Rockets Notes: Green, Paul, Weber
Gerald Green went from unemployed to a member of the Rockets’ rotation in a few hours Thursday. In need of depth with Chris Paul, Clint Capela and Luc Mbah a Moute all sidelined by injuries, Houston signed Green to a non-guaranteed contract Thursday afternoon and used him against the Celtics a few hours later. He went scoreless with one rebound in 11 minutes. With all NBA contracts becoming fully guaranteed January 7, Green’s arrangement serves as an unofficial 10-day deal as the Rockets will have approximately that long to decide whether or not to keep him.
There’s more news today from Houston:
- Green was signed to take some of the stress off forward Trevor Ariza, explains Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle. Ariza ranks 13th in the league in minutes played at 36.0 per game and had topped 40 in six straight games before last night. Mbah a Moute, his primary backup, is projected to be out another week with a dislocated shoulder. “He’s a vet, he knows how to play,” Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni said of Green. “We’re not real complicated. If he can take a few minutes off Trevor, that’s what we’ll use him for. We’re just really shorthanded on the wings. Obviously, he’s played at a good level before.”
- Because the Paul trade was competed six months ago, the point guard becomes eligible for an extension today, notes Bobby Marks on ESPN Now. Marks adds that it’s unlikely anything will happen during the season, but Paul could agree to a $132MM extension over four years that would give him a $29.5MM salary for 2018/19. He’s more likely to head into free agency next summer, when he will be eligible for a five-year, $205MM deal that would start at $35.3MM.
- Paul’s injury has created an opportunity for Briante Weber, who signed a two-way contract with the Rockets in late October, writes Owen Pence of The Houston Chronicle. Weber, 24, had brief stays with the Grizzlies, Heat, Warriors and Hornets, but is still searching for his NBA breakthrough. “[I’m] just trying to learn and figure out how to play with two Hall of Famers,” he said. “It’s a continued learning experience. I’m going to continue to learn and continue to grow as a player behind those two guys and hopefully the minutes can increase when I can gain some trust from Coach [D’Antoni].”
Cavaliers Notes: Thomas, Thompson, Green, James
The Cavaliers still aren’t sure when injured guard Isaiah Thomas will be ready for his season debut, writes Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com. Thomas will get his first chance to play alongside his Cavaliers teammates during the team’s practice today. He scrimmaged with the organization’s G League affiliate in Canton last week. Coach Tyronn Lue said the purpose of today’s workout is to “get some shots up, cover defensive rules and principles and also scrimmage a little bit so Isaiah can get a feel and play 5 on 5.”
When the Cavs departed on their current three-game road trip, they were hoping to have Thomas ready at some point. But he was held out of games at Golden State and Sacramento, and his status for Saturday’s contest in Utah is uncertain. Lue originally told reporters that Thomas wouldn’t play against the Jazz, but later said “I don’t know” to follow-up questions about his availability.
Cleveland travels to Boston next Wednesday, which would be a dramatic setting for Thomas to return, but Vardon speculates that Tuesday’s home game against the Trail Blazers is more likely. The Cavs were wary about throwing Thomas into a high-profile game against the Warriors and would likely view the Celtics the same way. Another possible date is January 6, when Thomas has a new shoe coming out and Cleveland plays at Orlando.
There’s more today out of Cleveland:
- Tristan Thompson is putting up the worst numbers of his career and may be a trade candidate before the February 8 deadline, Vardon writes in a separate piece. Thompson’s playing time has been cut to 17.7 minutes per game and he is averaging just 4.1 points and 4.8 rebounds. He has been on a minutes restriction since missing 20 games with a strained left calf muscle, and the team has been successful with Kevin Love as the starting center.
- Free agent addition Jeff Green has taken on several roles since coming to Cleveland, notes Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. Following the worst season of his career last year in Orlando, Green is happy in his new role with the Cavs. “I didn’t know what to expect. I didn’t have any expectation,” Green said. “When I talked to T. Lue — we didn’t know back then, didn’t know the personnel that was going to be all in the locker room. It was just, ‘Jeff come in and be Jeff.’ Last year was a rough year so it was, ‘Jeff come in and be the player I know you can be. Play hard and things will fall into place.’ And that’s what’s happened.”
- LeBron James is putting up amazing numbers in his 15th NBA season, but the secrets to his longevity happened years ago, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPN.
