Week in Review

If you missed any of this past week’s biggest headlines from around the NBA, we’ve got you covered with our Week in Review. Here are some of the most noteworthy stories from the last seven days:

The Warriors officially re-signed veteran center Andrew Bogut for the rest of the season. Bogut technically remains under a two-year contract with the Sydney Kings and is expected to return to Australia in 2019/20, but the Kings allowed him to finish out the ’18/19 season in Golden State.

The Lakers will monitor LeBron James‘ minutes going forward as the team slips out of playoff contention. While there won’t be a hard limit, the club will reportedly try to keep James in the range of 28-32 minutes per game, and there’s no guarantee he’ll play both ends of back-to-backs.

Bulls president and COO Michael Reinsdorf said that the team will “absolutely” retain executive VP of basketball operations John Paxson and GM Gar Forman. Head coach Jim Boylen is also on track to return to the Bulls next season, as Reinsdorf reiterated.

The Lakers and Carmelo Anthony pressed pause on their contract discussions. Los Angeles had reportedly been considering bringing Anthony aboard to fill the 15th spot on the roster, but the two sides have backed away from a potential union with the club falling out of postseason contention.

Magic head coach Steve Clifford confirmed that the team doesn’t expect Markelle Fultz to make his Orlando debut this season. Fultz continues to rehab his shoulder injury, according to Clifford, who suggests we won’t probably won’t see the former No. 1 pick suit up for the Magic until 2019/20.

Here are 10 more headlines from the last week:

• Lakers forward Brandon Ingram will miss the rest of the season due to a Deep Venous Thrombosis in his arm.
• There’s also no guarantee that injured Lakers guard Lonzo Ball returns to the court this season, per head coach Luke Walton.
• The Bucks officially signed Pau Gasol, terminating Isaiah Canaan‘s 10-day deal early to make room on the roster.
• Frank Ntilikina is expected to be on the trade block this summer, with the Knicks said to be seeking a first-round pick for him.
• Hawks forward Vince Carter, 42, hopes to play at least one more NBA season.
• The banged-up Pelicans will be without a pair of guards, Jrue Holiday, and E’Twaun Moore, for at least 7-10 days.
• Former first-round pick Tyler Zeller is back in the NBA after signing a 10-day contract with the Hawks.
• All signs point to the Mavericks preparing for a long-term union with RFA-to-be Kristaps Porzingis.
• Shaw University star Amir Hinton is going pro in the hopes of being the first D-II player drafted since 2005.
• Rookie forward Ray Spalding earned a multiyear contract from the Suns.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

If you missed any of this past week’s biggest headlines from around the NBA, we’ve got you covered with our Week in Review. Here are some of the most noteworthy stories from the last seven days:

The Bucks and Eric Bledsoe agreed to a four-year, $70MM contract extension. The deal, which will keep Bledsoe under contract through 2023, will also keep him off the 2019 free agent market, allowing Milwaukee to focus on retaining other key FAs this summer.

Pau Gasol and the Spurs reached a buyout agreement, clearing a path for him to sign with the Bucks. The 38-year-old had fallen out of the rotation in San Antonio and gave back $2.5MM to get the opportunity to join the top seed in the Eastern Conference.

Veteran big man Channing Frye announced that he’ll retire at season’s end. The 35-year-old has appeared in 883 total regular season games in his 13-year NBA career, playing in another 49 postseason games and winning a title with Cleveland in 2016.

The qualifying games for the 2019 FIBA World Cup came to an end and the 32-team field has been set. Head coach Jeff Van Gundy led Team USA through the qualifiers, but Gregg Popovich will take over the World Cup itself, which will take place this September in China.

Dirk Nowitzki suggested that he’s not closing the door on playing one more season. The basketball world has been treating the longtime Mavericks big man as if he’ll retire this year, but he pointed out that he has yet to actually make that decision or announce his intentions.

