Hoops Rumors Originals: 10/28/17 – 11/4/17
Every week, the Hoops Rumors writing team creates original content to complement our news feed. Here are our segments and features from the past seven days:
- Our Offseason in Review series came to a conclusion with the breakdown of our final two teams:
- As a result of several of 2018’s top free-agents-to-be signing contract extensions in September and October, we revamped our 2018 NBA Free Agent Power Rankings.
- We took a look at the eight rookie scale team options that were not exercised by the October 31st deadline.
- We provided an in-depth analysis of the Celtics‘ disabled player exception.
- In a pair of Community Shootaround posts, we asked:
- Should the Rookie of the Year be an award for all first-year players or only for those players one year removed from the draft?
- What is the most surprising revelation so far this season?
- A new feature (NBA Reverse Standings) allows fans to continually monitor what the 2018 draft order may look like based on current conference standings.
- We identified the players who will begin the G League season as G League Affiliate Players.
- We answered questions ranging from a potential Eric Bledsoe trade to Milwaukee to Milos Teodosic‘s chances at Rookie of the Year.
Knicks’ Mindaugas Kuzminskas Unhappy With Role
Apparently there is at least one player in the Knicks locker room who misses Phil Jackson. In an article for the New York Post, Marc Berman reports that second-year man Mindaugas Kuzminskas is unhappy with his role, or lack thereof, in New York City. Kuzminskas, who has been inactive for every Knicks game so far this season after becoming somewhat of a fan favorite last year as a rookie, admits to being “sad” that Jackson is no longer around.
“I had a good relationship with Phil,” Kuzminskas said. “He’d tell me when I’m playing worse, when I’m playing good. That was priceless. I’m sad he’s not on the team.“
After starting five games last season as a rookie and averaging 14.9 MPG and 6.3 PPG on 43% shooting from the floor, Kuzminskas expected to have a breakout sophomore year after averaging 15.4 PPG for Lithuania at this summer’s EuroBasket 2017.
“It’s kind of disappointing… I was feeling I was doing better than some of the NBA guys (at EuroBasket),” Kusminskas said. “And then to come here, you’re inactive. You’re nothing – not in the rotation, not even on the [active] roster.”
Kuzminskas is apparently disappointed enough in his role with his Knicks to at least be contemplating a change of scenery. Sources tell Berman that Kuzminskas’ representatives are gauging interest around the NBA. The 28-year-old believes he is entering the peak of his career, and he wants an opportunity to play, be it in New York or someplace else.
“I feel I’m right now the next two, three years is going to be my peak,” Kuzminskas said. “I’m feeling great physically and mentally and know I’m ready.”
The Knicks roster currently sits at 16 players with Joakim Noah sitting on the Suspended List. With Noah coming back from his suspension soon, the Knicks will need to open up a roster spot. Jarrett Jack seemed like the most likely candidate coming into the season since he has the only non-guaranteed contract on the team, but perhaps the Knicks will now look into moving Kuzminskas instead.
Five Key Stories: 10/28/17 – 11/4/17
In case you missed any of this past week’s NBA headlines, we have you covered. Here are some of the more noteworthy stories from the last 7 days.
The Sixers opted not to exercise Jahlil Okafor‘s fourth-year team option for 2018/19. The decision will maintain the Sixers’ cap flexibility for next summer as they try to secure some notable free agents, re-sign Robert Covington, and pay for Joel Embiid‘s max extension. In light of the Sixers’ decision, Okafor confirmed to reporters that he would like to be bought out or traded as soon as possible.
The Magic explored trading Mario Hezonja before ultimately deciding not to exercise his fourth-year option for 2018/19. The decision by the Sixers and the Magic to decline the options of Okafor and Hezonja, respectively, marks the first time in six years that a pair of players selected in the top six of the draft both had their final season’s options declined.
Despite rumors to the contrary, the Pistons are apparently not interested in trading Reggie Jackson for Eric Bledsoe. Reports surfaced earlier this week that the Suns, Pelicans, and Pistons were involved in trade discussions that would have sent Bledsoe to Detroit and Jackson to New Orleans, but Pistons head coach and president of basketball operations Stan Van Gundy says no deal is in the works.
Both the Warriors and head coach Steve Kerr are confident that the two sides will finalize a new contract in 2018. Kerr, who has battled some health problems over the last few seasons, says that he opted to table extension talks until next summer so that he can be sure his health will allow him to make a long-term commitment to the franchise.
