Washington Wizards Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Eastern Notes: Payton II, Isaac, Markkanen, Celtics

December 29th, 2019 at 5:30pm CST by JD Shaw

Gary Payton II, son of Hall of Fame defensive specialist Gary Payton, is proving his worth with the Wizards and could earn a concrete deal with the team this season, Candace Buckner of the Washington Post writes.

Payton, 27, was signed by the injury-riddled Wizards using the team’s hardship exception and thrust into the rotation on short notice. He’s shown efficient production offensively and pesky effort defensively, averaging 11.7 points, four assists and 4.3 steals in three games.

“What makes him so good, I think it’s pretty simple: He’s been cut a few times. When you’re cut a few times, you’re hungry. You’re desperate,” coach Scott Brooks said of Payton. “He plays for the right reasons … I know he’s going to get a good chance to make it here because of his effort and his intensity and his hunger and his desire and his competition and his competitive spirit to compete every possession. That’s what we’re trying to build our program by.”

Payton has held brief stints with the Bucks (18 games) and Lakers (11 games) during his career, also appearing in three contests with the Wizards last season on a 10-day contract. His motivation stems from bouncing around the NBA G League on four teams since going undrafted in 2016.

“I’ve been hungry ever since I got here [in Washington],” Payton said. “In and out of the G League, trying to find somewhere to stick. I think these guys here appreciate what I do and value what I do, so I go to bat for them every day. Just taking advantage of this opportunity.”

There’s more from the Eastern Conference tonight:

Magic forward Jonathan Isaac is living up to his “Minister of Defense” nickname with the team this season, John Denton of NBA.com writes. Isaac, an athletic 6-foot-11 combo forward, is in his third professional season. He’s averaged 12.3 points, 7.1 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game in 30 contests on the year. “I think it’s taken for granted, but defense is 50 percent of the game,’’ Isaac said. “There are schemes and all types of things that go into defense. The same way that you want to get comfortable on offense and learn how the NBA game works, you want to do the same on defense.”
Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times examines the impact of Lauri Markkanen, along with how the Bulls’ overall play changes depending on his level of production. Chicago has accrued just a 13-20 record on the season, but the team is 5-5 in its last 10 contests. “Obviously I can do a better rebounding and pushing the ball, but yeah, I’m more comfortable,’’ Markkanen said. “ I kind of know where I’m going to get my touches and shots. I think everybody is figuring out their role and doing a good job of it. Knowing when to attack, and in our system knowing where the open guy is going to be. That obviously helps when you play the same guys.’’
Celtics coach Brad Stevens is considering lineup changes to help improve the team’s defense, A. Sherrod Blakely of NBC Sports Boston writes. The Celtics have a 22-8 record on the season and dropped a 113-97 home game to Toronto on Saturday. “We’ve got to get back to being a better defensive team,” Stevens said. “And we’ve got to find … we’ve got to find the right mix of guys that will defend well together and that complement our best players to defend well. And just get back to that.”

Southeast Notes: Beal, Payton, Gordon, Rozier

December 29th, 2019 at 10:21am CST by Arthur Hill

Now that Bradley Beal‘s consecutive games streak has ended at 194, Fred Katz of the Athletic wonders if it’s time to consider load management for the Wizards star. Beal missed Saturday’s game with “right lower leg soreness,” which isn’t believed to be a long-term concern. In deference to the streak, coach Scott Brooks refused to keep Beal out of the lineup last season even after Washington dropped out of the playoff race, but he may consider a different approach now.

At 9-22 and with a host of injured players, the Wizards seem like a sure bet for another lottery appearance. Management has already said player development is the focus for this season, particularly with John Wall still recovering from a ruptured Achilles. Beal led the league in minutes played last year and ranks third this season. He is a strong opponent of load management, but it makes little sense to keep putting him on the court every night if it heightens his risk of injury.

“He’s as durable as anybody in the league,” Brooks said. “He’s played just about every game the last three and a half years and good minutes. He wants to play. He wants to practice. That’s great. That’s who he is. I’m sure this is gonna bother him, not being on the court with the guys knowing how banged up we are.”

