Heat Notes: Waiters, J. Johnson, Ellington, Walton
Miami’s injury situation worsened Friday night when shooting guard Dion Waiters was forced to leave the game with a left ankle problem. Coach Erik Spoelstra told reporters today that x-rays and an MRI were both negative and it has been diagnosed as a sprain, tweets Manny Navarro of The Miami Herald.
This injury isn’t related to the left ankle issue that caused Waiters to miss the final 13 games last season, Spoelstra adds (Twitter link). Waiters opted not to have surgery over the summer because he was concerned it would impact his value in free agency, notes Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald.
There’s more tonight out of Miami:
- The Heat have some encouraging news on the injury front, as Navarro tweets that James Johnson will return tonight after missing a week with right ankle bursitis. Center Hassan Whiteside has expanded his conditioning and court work after missing 12 games with a bone bruise in his knee (Twitter link). Point guard Goran Dragic will also play tonight after missing three games with a strained elbow ligament, according to Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel (Twitter link).
- Wayne Ellington had one of his best nights in a Heat uniform Friday, showing the importance of the offseason maneuverings that were necessary for the team to pick up his option, Jackson writes in the same story. Miami couldn’t have afforded Ellington’s $6.3MM option and Kelly Olynyk‘s four-year, $50MM deal without unloading Josh McRoberts‘ salary of a little more than $6MM. McRoberts was shipped to Dallas along with cash and a 2023 second-rounder in exchange for A.J. Hammons, who has yet to play this season. “I’ve learned never to question [GM] Andy Elisburg,” Spoelstra said. “He can make a lot of things happen out of nowhere. When we executed his contract, he was the first guy I texted. I enjoy watching Wayne.”
- Rookie guard Derrick Walton made an impression on the coaching staff with his performance Friday, Jackson adds. Limited to 45 days in the NBA by his two-way contract, Walton had seven points, five assists and no turnovers in nearly 24 minutes of action. “He’s a heady player, gutsy player,” Spoelstra said. “He’s a gamer. He doesn’t get sick at sea in these kinds of moments. He gets you organized and makes the right plays. … You want your teammates and coaching staff to notice you when you get that opportunity and we did.”
Lakers Believe They Can Trade Jordan Clarkson
The Lakers are confident they can unload Jordan Clarkson at some point to help with their pursuit of free agents next summer, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski said during an appearance on the network’s Full Court Press special.
L.A. reportedly wants to be able to offer a pair of max contracts in July, with LeBron James and Paul George considered to be prime targets. To make that possible the team has to trim salaries, including Clarkson, who has two seasons left on the four-year, $50MM contract he signed in the summer of 2016. He will make $12.5MM next season and $13.4375MM in 2019/20.
“They believe they can trade Jordan Clarkson and get his money off,” Wojnarowski said. “They prefer not to do it at the trade deadline. Clarkson has helped them win games this year, and because they don’t have their pick, they want to win as many games as they can. So I think there’s some confidence there that they can find a deal for Clarkson after the season, to get his money off. But there’s got to be a sequencing here. And it gets back to, are they going to chase one max-salary slot, or two?”
A former starter, the fourth-year guard has adjusted to a reserve role over the past two seasons and has remained productive. He is averaging 13.8 points through 30 games and shooting a career-best 46% from the field.
To open two full-max slots, the Lakers will also have to get rid of Luol Deng, who has only appeared in one game this season and is owed $36.81MM over the next two years, along with Julius Randle, who will have a cap hold of roughly $12.5MM. L.A. may decide to stretch Deng’s contract after this season, which would make it count $7.362MM against the cap for each of the next five years.
Hoops Rumors Originals: 12/16/17 – 12/23/17
Every week, we at Hoops Rumors strive to create interesting original content to complement our news feed. Below are our original segments and features from the last 7 days:
- We polled our readers as to who they believe will end up winning the 2018 NBA Rookie of the Year award and as to whether they think LaVar Ball‘s Junior Basketball Association will be successful.
- We examined the players who remain ineligible to be traded.
