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Five Key Stories: 6/9/18 – 6/16/18

June 16th, 2018 at 1:19pm CST by Arthur Hill

In case you missed any of this past week’s top stories from around the NBA, we have you covered with our Week in Review. Below are some of the most noteworthy stories from the last seven days.

Spurs star Kawhi Leonard requested a trade out of San Antonio. Leonard, who can become a free agent next summer, said he has “grown uncomfortable” with the organization and wasn’t pleased with the way it handled the quad injury that limited him to nine games this season. The Lakers are Leonard’s preferred destination, but several teams are rumored to be preparing offers.

A hip strain forced Michael Porter Jr. to postpone a workout scheduled for Friday. He was eventually cleared for medical evaluations by teams in the lottery. Their view of Porter’s physical condition will go a long way toward determining where he is selected in Thursday’s draft.

The Pistons ended their coaching search by hiring former Raptors head coach Dwane Casey. Spurs assistant Ime Udoka was reportedly also a finalist for the job, and several high-profile candidates such as Michigan’s John Beilein and TNT analyst Kenny Smith were interviewed. Casey, a finalist for Coach of the Year honors, gets a fresh start after being dismissed in Toronto following a sweep in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Nick Nurse will take over Casey’s spot with the Raptors, as he was hired to fill the NBA’s final head coaching vacancy. Nurse got the final nod over Spurs assistant Ettore Messina, who was a candidate for several openings this spring. Nurse was a successful coach in Europe before coming to Toronto in 2013.

Kyrie Irving has no interest in discussing an extension with the Celtics this summer. Irving, who has a $21.3MM player option for 2019/20, said “contractually, financially, it just doesn’t make any sense” to negotiate now rather than testing free agency.

Here are eight more headlines from the past week:

The Warriors‘ Draymond Green also isn’t ready for extension talks. He said he gave up about $12MM in his current contract to help bring Kevin Durant to the Bay Area and doesn’t want to take another discount.

The Sixers picked up options for next season on Richaun Holmes and T.J. McConnell. Both players will receive non-guaranteed $1.6MM deals before becoming free agents.

Wizards guard Jodie Meeks opted in for next season. He was set to make $3,454,500, but that amount will be reduced because he still has 19 games remaining on his 25-game suspension for violating the league’s anti-drug policy.

Also exercising his player option was Nuggets forward Darrell Arthur.  The 30-year-old, who appeared in just 19 games this season, will make $7,464,912.

The Heat tendered a qualifying offer to Derrick Jones, making him a restricted free agent and allowing the team to match any offer he receives. Because he is a two-way player, the qualifying offer was only $77K.

Raptors assistant coach Rex Kalamian is leaving the team to join Doc Rivers‘ staff with the Clippers. Kalamian had an interview to become Toronto’s head coach before Nurse was hired.

Backup point guard London Perrantes was waived by the Cavaliers. He appeared in just 14 games after signing a two-way contract in October.

The Celtics‘ Abdel Nader had wrist surgery to take care of issues that had bothered him since he fractured it in high school.

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Draft Updates: Porter, Doncic, Bagley, Bamba

June 14th, 2018 at 9:06am CST by Arthur Hill

Teams that had planned to attend Michael Porter Jr.‘s workout tomorrow are being told it will be held at another time, tweets Sam Amick of USA Today. Porter’s representatives canceled the session late Wednesday night without providing an explanation.

The move has led to speculation that Porter’s surgically repaired back may be bothering him, but it’s also possible he has received a guarantee that would make a group workout unnecessary. Porter’s camp may be rethinking his status and devoting time just to teams at the top of the draft, according to Tom Ziller of SB Nation, who adds that they now believe he will be taken in the top four.

There’s “a very real chance” that the Kings will use their No. 2 pick on Porter, Amick adds, but it’s not certain at this point whether last night’s news will impact their decision. The organization may request more medical information and take another look at Porter in action before making a commitment.