Here are 10 more headlines from the last week:

• Timberwolves star Karl-Anthony Towns said he was “lucky to be alive” after a car accident that could have been much worse.
• The Kings signed Corey Brewer to a rest-of-season contract worth $2MM.
• The Suns have officially launched their search for a new general manager.
• Heat president of basketball operations Pat Riley suggests he envisions the team being major players in 2020’s free agent period.
• The Pelicans made a roster change, waiving veteran guard Tim Frazier and signing EuroLeague sharpshooter Dairis Bertans.
• The Hornets and Bulls opted not to buy out Frank Kaminsky and Robin Lopez, respectively.
• Former first-round pick Henry Ellenson signed a rest-of-season deal with the Knicks, which includes a 2019/20 team option.
• The Hawks intend to be aggressive and pursue top free agents during the 2019 offseason.
• The NBA is revamping its G League Elite Camp to focus it more on draft-eligible prospects.
• In the midst of another bad slump, Marcus Smart said that the Celtics are “just not together.”

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

If you missed any of this past week’s biggest headlines from around the NBA, we’ve got you covered with our Week in Review. Below are some of the most noteworthy stories from the last seven days:

MSG Co. released a statement denying that James Dolan has considered selling the Knicks. A report this week from Bill Simmons of The Ringer said Dolan was “courting offers” for the team, according to sources that Simmons talked to at All-Star Weekend. The MSG statement called the story “100% false.”

Projected No. 1 pick Zion Williamson of Duke was diagnosed with a Grade 1 knee sprain after suffering an injury that looked like it could have been much worse. Williamson’s left shoe tore open in the first minute of Wednesday’s game against North Carolina. He left the floor under his own power, but didn’t return.

The NBA submitted a proposal to its players union that would lower the draft age from 19 to 18. Any changes aren’t expected to be implemented before the 2022 draft.

Pelicans interim GM Danny Ferry explained the team’s plans for Anthony Davis for the remainder of the season. Davis will continue to play a regular schedule, but his nightly minutes will be reduced to lessen the chance of injury. The league has threatened to fine New Orleans $100K per game if Davis sits out while he’s healthy.

The Hawks unveiled plans for their new G League affiliate, which will begin play next season. The team will be known as the College Park Skyhawks and will replace the Erie Bayhawks, who will be taken over by the Pelicans.

Here are 10 more notable NBA headlines from the past week:

• Michael Beasley will resume his career in China instead of waiting for an NBA offer. Beasley was waived by the Clippers after they acquired him from the Lakers at the trade deadline.
• Frank Kaminsky would like to negotiate a buyout with the Hornets so he can restart his career somewhere else. Kaminsky hasn’t played more than 10 minutes in a game since January 2, but Charlotte might want to keep him around as insurance against injuries.
• Milos Teodosic isn’t expected to play anymore this season after being waived by the Clippers. He plans to join Serbia’s national team in the World Cup qualifiers, then rest to prepare for next season.
• Headed to free agency, Klay Thompson expressed a desire to be part of the Warriors‘ future. Owner Joe Lacob said recently that cost concerns won’t force him to break up a championship-level team.
• After sitting out 50 games due to foot surgery, Kevin Love wants to be active for the rest of the season. The Cavaliers will keep him on a minutes restriction until their medical staff clears him for full-time duty.
• Veteran forward Udonis Haslem may not be ready to end his career. The 38-year-old Heat big man indicated that he would like to return to the team next season.
• The Bucks might have interest in J.R. Smith if he agrees to a buyout with the Cavaliers. However, Cleveland is expected to hold onto Smith, who has been away from the team and hasn’t played since November 19.
• Hawks GM Travis Schlenk confirmed that Atlanta would have drafted Luka Doncic if the team would had kept the No. 3 pick instead of trading it to Dallas. The Hawks got a top-five protected 2019 selection in the deal.
• Jordan Crawford reached a deal to play in the Chinese Basketball Association. His Sichaun team isn’t expected to make the playoffs, so he could be back in the NBA before the season ends.
• The Knicks signed high scoring G Leaguer John Jenkins to a two-year contract. He averaged 24.8 PPG in 19 games with New York’s affiliate in Westchester.

Image courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

If you missed any of this past week’s biggest headlines from around the NBA, we’ve got you covered with our Week in Review. Below are some of the most noteworthy stories from the last seven days:

Ahead of a summer that’s expected to include the trading of franchise cornerstone Anthony Davis, the Pelicans fired GM Dell Demps. Demps spent nearly nine years running the team, but was never able to build a consistent contender around Davis. Danny Ferry was named interim GM until New Orleans can find a replacement.