Cavaliers starting center Tristan Thompson is expected to miss 3-4 weeks with a calf injury. Thompson, 26, sustained the left calf strain during the second quarter of Wednesday night’s game vs. Indiana. Despite the loss of Thompson, the Cavs are not expected to make a roster move at this time.
Here are 10 more notable NBA headlines from the last week:
- The Kings exercised all five of their available rookie-scale options — on Willie Cauley-Stein, Buddy Hield, Georgios Papagiannis, Malachi Richardson, and Skal Labissiere.
- The Celtics picked up 2018/19 rookie-scale options on Jaylen Brown and Terry Rozier.
- After nearly being waived in the preseason, Jarell Martin had his fourth-year option exercised by the Grizzlies.
- The Bucks picked up their third-year option on Thon Maker, but have decided to turn down Rashad Vaughn‘s fourth-year option.
- The Clippers have declined Brice Johnson‘s rookie-scale option after deciding to exercise the fourth-year option of Sam Dekker.
- In addition to Okafor, Hezonja, Vaughn, and Johnson, three other players on rookie-scale contracts (Josh Huestis – Thunder, Chris McCullough – Wizards, and Kevon Looney – Warriors) also had their options declined.
- According to his brother, Kristaps Porzingis is not a guarantee to re-sign with the Knicks.
- Glen Davis is returning to the G League in an effort to resurrect his NBA career.
- Lakers forward Larry Nance has been ruled out for 4-6 weeks with a fractured hand.
- The Rockets waived point guard Isaiah Canaan less than a week after he signed with the team.
Pacific Notes: Curry, Rivers, Bledsoe
Five years ago, Stephen Curry signed a four-year, $44MM extension with the Warriors. Two NBA Most Valuable Player awards and two NBA championships later, that contract turned out to be a mammoth bargain. However, when Curry originally signed the deal on Halloween 2012, the risk was all on the Warriors, Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic writes.
Before Curry’s mantle was stuffed with MVP trophies and NBA championship rings, he was known as a potentially prolific shooter with troublesome ankles. He missed 56 games with ankle injuries in 2011/12 and tweaked his ankle once again during the 2012/13 preseason. However, before Curry and his representation agreed to the $44MM extension, the Warriors told Curry’s agent Jeff Austin that the team would be willing to offer a max deal in free agency that summer.
“They said if he was healthy at the end of the season, they set aside the max money for him,” Austin said. “The Warriors were terrific the whole process. They told him if he could stay healthy, he would get the max.”
Curry’s team-friendly deal paved the way for Golden State to add players such as Andre Iguodala and last season, Kevin Durant. It also allowed the team the financial flexibility to retain Klay Thompson and Draymond Green. The Warriors signed Curry to a supermax deal worth over $201MM this offseason and the team is primed to reach their fourth consecutive NBA Finals.
Below you can find other news from the Pacific Division:
- Clippers head coach Doc Rivers is not a fan of the NBA’s advanced statistics, most notably pace, Elliot Teaford of The Orange County Register writes. There seems to be a discrepancy in Rivers’ interpretation of pace (having players move efficiently on the court) versus the NBA’s definition (number of possessions per game).
- John Wall understands the predicament his former Kentucky teammate, Eric Bledsoe, is in with the Suns, Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington writes. “Eric’s situation was that they had some great pieces and some great teams. [Markieff Morris] was with him over there. They had a season where they almost made the playoffs with 48 wins and they didn’t make it.” Wall said. “He’s going into his eighth year and he hasn’t made the playoffs [since 2013]. The team is getting younger and younger and he wants to get out of there and get to a team where he can make the playoffs.”
Southwest Notes: Jackson, Evans, Cuban, James
Unless it actually happens, rumors of Reggie Jackson joining the Pelicans may persist for years to come. A reported three-team deal that would have sent Suns’ point guard Eric Bledsoe to the Pistons and Jackson to the Pelicans fell through this week. As Bryan Kalborsky of HoopsHype writes, interest in Jackson by people within the Pelicans organization goes back to the 2014/15 season.
