Texas Notes: McRoberts, Noel, Gay, Nene
Mavericks center/power forward Josh McRoberts doesn’t know when he’ll be able to play again, but he hopes to start practicing soon, relays Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News. McRoberts, who was acquired from Miami in an offseason trade, has been diagnosed with a “lower extremity injury” that has kept him out all season. It’s the latest in a string of mishaps that limited him to 81 games over the three seasons before he came to Dallas.
“Basically, it’s just my foot having been broken three different times,” McRoberts explained. “That’s pretty much what it is. I’m trying to get my foot healthy and feeling good and get it to a place where Casey [Smith, athletic trainer] and the staff feel comfortable with where we’re at to be able to get out on the court and stay out on the court and not have any setbacks.”
McRoberts hopes to be able to practice in the next week or so and says there’s “no doubt” he will play at some point this season. He is making a little more than $6MM in the final year of his contract.
There’s more NBA news from the Lone Star State:
- Mavericks center Nerlens Noel is expected to make a full recovery after undergoing thumb surgery Friday at the Cleveland Clinic, according to Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com. Noel had a torn ligament repaired and should return in four to six weeks. The 23-year-old, who will be an unrestricted free agent in July, is averaging 4.0 points and 4.1 rebounds in 18 games.
- Rudy Gay was considered an odd fit when he signed with the Spurs this summer, but the move has worked out, notes Alex Kennedy of HoopsHype in a Twitter video. Gay has accepted a reduced role in San Antonio, playing just 23.5 minutes per night, and is averaging 12.4 points and 5.6 rebounds. He has also adopted the Spurs’ language, as Kennedy includes a recent quote of Gay saying, “For us to be successful, we have to find the open man and pass up a good shot for a great one.”
- The Rockets can’t find enough minutes for veteran center Nene, writes Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle. Going into the season, the team hoped to play him 19 minutes per game, but he has reached that total just once and is averaging 14.4 minutes. “I don’t know how important it is right now,” Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni said. “The biggest thing is just to make sure he’s healthy going into the playoffs. That’s the biggest thing we want to do and getting his rhythm before that happens. But that’s a long time from now. I’m not worried about that right now.”
Sixers Notes: Embiid, Booker, Fultz, Brown
Although the NBA adopted new restrictions about teams resting star players, the Sixers still have incredible freedom in deciding when to play Joel Embiid, notes Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com. The star center sat out Saturday’s game in Cleveland and probably won’t play back-to-back nights all season. Philadelphia has a game tonight in New Orleans and elected to use Embiid then.
Under rules imposed this summer, teams can be fined if they rest healthy players in road games or nationally televised contests. However, Embiid’s physical history, which includes missing his first two seasons because of foot surgeries and appearing in just 31 games last year, allows the Sixers to utilize a “back-to-back medical restriction.”
“This is a collaborative thing,” explained Sixers coach Brett Brown. “Sometimes it’s tilted towards he wanted to play, and we wanted him to play in front of our home fans. Other times there are situations that we listen to but ultimately, sort of the holy grail of the decision rests on health. How do we feel we can manage is health the best? And often times that’s rest in between and in this case that sort of led the way and dictated the decision. It’s disappointing that Cleveland fans aren’t going to be able to see a very unique player.”
There’s more from Philadelphia:
- Trevor Booker is excited about his new role after being acquired in Thursday’s trade with the Nets, relays Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. The Sixers picked up Booker to strengthen their bench and serve as a mentor to their younger players. “Coming to a young, up-and-coming team, I think it’s a new opportunity for me,” he said. “I’m looking forward to it. And I’m just looking forward to playing with the fellas and coach Brown.” Booker is in the final year of his contract and will be an unrestricted free agent next summer.
- The Sixers plan to re-evaluate rookie Markelle Fultz in three weeks after issuing a positive medical report Saturday, tweets Jessica Camerato of NBC Sports Philadelphia. Fultz no longer has soreness in his right shoulder, and doctors found that a scapular muscle imbalance has healed. Plans for the first overall pick include “increased strength and conditioning training and elevated on-court basketball activities.”
- Brown used an NFL analogy to describe the education Fultz is getting while he recovers, relays Dave McMenamin of ESPN. Brown called it a “Jon Gruden quarterbacks school” as he tries to teach the rookie the finer points of NBA guard play. “It’s like, ‘What do you see? What do you think? Why do you think that?’ And you treat it like it’s a college classroom,” Brown said. “Then you get him on the court, and you do things that can improve his skill but not beat up on his shoulder.”
