Toronto Raptors Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Wizards Rumors: Bertans, Rebuild, Ujiri, Grant

November 21st, 2019 at 1:35pm CST by Luke Adams

When the Spurs traded Davis Bertans to the Wizards this offseason, they viewed it as a necessary step to open up their mid-level exception to sign Marcus Morris. However, after Morris reneged on his agreement with San Antonio, Gregg Popovich was upset to have lost Bertans in the process.

As Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington relays, Wizards head coach Scott Brooks acknowledged that Popovich praised the Latvian forward when the two coaches talked over the summer. While Bertans was known for his shooting ability, Popovich believed the former Spur could take on a more dynamic role.

“[Popovich] is a good scout,” Brooks said on Wednesday, per Hughes. “He nailed it on [Bertans] when I talked to him over the summer. He said, ‘[Davis] is more than a shooter.'”

Bertans is making good on Popovich’s scouting report so far, exhibiting an ability to handle the ball and create his own shot. The 27-year-old may also be turning into a valuable trade chip for the Wizards, writes ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Insider link).

“Bertans is a difference-maker when it comes to his play on the court,” a scout told Marks. “Don’t be surprised if teams are willing to give up a first-rounder for him closer to the deadline.”

Here’s more on the Wizards:

Wizards owner Ted Leonsis doesn’t necessarily believe that the team needs to endure a long, painful rebuilding process before returning to contention, as Candace Buckner of The Washington Post writes. “Next year, we’ll have John Wall back. We’ll have a little bit of space under the salary cap,” Leonsis said. “I think the NBA is very different this year than it’s been in the past, and I stick with, I think, our turnaround can be quick and fast, but we don’t have any expectations about wins and losses. It’s more about culture, identity and what players will be with us on a long-term basis.”
In an in-depth profile of Raptors president of basketball operations Masai Ujiri, Trevor Cole of Toronto Life says the Wizards “unofficially” conveyed to Ujiri this past offseason that they’d be willing to give him whatever he wanted – including a stake in Monumental Sports & Entertainment, the company that owns the Wizards – to run their front office. The Wizards denied reports of their interest in Ujiri in June.
The Capital City Go-Go – Washington’s G League affiliate – claimed Jerian Grant off waivers earlier this week, tweets Fred Katz of The Athletic. Grant, a former first-round pick with four years of NBA experience under his belt, recently signed a G League contract following a brief stint in China.

NBA G League Assignments/Recalls: 11/20/2019

November 20th, 2019 at 9:48pm CST by Arthur Hill

Here are Wednesday’s assignments and recalls from around the NBA G League:

The Wizards recalled Admiral Schofield and Justin Robinson from their Capital City affiliate, according to a tweet from the team.
The Nuggets assigned Jarred Vanderbilt to Rio Grande Valley, the team tweeted. Denver doesn’t have a direct G League affiliate.
The Raptors sent Malcolm Miller to Raptors 905, tweets Blake Murphy of The Athletic. The assignment was optional, but Miller accepted it for the chance to get more playing time.
In leftover moves from Tuesday, the Sixers assigned Shake Milton to Delaware and the Rockets sent Gary Clark to Rio Grande Valley, according to the G League website.

NBA G League Assignments/Recalls: 11/19/2019

November 19th, 2019 at 10:09pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Here are Tuesday’s assignments and recalls from around the NBA G League:

The Warriors have sent Kevon Looney to the Santa Cruz Warriors for a rehab assignment, as the team announces on its website. Golden State also assigned Alen Smailagic to the G League.
The Raptors have assigned Dewan Hernandez to the Raptors 905, as Blake Murphy of The Athletic relays on Twitter. On Wednesday, the two teams will have a doubleheader, with the G League squad playing in the morning and the NBA club at night.
The Jazz recalled Miye Oni and Nigel Williams-Goss from the Salt Lake City Stars before practice today. The club sent the pair back to the G League afterward, as the team passes along on Twitter.
The Spurs have recalled Keldon Johnson from the Austin Spurs, Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio Express-News tweets. Johnson may see action for the Spurs this week, as they have a back-to-back later in the week.
The Wolves have sent Naz Reid to their G League affiliate, the team announces. The former LSU Tiger was with the Iowa Wolves over the weekend.