Pelicans’ assistant coach Darren Erman was the Celtics’ director of NBA scouting during the 2o14/15 campaign. Boston reportedly had interest in Jackson that trade deadline, according to MassLive. Fast forward two years, Jackson has been connected to New Orleans in some form since February of this year. In mid-June, the Pistons and Pelicans discussed a deal that would send Jackson to New Orleans for E’Twaun Moore and Alexis Ajinca, per Basketball Insiders.
The Pelicans have since re-signed Jrue Holliday to a long-term contract, have veteran Rajon Rondo on the shelf, and recently added Jameer Nelson. Jackson, still just 27 years old, may remain on the Pelicans’ radar until he’s actually wearing their uniform at some point in the future.
Check out other news out of the Southwest Division:
- Tyreke Evans had a near-historic performance off the Grizzlies’ bench on Wednesday, scoring 32 points. As Chris Herrington of The Commercial Appeal writes, it may be time to accept that Evans’ shooting — once considered a weak point of his game — has improved.
- Through the Mavericks‘ first nine games, the team owns an abysmal 1-8 record. However, owner Mark Cuban feels the team is a lot better than the record indicates, Eddie Sefko of Dallas Morning News writes.
- Ben Golliver of Sports Illustrated examines LeBron James‘ possible thinking as he faces free agency next offseason. A lot has been made of James possibly considering Los Angeles as a place of interest but Golliver looks at the Rockets and Spurs as two possibilities for King James.
NBA G League Assignments/Recalls: 11/3/17
Here are the G League moves from around the Association today:
10:53pm:
- The Sixers assigned Furkan Korkmaz to the Delaware 87ers, Keith Pompey of The Inquirer tweets. The 20-year-old has yet to see action with Philadelphia.
- The Clippers sent Brice Johnson and Jawun Evans to the G League, according to the team.
8:03pm:
- The Nets have assigned guard Isaiah Whitehead to the Long Island Nets, an official press release reports. The big man is expected to play with the G League affiliate in their season opener on Saturday.
- The Grizzlies recalled sophomore Deyonta Davis from the Memphis Hustle, the team’s Twitter account said. The center had been assigned to the G League affiliate on Thursday.
Pacific Notes: Bogdanovic, McCaw, James
Rookie Bogdan Bogdanovic may not know the ins and outs of the NBA but he hasn’t struggled to keep up in his first taste of action in the big league, Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee writes. Through fives games with the Kings, the relatively seasoned 25-year-old first-year swingman has averaged 10.0 points per contest.
Bogdanovic missed the first three games of the season with a sprained ankle but has since earned his way into the starting lineup as the club’s first-unit small forward. While he may slot in as a two-guard eventually, Bogdanovic has gotten by thanks to his basketball IQ and broad shoulders.
“He may not know the ins-and-outs of the NBA game, but he’s a guy that’s really meshed and transitioned well,” teammate Garrett Temple said. “He’s a guy that can really create, he’s a workhorse. You’ve got to kick him out of the gym to get some rest.”
There’s more out of the Pacific Division tonight:
- The Clippers have employed the power of the long ball of late and, thanks to guards like Patrick Beverley and Austin Rivers, looked particularly proficient doing so. Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times writes that the franchise is doing its diligence to keep up with a changing league.
- The Warriors aren’t afraid to mix up their rotation, as evidenced by Steve Kerr‘s decision to run Patrick McCaw as the first shooting guard off the bench as opposed to Nick Young, Mark Medina of The Mercury News writes. McCaw’s stat line leaves much to be desired but he’s a versatile threat on both ends of the ball and the club likes his work ethic.
- After breaking into the Suns rotation and carving out a role as the team’s starting point guard, 27-year-old rookie Mike James could see his two-way contract converted into a standard deal, Benny Nadeau of Basketball Insiders writes. The two-way contract that he signed over the offseason, of course, limits James’ NBA service to 45 days.
Southeast Notes: Oubre, Payne, Porter
The Wizards have benefited from third-year swingman Kelly Oubre‘s energy so far this season and the 21-year-old is earning a more substantial role with the squad, Chris Gehring of the team’s official site writes.
On a team built around core trio John Wall, Bradley Beal and Otto Porter, Oubre has managed to average 11.0 points, 5.6 rebounds and almost a block per game since sliding into the starting lineup. That spot in the first unit may not last but the impact Oubre’s had on the team could.
“He has the ability, and at times last year it went up and down. But he hasn’t had those dips yet this year, though it’s early,” head coach Scott Brooks said. “He’s definitely improved with all of the hard work he put in.”
