Atlantic Notes: Sixers, Rose, Horford
The foundation of the Sixers franchise is cracked, writes Bob Cooney of the Philadelphia Inquirer. The scribe turns a spotlight on the organization for its handling of injuries to star players and even the management of its payroll this year and last.
Ambiguity and a lack of transparency with regard to the recovery times of players like Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons call into question whether the club has a management problem or just a communication problem. Regardless, the “fans and players need this organization to be run better,” he writes. Recently the Sixers revealed that both Embiid and Simmons will miss the remainder of the 2016/17 campaign after several weeks of misplaced optimism and muted details about the severity of their injuries.
Finally, Cooney acknowledges that for the second time in two years the franchise has taken on and eaten the lofty contracts of opposing teams’ veterans in bids to push their payroll closer to the salary floor. A team that doesn’t reach the salary floor is obligated to pay the difference out to the players on their roster, but by taking on Andrew Bogut‘s deal, the club absolves itself of the responsibility. The part of Bogut’s $11MM contract that the Sixers inherited in the Nerlens Noel trade, of course, is prorated relative to how much of the 2016/17 season he spent with each organization.
“Don’t think that hasn’t soured some, if not most,” of the Sixers’ players, Cooney cautions.
There’s more out of the Atlantic Division:
- A less-than-impressive showing on defense in Wednesday night’s Sixers loss has Philadelphia Inquirer columnist Bob Ford wondering if “Jahlil Okafor‘s career in Philadelphia may have ended with that one play.”
- Injured big man Joel Embiid is taking his setback in stride. “Be back soon,” the Sixers rookie tweeted Thursday. “The process has to be postponed.”
- While the Knicks as an organization moved to embrace the triangle offense, point guard Derrick Rose isn’t so enthusiastic. “S—, do I have a choice? Do I have a choice?” he joked with Ian Begley of ESPN and reporters on Thursday.
- While it wasn’t long ago that it seemed Derrick Rose was on his way out of New York, he’ll remain with the Knicks for the rest of the year and, per Laura Albanese of Newsday, is working on adding a three-point shot.
- The Raptors will need to play with more energy and passion if they’re to stop their slide down the Eastern Conference standings, writes Frank Zicarelli of the Toronto Sun. Modified minute distributions for the second unit may be in the cards as well.
- The impact of Al Horford on the Celtics isn’t always measured by traditional statistics, writes A. Sherrod Blakey of CSN New England. “He makes plays, high basketball IQ, he can score, he can pass, he can rebound and the way he played (against Cleveland) we need him to play like that for us to win. He does a lot for us that doesn’t even go on the stat sheet though,” says point guard Isaiah Thomas.
Hawks Hoping To Sign Jose Calderon
The Hawks hope to sign point guard Jose Calderon by Saturday, tweets Marc Stein of ESPN.com.
If the deal goes through, Atlanta would be Calderon’s third team this week. He agreed to a buyout with the Lakers on Monday, then was signed and released by the Warriors on Wednesday. The league notified teams this week that Calderon was waived by Golden State in time to be eligible for the playoffs (Twitter link).
Calderon’s waiver process will expire at 5 pm on Saturday, Stein notes (Twitter link). Atlanta can either submit a waiver claim or hope that he clears waivers and sign him as a free agent.
Rumors have linked the Hawks to Calderon in recent days as they search for a backup to Dennis Schroder. Atlanta has an open roster spot after waiving Lamar Patterson last week. The team tried combo guard Gary Neal earlier this season, but prefers a pure point guard to fill in for Schroder.
The 35-year-old Calderon averaged about 12 minutes per night with the Lakers, putting up 3.3 points and 2.1 assists in 24 games.
And-Ones: Buyouts, Referees, Lorenzo Brown, Lottery
Some team executives have proposed changing the buyout process that favors successful organizations, according to Zach Lowe of ESPN.com. That inequity was on display this week as the Cavaliers added Deron Williams and Andrew Bogut and the Warriors picked up Matt Barnes after Kevin Durant was injured.