Enes Kanter, who spent much of the season complaining about a lack of playing time with the Knicks, found a new home with the Trail Blazers after being released. Kanter had fallen to fourth-string center in New York despite productive numbers, as coach David Fizdale opted for a younger lineup and a switching philosophy on defense that Kanter wasn’t equipped for. Multiple teams, including the Lakers, expressed interest in signing Kanter.

The Pacers turned to the buyout market to fill the void left by Victor Oladipo‘s season-ending injury, signing Wesley Matthews. The former Maverick was traded to the Knicks at the end of January, but only played two games there before reaching a buyout agreement.

The Thunder landed one of the top prizes in the buyout market when Markieff Morris agreed to a contract. Morris spent most of the season with the Wizards, but reached a buyout agreement with the Pelicans after a deadline-day trade. He recently received medical clearance after recovering from a neck injury.

The Raptors signed former Hawks guard Jeremy Lin for the rest of the season. The move took place shortly after Toronto lost back-up point guard Fred VanVleet for about five weeks due to thumb surgery.

Here are 10 more notable NBA headlines from the past week:

• Luke Walton’s job will remain safe for the rest of the season, according to a report out of Los Angeles. There had been speculation that the Lakers‘ disappointing season and recent clashes with veteran players might have Walton on the hot seat, but he still has the support of team management.
• The Lakers won’t be hit with tampering penalties for team president Magic Johnson’s statements about Ben Simmons when revealing that the Sixers guard has asked to be tutored over the summer. Johnson had indicated an interest in the arrangement before both teams decided against it.
• Bucks co-owner Marc Lasry was fined $25K for comments he made about Davis. Lasry was responded to a report that Davis listed Milwaukee as one of his four preferred destinations.
• Veteran forward Marcus Morris ripped his Celtics teammates after the team let a big lead get away in a loss to the Clippers. Morris said the season “hasn’t been fun for a long time” and called the team “a bunch of individuals.”
• Nuggets guard Isaiah Thomas made his season debut this week after recovering from his latest hip surgery. The former All-Star signed a one-year deal with the Nuggets.
• Former Heat star Chris Bosh is ready to make his retirement official. Bosh’s hasn’t played since the 2015/16 season because of health issues stemming from blood clots.
• After a tour of the league that saw him go from Portland to Cleveland to Houston to Indiana in less than a week, Nik Stauskas re-signed with the Cavaliers. The 25-year-old guard inked a contract for the rest of the season.
• Commissioner Adam Silver admitted he has received offers to run the NFL, but added that he hasn’t considered changing leagues. Silver said some Fortune 500 companies have also approached him with job opportunities.
• Former No. 2 pick Hasheem Thabeet worked out for several teams at All-Star Weekend in Charlotte. Thabeet hasn’t played in the NBA since the since the 2013/14 season.
• Gilbert Arenas is the latest former NBA star to commit to the BIG3 league. The 37-year-old was a high-scoring guard who had his best seasons with the Wizards.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

If you missed any of this past week’s biggest headlines from around the NBA, we’ve got you covered with our Week in Review. Below are some of the most noteworthy stories from the last seven days:

In a week dominated by the trade deadline, the most significant story is a deal that wasn’t made. The Lakers made numerous attempts to get Anthony Davis from the Pelicans, but New Orleans decided to wait until summer to see if better offers emerge. The Celtics reportedly promised an “explosive” offer, while the Knicks and several other teams are expected to get involved.

The week’s most surprising trade came in the early hours Wednesday with most of the nation sleeping. The Clippers sent Tobias Harris to the Sixers, shaking up their lineup and giving Philadelphia possibly the best starting five in the East. L.A. wasn’t sold on giving Harris a max offer this summer and wanted to open up more cap room to be aggressive in free agency.

The Grizzlies said goodbye to another veteran from their Grit ‘n Grind glory days when they traded Marc Gasol to the Raptors. The former Defensive Player of the Year is still a presence in the middle, averaging 15.7 points, 8.6 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per night. However, he has a $25.6MM player option for next season and Memphis had luxury tax concerns.