There’s more from the Southeast Division:
- After going 15th overall in the 2014 NBA Draft, Adreian Payne‘s NBA opportunities have come few and far between. Now a member of the Magic, the Michigan State product is excited to earn another shot. “I haven’t really gotten a chance to play the whole time I’ve been in the NBA,” Payne told Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders. “Being able to spend some time down in the G League, to work on my game, to get better, to just be able to become a better person and a better player, on the court and off the court. I think it is going to help me grow, and then when I get called up and be able to play with the Magic team, I’ll be that Adreian that I was when I was in college.”
- Don’t expect the Hornets to make a play for somebody like Eric Bledsoe, Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer writes. A lateral move to add another point guard to the mix alongside Kemba Walker wouldn’t be worth what the Suns would presumably want for him.
- The Wizards paid big bucks to bring Otto Porter back and, to this point, LeBron James believes he’s earned his $107MM contract. “He’s worked on his game extremely well and he’s earned the big paycheck that he got,” James told Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington.
Pacific Notes: Russell, Teodosic, Randle
After spending his first two seasons with the Lakers, D’Angelo Russell will face them as a member of the Nets tonight. As Bill Oram of the Orange County Register writes, Los Angeles him expects him to be fired up in his return to the Staples Center.
“You see him right now in Brooklyn, he’s cooking,” former Lakers teammate Jordan Clarkson said. “He’s balling. … He’s got a new home, feel like it’s the right fit for him. He’s able to create, score, have the ball in his hands a lot, play the style of play that he wants to.”
In seven games with the Nets this year, the Lakers’ second-overall pick in 2015 has averaged 21.7 points and 5.0 assists per game. Those numbers are up from his sophomore figures of 15.6 and 4.8, despite playing over two minutes less per contest thus far in 2017/18.
There’s more out of the Pacific Division:
- Injured guard Milos Teodosic has shown progress in his recovery from a plantar fascia injury in his left foot but there’s still no timetable for his return. Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times writes that the Clippers rookie is now getting around in a walking boot, whereas previously he was confined to a scooter.
- As we wrote about earlier today, Larry Nance Jr. will miss four to six weeks undergoing surgery for a hand fracture. That could spell a big opportunity for Julius Randle, the forward slotted behind him in the depth chart. As Bobby Marks of ESPN tweets, Randle’s role change could be particularly significant considering that the pending restricted free agent’s qualifying offer amount could increase if Randle starts at least nine games this season.
- Don’t expect 17-year veteran Tyson Chandler to demand a trade out of Phoenix, Michael Lee of The Vertical writes in an excellent feature. The 35-year-old Suns big man may be on a different timeline than the rest of the franchise but doesn’t plan on forcing his way out of town. He spoke about teammate Eric Bledsoe who, well, has. “I’m not surprised about that. I kind of saw that stuff coming,” Chandler said. “He’s in a different place than I’m in. He’s in the prime of his career. Everything that happened last season and then rolling over into the summer, of course, I felt like it could’ve been handled differently. But I understand his stance and I understand it’s his career. He’s got to eat. He ultimately has to make his own decisions, as a man.”
Lakers’ Larry Nance Jr. Fractures Left Hand
5:38pm: Per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Nance Jr. will undergo surgery on his fractured hand and, at this point, is expected to miss four to six weeks.
8:20pm: Lakers power forward Larry Nance Jr. will be sidelined for the foreseeable future, having broken his hand against Portland, the Lakers announced in a press release late on Thursday night. Nance’s injury, which occurred late in the third quarter when he attempted to block a shot, was diagnosed as a fracture of the second metacarpal on his left hand.
It’s a tough blow for the Lakers and for Nance, who had earned the starting power forward job in the preseason and was off to a good start. In eight games, the 24-year-old has averaged a career-best 10.6 PPG and 7.5 RPG to go along with a .614 FG%.
“I obviously feel so terrible for him,” head coach Luke Walton said. “He’s been playing so solid for us. It’s unfortunate it’s going to hurt the team. He’s been working so hard.”
Although the Lakers have yet to put a specific timetable on Nance’s possible return, Tania Ganguli of The Los Angeles Times notes (via Twitter) that a fracture to the second metacarpal generally takes about four to six weeks to fully heal. In the meantime, Julius Randle and Kyle Kuzma are the top candidates to take over Nance’s spot in the starting lineup.