NBA D-League Assignments/Recalls: 4/5/17
With the NBADL playoffs now underway, here are Wednesday’s D-League assignments and recalls from around the NBA:
- The Cavaliers assigned Larry Sanders to the D-League on Tuesday, presumably intending to have him play for the Canton Charge in their first playoff game tonight. However, Cleveland has since recalled Sanders to the NBA roster. With Tristan Thompson out for at least the next two games, the Cavs may need Sanders on their active roster for frontcourt depth purposes.
- The Celtics have recalled Jordan Mickey from the D-League, according to the team (Twitter link). Mickey played a major role for the Maine Red Claws’ on Tuesday night, racking up 26 points and 16 rebounds in a Game 1 overtime win over Fort Wayne. I’d expect Mickey to return to the Red Claws in time for Game 2.
Dwyane Wade Plans To Return On Saturday
4:45pm: Wade intends to make his return to the court on Saturday for the Bulls’ game against the Nets, reports Vincent Goodwill of CSNChicago.com (Twitter link).
3:47pm: Dwyane Wade‘s recovery from a fractured right elbow continues to progress ahead of schedule, and there appears to be some optimism that the veteran guard could return to the Bulls before the end of the regular season, writes Nick Friedell of ESPN.com.
As K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune tweets, the plan is to see how Wade’s elbow responds after he scrimmaged with the Bulls today. Then, Wade will practice in New York on Friday and the team will evaluate him after that time and make a determination on whether he can play before the regular season ends.
When Wade originally went down last month with his elbow injury, the Bulls announced that he’d miss the rest of the regular season. However, we heard last week that he had been working out in the hopes of returning for the playoffs, and now it seems he might get back onto the court even sooner than that.
“He says that he feels good,” teammate Jimmy Butler said of Wade. “Which he’s supposed to say because he wants to come back and play. I don’t want him to hurry back and re-injure it or make it worse, but I want him out there on the floor, so it’s kind of a ‘I want you back, but I don’t want you to jeopardize anything.'”
It will be an interesting summer for Wade, who will have to make a decision on his player option for 2017/18 and could land with a new team if he turns it down. If there’s a risk of re-injuring his elbow by returning too early, that’s something he’ll have to consider, but he’s presumably eager to help the Bulls make a push for a playoff spot.
Currently, Chicago sits at 38-40, putting the team in a tie for the No. 7 seed in the Eastern Conference. The Pacers are also 38-40, while the Heat (37-40) and Hornets (36-42) remain in the postseason hunt.
Injury Notes: Crowder, Thompson, Rose, Anderson
Jae Crowder‘s status for Boston’s game against Cleveland on Wednesday night isn’t yet known, but an MRI on his injured left elbow confirmed that there’s no structural damage, which is good news for the Celtics forward, writes Chris Forsberg of ESPN.com. Crowder referred to himself as day-to-day, and there’s a chance he’ll play through the injury.
Meanwhile, on the other side of tonight’s matchup, there’s some some good news and bad news for the Cavaliers. In the positive column, Kyle Korver returned to the team’s lineup on Tuesday night after missing 11 games with a foot injury. However, another key rotation player, Tristan Thompson, left that game with what has since been diagnosed as a sprained right thumb.
Thompson has appeared in 447 consecutive games, but that streak will come to an end this week, as he has officially been ruled out for the Cavaliers’ next two games against Boston and Atlanta. The veteran big man will continue to undergo treatment and be re-evaluated, with the team presumably hoping he can return in time for the playoffs.
Here are a few more injury updates of note from around the NBA:
- The Knicks announced today (via Twitter) that point guard Derrick Rose underwent an “uncomplicated” left knee arthroscopy to address his meniscus tear. The team expects Rose to resume basketball activities in about three to six weeks.
- Rockets forward Ryan Anderson, who has been sidelined with a sprained ankle for nearly two weeks, may return later this week. As Mark Berman of FOX 26 Houston tweets, James Harden suggested today that the club is hoping to get Anderson back on Friday.