There’s more from the Southeast Division:

Gary Payton II, who signed with the Wizards this week under the hardship exception, is making a strong bid to stay on the roster, tweets Bobby Marks of ESPN. He is posting an 11.7/7.3/4.0 line through three games and has twice recorded six steals. Washington would have to release someone to make room for Payton, and a decision must be made by January 7 when players who aren’t waived will have their contracts guaranteed for the rest of the season.
Magic forward Aaron Gordon admitted last night that his left Achilles tendon has been bothering him for “a while,” tweets Josh Robbins of The Athletic. “I feel like I might’ve been playing on it a little too long already,” Gordon said. “So now’s the time I’ve got to get it taken care of just so I get healthy and get back and help my team because it’s not something you want to play (around) with.” (Twitter link)
The NBA has fined Hornets guard Terry Rozier $25K for throwing the ball into the stands at the end of Friday’s loss to the Thunder.

Injuries Continue Piling Up For Wizards

December 28th, 2019 at 8:27pm CST by Arthur Hill

The injury situation continues to get worse in Washington and there’s little sign of relief. The short-handed Wizards received permission to sign two hardship players this week, adding Gary Payton II and Johnathan Williams, and both were in the starting lineup for tonight’s game with the Knicks.

The latest Wizard on the shelf is leading scorer Bradley Beal, whose consecutive games streak has ended at 194. Beal is dealing with “right lower leg soreness,” tweets Candace Bucker of The Washington Post, who adds that the schedule factored into the decision to keep him out of action tonight. Beal will get a three-day rest before the team begins a stretch of eight games in 14 days. He left Thursday’s game against the Pistons in the third quarter, but an MRI showed no significant damage to the leg.

Coach Scott Brooks provided pre-game updates on Davis Bertans, who is sidelined with a quad injury, and Moritz Wagner, who is dealing with a sprained left ankle, relays Fred Katz of The Athletic (Twitter link). Brooks said it will be “probably a good week” before Bertans can return, while Wagner remains in a walking boot and hasn’t practiced since suffering the injury nearly three weeks ago. Brooks said it’s “for sure gonna take him some time” before Wagner is ready to play again.

Brooks also expects Rui Hachimura will need at least another week to recover from a groin injury, tweets Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington. Brooks said the rookie forward is “still sore,” adding, “I anticipate he won’t play next week.” That means he’ll be sidelined at least another three to five games.

Hardship exceptions can be granted to teams with at least four players who have missed three or more games due to injury or illness and are expected to miss at least two more weeks. The Wizards originally qualified because of John Wall, C.J. Miles, Thomas Bryant and Jordan McRae, although McRae played Thursday and Bryant appears close to returning.

Free Agent Stock Watch 2019: Southeast Division

December 27th, 2019 at 9:00pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Every week, Hoops Rumors takes a closer look at players who will be free agents or could become free agents next offseason. We examine if their stock is rising or falling due to performance and other factors. This week, we take a look at players from the Southeast Division:

Allen Crabbe, Hawks, 27, SG (Down) – Signed to a four-year, $74.8MM deal in 2016
Remember when the Nets thought so highly of Crabbe they signed him to a giant offer sheet? And the Trail Blazers valued him so much they matched the offer sheet? And then Brooklyn wanted him so badly it traded for Crabbe the following summer? It all seems so silly now. The Nets were willing to give up two future first-rounders to get rid of Crabbe. Now in the final year of that odious contract, he’s averaging 5.0 PPG and shooting 28.8% from 3-point range. Crabbe will probably be looking at veteran’s minimum offers next season as he attempts to reboot his career.

Bismack Biyombo, Hornets, 27, C (Up) – Signed to a four-year, $72MM deal in 2016
Like Crabbe, Biyombo got silly money in the summer of 2016 after a solid playoff performance with Toronto. Orlando quickly got a case of buyer’s remorse and he was eventually shipped to Charlotte in 2018. To his credit, Biyombo has worked his way into the rebuilding Hornets’ rotation. He’s posted double digits in points six times this month while averaging 8.0 RPG in 22.1 MPG. Traditional big men like Biyombo are being phased out of the league, so he won’t attract a lot of interest. But he’s shown he can be a rotation piece somewhere.

Meyers Leonard, Heat, 27, PF (Up) – Signed to a four-year, $41MM deal in 2016
Another player who cashed in during the summer of 2016, Leonard has never averaged more than 8.4 PPG or 5.1 RPG. Other than avid Heat fans, few people realize that Leonard has started 30 games for one of the Eastern Conference’s best teams. He doesn’t often finish games but he’s endeared himself enough to coach Erik Spoelstra to keep his spot in the lineup. Leonard doesn’t shoot a lot of threes but he makes them (48.3%). He’s also making an impact on the boards (23 in the last two games). As a stretch four alone, Leonard will draw interest as an unrestricted free agent.

