Atlantic Notes: Raptors, Lowry, Embiid, Celtics
Newly-added Raptors Serge Ibaka and P.J. Tucker will add much-needed veteran leadership to the team in Kyle Lowry‘s absence, writes Doug Smith of The Toronto Star. Of course, Lowry, who underwent successful wrist surgery on Tuesday (Twitter link), doesn’t plan to sit by idly while he gets healthy. As Smith details in another piece for The Star, the veteran point guard is giving plenty of input to his coaches and teammates while he’s sidelined.
Here’s more from around the Atlantic division:
- In the wake of the Sixers‘ announcement that Joel Embiid is out for the season, Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical (video link) examines a tricky contract situation for the Sixers and Embiid, who will be eligible for an extension this offseason. Meanwhile, head coach Brett Brown weighs in with his thoughts on Embiid’s rookie season and an interesting Rookie of the Year race (link via Brian Seltzer of Sixers.com).
- Despite season-ending injuries to Embiid and Ben Simmons, the future is still bright for the Sixers, thanks to former GM Sam Hinkie, says Chris Mannix of The Vertical.
- As Isaiah Thomas explains to Michael Lee of The Vertical, Thomas and his Celtics teammates weren’t counting on the team adding major reinforcements at the trade deadline and are very comfortable moving forward with the current group. “We were ready to go to war with the guys in this locker room,” Thomas said. “There is no other way. We understand that and we’ve got the utmost confidence in each other to keep going.”
- Having been sent from Toronto to Orlando in a trade last month, Terrence Ross pens a farewell to the Raptors at The Players’ Tribune.
Warriors Sign Matt Barnes
MARCH 2: The Warriors have officially signed Barnes to fill their 15th and final roster spot, the club announced today in a press release.
MARCH 1: The Warriors intend to sign free agent forward Matt Barnes to a contract, sources tell ESPN’s Marc Stein and Chris Haynes (Twitter link). Barnes will fill the 15th slot on Golden State’s roster and will receive a rest-of-season contract rather than a 10-day deal, per Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.com (via Twitter).
Jose Calderon, who will clear waivers on Wednesday, had been set to sign with the Warriors, having reached an agreement with the team over the weekend. As Stein explains (via Twitter), Golden State still plans to sign Calderon as promised. However, the team will then waive him in order to sign Barnes.
The Dubs’ change of direction – from Calderon to Barnes – comes on the heels of Kevin Durant leaving Tuesday night’s game against the Wizards with a hyperextended left knee. The severity of that injury won’t be confirmed until Durant undergoes an MRI, but the fact that the Warriors are adding Barnes suggests that the club may view the injury as more than just a day-to-day issue.
Barnes, who will turn 37 next Thursday, signed a two-year deal with the Kings last summer and appeared in 54 games for the team this season. In 25.3 minutes per contest, Barnes recorded 7.6 PPG, 5.5 RPG, and 2.8 APG. However, he lost his roster spot last week when Sacramento needed to cut a player in order to complete the DeMarcus Cousins trade. The Kings waived Barnes despite the fact that he had a $6.4MM player option for 2017/18.
Barnes, a Warrior from 2006 to 2008, will come with some baggage as he begins his second stint in Golden State. The UCLA product was allegedly involved in an altercation at a Chelsea nightclub in early December, and was recently booked for misdemeanor assault. He’ll have to appear in a Manhattan courtroom at a later date as a result of the charge.
Because he was waived prior to March 1, Barnes will be playoff-eligible for Golden State. Calderon will also retain his postseason eligibility as long as he’s signed and waived by the Warriors before the end of the day on Wednesday.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Checking In On 2017’s 10-Day Contracts
So far this season, 26 players have signed at least one 10-day contract with an NBA team. Some players who have received 10-day deals, such as David Nwaba, had never appeared in a regular season game before getting their shot on a short-term contract. Others, like Toney Douglas, are proven veterans who have used 10-day contracts to show that they still have something to offer an NBA club.