The Wizards did an about-face on their promise to compete for a playoff spot by sending Otto Porter to the Bulls. Owner Ted Leonsis had vowed that the organization would do all it could to reach the postseason, but its deals at the deadline were focused on escaping the luxury tax. Porter is owed nearly $56MM over the next two seasons.

The Sixers decided to give up on 2017 No. 1 pick Markelle Fultz, trading him to Orlando for Jonathon Simmons and a pair of draft picks. After making aggressive trades this season to acquire Harris and Jimmy Butler, Philadelphia has decided to take a win-now approach and no longer wanted the distraction of Fultz’s physical problems and shooting woes.

Here are 10 more notable NBA headlines from the past week:

• The All-Star draft was televised for the first time, with LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo making their selections for the February 17 game in Charlotte. The proceedings ended with an unexpected trade, as James sent Russell Westbrook to Antetokounmpo in exchange for Ben Simmons.
• Participants were also announced for the All-Star weekend 3-Point, Skills and Dunk contests. The 3-point competition may have the most drama as hometown favorite Kemba Walker faces off against veteran Dirk Nowitzki and a pair of brothers in Stephen Curry and Seth Curry.
• Enes Kanter didn’t get either part of the play-me-or-trade-me request he made, but he did get to become a free agent when the Knicks waived him Thursday. After beginning the year as the starting center, Kanter saw his minutes steadily reduced.
• Wesley Matthews, who was also waived by the Knicks this week, has committed to joining the Pacers.
• Nets guard Caris LeVert made a much faster than expected return from a severe right foot injury he suffered in November. Originally feared to be out for the season, the 24-year-old returned to action last night.
• Already sidelined for the season because of heel surgery, Wizards guard John Wall fell in his home and suffered a rupture of his left Achilles tendon that is expected to sideline him for an additional 12 months.
• Kevin Durant lashed out at the media for what he considers to be excessive speculation about his free agent future. The Knicks and Clippers both cleared cap room this week and are expected to aggressively pursue the Warriors star.
• There was an angry exchange in the Lakers‘ locker room after last Saturday’s loss to the Warriors with coach Luke Walton singling out players for a selfish approach to the game and veterans Michael Beasley and JaVale McGee lashing back over their inconsistent roles. Beasley was traded to the Clippers before the week ended.
• The Knicks remain the NBA’s highest-valued franchise, topping $4 billion for the first time.
• Lamar Odom is the latest former NBA star to sign up for the BIG3 league this summer.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

If you missed any of this past week’s biggest headlines from around the NBA, we’ve got you covered with our Week in Review. Below are some of the most noteworthy stories from the last seven days:

The Knicks traded Kristaps Porzingis to the Mavericks in a move that unloaded two long-term contracts and opened up cap room for free agency this summer. New York sent Porzingis, Tim Hardaway Jr., Courtney Lee and Trey Burke to Dallas in exchange for Dennis Smith Jr., DeAndre Jordan, Wesley Matthews and a pair of future first-round picks. The deal gives the Knicks a second chance at Smith, whom they passed over in 2017 to draft Frank Ntilikina.

Anthony Davis shook up the NBA early this week when he submitted a trade request to the Pelicans, telling them he won’t sign a long-term extension. The reaction was immense, with many teams expressing an interest in Davis, but he and his agent have reportedly made it clear that the Lakers are his first choice. If no deal can be reached by Thursday’s deadline, things should heat up even more this summer when the Celtics can get involved.

Boston got a jolt of its own on Friday when Kyrie Irving indicated that he might change his mind about a verbal commitment to re-sign with the Celtics. “Ask me July 1,” he said in response to a question about his future, adding that his career will come first in any decision. Irving is a friend of Davis and is believed to be necessary for Davis to consider a long-term future in Boston.

Carmelo Anthony continues his search for his next team, but he won’t be doing it as part of the Bulls’ roster. Chicago waived him on Friday in order to complete a trade with the Thunder for Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot.

