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Checking In On Active 10-Day Contracts

April 5th, 2022 at 8:54am CST by Luke Adams

With just six days left in the 2021/22 season, no more standard 10-day contracts will be signed this spring.

Teams looking to fill open 15-man roster spots will do what the Pistons did with Carsen Edwards or what the Bucks are doing with Luca Vildoza, signing players to rest-of-season contracts, ideally with at least one extra non-guaranteed year tacked onto those deals.

It is possible that one or two more “10-day” contracts will be signed by teams eligible for hardship exceptions. Those clubs have full 15-man rosters but are hardship-eligible either because a player tested positive for COVID-19 or because several of their players are injured.

Those hardship 10-days, like the one the Thunder completed with Georgios Kalaitzakis on Monday, are technically just rest-of-season contracts that don’t give the team any form of Bird rights this offseason. Kalaitzakis will become a free agent immediately after the season ends, and Oklahoma City won’t be able to use the Non-Bird exception to re-sign him in the summer.

Here are the remaining active 10-day contracts, which will expire in the coming days:

The Mavericks, Thunder, and Trail Blazers have full 15-man rosters, so they won’t create any openings on their respective rosters when their current 10-day agreements expire.

However, the Jazz, Celtics, Pacers, and Magic are each using a roster spot on a 10-day player. When those contracts expire, those clubs could either bring back the same player on a rest-of-season contract or use that 15th slot on someone else. For instance, Utah might want to promote two-way player Trent Forrest to its standard roster to ensure that he’s playoff-eligible.

Nearly any free agent signed to a rest-of-season deal using a 15-man roster spot will be playoff-eligible, so the Jazz and Celtics will have plenty of options. Semi Ojeleye, Kyle Guy, Joel Ayayi, Luka Samanic, and Chris Smith are the only players who have been placed on waivers since March 1, making them ineligible for the postseason.

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Northwest Notes: Reed, Blazers, Grant, Mann, Jazz

April 4th, 2022 at 11:57am CST by Luke Adams

Nuggets guard Davon Reed earned praise from star center Nikola Jokic and head coach Michael Malone after he scored 10 points on 3-of-4 shooting in the team’s win over the Lakers on Sunday. As Mike Singer of The Denver Post writes, Jokic lauded Reed’s defense, while Malone said the 26-year-old had an “unsung hero type-of-a-game.”

However, as Singer observes, because Reed is still on a two-way contract, he remains ineligible to participate in the playoffs for the Nuggets. The team would have to waive someone from its 15-man roster and promote Reed to a standard contract to make him available for the postseason. Asked about that possibility, Malone raved more about Reed and said it’s an issue the team will discuss.

“Every time Davon Reed has gotten a chance to play this year, he’s found a way to help this team,” Malone said, per Singer. “I mean look at his line tonight — here’s a guy that’s a two-way player, 23 minutes, 10 points, couple of assists, rebounds, steals and he had an impact on the game. He’s in the game in the fourth quarter in a must-win game. I think that, in and of itself, speaks to my level of confidence with him. … That’s something that (head of basketball operations) Tim (Connelly) and I can talk about as we move forward.”

Here’s more from around the Northwest:

  • Following up on reports from February that stated the Trail Blazers attempted to acquire Jerami Grant from the Pistons at the trade deadline, Marc Stein says in his latest Substack article that Portland’s offer was believed to include Josh Hart and draft compensation. Stein confirms the Blazers are expected to revisit the possibility of acquiring Grant in the offseason, as has been previously reported.
  • Tre Mann could be next to join the Thunder‘s growing list of players who have been ruled out for the season. Mann has been sidelined for the last four games due to a right hamstring strain and head coach Mark Daigneault doesn’t sound confident that the rookie guard will return this week, per Joe Mussatto of The Oklahoman. “We’re working through it,” Daigneault said before Sunday’s game.
  • The reeling Jazz can’t be saved by anyone but their players at this point, according to Tony Jones of The Athletic, who says the front office and head coach Quin Snyder have done all they can with the current group. Utah has dropped six of its last seven games and has blown double-digit fourth quarter leads in its last two losses.
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Western Notes: Jazz, Mitchell, Ginobili, Christopher

April 3rd, 2022 at 9:38pm CST by JD Shaw

The Jazz are expected to make some roster moves before the end of the season, Sarah Todd of the Deseret News writes. Utah will likely convert guard Trent Forrest from his two-way contract, but the team still has a need at backup center.