- In two different Community Shootaround posts, we asked for your input on where Kobe Bryant ranks among the all-time greats and what the Hornets should do with their roster in the wake of a disappointing season.
- Luke Adams revisited the Hoops Rumors Glossary to analyze the stretch provision.
- Our Free Agent Stock Watch focused on the Denver Nuggets.
- We reminded our readers how to follow specific players on Hoops Rumors.
- We analyzed five minor offseason trades that are paying dividends for teams now.
- Chris Crouse offered fantasy hoops advice focusing on Michael Beasley, Troy Daniels, and Serge Ibaka, among others.
Five Key Stories: 12/16/17 – 12/23/17
Hoops Rumors has you covered in the event you missed any of this past week’s headlines from around the NBA. Here are some of the most noteworthy stories from the last 7 days.
Isaiah Thomas is expected to be back in uniform for the Cavaliers sometime within the first week of the new year. Thomas, who has been sidelined with a torn labrum in his right hip since last season’s Eastern Conference Finals, apparently feels good enough to play now, but the Cavs are being extra cautious to ensure that Thomas doesn’t re-injure himself. The Cavs begin 2018 with games against Portland (1/2), at Boston (1/3), and at Orlando (1/6).
In what was reported as an unpopular move within the locker room, the Bucks waived Gary Payton II in order to make room for Sean Kilpatrick, whom the Bucks signed to their second two-way contract slot alongside Joel Bolomboy. Kilpatrick was waived by Brooklyn back in early December in order to open up a roster spot for the trade that brought in Jahlil Okafor and Nik Stauskas.
Days after general manager Ryan McDonough spoke about how the Suns planned to keep newly-acquired Isaiah Canaan on the team’s roster moving forward, the team announced that Canaan has been signed for the remainder of the season. In order to make room for Canaan, the Suns had to waive rookie point guard Mike James, the first player to have his two-way contract converted to a standard NBA deal.
In what has become less and less surprising each time it occurs, LaVar Ball made an announcement this week. In it, he proclaimed that he will launch the Junior Basketball Association, a newly-formed professional basketball league for nationally ranked high-school players who have graduated from high school but do not want to go to college. Ball’s Big Baller Brand will fund the league, where players can reportedly expect to make between $3-10K per month.
The Jazz made some roster moves this week, waiving both of their two-way players – Eric Griffin and Nate Wolters. Griffin was released in order to make room for the signing of forward Erik McCree, who profiles as a stretch-4 with three-point range. Wolters was released a day later in order to open up a spot for newly signed two-way player Naz Mitrou-Long.
Here are 10 more headlines from around the NBA last week.
- Turkish prosecutors are seeking a ridiculous prison sentence for Knicks‘ center Enes Kanter in regard to insulting comments he made about Turkey’s president.
- According to the man himself, Vince Carter is confident that he will end up back on the Raptors‘ roster before he calls it a career.
- As expected, the Hawks converted the two-way contract of rookie big man Tyler Cavanaugh into a standard NBA contract.
- Mike Conley continues to undergo therapy and treatment on his left heel, and the Grizzlies do not expect him back before the new year.
- After leaving Monday night’s game against Golden State with a sprained right ankle, Lakers‘ starting center Brook Lopez is expected to miss at least three weeks.
- Despite the relatively rocky start to their season, the Thunder have no plans to trade Paul George.
- Mavericks‘ owner Mark Cuban, whilst discussing the sale of the Carolina Panthers, said he has no interest in owning an NFL franchise.
- The Cavaliers are quietly exploring the possibility of trading for Clippers‘ center DeAndre Jordan.
- After already missing time earlier this season, Clippers‘ offseason acquisition Danilo Gallinari is expected to miss several more weeks after re-injuring his glute.
- The Bulls waived seldom-used second-year guard Kay Felder.
Atlantic Notes: Okafor, Jackson, Mills, Covington
The Nets led the Wizards by 40 points at one point in Friday’s win in Brooklyn but recently acquired big man Jahlil Okafor never left the bench. Okafor only played in two games with the Sixers before he was traded to the Nets. The team will not deviate from their plan of using Okafor until he’s in optimal physical shape, Brian Lewis of the New York Post writes.
