Northwest Notes: Millsap, Summer League, Thunder
Nuggets forward Paul Millsap is exploring alternatives to wrist surgery that would keep him out of action for about three months, according to Gina Mizell of The Denver Post. The four-time All-Star, who came to Denver this summer on a three-year contract worth more than $90MM, has been diagnosed with a torn ligament in his left wrist.
Coach Mike Malone said today that Millsap is “going to talk to some other doctors, get some other opinions before we make a decision on what the best course of action is.” However, he added that the team is preparing for a long stretch without its second-leading scorer. Millsap is averaging 15.3 points and 6.2 rebounds in 16 games.
There’s more from the Northwest Division:
- In the wake of the Magic’s decision to cancel the Orlando Summer League for next year, Jazz officials plan to continue the competition in Utah, tweets Ben Dowsett of Basketball Insiders. Next year will mark the fourth season for the event, which is much smaller than the leagues in Las Vegas and Orlando. The Jazz were joined this year by the Celtics, Sixers and Spurs.
- The Thunder’s star players are remaining calm despite their slow start, relays Sam Amick of USA Today. Oklahoma City was expected to be among the elite teams in the West after a pair of offseason trades united Paul George and Carmelo Anthony with Russell Westbrook, but OKC remains under .500. “I think they all understand that they can’t do it by themselves, and I think they all realize that from the situations they’re coming from, that now, ‘How do we figure out how to do it together?’” said coach Billy Donovan. “In order to compete at the highest level, you’ve got to have several really good players on your team. And there may be some truth to that, but I think people think that all of a sudden you take a collection of talent and just throw it together [and it works].”
- The offseason moves have solidified the faith that Westbrook has in the organization, relays Royce Young of ESPN. Westbrook, who added stability to the Thunder by agreeing to extensions the past two summers, is a huge proponent of GM Sam Presti. “He’s done an amazing job. He’s done a great job ever since I’ve been here,” Westbrook said. “He’s finding ways to constantly keep making us a better team. … You definitely are very, very thankful to have somebody like that in charge of making those decisions.”
Texas Notes: Noel, Leonard, Anderson, Weber
Nerlens Noel will regret turning down the Mavericks‘ four-year, $72MM offer this summer, states Newy Scruggs in a chat for The Dallas Morning News. Scruggs contends Noel is not viewed as a hard worker by the organization, which has lowered his standing with coach Rick Carlisle. Noel has slipped into a reserve role, starting just six of the 17 games he has played this season.
Noel was hoping for a maximum offer, either from the Mavs or another team, when he entered restricted free agency in July. But nothing in that neighborhood materialized and Noel opted to accept Dallas’ $4,187,598 qualifying offer and try his luck as an unrestricted free agent next year. Scruggs said he expects Noel to be traded before the February deadline.
There’s more NBA news from the Lone Star State:
- Spurs coach Gregg Popovich told reporters he has never seen an injury like the one that is keeping Kawhi Leonard out of action, relays Michael C. Wright of ESPN. Leonard is dealing with quadriceps tendinopathy, which has prevented him from taking the court all season, even in practice, and there’s still no definitive timetable for his return. Popovich had better news about Tony Parker, who also has a quadriceps injury that dates back to last season’s Western Conference semifinals. Parker has said he hopes to return in November, and it sounds like that may be possible. “For real, sooner than later,” Popovich said tonight. “And I’m serious. I’m being honest.”
- Leonard’s injury has created an opportunity for fourth-year swingman Kyle Anderson, who is getting serious minutes for the first time in his career. Anderson has started all 18 games, and Popovich plans to keep him in the rotation even when Leonard returns, tweets Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News. “When Kawhi does come back, I’ve got some figuring out to do,” Popovich said. “[Anderson] should still be on the court, somehow or another.”
- After signing a two-way deal with the Rockets last month, Briante Weber is eager to make the most of his latest shot at the NBA, writes Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle. Weber, the leading scorer for Houston’s G League affiliate in Rio Grande Valley, was called up to the Rockets today for the first time since joining the organization. He previously played for the Grizzlies, Heat, Warriors and Hornets, but never spent more than 13 games with any of those teams. “I’ve been prepared,” Weber said. “It’s just about the opportunity. That’s all it’s about, me taking advantage of the opportunity when I get in. I’ve always been prepared. It’s just basketball.”
Community Shootaround: DeAndre Jordan
A disastrous November got even rougher for the Clippers today with the news that Patrick Beverley will miss the rest of the season after undergoing knee surgery.