Stanley Johnson Out Two Weeks With Groin Injury

November 18th, 2019 at 5:11pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Raptors bench swingman Stanley Johnson has been ruled out of commission for tonight’s bout against the Hornets due to a stress reaction in his groin, per Blake Murphy of The Athletic (via Twitter).

The Johnson injury has cleared a path for the team to recall 6’7″ two-way rookie wing Oshae Brissett from Toronto’s G-League affiliate, Raptors 905, for tonight’s contest. Murphy indicates that the team anticipates Johnson to sit for two weeks as he recovers.

The No. 8 pick in 2015, Johnson was signed to a two-year, $7.5MM deal with Toronto in July after wings Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green vacated the premises in free agency. Johnson played his first 3 1/2 seasons on the Pistons before being dealt to the Bucks and then the Pelicans just ahead of the 2018/19 season’s trade deadline.

Johnson has been unable to crack the Raptors’ forward rotation. He has appeared in just five games with Toronto, averaging 3.8 minutes. In a follow-up tweet, The Sports Network’s Josh Lewenberg reports being told that Johnson has not been “100%” healthy this entire season. For his career, Johnson has averaged 6.9 PPG, 3.3 RPG, and 1.5 APG.

Atlantic Notes: Hollis-Jefferson, Celtics, Smart, Sixers

November 17th, 2019 at 9:39pm CST by JD Shaw

Raptors forward Rondae Hollis-Jefferson is finally making the most of his time during his first season with the organization, Josh Lewenberg of TSN Sports writes.

Hollis-Jefferson, who signed a one-year deal with Toronto this past summer in free agency, had a slow start to the 2019/20 campaign. His poor play in training camp caused some within the franchise to worry, but the 24-year-old has given strong performances over the last week — including a 16-point, 11-rebound outing in a win against Portland on Wednesday.

“It was tough,” Hollis-Jefferson said of his slow start, as relayed by Lewenberg. “I’m human, I have feelings and I’m a competitor. I’m emotional, I wear my heart on my sleeve, so it was definitely tough. People will tell you that. I’m not one to shy away from it but for the most part I always thought about my (1-year-old) son (Rylen). Just what he would think and how he would feel if he were older. So that kind of helped me get over it. And then just talking to guys. There are some great guys in here who understand the grind and the situation. When you have good people around it makes life a little bit easier.”

Hollis-Jefferson, a proven physical defender at 6’6″, 217 pounds, is expected to be a key cog in the team’s rotation going forward. For his career, he averages 9.9 points, 5.9 rebounds and 23.6 minutes per game.

Here are some other notes from the Atlantic Division tonight:

Patrick Dunne of NBC Sports Boston examines the historical significance of the Celtics’ 10-game win streak, which was ended by Sacramento on Sunday night. Boston has lost just two games this season, dominating teams on both ends of the floor despite dealing with various injuries. This was the team’s 29th time achieving a win streak greater than 10 games.
It’s time to stop acting surprised about the improved three-point shooting from Celtics guard Marcus Smart, Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports Boston opines. Smart posted a career-high in three-point percentage last season (36.4%), with his average gradually improving since his sophomore season in 2015-16. He’s connected on 31 of 76 attempts from behind-the-arc in 11 games this year (41%).
The early struggles for the Sixers are baffling for fans and team staffers alike, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes. “If you’re sick and you don’t know why, then that’s a problem,” coach Brett Brown said after the team lost in Oklahoma City on Friday. “We’re in a tough spot right now. But it’s a long year. I think it doesn’t take much for me to understand where we have to get better, and it’s really that simple.” On the plus side for Philadelphia, the Sixers dominated the Cavs 114-95 on Sunday to extend their record to 8-5.