The All-Star reserves were announced this week ahead of Thursday’s draft that will determine who is on which team. Selected were Bradley Beal, Blake Griffin, Kyle Lowry, Ben Simmons, Khris Middleton, Nikola Vucevic and Victor Oladipo in the East and Anthony Davis, Russell Westbrook, Nikola Jokic, Klay Thompson, Damian Lillard, LaMarcus Aldridge and Karl-Anthony Towns in the West. D’Angelo Russell was chosen to replace Oladipo, who is out for the rest of the season.

Here are 10 more notable NBA headlines from the past week:

• Davis was fined $50K by the league because his desire to be traded was made public by his agent, Rich Paul. The fine is the largest the NBA can issue without a player being permitted to file a grievance.
• Rockets backup center Marquese Chriss also made a trade request this week, but it didn’t get much notice outside of Houston. Acquired from the Suns in the offseason, Chriss hasn’t seen much playing time, even with an injury to starting center Clint Capela.
• Two longtime veterans were given a chance to play in what could be the final All-Star Game for both. Dwyane Wade, who will retire at the end of the season, and Dirk Nowitzki, who may be in his final year, were added to the game as “special team roster additions.”
• The Porzingis trade was bad news for Ray Spalding, who was waived to enable the deal to be completed. Dallas sent out four players and only took back three, so it needed to open a roster spot.
• The Sixers will be without a key piece for the next two to three weeks as Wilson Chandler was sidelined with a right quadriceps strain.
• Grizzlies forward Omri Casspi will have surgery on his right knee to fix a meniscus tear.
• The Jazz reportedly have “very real” interest in trading for Grizzlies point guard Mike Conley. Memphis may also move center Marc Gasol, but teams are waiting for the asking price to go down.
• The Sixers are looking at Atlanta’s Dwayne Dedmon in their search for a backup center.
• The Mavericks are targeting Magic center Nikola Vucevic as a possible free agent addition this summer.
• Isaiah Canaan is back in the NBA after suffering a severely dislocated ankle last season. He signed a 10-day contract with the Timberwolves.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

If you missed any of this past week’s biggest headlines from around the NBA, we’ve got you covered with our Week in Review. Below are some of the most noteworthy stories from the last seven days:

Rockets starting center and All-Star candidate Clint Capela will be out of action for the next four to six weeks after undergoing successful surgery to repair a torn ligament in his right thumb. At the time of the injury, the Rockets still had an opening on their 15-man roster, but have since signed swingman James Nunnally to a 10-day contract, as noted below. Last night, it was reported that veteran big man Kenneth Faried will sign with the Rockets as a stopgap for Capela after reaching a buyout agreement with the Nets. It remains to be seen whether the Rockets will wait for Nunnally’s 10-day deal to be completed or trade or waive Carmelo Anthony to create the requisite room on the 15-man roster for Faried.

Turkish prosecutors are seeking an international arrest warrant for, and extradition of, Knicks center Enes Kanter, after accusing him of membership in a terror organization. Prosecutors are reportedly citing Kanter’s ties to Turkish exile Muhammed Fethullah Gulen, the man blamed for a failed coup against Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in 2016. Specifically, Kanter is being accusing of providing financial support to Gulen. Understandably, Kanter did not travel with the Knicks to London this week for their game against the Wizards due to concerns about his safety.

The NBA announced there was no violation of the Collective Bargaining Agreement when the Cavaliers signed and subsequently released Patrick McCaw. The NBA could have levied fines or lost-draft-pick penalties on the Cavs if there was evidence of wrongdoing, like testimony that the team signed McCaw solely to free him from his restricted free agency with the Warriors with no plans on keeping him. But, given their injury-ravaged roster, the Cavs had a clear motive for signing McCaw. And given his poor audition for the team, Cleveland also had an obvious motive for moving on from him.

Celtics All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving called former teammate LeBron James to apologize for resisting criticism and not fully appreciating James’ leadership during their time in Cleveland. Irving’s comments came just a few days after he publicly expressed frustration with some of his younger teammates, and while he acknowledged that he made a mistake by calling out his teammates in the press, his admission of his call to James seems to ironically imply that he views his teammates as resisting his criticism and not fully appreciating his leadership.

