Utah Jazz Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Donovan Mitchell Enters Concussion Protocol

January 18th, 2022 at 6:20pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

All-Star Jazz shooting guard Donovan Mitchell has entered the NBA’s concussion protocol, per Tony Jones of The Athletic (Twitter link).

Eric Walden of the Salt Lake Tribune adds (via Twitter) that the Jazz think Mitchell suffered the concussion in the first half of the team’s 101-95 Lakers loss on Monday. Walden reports that the 6’1″ guard began dealing with symptoms following the game last night.

Mitchell, 25, is enjoying yet another All-NBA caliber season. Through 40 games, he is averaging 25.5 PPG, 5.2 APG and 4.0 RPG, with shooting splits of .450/.339/.876.

The Jazz, led by Mitchell, Defensive Player of the Year candidate Rudy Gobert, and veteran point guard Mike Conley, currently occupy the fourth seed in the Western Conference with a 29-15 record.

Latest On Jerami Grant

January 18th, 2022 at 4:40pm CST by Luke Adams

The Pistons aren’t a lock to trade Jerami Grant before the February 10 deadline, but the veteran forward may be this winter’s most popular trade candidate, writes Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report.

“He’s the grand prize of this deadline,” one team strategist told Fischer. “… He fits everywhere.”

“He’s gonna have so many suitors,” an assistant general manager said. “They’re just gonna wait them all out.”

According to Fischer, the Lakers, Trail Blazers, Knicks, Jazz, Wizards, Celtics, Pacers, Timberwolves, and Kings are among the teams that have signaled some level of interest in Grant. Sources tell Bleacher Report that the Pistons are seeking multiple first-round picks, or one first-rounder along with a high-upside young player.

Fischer likens Grant’s situation this season to Aaron Gordon‘s in 2020/21, a comparison Shams Charania made when first reporting Grant’s availability in December. Like Gordon, Grant is a versatile frontcourt defender who has one-and-a-half seasons left on his contract and will be extension-eligible.

That extension eligibility will be important. Any team acquiring Grant will want assurances he’ll sign a new deal, according to Fischer, who hears from sources that the 27-year-old hopes to receive a four-year offer in the range of $112.7MM (the maximum he can get prior to 2023 free agency).

Fischer does share one complicating factor, writing that Grant wouldn’t be enthusiastic about joining a new team that doesn’t feature him as a “primary offensive option.”

Here’s more on Grant:

A November report indicated that the Pistons may be willing to offer a package of Grant, Kelly Olynyk, Saddiq Bey, and a future first-round pick for Ben Simmons. According to Fischer, the Sixers weren’t particularly enthusiastic about that concept, but when it leaked, it alerted teams that Grant might be available, which has helped accelerate his market.
Some people around the league view the Wizards as the favorites for Grant, says Fischer, noting that Wes Unseld Jr. coached the forward as an assistant in Denver. Sources tell Bleacher Report that Wizards center Montrezl Harrell, who is on an expiring $9.7MM contract, has been considered available via trade. Harrell could be included in any Washington offer, along with at least one of Rui Hachimura or Deni Avdija, Fischer suggests.
Fischer classifies the Lakers and Jazz as unlikely destinations for Grant based on the limited assets those teams have to offer. He also downplays the possibility of the Celtics or Grizzlies acquiring the Pistons forward, writing that neither team is expected to seriously pursue him.
As others have reported, the Bulls don’t appear comfortable with the idea of moving Patrick Williams in a deal for Grant, according to Fischer.
According to Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report, there’s a belief that the Pelicans will look to be buyers at this year’s trade deadline, and Grant is considered a possible target for them.

Jazz Sign Danuel House To Second 10-Day Deal

January 18th, 2022 at 2:14pm CST by Luke Adams

2:14pm: The Jazz have officially announced House’s new 10-day contract.

8:14am: The Jazz intend to bring back forward Danuel House on a new 10-day contract, according to Tony Jones of The Athletic (Twitter link). House’s first 10-day deal with the team, completed using a hardship exception, expired on Saturday night.

House began the season with the Rockets and has signed 10-day contracts with the Knicks and Jazz since being waived by Houston.

After barely playing for New York, House saw action in three games with Utah, averaging 5.3 PPG and 2.3 RPG on .417/.444/1.000 shooting in 18.0 MPG. The 28-year-old was a rotation player for the Rockets for the last few years, but was no longer in Houston’s plans as the organization pivoted toward a full-fledged rebuild.

