Pacific Notes: Ennis, Joerger, Cauley-Stein, Griffin
Tyler Ennis believes he has found a home with the Lakers and wants to remain there past this season, writes Mark Medina of The Los Angeles Daily News. Ennis was shipped from Houston to L.A. at the trade deadline and quickly got an opportunity to play that he never received with the Rockets. His minutes more than doubled after the deal, going from 6.3 per game to 15.9, and he is putting up career-high numbers in scoring and shooting percentage.
The Lakers are the fourth NBA stop for Ennis, who was taken by the Suns with the 18th pick in 2014. After eight games in Phoenix, he was traded to the Bucks in 2015, then to the Rockets in September. “Anytime you go through the journey I’ve been through so far in the league and then have an opportunity to play and have people welcome me with open arms, that’s something you want to stay with,” Ennis said of his plans in free agency. “Obviously there’s a lot going on, but if the opportunity to stay is there, they’ll definitely be at the top of the list.”
There’s more news from the Pacific Division:
- Kings coach Dave Joerger doesn’t like suggestions that the Kings have been tanking since trading DeMarcus Cousins, relays Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee. Sacramento quickly dropped out of the playoff race after that deal at the All-Star break as the team devoted more playing time to younger players. However, Joerger insists the Kings are building for the future, not maximizing their draft pick. “I think what we’ve already done is establish what we want to be about,” he said. “There’s no tanking going on here. We’re playing hard, guys that are in the rotation are playing hard and they’re getting better.”
- One of the beneficiaries of the Cousins trade has been Willie Cauley-Stein, who has become the Kings‘ starting center. In an interview posted on the Sacramento Bee website, Cauley-Stein told reporters after Friday’s game that he plans to do Navy SEAL training over the summer in preparation for next season.
- Clippers star Blake Griffin has been putting up huge numbers as the team battles for home court advantage in the first round, writes Bill Oram of the Orange County Register. Griffin’s performance since returning from mid-December knee surgery will remind teams of his value as he heads toward free agency. “We keep forgetting Blake missed a huge part of the season,” said coach Doc Rivers, “and you don’t miss that part of the season and just come back and start playing well. It takes time, I think he’s comfortable now, he’s comfortable with his body. So he’s getting ready. It’s good. I like the timing.”
Pelicans Sign Quinn Cook To Two-Year Deal
4:08pm: The signing is official, the Pelicans announced on their website.
9:14am: The Pelicans will sign Quinn Cook to a two-year deal, Chris Haynes of ESPN tweets. The signing comes after the guard played out a second 10-day contract with the franchise.
In six games with the Pels, Cook has averaged just 2.7 points in 6.0 minutes per game but this latest stint with the franchise isn’t the undrafted rookie’s first in New Orleans. In September, Cook was signed by the team but ultimately released prior to the start of the regular season.
The 24-year-old had previously inked a 10-day contract with the Mavericks in February.
Earlier this week, Oleh Kosel of SB Nation’s The Bird Writes blog, wrote about how Cook could fill a role with the Pelicans similar to Patty Mills‘ with the Spurs.
Week In Review: 4/1/17 – 4/8/17
As the playoffs creep ever closer, the highlights of this April week are the returns of several prominent players to playoff-bound contenders. The week also saw a number of younger players audition on short-term contracts and, ahem, the announcement of an NFL Pro Bowler’s NBA debut. Seriously. April Fools’ Day was last week.
Transactions
- The Bucks released forward Terrence Jones.
- The Magic released guard C.J. Wilcox.
- The Nets signed guard Archie Goodwin.
- The Pelicans signed guard Quinn Cook.
- The Bucks signed guard Gary Payton II.
- The Sixers signed forward Alex Poythress.
- The Magic signed forward Marcus Georges-Hunt.
- The Pelicans signed forward Axel Toupane.
- The Magic signed guard Patricio Garino.
Injuries
- After a 19-game absence, Kevin Durant is returning for the Warriors.
- After a 21-game absence, Kyle Lowry is returned for the Raptors.
- After an 11-game absence, Dwyane Wade is returning for the Bulls.
- A torn meniscus will sideline Knicks guard Derrick Rose for the remainder of the season.
- A broken hand will keep Rockets forward Sam Dekker out of action for 3-4 weeks.
News
- The NBA projected that there will be a $101MM salary cap in 2017/18.