And-Ones: Jackson, Bennett, Williams, Clippers
Maryland sophomore forward Justin Jackson, a projected first-round pick, will miss the reminder of the season with a torn labrum, according to a school press release relayed by Adam Zagoria of ZagsBlog.com. Jackson first suffered the injury before he joined the Terrapins and aggravated it numerous times this season. He’ll soon undergo surgery. The 6’7” Jackson was ranked as the No. 18 overall prospect by Jonathan Givony of ESPN earlier this month. He was averaging 9.8 PPG and 8.1 RPG.
In other news from around the league:
- Anthony Bennett, the No. 1 pick in the 2013 draft, was acquired by the Celtics’ G-League affiliate, the Maine Red Claws, according to the G-League team’s website. He was dealt by the Northern Arizona Suns. Bennett appeared in 14 games with Northern Arizona, averaging 11.7 PPG and 5.6 RPG.
- Former NBA forward Derrick Williams has signed with the Tianjin Gold Lions of the Chinese Basketball Association, according to an ESPN report. Williams, 26, played a combined 50 games for the Cavaliers and Heat last season. The second overall pick in the 2011 draft also played for the Timberwolves, Kings and Knicks. He averaged 8.9 PPG and 4.0 RPG in his NBA career.
- The Clippers have gotten lost in the shuffle in Los Angeles and it’s not going to get better considering the current state of the team, as Mark Heisler of the Orange County Register examines in a column. Owner Steve Ballmer has threatened to move the team to Inglewood but the Clippers’ lease at the Staples Center runs through 2024, Heisler continues. Seattle would be a natural landing place considering Ballmer’s roots there but he has brushed aside that speculation in the past, Heisler adds.
Knicks Notes: Kanter, Hernangomez, Ntilikina, Holiday
Knicks center Enes Kanter isn’t sure if he will opt in for the final year of his contract, as he told Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News. It was generally assumed that Kanter would not leave $18.4MM on the table but he’s having such a strong season, it’s no longer a given. “It’s always on your mind,” Kanter told Bondy. “But the season is going really well right now. It’s just a contract. I think people worry about it too much and it gets into their head.” If he opts in, the Knicks will head into next summer with virtually no cap space, Bondy notes. If he becomes an unrestricted free agent, the Knicks will try to re-sign him or pursue an athletic wing defender, Bondy adds.
In other developments concerning the Knicks:
- Backup center Willy Hernangomez has not played in 10 of the last 11 games and he anticipates that something will be done about the logjam at the position, as he relayed to Marc Berman of the New York Post. “I want to play,” he said. “I really want to be here. I love New York. KP (Kristaps Porzingis) is here. But I want to play.” League sources informed Berman that Hernangomez still has trade value but the situation could sort itself out in a different way. Berman speculates that the club will ramp up its efforts to deal Kyle O’Quinn if it nosedives in January.
- The team’s matchup against the Spurs on Thursday will have special meaning to rookie point guard Frank Ntilikina, Berman writes in a separate piece. He idolizes longtime San Antonio point guard Tony Parker. “I’m playing against the best French player in history,’’ Ntilikina revealed to the media. “It will be a challenge playing against him. I never met him but talked to him a bit [after the draft] about the transition and defense in the NBA, a little bit about everything.’’
- Bulls swingman Justin Holiday believes the Knicks would have taken him back if he had waited longer in free agency last summer, according to another Bondy story. Holiday’s former agent pushed hard for a substantial offer from the Knicks and even tried to make it a package deal with his brother, Jrue Holiday, a source told Bondy. New York wound up signing Tim Hardaway Jr. “It’s not like I hate the Knicks now,” Justin told Bondy. “I mean, I honestly believe if I waited something would’ve happened. But at the same time you never know.”
Celtics Rumors: Thomas, All-Star Game, Irving, Schedule
Celtics GM Danny Ainge is baffled by Isaiah Thomas‘ recent criticism of the team’s former medical staff, he said in a weekly radio interview that was relayed by Ben Rohrbach of Yahoo Sports. Thomas called out the Celtics in an ESPN interview, saying he would have sat out last postseason if he knew he’d have a long-term recovery from his hip injury. Speaking on 98.5 FM The Sports Hub, Ainge said he was blindsided by the comment. “As you remember, he had a pretty special playoff run, including a 53-point game, but I really don’t remember what he’s referring to,” Ainge said. The Celtics did not retain their trainer and strength coach but Ainge declared it had nothing to do with their handling of Thomas’ injury.