D.J. Augustin, Magic, 32, PG (Up) – Signed to a four-year, $29MM deal in 2016
Markelle Fultz is playing regularly but Augustin is still receiving steady playing time from coach Steve Clifford. Augustin threw in a two-point clunker against Chicago on Monday but in his previous four games he averaged 18.5 PPG and 5.3 APG. While Augustin’s overall shooting numbers are down, he can still be a productive rotation player. It wouldn’t be a surprise if Orlando brought back Augustin in a reserve role. If not, he still has enough left in the tank to be someone’s backup floor leader.

Davis Bertans, Wizards, 27, SF (Up) – Signed to a two-year, $14.5MM deal in 2018
Bertans was enjoying a breakout season until he was sidelined recently by a quad injury. Bertans was averaging 15.4 PPG and 4.9 RPG in 30.0 MPG while mostly coming off the bench for Washington. The Wizards have been feeding Bertans to ball beyond the arc and he’s consistently delivered, averaging 43.4% from deep on a whopping 8.6 attempts per game. Bertans’ prolific long range shooting is bound to get the unrestricted free agent some lucrative offers in this summer’s weak free agent class.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

NBA G League Assignments/Recalls: 12/27/19

December 27th, 2019 at 7:50pm CST by Dana Gauruder

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

The Knicks assigned rookie forward Ignas Brazdeikis to their Westchester affiliate, according to the team’s PR department (Twitter link). The former Michigan standout has played in eight games with the NBA Knicks.
The Wizards assigned rookie guard Justin Robinson to the Capital City Go-Go, the team’s PR department tweets. Robinson has appeared in eight games with the Wizards, including a nine-minute stint in their 132-102 loss at Detroit on Thursday.

Southeast Notes: Beal, Bryant, Washington, Martin

December 27th, 2019 at 3:57pm CST by ChrisCrouse

The Wizards may play it safe with regards to Bradley Beal‘s injury, Chase Hughes of NBC Sports writes. Beal left Thursday’s contest against the Pistons with lower right leg soreness and while it doesn’t sound like it will be a debilitating injury, it makes sense for the 9-21 Wizards to be as cautious as possible with their franchise star.

Beal is questionable for Saturday’s contest vs. the Knicks. Here’s more from the Southeast Division:

Thomas Bryant said he doesn’t have an exact return date, but he is “very, very close” to returning, The Athletic’s Fred Katz tweets. Bryant practiced with the Wizards today and will practice with the Capital City Go-Go on Saturday.
Isaiah Thomas said he apologized to a lot of people in the Wizards organization for the incident with fans in Philadelphia, including owner Ted Leonsis, Hughes tweets. Thomas served a two-game suspension for the incident.
It sounds like PJ Washington will make his way back into the lineup for the Hornets, as Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer writes. The rookie has missed the past few weeks with a broken finger.
In a separate piece, Bonnell details how Cody Martin has been exceeding expectations for the Hornets. Charlotte selected the small forward with the No. 36 overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft.
Coach Steve Clifford said Al-Farouq Aminu had a “setback” this week in his recovery from a knee injury, John Denton of NBA.com tweets. The Magic signed Aminu to a three-year deal this offseason.

NBA G League Assignments/Recalls: 12/26/19

December 26th, 2019 at 8:41pm CST by Luke Adams

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

Thomas Bryant, who has been sidelined since December 1 with a foot injury, was assigned to and then recalled from the Capital City Go-Go by the Wizards today, tweets Candace Buckner of The Washington Post. Bryant apparently participated in a practice with Washington’s G League affiliate.
The Knicks assigned veteran swingman Reggie Bullock to the G League, where he practiced with the Westchester Knicks, according to the club (Twitter link). Bullock, who underwent surgery in July for a cervical disc herniation, is nearing his regular season debut.
The Bucks assigned big man Dragan Bender to their G League affiliate, the team announced (via Twitter). Bender, who has averaged 20.2 PPG in six NBAGL contests this season, will be active for the Wisconsin Herd on Friday when the club faces Lakeland.

Wizards Sign Johnathan Williams

December 26th, 2019 at 12:42pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Earlier in the week, it was reported that the Wizards were close to signing Johnathan Williams and according to the team, the deal is official.

Washington will use the hardship provision to bring the big man on without a corresponding roster move. This will be the second player added via the hardship provision, as the team signed Gary Payton II earlier in the week.

