Southwest Notes: Davis, Motiejunas, Bertans, Bonner
Anthony Davis won’t be leaving New Orleans until at least 2020, according to Steve Bulpett of The Boston Herald. The Celtics may dream of packaging their draft picks and young talent for an elite player, but Davis is apprently not an option. Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry made that clear when asked about the possibility before the two teams met Saturday night. “Let me tell you, I learned a long time ago — and this is my 28th year in the league — that you don’t trade great for good, no matter how many you get,” Gentry said. “Having one great player really makes your team better than having three good players. And they’ve proven that. … So we love what we have in him, and it’s just a matter of time. I think if we were healthy, you would see us be a better team anyway, and we’re getting to the point where we are healthy, and we’re playing better basketball.” Davis is in the first season of a five-year, $145MM extension he signed in 2015.
There’s more from the Southwest Division:
- After signing contracts with the Nets and Rockets last month, Donatas Motiejunas made his season debut Saturday with the Pelicans. He played 20 minutes in a reserve role and contributed 11 points and five rebounds. “He gave us some huge minutes,” Davis told Jim Eichenhofer of NBA.com. “He’s going to continue to get better and find his role in our system.” (Twitter link).
- With David Lee sidelined by knee problems, Spurs rookie Davis Bertans stepped in with a season-high 21 points in Saturday’s win over the Hornets, relays Jabari Young of The San Antonio Express-News. The Latvian power forward saw 18 minutes of playing time, which was his highest total in more than a month. “It’s basketball,” he said afterward. “I played for many years already. It’s just a regular basketball game.”
- Coach Gregg Popovich said he was moved by the retirement video posted by longtime Spur Matt Bonner, relays Jeff McDonald of The News-Express. The 12-year veteran spent the past 10 years of his career in San Antonio. “He was a special teammate for everybody,” Popovich said. “He always gave everything that he had every night, every practice. He was a consummate pro. And on top of that, obviously his personality and humor were very much appreciated by all of us. He was super and that’s why it’s great to keep him in the family.” Bonner will begin work as a pregame and postgame analyst on Spurs broadcasts.
Nuggets May Bring Back Alonzo Gee
The Nuggets may not be done with veteran swingman Alonzo Gee, who was waived Friday, according to Christopher Dempsey of The Denver Post.
Denver parted ways with Gee to avoid Saturday’s deadline that would have guaranteed his contract for the rest of the season. However, he could be brought back on a 10-day deal later in the year.
“We love Alonzo,” said Nuggets coach Michael Malone. “He was terrific. So that move by no means was an indication of how we feel about him. The front office made a move that going forward gives us flexibility.”
Gee has appeared in just 13 games for the Nuggets, averaging 0.8 points and 0.8 rebounds in 6.8 minutes per night. Denver signed him in November after he was waived by New Orleans. Gee has played for six franchises in his eight-year NBA career.
Heat Notes: Richardson, Dragic, Reed, Winslow
The Heat are starting to focus on the future as this season continues to unravel, writes Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe. Dwyane Wade‘s departure for Chicago and Chris Bosh‘s ongoing battle with blood clots robbed Miami of two huge talents. On top of that, second-year forward Justise Winslow is out for the year after shoulder surgery and veteran big man Josh McRoberts is sidelined indefinitely with a foot problem. While this appears to be a lost season, Miami is in position to rebuild quickly. At 11-27 and third in our Reverse Standings, the Heat will have a high draft pick this summer. The final two seasons of Bosh’s contract will probably be cleared away by a medical hardship, making Miami a player on the free agent market again. “It’s a competitive league and everybody wants to be that last team, but who has a coherent plan? Who’s committed to that plan? Who’s disciplined for that plan when there’s a lot of noise and it’s not necessarily getting the results that you want?” said coach Eric Spoelstra. “We’re able to see great promise, hope, and progress with this team. If you know anything about our organization, we have a plan.”
There’s more news out of Miami:
- An MRI performed Saturday on guard Josh Richardson‘s left ankle was negative and he is listed as day-to-day, according to Manny Navarro of The Miami Herald. Center Hassan Whiteside, who has missed four games with a bruised retina, is expected back today.
