Latest On Jahlil Okafor
Having turned down Jahlil Okafor‘s request for a buyout, the Sixers remain focused on finding a trade involving the third-year big man, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
According to Wojnarowski, Sixers president of basketball operations Bryan Colangelo is determined to land some sort of “asset” in an Okafor deal. However, a trade may ultimately revolve around future second-round picks in exchange for Okafor, league sources tell Wojnarowski.
It has been a busy week on the Okafor front. We heard last Friday that the 76ers are working Okafor’s camp to try to find a workable trade, but the club wasn’t able to find a deal before the rookie scale option deadline on Tuesday. Philadelphia declined Okafor’s option for 2018/19, which prompted him to ask for a buyout, as he confirmed on Wednesday. The former third overall pick further expressed his frustration with his current situation in a conversation with reporters.
The Celtics have been mentioned as a possible destination for Okafor, but a few other teams have displayed interest in the 21-year-old as a “reclamation project,” per Wojnarowski. Woj’s report suggests that an Eric Bledsoe trade may help create the “moving parts around the league” necessary to pave the way for an Okafor deal. While it’s not clear if the Suns have interest in Okafor, Woj does note that they’re monitoring the situation in Philadelphia.
2017/18 NBA Reverse Standings
Throughout the 2017/18 NBA season, Hoops Rumors will be maintaining a feature that allows you to keep an eye on what the 2018 draft order will look like. Our 2017/18 Reverse Standings tool, which lists the NBA’s 30 teams from worst to first, will be updated daily to reflect the outcomes of the previous night’s games.
Our Reverse Standings take into account playoff teams in each conference, so they’re essentially a reflection of what 2018’s draft order would look like with no changes to lottery position. In addition to not considering the results of the lottery, our tracker lists teams in random order when they have identical records. At the end of the year, those ties would be broken via random drawings.
Traded first-round picks are included via footnotes. For instance, the note next to Miami’s pick says that the Heat will send their pick to the Suns if it’s not in the top seven. As of today, Miami is tied for the NBA’s eighth-worst record, meaning that pick would head to Phoenix.
Our Reverse Standings tracker can be found at anytime on the right sidebar under “Hoops Rumors Features” on our desktop site, or on the “Features” page in our mobile menu. It’s a great resource not just for monitoring a team’s draft position, but also for keeping an eye on whether or not traded picks with protection will be changing hands in 2018. So be sure to check back often as the season progresses!
Note: Mobile users are advised to turn their phones sideways when viewing the Reverse Standings in order to see team records and lottery odds.
NBA G League Assignments/Recalls: 11/1/17
Here are Wednesday’s G League assignments and recalls from around the NBA:
11:21pm:
- The Lakers sent center Thomas Bryant to their South Bay affiliate for the fourth time this season, the team announced on its website.
4:57pm:
- The Grizzlies are sending Ben McLemore to the G League as he continues to recover from offseason foot surgery, reports ESPN’s Chris Haynes (via Twitter).
- The Grizzlies also made a series of moves with rookie forward Ivan Rabb today, recalling him from the Memphis Hustle this morning, only to re-assign him to the G League and recall him again later in the day (all Twitter links). After participating in the Grizzlies’ shootaround and the Hustle’s practice, Rabb is with the Grizz for tonight’s game.
- Point guard Michael Carter-Williams has been recalled from the G League by the Hornets, the team announced today in a press release. GM Rich Cho said that Carter-Williams scrimmaged with the Greensboro Swarm to test his knees — MCW may play on Charlotte’s upcoming four-game road trip, as Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer tweets.
- The Spurs have recalled Tony Parker, Davis Bertans, and Derrick White from the G League, according to a pair of press releases from the team. Parker continues to rehab his injured left quadriceps, so he’s not ready to play for San Antonio yet.
Southeast Notes: Morris, Felix, Hawks, Hezonja
Wizards forward Markieff Morris was ready to make his season debut in tonight’s loss to the Suns, but he had to serve a one-game suspension first, tweets Chase Hughes of NBC Washington. Morris, who has been sidelined since abdominal surgery in late September for a sports hernia, was suspended for leaving the bench in Friday’s game against Golden State.
“We’re just going through protocol,” Morris told reporters in comments relayed by ESPN. “Everybody’s body is different. Mine, I feel like it healed a little faster than normal and I’m just ready to go now.”