There’s more draft-related news this morning:

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Lakers Notes: Ball, Kuzma, Bryant, Magic

June 13th, 2018 at 8:38pm CST by Arthur Hill

Rookies Lonzo Ball and Kyle Kuzma have gotten a lot of attention for their good-natured insults on social media, but the Lakers have talked to them about scaling it back, according to Ramona Shelburne and Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN.

The jabs are usually about fashion, food or something harmless, but team officials became concerned when Ball released a song that mentioned Kuzma’s lack of a relationship with his biological father. Both players agreed to tone down the ribbing.

Two years ago, the Lakers were caught in a social media controversy involving Nick Young and D’Angelo Russell that led to Russell being ostracized in the locker room. Neither player is still with the team.

There’s more Lakers news from Los Angeles:

  • Ball received a platelet-rich plasma shot in his left knee last month and was cleared for basketball activities last week, Youngmisuk writes in a separate story. Ball, who sat out the last eight games of the season with a knee contusion, called it a minor injury that didn’t require surgery. The Lakers want Ball to increase his strength this summer and become less susceptible to injuries. “Just been in the weight room, trying to put on that weight,” he said. “And on the court, a lot of ballhandling, a lot of shooting. I am trying to critique everything and fine tune and get ready for next year.”
  • Kobe Bryant will have a limited role in the Lakers’ pursuit of free agents this summer, relays Tom Schad of USA Today. Bryant said this week he will call any potential targets if asked, but he won’t sit in on recruiting meetings. “If the players have questions, or if [the Lakers] want me to reach out and call a player or something like that, talk to the player, kind give my two cents on what it was like to play here in this market, I’ll certainly do that,” Bryant said on The HoopsHype Podcast. “But in terms of being part of the meeting in any official way, the answer is no.”
  • The Lakers need a strong performance from president of basketball operations Magic Johnson to help land a couple of elite free agents, writes Bill Plaschke of The Los Angeles Times. He contends that Johnson was given a front office position so he could use his celebrity and reputation to help attract stars.
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East Draft Notes: Wizards, Raptors, Bulls, Magic, Nets

May 22nd, 2018 at 8:08pm CST by Dana Gauruder

UCLA point guard Aaron Holiday heads the list of six players the Wizards will work out on Wednesday, according to the team’s website. Holiday is ranked No. 17 by ESPN’s Jonathan Givony. He will be joined by two Kansas guards, Devonte’ Graham and Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk, along with forwards Johnathan Williams (Gonzaga), Moritz Wagner (Michigan) and Zach Thomas (Bucknell).

In other draft news regarding Eastern Conference teams:

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Raptors Notes: Casey, Powell, VanVleet, DeRozan

May 9th, 2018 at 2:02pm CST by Luke Adams

Multiple reports on Tuesday indicated that the Raptors are believed to be leaning toward making a coaching change and replacing Dwane Casey. If that’s the case though, team president Masai Ujiri didn’t tip his hand when he spoke to the media today, telling reporters that Toronto’s evaluation process is ongoing — not just for Casey, but for all aspects of the organization.

As for Casey himself, he still spoke of the Raptors as “we” during the press conference, and sounded like someone ready to move forward with the club, joking that the team hadn’t changed the locks on him within the last couple days.

While we wait to see whether the Raptors decide to move on from Casey, let’s round up a few more notes out of Toronto, including more items from today’s presser:

  • Asked about the possibility of blowing up the roster and tanking, Ujiri dismissed that idea, per Ryan Wolstat of The Toronto Sun (Twitter link). “We’re not doing that (tanking) here,” Ujiri said, adding that the plan is to continue trying to contend while simultaneously identifying and developing young talent.
  • Ujiri also said that it’s his job to find ways to improve the Raptors’ roster despite the club’s cap limitations, tweets Wolstat. “Put it on me. We’ll get better here,” Ujiri said.
  • The Raptors’ decision to sign Norman Powell to a four-year, $41MM+ extension last offseason looks questionable, given that Powell wasn’t a real part of the team’s rotation down the stretch. However, Ujiri remains optimistic, pointing out that every NBA team is looking for wings, and the Raps still believe Powell can be that sort of two-way player (Twitter link via Eric Koreen of The Athletic).
  • Fred VanVleet, a restricted free agent this summer, says winning will be his top priority as he considers his next deal, but he sounds interested in staying in Toronto (Twitter link via Wolstat). “I love it here,” VanVleet said. “This is the place that gave me a chance, gave me the opportunity. I’m a loyal guy.” As Blake Murphy of Raptors Republic tweets, VanVleet will see a specialist and spend time this summer reworking his shooting form after suffering a shoulder injury last month.
  • A panel of ESPN writers offer up four potential trade ideas involving DeMar DeRozan in the event that the Raptors look to drastically reshape their roster.
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Texas Notes: Mbah a Moute, Tucker, Mavericks, Spurs