Knicks Notes: Perry, Kanter, McDermott, Hardaway
Knicks GM Scott Perry doesn’t want to try to duplicate “The Process” that has worked for the Sixers, relays Marc Berman of The New York Post. Philadelphia endured several years of on-court failure while collecting prime lottery picks and other assets. Perry said his franchise shouldn’t “institutionalize losing” and prefers to compete for a playoff spot.
“I think it’s very important if you’re playing meaningful basketball late in the season because of the culture you’re trying to build here,” he explained. “I’ll also say wherever we wind up in the draft, whether on the playoff side or lottery side, I have extreme confidence in the scouting and front-office staff we’re going to add some talented players to the mix here.”
The Knicks are off to a 12-13 start after finishing last season 31-51 and are tied with the Heat for ninth place in the East.
There’s more this morning from New York:
- The team’s early-season success is a result of “winning” the trade that sent Carmelo Anthony to Oklahoma City, Berman writes in the same story. Enes Kanter immediately took over as the starting center and is averaging 13.6 and 10.5 rebounds per game. Doug McDermott has been productive off the bench, scoring 7.9 points in 23.5 minutes. New York also picked up Chicago’s second-round pick, which will be 31st overall if the Bulls continue to hold the league’s worst record. “Enes has come in and quickly become a crowd favorite,” Perry said. “He brings a toughness. He brings commitment to team. He’s complemented [Kristaps Porzingis] very well. He’s relentless on the boards and adds a little edge and toughness to our team. Doug is the consummate professional, can stretch the defense because he can shoot 3-point shots and done even better on the defensive end than most people thought. Both those guys have been about enhancing the culture we want to have here.”
- Being around the .500 mark early in the season is nothing new for the Knicks, but Porzingis told Al Iannazzone of Newsday that there’s a different feeling this year. New York got off to a 14-10 start last season and was 22-22 in 2015/16 before collapsing both times. Porzingis believes the organization is in a better position now with the drama of the Phil Jackson era gone and endorses the team’s offseason moves. “That’s the right direction to go: rebuild, have young guys and play hard and build a new team,” he said. “But not at any moment in my mind has there been a thought that maybe we can lose this game so we can get a better draft pick. I’m not about that. I want to win every game.”
- Injured guard Tim Hardaway Jr., who is sidelined with a stress injury to his left leg, was in a walking boot Saturday as he joined his teammates in Chicago, Berman tweets.
NBA G League Assignments/Recalls: 12/9/17
Here are Saturday’s G League assignments and recalls from across the NBA:
- The Magic recalled Adreian Payne from the Lakeland Magic in time for tonight’s game against Atlanta, reports Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel. Orlando was without Aaron Gordon as the result of a concussion suffered Friday against Denver.
- Rookie Justin Jackson and second-year players Skal Labissiere and Malachi Richardson have been recalled from the Kings‘ G League affiliate, the Reno Bighorns, per an official tweet from the club. The Kings’ next game is Sunday against Toronto.
- The Hornets have recalled guard Julyan Stone from the G League’s Greensboro Swarm one day after assignment, according to an official press release from the team. In his one game with the Swarm, Stone recorded five points, 14 assists and three rebounds in 24 minutes of action.
Bulls Notes: Payne, McDermott, Mirotic, Hoiberg
Doug McDermott‘s return to Chicago tonight as a member of the Knicks gave Bulls fans an unpleasant reminder of the Cameron Payne trade, writes Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. Payne appeared in just 11 games after being acquired from the Thunder in that five-player deal and hasn’t played at all this season as he recovers from offseason foot surgery.
Coach Fred Hoiberg told reporters tonight that an X-ray on Payne last week showed improvement, but he still isn’t able to run or cut and probably can’t play full-court games for at least six weeks. Cowley suggests it will take Payne at least a couple of weeks to get in shape after that, which pushes his return date back to sometime in mid-February.
“He came at a very difficult time last year with a veteran team, and just had his struggles,” Hoiberg said. “At the same time we’re competing for a playoff spot and it’s a tough time to come in and make an impact. For Cam, the big thing is to stay positive through this stretch, and to get him back and have some positive moments for us when we’re going down the stretch.’’
There’s more tonight from Chicago:
- McDermott was surprised by the trade that sent him to Oklahoma City at last season’s deadline, tweets K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune. He was in the middle of his most productive season, averaging 10.2 points and 3.0 rebounds per game, when the deal occurred. “It was hard leaving because of all the people I liked here,” he said. “But I wish them the best. It was a great organization to play for.”
- Now that Nikola Mirotic and Bobby Portis have put aside hard feelings over their preseason altercation, they should expect to remain teammates for the rest the season, Johnson writes in a mailbag column. The Bulls found a “non-existent” trade market for both players after Mirotic threatened not to return to the team unless Portis was dealt. The Bulls also found no interest in Mirotic when they shopped him prior to last year’s deadline, and no other organization offered him a significant deal as a restricted free agent this summer.
