- Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson has been fined $15K by the league, Andy Larsen of the Salt Lake Tribune tweets. Clarkson tossed his headband into the stands during the final seconds of Utah’s 116-111 loss to the Trail Blazers on Saturday.
- Considering the Trail Blazers are above .500 despite losing star Damian Lillard for a stretch and playing 14 of their games on the road, coach Chauncey Billups is happy with the state of the team, Jason Quick of The Athletic writes. “We’re in a good spot,” he said. “We’ve been in a really tough stretch, maybe our toughest stretch of the season in terms of travel and games. We knew it was going to be a difficult stretch here, and that’s what it’s proven to be. But I think we are in a good spot.”
Trail Blazers guard Anfernee Simons erupted for 45 points against the Jazz on Saturday and jokingly lamented he wanted more, Aaron Fentress of The Oregonian writes. “Back of my mind, I wanted 50,” Simons said. “There’s going to be plenty of opportunities for it. But it’s alright. We got the win.” Simons, who is filling the scoring void for injured Damian Lillard, is in the first season of a four-year, $100MM contract.
DECEMBER 4: As expected, Lillard is playing against Indiana tonight, Haynes tweets.
NOVEMBER 29: Trail Blazers perennial All-Star Damian Lillard is targeting a Sunday return from a leg injury, Chris Haynes reported during TNT’s Tuesday broadcast of the Clippers-Blazers game (video link). Portland begins a four-game homestand against the Pacers that night.
Lillard was diagnosed on Nov. 20 with a Grade 1 strain to the soleus muscle in the right lower leg. He was injured the previous night against Utah.
Lillard, who is averaging 26.3 points and 7.0 assists per game this season, also missed four contests earlier this season due to a calf strain. He sat out a majority of last season due to a core muscle issue.
Thus far during Lillard’s latest absence, the Blazers have lost to Milwaukee, Cleveland and Brooklyn and defeated New York in overtime. All those contests were on the road.
Following the Clippers’ matchup, Portland head out on the road again to play the Lakers on Wednesday and Utah on Saturday.
- Responding to Michael Scotto’s interview with Jerami Grant, which addressed Grant’s upcoming free agency, Sean Highkin of the Rose Garden Report (Twitter link) says he doesn’t expect the Trail Blazers forward to even reach free agency next summer. Highkin believes the Blazers and Grant will reach an extension after he becomes eligible for a longer-term deal in January. For what it’s worth, Portland would be limited during the season to offering a four-year, $112.65MM extension, so if Grant – who is having a career year so far – wants to try to get more than that, he’d have to wait for his current contract to expire and become a free agent.
Forward Nassir Little exited Tuesday’s loss to the Clippers with what was initially deemed a right hip strain. Further imaging revealed that Little had sustained a mild femoral head impaction fracture, and he’s expected to miss six weeks, the Trail Blazers announced in a press release.
Little, 22, signed a four-year, $28MM rookie scale extension before the 2022/23 season started (it kicks in next season). Through 21 games (15.3 minutes per night) for Portland, he’s averaging 5.5 points and 2.4 rebounds on .473/.372/.667 shooting.
Part of the reason Little accepted a relatively team-friendly deal is because he wanted “security” and “peace of mind.” But he also admitted that his injury history had played a factor.
“I’m not gonna lie, I think my talent level is worth more than that,” Little said of his $28MM contract. “But with me having an injury history, and them still taking a chance on me, I want to be here. I’ll probably perform at a level that’s worth more than that, but being in Portland is what I want.”
Little was having a breakout third season in ’21/22 but it came to an early end when he underwent surgery on February 1 to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder. In May, he underwent abdominal surgery to repair a core muscle injury.
Overall, he averaged 9.8 points and 5.6 rebounds on .460/.331/.734 shooting in 42 games (25.9 MPG) last season.
The Blazers are dealing with several injured players at the moment (Twitter link). In addition to Little, second-year guard Keon Johnson (left hip pointer), star guard Damian Lillard (right soleus strain), and guard Gary Payton II (return to competition conditioning) are out Saturday at Utah, while wing Josh Hart (left ankle sprain) is doubtful and center Drew Eubanks (right hip contusion) is questionable.
Lillard is reportedly targeting a Sunday return at home against Indiana.
Payton, a key free agent addition, has yet to play this season after undergoing core muscle surgery in September. It was initially thought that he’d be available for the start of the regular season, but his progress has been slower than anticipated. The last update on his status was two weeks ago.
Portland had a great start to the season, going 10-4, but has lost seven of its past eight games to currently hold an 11-11 record, the 10th seed in the West.
Trail Blazers superstar point guard Damian Lillard had been enjoying an All-NBA start to the 2022/23 season prior to suffering a calf strain, which has kept him sidelined since November 19.
In his 11 healthy games this year, the six-time All-Star, now 32, is averaging 26.3 PPG on .422/.333/.875 shooting splits, plus 7.0 APG and 4.3 RPG.
Lillard recently spoke at length to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype about his career in Portland, how far he thinks this year’s club can get in the postseason, and much more.
The full article is well worth a read, but here are some highlights.