April 29th, 2018 at 9:51am CST by Arthur Hill

After missing the Rockets‘ first playoff series with a dislocated right shoulder, Luc Mbah a Moute hopes to be ready today when his team opens the Western Conference semifinals against the Jazz, writes Tim MacMahon of ESPN. On Saturday, Mbah a Moute went through his first full practice since the injury and believes he will be able to play.

“I’m ready in my mind,” said Mbah a Moute, who also suffered a dislocated shoulder in December. “I’ve done this already, so I’m not used to it, but I pretty much know what to expect.”

Officially listed as questionable, Mbah a Moute has been an impact player since coming to Houston in free agency last summer. He averaged 7.5 points and 3.0 rebounds per game and has the best defensive numbers among the Rockets’ rotation players.

There’s more news today out of Texas:

  • P.J. Tucker, Houston’s other key free agent addition, has a lot of similarities with former Rocket Mario Elie, notes Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle. A member of the city’s two championship teams of the 1990s, Elie was known for his toughness and versatility, two qualities that define Tucker. “I just love his demeanor,” Elie said. “He’s like me. He’s angry on the court and that’s how he should be. He has no friends out there. He just competes. And what I like about him, is he guards multiple positions. That what he does that I really like, just like I did.”
  • The Mavericks could be indirect beneficiaries of LeBron James‘ free agency, suggests Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News. No matter where James ends up, a team will likely have to unload a significant salary, which Dallas is in position to absorb. The Mavericks could wind up with Clint Capela from the Rockets, Robert Covington from the Sixers or Julius Randle from the Lakers, or if James stays in Cleveland, Dallas could pursue Pelicans free agent DeMarcus Cousins.
  • The focus in San Antonio will be on Kawhi Leonard this summer, but the Spurs have plenty of free agent concerns, states Sean Deveney of The Sporting News. If Danny Green opts out, Deveney expects him to get offers of $12MM to $14MM per year for three to four seasons, which may be higher than the Spurs are willing to go. It’s also doubtful that they would commit to an expensive long-term deal for Rudy Gay if he opts out.
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Injury Updates: Curry, Porter, VanVleet, Mbah a Moute

April 27th, 2018 at 5:51pm CST by Arthur Hill

Stephen Curry is officially listed as questionable for the start of the Warriors‘ series with the Pelicans tomorrow night, relays Mark Medina of The San Jose Mercury News.

The star guard, who is recovering from a Grade 2 MCL sprain in his left knee, was able to go through a full-court scrimmage today for the first time since suffering the injury March 23. However, the team isn’t ready to commit to playing him in Game 1, and Curry calls his chances “50-50.”

“Still to be determined. They come up with those snazzy words for a reason – doubtful, questionable, probable,” he said. “Just trying to work my way up whatever I need to do with whatever [trainer] Chelsea [Lane], the rest of the athletic training staff and coaching staff need to see before I can get back out there.”

Curry and Lane spent about 20 minutes after practice talking to coach Steve Kerr, who said Curry will be re-examined tonight and after Saturday’s morning shootaround before making a decision.

“It’s not as simple as, ‘Does he feel good? Then throw him out there,’” Kerr said. “It’s more about, ‘Let’s give him a few days and see how he responds from it.’”

