Southwest Notes: Gasol, Ajinca, D’Antoni
The Spurs are once again the No. 2 team in the Western Conference and a given to qualify for and contend in the playoffs. A recent hand injury to Pau Gasol, however, could change that. Ben Alamar of ESPN has explored the impact that Gasol’s absence will have in San Antonio, citing the big man’s staggering efficiency from mid-range as one of the biggest voids that the club will have to fill.
On the other side of the ball, Gasol has long-established himself as a heady defender capable of providing paint protection. This will now fall to reserves Dewyane Dedmon and David Lee. Though Dedmon and Lee have been respectable back ups this season, Alamar isn’t sure they’ll have the same impact as Gasol has with his ability to block shots and limit his fouls.
Gasol, Alamar writes, is second on the Spurs in defensive win shares behind only Kawhi Leonard.
The veteran was scheduled to undergo surgery to repair the hand fracture on Friday. No recovery timetable has yet been announced.
There’s more out of the Southwest Division:
- Though not shy about expressing his frustration with a lack of playing time, Alexis Ajinca has reportedly not requested a trade from the Pelicans, tweets Justin Verrier of ESPN. Ajinca has racked up 11 DNP-CDs since his last legitimate taste of action on December 23 and has played just three minutes total in January.
- Offseason addition Mike D’Antoni has made a serious case for Coach of the Year, writes Chris Mannix of The Vertical. His decision to move James Harden to the point has been one of the highlights of his brief tenure. “I watched a lot of tape of him,” D’Antoni told Mannix. “His skills are enormous. Point guard made sense. He was that anyway. We just cut the fat off. The way he plays now, he’s making an impact every minute. So we can play him less minutes. And he’s fresher.”
- The 2016/17 campaign won’t go down in history for the Mavs, at least not in a good way. Eddie Sefko of the Dallas News has come up with a list of things that have officially gone wrong, chief among them significant injuries to Dirk Nowitzki, Andrew Bogut, Devin Harris, Deron Williams and J.J. Barea (again).
- For the first time this season, the Spurs featured Dejounte Murray prominently in their rotation and the rookie guard responded with a career-high, 24-point showing. “I felt like I had a rhythm the whole game,” Murray told Jabari Young of the San Antonio Express-News. “I was confident even before he Gregg Popovich told me I was starting. I always stay ready. … My teammates, when they heard I was starting, they cheered me up tried to keep my confidence high.”
Barea To Miss Weeks With Calf Injury
The Mavs could be without J.J. Barea for weeks, says Earl K. Sneed of Mavs.com. In Friday night’s contest the veteran point guard injured his calf muscle and knew automatically that something was wrong.
“After a shot, I went to step to the side, and I think I ran into the fans behind me and the fans sitting down,” Barea told Sneed for his official report after the game. “I looked back, but nobody touched me. When I went to step, that’s when I knew.”
The loss is just the latest injury to impact the team that wasn’t expected to struggle as much as they have throughout the first half of 2016/17. Dallas sits 14th in the Western Conference with a 14-29 record.
In 18 healthy games for the Mavs so far this season, Barea has averaged 12.2 points, 4.9 assists and 2.9 rebounds per game. He’s under contract through the 2018/19 season with a cap hit of $4.1MM this year.
Expect reserve Pierre Jackson, currently signed to a 10-day contract, to get extra opportunities for the Mavs while they have him under contract.
Community Shootaround: Kings’ Outlook
If the Kings weren’t considered to be a playoff contender at full strength, they certainly aren’t without Rudy Gay. After averaging 18.7 points on 45.5% shooting in 30 games, Gay tore his left Achilles’ tendon against the Pacers on Wednesday; a season-ending injury.
Gay has vowed on Twitter to come back “stronger than ever,” but the Kings will still face a myriad of issues in 2016/17. Now 11th place in the Western Conference, the Kings sit at 16-26 following a lopsided loss to the Grizzlies. What’s more, the Kings’ roster is full of veterans preventing rookies Malachi Richardson, Georgios Papagiannis, and Skal Labissiere from receiving court time. Willie Cauley-Stein recently voiced grievances on the lack of opportunity in his sophomore season.
