Kevin Love Eyes Possible Weekend Return
After missing over a month with a knee injury, Kevin Love could be back in uniform for the Cavaliers as early as their upcoming road trip beginning this Saturday, Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com writes.
Love underwent arthroscopic surgery last month to clear loose bodies in his left knee. At the time, Vardon says, the forward was expected to be sidelined for six weeks.
The addition of Love – who has already returned to practice in some capacities – would be a welcome one for a Cavs team struggling to hold on to the top seed in the Eastern Conference. In 46 games with the squad this season, Love has averaged 20.0 points and 11.1 rebounds per game.
Though his return will hinge on how he feels following Wednesday’s practice and even today’s work out, the fact that general manager David Griffin is the one who told the media bodes well.
Vardon notes that as long as Love returns before the end of the four-game road trip that concludes on March 24, he’ll have beaten the initial six-week estimate.
Atlantic Notes: Nets, Ibaka, Bradley
Despite the fact that the Nets mortgaged their future for a shot at short-term success back in 2013, the franchise has shown flashes of promise throughout a long rebuild. Buddy Grizzard of Basketball Insiders recently wrote about the years-long process, pointing out that for all the up-hill challenges the club’s general managers have faced, they’ve done a decent job drafting young talent.
When the club first moved to from New Jersey to Brooklyn, first-round picks in 2014, 2016 and 2018 were all sent to Boston in exchange for a package surrounding Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce. Suffice it to say, the bold gamble didn’t pay off for the franchise but the organization is making the most out of the scant cards they dealt themselves.
Grizzard mentions former general manager Billy King‘s selection of Rondae Hollis-Jefferson in the 2015 draft as an intriguing aspect of the current roster, as well as current general manager Sean Marks‘ decision to nab Caris LeVert at No. 20 in 2016.
There’s more out of the Atlantic Division:
- After missing 18 games with an Achilles injury, Avery Bradley had been on a minute restriction for the Celtics. As of March 12th the limitations are no longer, says A. Sherrod Blakely of CSN New England.
- Say what you will about Cory Joseph backing up the injured Kyle Lowry, but one thing the reserve hasn’t been able to replicate is Lowry’s three-point shooting. “We’re more of a spread-it team,” Raptors head coach Dwane Casey said Monday night, per Doug Smith of The Toronto Star. “Cory’s an attack guy, but he’s going into where everybody else is. It’s not that Cory’s doing something wrong; that’s just his game. When Kyle’s in there, he can space out and be one of the (pass) receivers out there.”
- When the Raptors acquired Serge Ibaka, they added a rare force capable of impacting a basketball game without scoring a point, Ryan Wolstat of the National Post writes. Ibaka did just that on Monday night, finishing with a plus-18 rating despite not scoring a single basket.
Sixers Notes: Long, Brown, TLC, Anderson, Embiid
Shawn Long is likely to stick with the Sixers after his 10-day contract expires, Jessica Camerato of CSN reports. Long, whose contract expires Wednesday, has earned the respect of coach Brett Brown.
“I think we’re going through that,” Brown said of making a decision on Long’s contract. “It wouldn’t surprise me. I have no desire, personally, to look elsewhere. He’s a part of what we’ve been doing.”
“We feel like he’s ours. His ability to step out and make a three, his ability to have a finesse move at a post, he does have length, he does play hard, he is fluid in his movements. All those things give you hope that maybe there is a place for him. He’s young, he’s a good young man, he works. There’s really nothing but positives that come to my mind when you mention his name.”
As Camerato mentions, the health of Tiago Splitter may influence the team’s decision to tender Long another contract. As Keith Pompey of Philly.com recently reported, the team was considering working Splitter out with the Delaware 87ers.
More from the City of Brotherly Love…
- While injuries have decimated the Sixers’ lineup, Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot has impressed in his rookie season, Bob Cooney of Philly.com writes. “Luwawu-Cabarrot isn’t all the way there yet, but he has turned his game into something that could be very complementary next season,” Cooney writes. “He uses his athleticism very well on both ends of the court, and for a team that is always going to be in need of perimeter defense, that is a huge asset. His floor vision has improved to the point where he is a legitimate triple threat when the ball is in his hands. He hasn’t even really had the chance to play with Embiid yet, which could be so helpful in opening lanes and giving more time for jumpers.”
