’s $12.96MM salary for 2023/24 is non-guaranteed but he holds a player option and could choose to become a free agent.

Damian Lillard, Jayson Tatum Named Players Of The Week

October 24th, 2022 at 2:41pm CST by Luke Adams

Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard and Celtics forward Jayson Tatum are the NBA’s first Players of the Week of the 2022/23 season, having won the awards in the Western and Eastern Conferences, respectively, the league announced today (via Twitter).

Lillard led Portland to an impressive – and unexpected – 3-0 week to open the season, averaging 34.0 PPG, 5.3 RPG, and 4.3 APG on .471/.364/.929 shooting in victories over the Kings, Suns, and Lakers. He scored 41 points in each of the latter two wins.

Tatum’s Celtics also opened the season with three consecutive wins, having defeated the Sixers, Heat, and Magic. Tatum was the team’s leading scorer in all three games, averaging 34.7 PPG, 8.3 RPG, and 3.0 APG on .587/.333/.880 shooting. The All-NBA forward had his first 40-point game of the season on Saturday night in Orlando.

According to the NBA (Twitter links), Devin Booker, Stephen Curry, De’Aaron Fox, Nikola Jokic, Lauri Markkanen, CJ McCollum, Zion Williamson, and Ja Morant were the other nominees for Player of the Week in the West, while Giannis Antetokounmpo, Paolo Banchero, Donovan Mitchell, and Pascal Siakam were nominated in the East.

Community Shootaround: NBA’s Undefeated Teams

October 24th, 2022 at 11:29am CST by Luke Adams

Just six days into the 2022/23 NBA regular season, only four teams remain undefeated.

Two of those teams are in the Eastern Conference, where the Celtics are 3-0 and the Bucks are 2-0. Both teams have picked up nice victories in the early going, with Boston defeating the Sixers in the opener and then beating the Heat on the road. The Bucks also beat the 76ers in their own season opener, picking up a win in Philadelphia last Thursday.

Still, the Celtics and Bucks were both expected to be title contenders coming into the season. They’re likely pleased to be off to good starts while missing key players (Robert Williams and Danilo Gallinari in Boston; Khris Middleton and Pat Connaughton in Milwaukee), but their early success comes as no surprise.

In the West, on the other hand, you could’ve made very good money if you’d beat a week ago that the last two undefeated teams left standing would be the Trail Blazers (3-0) and Jazz (3-0).

Portland expected to be a playoff contender after revamping its roster in the offseason, most notably trading for veteran forward Jerami Grant. But the reviews on the Blazers’ summer moves were mixed, and most experts didn’t expect them to be better than a play-in team. So their start to the season – which includes road wins over the Kings and Lakers and a home victory over Phoenix – has come as a pleasant surprise.

It certainly hasn’t been more surprising, however, than what the Jazz have done in the first week of the season. After trading away Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell in the offseason, Utah was viewed as a prime contender in the Victor Wembanyama sweepstakes, but the team opened its season with a home win over Denver and then picked up road victories in Minnesota and New Orleans.

Newly acquired forward Lauri Markkanen has looked like a star so far, leading the way with 24.0 PPG, 9.7 RPG, and 3.7 APG through three games, while Jordan Clarkson (19.0 PPG) and Kelly Olynyk (16.3 PPG; .750 3PT%) have provided secondary scoring.

The Jazz’s 3-0 start was so unexpected that it prompted Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune to write an article headlined, “What in the world is happening with this 3-0 Utah Jazz team? How are they doing this?” Larsen’s hypothesis is that the Jazz have been doing all the little stuff right and making terrific decisions, especially on offense.

The sample size is small, but we want to know whether your feelings about any of the NBA’s four undefeated teams – especially the two in the West – have changed based on their play so far.

Are you any more confident in the Blazers’ chance of making the playoffs than you were a week ago? Could the Jazz actually make a play-in push, or will their hot start be short-lived (either due to regression or more trades)? If you had any doubts about the Celtics or Bucks, have they begun to put them to rest?

Head to the comment section below to weigh in with your thoughts!

Blazers’ Olivier Sarr Out At Least Six Weeks

October 21st, 2022 at 4:26pm CST by Luke Adams

Trail Blazers big man Olivier Sarr had his Exhibit 10 contract converted into a two-way deal last Thursday, but it doesn’t look like he’ll see regular season action for the team anytime soon. According to the Blazers, Sarr has been diagnosed with a high-grade partial tear of the scapholunate ligament in his right wrist.

After originally being diagnosed with a right wrist sprain last week, Sarr underwent further testing to determine the full extent of the injury. The team announced today that he will be reevaluated in six weeks.

Sarr, 23, spent a portion of his rookie season in 2021/22 with the Thunder, signing a pair of 10-day contracts with Oklahoma City and then receiving a two-way deal. He averaged 7.0 PPG and 4.2 RPG in 22 NBA games (19.1 MPG), with a solid shooting line of .574/.448/.828.

Sarr joined the Trail Blazers on a non-guaranteed training camp deal this offseason and beat out several other camp invitees for one of the team’s two-way slots. Rookie big man John Butler Jr. holds Portland’s other two-way deal.

Given Sarr’s strong preseason, it seemed as if he might challenge Drew Eubanks for minutes as Jusuf Nurkic‘s primary backup at center, but Eubanks is now in position to occupy that role for the foreseeable future.