- Dirk Nowitzki has a chance to return to the lineup for the Mavericks on Wednesday night, per head coach Rick Carlisle. Nowitzki will be a game-time decision after having sat out the team’s last game with Achilles soreness, tweets Earl K. Sneed of Mavs.com.
- Colin Hoobler, a physical therapist in Portland, took a closer look at Trail Blazers center Jusuf Nurkic‘s fibular fracture in an interesting piece for The Oregonian.
Draft Updates: Fall, Adams, Egbunu, Ilic, Arar
UCF sophomore Tacko Fall has decided to test the draft waters, announcing today (via Twitter) that he’ll enter his name into the draft pool without initially hiring an agent. Fall will have until May 24 to get a sense of his draft value and make a decision on whether or not to return to school for his junior year.
A 7’6″ center from Senegal with an eight-foot wingspan, Fall has earned a spot on DraftExpress’ big board, coming in at No. 96 on the site’s top 100 list. The 21-year-old ranks 112th on Chad Ford’s ESPN board. Fall remains a raw prospect, but nearly averaged a double-double in his second year at UCF, finishing the season with 10.9 PPG and 9.5 RPG to go along with a .715 FG%.
Here are a few more draft-related updates:
- Ford’s fourth mock draft is up at ESPN.com (Insider link), and there aren’t many changes at the top — Markelle Fultz, Lonzo Ball, and Josh Jackson are still the first three prospects to come off the board. Still, there are a few interesting picks further down in Ford’s mock, including the Trail Blazers snagging multiple international players.
- For agents who represent NBA players, this is one of the most interesting times of year, as they look to lock up potential lottery picks. Sean Deveney of The Sporting News has some details on which agencies this year’s top prospects are choosing for representation.
- St. Bonaventure junior guard Jaylen Adams has opted to declare for the 2017 draft without hiring an agent, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical (Twitter link). Meanwhile, Florida head coach Mike White said this week that he anticipates junior center John Egbunu will also test the draft waters. Neither player is on DraftExpress’ top 100 list, though Egbunu ranks 24th on the site’s list of juniors.
- A pair of international prospects have entered the draft, according to agent Misko Raznatovic, who tweets that Buducnost power forward Aleksa Ilic and Galatasaray big man Ege Arar will go through the process. Both players were born in 1996.
Community Shootaround: Sixth Man Of The Year
There has been plenty of discussion and debate throughout the 2016/17 season about the top candidates for the Most Valuable Player award, with Russell Westbrook and James Harden among the players posting historic numbers. The Rookie of the Year award has also received its fair share of attention, with Joel Embiid receiving more support than a player who missed 50+ games typically would.
Most of the NBA’s other end-of-season awards haven’t been put under the microscope to the same degree, however, and that includes the league’s Sixth Man of the Year award. With the regular season just a week away from wrapping up, we want to take a closer look at the top candidates to be named the league’s top Sixth Man for 2016/17.
Currently, the two most viable candidates for the award play in Houston, where Lou Williams and Eric Gordon are first and second in scoring among players who have spent most of the season coming off the bench. Williams, who played for the Lakers up until the trade deadline, leads the way with 17.8 PPG on .436/.377/.875 shooting, while Gordon isn’t far behind, at 16.4 PPG on .412/.378/.835 shooting.
Both players fit the mold of a typical Sixth Man of the Year, representing dangerous outside scoring threats who ensure a team’s offense doesn’t fall off too badly when its second unit gets on the court. However, they aren’t the only players worthy of consideration.
Jamal Crawford and Jordan Clarkson also fit the bill of backcourt scorers off the bench, while Zach Randolph, Enes Kanter, and Greg Monroe are among the frontcourt offensive threats playing with their respective teams’ second units.