Beverley’s return Monday after missing five games was supposed to help L.A. right its ship. Instead, doctors determined that he needed surgery for a microfracture and a meniscus injury. His rehab is expected to take nine months.
With fellow opening-night backcourt starter Milos Teodosic sidelined indefinitely with a plantar fascia injury to his left foot and Danilo Gallinari out with a strained left glute, the Clippers have cratered. They entered tonight’s game with a nine-game losing streak and a 5-11 record.
Amid all this misery comes a report from Tim Bontemps of The Washington Post that several teams have made inquiries about center DeAndre Jordan. The 10-year veteran remains one of the league’s best rebounders and shot blockers, but there’s no guarantee his future will be in L.A. Jordan has a player option for next season worth nearly $24.12MM and could be tempted to test the market come July.
Jordan’s decision will go a long way in shaping the future of the franchise. The Clippers could have roughly $40MM in cap space next summer if Jordan, Teodosic, Austin Rivers and Wesley Johnson all opt out, or they could be well above the cap if everyone opts in. Beverley’s salary of slightly more than $5MM for 2018/19 is non-guaranteed, so it’s not certain that the team will bring him back.
The Clippers could wait for Jordan to determine their fate or they could make that decision themselves with a trade. L.A. is only two games out of a playoff spot, but it’s hard to envision a quick turnaround with Beverley already lost for the season and the other injuries continuing to linger.
What do you think? Should the Clippers try to trade Jordan now and get some young talent to rebuild around Blake Griffin or should they hold onto him and the other veterans and hope to turn the season around? Please leave your thoughts in the comments section below.
Southeast Notes: Isaac, Vogel, Olynyk, Monk
Magic forward Jonathan Isaac is missing his fifth straight game tonight with a sprained ankle, but the team hopes to have him back by the end of its current road trip, writes Josh Robbins of The Orlando Sentinel. The sixth player take in this year’s draft, Isaac has averaged 6.1 points and 4.4 rebounds in his first 12 NBA games. At 6’10”, he is tall and versatile enough to defend several positions.
“You hate to say you’re missing a 20-year-old rookie, but we are,” Magic coach Frank Vogel said. “He’s a dynamic player, especially on the defensive end, and he’s missed. But every single team in the league has got guys out.” Orlando is starting a four-game road trip tonight that will run through Monday.
There’s more news from the Southeast Division:
- Vogel considered making a lineup change, but decided to keep the same starting five for tonight to allow his point guards to get more comfortable in their return from injuries, Robbins adds in the same story. Elfrid Payton and D.J. Augustin both missed time with hamstring problems, with Payton coming back November 13 and Augustin returning Saturday. “[We’re] staying the course right now,” Vogel said. “I think we’re still dealing with not having been at full strength and we’re trying to keep guys in their roles while we try to achieve that.”
- Pat Riley’s decisions to bring back most of last season’s roster and use future cap room on a small number of players aren’t working out so far, writes Manny Navarro of The Miami Herald. Miami is off to a 7-9 start and there are concerns that the current roster doesn’t fit well together. The problems have been particularly acute in the second half of games, where the Heat rank last in the league in scoring, field goal percentage and 3-point shooting. The worst move of the offseason appears to be the four-year, $50 million deal for Kelly Olynyk, who at 18.4 minutes per game is playing less than in any of his four seasons in Boston.
- Hornets coach Steve Clifford believes the lack of a team “identity” contributed to a recent six-game losing streak, relays Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer. Charlotte snapped that slide Saturday as Clifford juggled the rotation, which included benching rookie guard Malik Monk for the first time this season. “You lose six in a row and the defense has been bad,” Clifford explained. “It’s not Malik’s fault, it’s just his position; [Michael Carter-Williams is] a difference-maker defensively.”
Kendall Marshall Finished With G League
Kendall Marshall, who played for four teams in four NBA seasons, has decided to retire from the G League, tweets Chris Reichert of 2 Ways and 10 Days. It’s not clear if this means Marshall is just leaving the league or if he is done with basketball completely, although 26 would be an early age to retire for someone with no recent major injuries.
The point guard was waived by the Bucks in early October and has been playing for the Agua Caliente Clippers. He appeared in three games, averaging 4.0 points and 2.7 assists in 14.2 minutes. Marshall has previous G League experience in Bakersfield, Delaware and Reno.
The 13th selection in the 2012 draft, Marshall was never able to find a long-term NBA home. He spent a year with the Suns before being traded just before the start of the 2013/14 season to the Wizards, who waived him three days later. He was picked up by the Lakers, then spent partial seasons with the Bucks and Sixers. The Jazz traded for Marshall and waived him on the same day in August of 2016, and he hasn’t found an NBA job since.