There’s more tonight from the Southeast Division:
- Also suspended after Friday’s altercation was Wizards guard Carrick Felix, who is less able to afford the loss of money or playing opportunities, Hughes writes in a full story. Felix earned a roster spot with Washington after being out of the NBA since 2014. His only previous experience was seven games with the Cavaliers. “I might help him out, man. It was all my fault, anyways,” said teammate Bradley Beal. “I gotta help my guy out. We might start a Go Fund Me and help out my guy Carrick Felix. He’s gonna need some cash, for sure.” Hughes notes that Felix served his suspension in Sunday’s rout at Sacramento, which could have provided his first game action of the season.
- The Hawks had point guards Malcolm Delaney and Isaiah Taylor on the court at the same time in tonight’s loss to the Sixers, relays Michael Cunningham of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. If both are going to be in the rotation, then Marco Belinelli will be the only wing off the bench and little playing time will be left for Tyler Dorsey and Nicolas Brussino, according to Cunningham.
- Magic forward Mario Hezonja doesn’t plan to let his contract situation bother him over the rest of the season, writes John Denton of NBA.com. Hezonja is headed toward unrestricted free agency next summer after Orlando declined his fourth-year option. “This is not going to change anything and I’m still going to be working hard on my game and still coming with the same mentality to try and get even better,’’ Hezonja said. “I’m here to play and I didn’t come from home to here to watch.”
Texas Notes: Okafor, Barea, Anderson, Paul
The Mavericks may have a long-term need at center, but they don’t plan to pursue Jahlil Okafor, tweets Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News. Okafor wants to be bought out or traded after the Sixers declined to pick up his option for 2018/19. The Mavs “are not particularly interested in kicking the tires” on Okafor, according to Sefko.
Dallas brought in one former Philadelphia center when it traded for Nerlens Noel in February. Noel wasn’t able to work out a long-term deal with the team as a restricted free agent this summer. He opted to take a one-year qualifying offer and will be unrestricted in July of 2018.
There’s more basketball news out of Texas:
- Mavericks guard J.J. Barea says the “crazy minutes” he played early last season contributed to a left calf muscle tear that bothered him throughout the season, Sefko relays in a full story. Barea is coming off his first summer since 2011 without international basketball and is playing just 23.3 minutes per game. His average was about 10 minutes higher during the first nine games of last season because of injuries in the Dallas backcourt.
- Rockets forward Ryan Anderson was in New York tonight after a summer filled with trade rumors involving the Knicks, writes Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle. Anderson was a key figure in Houston’s quest to acquire Carmelo Anthony, but he says he never believed a deal was close. “I don’t think that was too much of a realistic thought to a lot of people because it was so much of what you believe,” Anderson said. “There were so many different news articles. Maybe in preseason there was a little bit of a thought because it was so fresh, but not at all now, I’m ready to move forward this year. We have a battle tonight. We have to focus on that. That’s 100 percent where my mind is now.”
- Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni expects Chris Paul to return in about two weeks, Feigen tweets. Paul has been sidelined since opening night with pain in his knees.
- The Spurs are still waiting for their investment in Patty Mills to pay off, according to Mike Finger of the San Antonio Express-News. The veteran point guard, who received a four-year, $50MM deal to re-sign with the team over the summer, is averaging 6.1 points and 2.9 assists in a reserve role this season and is shooting just 32% from the field.
Community Shootaround: Rookie Of The Year Eligibility
Ben Simmons entered this season as the odds-on favorite to be named Rookie of the Year, and he hasn’t disappointed.
The Sixers guard has been outstanding over the first two weeks of the season, averaging 18.4 points, 9.1 rebounds and 7.7 assists per game. He’s a tough matchup for opposing point guards at 6’10”, he’s versatile enough to defend multiple positions and he has a shooting touch that is better than advertised. But is he really a rookie?
Simmons was the first player picked in the 2016 draft as a highly touted prospect out of LSU, but he missed all of last season after suffering a Jones fracture in his right foot during training camp. Although he didn’t play his first game until this season, Simmons had the advantage of learning the game in an NBA environment for an entire year.