Here are 11 more notable NBA headlines from the last week:

• Mavericks veteran guard J.J. Barea suffered a torn right Achilles and will miss the remainder of the 2018/19 season after undergoing surgery. Dallas applied for and obtained a disabled player exception as a result.
• The Pistons signed guards Isaiah Whitehead and Kalin Lucas to two-way contracts after waiving both Keenan Evans and Zach Lofton.
• The Sixers signed veteran swingman Corey Brewer to a 10-day contract.
• Heat guard Dion Waiters is not happy with his limited playing time upon his return form injury.
• The Cavaliers signed point guard Cameron Payne to a second 10-day deal.
• Bulls rookie big man Wendell Carter Jr. will be sidelined for 8-12 weeks after suffering ligament damage in his left thumb.
• The Rockets signed former Timberwolves’ swingman James Nunnally to a 10-day contract.
• The Suns signed veteran forward Quincy Acy to a second 10-day contract.
• Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich is undecided as to whether he will coach beyond 2018/19 season.
• After it was originally reported that the Mavericks were ramping up trade discussions for point guard Dennis Smith Jr., the team now reportedly hopes to reconcile with the second-year point guard. Smith has not requested a trade.
• The Kings are interested in potentially trading for both Hawks point guard Jeremy Lin (link) and Mavs forward Harrison Barnes (link).

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

If you missed any of this past week’s biggest headlines from around the NBA, we’ve got you covered with our Week in Review. Below are some of the most noteworthy stories from the last seven days:

The Timberwolves fired Tom Thibodeau as head coach and president of basketball operations, naming Ryan Saunders and Scott Layden as the team’s interim head coach and head of basketball operations, respectively. In two and a half seasons with the Wolves, Thibodeau had a 96-107 regular season record, leading the club to the playoffs for the first time in 14 seasons last year. Ultimately, however, his decision to acquire Jimmy Butler and Butler’s eventual departure to Philadelphia after Thibodeau’s reluctance to trade him and standoff with ownership led to his ouster. His firing continues a trend of team’s moving away from having the same individual serve as head coach and president of basketball operations.

The Rockets traded guard Michael Carter-Williams and cash to the Bulls for a heavily protected second-round pick that is unlikely to ever convey. Carter-Williams, whose contract was not fully guaranteed, was waived by the Bulls before the January 7 deadline. The Bulls also waived MarShon Brooks before the deal was completed, as Chicago had a full 15-man roster. With both Brooks and Carter-Williams now out of the picture, the Bulls have an open roster spot. With the trade, the Rockets cut their luxury tax bill by over $2.5MM, while the Bulls obtained enough cash to cover the salaries payable to both Carter-Williams and Brooks.

The Cavaliers waived swingman Patrick McCaw less than a week after officially signing him to a two-year, $6MM contract. The contract was fully non-guaranteed, meaning the team had to part ways with the 25-year-old by January 7 in order to keep his entire $3MM salary off the books for the 2018/19 season. The move now allows McCaw to enter unrestricted free agency, but because of the roundabout way in which this happened, there is now speculation that the Cavs’ maneuver to get McCaw out of the Warriors’ control may have usurped the CBA. Accordingly, the NBA has launched a review and will speak with McCaw’s representatives.

The Grizzlies and Chandler Parsons have agreed for the veteran forward to leave the team indefinitely as the two sides work to structure a resolution on his future. Parsons has been frustrated with being a healthy scratch since returning from injury, and the Grizzlies apparently don’t see him being a part of the team’s future. Parsons was also upset about a potential G League assignment with no promise of a return to the active NBA roster. The two sides are working on finding a trade partner, but the Grizzlies, who are willing to take on a longer contract in return for Parsons, have not been willing to include a first-round draft pick in a trade.

Here are 11 more notable NBA headlines from the last week:

• The Knicks are making veterans available for trade as a part of the team’s youth movement and rebuilding plan.
• The Cavaliers signed point guard Cameron Payne to a 10-day contract less than a week after he was released by the Bulls as a consequence of their trade with the Grizzlies.
• The Wizards waived guard Ron Baker before his 2018/19 salary became guaranteed.
• The Raptors also waived guard Lorenzo Brown before his salary for this season could become guaranteed.
• The Suns signed veteran forward Quincy Acy to the first 10-day contract of the 2018/19 season.
• Big man DeMarcus Cousins is expected to make his debut with the Warriors on January 18.
• The Kings and Knicks have discussed a potential trade involving big men Enes Kanter and Zach Randolph.
• The Wizards are exploring a contract extension for guard Tomas Satoransky.
• In the midst of all the above-referenced drama surrounding McCaw, he signed a rest of the season contract with the Raptors.
• Grizzlies forward Dillon Brooks underwent a procedure on a right toe injury and will miss the rest of the season.
• Mavericks guard J.J. Barea suffered a season-ending torn right Achilles tendon.

