Central Notes: Bogut, Portis, Carter-Williams
The Cavaliers bench is as deep as its been in 47 years of franchise history, Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com writes. The addition of Andrew Bogut, who signed Thursday and is scheduled to play Monday, gives the club an impressively qualified 11th man.
Though Vardon acknowledges that many coaches reduce their rotation to seven or eight players in the postseason, Cavaliers head coach Tyronn Lue will have every opportunity to keep his at nine or ten.
“You never know what can happen and now you always got those guys on the bench that are ready to play,” Lue said of the new Cavaliers. “They are veteran guys that can step up, been in big positions and are capable of making good plays in the playoffs. So, that’s always a luxury to have.”
There’s more from the Central Division:
- He didn’t demote Reggie Jackson to the bench but Pistons head coach Stan Van Gundy did tweak the minute distribution at the point guard position, MLive’s Aaron McMann reports. “The only thing we told [Jackson] was, he was going to go in shorter bursts and really pace himself,” Van Gundy said. “Push himself defensively and try and get the pace of the game up on offense. That’s all we talked about.”
- Head coach Fred Hoiberg spoke about some of the miscommunication issues he’s had with Bulls players like Bobby Portis and Michael Carter-Williams. Mark Strotman of CSN Chicago reports that Hoiberg sounded frustrated when questioned about the reported incidents.
- Released by the Heat mid-season, Derrick Williams has already found himself in a “perfect situation” in Cleveland, Marla Ridenour of the Akron Beacon Journal writes. Williams’ confidence is surging thanks to the support of his Cavaliers teammates. “When you’ve got guys like [LeBron James] telling you to shoot, the confidence just goes through the roof,” Williams said.
Pacific Notes: Temple, Labissiere, Crawford
For the first time since his January injury, Kings veteran Garrett Temple went full speed in practice. The 30-year-old has been cautious with the injury, Jonathan Santiago of Kings.com writes, but finally found himself comfortable enough to return to the court.
“I’ve been out longer than I guess expected just because I know that I wanted to make sure that I got it all the way right,” Temple said this week before suiting up for the Kings in Sunday’s contest. “The setback I had last time was during the first day of practice. So after I got through my first day of practice yesterday without any other effects – a nice long two-hour practice – it helped my confidence.”
In 49 contests for the Kings this season, Temple had posted 7.7 points and 2.7 rebounds per game.
There’s more out of the Pacific Division:
- Thrust into a larger role ever since the Kings traded DeMarcus Cousins, Sacramento big man Skal Labissiere has run with the opportunity. Shahbaz Khan of Kings.com spoke with the rookie about his experience during the 2010 earthquake in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.
- Though he’ll turn 37 years old this week, Clippers guard Jamal Crawford would like to play three or four more seasons, K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune reports. Crawford is averaging 12.3 points per game in his 17th season.
- The Warriors will need to re-adapt to life without Kevin Durant but Zaza Pachulia has made an effort to come to terms with it, Steve Aschburner of NBA.com writes. “If I did something on purpose or even if I had flopped, that probably would have made me feel worse,” Pachulia said, “But it wasn’t even a flop. I got pulled. I fell. Nobody had control over it.“
- The lawyer of Matt Barnes requested a court date that doesn’t coincide with the NBA Finals, Rebecca Rosenberg of the New York Post writes. Barnes recently signed with the reigning two-time Western Conference champion Warriors.
- The return of Chris Paul has thrown the Clippers bench into disarray, writes Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times. With Paul back in the starting five, Austin Rivers has had to slide back into the second unit. “Things like this happen,” backup center Marreese Speights said, “But we still got time to get it right before the playoffs. We’ll be all right.”
Atlantic Notes: Brown, Anderson, Nader
Now a vital part of a competitive Celtics rotation, Jaylen Brown is making a case for the Rookie of the Year award, writes A. Sherrod Blakely of CSN New England. The 20-year-old swingman has gradually improved over the course of his first campaign making modifications to his game along the way.