There’s more playoff-related injury news to pass along:

  • Wizards forward Otto Porter, who is out indefinitely following a surgical procedure today on his left leg, has been experiencing pain since Game 4 of the series with Toronto, tweets Josh Lewenberg of TSN Sports. The decision to perform a lower leg fasciotomy to address a build-up of blood flow in the contusion area was made after reviewing the results of an MRI conducted today. Kelly Oubre will take Porter’s spot in the starting lineup, with Tomas Satoransky and Ty Lawson both expected to get more playing time, according to ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk (Twitter link). “We need Kelly on the floor,” coach Scott Brooks said to Candace Buckner of The Washington Post. “Now that Otto is out, we need Kelly to give us great minutes. … It’s a great opportunity for him.” (Twitter link).
  • The Raptors will have guard Fred VanVleet available for tonight’s Game 6 with the Wizards, Lewenberg tweets. VanVleet has been limited to three minutes in the series because of soreness in his shoulder stemming from a collision on the final night of the season. “I don’t know what to expect,” said coach Dwane Casey, “but we’ll get him in.”
  • The Rockets had hoped to get Luc Mbah a Moute back for the start of their second-round series, but it appears that won’t happen, according to Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle. Sidelined by a dislocated shoulder, Mbah a Moute won’t be re-evaluated until next week, although he was able to participate in the non-contact part of today’s practice, said coach Mike D’Antoni.
  • Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue still wasn’t sure of George Hill‘s  status when he met with reporters before tonight’s game, relays Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com. Hill, who has been experiencing back spasms, warmed up before the game with a heat wrap on his back, notes ESPN’s Brian Windhorst (Twitter link).
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Southwest Notes: Parsons, Holiday, Mbah a Moute, Ginobili

April 18th, 2018 at 9:54pm CST by Arthur Hill

Chandler Parsons has given the Grizzlies a few reasons for optimism, writes Michael Wallace of NBA.com. Parsons continued to battle knee problems in the second season of a four-year, $94MM contract, but he appeared in 36 games, two more than a year ago, and may have reached 50 if the team hadn’t fallen out of contention so quickly, Wallace adds.

Former coach David Fizdale switched Parsons to power forward and reduced his playing time early in the season, but that changed when J.B. Bickerstaff took over, and Parsons was able to spread the floor and use his playmaking skills. He also shot a career-best .421 from 3-point range.

“I had moments this year where I felt good and felt like myself, and I had moments where the soreness and stiffness were just too much,” Parsons said. “I want to play. I want to be healthy. And I’m doing everything in my power to get there.”

There’s more from the Southwest Division:

  • In taking a 2-0 series lead over Portland, the Pelicans are getting the production they were counting on from Jrue Holiday when they re-signed him to a five-year, $126MM deal last summer, notes Mark Schwarz of ESPN. Holiday had 33 points and nine assists Tuesday as New Orleans won its second straight road game. “I may be a bit biased, but if you can tell me a better two-way player in the league right now, I’m willing to listen,” Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry said. “But what we ask him to do and the things we ask him to do offensively, he was just great tonight.”
  • Rockets forward Luc Mbah a Moute is healing quickly after dislocating his shoulder late in the season, relays Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle. Mbah a Moute hinted that he might be able to play against Minnesota if the first-round series lasts long enough. “I wouldn’t say ‘no.’ But I also want to be smart and do the right thing,” he said. “It’s feeling better. Continue to do the rehab, get the strength back and see what happens.”
  • LeBron James isn’t the only NBA player being targeted by billboards, writes Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News. An “Uno Mas Manu” billboard has been posted near downtown San Antonio, urging Manu Ginobili to return for another season. “I don’t know why, ‘One more?’” he joked. “What’s up? I was thinking about signing a five-year deal, and now they are throwing me down. Very disappointing.” Ginobili, 41, recently said he will take some time this offseason before deciding whether to play a 17th season.
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Injury Updates: Mitchell, Embiid, Turner, Lauvergne

April 18th, 2018 at 4:37pm CST by Arthur Hill

Donovan Mitchell will be a game-time decision for the Jazz tonight, according to Kyle Goon of The Salt Lake Tribune. Mitchell, who stubbed a toe during the second half of the series opener with Oklahoma City, plans to go through warm-ups before deciding if he can play.