Possible solutions include moving the date that players have to be waived to retain postseason eligibility to before the trade deadline or creating a “buyout wire.” The wire would allow teams with cap room to bid on players who get bought out, with the highest bidder winning regardless of the players’ wishes. Early Bird rights could even be tied to this system to encourage more bidding, Lowe states. If there are no bidders, then teams over the cap would be allowed to pursue the players, possibly in reverse order of record.
There’s more news from around the basketball world:
- The NBA announced several initiatives Thursday to improve the quality of officiating, relays Brian Mahoney of The Associated Press. The league will introduce an Officiating Advisory Council and will expand the number of referees from 64 to at least 70 next season. There are also plans to change their travel schedule and the system of evaluation. Overseas officials will be among those considered for NBA jobs. “Twenty-five percent of our players now are international or not born in the U.S., so why shouldn’t we try to match some of that in terms of talent coming from international flavor into the ref population as well?” said Byron Spruell, the president of league operations.
- Lorenzo Brown, who has played for three teams in three NBA seasons, has signed a contract with the D-League, tweets Chris Reichert of The Step Back. The Grand Rapids Drive, Detroit’s affiliate, owns the rights to the 26-year old point guard, who had been playing in China. Brown spent eight games with the Suns last season. He has also played for the Sixers and Wolves.
- Joel Brighham of Basketball Insiders examines whether teams on the postseason bubble are better off making the playoffs or getting a lottery pick.
Knicks Notes: Point Guard Search, Rose, Thomas
The Knicks will have a hard time finding their next point guard either through the draft or free agency, writes Fred Kerber of The New York Post. With Derrick Rose unlikely to return next season, getting a replacement will be an offseason priority. However, Kerber notes that New York’s draft pick won’t be high enough to snag one of the elite point guards available, and the top free agents are likely to stay where they are.
The Knicks are currently in a three-way tie for eighth in our latest Reverse Standings, giving them just a remote shot at a top two pick that will probably be necessary to draft Washington’s Markelle Fultz or UCLA’s Lonzo Ball. That leaves lower-tier options such as De’Aaron Fox of Kentucky or international standout Frank Ntilikina.
The problem is similar in free agency, where the Knicks will have about $25MM to spend, but the best available players — Stephen Curry, Chris Paul, Kyle Lowry and George Hill — are all expected to remain with their current teams. Kerber says the Knicks might target Jrue Holiday or Jeff Teague, but the Pelicans and Pacers with both have Bird rights and the advantages of being able to offer more money and more years.
There’s more this morning from New York:
- Rose is optimistic about reaching the playoffs despite the Knicks’ 25-36 record, and says he plans to unleash his 3-point shot in the postseason, relays Marc Berman of The New York Post. “I’m trying to put pieces of my game together,” Rose said. “I’m not shooting 3s yet. Hopefully I’ll start shooting them in the playoffs. It’s going to take a lot of sacrifice and dedication to get there. I’m just adding pieces to my game throughout the season.”
- One positive for Rose this season has been his health, Berman notes in the same piece. Rose has appeared in 52 of the team’s 61 games, and if he plays 15 more it will be the most in a season since his ACL tear in 2012. “Two times, three times a day, the entire summer,” Rose said of his offseason workout schedule. “I worked on my game and body. That’s one of the reasons my body is holding up.”
- The Knicks’ defense has improved significantly since Lance Thomas returned six games ago, Berman writes in a separate story. Thomas missed about a month after taking an elbow to the face in a January game and breaking the orbital bone. The time off also allowed Thomas to overcome plantar fasciitis that had been affecting him since training camp.
Sixers Sign Justin Harper To 10-Day Deal
MARCH 3, 9:11am: The signing is official, tweets Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer.
MARCH 2, 12:30pm: The Sixers intend to sign D-League forward Justin Harper to a 10-day contract, according to Shams Charania of The Vertical (via Twitter). Philadelphia had an opening on its roster after reaching a buyout agreement with Andrew Bogut earlier this week, so the club won’t have to make a corresponding roster move to sign Harper.
Harper, the 32nd overall pick in the 2011 draft, made his NBA debut way back in 2011 for the Magic, but was out of the league for a few years following his rookie season and has only appeared in 19 total regular season games in his career. The Richmond alum has played well in the D-League for the Los Angeles D-Fenders in recent years, however.