- Rumors about Hoiberg’s firing have persisted almost from the time he became the Bulls’ head coach, but he is safe for this season, Johnson adds in the same piece. The front office likes how he has handled a collection of young talent, and he has done better with assigning roles and holding players accountable for their performance. Hoiberg has two more seasons left on his contract.
Kings Notes: Hill, Randolph, G League, Draft
George Hill becomes eligible to be traded in six days, and Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee expects rumors involving the Kings point guard to start emerging soon. Like most players who signed contracts over the offseason, Hill can be traded beginning December 15. He probably envisioned a larger role when he inked a three-year, $57MM deal with Sacramento, as he is getting just 25.5 minutes per night, even though he has started all 23 games that he has played.
Hill’s playing time might diminish even further if he stays with the Kings. First-round pick De’Aaron Fox is Sacramento’s point guard of the future and the organization views him as a developing star. Second-round pick and fellow point guard Frank Mason has been a pleasant surprise, leaving Hill to play off the ball more often. His numbers are down across the board after averaging 16.9 points for the Jazz next season, and Jones suggests a trade would be best for both Hill and the Kings.
There’s more out of Sacramento:
- Zach Randolph, another veteran offseason free agent addition, has developed into the Kings’ most consistent player, Jones writes in the same piece. Coach Dave Joerger doesn’t believe in using young players just for development purposes, so Randolph has pushed rookie forward Justin Jackson and second-year forward Skal Labissiere to the bench. Joerger’s policy is to reward production with playing time, and Randolph has earned his minutes by averaging 15.0 points and 6.8 rebounds per night.
- The Kings made the right decision to send Jackson, Labissiere and Malachi Richardson to the G League this week, Jones contends in a separate story. Sacramento doesn’t have enough playing time to devote to the nine first- or second-year players on its roster. Fox and Mason are joined by rookie Bogdan Bogdanovic in the rotation, and Joerger is reluctant to use too many young players at the same time. “It’s just generally not great practice for us if we put at least four young guys on the floor together,” he said. “It can get ugly.”
- The Kings’ focus has changed since adding free agents Hill, Randolph and Vince Carter over the summer, according to Tony Jones of The Salt Lake Tribune. Those signings were made by Scott Perry, who has since left the organization to become GM of the Knicks. The new regime reportedly told its three free agent additions and fellow veteran Garrett Temple that the emphasis is now on acquiring a top five pick in next year’s draft rather than contending for the playoffs.
Rockets Becoming Contenders For LeBron James?
Houston should be added to the list of possible destinations for LeBron James, according to Sam Amick of USA Today. Rockets insiders possess “strong belief” that they’ll have a chance to land James in free agency, Amick writes, and several rival executives share that opinion.
James is expected to opt out of a salary of more than $35.6MM next summer and hit the open market once again. The Cavaliers star and four-time MVP tops our latest Free Agent Power Rankings.
The Lakers have been prominently mentioned as a landing spot if he decides to leave Cleveland, and the Sixers recently emerged as a possibility. Both teams are filled with young talent and cap flexibility, but Amick says James wants to keep winning and Houston offers a far better chance.
The Rockets, off to a league-best 19-4 start, feature an MVP candidate in James Harden and one of James’ best friends in Chris Paul. The team is known for its productive offense and has risen into the top five in defensive rating this season. GM Daryl Morey has an affinity for chasing stars, and new owner Tilmann Fertitta, who paid a record $2.2 billion for the team in September, would no doubt endorse the pursuit of James.
The tricky part for Houston is freeing up enough cap space to make a max offer. With the cap projected at $101MM for 2018/19, the Rockets already have more than $78MM in guaranteed salary, not counting the cost of re-signing Paul, whose Bird rights the team owns, or restricted free agent center Clint Capela.
Morey has displayed creativity with the cap in the past, and Amick suggests he probably has deals lined up involving Ryan Anderson [$20,421,546 salary next season] and others in case the chance to sign James arises. Amick adds that Paul might agree to take less than the max, similar to what Kevin Durant did with the Warriors last summer, to help bring James to Houston.
Rumors about James’ next move began shortly after the NBA Finals, but he doesn’t plan to consider his options until this season is done. If the Rockets keep their place among the league’s elite, their chances to land James in July may be as good as anyone’s.
Gordon Hayward Hopes To Play Before Season Ends
Celtics forward Gordon Hayward hasn’t given up on trying to play again this season, relays Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe.