The Jazz appear likely to re-sign House to a standard 10-day contract rather than another hardship deal. Utah still has two players – Jared Butler and Hassan Whiteside – in the health and safety protocols after Elijah Hughes exited them, per Eric Walden of The Salt Lake Tribune (Twitter link). However, the team also still has Denzel Valentine and Zylan Cheatham on active hardship contracts and wouldn’t be eligible for a third hardship addition.

On top of that, the Jazz currently only have 13 players on standard contracts. Our working assumption is that they’re required to add a 14th man very soon, since they dipped to 13 on January 4 and teams are only permitted to carry fewer than 14 players for up to two weeks at a time.

Given how many tweaks the league has made to its roster rules this season to account for COVID-related absences, it’s possible the hardship players Utah has signed in the last two weeks counted toward the team’s minimum roster count, but I don’t believe that’s the case.

House will earn $111,457 over the course of his new 10-day deal. Assuming it’s a standard 10-day contract, it will count for $95,930 against the Jazz’s cap.

COVID-19 Updates: White, Green, McLaughlin, Roby, Azubuike

January 16th, 2022 at 1:48pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Spurs guard Derrick White exited the NBA’s COVID-19 health and safety protocols last night, per Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News (Twitter link). White suited up for San Antonio and logged 25 minutes off the bench in an eventual 101-94 victory over the Clippers on Saturday.

The 6’4″ combo guard out of Colorado shot 7-of-11 from the field and 2-of-4 from the free-throw line for a total of 19 points in the victory. He also chipped in four assists, four rebounds, a steal and three blocks. White is currently averaging 14.6 PPG, 5.4 APG and 3.5 RPG during his sixth NBA season with the 16-27 Spurs.

Here are more COVID-19 updates from around the NBA:

Nuggets reserve power forward JaMychal Green has entered the league’s COVID-19 protocols, per Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). The 31-year-old veteran is averaging 5.7 PPG and 3.7 RPG across 35 contests with the Jazz during the 2021/22 NBA season.
Timberwolves reserve point guard Jordan McLaughlin has entered the league’s coronavirus protocols and will be unavailable for Minnesota ahead of today’s contest against the Warriors, according to Minnesota’s PR team (Twitter link).
Thunder power forward Isaiah Roby has exited the NBA’s health and safety protocols, according to Joe Mussatto of the Oklahoman (via Twitter). The 6’8″ big man was available to play in yesterday’s 107-102 loss to the Cavaliers, though he was ultimately a DNP – CD.
Jazz center Udoka Azubuike has cleared the protocols, tweets Ryan Miller of KSL.com. The 22-year-old seven-footer has appeared sparingly for Utah thus far this season, suiting up for just six games.

COVID Updates: Gobert, Gay, McDermott, Unseld Jr., Testing Procedures

January 14th, 2022 at 7:26pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Jazz got some very good news on Friday, as center Rudy Gobert has exited the league’s health and safety protocols, Tim MacMahon of ESPN tweets. Utah’s defense has fallen apart without Gobert patrolling the middle. The Jazz’s defensive rating has ballooned to 120.8 in the five games he’s missed and they only won one of those contests. Forward Rudy Gay has also exited the protocols, Eric Walden of the Salt Lake Tribune tweets. Utah plays its next game on Sunday.

We have more COVID-related news:

According to the league’s injury report for this evening’s games, Spurs forward Doug McDermott is no longer in the protocols. McDermott has not played since New Year’s Eve.
Wizards coach Wes Unseld Jr. has entered the protocols, according to a team press release. Pat Delany will assume acting head coaching duties for Saturday’s game against Portland.
Hornets big man Kai Jones has cleared the protocols and was eligible to play on Friday, the team tweets.
Players who remain unvaccinated or who are eligible for a booster shot will remain under daily surveillance and game day testing through February 17, Shams Charania of The Athletic tweets. Those who are currently ineligible for a booster due to having been more recently vaccinated won’t be under those restrictions, NBA Communications tweets. Those restrictions also won’t apply to league staff members, since they are all fully vaccinated.