If you missed any of this past week’s biggest headlines from around the NBA, we’ve got you covered with our Week in Review. Below are some of the most noteworthy stories from the last seven days:

Wizards perennial All-Star point guard star John Wall will undergo season-ending surgery on his left heel that will keep him out of action for six to eight months. Described by the team as a debridement and repair of a Haglund’s deformity and a chronic Achilles tendon injury in his left heel, the operation was deemed necessary because of persistent pain and inflammation in Wall’s heel. Some viewed the Wizards’ poor 2018/19 performance as a factor in Wall’s decision, but Wall maintains that his decision was solely motivated by his fear that he was risking a ruptured Achilles by continue to play on the sore heel. The Wizards are now figured to be active sellers at the trade deadline as a result of Wall’s status and the resultant minimal hopes of a playoff berth this season.

The Warriors opted not to match the offer sheet given to swingman Patrick McCaw by the Cavaliers, who will now officially welcome McCaw to Cleveland on a two-year, $6MM deal. Both the potential locker room consequences of McCaw’s lengthy and public holdout and the idea of keeping its 15th roster spot open to retain flexibility going forward were the primary reasons behind Golden State’s decision to let McCaw go. It also didn’t help that matching the offer sheet and keeping McCaw for the remainder of the 2018/19 season would have cost the Warriors an extra $11MM in luxury tax penalties. McCaw ultimately seems satisfied that Golden State didn’t match, saying he’s ready for a “a new opportunity.”

Just a few months after forcing his way out of Minnesota, Jimmy Butler has reportedly now “aggressively challenged” Sixers head coach Brett Brown on his role in Philadelphia’s offense. Per reports, Butler, who is averaging five-year lows in PPG and MPG since joining the Sixers, would prefer to play more traditional pick-and-roll and isolation sets, rather than trying to find his place in the Sixers’ free-flowing offense. Despite the negative tone of the report, however, Brown has told people within the Sixers’ organization that he has no issues with Butler or their communication. For what it’s worth to fans understandably frustrated with what appears to be this new found, relatively entitled attitude for Butler, he also told reporters this week that he won’t be in the league past the age of 35.

The Bulls traded swingman Justin Holiday to the Grizzlies in exchange for guards Wayne Selden and MarShon Brooks and Memphis’ own second-round picks in 2019 and 2020. The Bulls received interest from multiple teams on Holiday, but ultimately settled on this trade with the Grizzlies. In order to make room on the roster for both Selden and Brooks, the Bulls opted to waive former first-round pick, point guard Cameron Payne, who had been outplayed by both Ryan Arcidiacono and Shaquille Harrison so far this season. In addition to the two players and two draft picks, the Bulls also created a traded player exception worth just over $2.7MM in the deal.

A day before the aforementioned trade, the Grizzlies’ three-game losing streak took its toll on the locker room, with veterans Garrett Temple and Omri Casspi  involved in a physical altercation after a team meeting. The meeting began with coaches and players questioning effort and areas needing improvement, but when the bench’s enthusiasm was questioned, Casspi took exception, leading to the altercation. Despite the incident and the trade for Holiday, there’s no indication at this point that Memphis will look to trade Temple or Casspi.