“I feel I was showing stuff at the end of last season that would make people say, ‘Oh, damn, they got a steal in the draft,'” Cauley-Stein told Ailene Voisin of the Sacramento Bee. “Now it’s like I took 25 steps forward and 30 steps back. It’s like my whole rookie season didn’t matter and I’m back at square one. Nothing I did last year is having an effect on my career. It’s been very frustrating.”
The team appears unlikely to trade DeMarcus Cousins, but they have several assets who could help another team’s playoff run. With a lack of direction for the 2016/17 season, several on-and-off the court controversies, and no clear path to minutes for younger players, we want to know…
Should the Kings trade off assets and start a complete rebuild? Is there any hope in salvaging the season to grab a No. 7 or 8 seed? Will Gay – who has a player option for the 2017/18 season – opt to remain in Sacramento, or is he a lock to test the market even after his injury?
NBA D-League Assignments/Recalls: 1/20/17
Here are today’s D-League assignments and recalls:
- The Hornets recalled Christian Wood from the Greensboro Swarm, the team announced through its website. Wood has appeared in only one game for the Hornets this season, but averaged 19.6 points with 10.1 rebounds through 18 games with Greensboro this season. Wood, who declared for the 2015 draft but went undrafted, scored 61 points over 17 games with the Sixers in 2015/16.
- The Celtics recalled Demetrius Jackson from the Maine Red Claws, the team announced via Twitter. With point guard Avery Bradley still recovering from an Achilles injury, Jackson stands a chance to play in Saturday’s game against the Trail Blazers. Jackson, who has scored 10 points in four games with Boston this season, averaged 17.9 point through 17 games with Maine. A second round draft pick in 2016, Jackson has now been recalled from the D-League seven times this season.
Southeast Notes: Wizards, Wall, Dragic, Hezonja
Controversy surrounded the ending of Thursday’s game between the Knicks and Wizards. Down three points in their final possession, the Knicks attempted to get a shot off while Washington assistant coach Sidney Lowe was standing on the court, appearing to distract Courtney Lee. The NBA addressed Lowe’s actions today, claiming he “should have been assessed a technical foul,” before levying a $15,000 fine against the Wizards and a $5,000 fine to Lowe. Carmelo Anthony stood up for his teammate, claiming Lee was deceived.
“He [Lowe] was on the court. They have six players on the court,” Anthony said of the Wizards’ assistant. “I’ve never seen it before. I’ve never seen that before, especially not in a situation like that. Close game, half court offense, we’re trying to make something happen. I’ve never seen anything like that.”
Other goings-on around the Southeast:
- John Wall, playing at the healthiest he’s been throughout his seven-year NBA career, is posting career-high totals in offensive categories. Unhappy with his perception as a player who wasn’t engaged at practice, the Wizards point guard has worked with a vengeance at the gym. “I wanted to put the work in but I couldn’t because I needed to spend an hour to stretch just to get prepared to practice. That was frustrating,” Wall said, per Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today. “People would tell me I don’t take the NBA seriously. I take this as seriously as possible. Now, I can do a regular stretch for 10 minutes and get a full workout in without having any problem afterward. That’s the key to why I am playing at a higher level.”
- Goran Dragic has Dwyane Wade‘s competitive spirit, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said this week, as Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel details. “This game means so much to Goran Dragic,” Spoelstra said. “When we lose, he doesn’t sleep. He takes it hard like a coach would. I get text messages from him about things that he thought he could have done better or differently, hours after the game.” Dragic’s 20.3 points per game are his highest total since 2013/14 with the Suns.
- The Hornets “have much to prove” at the midway point of the season, Scott Fowler of The Charlotte Observer writes. Coach Scott Clifford lamented his team’s inability to play to their strengths. “We are not physically imposing.” Clifford said. “We are not playing three guys who are going to average 23 (points) a night. What we are is we have exceptional basketball IQ, skill level and intelligence. And that only matters if you take advantage of it. So if you’re going to make mistakes and have dumb turnovers — we lost a game the other night with 19 turnovers — we’re not that team. …We can’t turn it over. We can’t beat ourselves.”
- The playoffs appear to be an afterthought for the Magic, Cody Taylor of Basketball Insiders writes. While the Magic expected to be an imposing defensive team, they’ve recently dropped out of the Top 20 in league-wide defense. With an ugly 17-27 mark at the halfway point of the season, coach Frank Vogel is shaking up his rotations, including giving 21-year-old Mario Hezonja additional court time.
Timberwolves, Pistons Have Discussed Rubio, Jackson
The Timberwolves and Pistons have discussed a point guard swap of Ricky Rubio and Reggie Jackson, Marc Stein of ESPN reports. Nothing is imminent, as each team is in the “talking stage,” and as Stein notes, any deal would expand to involve other players, such as Shabazz Muhammad.
While the Timberwolves have reportedly been actively shopping Rubio, the Pistons have contended that Jackson wouldn’t be available via trade, though rival clubs aren’t so convinced. Both players have multiple years left on long-term deals, but could be available in the next month for different reasons. Jackson and the Pistons have struggled this year, and in their ESPN report, Stein and Haynes note that rookie Kris Dunn is regarded as Minnesota’s “point guard of the future,” making Rubio expendable.
The 26-year-old Rubio has averaged 7.7 points with 7.9 assists in his sixth NBA season. The Spaniard missed a five-game stretch in November due to an elbow injury, but has otherwise remained healthy in 2016/17. Now in the second year of a four-year, $55MM contract, Rubio has a cap hit of $13,400,000.
On the heels of a breakout 2015/16 campaign, Jackson’s statistics have slightly regressed this season; averaging 16.7 points with 5.3 assists through 23 games. The 26-year-old Jackson missed the season’s first 21 games with left knee tendinitis, but has come on strong of late; scoring 20.2 points on 46.4% shooting over his last 10 games.
If the Timberwolves are seeking a “bridge” guard to assume starting duties until Dunn is ready, as has been reported, Jackson would be a peculiar choice for a few reasons. Jackson is slated to make $16MM, $17MM+, and $18MM+ over the next three seasons, making him an expensive option to bridge the gap at point guard. What’s more, the role of (eventually) backing up Dunn may not come naturally to Jackson, who hasn’t played in a reserve role since 2012/13 with the Thunder.
Atlantic Notes: Lopez, Acy, Embiid, Bradley
Despite the Nets‘ current 11-game losing streak, veteran center Brook Lopez remains optimistic on the team’s outlook, claiming to “want to see something special built here,” according to Brian Lewis of The New York Post. The Nets, who don’t have control of their own first round draft pick until 2019, would seek two first round picks for Lopez, according to a recent report from Marc Stein of ESPN. Lewis confirms that asking price, but notes that Brooklyn isn’t actively looking to move the veteran center.
More from around the Atlantic Division:
- Nets coach Kenny Atkinson heaped praise upon Quincy Acy, who just received his second 10-day contract with the Nets, as Lewis detailed in his previously-linked piece. “[I’ve liked] his energy, toughness, he’s got good athleticism about him, he’s got aggressiveness about him,” Atkinson said. “Surprised at his shooting. I think he’s an improved shooter, from what I remember. Just watching him in practice shoot the ball, he’s more skilled than I thought.”
- Despite the Sixers‘ recent success, coach Brett Brown has shied away from the spotlight, Bob Cooney of Philly.com writes: “Brown, much like former general manager Sam Hinkie, the architect of ‘The Process,’ isn’t short-sighted. Seven wins in nine games is remarkable for this team at this time. Key words – at this time.”
- Joel Embiid, on the other hand, has embraced attention from Sixers fans, encouraging fans at the Wells Fargo Arena to chant “Trust The Process” even louder. Embiid is a big reason the Sixers are turning heads in a league dominated by guards, Sam Donnellon of Philly.com writes.
- Celtics coach Brad Stevens was critical of his team’s defense, claiming they were “just not good enough” in Wednesday’s loss to the Knicks, writes Steve Bulpett of The Boston Herald. As WEEI’s Logan Mullen notes, Boston will benefit immeasurably from Avery Bradley‘s return. Bradley, who will not participate in Saturday’s match-up against Portland, has had issues with Achilles soreness.