As we explained in our story on Payton, the NBA can grant a team a hardship exception when that team has at least four players who have missed three or more games due to injury or illness and are expected to miss at least two more weeks. If a team has five players who fit that bill, a second additional roster spot can be granted.

Williams played with the Lakers last season on a two-way contract. Before that, the center split his college time between Missouri and Gonzaga.

As a free agent this past offseason, Williams signed with Maccabi Rishon Le-Zion, where he had averaged 12.2 PPG and 10.4 RPG in nine Israeli League games.

Knicks Monitoring Karl-Anthony Towns’ Situation

December 25th, 2019 at 6:55pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Yes, we’ve heard this before: the Knicks are planning to make a big splash by trading for or signing a star. In the latest edition of this Groundhog-Day-like news cycle (it’s Christmas so perhaps, we should use 12 Dates of Christmas as a reference), New York continues to have hopes of using its cap flexibility and assets to turn itself into a contender.

Marc Berman of the New York Post reports that the Knicks’ current “dream scenario” is to trade for a disgruntled superstarm and the franchise is expected to monitor Karl-Anthony Towns‘ situation. Towns, who signed a five-year, $190MM extension prior to the 2018/19 season, is from Metuchen, New Jersey, and the team has hopes that he would be open to playing for the Knicks should the Wolves ever consider trading him.

Berman writes that Bradley Beal remains on the Knicks’ radar. However, a source tells Hoops Rumors that the Wizards still aren’t entertaining trade offers for the shooting guard, who is ineligible to be moved until the 2020 offseason anyway.

New York has the assets to put together a pretty compelling package for any star that becomes available. In addition to their own picks, the Knicks have two future firsts from the Mavericks as well as several young prospects. The franchise could have more long-term assets if it makes future-looking trades at the deadline, such as moving Marcus Morris.

Trading for a star appears to be the Knicks’ best chance at landing a one and with the Timberwolves dwelling in the cellar of the Western Conference, it’s fair to wonder whether Towns and Minnesota would each welcome a deal. Still, any deal for Towns appears to be far away, as the Wolves have given every indication that they are not open to trading their franchise center.

Southeast Notes: Payton, Waiters, Collins

December 24th, 2019 at 6:45pm CST by Arthur Hill

In his season debut with the Wizards Monday, Gary Payton II looked a lot like his Hall of Fame father, writes Fred Katz of The Athletic. Some of the resemblance was the familiar No. 20 — the first time the younger Payton has worn his dad’s number in his brief NBA career — but a lot was performance. After being signed out the G League, Payton flew to Washington for a physical and arrived at Madison Square Garden shortly before the start of the game with the Knicks. He came off the bench to post 10 points, 11 rebounds, five assists and six steals in 34 minutes.

“I told him at the end of the game; he changed the whole game around. He really did,” teammate Ish Smith said. “He came in that second quarter, him and (Justin Robinson), and at the top of that zone, they were so disruptive.”

Payton hopes to find a lasting NBA home after short stays with the Bucks and Lakers, followed by three games with the Wizards last season. He figures to get plenty of minutes in Washington’s next game while Isaiah Thomas completes his suspension, but his future beyond that is uncertain.

“It’s one game. You can’t get overly excited, but I love players that have stories like this,” coach Scott Brooks said. “You cheer for them. You want them to have success. They fought. They’ve been cut. They almost made it. They’ve been cut. They fought. They’ve been cut. And hopefully, he plays well enough to stick with us.”

There’s more from the Southeast Division:

Payton’s new contract is a non-guaranteed one-year deal that carries a $1,090,781 base salary and a $1,052,909 cap hit, tweets Bobby Marks of ESPN. Payton will earn $9,485 for each day he remains on the Wizards‘ roster.
Dion Waiters worked out today with a few teammates and some of the coaching staff after his latest suspension ended Monday, relays Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel. The Heat won’t practice again until Thursday, but Waiters took advantage of the chance to get some extra work in. It still appears doubtful that he will be used in any games this season.
The Hawks are optimistic that they can salvage something after a 6-25 start, according to Chris Kirschner of The Athletic. Before John Collins returned from a 25-game suspension last night, their young core of Collins, Trae Young and Kevin Huerter had only played together for 19 minutes this season. “I feel like there’s a little bit of a relief factor that comes along with the guy that you expected to have throughout the season, and now you have him back now getting acclimated to regular basketball activities,” Collins said. “I feel like it’s definitely a relief for everyone.”