In other news regarding the Celtics:
- The team hasn’t hosted an All-Star Game since 1964 but owner Wyc Grousbeck is hoping to change that, Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe reports. The team has been reluctant to apply for hosting the annual event because of the way the league distributes tickets but Grousbeck is willing to accept its terms. “We can’t get all of our fans into the game, all of our season ticket-holders,” Grousbeck said. “We have a season ticket-holder wait list and relatively few of our season ticket-holders would be able to come to a game that we host. But nonetheless, we’re going to get a (application) package and see if we can work something out.” The earliest that could happen is 2022 because the league has already booked other venues prior to that year.
- Coach Brad Stevens has managed Kyrie Irving‘s minutes and the star point guard is fine with that approach, according to A. Sherrod Blakely of NBCSports.com. Irving is averaging 32.2 MPG, compared to 35.1 MPG in his last season with the Cavaliers. “Whatever is needed, I’m willing to do for the team,” Irving told the assembled media. “And I know Brad will echo the same things, so I trust what he’s got going on.”
- Fatigue is a factor in the Celtics’ inconsistent play of late, Chris Forsberg of ESPN notes. Boston has endured a front-loaded schedule in which it plays half of its games in 79 days, Forsberg points out. The Celtics will play their final 41 games over a 97-day stretch.
Injury Updates: Curry, Griffin, Paul, Hill
Two-time MVP Stephen Curry is expected to return on Saturday during a home game against the Grizzlies, Chris Haynes of ESPN.com reports. Curry will miss his 11th straight game on Friday because of a right ankle sprain but he participated in drills and a 3-on-3 scrimmage during practice on Thursday. “If all goes well, I expect him to play Saturday, but even if it goes well, I’m not expecting him to play (Friday),” Warriors coach Steve Kerr told the assembled media.
In other injury-related news around the league:
- Blake Griffin practiced on Thursday after practicing with the Clippers’ G-League team on Wednesday, but it’s still uncertain whether he’ll play on Friday against the Lakers, according to Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times. Griffin has missed 14 games due to a sprained left MCL. Griffin said he would defer to the team’s medical staff. “That’s why we have the team doctors,” he said. “That’s why we have the training staff that we do. They have done a great job so far putting together … a rehab plan and pushing me and getting to this point.”
- Rockets point guard Chris Paul is expected to play either Friday against the Wizards or Sunday against the Lakers, coach Mike D’Antoni told Jeff Goodman of ESPN (Twitter link). Paul missed his third consecutive game on Thursday due to an adductor strain.
- Pelicans forward Solomon Hill rejoined the team to watch their victory over the Nets on Wednesday, but he’s not close to returning from the torn hamstring he suffered in August, William Guillory of the New Orleans Times-Picayune reports. Hill was expected to miss 6-8 months and that hasn’t changed. “It’s not going to get any quicker or anything like that.,” coach Alvin Gentry said. “We’re just going to have to let it play out. He’s still got a ways to go before he’s able to get back on the court and actually play.”
NBA G League Assignments/Recalls: 12/28/17
Here are the noteworthy G-League transactions around the NBA today:
- The Hornets assigned rookie Dwayne Bacon to the organization’s G League affiliate, the Greensboro Swarm, the team announced in a press release. In 28 games for Charlotte, Bacon has averaged 3.6 PPG and 3.1 RPG. He was acquired along with cash considerations from the Pelicans for draft rights to Frank Jackson during the 2017 NBA Draft.
- The Thunder assigned guard Terrance Ferguson to the organization’s G League affiliate, the Oklahoma City Blue, the team announced in a press release. OKC’s first-round pick from this year’s NBA Draft has appeared in 21 games this season and averaged 1.3 PPG in 6.7 minutes per game.
- The Suns have assigned Davon Reed to the organization’s G League affiliate, the Northern Arizona Suns, the team announced in a press release. Danuel House was also assigned to the G League affiliate, tweets Scott Bordow of Arizona Republic. Reed was the 32nd overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft and is nearing an on-court return after undergoing a meniscus repair in his left knee in August. House has appeared in seven games for Phoenix and averaged 4.4 PPG.