Community Shootaround: Could Siakam Repeat As Most Improved Player?

November 14th, 2019 at 12:37pm CST by Luke Adams

Raptors forward Pascal Siakam was the runaway winner of the NBA’s 2018/19 Most Improved Player award, capturing 86 of 100 possible first-place votes, and he was certainly deserving of the honor. Siakam was one of the key contributors for the eventual NBA champions, guarding all five positions and increasing his numbers across the board – including a PPG bump from 7.3 to 16.9 – while scoring even more efficiently than he had before.

So far this season though, Siakam may have taken an even more significant step forward, as John Hollinger of The Athletic writes. After increasing his scoring output by 9.6 points per game a year ago, Siakam has tacked on 10.3 more PPG this season, boosting that number to 27.2 PPG overall. His usage rate has jumped from 20.8 to 30.5, and while his overall field goal percentage has dipped a little, he’s become a more dangerous threat from outside, knocking down 2.3 threes per game at a 37.3% rate (up from 1.0 and 36.9%).

As Hollinger outlines, Siakam has made his latest strides by finding creative new ways to score. He’s a threat in the post, off the dribble, in the pick-and-roll, and from beyond the arc.

Last season, one of Siakam’s Achilles heels was his inability to make above-the-break threes. As ESPN’s Zach Lowe observes (via Twitter), the 25-year-old only attempted 29% of his three-pointers from above the break in 2018/19, making just 27% on those attempts. This year, 75% of his threes are coming from that area, and he has converted 42% of them.

Siakam isn’t Kawhi Leonard – even if his early-season numbers are remarkably similar to Kawhi’s full-season 2018/19 averages – but he has quickly become the Raptors’ new go-to offensive play-maker in Leonard’s absence this season. While his numbers through 11 games may not be sustainable, he looks like an All-Star lock, and if he can maintain anything close to this pace, he figures to be in the All-NBA conversation too. However, the most intriguing Siakam subplot this season may be whether he can win his second consecutive Most Improved Player award.

As Hollinger writes, no one has come close to being named MIP for two straight seasons. Of the last 10 winners, more than half have regressed a year after winning the award, and even the ones that have continued to improve have only taken modest steps forward. But the early returns on Siakam this season suggest he’ll have a case.

There were certainly be other good MIP candidates this season. Brandon Ingram, Luke Kennard, Luka Doncic, Trae Young, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander are a few of the early contenders, though some voters shy away from second-year players, which could hurt Doncic, Young, and SGA. For that matter, some voters are reluctant to pick repeat award winners in general, but the novelty of doing so for an award like MIP that never has repeat winners might actually work in Siakam’s favor.

What do you think? Is it realistic to expect Siakam to be in the Most Improved Player conversation for a second consecutive year? Could he actually win the award again? If you’re not bullish on his chances, which candidate(s) do you like so far?

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

Atlantic Notes: VanVleet, Shumpert, DSJ, Knicks

November 14th, 2019 at 10:20am CST by Luke Adams

Fred VanVleet became a household name among NBA fans during the Raptors‘ championship run last spring, and particularly during Game 6 of the Finals, when he knocked down five three-pointers. That success has now carried over to the 2019/20 season. As Eric Koreen of The Athletic writes, VanVleet is proving to the Raptors and to the rest of the league that he’s capable of being a starting point guard.

VanVleet has started all 11 of the Raptors’ games so far, first alongside Kyle Lowry and now in Lowry’s place at point guard as the veteran recovers from a thumb injury. VanVleet has made 40.6% of his three-pointers in those 11 games, and his 17.1 PPG, 7.6 APG, and league-leading 38.5 MPG would all easily be career bests.