Here are 10 more notable NBA headlines from the last week:

• Grizzlies’ forward Chandler Parsons insists he’s healthy enough to play but that GM Chris Wallace is holding up his return.
• Less than a month after signing him, the Nuggets have parted ways with veteran guard Nick Young.
• Enes Kanter met with Knicks’ general manager Scott Perry earlier in the week to discuss his diminishing role.
• The Nets did veteran big man Alan Williams a solid and released him so that he could sign a lucrative deal in China.
• Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra says he’s “sick to (his) stomach” about not being able to find more minutes for veteran sharpshooter Wayne Ellington.
• After only one appearance with the team, the Suns have waived 27-year-old veteran big man Eric Moreland.
• Wizards’ forward Markieff Morris has been diagnosed with transient cervical neuropraxia and is expected to be out of action for six weeks.
• The Hornets may be ready to include big man Frank Kaminsky in a trade after other teams have expressed interest.
• Cody Zeller has undergone surgery for a fracture of the third metacarpal of his right hand and will miss four to six weeks.
• Lakers’ superstar LeBron James will remain out through next weekend with a strained left groin.

If you missed any of this past week’s biggest headlines from around the NBA, we’ve got you covered with our Week in Review. Below are some of the most noteworthy stories from the last seven days:

Last week, we relayed how front offices of some teams were upset about perceived tampering by LeBron James when he said it would be amazing to play with Anthony Davis. James, apparently unfazed, met Davis for a post-game meal in L.A. after the Lakers defeated the Pelicans, later telling reporters that he considers recruiting other stars to be part of his job and that he knows his success in L.A. will be tied to his ability to woo free agents. Most around the league ultimately expect Davis to be traded before next season, likely to the Celtics or Lakers, but the league is unwilling to sit by and let the recruitment of Davis begin now, issuing a memo to all teams, reminding them about the rules and consequences related to tampering.

Speaking of James, the Lakers are preparing for him to miss “several games” after he suffered a groin strain in his team’s victory over the Warriors on Christmas Day. James’ MRI came back clean, but there’s a healing process that will need to occur before he is able to get back on the court. Moreover, the Lakers are understandably  expected to play it safe to avoid further aggravating the injury and risk more missed time later this season or beyond. The Lakers have lost two straight without LBJ.

After remaining on the free agent market for nearly six months, shooting guard Patrick McCaw has signed an offer sheet with the Cavaliers worth $6MM over two years. Both seasons are non-guaranteed, but this season will become guaranteed if he remains on a roster past January 7. Because McCaw is still a restricted free agent, the Warriors will have the opportunity to match Cleveland’s offer. An earlier report indicated that they were prepared to match any offer, but given everything else going on the Warriors, it may not be worth it to bring someone back who clearly doesn’t want to be in Oakland in McCaw. The Warriors have until tomorrow to make a decision.

Former Wizards guard Austin Rivers reached an agreement to join the Rockets, signing a fully-guaranteed rest-of-season contract with the defending regular season champs. The move makes sense after the injury to Chris Paul, but it will be interesting to see whether Rivers can carve out enough of a role with Paul out to remain in the rotation once the veteran returns. The deal is for the veteran’s minimum, so Rivers’ cap hit is just under $923K.

With the emergence of wunderkind Luka Doncic, there’s growing confidence around the league that the Mavericks will move on from and trade last year’s first-round pick, point guard Dennis Smith Jr. Of course, Dallas has denied any interest in moving Smith, but due to injuries, he has only played in three of the Mavericks’ 12 games in December and the Mavs are still competing for a playoff spot without him, thanks to Doncic’s play. Ultimately, the Mavericks plan to build their roster around Doncic, and Smith would likely garner the biggest return in a trade.

Here are 9 more notable NBA headlines from the last week:

• Despite being under contract with the Clippers, Turkish club Anadolu Efes is seriously pursuing guard Milos Teodosic.
• Lakers’ point guard Rajon Rondo would have remained with the Pelicans if the team had made an offer.
• Speaking of Rondo, he is expected to miss four to five weeks after undergoing surgery to repair a ligament in his right ring finger.
• Sixers’ guard Markelle Fultz plans to return to the lineup at some point this season.
• Knicks’ guard Frank Ntilikina was not happy about being benched and receiving a DNP on Christmas Day.
• The Bulls signed shooting guard Brandon Sampson to a two-way deal, waiving point guard Tyler Ulis to make room.
• Despite a lack of playing time, Nets’ forward Kenneth Faried has not approached the team for a buyout.
• The Thunder waived two-way player Tyler Davis and replaced him with big man Donte Grantham.
• With a potential player revolt behind him, Bulls’ head coach Jim Boylen may actually now be in position for an extension this summer.