Marshall was part of the U.S. team that captured the gold medal at this summer’s FIBA AmeriCup tournament.
Clippers’ Patrick Beverley Out For Season
4:48pm: The news has gone from bad to worse for Beverley and the Clippers, according to Wojnarowski, who reports that the point guard will miss the rest of the season. Per Wojnarowski, Beverley’s right knee surgery included a repair of a microfracture and a meniscus injury. His estimated recovery time is nine months.
The Clippers are now eligible to apply for a disabled player exception, which would give the team a little extra spending flexibility to replace Beverley. If granted, the DPE would be worth about $2.76MM, half of his 2017/18 salary. Given their record and their proximity to the tax line, however, the Clips may not be eager to spend more on this year’s roster.
11:19am: Clippers point guard Patrick Beverley returned to the court on Monday after missing five games with a right knee injury, but that knee ailment will force him out of action again. League sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN that Beverley has undergone a surgical procedure on his troublesome right knee, and the veteran’s recovery timetable is unclear.
Brad Turner of The Los Angeles Times, who first reported that Beverley was being sent back to Los Angeles because of knee issues, confirmed that the 29-year-old underwent surgery in L.A. Turner also doesn’t have a specific timeline to pass along for Beverley’s recovery, but says the Clips’ starting point guard will be out “for a while” (Twitter links). Wojnarowski confirms, via sources, that Beverley will miss “a significant amount of time.”
The update is terrible news for Beverley, who had been off to a solid start with his new team early on this season. In 11 games, the former Rocket was averaging career highs in PPG (12.2), SPG (1.7), and 3PT% (.400), among other categories.
It’s also very bad news for the Clippers, who have been mired in a downward spiral since opening the season with four straight wins. Heading into Wednesday night’s game against the Hawks, the Clips have lost nine consecutive games, and they’ll be without both Beverley and Danilo Gallinari, two of their key offseason acquisitions.
Milos Teodosic remains sidelined with a foot injury too, so the Clippers’ backcourt will be shorthanded for the foreseeable future. Austin Rivers and Lou Williams will be in line for larger roles, while rookies Sindarius Thornwell and Jawun Evans are also good bets to receive regular minutes.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Raptors’ Delon Wright Expected To Miss One Month
Raptors point guard Delon Wright is expected to miss the next month with a dislocated shoulder, league sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. That timeline would put Wright on track to return just before Christmas.
Although the Raptors will be without Kyle Lowry‘s primary backup for the next several weeks, the news could have been much worse for the club. The team announced today in a press release that, after Wright visited with a specialist in New York, it was determined that the third-year guard wouldn’t require surgery on his injured shoulder. As Josh Lewenberg of TSN 1050 observes (via Twitter), Wright was sidelined for six months last year when he underwent surgery after dislocating the same shoulder.
Wright, the 20th overall pick in the 2015 draft, assumed backup point guard duties for the Raptors this season after the team traded Cory Joseph in July. The 25-year-old had been effective off the bench in his first 14 games this season, averaging 7.6 PPG and 2.6 APG with a .523 FG%.
With Wright on the shelf, the Raptors will lean on Fred VanVleet for a larger role off the bench. Norman Powell may also handle some ball-handling duties when he returns from a hip injury.
NBA To Open Training Academy In Mexico City
The NBA is on track to open a new development and training academy in Mexico City, according to Jonathan Givony of ESPN, who reports that the league-funded basketball academy will be officially announced at next month’s Global Games in Mexico.
The academy in Mexico City will be the seventh of its kind, as the NBA has already opened academies in Senegal, India, and Australia, along with three in China. According to Givony, the new NBA Academy Latin America will “be utilized as a location for male and female prospects from Mexico, Central America, South America and the Caribbean, starting early next year.”
While the opening of the academy is worth noting on its own, Givony also hears that it could be the first step toward the NBA establishing a stronger foothold in Mexico City. The league has long contemplated the idea of having a team based in Mexico, and sources tell ESPN that the new academy could help make that a more viable possibility.
According to Givony, Mexico City may eventually emerge as a 31st franchise for the G League, where prospects from the league’s seven training academies graduate to. As ESPN’s report notes, commissioner Adam Silver has addressed the idea of a Mexico City franchise in the past, suggesting that Mexico will need to produce home-grown NBA players to make it a legit possibility.