Jazz Waive Two-Way Forward Malik Fitts

January 13th, 2022 at 3:39pm CST by Rory Maher

The Jazz have waived two-way forward Malik Fitts, the team announced. Fitts recently suffered a fractured wrist that will sideline him for at least four weeks, and with Utah struggling (four consecutive losses) with COVID-related absences, the team opted to waive Fitts to likely add a healthy player to the roster.

Fitts hasn’t been a regular part of Utah’s rotation this season, having logged just 14 minutes in six games entering last Friday’s contest in Toronto. With a depleted roster, the Jazz leaned on Fitts for a rotation role vs. the Raptors and he responded with six points and seven rebounds in 21 minutes. However, he also sustained his wrist injury during the game.

Fitts entered training camp with the Jazz on an Exhibit 10 deal which was converted into a two-way deal prior to the season. The 24-year-old spent three games (11 total minutes) as a rookie with the Clippers last season after going undrafted out of Saint Mary’s in 2020.

Obviously it’s an unfortunate turn of events for the second-year pro, who will hopefully recover well from the wrist fracture in order to try and earn another shot in the league. For Utah, it optimizes roster flexibility with six players currently in the health and safety protocols.

COVID-19 Updates: Whiteside, Adams, Barton, Hornets, Spurs, More

January 12th, 2022 at 7:27pm CST by Rory Maher

Jazz center Hassan Whiteside has entered the league’s health and safety protocols, per Eric Walden of The Salt Lake Tribune (via Twitter). Utah’s frontcourt depth is extremely depleted; in addition to Whiteside, Rudy Gobert, Rudy Gay, and Udoka Azubuike are all in the protocols, while 10-day hardship signee Norvel Pelle is out Wednesday against Cleveland with a non-COVID illness, Walden tweets. Whiteside is now the sixth Jazz player currently in the protocols.

Here are more COVID-related updates from around the NBA:

Grizzlies center Steven Adams is listed as questionable with a non-COVID illness for Thursday’s contest against Minnesota, Memphis’ PR department tweets, so he has cleared the protocols.
The Nuggets received two pieces of good news, as Will Barton has exited the COVID-19 protocols and Markus Howard, who was supposed to be sidelined at least six weeks with a sprained knee, is listed as questionable for Thursday’s contest against Portland, per Harrison Wind of DNVR Sports (Twitter link). Howard has missed the past four weeks.
The news out of Charlotte is a mixed bag, as Vernon Carey Jr. has cleared the protocols, but rookie big man Kai Jones has entered for the Hornets, per the team’s PR department (Twitter links).
Keldon Johnson and Devin Vassell have cleared the protocols for the Spurs and are available Wednesday night against Houston, Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News tweets.
Bucks guard Grayson Allen said he was fortunate to have an asymptomatic case of COVID-19 and will be available Thursday against the Warriors, according to Jim Owczarski of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (Twitter link). Allen also mentioned that the time away helped him recover from the flu.
Rockets guard Armoni Brooks has cleared the health and safety protocols and is available Wednesday against the Spurs, tweets Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle.

Malik Fitts Out At Least Four Weeks With Wrist Injury

January 12th, 2022 at 1:55pm CST by Luke Adams

Jazz forward Malik Fitts will be sidelined for the foreseeable future, according to Eric Walden of The Salt Lake Tribune (Twitter link), who says the former Saint Mary’s standout has been diagnosed with a fractured right wrist.

Fitts hasn’t been a regular part of Utah’s rotation this season, having logged just 14 minutes in six games entering last Friday’s contest in Toronto. With a depleted roster, the Jazz leaned on Fitts for a rotation role in that game vs. the Raptors and he responded with six points and seven rebounds in 21 minutes. However, he also sustained his right wrist injury.

Now that X-rays have confirmed Fitts’ wrist is fractured, he’s wearing a hard cast and will be out for at least four weeks, Walden says. The four-week mark is when the 24-year-old will be reevaluated and will have his status updated by the Jazz, so his absence could extend well beyond that date.

Fitts, who was on a two-way contract, won’t have much of a role once the Jazz get healthier, but he could have seen more minutes in the short term with several players sidelined due to injuries or positive COVID-19 tests, so the injury is an unfortunate turn of events for the second-year pro.

Jazz Sign Zylan Cheatham To 10-Day Contract

January 12th, 2022 at 11:47am CST by Luke Adams

11:47am: The Jazz have officially finalized Cheatham’s 10-day contract, the team announced today in a press release. The deal will run through January 21, covering Utah’s next five games.

