NBA D-League Assignments/Recalls: 4/1/17
Here are Saturday’s D-League assignments and recalls from around the NBA:
10:39pm:
- The Trail Blazers recalled Tim Quarterman from the Long Island Nets, the team announced on its website. Portland is among the NBA teams without a direct D-League affiliate. Quarterman has appeared in 13 Trail Blazers games this season, averaging 1.5 points and 3.4 minutes per night.
3:26pm:
- The Rockets assigned Chinanu Onuaku to the D-League’s Rio Grande Valley Vipers, Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle reports (Twitter link). Onuaku has started 39 games with Rio Grande this season, averaging 13.7 points with 10.7 rebounds.
Northwest Notes: Nurkic, Nuggets, Favors, Wolves
Trail Blazers center Jusuf Nurkic suffered the fracture in his right leg Tuesday against the Nuggets, tweets Joe Freeman of The Oregonian. He played 32 minutes in Thursday’s game before the injury was discovered on Friday. Nurkic will be out of action for at least two weeks, and Portland is hoping he can be ready for the playoffs. “It just depends how I feel,” Nurkic said. “The doctor said, ‘He’s tough,’ and if it doesn’t hurt I’m going to be back.” (Twitter link). Blazers coach Terry Stotts plans to use a “committee” approach at center while Nurkic is out, with Meyers Leonard getting the start tonight (Twitter link).
There’s more from the Northwest Division:
- After losing three straight and falling two games behind Portland in the race for the final playoff spot, Nuggets coach Michael Malone wants his team to close out the season “the right way,” relays Christopher Dempsey on NBA.com. “If we do finish the right way, maybe other things happen and we give ourselves a chance,” Malone said. “I want to find guys that when everything looks bleak, who is going to go out there and play anyway. … Going forward, I will find a group of five guys, vets or young guys, whoever it may be, to go out there and play and play as hard as possible.” Denver has to overcome injury problems as it tries to save its season. Will Barton, Darrell Arthur and Jameer Nelson are all questionable for Sunday’s game at Miami and possibly beyond.
- The Jazz are hoping injured forward Derrick Favors can return before the end of the regular season, according to Jody Genessy of The Deseret News. A bone bruise in his left knee has kept Favors sidelined since March 6th, but coach Quin Snyder said Friday that he is “hopeful” about Favors coming back.
- Despite having some of the most exciting young players in the league, attendance remains a problem for the Timberwolves, notes Kent Youngblood of The Star Tribune. Even though the crowds have been trending upward, Minnesota is last in the NBA with an average of 14,584 fans per night. The Wolves are getting about 4% larger crowds than they did last season, but it will take success on the court for that number to increase significantly.
Community Shootaround: Hall of Fame Omissions
There were howls of protest out of Houston today when the 2017 class was announced for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Despite making five all-star teams as a player and winning two titles as a coach, Rudy Tomjanovich was passed over once again.
Former teammate Calvin Murphy and ex-Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy were among those protesting the omission. Houston Chronicle writer Jonathan Feigen blasted the move in a column, saying “The exclusion of Tomjanovich and others said nothing about their achievements, and everything about the secret panel’s failure.”
The man known as “Rudy T” was one of the top forwards in the game in the 1970s. He spent 11 years in the NBA, all with the Rockets, and might have played longer if not for the lingering effects from Kermit Washington’s infamous punch in 1977.
After his playing career ended, Tomjanovich stayed with the Rockets as an assistant coach. He took over as head coach midway through 1991/92 and compiled 527 career wins, leading the franchise to its only championships in 1994 and 1995.
But Tomjanovich wasn’t the only significant player to be passed over this year. Here are a few more who have arguably earned a spot in Springfield:
- Chris Webber — The first pick in the 1993 draft was also a five-time All-Star. He played 15 NBA seasons, seven with Sacramento, and helped the Kings become one of the most successful teams of the early 2000s. He was the 1994 Rookie of the Year and an All-NBA selection in 2001.
- Sidney Moncrief — Another five-time All-Star, Moncrief was the standout player on some great Bucks teams in the 1980s. He scored nearly 12,000 points in 11 NBA seasons and was voted Defensive Player of the Year in 1983 and 1984.
- Tim Hardaway Sr. — One of the NBA’s best point guards in his 14 seasons, Hardaway is best known as part of the electric “Run T.M.C.” Golden State teams. He made five All-Star teams, was named to the All-Rookie Team in 1990 and the All-NBA Team in 1997.
- Kevin Johnson — The former Suns standout ranks sixth in NBA history in assists per game with 9.1 over his career. He played 13 seasons, made three All-Star teams and was named Most Improved Player in 1989.