With 2020’s free agent class expected to be quite weak, VanVleet – who is in the final season of a two-year, $18MM deal – projects to be one of the top point guards available. He won’t be eligible for an extension before reaching the open market, so the Raptors will almost certainly have to ward off rival suitors next summer if they intend to lock up VanVleet beyond this season.

Here’s more from around the Atlantic:

After the Nets signed Iman Shumpert to a contract on Wednesday, Chris Milholen of NetsDaily explores what the veteran swingman is capable of bringing to Brooklyn and why he’s a “safe” addition for the club.
The Knicks considered sending Dennis Smith Jr. to their G League affiliate in Westchester for some low-pressure minutes after he spent two weeks away from New York, but ultimately opted not to do so, per head coach David Fizdale. “We thought about it, but we just felt like it wasn’t an injury that took him out,” Fizdale said Wednesday, per Greg Joyce of The New York Post. “It was more from a conditioning standpoint. So what we’re gonna do is we’re gonna play him, try to play him in smaller doses to get him back in shape.”
How did the Knicks end up in their current dilemma, with Fizdale on the hot seat and top front office executives facing similar pressure? ESPN’s Brian Windhorst revisits the franchise’s last year and a half, starting with Fizdale’s introductory press conference back in May 2018, providing a blow-by-blow account of the turning points during that time.

Knicks Eyeing Masai Ujiri, Sam Presti For Potential Front Office Opening?

November 13th, 2019 at 3:16pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Knicks management has reportedly been put on notice with owner James Dolan expecting the front office to make “progress” in order for several members of the front office to keep their jobs. Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News hears that if New York finds itself hiring a new head of basketball operations, the team’s wish list begins with Raptors team president Masai Ujiri and Thunder GM Sam Presti.

Dolan has long been a fan of Ujiri’s. The Wizards took a stab at prying the executive from Toronto this past offseason with no success. Perhaps Dolan believes the Knicks will have better luck.

Presti has been with Oklahoma City for 12 seasons and he has arguably the most unique resume of any GM in the league. He drafted Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and James Harden to build a true contender and after each player left has molded a different team, ranging from contender to mid-tier playoff team to one in a rebuild again.

Bondy also mentions Trajan Langdon – who helped the Nets turn their franchise around before moving onto the Pelicans – and Kiki Vandeweghe – who currently works in the league office – as potential targets. Bondy hears that Vandeweghe would have interest in the job.

Atlantic Notes: Siakam, OG, Burke, Sixers

November 12th, 2019 at 5:32pm CST by ChrisCrouse

With the Raptors facing a bevy of injuries, Pascal Siakam will get an opportunity to showcase his point guard skills, as Doug Smith of The Toronto Star relays.

“Depending on what the matchup is, you can do it,” Raptors head coach Nick Nurse said. “We’ve got to be careful on it and stuff like that, but it’s good to get a lot of reps of it and see what kind of offense we can run from it. I think we found a few things he can run up there at the point.”

Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:

OG Anunoby saw an eye specialist today and has been diagnosed with an eye contusion, the Raptors announced (Twitter link). The forward will miss at least Toronto’s next game on Wednesday in Portland.
Trey Burke is capitalizing on the opportunity he’s receiving with Ben Simmons sidelined, Lauren Rosen of NBA.com writes. Burke, who joined the Sixers on a one-year deal this offseason, credits his preparedness for his ability to step into a larger role with the club.“This is a new situation for me – a championship-type organization,” Burke said. “I know I was going to have to be patient.”
Quinn Davis of Basketball Insiders breaks down the Sixers‘ point guard situation behind Simmons. In addition to Burke, the team has Raul Neto, and Josh Richardson has been running some point recently.

Lewenberg: Doubtful Ujiri Would Work For Dolan

November 11th, 2019 at 4:01pm CST by Luke Adams

In response to a report that the Knicks may pursue Raptors president of basketball operations Masai Ujiri again next year, Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca tweets that he doesn’t believe Ujiri would ever want to work for Knicks owner James Dolan under any circumstance.