9:03am: The Jazz are set to sign swingman Zylan Cheatham to a 10-day contract using a hardship exception, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link).

Utah already has three players on 10-day hardship deals, with Danuel House under contract through Saturday, Norvel Pelle through Sunday, and Denzel Valentine through next Wednesday. However, since the Jazz have five players in the health and safety protocols, they remain eligible to continue adding replacement players using hardship exceptions.

Cheatham, 26, has spent most of this season with the Birmingham Squadron, New Orleans’ G League affiliate. In 13 NBAGL games (30.5 MPG), he averaged a double-double (14.2 PPG, 10.4 RPG) with a solid .491/.429/.806 shooting line. That performance earned him a 10-day contract with Miami just before Christmas, but he didn’t play at all for the Heat and entered the COVID-19 protocols before his deal expired. He has since cleared the protocols.

Undrafted out of Arizona State in 2019, Cheatham spent his rookie season on a two-way contract with the Pelicans, appearing in four NBA games in 2019/20. Those are his only NBA regular season appearances to date.

Cheatham will earn $85,578 over the course of his 10 days with Utah, but that money won’t count toward team salary for salary cap or luxury tax purposes.

Clippers Rumors: Leonard, George, Morris, Ibaka, Winslow

January 12th, 2022 at 9:35am CST by Luke Adams

In the latest episode of the HoopsHype podcast, Michael Scotto said the Clippers remain focused on being competitive when Paul George and Kawhi Leonard get back on the floor.

However, despite a recent report stating that Leonard is ahead of schedule in his rehab from an ACL tear, Scotto has heard that some people within the organization believe the star forward is unlikely to return this season. Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report echoes that sentiment, writing that there’s a “healthy dose of skepticism” around the NBA about Leonard playing in 2021/22.

“He’s always played things methodically and cautiously,” a source with knowledge of Leonard’s thinking told Fischer. “I knew he was ahead of schedule [in his rehab], but I wouldn’t bet on it. Kawhi is always focused on the long term. If they’re not in the playoff picture, I think the chances he comes back are slim to none.”

Fischer also shared an ominous update on George, writing that the Clippers are prepared for the possibility that the forward’s elbow injury will keep him sidelined far beyond the three-to-four week timeline the team initially announced for a reevaluation. It’s not out of the question that George’s injury could keep him out of action for the rest of the season, according to Fischer.

If the Clippers believe there’s a chance George and Leonard may both be unavailable for the rest of the season, there’s a reasonable chance they’ll pivot to becoming sellers at the deadline, Fischer adds.

Here’s more on the team from both Scotto and Fischer:

Following Leonard’s ACL tear in the 2021 playoffs, the Clippers’ front office broached the possibility of treating the 2021/22 season as more of a “gap year” before pushing again for a title in ’22/23, and owner Steve Ballmer was on board with that idea, Fischer says. The team didn’t initially go all-in on that plan, with head coach Tyronn Lue given no mandate to find minutes for young prospects, but George’s injury could push L.A. further in that direction.
Rival executives believe the Clippers will be willing to discuss many of their veteran players at the trade deadline, per Fischer. “They’re pretty much open for business for anyone except their main guys and Terance Mann. I think they really are fine falling out of the playoffs and regrouping for next year,” a Western Conference official told Bleacher Report. “I think they’re trying to shed the Marcus Morrises of the world, guys that have some value and maybe can replace them with younger talent, maybe cheaper [contracts], to free them to get someone else this summer.”
The Jazz would be a good fit for Morris, in Fischer’s view, but he cautions that the Clippers may be hesitant to send the veteran forward to a key Western Conference rival like Utah, since even if the Clips are sellers this season, the two teams could face one another again in the playoffs again as soon as next year.
Serge Ibaka and Justise Winslow are among the players the Clippers have received inquiries about, Scotto said on the HoopsHype podcast. Fischer suggests that Ibaka may be the top trade candidate on L.A.’s roster, since offloading his $9.7MM salary would save the team a ton of money on its year-end tax bill. The Thunder, one of the only teams that can accommodate a salary-dump trade without sending out a player, are a team to watch, per Fischer. The Clippers could incentivize them with cash and/or second-round picks.