“It’s hard because most rookies who get Rookie of the Year are playing for bad teams,” Brown’s teammate Isaiah Thomas told reporters recently. “They play 35 minutes a game, take any shot [they] want. Bigger picture, it’s better for him to be on a playoff team, understand how to win games and he knows what he brings to the table. He’s a big part of what we got going. He definitely wants to win Rookie of the Year, but it’s hard going up against guys not really playing for nothing.”
Blakely adds that the media will have a refreshing choice when it comes time to submit their votes for the award. Rather than just choose which rookie is the most productive when it comes to filling the stat sheet, they’ll be able to factor in Brown’s impact on his team’s success.
There’s more out of the Atlantic Division:
- More than just a “throw in” in last months Nerlens Noel trade, Justin Anderson is a piece that could stick around in Philadelphia. In a recent podcast, Devon Given and Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer discuss, among other things, Anderson’s ability to play defense on the perimeter for the Sixers.
- The Raptors bench is starting to take shape, Mike Ganter of the Toronto Sun writes, and Delon Wright has done an admirable job filling in as the backup point guard while Cory Joseph shifts into Kyle Lowry‘s starting position.
- The trade that sent him from the Suns to the Celtics back in 2015 was “a Christmas gift”, says Isaiah Thomas. A. Sherrod Blakeley of CSN New England spoke with the point guard upon his return to Phoenix. Thomas performed well with the Suns but wasn’t even close to the MVP discussion that he now finds himself in with Boston.
- Despite being recently released by the Sixers, Knicks guard Chasson Randle understands that Philadelphia’s decision to let him go was based on numbers, writes Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Randle was released so that Philly could take on Andrew Bogut and Justin Anderson in the Nerlens Noel trade.
- When Knicks guard Lance Thomas sat for 14 games nursing a fractured orbital bone, it allowed a lingering foot injury to heal, Fred Kerber of the New York Post writes. “Indirectly, this fracture in my face has been a blessing to help give me time to get my feet back under me,” Thomas said.
- Second-round draft pick Abdel Nader could land a spot with the Celtics next season, Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe speculates. Nader has flourished in the D-League and is being touted as the third best prospect in the league.
Hoops Links: Murray, Maker, Barnes, Christmas
On Sundays, we link to some of the very best work from around the basketball blogosphere. Do you have a link to a great basketball blog post – either your own or someone else’s – that you want to see featured on Hoops Rumors? Send it to us at HoopsLinks@gmail.com. Here’s this week’s rundown:
- The Jump Ball discussed Joel Embiid‘s case for Rookie of the Year.
- Kwame Fisher-Jones of The 76er Files wrote about Philadelphia’s recovery from three straight sub-20 win seasons.
- Mike Cortez of Hardwood and Hollywood implored the Knicks to build through the draft rather than overspend on free agents.
- Daniel C. Lewis of Denver Stiffs thinks Jamal Murray should take home Rookie of the Year honors.
- Mitchell Maurer of Brew Hoop assesses Thon Maker‘s athletic potential.
- Tyler Birss of Hardwood and Hollywood chronicled Matt Barnes‘ history with the Warriors.
- Kings coach Dave Joerger is holding off on playing younger guys until they’re ready, Omer Khan of SacTown Royalty writes.
- Tim Wray of Behind the Buck Pass answered questions in his weekly mailbag.
- Josh Padmore of 8 Points, 9 Seconds took a look at Rakeem Christmas‘ impressive play of late.
Pelicans Sign Hollis Thompson To Second 10-Day Contract
2:48pm CST: The Pelicans officially announced the signing via Twitter (link).
12:07pm CST: The Pelicans are expected to give shooting guard Hollis Thompson a second 10-day contract when his first deal expires today, according to John Reid of The Times-Picayune.
Thompson is in the starting lineup for tonight’s game with the Lakers, so it’s reasonable to think that New Orleans plans to keep him around for a while. The Pelicans are short on wing players after shipping Tyreke Evans, Buddy Hield and Langston Galloway to the Kings in the DeMarcus Cousins trade.