Our 10-day tracker provides several interesting details about the short-term contracts signed by NBA players so far this year, so let’s dive in and take a closer look…
Players who have turned 10-day contracts into full-season deals:
- Quincy Acy (Nets)
- Joel Anthony (Spurs)
- Toney Douglas (Grizzlies)
- Yogi Ferrell (Mavericks)
- Ronnie Price (Suns)
- Okaro White (Heat)
Of the players on the list above, who turned 10-day auditions into full-season commitments, Ferrell was the only player who signed just one 10-day contract before inking a rest-of-season deal. The others signed two 10-day contracts before being locked up for the season.
Of course, in Ferrell’s case, the Mavs certainly must have been sold on his potential before his first 10-day pact expired — he scored in the double digits in all but one game during that stretch, including a 32-point outburst in Portland.
Chasson Randle (Sixers) and Lamar Patterson (Hawks) also earned full-season contracts from their teams after a pair of 10-day deals, but have since been waived. Meanwhile, Derrick Williams (Cavaliers) is on track to remain with Cleveland for the rest of the season once his second 10-day contract expires.
Players who have signed 10-day contracts with more than one team:
- Johnny O’Bryant (two with Nuggets, one with Hornets)
- Briante Weber (two with Warriors, one with Hornets)
Interestingly, both players that have signed 10-day contracts with two separate teams are currently with the Hornets. That may just be a coincidence, but it’s also very possible that the Hornets scouted O’Bryant and Weber during their 20-day stints in Denver and Golden State respectively, and liked what they saw enough to roll the dice on the duo themselves.
Although players can only sign up to two 10-day deals with the same team, there’s no limit to the number of teams they can join. O’Bryant and Weber could theoretically sign 10-day contracts with a couple more clubs before season’s end.
Teams that have used 10-day contracts the most this season:
- Charlotte Hornets (4 players, 6 contracts)
- Dallas Mavericks (4 players, 5 contracts)
- New Orleans Pelicans (3 players, 3 contracts)
The Hornets have auditioned four players on short-term deals and have yet to find a keeper — none of their 10-day signings have turned into full-season contracts. The Mavericks found a guy they liked in Ferrell and continue to look at other young players. As for the Pelicans, they didn’t sign any 10-day deals until after the DeMarcus Cousins trade — now they’re carrying three at once as they attempt to identify guards that can help the club make a push for a playoff spot.
Players currently on 10-day contracts:
- Derrick Williams (Cavaliers): Expires at end of day on March 3.
- Hollis Thompson (Pelicans): Expires at end of day on March 4.
- Johnny O’Bryant (Hornets): Expires at end of day on March 5.
- Jarrett Jack (Pelicans): Expires at end of day on March 5.
- Reggie Williams (Pelicans): Expires at end of day on March 6.
- Axel Toupane (Bucks): Expires at end of day on March 6.
- Quinn Cook (Mavericks): Expires at end of day on March 7.
- Ben Bentil (Mavericks): Expires at end of day on March 7.
- Briante Weber (Hornets): Expires at end of day on March 8.
- David Nwaba (Lakers): Expires at end of day on March 9.
Williams, who is on his second 10-day contract, will be re-signed for the rest of the season, but the other players on this list are on their first 10-day deals of the season. So if they’re re-signed by their current teams, they’ll likely get a second 10-day deal before receiving a full-season commitment.
Wizards Notes: House, Jennings, Morris, Porter
When Wednesday reports suggested that Trey Burke hadn’t traveled with the Wizards to Toronto due to a personal matter, it looked to some as a signal that Burke would be the player waived to make room on the roster for Brandon Jennings. However, the club ultimately cut Danuel House instead, and J. Michael explains why in a piece for CSNMidAtlantic.
As Michael outlines, the Wizards are looking for pieces that will help them win now, which is why it makes sense to part with an unproven rookie in favor of a veteran contributor. Washington only has so much room on its roster for developmental projects, and Daniel Ochefu, Chris McCullough, and Sheldon Mac also fit that bill. Plus, as Michael observes, the Wizards should have a shot to re-sign House in the summer when they have roster spots open if they want to give him another shot.
Here’s more on the Wizards, who are coming off an impressive road win in Toronto:
- Having added Bojan Bogdanovic last week, head coach Scott Brooks and the Wizards will have to incorporate another new player into their lineup in Jennings, writes Chase Hughes of CSNMidAtlantic.com. “There is definitely going to be an adjustment,” Brooks said. “Everybody is going to have to stay ready and everybody is going to have to just focus on playing their minutes hard and for the team.” Brooks also weighed in on the release of House, suggesting that the young guard “has a bright future” and that it was “tough to see him go.”