“Obviously, it’s an incredible market with over 20 million people, the largest market in North America,” Silver said of Mexico City in January. “While we have no immediate plans to expand, one of the things that we look at, it’s whether expanding will be additive to the league as a whole and clearly coming to Mexico City, not just because the population of the city but as a gateway to the rest of Latin America could potentially be very important for the league.”
Los Angeles Notes: Lopez, Nance, Ball, Jordan
As we heard multiple times throughout the offseason, Southern California native Brook Lopez was thrilled to be acquired by the Lakers in June, and Robin Lopez says his brother continues to enjoy the experience of playing for his hometown team. As Bill Oram of The Orange County Register details, Robin said this week that the Lakers were the “definition of the NBA” for him and his brother growing up, adding that Brook still hasn’t gotten over the fact that he’s the Lakers’ starting center.
“I know he’s definitely enamored with that aspect of it,” Robin said. “I don’t think it will ever fade with him.”
Here’s more out of Los Angeles:
Lakers:
- When Larry Nance Jr. was diagnosed with a fractured hand in early November, the Lakers indicated that he big man would likely miss four to six weeks. However, Nance is ahead of schedule in his recovery and could be back on the court as soon as this coming Monday, according to Oram.
- With a showdown against fellow rookie point guard De’Aaron Fox on tap for Lakers rookie Lonzo Ball, Ailene Voisin of The Sacramento Bee takes an in-depth look at the enormous expectations placed upon this year’s second overall pick.
Clippers:
- DeAndre Jordan‘s name “has been coming up in trade conversations,” with “multiple teams” talking about possible deals, writes Tim Bontemps of The Washington Post. Based on Bontemps’ wording, it’s not clear whether the Clippers are entertaining those discussions, or whether potential suitors are simply discussing trade scenarios internally. If the Clips continue their losing ways, the team will probably have to consider the possibility of moving Jordan, who can become a free agent in 2018.
- With the Clippers looking to snap a nine-game losing streak, a handful of NBA.com scribes, including Shaun Powell and John Schuhmann, explore what the team can do to turn things around.
- Clippers owner Steve Ballmer will have a lot to think about over Thanksgiving weekend, as Broderick Turner of The Los Angeles Times outlines.
- Earlier today, we passed along word that Clippers point guard Patrick Beverley underwent a surgical procedure on his knee and will be sidelined for a while.
Poll: Will Nuggets Make 2017/18 Postseason?
The Nuggets are currently tied for the fourth-best record in the Western Conference, at 10-7, but the team got some bad news on Tuesday. Veteran big man Paul Millsap is reportedly set to undergo surgery to repair a torn ligament in his wrist, and while his recovery timetable hasn’t been finalized, reports have indicated he may miss the next three months.
It’s a big blow for the Nuggets, who used nearly all of their available cap space in the offseason to add Millsap, a reliable power forward capable of complementing Nikola Jokic on offense and helping to stabilize a defense that had been one of the NBA’s worst last year. Denver’s defense still hasn’t been great this season, but it’s been better, and Millsap – who is averaging 15.3 PPG, 6.2 RPG, 3.0 APG, 1.3 BPG, and 1.1 SPG – has been a big part of that.
The Nuggets still haven’t confirmed a recovery timeline for Millsap, but if we assume he’ll be sidelined for three months, that would put him in line to return shortly after the All-Star break. If Millsap were to return on February 23, Denver’s first game after the break, he’d miss the team’s next 41 contests, or exactly half the regular season.
The Nuggets still have a talented roster without Millsap in the mix. The team went 40-42 last season, and is counting on further development from young centerpieces like Jokic and Jamal Murray in 2017/18. But the roster isn’t exactly stocked with experienced, playoff-tested veterans like Millsap, so his absence will be felt.
At 10-7, the Nuggets currently trail the Rockets, Warriors, and Spurs in the Western Conference, and they’re tied with the Trail Blazers and Timberwolves. Those five teams look like probable playoff clubs. Behind Denver, teams like the Pelicans (9-8), Grizzlies (7-9), Thunder (7-9), and Jazz (7-11) will be some of the teams battling for one of the other three postseason berths in the West, with the Lakers (8-10) and Clippers (5-11) among the dark horses.
What do you think? Can the Nuggets withstand Millsap’s absence and put themselves in position to get back to the playoffs this season, or will the injury be too much for the team to overcome? Vote in our poll and jump into the comment section below to share your thoughts!
Will the Nuggets make the playoffs in 2017/18?
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Yes 54% (259)
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No 46% (221)
Total votes: 480
Trade Rumors app users, click here to vote.