The offensive numbers posted by those players may receive more attention from voters, but versatile veterans like James Johnson and Andre Iguodala shouldn’t be overlooked either — they’re doing a little of everything, including playing tough defense.
Meanwhile, Wilson Chandler has enjoyed one of his best seasons in Denver, averaging 15.6 PPG and 6.5 RPG for the Nuggets, but the fact that he has started more than 30 games figures to hurt his case for serious consideration.
What do you think? Will Sixth Man of the Year come down to Williams vs. Gordon, and if so, which one should take home the hardware? Do you think another player deserves to be seriously considered? Weigh in below in the comments section with your thoughts!
Bam Adebayo, Caleb Swanigan Testing Draft Waters
A pair of college big men who could be first-round picks in this June’s draft will enter their names without hiring an agent, according to a pair of Wednesday announcements. The University of Kentucky confirmed that freshman Bam Adebayo will test the draft waters, while Nathan Baird of The Journal & Courier writes that Purdue sophomore Caleb Swanigan will do the same.
Adebayo, who is the third UK prospect to declare for this year’s draft, following in the footsteps of teammates De’Aaron Fox and Malik Monk, is ranked as the 19th-best prospect on Chad Ford’s big board at ESPN.com and comes in at No. 30 on Jonathan Givony’s top 100 list at DraftExpress.com. In his first – and possibly only – season with Kentucky, the 6’9″ PF/C averaged 13.0 PPG, 8.0 RPG, and 1.5 BPG, shooting 59.9% from the floor.
In his analysis of Adebayo’s draft prospects, Ford notes that the 19-year-old’s inconsistency is worrisome for some scouts, but the ESPN draft guru believes the big man will come off the board between picks 15 and 25 if he stays in this year’s draft. Still, if he stays in school another year and has a more consistent sophomore season, he has the upside to become a top-10 pick in 2018, says Ford.
As for Swanigan, the sophomore power forward ranks a little lower on both ESPN’s and DraftExpress’ big boards, coming in at 28th and 32nd respectively. Swanigan enjoyed a breakout sophomore year with the Boilermakers, averaging 18.5 PPG and 12.5 RPG while boosting his 3PT% to .447. According to Ford, the 19-year-old is viewed as one of the most “complete” players in the NCAA this season, and could go in the 20s if he stays in the draft, though he’s not a first-round lock.
Both Adebayo and Swanigan will have until May 24 to withdraw their names from the draft pool and retain their NCAA eligibility.
Mavericks To Target Pass-First PGs In Offseason
The Mavericks have an interesting collection of players at the point guard spot, with Seth Curry and Yogi Ferrell enjoying breakout seasons while veterans like Devin Harris and J.J. Barea continue to contribute as well. Still, team owner Mark Cuban recognizes that the Mavs will need to address the point guard spot this summer, particularly since the team is lacking a pass-first player at the position.
“We got to get better at point, there’s no question,” Cuban said, per Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News. “If we can’t do it in the draft, we’ll look at free agency and see what we can do. Yogi is going to get better. Seth will continue to get better. I’d love to see Nico [Brussino] play some point forward and see how that works. He’s probably one of our best passers.
“We’ll have depth, but we have to get that one pass-first point guard. That’s what we don’t have.”
For the last several years, the Mavericks have been making an effort to identify a long-term solution at both the point guard and center positions. The club may have struck gold with trade deadline acquisition Nerlens Noel, who will be a restricted free agent this summer but is expected to stick with Dallas. With a potential long-term center in place, the Mavs will make it a priority to find a point guard, and they should have a few options.
This year’s draft is considered a strong one for point guards, though Dallas likely won’t pick high enough to land one of the very best prospects, such as Markelle Fultz or Lonzo Ball. But it’s not out of the realm of possibility that the team could snag one of the second-tier options, like Dennis Smith Jr., De’Aaron Fox, or Frank Ntilikina. In Chad Ford’s latest mock draft at ESPN.com, he has the Mavs grabbing Ntilikina at No. 9, noting that the club would be “stoked” to draft the 18-year-old.