Joel Embiid, Simmons’ teammate, was third in last year’s Rookie of the Year voting. His stats of 20.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per night dwarfed those of the top two finishers, but he only appeared in 31 games, which disqualified him in the eyes of many voters. Like Simmons, Embiid was technically a rookie, but he was in his third season since being drafted.
Clippers forward Blake Griffin is the only player to win the Rookie of the Year trophy after sitting out a season with an injury. Griffin suffered a broken left kneecap during the 2009 preseason and didn’t make his official debut until the following year.
Another aspect to this discussion is international players, such as Clippers guard Milos Teodosic, who is classified as a rookie even though he is 30 years old and has more than a decade of international experience. Is it fair for players in the prime of their careers to be competing with kids just out of college, many of whom are still in their teens?
We want to know what you think. Should the Rookie of the Year race be open to all first-year players, or does the NBA need to make a distinction for players who sat out with injuries or spent time overseas? Please share your thoughts in the space below.
Glen Davis Headed To The G League
After two years out of the NBA, Glen Davis will go to the G League in an effort to make it back, tweets Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated.
His agent, John Hamilton, told Spears that Davis has agreed to a G League contract and is waiting to be claimed by a team. The Texas Legends, Dallas’ affiliate, hold the first waiver selection, according to Adam Johnson of 2 Ways and 10 Days (Twitter link).
Now 31, Davis’ last NBA job was with the Clippers in 2014/15. He was part of L.A’s rotation, appearing in 74 games and averaging more than 12 minutes per night, but had ankle surgery after the season and wasn’t re-signed.
Davis is one of the few remaining active players to be drafted by the Seattle Supersonics. A second-round pick in 2007, he was traded to Boston on draft night along with Ray Allen and became part of the the 2007/08 championship team. He was dealt to the Magic in 2011 and signed with the Clippers after agreeing to a buyout in Orlando in 2014.
Heat Notes: Whiteside, McGruder, Adebayo, Winslow
Heat center Hassan Whiteside returned to action tonight after missing five games with a bone bruise on his left knee. Although Whiteside’s absence has been part of the reason for a disappointing 2-4 start, there are other factors, explains Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald.
Those include a defense that has slipped from fifth in points allowed last season to 23rd so far this year and 3-point shooting that ranks 27th in the league. Miami is also reeling from the loss of Rodney McGruder, who will miss three to six months after undergoing surgery for a left tibia stress fracture. “He’s always in the right spot, he’s always getting those 50/50 balls, even if it’s 70 against 30,” Goran Dragic said of the second-year shooting guard. “We don’t know how but he’s going to get that ball. Those are game changers.”
There’s more from Miami:
- The Heat held a team meeting Sunday to let players discuss the reasons for the slow start, Jackson writes in the same story. Tyler Johnson said coach Erik Spoelstra opened the meeting, followed by the team captains, then other players. “Sometimes I forget what got me here is undeniable energy and hunger,” Johnson said. “Nobody can keep me from being able to do my job. Whoever is matched up in front of me, I didn’t care who they were, if they were an all-star. That Rodney McGruder type attitude. We definitely do need to get back to that.”
- After posting his first double-double with 13 points and 13 rebounds against the Timberwolves, rookie Bam Adebayo credited his time at Kentucky for helping him get ready for the NBA, Jackson adds. Adebayo said Wildcats coach John Calipari teaches players to put the organization above their own goals. “If you sacrifice for the better of the team, that means you care about the team more than yourself,” Adebayo said. “Kentucky is a blueprint for the NBA.”
- Justise Winslow has relied on speed more than bulk while making the move to power forward, relays Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel. The third-year player, who was limited to 18 games last season by wrist and shoulder problems, has dropped 10 pounds and embraced his new duties. “I think he’s quick, he’s faster, he’s able to get to the ball quicker,” Spoelstra said. “So much of having 12 rebounds in a game is quickness to the ball. And he’s got a knack to the ball, but now he can really get to it quickly.”
Jahlil Okafor Confirms He Wants Trade Or Buyout
6:52pm: The Sixers remain firm about not buying out Okafor, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. They continue to look for a trade and have found a few interested teams.
11:04am: After having his option for 2018/19 declined by the Sixers, Jahlil Okafor confirmed today that he has asked the team about a buyout, and would like to be traded or bought out as soon as possible (Twitter links via Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer).