The Barclays Center fans chanted “We Want Okafor!” in the late stages of the game. Head coach Kenny Atkinson said it was tempting to send Okafor into the game but the team’s plans for Okafor are long-term.
“Yeah, I heard it, and I respect the fans and I understand they want to see him,” Atkinson said. “I think we’ve stated from the beginning there’s a plan for him. We’re going to stick with the plan. It was tempting, but again I think we want to put him in the best position to succeed. So we’re going to stick with the plan. I think that’s a little more down the line.”
Okafor, 22, has appeared in just one game with Brooklyn since the trade, posting 10 points and four rebounds in a loss to the Raptors on December 15. General manager Sean Marks has not given a definitive date on when Okafor should be in shape but estimated the former third overall pick is possibly two weeks away from regular playing time.
Check out other news from the Atlantic Division below:
- Phil Jackson‘s tenure as Knicks president may have resulted in numerous controversies but his draft selections are not given enough credit, Marc Berman of the New York Post writes. Carmelo Anthony was not thrilled with the Knicks on draft night in 2015 as trading Tim Hardaway Jr. and drafting Kristaps Porzingis felt like a rebuild to him, Berman writes. Porzingis has emerged as one of the premiere talents from the 2015 NBA Draft and this year’s pick, Frank Ntilikina, has shown flashes of brilliance, too.
- Current Knicks president Steve Mills, a trusted confidant of Jackson during his reign as president, wishes he was more vocal during the dysfunctional period, Mills said to the Associated Press (via New York Daily News).
- Sixers small forward Robert Covington is still experiencing back stiffness from a back bruise he suffered on December 9, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer relays. Covington said he feels pain on certain mornings and certain plays but he intends to play through the ailment.
Suns Sign Isaiah Canaan For Remainder Of Season
The Suns have signed point guard Isaiah Canaan to a minimum deal for the remainder of the 2017/18 season, according to Shams Charania of The Vertical (via Twitter).
Canaan was originally signed using the Suns’ hardship exception due to four players being out with injuries. In four games since joining the Suns, the 26-year-old has averaged 13.0 PPG and 5.0 APG. Earlier this week, Suns general manager Ryan McDonough said that Canaan’s performance earned him a longer look, possibly for the rest of the season.
“I think with what Isaiah’s done, we should plan on having him in Phoenix for the rest of the year, if not longer,” McDonough said (via Arizona Sports).
Phoenix waived Mike James — who had his two-way deal converted to an NBA deal — yesterday despite the 27-year-old rookie’s own success this season. In 32 games (10 starts), James averaged 10.4 PPG and 3.8 APG. Canaan — despite having played for five teams in five seasons — is still younger than the rookie James and the Suns elected to go with the younger, more experienced player.
Atlantic Notes: Okafor, Russell, Hardaway Jr.
The Nets roster boasts two of the top-three 2015 draft picks but neither are currently in the lineup, nor are they expected to be in the near future. Brian Lewis of the New York Post confirms that while D’Angelo Russell is five weeks into his recovery from arthroscopic surgery last month, he’s still a couple of weeks away.
Jahlil Okafor, on the other hand, is out for a different reason. Prior to his acquisition on December 7, Okafor was seldom used by the Sixers, seeing action in just two games for Philly. The big man played for the Nets last week but has been held out since.
“I’d hate to put an exact date on [when Okafor will play again]. Depending on how he feels, we’re going day-to-day,” Nets general manager Sean Marks said. “I’d assume he’s still probably a week-and-a-half or two weeks away from where he feels comfortable out there and be able to play at the pace in which coach Kenny Atkinson and his staff want to play at.”
There’s more from the Atlantic Division:
- While they still haven’t released a timetable for his return, Knicks guard Tim Hardaway Jr. has made progress in his recovery from a leg injury, Al Iannazzone of Newsday writes. The swingman can push off of his leg a little bit and will be re-evaluated again next week.