If the Mavs don’t use their lottery pick on a point guard, there will be plenty of alternatives in free agency, though once again the very best options may be out of reach. Top free agent point guards like Stephen Curry, Chris Paul, and Kyle Lowry are considered likely to remain with their current teams. Still, there are several other free agents who could potentially be had, including George Hill, Jeff Teague, Jrue Holiday, and Derrick Rose. Pass-first vets like Ricky Rubio and Rajon Rondo could also be available via trade.
In an ideal scenario, the Mavs would be able to land a point guard who could complement Harrison Barnes as one of the franchise’s core pieces going forward, writes Sefko. Cuban points to Minnesota, a Western Conference rival with several promising young pieces on its roster, as the sort of club the Mavs have to catch up to in terms of top talent.
“We don’t have Minnesota’s star power,” Cuban said. “We still need to add. It would be great if we made Harrison our second-best player. But that’s not easy to do. We’ll see what happens. We’re going to keep on trying to get better. Instead of just hoping guys come back healthy, we have guys who are going to get better.”
NBA D-League Assignments/Recalls: 4/4/17
Here are Tuesday’s D-League assignments and recalls from around the NBA:
- The Cavaliers have assigned Larry Sanders to the Canton Charge, according to the team’s website. Cleveland’s D-League affiliate is in the playoffs and Sanders will be available for Wednesday’s game.
Pacific Notes: Pelinka, Buss, Ulis, Bender
Rob Pelinka’s deal with the Lakers is for five years and it’s worth over $20MM, according to Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com (h/t RealGM). Los Angeles hired Pelinka to be the team’s GM last month. Windhorst adds that lucrative deals are becoming typical for high-ranking members of teams’ front offices.
Here’s more from the Pacific Division:
- A judge ruled that Jeanie Buss will retain controlling ownership of the Lakers, according to Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.com (ESPN Now Link). It was previously reported that Jim and Johnny Buss would try to take over control of the team.
- Tyler Ulis continues to impress in a starting role for the Suns, Scott Bordow of The Arizona Republic writes. “I knew Tyler was pretty special quickly,” coach Earl Watson said. The rookie is averaging 14.8 points, 9.1 assists, and 1.4 steals per contest since becoming the starter in mid-March.
- Dragan Bender is back on the court after recovering ankle surgery and while his minutes are limited, the Suns like what they see, Bordow adds in the same piece. “He’s just a straight basketball player,” Watson said. “He goes out there, he just plays the game. He takes what the defense gives him.”
Sixers Rumors: Saric, Fultz, Poythress
The Sixers have no plans to trade Dario Saric this offseason, according to Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Sources tell Pompey that Philadelphia has not discussed a Saric trade with any rival team, including the Magic. Orlando recently had a board of its potential trade targets leaked and it contained a note that suggested the team would swap Aaron Gordon for Saric. The Sixers don’t want to move the power forward; they view him as one of their top players.
Here’s more from Philadelphia:
- Saric sees being on Orlando’s board as a sign of respect, Pompey adds in the same. “Every team got rights to think about their future, to put it on board. But to comment, I don’t have something. It’s ok. To me, you are doing good if they have you on [their] mind like an option,” Saric said.
- Markelle Fultz is in attendance at the Sixers‘ game tonight, Jake Pavorsky of SB Nation relays. Fultz is projected to be the top selection in the draft and the Sixers currently own the fifth spot in our Reverse Standings, meaning the team has an 8.8% chance at obtaining the No.1 overall pick via their own selection. Philadelphia could also nab the top pick if the Kings win the lottery (4.3%) since the franchise acquired the right to swap first-rounders in the Carl Landry trade.
- The Sixers recently signed Alex Poythress and the small forward is already proving his worth, Pompey opines (Video link). Poythress