On his approach to trying to secure extension-eligible teammate Jerami Grant long-term:
“In this league, you’ve got to respect that guys have their own idea of what they want to do with their career and how they see themselves financially. I think the best way to sell anybody on anything as far as staying around is to win games, be authentic, and have genuine behavior. I know that’s what I do best. I mean what I say and say what I mean. I stay true to that because I’m never beside myself.
“Playing with myself and Anfernee [Simons], a lot of things have opened up for him and allowed him to really be effective. Then, the fact that we’re openly going to give him every opportunity to do it in terms of being unselfish. I don’t think there are a lot of guys out there in situations where it’ll be a hand-and-glove fit like it’s been, not just game-wise but personality-wise. We all get along and like each other. I care about his success, and he cares about ours. Sometimes, that’s the most important thing. That’s what our biggest pitch ever could be… I think he’s added a layer to our team on both ends of the floor.”
On his commitment to potentially staying a Trail Blazer for the duration of his career:
“It’s always been a home for me. As an organization, a lot of guys I’ve played with that come from other teams say the biggest difference they notice is this is a great organization, the way that people get treated and how the organization operates day to day. To me, it’s a reminder the grass ain’t always greener on the other side. This has been my experience. I’d hate to be in another place and be like, ‘Dang, this is how you operate? Then, I’m stuck there.’ … They haven’t won since 1977. I want to be a part of bringing that back. I really want to be a part of that. It would just wrap up everything for me. That would be everything. To have invested 11 years now, to be in the community and have my family there, and basically live my whole adult life here, and be a part of this organization. It would be everything to wrap it up and get it done.”
On how deep into the playoffs he thinks Portland can go this year:
“I think we can be a championship team. We’ve got a good mix of veterans with experience and young talented guys. Right now in the league, that’s who you’re seeing are the most successful teams. It’s no longer, ‘Look at this super team over here.’ It’s ‘Who’s got the talent, who can get up and down and score, who’s fearless, who defends, who has experience and leadership?’ It’s all of those things that give you a shot to be one of those final teams. You’re seeing it across the league, and I think we fall into that category. We’ve got to be healthy. I’ve played a lot of games, but I’ve been in and out of the lineup with little nagging things with my calf. We haven’t gotten Gary Payton II out there yet.”
G League Ignite guard Scoot Henderson, the consensus No. 2 prospect in the 2023 draft class, has been diagnosed with a nose fracture after entering the concussion protocols and missing the team’s last four games, writes Cody Taylor of Rookie Wire.
Although Henderson has already been sidelined since November 18, the injury isn’t considered a long-term one and he’s being listed as day-to-day for the time being. According to Taylor, there’s a chance Henderson will be cleared to return on Sunday when the Ignite host the South Bay Lakers.
Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- Within his latest NBA power rankings, Zach Harper of The Athletic also assigns grades for one key offseason addition made by each team. Harper hands out two grades of A-plus: One to the Nuggets for their acquisition of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and one to the Kings for their hiring of head coach Mike Brown.
- In his “way-too-early” re-draft of the 2022 lottery, Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer moves Pacers guard Bennedict Mathurin and Trail Blazers guard Shaedon Sharpe into the top five, with Hawks wing AJ Griffin and Jazz center Walker Kessler among the non-lottery picks moving into O’Connor’s top 14.
- HoopsHype has updated its trade value rankings, listing its top 100 players and breaking them down position by position as well. Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo and Mavericks guard Luka Doncic lead the way as the NBA’s most valuable trade chips (not that there’s any chance they’re going anywhere).
After an offseason trade to Portland, Jerami Grant is enjoying his time with the Trail Blazers and may be inclined to re-sign when he reaches free agency next summer, writes Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.
“I’m satisfied right now,” Grant said. “I’m really happy with what we’re doing. We’ll just talk about it when it comes.”
Grant’s numbers are impressive through 19 games — 21.5 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.6 assists — but the one that stands out is his 48.2% shooting percentage on three-pointers. Scotto notes that he’s getting plenty of open looks from playing alongside Damian Lillard and Anfernee Simons. Grant made 64.1% of his shots from the field off an assist last year in Detroit, but that number is up to 69.2% so far this season. Grant, Lillard and Simons are one of three trios around the league who are all averaging more than 20 points per game.
Grant was the main focus of the offense during his two seasons with the Pistons, and he said that challenge forced him to develop more ways to score.
“It definitely helped me to prepare for this,” he said. “Being the No. 1 option and seeing a lot of different coverages, defenses, and double-teams made this a lot easier for me. I’m thankful for my time there. I grew as a player. Now, I’m kind of reaping the benefits.”
The Blazers are happy to have Grant after acquiring him over the summer in a trade focused mainly on draft assets. He has contributed to the fast turnaround in Portland as the Blazers are in seventh place in the West after an 11-9 start. It may take a maximum offer to re-sign him, but Scotto believes the team is willing to make that commitment to give Lillard a chance to compete for an NBA title.