- Jack Sikma — The former SuperSonics and Bucks center is the only eligible seven-time All-Star not enshrined in Springfield. He played 14 seasons, scored 17,287 points and won the 1979 championship in Seattle.
- Bob Dandridge — He was a star forward in the 1970s who won titles with the Bucks and Bullets. Dandridge played 13 seasons, made four All-Star teams and holds the distinction for scoring the most points in the NBA Finals during the 1970s.
We want to hear from you. Which of these players most deserve to be in the Hall of Fame, and who are some others that should be considered? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below. We look forward to what you have to say.
Magic To Sign Marcus Georges-Hunt
The Magic will sign shooting guard Marcus Georges-Hunt, tweets Chris Reichert of The Step Back. He didn’t reveal whether the contract is for 10 days or longer, but there are only 11 days left in the regular season.
This would be the second NBA stint of the season for Georges-Hunt, who signed a 10-day deal with the Heat in February when Miami was granted an extra roster spot under the hardship exception. He didn’t see any game action and was let go when that contract expired.
The rookie out of Georgia Tech signed with the Celtics in August, but was waived before the season began. He spent most of the year with Boston’s D-League affiliate in Maine, averaging 15.8 points in 45 games.
The signing of Georges-Hunt finally fills the open roster spot that Orlando has been carrying since early January.
Knicks Appear Determined To Keep Ron Baker
Knicks guard Ron Baker has won over coach Jeff Hornacek — and reportedly team president Phil Jackson as well — as he prepares for restricted free agency, writes Marc Berman of The New York Post.
The 24-year-old rookie filled in for Derrick Rose Friday night in Miami and put up 10 points and six assists in a Knicks victory. He also ran the triangle well and stood out with his effort on defense.
A four-year player at Wichita State, Baker came to the NBA with several similarities to Hornacek. They bonded quickly, with Baker saying, “Yeah, we have a pretty good friendship. We’ll try to be on the same team.’’
Sources say Jackson likes the way Baker defends against point guards, an area where Rose has been lacking. At 6’4″, Baker has the size to play shooting guard, but his 3-point range is a concern, as he is hitting just 29% from long distance.
“Guys like that [combo guards] are valuable in the league,’’ Hornacek said. “You’re not just strictly just relying on him at the 2. You can play him off the ball, you can play him on the ball. If he’s playing the point, he can get us into the offense. He’s smart about calling out the plays. And he’s a tough defender. Early on, playing against point guards, he was keeping guys in front of him.’’
Baker worked out for 16 teams last year, but still went undrafted. He signed with the Knicks in August and earned a roster spot. The early part of his season was filled with D-League trips, but he hasn’t been there since New Year’s Eve.
Berman adds that no matter what kind of offer Baker gets this summer, Hornacek will be a strong advocate for matching it.
Warriors Optimistic About Durant’s Return
Kevin Durant‘s performance in a five-on-five halfcourt workout today has the Warriors believing he will be able to play again before the regular season ends, writes Monte Poole of CSNBayArea.
“He looks good,” said assistant coach Willie Green, who participated in the workout. “He’s doing about everything he normally does. The thing is, now you don’t want to push too hard.”
It has been a little more than a month since Durant suffered a medial collateral ligament sprain and a tibial bone bruise in his left knee. He went through today’s workout wearing a protective brace that stretches from his tibia to a few inches above the kneecap.
Golden State has six games remaining in the regular season, which wraps up April 12th.
Assistant Mike Brown said Durant’s agility and movement have almost fully returned, but head coach Steve Kerr warned that a regular season return isn’t guaranteed.
“We’re getting closer, but we’re not there yet,” Kerr said. “He’s doing well, but we have to keep it going and let it play out until he’s completely ready.”
Austin Rivers Likely Sidelined For Regular Season
The Clippers anticipate losing Austin Rivers for the rest of the regular season due to a left hamstring strain, Kevin Arnovitz of ESPN reports.
“I think it’s a little more serious [than initially believed],” coach Doc Rivers told reporters before Saturday’s game. When asked of Austin’s prospects for the postseason, Doc replied “We don’t know. I would say it’s 50-50.”
Per Arnovitz, Rivers’ injury occurred during the second quarter of Wednesday’s game against the Wizards. Having already locked up a playoff spot, the decision to potentially shut down Rivers for the season appears to be a cautious one. Raymond Felton and Jamal Crawford will likely split minutes at point guard in Rivers’ absence.
Austin addressed his injury with Bill Oram of the O.C. Register yesterday, voicing frustration at the prospect of being sidelined until the playoffs.