- Deadline acquisition Justin Anderson held a Q&A with Ed Barkowitz of Philly.com. Anderson claimed to have “gotten over” the shock of being traded, and now embraces a “great opportunity” in Philadelphia. “Here, they have high expectations for me. I’m willing to grind and work. It’s a young team that’s going to play hard and fast.”
- Anderson also relayed a funny tidbit about Joel Embiid, who he tried to recruit for the University of Virginia: “I tried to recruit him to come to Virginia. I was his host when he came on his official visit. Downstairs (from the dorm), there was big glass windows and he didn’t see the glass and he just walked right into it. It was hilarious. But the cool thing came when I asked him what he wanted to do. Do you want to go out? Do you want to get food? Movies? He said, “I’m just trying to go to the gym.” So it was like 12 o’clock at night and we went back to the gym to get some work in. It was impressive.”
- Coach Brown has proven himself as the leader of this team, Keith Pompey of Philly.com writes. While there are still questions about Brown’s long-term future within the organization, some coaches around the league are “amazed” he’s managed a 23-42 record. “I think he should be coach of the year,” Bucks coach Jason Kidd said. “You talk about all the players that are out with injuries, but every day, he is upbeat, he’s teaching, he’s coaching, and he’s trying to put his team in a position to win. I am a big fan of coach Brown.”
Knicks Notes: Porzingis, Hornacek, Jackson, Holiday
Kristaps Porzingis plans on working out with Dirk Nowitzki over the offseason, Marc Berman of the Post reports. While Mark Cuban initially wasn’t thrilled with the idea, the Mavs owner came to his senses, saying “It was all in fun. It’s up to Dirk.’’
Porzingis, meanwhile, intends to take advantage of an opportunity to learn from an all-time great.
“I’m sure it will help me out and improve my game, hopefully, unless Mark Cuban says no,’’ Porzingis said. “Dirk is a guy who can really help my game. Hopefully I’ll have a chance to work with him, a few days to get on the court with him and pick his brain.”
More from The Mecca…
- In an interview with Michael Scotto of Basketball Insiders, Justin Holiday reiterated his desire to play alongside his brother (and fellow free agent-to-be) Jrue Holiday. “That’s something we’ve talked about, and I’m sure we’ll talk about it more when the season is over.”
- According to a report from Frank Isola of the Daily News, Phil Jackson may consider firing Jeff Hornacek after the season. Isola takes Jackson to task for being indifferent to the team’s dour mood, as well as being overly fixated on running the triangle offense. “Maybe Jackson’s plan is to be more hands-on knowing that Hornacek will not stand in his way. Under this arrangement Phil’s coaching the team without being on the bench. And it would be a recipe for an even bigger disaster,” Isola writes.
- The Knicks must focus on Porzingis’ development amid their chaotic season, Steve Popper of The Record writes. “I think this year is a really good experience for me,” Porzingis said. “It’s a tough year. It’s a tough everything. There’s a quote like, a smooth sea never, you know what I mean about the sea? Google it. Basically if the sea is smooth you’re never going to become a great sailor. That’s how I always take it – as a challenge.”
Sergio Llull To Spend Another Year In Spain
Sergio Llull, a Spanish combo guard whose NBA rights are owned by the Rockets, plans to play for Real Madrid again next season. In an interview with the Spanish language site Marca.com, Llull cites the six-year extension he signed with his current team in 2015.
“In the future you never know,” Llull said, “but I’ve renewed for six years and I’m not going to go next summer.”
The announcement adds to the doubt that the 29-year-old will ever have an NBA future. The Rockets have owned his draft rights since purchasing them from the Nuggets in 2009. Over that time, Llull has sent mixed signals about coming to the United States, raising the hopes of Houston management and fans, before deciding to stay in Spain. A report in October said the Rockets were hopeful about bringing Llull over next season, but his comments today seem to rule that out.
Llull’s Real Madrid teammates tell international basketball writer David Pick there’s “zero chance” he will leave the Spanish club (Twitter link).