They signed Thompson on February 23rd to help fill the void. He has appeared in five games since then, starting four, with averages of 4.6 points and 3.0 assists.
”I think he’s solid and we like our rotation with E’Twaun Moore coming off the bench because we have the ability to, if a guy got in quick foul trouble or something like that,” said Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry. ”We stuck Hollis out there to see if he would be OK. I think he’s been a pleasant surprise, really … moreso on the defense end, just being able to get to the right spot and things like that.”
Thompson started the season with the Sixers and played 31 games, but was released in early January before his salary became fully guaranteed. When his second 10-day contract with New Orleans expires, the Pelicans will have to either waive him or sign him for the remainder of the season.
NBA D-League Assignments/Recalls: 3/5/17
Here are the D-League transactions for Sunday:
- The Mavericks recalled A.J. Hammons and Nicolas Brussino from the Texas Legends, the team announced in a press release. Brussino recorded a double-double last night for the Legends, whereas Hammons recorded 11 rebounds over 23 minutes.
- The Kings recalled Georgios Papagiannis from the Reno Bighorns, Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee reports (Twitter link). Papagiannis has appeared in six NBA games this season.
- The Spurs assigned Davis Bertans and Dejounte Murray to the Austin Spurs, the team announced on its official website. Bertans and Murray will each be available for this afternoon’s match-up with the Salt Lake City Stars.
- The Pelicans recalled Cheick Diallo from the Greensboro Swarm, the team announced in a press release.
Southwest Notes: Parsons, Noel, Cousins, Davis
Chandler Parsons played in back-to-back games for the first time since signing with the Grizzlies this summer, writes Tim MacMahon of ESPN.com. The action came Friday and Saturday against his two former teams, the Mavericks and Rockets, and although he didn’t put up great numbers, Memphis was encouraged to have him on the court. Parsons has battled through a string of injuries since joining the Grizzlies on a four-year, $94MM deal last summer, appearing in just 32 games so far and averaging less than 20 minutes per night. “Look, I signed a four-year deal. I didn’t sign a one-year deal,” Parsons said. “The team expectations for me are to go very slow. It’s going to be a long process.”
There’s more from the Southwest Division:
- Nerlens Noel may be claiming the Mavericks‘ starting center spot sooner than expected, according to Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News. Noel made his first start Friday since joining the team and responded with 15 points and 17 rebounds in a win over the Grizzlies. “He did a good job, very active,” Carlisle said of his new big man. “It’s very difficult to outrebound this team and when you got a guy getting 17, that’s a big part of that. He did a very good job.”
- Many thought the Pelicans were a sure thing to grab the final playoff spot after acquiring DeMarcus Cousins, but they’re running out of time to make a postseason push, notes Jeff Duncan of The Times-Picayune. New Orleans was two and a half games behind Denver for the eighth spot in the West when it traded for Cousins on February 25th. Since then, the Pelicans are 1-4, with the only victory coming in a game where Cousins was suspended. They have fallen to 24-38, which puts them in 13th place, four games in back of the Nuggets. “It’s still a work in progress,” Cousins said after Friday’s loss to the Spurs.
- Cousins has adapted quickly to life in New Orleans, according to Justin Verrier of ESPN.com. He and Anthony Davis had a minus-11.9 net rating while sharing the court heading into Friday’s game, but individually they have the highest player efficiency ratings in the league since the All-Star break. Despite the struggles, Cousins has found no trouble settling into his new home. “He definitely embraced it all,” Davis said of Cousins’ experience on Fat Tuesday in New Orleans. “He kept telling me he was happy to be here.”