- The Mavs will make Tony Romo a “Maverick for a Day“, whatever that means. He’s not expected to play in the team’s home finale Tuesday (but we can hope).
- Former Knicks star Patrick Ewing has been hired to coach at the Georgetown University, his alma matter.
- Forward LeBron James supports the idea of the Cavaliers extending general manager David Griffin.
- The Sixers were granted an injury exception (which they used to sign Alex Poythress)
- The Lakers shut down guard Nick Young for the remainder of the season.
- The Pistons likely shut down guard Reggie Jackson for the rest of the season.
Rumors
- The Knicks are interested in retaining Ron Baker, who is set to hit restricted free agency this summer.
- The Mavericks will be looking for a pass-first point guard in the offseason.
- General manager Rob Hennigan insists that the “leaked white board” photo does not hint at Magic‘s offseason plans.
Atlantic Notes: Lopez, Rodriguez, Saric
Make no mistake, Brook Lopez has carved out a legacy with Nets, that’s the result of nine years of consistent production Filip Bondy of the New York Times writes. In nearly a decade with the franchise, Lopez has played in two states with 109 different teammates and is now closing in on the franchise scoring record.
In 560 career games with the Nets, Lopez has averaged 18.6 points and 7.1 rebounds per game. The 29-year-old veteran has endured countless trade rumors and come out as content as anybody could expect.
“I definitely think I’m lucky,” he told Bondy of his time with the Nets, the only team he’s ever known. “When people look back on me and my career, I’d like them to say I was one of the people who helped start something big in Brooklyn. Started a legacy where players want to come and play.”
There’s more out of the Atlantic Division:
- The Sixers have formally ruled point guard Sergio Rodriguez out for the remainder of the season, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes. Pompey also notes that he’s the sixth member of the team to be ruled out for the season.
- The Raptors have no intention of resting their players in the final week of the regular season, Doug Smith of the Toronto Star says. Point guard Kyle Lowry says that the team can’t relax prior to the postseason.
- First-year forward Dario Saric is battling plantar fasciitis and is on a minutes restriction but that hasn’t prevented him from playing as hard as possible for the Sixers, writes Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer. The result is a palpable sense of urgency. “It’s like somebody just gorging at a buffet,” head coach Brett Brown said of his rookie’s appetite for scoring the ball.
- Expect the return of Kyle Lowry to guide the Raptors to more three-point attempts, Doug Smith of the Toronto Star writes. At least that’s what head coach Dwane Casey foresees. “We were great for a while, and then for a long period of time we were turning down three-point shots,” he said. “For the rhythm of the offence, for their confidence, for their ability to make those shots, you’ve got to take them.“
Tony Romo To Be ‘Maverick For A Day’
Mavericks owner Mark Cuban has suggested multiple times this week that his team needs to add a “pass-first” point guard, but his solution probably isn’t what most fans had in mind. According to ESPN’s Marc Stein, the Mavs intend to honor longtime Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo at their home finale on Tuesday night by making Romo a “Maverick for a day.”
Romo, who recently retired from the NFL and landed a broadcasting job with CBS, will sit on Dallas’ bench during its last home game of the season. Having not played competitive basketball since high school, Romo isn’t expected to get on the court, but the Mavs intend to treat him like an actual player, according to Stein.
ESPN’s report doesn’t mention anything about whether or not Romo will technically sign a player contract with the Mavs, but I’d assume that will be part of becoming a Mav for a day. While it would be odd to see Romo’s name on Dallas’ end-of-season salary cap breakdown, the team does have an open spot on its 15-man roster, and a two-day minimum salary contract to close the season would represent a drop in the bucket.
So is Romo the “pass-first” point guard that Cuban has been hinting at this week? Stein’s contacts within the organization suggest that it very well could be. Still, I’ll point out that Cuban’s initial comments about adding a pass-first point guard included his suggestion that the Mavs will explore the draft and free agency. As such, it sounds like it will be a legit offseason priority for the team, rather than just a wink toward honoring Romo.
Stein adds, unsurprisingly, that the Mavericks would not have considered honoring Romo in this fashion if the club had still been in playoff contention.
Austin Kent contributed to this post.
Hoops Rumors Originals: 4/1/17 – 4/8/17
Throughout the week, the Hoops Rumors staff likes to publish original content to supplement our news feed. Here are some of our favorites from the week that was.