By converting Forrest to the 15-man roster, Utah would also open a two-way spot for another player. Hassan Whiteside (bone spur fracture) and Udoka Azubuike (ankle surgery) remain sidelined, leading the team to sign veteran center Greg Monroe to a 10-day contract last week.

Monroe’s 10-day deal expires on Wednesday night. In order to keep him and convert Forrest, the Jazz would have to waive a player to create roster space. Converting Forrest would allow him to become playoff-eligible.

Here are some other notes from the Western Conference:

  • Jazz star Donovan Mitchell insisted his team will “figure out” its recent struggles, Eric Walden of The Salt Lake Tribune writes. Utah blew a 21-point lead against the Warriors on Saturday, losing 111-107. Utah is just 1-6 in its last seven games. “We have a group of guys — including myself — where it’s gonna feel good when we figure it out,” he said. “So, we can sit here and feel sorry for ourselves or we can use it as fuel. And I think we have a group of guys who want to do that. Yeah, we messed up. We’ve messed up fourth quarters 14 times, 15 times — how do we respond, how do we adjust? That’s really where I’m at, that’s where we’re at. We’ll figure it out.”
  • Spurs legend Manu Ginobili has embraced his role as the team’s advisor, Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio Express-News writes. Ginobili, a soon-to-be Hall of Famer, assumed that position last September. He specifically enjoys working with the team’s young players, Orsborn notes. Ginobili played his entire 16-year career with the Spurs and retired in 2018.
  • Rockets rookie Josh Christopher is growing into an increased role with the team, Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle examines. Christopher has played over 15 minutes in seven straight games. He finished with 30 points and two steals against Minnesota on Sunday, shooting 11-of-14 from the floor.
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Mavericks, Raptors Would Have Interest In Rudy Gobert Trade

April 3rd, 2022 at 12:01pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Mavericks and Raptors are among the teams that would be interested in Rudy Gobert if the Jazz make him available this summer, Marc Stein said in his latest podcast (hat tip to RealGM).

ESPN’s Tim MacMahon mentioned Dallas as a possible destination earlier this week. Stein confirms that and adds Toronto to the mix, saying the Raptors have been in the market for a center for a long time.

Utah’s late-season slump has raised speculation that major changes may be coming in the offseason, which could include breaking up the combination of Gobert and Donovan Mitchell, who have a rocky history as teammates. If that happens, Gobert seems more likely to be dealt.

Gobert expressed frustration Saturday night after the Jazz let a 16-point lead slip away in the fourth quarter of a loss to the Warriors, tweets Eric Walden of The Salt Lake Tribune. “It’s tough. It’s tough,” he said. “I don’t know how many times it’s gonna happen.”

Gobert is a two-time All-Star and three-time Defensive Player of the Year who is in contention for his fourth award this season. He has three years and $123MM left on his current contract, plus a $46.65MM player option for the 2025/26 season.

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Injury Notes: Randle, Bucks, Pistons, Jazz, Simmons

April 1st, 2022 at 3:36pm CST by Luke Adams

Knicks forward Julius Randle, still dealing with a quad injury, has been ruled out for Saturday’s game against Cleveland, according to Fred Katz of The Athletic, who tweets that the team is considering Randle day-to-day. For the time being, there are no plans to shut down Randle for the rest of the season, Katz adds. He missed three games with the same injury last week.