OG Anunoby To Undergo Knee Surgery, Out For Season
OG Anunoby, ESPN’s 17th-ranked overall prospect, will undergo right knee surgery and miss the remainder of the season, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical. Anunoby initially suffered the injury against Penn State on Wednesday, needing to be helped off the court by teammates. Indiana Hoosiers coach Tom Crean addressed the development through an online statement:
“It has been determined that OG Anunoby will undergo surgery on his right knee and will miss the remainder of the season. He is expected to make a complete recovery. For a young man, OG has a very strong faith and a courageous spirit. We are going to do everything as a basketball family to help him recover and rehabilitate from this unfortunate situation.”
A 6’8” wing with scoring ability, Anunoby was slated to be picked 10th in DraftExpress’ latest 2017 Mock Draft.
Anunoby announced he would forego the NBA draft in April of 2016, returning for his sophomore season at Indiana University. While Anunoby averaged just 13.7 minutes in his freshman year, the Missouri-native raised his profile this season, averaging 11.1 points on 56% shooting with 1.3 steals through 16 games.
Sixers Claim, Waive Mo Williams
5:13pm: The Sixers have waived Williams, according to Tom Moore of the Courier Times (Twitter link). This maneuver allows the team to add Randle to the roster without needing to clear an additional spot.
4:29pm: Mo Williams has been claimed off waivers by the Sixers, according to ESPN’s Marc Stein (Twitter link). The 76ers will have to clear a roster spot to accommodate Williams, as the team reportedly just re-signed Chasson Randle to a second 10-day contract as well. Adding both players would bring the roster count to 16, one over the 15-man limit.
The Sixers’ reasons for picking up Williams are financially motivated. The point guard’s $2.2MM cap hit will bring Philadelphia that much closer to the salary floor, but the team will only be on the hook for about half of that salary, since he has already been paid more than $1MM of it. Williams, who indicated in the fall that he would retire, has yet to appear in an NBA game this season.
This will be the third transaction Williams has been involved in since January 6th, when the well-traveled point guard was shipped to Atlanta in the Kyle Korver trade. Williams was then dealt to the Nuggets in exchange for the rights to 2005 draft pick Cenk Akyol. It remains to be seen whether Williams, who has suited up for seven different teams during his 13-year career, will return to the court with Philadelphia. Williams hasn’t filed his retirement papers, and underwent a surgical procedure on his left knee in October.
The Nuggets now have a vacant roster spot, which they may use to re-sign Alonzo Gee to a second 10-day contract. Gee, whose 10-day contract expired on Wednesday, has appeared in 10 games this season with Denver, scoring 11 points with 14 rebounds in that span. A 29-year-old veteran of six NBA teams, Gee averaged 22.4 MPG in 73 games with the Pelicans last season.
Sixers Re-Sign Chasson Randle To Second 10-Day
JANUARY 20: The Sixers have re-signed Randle to a second 10-day contract, tweets Jessica Camerato of CSNPhilly.com. The club has reportedly also claimed Mo Williams off waivers, so a corresponding move will be necessary to make it all official.
JANUARY 19: The Sixers will likely re-sign Chasson Randle to a second 10-day contract after his current one is set to expire, Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer reports (on Twitter). The Sixers first inked Randle to a 10-day pact on January 10th.
Randle has appeared in only two games for the Sixers. He played 16 minutes and scored 10 points with two rebounds in a win against the Bucks on January 16th. With Ben Simmons still out and the point guard position still in flux, the move to ink Randle to another deal makes sense. Randle’s shooting ability may earn him some additional playing time, too.
Randle, who went undrafted in 2015, appeared headed toward a roster spot with the Knicks in October, but was waived after suffering an orbital bone fracture. He joined the Westchester Knicks in the D-League as an affiliate player and has averaged 20.7 PPG through 19 contests. Randle was then one of a handful of point guards to audition for Philadelphia before earning a contract. At the time of the initial deal, the Sixers had an open spot on their 15-man roster after cutting Hollis Thompson.