- Upcoming restricted free agents who don’t meet a predetermined starter criteria will see the value of the qualifying offers they’re eligible for change thanks to the new CBA. We broke down the players affected by the new rules including Nerlens Noel and Alex Len.
- A sidelined Dion Waiters has contributed to Josh Richardson‘s fantasy stock rising. Get more insight into the fantasy basketball landscape from our resident expert. It’s playoff time.
- You asked why the Knicks wouldn’t just outright release Carmelo Anthony in our latest Weekly Mailbag? We answered. We also weigh in on who we’re hearing floated as the top high school recruit in the country. (Now hurry and submit questions for next week!)
- As always, we took a look at some of the best NBA content from the blogosphere, here’s what we came up with – including one piece that suggest the Raptors should, gulp, sign and trade Kyle Lowry.
- We like to extend the floor to our readers to weigh in on controversial topics in the NBA. Here are the best Community Shootarounds from this week:
- A number of notable figures were passed over for Hall of Fame nods this year, including Chris Webber and Rudy Tomjanovich. Who do you think was most deserving?
- When North Carolina won the NCAA Tournament we got thinking about who the best UNC alum might be. Let’s narrow the scope to those who played under the tutelage of current head coach Roy Williams (who started in 2003). Who do you think the best Roy Williams-coached North Carolina product is?
- A mid-season trade that sent Lou Williams from the Lakers to the Rockets (oh hello, Eric Gordon) altered the Sixth Man of The Year landscape but members of the media will have to determine a winner regardless. Who do you think wins the year-end award?
- Chords were struck when NBA players put up last minute field-goal attempts in games that were already decided. Wade Baldwin IV is the latest individual to be condemned for it. Do you think it’s appropriate for winning teams to shoot at the buzzer?
- Miss last week’s Hoops Rumors Originals summary? Look back on it here.
Community Shootaround: Shooting At The Buzzer In Decided Game
Count Courtney Lee among the latest NBA players to complain about opponents putting up shots in the final seconds of a decided game. On Friday night the Grizzlies laid waste to Lee’s Knicks, culminating in rookie Wade Baldwin IV standing at half-court with the ball and a 10-point lead as the game clock neared expiration.
Just before time ran out, however, Baldwin hoisted a deep three and nailed it. The basket pushed the Grizzlies above the triple-digit mark earning Memphis fans in attendance free chicken.
Lee, unhappy to lose by 10 but considerably angrier losing by 13, went after the rookie but was thwarted by a handful of Grizzlies veterans.
“For him to do that, what are you doing it for, bro?,” Lee told Marc Berman of the New York Post. “Think about the people who’s doing it. They got bad luck in this league. … I don’t know what made him want to do it.”
Lee’s reaction is a common one among NBA players but should it be?
Just last week Lance Stephenson incited his own commotion by adding a layup in the final seconds of a win over the Raptors. Then, Raptors shooting guard DeMar DeRozan called the moot field goal “disrespectful to the game“. This, naturally, was followed up by Stephenson exposing an instance of DeRozan’s teammate Norman Powell doing similar to the Sixers earlier this season.
Ultimately, the NBA and fan community that drives it need to decide what is permissible in the waning seconds of a ball game and what’s just sour grapes. In response to the Stephenson/Raptors theatrics, Bobby Marks of The Vertical tweeted “I’m so tired of these unwritten rules in basketball. If you don’t want a player to shoot at the end of the game then play some D.”
On one hand, it’s easy to empathize with players like Lee or DeRozan who see the unnecessary field-goal attempts as salt in the wounds of a fresh defeat. On the other, its a thin line expecting everybody to subscribe to the same unwritten rules of a game.
Should players adopt Marks’ stance and play defense if preserving a spread is so important to them? Or should players on the winning end know not to shoot when the game is out of reach?
Factors to consider are that some veterans will go so far as to let the shot clock expire before hoisting a shot at the buzzer resulting in their being assigned a turnover. Another is the fan factor, such as that which was in effect for Baldwin IV. Reaching certain point milestones, usually 100 points, can sometimes trigger benefits for fans in attendance. Does this impact the appropriateness of a last second basket?
You tell us in the comments below!
Central Notes: Stephenson, Irving, Williams
There’s no denying that Lance Stephenson has had an impact on the Pacers since returning to their lineup for the first time since he left via free agency in 2014. Clifton Brown of the Indianapolis Star writes that the 26-year-old is now giving Indiana exactly what the team needs.