Harper earned an NBADL All-Star nod a year ago, and has been arguably even better this season, averaging 16.2 PPG, 7.0 RPG, and a .401 3PT% in 37 games. His call-up will represent a tough loss for the D-Fenders, who have a 28-10 record and hold the top seed in the D-League’s Western Conference.
For the Sixers, Harper could get a chance at some playing time during his initial 10-day stint in Philadelphia, given the team’s current lack of depth at the four. With Ersan Ilyasova having been sent to the Hawks prior to the trade deadline, Dario Saric has been handling an expanded role at power forward.
Northwest Notes: Cole, Oladipo, Nurkic, Davis
Veteran point guard Norris Cole is thrilled to be back in the NBA after nearly a year away from the league, writes Brett Dawson of the Oklahoman. The Thunder signed Cole for the rest of the season on Wednesday, giving them a veteran point guard to back up Russell Westbrook. The job belonged to rookie Semaj Christon when the season started while Cameron Payne was rehabbing from a foot injury. Christon got it back again when Payne was traded to the Bulls last week. Now Oklahoma City has a more experienced option in Cole, who saw plenty of playoff action during his three and a half seasons in Miami. “I think he understands what he’s walking into and what he’s got to do,” said coach Billy Donovan. “And it will take some time. I think he understands that. Just need him to run our team when he’s in there, make good decisions, defend – all the things he’s done for most of his career.”
There’s more from the Northwest Division:
- Donovan isn’t worried that Victor Oladipo‘s back injury will become a long-term problem, Dawson tweets. Oladipo missed his fourth straight game with back spasms Thursday night, but the coach believes it’s just a muscular issue and the recovery time is normal.
- Trail Blazers center Jusuf Nurkic made a powerful impression Thursday in his first home game since being acquired in a trade with the Nuggets, notes Casey Holdahl of NBA.com. Nurkic put up 18 points, 12 rebounds, six assists and five steals, making him the first Portland player ever to reach all those numbers in a single game. “I feel great to be here, excited every day to spent with those guys in this city,” Nurkic said. “They give me a lot of opportunity when I came here, so I just try to play and have fun. I know who I am… I know I’m going to be on the court. I just go there and play.”
- Blazers big man Ed Davis discusses his decision to have season-ending shoulder surgery with Joe Freeman of The Oregonian and says he will definitely be ready for the start of next season.
Southwest Rumors: Parsons, Barea, Cuban, Gasol
Chandler Parsons is frustrated by his subpar play but Grizzlies coach David Fizdale indicated Thursday that the small forward will remain in the rotation, Michael Wallace of Grizzlies.com reports. Parsons signed a four-year, $94MM free agent contract last summer but has battled knee injuries while averaging 6.1 PPG on 34.5% shooting in 19.5 MPG. Fitzdale said Parsons remains a big part of the team’s plans this season but admits Parsons is feeling the heat. “He feels like he’s letting his team down, he feels like he’s letting this city down, and he doesn’t want that,” Fizdale told the assembled media.
In other news around the Southwest Division:
- Point guard J.J. Barea hopes he can return to action during the Mavericks’ five-game homestand that begins on Friday, according to Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News. Barea hasn’t played since January 20th after straining his left calf. Barea joined the team on their road trip to Atlanta on Wednesday to work out with team’s training staff, Sefko adds.
- Mavericks owner Mark Cuban would like to see the team grab a playoff spot but doesn’t see a downside regardless of how the season plays out, Sefko writes in a separate story. Dallas currently trails the Nuggets by 3 1/2 games for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference. “To me, it’s a win-win,” Cuban told Sefko. “If we lose, we get a better draft pick. If we win, we get in the playoffs.”
- Spurs center Pau Gasol doesn’t mind coming off the bench, as Michael C. Wright of ESPN.com relays. Gasol found himself on the second unit this week after returning from a fractured finger on his left hand. Dewayne Dedmon started at center. “I think [Spurs coach Gregg Popovich] is trying to do a good job of putting the best lineups and how they work together, and also maximizing everyone’s talents,” Gasol told Wright. “With the second unit, I have more opportunities to score, to play my game. With the first unit, it’s a little more limited, my options.”