“If I’m limping or whatever, if I’m out there kinda trying to adjust and not playing right like my normal self, that will dictate it,” he said. “That was really my first time going at it since the game. … I’m waiting to see what I feel right before the game, so we’ll go from there.”

Mitchell, who is listed as questionable for tonight’s contest, was able to return to Sunday’s game after the injury, but has been limited at practice this week. He is Utah’s leading scorer at 20.5 points per game and posted 27 in the series opener.

There’s more injury-related news to pass along:

  • The Sixers are listing Joel Embiid as doubtful for Game 3, the team announced on Twitter. Coach Brett Brown said Embiid, who is recovering from March 31 facial surgery, was able to handle contact “quite well” in Tuesday’s practice, relays Jessica Camerato of NBC Sports Philadelphia (Twitter link). “He did a little bit of contact,” Brown said. “Not much, but a little. Got up and down and scripted some plays. But really not much more than that.” Embiid will be evaluated again at tomorrow’s shootaround (Twitter link).
  • Trail Blazers guard Evan Turner is questionable for Game 3 after suffering a bruised toe last night against the Pelicans, reports Jason Quick of NBC Sports Northwest. Turner was kicked in his big toe during a scramble for a loose ball and was limping after the game. Jusuf Nurkic, who left Tuesday’s game with a leg bruise, is expected to be OK.
  • The Spurs are listing Joffrey Lauvergne as out for Game 3 because of “personal business,” with no explanation of what that involves, relays Cody McCrary of The San Antonio Express-News.
  • The Timberwolves will be without rookie center Justin Patton tonight because of a sore left foot, tweets Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic.
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Community Shootaround: Time To Rebuild The Clippers?

April 7th, 2018 at 7:04pm CST by Arthur Hill

The scramble for Western Conference playoff spots got a little smaller today as the Clippers were officially eliminated with a 19-point loss to the Nuggets. It marks the end of a six-year playoff run for the franchise and may signal the start of a rebuilding project in L.A.

There’s an argument to be made that the process is already under way. It may have begun when Chris Paul demanded a trade to Houston last June, then was accelerated when Blake Griffin was shipped to Detroit. Paul and Griffin were the foundation for the greatest years the formerly downtrodden Clippers have ever experienced, and it feels like the team has already entered a new era.

The most consequential decision facing the Clippers this summer is out of their hands. DeAndre Jordan can opt out of a $24.12MM salary for next season and become an unrestricted free agent. Jordan, who has been with the franchise throughout his 10-year career, remains the cornerstone of the defense and one of the league’s best rebounders. Taking his salary off the books would open a ton of cap room, but there’s not an obvious replacement on the roster.

Also facing opt-out decisions are Austin Rivers ($12.65MM), Milos Teodosic ($6.3MM) and Wesley Johnson ($6.13MM). Rivers seems likely to stay as long as his father is the head coach, but that’s another area where change could be coming.

Doc Rivers has one year left on his contract, and a mutual parting could be in the works. Rivers lost influence in the organization when he was squeezed out of a front office job last offseason and may prefer to go someplace where he’ll have a say about personnel matters. Rivers once said he didn’t want to stay in Boston for a rebuilding project, and he probably has the same attitude toward Los Angeles.

Barring trades, the only sure things for the Clippers’ roster next season are Danilo Gallinari, Tobias Harris, Boban Marjanovic, Lou Williams, Sam Dekker, Jawun Evans and Sindarius Thornwell. Patrick Beverley, who missed almost the entire season with a knee injury, has a nonguaranteed $5MM salary.

The news isn’t all bad for the Clippers, who will have their own lottery pick, along with the Pistons’ if it falls outside the top four. Detroit is 12th in our latest Reverse Standings and would need a lot of luck to hold onto the pick.

What would you do if you were running the Clippers? Would you re-sign Jordan if he opts out and try to start a new playoff streak, or is it time to start selling off the veterans and start over? Jump into the comments section below and give us your thoughts.

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