- Markieff Morris was fined $25K earlier this week for throwing the ball at a game official and into the stands, the league announced in a press release (Twitter link via J. Michael).
- Is Otto Porter a leading candidate to win the NBA’s Most Improved Player award this spring? Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today examines.
- Bobby Marks of The Vertical (Twitter links) takes a closer look at the particulars of Jennings’ new $1.2MM deal with the Wizards, including how it will affect the Knicks.
Pacific Notes: Williams, Nwaba, Watson, Evans
The Lakers need to find a new crunch-time scorer after last week’s trade that sent Lou Williams to the Rockets, writes Mark Medina of The Orange County Register. Williams inherited the job after Kobe Bryant retired, but there’s no clear favorite to take his place. D’Angelo Russell has been productive since Williams left, averaging 23.3 points in the past three games, and he made two 3-pointers in the final minute of Tuesday’s loss to Charlotte. “They still have a problem with scoring down the stretch. As a team, they’ll have to figure out who is their go-to guy,” Williams said. “A few of them have it. But it’s a matter of collectively who they’re going to put the ball in whoever’s hands and live with that guy.”
There’s more tonight from the Pacific Division:
- David Nwaba made a positive impression in his first game as a Laker, relays Joey Ramirez of NBA.com. Last fall, Nwaba landed a spot with the Lakers’ D-League affiliate at a tryout, and he signed a 10-day contract on Tuesday. Nwaba, who comes to the NBA with a strong defensive reputation, saw five minutes of playing time late in Tuesday’s game. “It was a good experience,” he said. “I took the challenge. I wasn’t afraid of the challenge. I’m just trying to showcase my skills on the defensive end. I think I did an OK job about it.”
- Suns coach Earl Watson believes his team is in need of a tough guy to watch out for its scorers, according to ESPN.com. Watson was angry after Tuesday’s loss in Memphis, particularly about an elbow from Vince Carter that knocked down Devin Booker. Carter was ejected, but Watson said the incident changed the momentum of the game and highlighted the Suns’ need for an enforcer. “We have to find someone in free agency or the first chance we get who can protect our top offensive players,” he said.
- Kings guard Tyreke Evans is excited to be back in Sacramento, where he won Rookie of the Year honors seven years ago, writes Shahbaz Khan of NBA.com. Evans, who was part of the deal that sent DeMarcus Cousins to the Pelicans, says he has become a different type of player. “I’m more mature now,” he said. “Now, it’s about me knowing how to make the right play and I think that I’ve gotten better at that.”
Knicks Notes: Anthony, Jackson, Rose, Porzingis
Carmelo Anthony wants another face-to-face meeting with Knicks president Phil Jackson after the season, according to Fred Kerber of The New York Post. Anthony is seeking clarity on his future in New York after the team reportedly discussed trading him to the Celtics, Cavaliers or Clippers before last week’s deadline. Any of those deals would have required Anthony to waive his no-trade clause.
Anthony wants to address the rest of this season before discussing his next move. “I don’t think right now,” he said. “Right now we’ve got to sit down and kind of finish these games and go back down to the drawing board after this season.”
There’s more news out of New York:
- Anthony wasn’t notified before Brandon Jennings was waived on Monday, but said he understands not being part of every personnel decision, Kerber relays in the same piece. Jennings had requested the move and agreed to a buyout so he could join a contender. He signed with the Wizards earlier today. “As players we don’t really know what happens behind closed doors unless they bring it to us,” Anthony said. “That wasn’t something that they brought to us.”
- Derrick Rose‘s desire to play for a winner will affect his decisions in free agency this summer, writes Marc Berman of The New York Post. Rose plans to address that topic with Knicks management during his exit meeting. “We had extremely high expectations for this team,” Rose said. “The reality is, I can’t get mad at it. If anything it’s a learning experience. I have to learn from it.’’ Rose can sign an extension with New York before the start of free agency July 1st, but the team has been disappointed with his performance since last summer’s trade with Chicago and may not want to make a long-term commitment.