“When your teammates believe in you, and the organization believes in you, the game becomes easy,” Stephenson said of his return to the Pacers.
In his first game back, the swingman nearly instigated a brawl by driving home a layup in the waning seconds of a game the Pacers already won. Days later he fanned the flames of animosity with an Instagram post calling out the Raptors for being hypocritical in their response.
More important than any contributions as an instigator is the fact that Stephenson has helped the Pacers to their first back-to-back victories since February. With that two-game win streak, the club has laid claim to the Eastern Conference’s eight-seed (for now).
There’s more out of the Central Division:
- A flare-up in his surgically repaired left knee had Kyrie Irving limping off the floor in Friday night’s loss to the Hawks, Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com writes. “It just, I don’t want it to feel sore anymore but it’s just the realization of it,” the Cavaliers guard said. “I’m doing everything possible to take care of my body, I’ve got a clear conscience with that. But also understand that sometimes it’s gonna hurt. And I gotta be able to deal with it.”
- The Cavaliers may not be using free agent addition Deron Williams to his full potential but don’t fault them for it. Williams was the best and cheapest option available to the team when he was signed but often requires the ball in his hands to be his most dominant, Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com writes. For the most part, the Cavs would prefer to keep the ball in the hands of LeBron James or Irving.
- A second-round pick currently helping guide the Bucks to a six-seed in the Eastern Conference is in the running for the Rookie of the Year award, but Malcolm Brogdon has asked the club to donate the money it would have spent on an extravagant campaign on his behalf to charity instead. Per Alysha Tsuji of USA Today, Brogdon, who averages 10.3 points and 4.3 assists per game, sits second on the publication’s rookie tracker.
- Veteran Cavaliers forward Richard Jefferson has struggled with asthma throughout his life and changes to how he combated the condition have led to his prolonged career, AJ Neuharth-Keusch of USA Today writes.
Mavs May Add Point Guard Before Wednesday
The Mavs could look to add a veteran pass-first point guard prior to the end of the season, Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News writes. Team owner Mark Cuban hinted at as much after Friday’s contest.
[RELATED: Cuban: Mavs to target pass-first point guards in offseason]
Though there would be little benefit to bolstering the roster for the final five days of the regular season, the lottery-bound Mavs would at least have an option of keeping whoever they pick up through the summer to gauge if he’ll fit in the future.
Neither Cuban nor president of basketball operations Donnie Nelson gave any indication of who the late-season add might be but a cursory look at the available free agents that fit the specific niche reveal a few possibilities that the club could pursue.
Mario Chalmers, Jarrett Jack and Rodney Stuckey are among the number of available options that the Mavs could kick the tires on. Chalmers and Jack, of course, actively pursued a comeback this season while Stuckey was a member of the Pacers up until his release late last month.
Currently the Mavs roster sits at 14 after the club opted not to re-sign 10-day contract signee Manny Harris to a longer-term deal.
Kevin Durant Won’t Have Minutes Restriction In Return
Warriors star Kevin Durant will make his long-awaited return from a left MCL sprain tomorrow night against the Pelicans, and he will do so without a minutes constraint. As AJ Neuharth-Keusch of USA Today reports, Durant will be given a long leash in his comeback from a 19-game absence.
“Obviously I wanted to be out there playing,” Durant said. “That’s my favorite thing to do, play basketball. To be away was different, it was tough, but I looked at the big picture and figured that at some point I would get better. That day is here and I’m thankful.”
Durant claimed to have become restless during his prolonged absence. In a report from Chris Haynes of ESPN, the eight-time All-Star said he almost went “over the deep end” while rehabbing.
“If I had to wait until the playoffs, I would have waited,” he said. “At some point, I would just have to throw myself in the fire. It doesn’t matter if it’s the regular season or playoffs. It’s still basketball. Guys are still out there competing. No matter if it’s the 80th game or the first game of the playoffs.”
While Durant’s injury removed him from any serious MVP consideration, his first season with Golden State has largely been a success. KD’s 53.7% shooting is a career-best total, as are his 8.2 rebounds per game. With just three regular season games remaining, Durant will look to regain his bearings before playing in the postseason.
“We just wanted to get (Durant) in the flow of the five-on-five, which we haven’t played until today,” coach Steve Kerr said. “He looked good. It was a good day at work.”