- Willie Reed made an impression on Spoelstra with his play during Whiteside’s absence, Navarro writes in the same piece. The performance of the second-year center, who signed with Miami over the summer, “definitely earned him more minutes, more opportunities,” Spoelstra said.
- If the Heat are able to get two draft picks for point guard Goran Dragic, one may come well in the future, speculates Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel. A scout told Winderman the Heat are unlikely to get a pick anywhere near the top of this year’s lottery by dealing Dragic.
- Miami shouldn’t hesitate to pick up Winslow’s $3.5 million rookie-scale salary for 2018-19, Winderman argues in a separate column. He notes that Winslow, the 10th pick in the 2015 draft, will only be 21 when training camp opens, and although he is coming off a poor shooting season he can contribute as a rebounder, defender and playmaker.
Chasson Randle To Work Out For Sixers
10:45am: Randle’s workout will be held Monday and he will be part of a group, tweets Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Joining him will be point guards Briante Weber, Yogi Ferrell and Cat Barber.
8:52am: Point guard Chasson Randle, who nearly won a roster spot with the Knicks in the preseason, will work out for the Sixers today, reports Marc Berman of The New York Post.
The decision comes a day after Ron Baker solidified the third point guard spot in New York when his contract became guaranteed for the remainder of the season.
Randle appeared headed toward a roster spot 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 points through 19 games.
The Knicks told Randle he might be re-signed this month now that teams are permitted to begin issuing 10-day contracts, according to Berman, who speculates that Marshall Plumlee or Maurice Ndour would be waived if that happens.
But before the Knicks get a chance, Randle might wind up with the Sixers, who are short on point guards after Jerryd Bayless was lost for the season with torn ligaments in his left wrist. They have been relying on T.J. McConnell, who had 17 assists Friday, and Sergio Rodriguez to handle the position. Philadelphia has an open roster spot after waiving Hollis Thompson on Wednesday.
Randle’s options in New York appear limited as Baker keeps impressing Knicks officials. Coach Jeff Hornacek compared Baker to himself as a guard who’s not flashy but knows how to get the ball to the right player.
“At the beginning of the year, I had a meeting with Jeff and he had mentioned something about January,’’ Baker said. “If I stayed on the right path as I did in preseason, I’ll be fine. I wasn’t concerned after that meeting, but I’m trying to keep improving obviously.’’
Atlantic Notes: Dinwiddie, LeVert, Millsap, Smart
The Nets have liked their early returns on Spencer Dinwiddie enough to guarantee his contract for the rest of the season, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Brooklyn signed the third-year guard last month to a three-year deal with a partial guarantee. He has responded by averaging 5.5 points and 1.8 assists through 12 games and earning a spot in the rotation. He made his first start with the team, and just the second of his NBA career, on Friday. After being traded by the Pistons in June and waived twice by the Bulls during the offseason, Dinwiddie likes the prospect of having a shot at stability. “They say bet on yourself,” Dinwiddie posted Saturday on his Instagram account. “Sometimes in the face of adversity you have to double down. Thank you to the Nets organization. Happy to have a home.”
There’s more from the Atlantic Division:
- Rookie guard Caris LeVert appears to be another gamble that’s paying off, Lewis states in a separate piece. In just his 15th NBA game, LeVert scored 19 points and was a team-best plus-10 against the champion Cavaliers on Friday. The Nets have been happy with the progress of LeVert, who slipped to 20th in the draft after his college career was cut short by a foot injury. “We saw a glimpse of who he can be, who we project him to be,” said coach Kenny Atkinson. “The defensive part of it is obviously the most important, especially on that wing position. We can throw him out there against the Paul Georges and the LeBrons [James], and he did a pretty decent job. The offensive part was a bonus.”
- The Celtics might be interested in Hawks forward Paul Millsap, but only if he guarantees not to opt out of the final year of his contract, according to Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe. Atlanta is reportedly listening to offers for the 31-year-old power forward and wants a “quality” draft pick in return. Millsap can opt out of his nearly $21.5MM salary for next season and become a free agent this summer. Washburn speculates that any deal would involve one of the Nets‘ picks that Boston owns plus Amir Johnson and another starter to match salaries. A trade would reunite Millsap with Al Horford, but it would push Horford to center, where he would prefer not to play.
- Celtics guard Marcus Smart is emerging as more than just a defensive force, writes ESPN’s Chris Forsberg. Boston has already exercised its 2017/18 option on the 22-year-old.
Pacific Notes: Barnes, Paul, Warriors, Kerr
Matt Barnes has become a veteran leader since signing with the Kings in July, but he entered free agency expecting to return to the Clippers, relays Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe. Barnes spent three years with the Clippers before being traded to Charlotte after the 2014/15 season. Ten days later, he was shipped to Memphis in another deal. Even though coach Doc Rivers opted to get rid of him, Barnes was expecting a reunion this summer. “I thought it was a done deal, I was going to the Clippers,” Barnes said. “The day before I was supposed to meet with Doc, they decided to go in another direction with Wesley Johnson. That was obviously my first choice at the time, to be close to my kids. Golden State was always a choice; they just didn’t have very much money. I’ve always been the guy to take less money to play on a better team, but the price gap was too far on this one.”
There’s more from the Pacific Division:
- Chris Paul‘s return has boosted the Clippers‘ confidence as they try to fight back from their recent six-game losing streak, writes Broderick Turner of The Los Angeles Times. Paul believes he is finally over the left hamstring problems that sidelined him for seven of the past eight games. “I want to hoop, regardless,” Paul said. “But the toughest thing is when you can’t. Ain’t no point coming out there and not being you and hurt the team.”
- Friday’s meltdown against the Grizzlies is part of an ongoing problem for the Warriors, writes Anthony Slater of The San Jose Mercury News. Even with a 31-6 record, Golden State has been outscored by 15 points this season in the fourth quarter and overtime. The Warriors have played 38 clutch minutes since December began and have been outscored by 21 points. “We’re not used to these fourth quarter struggles,” said coach Steve Kerr. “We’ve really closed teams well the last couple years. So it feels different. It feels weird.”
- Kerr has a lot of work ahead to turn a wealth of talent into a “super team” in time for the playoffs, contends Marcus Thompson II of The Mercury News. Thompson argues that the free agent signing of Kevin Durant disrupted team chemistry and says Kerr has three months to restore it.
NBA D-League Assignments/Recalls: 1/7/17
Here are the D-League assignments and recalls from Saturday:
10:11pm:
- The Bulls have recalled forward Bobby Portis from their Windy City affiliate, the team announced in a press release. Portis had 32 points and nine rebounds in Friday’s game.
- The Spurs have recalled rookie guard Dejounte Murray from their affiliate in Austin, the team posted on its website. Murray is coming off a 25-point performance Friday and is averaging 16.6 points per game in 12 D-League contests. He has played 18 games for San Antonio, getting 5.6 minutes per night.
- The Pacers have recalled Georges Niang from their Fort Wayne affiliate, according to the team’s website. He connected on five 3-pointers and scored 23 points in his last game for the Mad Ants.
2:07pm:
- The Suns have recalled Derrick Jones Jr., according to a team-issued press release. Jones comes off of his fourth assignment to the club’s D-League affiliate this season.
- The Lakers have assigned center Ivica Zubac to the D-League, reports Brad Turner of the Los Angeles Times via a team press release. Zubac has already played 11 games for the team’s affiliate, averaging 15.9 points and 9.4 rebounds per game.
- The Nuggets have recalled Juan Hernangomez from their D-League affiliate, the team announced in a press release. Hernangomez appeared in just one game for the Sioux Falls Skyforce.
11:30am:
- The Sixers have reassigned Richaun Holmes to their D-League affiliate, according to Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Holmes, who hasn’t played since mid-December, was recalled from the Delaware 87ers on Thursday morning.
- The Thunder have recalled guard Cameron Payne, the team announced on Twitter. The second year man will look to make his season debut after missing the first two months with a broken foot.