Here are a few more injury updates from around the NBA:

  • The Bucks will be without several key players on Friday vs. the Clippers on the second night of a back-to-back set. According to the team (via Twitter), Giannis Antetokounmpo (right knee soreness), Jrue Holiday (left ankle sprain), Khris Middleton (left wrist soreness), and Brook Lopez (return to competition reconditioning) are among the players who will be inactive.
  • Cory Joseph (left lumbar spine strain), Marvin Bagley III (left hip strain), and Kelly Olynyk (rest) won’t play for the Pistons on Friday against Oklahoma City, tweets James Edwards III of The Athletic. The two teams are neck-and-neck in the lottery standings, so neither front office will be particularly motivated to win the game.
  • The Jazz got some reinforcements on Thursday when Bojan Bogdanovic returned from a nine-game absence and Danuel House played after missing eight consecutive games, writes Eric Walden of The Salt Lake Tribune. Both forwards had positive plus-minus ratings in a win over the Lakers that snapped Utah’s five-game losing streak.
  • Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium (video link) provided another minor update on Ben Simmons, reporting that the Nets guard has resumed “light” on-court workouts and still hopes to return in time for the playoffs. Charania’s colleague at The Athletic, Joe Vardon, reported earlier today that Simmons is unlikely to be ready for the start of the playoffs.
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Jazz Notes: Slump, Mitchell, Gobert, Forrest, Hernangomez

March 30th, 2022 at 9:05am CST by Luke Adams

Last Wednesday night, following a blowout loss to the Celtics, Jazz stars Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert attempted to diagnose the team’s issues and consider how to fix them, with Gobert stressing the need to “sacrifice for each other,” while Mitchell called out the Utah’s execution and energy level. As Sarah Todd of The Deseret News relayed at the time, Gobert expressed confidence that enduring some adversity would make the team better.

One week later, it seems as though the Jazz have yet to apply those lessons and turn their adversity into something positive. Defeats at the hands of the Hornets, Mavericks, and Clippers have extended their losing streak to five games, and Tuesday’s outcome in Los Angeles was especially dispiriting. In a repeat of Game 6 of last year’s Western Conference Semifinals, Utah blew a 25-point lead en route to an improbable loss.

Asked by Todd about the similarities between last year’s game and last night’s, Mitchell expressed exasperation: “I don’t know, Sarah. I don’t know. It’s the same s–t. I mean, it feels the same way. It’s the same thing. This is literally the same thing.”

Gobert offered more specific critiques of the Jazz, suggesting to reporters that the team’s ball movement, defense, and lack of physicality are among the problems he has noticed.

“Nobody hits nobody,” Gobert said, per Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune. “We don’t get our hands dirty. We never get our hands dirty. We’re a very good basketball team, but I get f— up every night, and guys are literally beating me up every night, as they should. It’s basketball, it’s a physical game. But we have to get to the point where we do that to the other team too. But teams don’t really expect that from us.

“We’re a really good basketball team, I think we have great basketball players on both ends. We just, need to figure out a way to get that mindset, to do things for each other more and do it for 48 minutes, and do it even more. And when it gets hard, we need to do it even more.”

Utah will have a good opportunity to right the ship on Thursday when the reeling Lakers – likely missing both LeBron James and Anthony Davis – come to town.

Here’s more on the Jazz:

  • The good vibes that used to float around the Jazz are gone, Todd writes in an opinion piece for The Deseret News, noting that the team’s body language has been “just awful.”
  • Jazz guard Trent Forrest, who left Tuesday’s game with concussion-like symptoms, has indeed been diagnosed with a concussion, tweets Tony Jones of The Athletic. The Jazz were determining late Tuesday night whether Forrest would be able to fly home with the team or if he’d require an overnight hospital stay. There was a bit of added concern because it’s Forrest’s second concussion, Jones explains.
  • Eric Walden of The Salt Lake Tribune explores the odds of Rudy Gobert winning his fourth Defensive Player of the Year award this season.
  • Juan Hernangomez has been traded four times in the last year and hasn’t played much this season, but he has gotten the opportunity to start for the Jazz recently with Bojan Bogdanovic sidelined and has responded well, including on Tuesday when he scored 13 points on 5-of-6 shooting. “It’s just the business,” Hernangomez said following the loss in Charlotte last Friday, according to Walden. “As a player, you’ve got to be ready, keep working on your game. I’ve been through a lot of changes — emotionally, changing all the teams, changing all my teammates, coaches, but you’re still the same player. You’ve got to keep working on your game because if you can stay ready, the NBA’s about opportunity. And when the opportunity comes, just enjoy it and do your best.”
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Jazz Sign Greg Monroe To 10-Day Deal

March 28th, 2022 at 1:35pm CST by Arthur Hill

MARCH 28: The Jazz have officially signed Monroe to his 10-day contract, the team announced today in a press release. The deal will run through April 6.

MARCH 27: Veteran center Greg Monroe will sign a 10-day contract with the Jazz, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Utah will be the fourth team of the season for Monroe, who previously played on 10-day contracts with the Timberwolves, Wizards and Bucks. He has appeared in a total of 10 games this season, averaging 5.4 points and 4.2 rebounds in 14 minutes per night.

As backup center Hassan Whiteside battles a right foot sprain, Monroe will provide insurance on the depth chart behind Rudy Gobert as the Jazz try to hang onto fourth place in the Western Conference. With 14 days left in the regular season, the 31-year-old will have an opportunity to audition for a spot on Utah’s playoff roster.

The Timberwolves had interest in re-signing Monroe, according to Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic (Twitter link). Naz Reid‘s foot injury may put the Wolves in the market for a big man.

Utah has an opening on its 15-man roster, so a corresponding move won’t be necessary. If Monroe officially signs today or Monday, he will be eligible for five games during the 10-day deal.

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Jazz Center Udoka Azubuike Done For Season After Surgery

March 25th, 2022 at 6:09pm CST by Rory Maher

Jazz center Udoka Azubuike underwent successful surgery on Friday to repair multiple ligaments in his right ankle and foot, the team announced. He’ll miss the rest of the 2021/22 season.

Azubuike appeared to suffer a dislocated ankle in a G League contest on March 10, his third right ankle injury in the past 13 months. He had a partially dislocated ankle back in November and a severe ankle sprain in February of 2021.

In 17 games this season, the second-year big man averaged 4.7 points and 4.2 rebounds in 11.5 minutes per night while shooting 75.5% from the field. He appeared in just 15 games as a rookie last season, logging a total of 57 minutes.

After four seasons at Kansas, Azubuike was the 27th pick in the 2020 draft. Although his NBA run has been brief, the 22-year-old has shown flashes of upside — as Eric Walden of The Salt Lake Tribune notes, Azubuike averaged 9.7 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks over a six-game stretch between February 2-14.

Since Azubuike was behind Rudy Gobert and Hassan Whiteside on Utah’s depth chart, his absence won’t have much of an impact on the team’s playoff push, but obviously it’s a tough setback for the young center and hopefully he’s able to recover quickly.

At 45-28, the Jazz are currently the No. 4 seed in the West, but their hold on that spot is tenuous, as the Mavs have an identical record and the No. 6 Nuggets and No. 7 Timberwolves trail the Jazz by 2.5 and 3.5 games, respectively.

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Quin Snyder Addresses Rumors Linking Him To Spurs, Lakers

March 24th, 2022 at 10:51am CST by Luke Adams

In a pair of recent stories, veteran NBA reporter Marc Stein linked Jazz head coach Quin Snyder to head coaching jobs in San Antonio and Los Angeles, writing that he has repeatedly heard Snyder’s name mentioned as a possible successor for Spurs coach Gregg Popovich and as a potential replacement for Lakers coach Frank Vogel.