“This is the time of year, if anytime, I want to be healthy. … At least it’s not during the playoffs,” Rivers said. “People are always looking for something wrong with our team instead of looking for what’s right. Why don’t you look at how many injuries we’ve had and still been able to hold down the ship in the West, and still be a top-five seed in the West without Blake and Chris for a big chunk of games?”
Bucks Request Waivers On Terrence Jones
The Bucks have requested waivers on Terrence Jones, the team announced on their official website (link). Jones was inked to a contract on March 3, appearing in just three games as a Buck.
Jones, 25, had been waived by the Pelicans in late February to (presumably) sign with a playoff-bound team looking for depth. While Milwaukee is poised to enter the postseason, Jones was never able to crack Jason Kidd‘s rotation, accumulating 12 DNPs in the month of March.
While his bid to join a contender has gone awry, Jones will surely generate interest as a free agent over the summer. Jones was efficient over 51 games with the Pelicans in 2016/17, averaging 11.5 points with 5.9 rebounds. As a non-playoff eligible free agent, Jones currently holds little value on the open market.
And-Ones: NBA Owners Ranked, Tomjanovich, NCAA Tournament
ESPN concluded their management series with ownership rankings, citing the Spurs (Julianna Hawn Holt), Warriors (Joe Lacob, Peter Guber), and Celtics (Wyc Grousbeck) as teams with the best ownership in the league (article link). ESPN’s panel ranked owners in terms of “performance in guiding the franchise to overall on-court success, both in the short and long term.” To that end, it perhaps isn’t surprising to see the Kings (Vivek Ranadive) and Knicks (James Dolan) round out the list; two owners who have made unfortunate headlines for on-and-off the court stories this season.
More from around the game…
- Rudy Tomjanovich, a five-time NBA All-Star and decorated head coach, wasn’t inducted into the 2017 Basketball Hall of Fame class. Several figures around the league were critical of Tomjanovich receiving the shaft, including former Rocket Calvin Murphy and Jeff Van Gundy. (Twitter links) In an op-ed piece for the Houston Chronicle, Jonathan Feigen chastised Hall of Fame voters who “inexplicably” snubbed Tomjanovich. “Tomjanovich, especially, deflected attention, not just in the way he downplayed his coaching contributions, but even in his coaching style that stripped away excess to get the ball simply and quickly to his best player, turning the Rockets from winners to champions,” Feigen writes. “The exclusion of Tomjanovich and others said nothing about their achievements, and everything about the secret panel’s failure.”
- Tim Duncan‘s ex-adviser, Charles Banks, plans to admit financial misconduct from his business relationship with Duncan (Associated Press link). According to court paperwork, Banks will confess to misleading Duncan into obtaining $6MM in loans.
- Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress provided an NBA prospect guide to the Final Four, naming South Carolina’s Sindarius Thornwell as the NCAA Tournament’s MVP thus far.
- Xavier’s Trevon Bluiett will put his name in the NBA Draft but won’t hire an agent, Jeff Goodman of ESPN reports (link). Per Patrick Brennan of the Cincinnati Enquirer, Bluiett is “certain to again seek out evaluations from industry experts on his likely draft stock.”
2017 Basketball Hall Of Fame Class Announced
The 2017 Basketball Hall of Fame class was announced this afternoon on ESPN2 (link). Tracy McGrady, Rebecca Lobo, Bill Self, Muffet McGraw, Robert Hughes, Jerry Krause, George McGinnis, Tom Jernstedt, Nikos Galis, Zack Clayton and Mannie Jackson all made the cut as inductees.
A seven-time All-Star whose career spanned 17 seasons, McGrady received the HoF nod in his first year on the ballot. T-Mac, who battled injuries throughout his career, announced his retirement following the 2012/13 season, in which he made six postseason appearances with the Spurs.
Dikembe Mutombo, a Hall-of-Famer and former teammate of McGrady’s, was overjoyed to see Tracy’s selection.
“To have two of my friends, Tracy and Yao [Ming], who competed with me for the Houston Rockets, one of the great organizations, to see them in the Hall of Fame, that means a lot,” Mutombo told Mark Berman of Fox 26. “It’s something I can sit down with my kids and tell them I was not the only Hall of Famer out there with the Houston Rockets. I was lucky and fortunate to play with the other two.”
A pioneer of the WNBA, Lobo had been inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010. Following a successful career with the UConn Huskies, Lobo played for the New York Liberty in the WNBA’s inaugural season. Lobo would play in parts of six WNBA seasons, playing for the Houston Comets and Connecticut Sun following her time in New York.
Krause, the former Bulls’ GM, was inducted posthumously, as the former executive passed away on March 21. Serving as the Bulls’ GM for over 18 seasons, Krause is credited as the architect of Chicago’s roster during Michael Jordan’s tenure.