And-Ones: Austin, Facebook, Postponement, Oriakhi
Former Baylor standout Isaiah Austin, whose NBA dreams were derailed by health problems, has signed his first professional contract, tweets international journalist David Pick. Austin will join Red Star Belgrade affiliate FMP in the Adriatic League. He was considered to be a late first-round pick in the 2014 NBA draft before being diagnosed with Marfan syndrome. Austin received medical clearance to play again in late November. “He was told he’d never get a chance to play again, so he’s thrilled to get on the court,” said Austin’s agent, Dwon Clifton. “His talent is there; he hasn’t lost it; he loves the game.” (Twitter link).
There’s more basketball news to pass on tonight:
- The NBA is preparing to stream its first game on Facebook, although it will only be available in India, the league announced on its website. The Kings will host the Warriors Sunday in the team’s fourth annual Bollywood Night, which features a celebration of Indian culture. It will be streamed to India on the Facebook pages of the NBA and both teams. “We are always looking for ways to utilize technology for opportunities to connect with our diverse group of fans throughout the world and are thrilled to engage with our followers in India tomorrow night,” said Warriors president and chief operating officer Rick Welts.
- Tonight’s game between the Pistons and Trail Blazers was postponed because of severe weather conditions in Portland, according to a league statement. It will be made up Sunday night.
- Alex Oriakhi, whose rights are owned by the Kings, has signed to play in Mexico, relays Emiliano Carchia of Sportando. The 6’9″ forward began the season in Turkey. His rights were acquired in the 2014 deal that sent Isaiah Thomas to Phoenix.
Players Whose Contracts Became Guaranteed Today
Technically, all NBA contracts don’t become guaranteed until January 10th, but teams that planned to release players without fully guaranteed deals had to do so by 5 pm Eastern today to give them time to clear waivers before the deadline.
Minnesota’s John Lucas III and Orlando’s Arinze Onuaku were the last two players to be waived, but the vast majority of players who were waiting out the deadline received good news. Notable players with newly guaranteed contracts include DeAndre Liggins, who has become a starter in Cleveland, Dorian Finney-Smith, one of the few pleasant surprises of a down season in Dallas, 37-year-old Metta World Peace, who many observers thought might be done with the Lakers, and Ron Baker, who closed out Friday’s win for the Knicks in place of Derrick Rose and Brandon Jennings.
Here’s the complete list by team:
Atlanta Hawks
Boston Celtics
- None
Brooklyn Nets
Charlotte Hornets
Chicago Bulls
Cleveland Cavaliers
Dallas Mavericks
Denver Nuggets
- None
Detroit Pistons
- None
Golden State Warriors
Houston Rockets
Indiana Pacers
- None
Los Angeles Clippers
- None
Los Angeles Lakers
Memphis Grizzlies
Miami Heat
Milwaukee Bucks
- None
Minnesota Timberwolves
- None
New Orleans Pelicans
- None
New York Knicks
Oklahoma City Thunder
Orlando Magic
Philadelphia 76ers
Phoenix Suns
Portland Trail Blazers
Sacramento Kings
San Antonio Spurs
Toronto Raptors
Utah Jazz
Washington Wizards
Salary information from Basketball Insiders was used in the creation of this post.
Hawks Ponder Next Move With Mo Williams
Mo Williams was traded from the Cavaliers to the Hawks today, but he won’t be reporting to Atlanta, writes Chris Vivlamore of The Journal Constitution.
The 34-year-old guard is officially retired, but because he has a $2.2MM guaranteed deal, Cleveland kept him on its roster, presumably with the idea of trading his salary if the opportunity arose. He underwent surgery on his left leg in October to remove bone spurs from the joint of the tibia and fibula and hasn’t tried to pursue a comeback.
Vivlamore states that the Hawks haven’t decided whether to try to trade Williams or to open a roster spot by waiving him and paying the balance of his contract.
“All those things we are working through as we speak,” said Hawks coach Mike Budenholzer. “No decisions have been made, in any direction, as far as timing on that.”
Williams played 41 games for the Cavaliers last season, averaging 8.2 points and 2.4 assists per night. He appeared in 13 playoff games during Cleveland’s run to the title, but averaged just 5.2 minutes per contest.