- The versatile contributions of Delon Wright have served the Raptors well, Doug Smith of the Toronto Star writes. The 25-year-old is long and athletic, capable of both running with the squad and being patient when they need him to be. Wright has averaged 7.7 points and 2.4 assists in just over 20 minutes per game this season.
- The Celtics have been said to be interested in acquiring Anthony Davis. One C’s writer, however, doesn’t want the club to go all in on the Pelicans‘ superstar. D.J. Bean of NBC Sports Boston writes that giving up Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum may be too much, especially considering that the Warriors are going to be a formidable contender to seriously compete with over the next few seasons.
Mike James Waived By Suns
The Suns have waived guard Mike James, Shams Charania of The Vertical tweets. The 27-year-old rookie had initially been signed to a two-way contract with the franchise but had that deal converted into a regular season contract.
The decision was likely a difficult one for the organization to make, considering that James had thrived on a young team that found stability in the mature first-year player. We discussed on Wednesday, however, that such a decision may have been looming for the franchise.
With four players sidelined due to injury, the team had recently been granted a hardship exception and used it on December 13 to sign journeyman point guard Isaiah Canaan. Canaan’s play in the four games since has essentially forced the team’s hand.
In four matchups this season, playing 25.0 minutes a night, Canaan has averaged 13.0 points, 5.0 assists and 3.5 rebounds per game. While James’ numbers were respectable in their own right, Canaan may have the higher ceiling, not least because despite being a five-year veteran, he’s still actually younger than James.
James, who went undrafted in 2012, will now turn his attention to finding a new home, a task that may be a bit easier now that he has a quarter of a season of big league games under his belt.
NBA G League Assignments/Recalls: 12/22/17
Here are the minor league moves from around the Association today:
- The Pacers have recalled T.J. Leaf and Ike Anigbogu from the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, the team announced in a press release. Leaf averaged 23.3 points and 8.3 rebounds in three contests with the affiliate squad.
- The Rockets recalled Zhou Qi from the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle tweets.
- The Cavaliers assigned Ante Zizic to their affiliate, the Canton Charge announced in a press release. In four games with the minor league squad, Zizic has posted 15.8 points and 8.5 rebound sin just 23.5 minutes per contest.
- The Grizzlies have assigned Ivan Rabb to the Memphis Hustle, the Grizz announced in a press release. The rookie has averaged a double-double in 14 games with the G League squad.
- The Hornets assigned Julyan Stone to their G League affiliate, the team announced in a press release. The last time the guard suited up for the Greensboro Swarm, he put up 14 assists in 24 minutes.
Southwest Notes: Gentry, Noel, Grizzlies
The Pelicans are a fringe playoff team in the Western Conference, competitive enough to keep striving for the postseason but not quite ready to shed the mediocre label and genuinely compete. Unsurprisingly, Pels fans have started calling for head coach Alvin Gentry‘s job, William Guillory of The Times-Picayune writes.
While axing a head coach is often the first knee-jerk reaction that fans – and sometimes teams – have when things aren’t going as well as they could be, this could be a particularly bad time for the Pelicans to let Gentry go. For one, it would display a sense of desperation that could send a negative signal to their pair of superstar big men.
Guillory writes that both the coaches and the players should be to blame for the Pelicans’ woeful defense. They’ve ranked dead last in defensive efficiency this month, futile enough to overpower any offensive strides the team has taken.
There’s more from the Southwest Division:
- The Nerlens Noel deal has been more of a disappointment than an outright mistake, Kevin Sherrington of the Dallas Morning News writes. Sherrington cites how little the Mavs had to give up for the big man as the reason why the trade isn’t as disastrous as, say, the Rajon Rondo deal back in 2014.
- The Pelicans are pleased with what they’ve seen out of Jrue Holiday off the ball this season. Scott Kushner of The Advocate writes that the converted point guard has enjoyed a career year at shooting guard.
- Does the pairing of Mike Conley and Marc Gasol have a future beyond this season? That’s what Chris Herrington of the Memphis Commercial Appeal asks, arguing that the Grizzlies tandem could conceivably fare well together into their late 30s.