“It’s definitely in the back of my mind,” Hayward said about the possibility of returning to the court this season. “I’m definitely pushing to get back as fast as I can, while making sure that I still have a lot of good years of basketball in me. And coming back early and hurting something else is not part of that plan. So I’m making sure that if I come back, I’m one-thousand percent confident in myself and my leg. I hope more than anything I can play this season. That would be awesome. But that’s not something I’m stressing about. I’m stressing about what I can do today to help myself get better.”
“I feel like for me it’s better to just tell myself, ‘Let’s be better today than I was yesterday,’ and then keep doing that day in and day out,” Hayward said. “And if it happens to get to the point where the season’s still going on and I can play, then, like, that’s awesome.”
Knicks GM: No Plans For A Noah Buyout
Joakim Noah has barely played since his PED suspension ended last month, but the Knicks have no thoughts of trying to get him to agree to a buyout, according to Marc Berman of The New York Post.
Noah has been on the court for just 11 minutes in two games this season and has appeared in just 48 total games since signing a four-year, $72MM deal in the summer of 2016. He still has two seasons and $37.825MM left on that contract, making him virtually impossible for the team to trade.
GM Scott Perry remains a supporter of Noah’s and believes the 32-year-old center will eventually become an asset.
“I like having some veteran people around to help a young team,” Perry said. “His veteran experience is very helpful to have in the locker room. As of right now, I’m comfortable he’s here. Let’s see what he can contribute going forward. He’s done everything we’ve asked of him and embraced where he is in his career. It’ll happen at some point [that he”ll play].’’
While Noah was sidelined, he fell to fourth on the depth chart behind starting center Enes Kanter, who was acquired from the Thunder in the Carmelo Anthony trade, and backups Kyle O’Quinn and Willy Hernangomez. Playing time is also an issue for Hernangomez, who has appeared in just 14 games this season and is seeing less than 11 minutes per night.
Noah has accepted blame for his plight, which was created through a mix of injuries and the 20-game suspension. He had knee and hamstring injuries last season, then needed surgery in April for a torn rotator cuff. He took Androgen to speed up the healing process, which resulted in his suspension.
Noah said he feels like a rookie again as he tries to work his way back into the rotation. He has already made one trip to the Knicks’ G League affiliate in Westchester as a way to get some playing time and is willing to go there again.
“I’ve always been a team guy,’’ Noah said. “That’s never going to change. That’s who I am. I support all my teammates. It’s not about my situation. I made my mistakes. My injuries, everything, I’m coming from the bottom. I’m OK. I feel good. I feel healthy. And whenever my number is called, I’m ready.”
Community Shootaround: All-NBA First Team
With the regular season nearly a third of the way through as of this past week’s games (Boston, Golden State, Orlando, and Phoenix have all played 27 games), we thought now would be a good time to contemplate which five players are most deserving of being a First Team All-NBA selection for the 2017/18 season.
While there is obviously still a lot of basketball left, there have surely been enough games played so far to begin making a reasonable estimation of certain players’ chances. Players like James Harden and LeBron James have certainly done nothing so far to relinquish their hold on a first team spot come May, and the Warriors‘ dynamic duo of Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant will garner legitimate consideration as well, but other stars like Giannis Antetokounmpo and Kyrie Irving will push their way into the discussion also if they continue to impress the way that they have to begin the season.
Perhaps the most interesting position to watch is at center, with at least four early candidates making a push for their inaugural All-NBA First Team selection, none of whom made an All-NBA team a season ago.
- Joel Embiid is averaging 23.5 PPG and 11.1 RPG, one of only two players with averages of 23 and 11 so far this season. Embiid is also averaging 1.95 BPG, good enough for fourth best in the league, while leading the Sixers to a 13-11 start, putting them in the playoffs as the eighth seed if the season ended today.
- DeMarcus Cousins is the other aforementioned player, averaging 26.3 PPG and 12.6 RPG to go along with an impressive 5.1 APG. Those per game numbers rank first, third, and first among all centers, respectively. The Pelicans are also squarely in the playoff race, currently sitting at the eighth position just like Philadelphia.
- Andre Drummond leads the NBA in rebounding, averaging 15.3 per game. Given his limited scoring output, however, his candidacy would likely need to be buoyed by his team’s success. The Pistons were once in second place in the Eastern Conference, but have since slipped into a tie for sixth with Washington.
- Karl-Anthony Towns is one of only three players (along with Embiid and Cousins) to average over 19 PPG and 11 RPG, currently sitting at a respectable clip of 19.8 and 11.6. Of the four centers named herein, the Timberwolves currently have the best record at 15-11, good enough for fourth in the Western Conference.
What do you think? Assuming the regular season ended today, which five players are most deserving of being named First Team All-NBA? Remember that unlike the All-Star game, All-NBA teams are comprised of two guards, two forwards, and a center. Jump into the comment section below to share your thoughts!