There have been conflicting reports about the size of the buyout Llull would have to pay to escape his deal with Real Madrid. Some sources said it increased to 12 million euros when he signed the extension, but others indicated it’s far less. Llull wouldn’t be subject to the NBA’s rookie scale if he were to sign with Houston because he was a second-round pick and was taken so long ago. The Rockets would have to use cap room or an exception to fit him on their roster.
Talking NBA Awards, Trades At The 2017 MIT Sloan Conference
Hoops Rumors recently spoke with several current and former league executives as well as other media members at this year’s MIT Sloan Conference. We conducted a brief poll with topics ranging from the MVP race to front office moves. Here are some highlights from the discussions with our six poll participants:
2017 Most Valuable Player
All but one of our six participants said Russell Westbrook should be the NBA’s 2017 MVP. During the conference’s Ball Don’t Lie Panel, former Nuggets executive Dean Oliver, who was not part of the group, compared Westbrook’s candidacy to Miguel Cabrera’s 2012 MLB MVP campaign: “Stats lie, but people will vote for [Westbrook] because of the stats.”
Cabrera won the American League triple crown in 2012 and was named Most Valuable Player, but many observers felt that Mike Trout had the better overall season and should have won the award.
Many Sloan attendees told Hoops Rumors that we may be headed for a similar situation in the NBA this season, with Westbrook receiving votes because of the triple-doubles even though LeBron James, James Harden and Kawhi Leonard all deserve as much – if not more – credit for how they help their respective teams.
2017 Rookie of The Year
It’s a small sample size, but it’s telling that none of the six members polled said they would vote for Joel Embiid for the Rookie of the Year. While Embiid is easily the most impressive rookie in terms of per-game impact, he hasn’t even cracked 800 minutes this season.
By comparison, Dario Saric has already played nearly 1,700 minutes with 16 games to go. Saric received four of the votes in our poll, while Malcolm Brogdon received the other two.
However, one former executive told Hoops Rumors that Buddy Hield could still work his way into the conversation. That exec believed that the Kings could give Hield “free reign” in the offense over the final stretch of the season.
Most impactful trade deadline deal
The Mavericks’ acquisition of Nerlens Noel from the Sixers received the most votes for the deadline deal that will be the most impactful long-term, slightly edging out the Pelicans’ DeMarcus Cousins deal.
The trade that has the most impact short-term? Two votes were cast for Houston landing Lou Williams. The Cousins trade received two votes as well, while Washington’s Bojan Bogdanovic deal and Toronto’s Serge Ibaka/P.J. Tucker acquisitions (technically two separate trades, but viewed as one elongated transaction) also received one vote apiece.
Ante Zizic In Celtics’ Plans For Next Season
The Celtics plan to add 2016 draft pick Ante Zizic to their roster next season, according to Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe.
Zizic, the 23rd player selected, is currently playing for Darussafaka Dogus in Turkey. His performance so far has convinced Boston’s front office that he is ready for the NBA.
“July 1 just has to roll over on the calendar, and we’ll sign him,” said Celtics director of player personnel Austin Ainge. “He wants to be here, and we want him here.”
Zizic has only played 11 games, but is putting up 9.7 points and 7.1 rebounds in just 23 minutes per night. At 6’10”, he can help fill the void in the paint that has plagued Boston this season.
“He just turned 20 in January, and he punishes grown men physically,” Ainge added. “He hits hard and he’s a physical presence out there. As much as I loved Ante and believed in him, I was surprised how much success he had this early in Euroleague.”
Zizic had hoped to join the Celtics right away and was disappointed to learn that the organization wanted him to spend a year overseas. He is working to improve his midrange jump shot and sees himself as both a power forward and a center when he comes to Boston.
The young center is learning the NBA game from David Blatt, who coached the Cavaliers for the first half of last season before being dismissed. In a question-and-answer session with Himmelsbach, Blatt said Zizic is benefiting from his time in the Euroleague.
“Without a doubt, in my mind, the Celtics made a tremendous 23rd pick in the draft,” said Blatt, who compares Zizic to Oklahoma City center Steven Adams. “This guy, at that number is in my mind just a great pick, a great pick. And I do know a little bit about the NBA, so I can tell you that with confidence.”