NBA D-League Assignments/Recalls: 3/2/17
Here are Thursday’s D-League assignments and recalls from around the NBA:
- The Jazz assigned Joel Bolomboy to the Salt Lake City Stars, the team tweets. The 6’7” forward, who has bounced back and forth between the NBA and D League all season, has appeared in 22 games with the Stars, averaging 16.3 PPG and 13.0 RPG.
Pacific Notes: Calderon, Suns, Clippers, Barnes
Jose Calderon received approximately $400K for his very brief stay with the Warriors, Sam Amick of USA Today tweets. Golden State signed the veteran point guard to a guaranteed contract for the remainder of the season, then released him approximately two hours later after Kevin Durant was injured. The Warriors then signed Matt Barnes on Thursday to fortify their small forward position. Calderon became a free agent after the Lakers bought him out on Monday.
In other news around the Pacific Division:
- The Phoenix city council will pay a consulting group $75K to determine how to upgrade the Suns’ Talking Stick Resort Arena, Dustin Gardiner of the Arizona Republic reports. The Suns have played in the arena since 1992. The council paid the same consulting firm $190K last year to study options for building a new sports and entertainment arena, so this could signal a shift in the city’s plan to keep the team downtown, Gardiner adds.
- The Clippers are 1-3 since the All-Star break and stars Chris Paul and Blake Griffin are trying to regain their offensive chemistry after overcoming injuries, Bill Oram of the Orange County Register writes. Paul just returned from a torn thumb ligament, and Griffin missed 18 games following knee surgery. “We don’t have much practice time. We’ve got games,” Paul told Oram. “Regardless, when you step on the court you [try to] win the game. Figure it out and win at the same time.”
- Character issues played into the Kings’ decision to waive Barnes, Ailene Voisin of the Sacramento Bee tweets. The team attempted to trade him and felt he was a bad influence on DeMarcus Cousins on and off the court, Voisin adds. Barnes and Cousins were sued following an incident in a New York nightclub in December.
Community Shootaround: Western Conference Playoffs
Once Kevin Durant made his surprise decision to bolt the Thunder for the reigning Western Conference champions, it seemed a foregone conclusion that the Warriors would once again return to the NBA Finals. There was little evidence to dispel that notion once Durant’s varied skills were assimilated into Golden State’s high-throttle attack.
That all changed in the nation’s capital this week when teammate Zaza Pachulia fell backward onto Durant’s left knee. The perennial All-Star small forward suffered a Grade 2 MCL sprain and a tibial bone bruise.
Durant will be out at least a month and quite possibly several more weeks. He won’t even be re-evaluated for four weeks and the Warriors are certain to exercise caution. There’s a good chance Durant will miss the remainder of the regular season and it could also affect his status for the postseason. Even if he comes back in time for the playoffs, he could be limited and will have to regain his rhythm on the fly.
Durant’s injury suddenly makes Golden State much more vulnerable. The Warriors still have their former Big Three, which led them to a 2015 championship and nearly another one last season. But they no longer have their other two starters from those seasons, Harrison Barnes and Andrew Bogut, and their bench isn’t very deep.
The Spurs and Rockets, in particular, now look like serious threats to dethrone the Warriors. Kawhi Leonard is averaging career highs in points and assists for San Antonio, LaMarcus Aldridge and Pau Gasol form a solid 1-2 punch in the middle and the roster is loaded with playoff-tested veterans.
Mike D’Antoni‘s decision to turn James Harden into Houston’s primary ballhandler has been a smashing success. The league’s second-highest scoring team added even more firepower at the trade deadline by acquiring Lou Williams from the Lakers.
It’s not out of the realm of possibility for the Clippers to catch fire if their Big Three is healthy coming into the postseason. The Grizzlies, who staged a memorable comeback at Golden State this season, also have a veteran, battle-tested roster. The Thunder improved their bench via a trade-deadline deal with the Bulls, and the Jazz possess a solid 1-2 punch of their own in Gordon Hayward and Rudy Gobert.
This leads us to our question of the day: Do you expect the Warriors to emerge from the Western Conference playoffs even if Kevin Durant is unavailable or limited due his knee injury? If not, which team is most likely to knock them off their perch and why?
Please share your thoughts in the comments section below. We look forward to what you have to say.