Okafor’s comments come in the wake of a report from Marc Stein of The New York Times, who indicated on Tuesday night that the third-year center may push for a buyout in the hopes of finding a new team right away. The Sixers remain below the salary floor, so a buyout wouldn’t hurt them financially. However, it would be a tough pill to swallow less than 30 months after drafting Okafor with the No. 3 overall pick, and it’s not something the team is interested in right now, per Pompey (Twitter link).
Okafor, one of the most highly-regarded prospects of the 2015 draft class, enjoyed a solid rookie season with the Sixers back in 2015/16, averaging 17.5 PPG and 7.0 RPG in 53 games (48 starts). However, he saw his role with the club begin to decrease last season.
Even after Philadelphia traded Nerlens Noel to the Mavericks in February, the 76ers’ depth chart at center remained crowded, with Joel Embiid looking like a franchise player when he was healthy and Richaun Holmes emerging as a viable backup. This season, Amir Johnson and even Dario Saric have earned minutes at center, leaving no room in the rotation for Okafor, despite Holmes being sidelined to start the year.
While few top-three picks have their rookie scale options turned down, Okafor told reporters today that he actually didn’t mind the fact that the Sixers passed on his $6.3MM option for 2018/19, since he doesn’t have a role in Philadelphia.
“Honestly, I didn’t want them to pick up my option,” Okafor said, per Jessica Camerato of NBC Sports Philadelphia (Twitter link). “I’ve been going through a lot since I’ve been here.”
[RELATED: More quotes from Okafor]
Currently, Okafor is on track to reach free agency in the summer of 2018. The Sixers are reportedly working with his camp to try to find a workable trade, but his contract situation may complicate those discussions.
Because Okafor’s fourth-year option was declined, whichever team has him on its roster to finish the 2017/18 season won’t be able to offer him a starting salary higher than what his option was worth ($6.3MM). Okafor will also be an unrestricted free agent, rather than an RFA, meaning he may end up being just a six-month rental if a team trades for him.
Celtics Notes: Hayward, Stevens, Horford, Baynes
“I had run that play countless times” is how Gordon Hayward begins a recap of his injury and the aftermath in a lengthy piece posted on his website. Titled “In an Instant,” the article retraces the collision that led to Hayward’s season-ending injury on opening night, his experiences at the hospital, the outpouring of support and the beginning of rehab.
Hayward’s surgery was successful and he expects to be ready for next season. He got thousands of messages of encouragement, and among those that stand out came from Paul George and Kobe Bryant, who both recovered from serious leg injuries, and the Utah Jazz, which Hayward left in free agency this summer. Hayward credits the Celtics for helping with the rehab process and notes that his injury will require young players like Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum to grow up faster.
“I keep imagining what it’s going to be like to step onto the floor at the Garden, and make my regular season debut as a Celtic,” Hayward writes. “It’s going to be a little delayed. But with each day of my rehab, I’ll be that much closer to making it happen. I’m already dreaming about sharing that moment with everyone here in Boston—a city that I’m still getting to know, but that I’ve connected with through all of this in ways beyond anything I could have imagined.”
There’s more news out of Boston:
- Hayward is still very limited by the injury, but coach Brad Stevens said he has begun shooting from a chair, tweets Steve Bulpett of The Boston Herald. Hayward is still in a walking boot, but had a hard cast removed.
- Celtics players are crediting Stevens for keeping the team from panicking after Hayward went down, relays Chris Forsberg of ESPN. After an 0-2 start, Boston has strung together five straight wins to reach the top of the Eastern Conference. “Once [the Hayward injury] happened, we really didn’t know where we were at as a group,” said Al Horford. “But I felt like we’ve really come together and we’re trying to take it day by day. Just listening to Coach, and he’s steering us the right way.”
- The Celtics haven’t lost since inserting Aron Baynes into the starting lineup, notes David Morrow of AmicoHoops. After Boston dropped its first two games with Horford as the starting center, Stevens made a lineup change to add size. Baynes took over in the middle, with Horford shifting to power forward, Tatum at small forward and Brown moving to the backcourt. It has become the team’s best overall lineup and its top rebounding group, grabbing 56% of all boards. Baynes, who signed with the Celtics this summer, is averaging a career-best 5.1 rebounds in about 20 minutes per game.