Knicks Notes: Jennings, Griffin, Hornacek, Porzingis
Brandon Jennings is still taking shots at the Knicks, even though he’s now in a Wizards uniform, relays Keely Diven of CSNMidAtlantic. After his first game for Washington on Friday, Jennings told reporters the change has been beneficial. “I’m in the same position I was in New York,” he said, “but just in a better system for me personally and with a team that actually plays together.” Jennings was never shy about criticizing the Knicks while he played there, perhaps surprised to see the inner turmoil in the organization after signing a one-year deal worth more than $4.8MM last summer. Jennings agreed to a buyout with New York and signed with the Wizards on Wednesday. He will be an unrestricted free agent again in July.
There’s more out of New York:
- Cavaliers GM David Griffin said the team agreed to take J.R. Smith from the Knicks in a 2015 trade involving Iman Shumpert so it wouldn’t have to surrender a first-round pick, tweets Howard Beck of Bleacher Report. Griffin recounted the deal Saturday at the Sloan Sports Analytics Conference. Smith and Shumpert both became contributors during the Cavs’ two trips to the NBA Finals, while the Knicks received Lance Thomas, Lou Amundson, Alex Kirk and a 2019 second-rounder.
- Coach Jeff Hornacek says defensive lapses, not the triangle offense, are behind the Knicks’ difficulties in closing out games, according to Al Iannazzone of Newsday. Several players have been pointing fingers at the triangle, with Carmelo Anthony saying after Friday’s loss to the Sixers that other teams adjust during the games, but the Knicks don’t. “When we get down, especially in fourth quarters, we want to run something that’s part of a system,” Hornacek said. “The triangle aspects is one of the systems that you can run that hopefully they can’t double, hopefully they can’t switch. It at least gets you organized in a set.”
- Phil Jackson’s attempts to trade Anthony and Derrick Rose before the deadline are evidence that the Knicks will eventually revolve around Kristaps Porzingis, Iannazzone writes in a separate story. He suggests that Porzingis should be made the focus of the offense now, even if it means fewer touches for Anthony.
Luol Deng’s Role Declining In L.A.
Eight months after signing a huge contract with the Lakers, there appears to be no role in L.A. for Luol Deng, writes Mark Medina of The Los Angeles Daily News.
Deng was on the inactive list Friday as the Lakers hosted the Celtics. Coach Luke Walton explained that he wants to get more court time for his younger players over the final month and a half of the season.
But part of the decision stems from Deng’s production. The 31-year-old small forward has averaged just 7.6 points per game and is shooting a career-worst 38.6% from the field. He was given a four-year, $72MM contract last July to be the team’s starting small forward. He held that role through his first 49 games, but his playing time for the rest of the season appears to be limited.
Deng, who still has three seasons and $54MM left on his deal, said he understands Walton’s decision to make him inactive.
“He wants the guys to be in situations where they learn and play minutes,” Deng said. “It’s always about what we’re trying to do. Why am I going to be on the bench if I’m not playing?”
Deng lost his starting spot to rookie Brandon Ingram about a month ago. His production plummeted in a reserve role, down to just 4.1 points and 21.3 minutes over seven games while shooting 27.8% from the field. Walton kept him on the bench for all of Tuesday’s game with Charlotte before deactivating him on Friday.
In addition to giving more playing time to the Lakers’ young core, Walton needs to evaluate Tyler Ennis, who was acquired from the Rockets last week, and David Nwaba, who is with the team on a 10-day contact. There has been no announcement on whether Deng will be in uniform for tonight’s game with the Pelicans.
“He wants to play the young guys, so I’m not going to play,” Deng said. “So there’s no point of being on the active roster and sit on the bench. He’s got to keep all the guys he’s going to play and evaluate.”
NBA D-League Assignments/Recalls: 3/4/17
Here are the D-League transactions for Saturday:
- The Mavericks sent center A.J. Hammons and swingman Nicolas Brussino to their Texas affiliate. Hammons has played 17 games for Dallas this season, averaging 1.4 points and 1.2 rebounds per night. Brussino has appeared in 39 games for the Mavericks, averaging 1.7 points and 1.2 rebounds.