Asked on Wednesday about those reports, Snyder told Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune that he feels as if he’s disrespecting the Spurs, the Lakers, and their respective coaches by even discussing the rumors.

“To be honest, having to address this type of question in any form, in my view, is disrespectful to the teams that are mentioned themselves,” Snyder said. “I think specifically, these types of discussions are also disrespectful to coaches. And I love the guys that I coach. I love these players. And frankly, my focus is on our guys and our team. And as I said, addressing hypotheticals in these types of questions in any form I feel like is disrespectful. And that’s how I would characterize that.”

In his most recent story, Stein said it’s unclear when exactly Snyder’s deal with the Jazz expires. While the belief is that Snyder is under contract at least through 2022/23, Stein indicated that Utah’s efforts to extend him beyond his current agreement have been unsuccessful. Speaking to Larsen, Snyder declined to offer any clarity on his contract.

“I’ve never talked about my contract from day one, and I’m not going to,” he said. “That’s not something that I’m going to comment on now, nor at any point in the future. That’s not something that the Jazz have done. I personally don’t want to or believe in getting into public contract discussions.”

While Snyder didn’t outright dismiss the rumors about his eventual exit, he did heap plenty of praise on the Jazz for how the organization has treated him since he arrived in 2014, suggesting that he’s happy in his current position.

“I think the fact that I’ve been here eight years speaks in and of itself. And I’ve been lucky to have been a part of an organization that has been supportive of coaches, generally and of me in particular,” Snyder told The Salt Lake Tribune, adding that he has felt “embraced and supported” by the community. “And I’m grateful for [new Jazz owner Ryan Smith]. He’s doing some terrific things with the franchise and has a vision for how it can continue to grow.”

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Community Shootaround: Top Six In West

March 23rd, 2022 at 10:02am CST by Luke Adams

The Suns, who hold a nine-game lead over the NBA’s next-best team, are close to clinching the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference. The two teams behind them in the standings, the No. 2 Grizzlies and No. 3 Warriors, each have a two-game cushion over their next-closest competitor.

After the top three though, the West’s standings get a little more congested. The No. 4 Jazz, at 45-27, are separated from the No. 7 Timberwolves (42-31) by just 3.5 games, with the Mavericks (44-28) and Nuggets (43-30) sandwiched in between them.

All four clubs have looked like playoff teams, but – barring a massive Warriors collapse – only three will finish in the top six in the West. The other will end the regular season at No. 7 and will need to win a play-in game in order to officially earn a playoff spot.

The Timberwolves have been locked into the No. 7 seed since January and have the seventh-hardest schedule the rest of the way, according to Tankathon. That probably makes them the odds-on favorite to finish outside of the top six. But they’ve been one of the hottest teams in basketball over the last few months, having gone 26-11 since the new year. They’ll also control the tiebreaker vs. Denver and will face the Nuggets once more on April 1 with a chance to gain ground.

The Nuggets have a more favorable schedule, but have been a little shakier as of late — before Tuesday’s win over the Clippers, they’d lost four of their last six. With no guarantee that Jamal Murray or Michael Porter Jr. will be back before the end of the regular season, Denver can’t necessarily count on getting reinforcements down the stretch.

The Jazz and Mavericks look like safer bets for top-six finishes, since time is running out for Denver or Minnesota to catch them. Still, it’s worth noting that Utah has the NBA’s fourth-hardest remaining schedule, per Tankathon, with only two games left against non-playoff or play-in opponents. Dallas, meanwhile, has big games in Minnesota on Friday and vs. Utah on Sunday — losing both of those contests would make the Mavs’ top-six position more tenuous.

We want to know what you think. Will the West’s current playoff teams hang onto their spots and force the Timberwolves into the play-in tournament? Or will Minnesota catch the Nuggets or another team and secure a playoff spot by the end of the regular season?

Head to the comment section below to weigh in with your thoughts and predictions on the West’s playoff race!

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