- The Grizzlies assigned forward Ivan Rabb to their affiliate, the Memphis Hustle, the team announced in a press release. The early second-round pick has appeared in 15 games for the Hustle, averaging 15.8 PPG and 9.9 RPG.
Rockets Sign Gerald Green To Non-Guaranteed Deal
5:48pm: The signing is official, per team release.
2:19pm: The Rockets are finalizing a non-guaranteed deal with veteran guard Gerald Green, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (via Twitter). The deal is not complete but the Rockets expect to sign Green before tonight’s game against the Celtics, per Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter).
With injuries to Chris Paul (groin), Luc Mbah a Moute (right shoulder) and Troy Williams (right knee MCL sprain), the Rockets have been searching for depth, per Feigen.
Green, 31, signed with the Bucks in September but was released after playing in four preseason games. The 10-year NBA veteran has played for eight teams in his professional career, including two seasons overseas in Russia. Green was a key bench piece for the Celtics last season as he averaged 5.6 PPG in 47 games for Boston.
Green previously played for Houston during the 2007/08 season but was released after appearing in just one game.
ESPN’s Bobby Marks (via Twitter) has the financial breakdown of Green’s deal. Depending on when the deal is signed, the Rockets will incur a cap hit anywhere from $864,000-$872,000 if Green is not waived by January 7.
Jeff Teague Out Indefinitely With Sprained Left Knee
5:40pm: The team is hopeful that Teague will return in 2-4 weeks, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN tweets.
DECEMBER 28th, 1:38pm: Timberwolves point guard Jeff Teague injured his left knee chasing a loose ball in Wednesday’s win over the Nuggets and will be out indefinitely, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Teague underwent an MRI that revealed no structural damage but he was diagnosed with a sprained left knee, per Wojnarowski.
Teague, 29, has been solid for Minnesota in the first season of a three-year, $55MM pact he signed in the offseason. Through 31 games, Teague has averaged 13.4 PPG and 7.8 APG. In Teague’s absence, the Wolves are likely to rely on backup Tyus Jones to fill in a point guard, Kent Youngblood of the Star Tribune writes.
“As always, it’s whatever the team needs me to do,’’ Jones said on Wednesday after Minnesota’s overtime victory. “I’m hoping Jeff is all right. You never want to see anyone go out with an injury. But it’s the next man up. I’m ready to help this team in any way.’’
Jones, 21, filled in for Teague earlier this season and has played well in 35 games, averaging 4.1 PPG and 2.6 APG. The Wolves also figure to rely more on Aaron Brooks, Jamal Crawford, and Jimmy Butler to handle guard responsibilities in Teague’s absence.
Central Rumors: Buycks, Teletovic, LaVine
Dwight Buycks hopes he can prove that he’s worthy of a standard contract now that Pistons point guard Reggie Jackson is out at least 6-8 weeks with a severe ankle sprain, as he told Keith Langlois of Pistons.com. Detroit signed Buycks to a two-way contract but he spurned a two-year deal because he hoped to eventually earn a spot on a 15-man roster, Langlois continues. Buycks, along with combo guard Langston Galloway, are the two in-house options to back up Ish Smith until Jackson returns. “This is my dream, to be here and be here permanently,” Buycks said. “It’s up to me to put the work in and be successful out here.” Buycks had previous stints with the Raptors and Lakers but hadn’t appeared in a league game since the 2014/15 season until he played two minutes against the Pacers on Tuesday.
In other news around the Central Division:
- Forward Mirza Teletovic could be sidelined until late in the season, which would put the Bucks in the market for a shooter, Gery Woelfel of Woelfel’s Press Box reports. Teletovic was diagnosed with pulmonary emboli in his lungs earlier this month. Teletovic will be sidelined for at least three more months, sources told Woelfel. Without him, Milwaukee is vulnerable on the perimeter offensively. “They just don’t have outside shooters,” a veteran advance scout told Woelfel. “I see that as their biggest weakness.’’
- Shooting guard Zach LaVine has run out of patience waiting for the Bulls to let him return to action, he told Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times and other media members. LaVine, who tore his ACL in February playing for the Timberwolves, has been practicing with the team and its G League affiliate for over a month but has yet to make his season debut. ‘‘I know I feel like I can play right now,’’ he said.