Timofey Mozgov ‘Shut Down’ By Lakers
Despite being healthy, Lakers center Timofey Mozgov may not play again this season, tweets Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated. A source tells Spears that Mozgov has been “shut down” so the team can take a closer look at its younger players.
Signing the 30-year-old was the first major move of the offseason for the Lakers, who gave him a four-year, $64MM contract. It was considered a large amount for someone who had rarely been more than a part-time starter since entering the league in 2010.
If Mozgov’s first season is done in L.A., he finishes it with averages of 7.4 points and 4.9 rebounds in 54 games. He has only played twice since February 6th, and rookie Ivica Zubac appears to have taken his place in the starting lineup.
Mozgov still has three seasons and $48MM left on his contract. The Lakers’ other significant free agent signing of last summer, Luol Deng, has three years and $54MM remaining. The 31-year-old small forward hasn’t played since February 28th as the Lakers’ new regime puts an emphasis on youth.
In addition to developing its young players, L.A. has an incentive to tank as its pick will go to the Sixers if it lands outside the top three. The Lakers are currently second in our Reverse Standings.
Casspi Cleared To Play, Talking With Contenders
Less than three weeks after breaking his right thumb, Omri Casspi has received medical clearance to “resume basketball activities,” tweets Marc Stein of ESPN.com.
Casspi suffered the injury in his first game with the Pelicans after being traded from the Kings as part of the DeMarcus Cousins deal. New Orleans waived Casspi to open a roster spot rather than wait for him to heal. Casspi’s original prognosis put his recovery time at four to six weeks.
Now a free agent, Casspi has been contacted by several contending teams, according to Stein, who names the Clippers and Grizzlies among them (Twitter link). Memphis may need to find a replacement for Chandler Parsons, who could be shut down for the rest of the season with a partial meniscus tear in his left knee.
Casspi played just 22 games with Sacramento before the deal, averaging 5.9 points and 4.1 rebounds per night. He missed more than a month in January and February with a strained plantaris tendon in his right calf.
Bulls Notes: Rondo, Mirotic, Grant, Wade
Rajon Rondo and Nikola Mirotic returned to familiar roles Monday as the Bulls broke their five-game losing streak, writes Nick Friedell of ESPN.com. Making his first start since December 30th, Rondo put up 20 points, seven rebounds and six assists in a win at Charlotte. “That’s what I came here for,” said Rondo, who joined the Bulls on a two-year deal last summer. “But like I said, it’s a process I went through. It didn’t kill me. It’s decisions people made that’s out of my league.” Rondo’s performance should earn him some more starts, but it may not be enough to keep him in Chicago past this season. Only $3MM of his $13.397MM salary for next season is guaranteed if he is waived before June 30th.
Mirotic, who has spent nearly a week on the bench and was listed as inactive for Sunday’s game, responded to his opportunity with a team-high 24 points to go with 11 rebounds. The 26-year-old is in the final season of a three-year contract, and like Rondo, faces an uncertain future in Chicago. “It’s obvious I was not happy with the situation,” Mirotic said. “Nobody’s happy sitting on the bench, not playing — but like I said before, there’s not too much I can do. Just be ready. Work on yourself and once your chance came, try to prove it. I want to forget about this game as soon as I can because I want to stay ready, stay aggressive.”
There’s more this morning out of Chicago:
- Rondo’s start came at the expense of Jerian Grant, who became the latest Bulls point guard to go from the starting lineup to out of the rotation, notes Joe Cowley of The Sun-Times. Grant’s playing time has been cut severely over the past week and he never left the bench in Monday’s game. “It’s hard to play when you’re looking over your shoulder after every play,’’ Grant said. “But when you’re out there, you’re playing to win. Whoever [coach Fred Hoiberg] puts out there, that’s what you have to do. You have to be mentally tough. But when there are four other guys fighting for that same position you’re in, it’s hard not to look over your shoulder.”
- Mirotic is not part of the Bulls’ long-term plans, Cowley states in the same story.
- Financial realities may force Dwyane Wade to spend another season in Chicago, writes Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel. The two-year deal Wade signed in July includes a $23.8MM player option for next season. Winderman doesn’t believe any contender will offer Wade nearly that much, so he may decide to opt in and not test the market again.