“I think he’s added a layer to our team on both ends of the floor,” Lillard said of Grant. “A lot of times, he’s taking the toughest matchup defensively. He’s using his size, length and athleticism to be disruptive and give guys like Anfernee and myself the opportunity to play off the ball and not wear ourselves out on the defensive end of the floor every possession and then have to go score and make plays as much as we do offensively. On offense, he’s been able to score in isolation, transition, hit catch-and-shoot threes, and post up. He’s doing so many different things for us on both ends of the floor. He’s so versatile. It’s made us a much better team having him.”
As of January 6, Grant will be eligible for a veteran extension worth up to $112.65MM over four years. His maximum salary if he were to re-sign with Portland as a free agent would be a projected $233.16MM over five years.
Former Rockets guard Michael Frazier has signed with the Illawara Hawks of Australia’s National Basketball League, the team announced in a press release. Frazier will serve as an injury replacement for another former NBA player, George King.
Frazier, 28, went undrafted out of Florida in 2015 and spent several seasons in the G League, plus one in Italy, before getting an opportunity to make his NBA debut in 2020 for Houston. He appeared in 13 games during the 2019/20 season as a Rocket, then returned to the G League before spending last season in Australia with the Perth Wildcats.
Having seen Frazier play for Perth last season, Illawara Hawks head coach Jacob Jackomas believes his team is getting a quality player: “He is a willing defender with great size and strength, and be it at the 3-point line or getting downhill and attacking the basket, we feel like he will make an immediate impact on the group.”
Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- The Kings, Trail Blazers, and Pacers look like some of the under-the-radar winners of the 2022 offseason, writes ESPN’s Bobby Marks (subscription required). Marks also highlights Magic big man Bol Bol, Bucks guard Jevon Carter, and Suns wing Damion Lee as some of the best value signings of the summer.
- Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report has updated his 2023 mock draft, projecting all 58 picks and providing analysis for each one. Next year’s draft will only be 58 picks instead of 60 because the Sixers and Bulls have forfeited their second-rounders due to free agency gun-jumping violations.
- Sam Vecenie of The Athletic ranks this season’s top 15 rookie performers to date, with Magic forward Paolo Banchero and Pacers guard Bennedict Mathurin leading the way. The only second-round pick to crack the top 15 is Raptors big man Christian Koloko, who was selected 33rd overall but ranks eighth on Vecenie’s list.
The term “poison pill” doesn’t actually show up in the NBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement, but it’s used colloquially to refer to a provision in the CBA that affects players who recently signed rookie scale contract extensions.
As we explain in our glossary entry, the so-called poison pill provision applies when a player who signed a rookie scale extension is traded before the extension takes effect.
In that scenario, the player’s incoming value for the receiving team for matching purposes is determined by averaging his current-year salary and the salaries in each year of his new extension. His current team, on the other hand, simply treats his current-year salary as the outgoing figure for matching purposes.
For instance, Heat guard Tyler Herro is earning a $5,722,116 salary in 2022/23, but signed a four-year, $120MM extension that will begin in ’23/24. Therefore, if Miami wanted to trade Herro this season, his outgoing value for salary-matching purposes would be $5,722,116 (this year’s salary), while his incoming value for the team acquiring him would be $25,144,423 (this year’s salary, plus the $120MM extension, divided by five years).
[RELATED: 2022 NBA Rookie Scale Extension Recap]
Most of the players who signed rookie scale extensions aren’t candidates to be traded anytime soon. But even in the event that a team does want to look into trading one of these recently extended players, the gap between the player’s incoming trade value and outgoing trade value could make it a real challenge to find a deal that works for both sides.
The “poison pill” provision applies to 11 players who signed rookie scale extensions in 2022. Here are those players, along with their outgoing salaries and incoming salaries for trade purposes:
| Player | Team | Outgoing trade value | Incoming trade value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zion Williamson | NOP | $13,534,817 | $34,639,136 |
| Ja Morant | MEM | $12,119,440 | $34,403,240 |
| RJ Barrett | NYK | $10,900,635 | $23,580,127 |
| De’Andre Hunter | ATL | $9,835,881 | $19,967,176 |
| Darius Garland | CLE | $8,920,795 | $33,870,133 |
| Tyler Herro | MIA | $5,722,116 | $25,144,423 |
| Brandon Clarke | MEM | $4,343,920 | $10,868,784 |
| Nassir Little | POR | $4,171,548 | $6,434,310 |
| Jordan Poole | GSW | $3,901,399 | $26,380,280 |
| Keldon Johnson | SAS | $3,873,025 | $15,574,605 |
| Kevin Porter Jr. | HOU | $3,217,631 | $15,234,726 |
Once the 2023/24 league year begins, the poison pill provision will no longer apply to these players. At that time, the player’s ’23/24 salary would represent both his outgoing and incoming value.
Until then though, the gap between those outgoing and incoming figures will make it tricky for these players to be moved, with one or two exceptions.
The small difference between Little’s incoming and outgoing trade figures, for instance, wouldn’t be very problematic if the Blazers wanted to trade him. But the much larger divide between Poole’s incoming and outgoing numbers means there’s virtually no chance he could be moved to an over-the-cap team in 2022/23, even if the Warriors wanted to.