- Coach Jeff Hornacek has incorporated Jackson’s triangle offense more frequently as the season wears on, and big man Kristaps Porzingis believes that’s the right approach, Berman writes in a separate story. “We should’ve been playing it from the beginning of the season,’’ Porzingis said. “We’re a little behind. I don’t know when we can finally start using it properly and making an impact.”
Trail Blazers’ Ed Davis Out For Season
Portland center/power forward Ed Davis will undergo shoulder surgery and will be sidelined for the remainder of the season, tweets Chris Mannix of the Vertical.
The procedure will fix an injured labrum in his left shoulder. It will be performed Tuesday in Los Angeles, according to radio station KXL-FM in Portland. A Blazers spokesman says says Davis first hurt the shoulder last season and it has gotten steadily worse since then.
Davis appeared in 46 games this season, averaging 4.3 points and 5.3 rebounds per night. He has one year left on his contract worth more than $6.35MM.
Community Shootaround: Rookie Of The Year
The Sixers announced today that center Joel Embiid will miss the remainder of the season. The good news is that the bone bruise and meniscus tear in his left knee are not related to the foot problems that robbed him of his first two NBA seasons. Embiid should be fully recovered well before the start of training camp.
The announcement signals an end to a rookie season that saw Embiid establish himself as one of the league’s best big men. His impressive numbers included 20.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game with a restriction that limited him to about 25 minutes per night. Adjust those numbers to 36 minutes and they turn into 28.7 points, 11.1 rebounds and 3.5 blocks, which would have him squarely in the race for MVP.
But the number that might cost Embiid the Rookie of the Year trophy is 31, which is how many games he was able to play. Voters will have to decide if a player can earn a major award in just 38% of a season. Patrick Ewing holds the record low among ROY winners with 50 games in 1985-86 and Bill Walton was named MVP in 1977-78 despite playing just 58 times, so voters have a history of forgiving injuries when players are dominant.
Embiid’s major competitor for Rookie of the Year honors is Milwaukee’s Malcolm Brogdon, who averages 9.7 points, 2.6 rebounds and 4.2 assists through 58 games. He has become an important part of the Bucks’ rotation, but his stats don’t begin to match Embiid’s. Others who might be considered include Sixers forward Dario Saric and Lakers forward Brandon Ingram.
So how would you vote? Are 31 games of brilliance enough for Embiid to win the trophy? Or should the voters value quantity as much as quality?
Please share your thoughts in the comments section below. We look forward to what you have to say.
Warriors Sign, Release Jose Calderon
7:13 p.m.: Golden State has officially released Calderon, the team tweeted.
5:28pm: The Warriors have signed former Laker Jose Calderon, filling a promise to the veteran point guard, but he’s not expected to be with the team by the end of the day.
Golden State tweeted an announcement about the signing, which it pledged to Calderon when he agreed to a buyout with L.A. on Monday. However, after Kevin Durant suffered a knee injury Tuesday night that may keep him out for the rest of the season, the Warriors felt they needed a bigger player to take his place, so that roster spot will eventually go to Matt Barnes.
Golden State will waive Calderon later today to allow him to sign with another organization and still be eligible for the postseason. He will receive the guaranteed rest-of-the-season contract that he was originally promised and will go back on waivers for 48 hours. The Hawks are reportedly among the teams interested in signing Calderon once he clears waivers again.
Cavaliers Notes: McRae, Bogut, Dellavedova, Williams
Second-year guard Jordan McRae expressed no bitterness on his way out the door after being waived today, relays Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com. He was released to open a roster spot for the signing of free agent center Andrew Bogut. McRae appeared in 37 games for the Cavs this season, starting four, but was only playing about 10 minutes per night. He will receive all of his nearly $1.15MM salary. “All smiles here,” McRae posted on his Instagram account. “Not a bad thing to say about any player or anybody that has anything to do with this organization. I’m proud to say I am a part of Cleveland’s first-ever NBA championship. The memories I will take with me for the rest of my life. Best of luck to this great group of guys, brothers for life love you guys. Thanks Cleveland.”
There’s more tonight out of Cleveland: