Pacific Notes: Hill, Giles, Chriss, Ball
If the trade rumors surrounding George Hill are true, the Kings would be parting with a valuable mentor for first-round pick De’Aaron Fox, writes Jason Jones of The Sacramento Bee. Hill’s playing time has been sporadic lately as coach Dave Joerger tries to commit more minutes to his younger guys. Hill is averaging 27.2 minutes and 10.5 points per game, both down significantly from last season in Utah.
“If it’s me with my leadership skills, if it’s me on the court, if it’s me in the weight room or the locker room,” Hill said. “Whatever, just try to do the best I can, stay professional in every situation and have fun doing it. There’s a reason why I’m here. God put me in this situation for a reason that I don’t know. So I’ve got to stay the course, trust the process and keep being a pro about it and figure it out on the fly.”
There’s more tonight from the Pacific Division:
- The Kings used an analytic approach to the Harry Giles situation before opting to shut down the rookie for the season, relays Ailene Voisin of The Sacramento Bee. A franchise that has disdained analytics in the past researched Giles’ condition thoroughly before arriving at the decision. “We trusted modern sports medicine,” said assistant GM Brandon Williams. “That was the start of it. We knew we had to be careful because his ceiling is so high. Until you get to know Harry, you treat him as a fragile being. ‘Banged up. Went to Duke.’ We decided to wait for January, which is two years since his last [ACL] injury, and figure it out from there. What we learned these last few weeks was that the ACL is healed. Then the question became, ‘Do we push it?’”
- An injury to Suns forward Marquese Chriss appears worse than the team originally thought, according to Scott Bordow of The Arizona Republic. Chriss has missed four games with a right hip flexor strain and may need a second MRI. “I don’t really know what’s going on with it,” he said. “Some days it feels good, some days it doesn’t. I’ve been able to get on the floor to shoot. Running is the hardest thing to do right now. It’s frustrating that I’m not able to play.”
- Lakers rookie Lonzo Ball is making progress from a knee injury that has sidelined him for the past three games, but he still isn’t close to returning, tweets Tania Ganguli of The Los Angeles Times. Coach Luke Walton said Ball is several steps away from playing again.
Community Shootaround: Trading The Brooklyn Pick
No team has been tied to more trade rumors than the Cavaliers, and that figures to intensify after today’s performance. The defensive woes that have plagued the team all season were on full display in a 148-124 loss to the Thunder.
Cleveland has fallen to 27-18, and only two wins over the lowly Magic have saved the team from an eight-game losing streak. The Cavs are coming up on a critical week, with a trip to San Antonio Tuesday, followed by four straight games against Eastern Conference playoff contenders. Cleveland is just four games ahead of ninth-place Detroit in the loss column, and the possibilitties of losing home-court advantage in the first round or missing the playoffs entirely don’t seem so far fetched.
The most glaring problems are on defense, where a rim protector like DeAndre Jordan could make an immediate difference. Jordan has fallen to 1.0 blocks per game this season, but he has been among the NBA’s best shot blockers and rebounders for several years and would fill an obvious need in Cleveland. The 29-year-old can opt out this summer, which is why the Clippers are tempted to deal him.
But according to reports, L.A. will only consider the trade if Cleveland includes the unprotected Nets’ first-rounder it received from Boston in the Kyrie Irving deal. The Cavs have free agent concerns of their own with LeBron James not guaranteed to return and would like to keep the pick to help with a potential rebuilding project.
Brooklyn entered the day tied with Phoenix for seventh place in our Reverse Standings. For perspective, the seventh and eight players taken in last year’s draft were Lauri Markkanen and Frank Ntilikina. The Nets have plenty of room to move up or down, lodged three and a half games behind the Magic and Kings for the top spot, but only four games ahead of the 12th-place Knicks.
That brings us to our question for the night. Taking into consideration the fact that Brooklyn’s pick doesn’t guarantee a high lottery spot, plus the Cavaliers’ defensive problems and LeBron’s uncertain future in Cleveland, should GM Koby Altman be willing to part with the pick to obtain help now? Jump into the comments section below and give us your feedback.
Southeast Notes: Hood, Walker, Monk, Payton
Rodney Hood‘s ability to score off the bench could make him a perfect fit for the Wizards, writes Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington. The 25-year-old Jazz guard seems like a good bet to be traded by the February 8 deadline, and Washington could be among the suitors.
Hood is averaging 16.7 points per game while shooting 41.3% from the field and 38.6% from 3-point range. He has an expiring contract worth a little less than $2.4MM, so matching salaries wouldn’t be difficult.
The Wizards would like to improve their bench and find some relief for Bradley Beal, who is playing about 36 minutes per night. Reserve guard Jodie Meeks, who signed a two-year deal with Washington last summer, is shooting just 36.2% from the field and 30.6% from long distance.
There’s more news from the Southeast Division:
- Despite rumors over the past week, the Hornets aren’t likely to part with Kemba Walker, according to Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer. Bonnell says coach Steve Clifford seemed genuinely surprised to be asked about the possibility, which is an indication that it hasn’t received serious discussion. Walker, who will be a free agent after next season, is happy in Charlotte and considers it home, Bonnell adds.
- Unrealistic expectations led to the disappointment over Malik Monk‘s rookie season, Bonnell writes in the same piece. Fans were hoping Monk could be a difference maker when the Hornets took him with the 11th pick in last year’s draft, but he’s only 19 and still needs a lot of improvement on defense. Clifford notes that an ankle sprain over the summer slowed Monk’s development.
- Magic guard Elfrid Payton has been mentioned in trade rumors, but he is hoping to remain in Orlando and help the franchise improve, relays Spencer Davies of Basketball Insiders. Payton has shown statistical improvement in his fourth NBA season, but the Magic remain at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings. He is trying to ignore the trade talk and focus on the task at hand. “I don’t get caught up into the things like that,” Payton said. “Today I’m an Orlando Magic. I play for the Orlando Magic and I’m gonna give them 100 percent of me. I’m somebody that likes to finish what I started, so I definitely would like to see this through and try to turn this organization around.”
Cavaliers Notes: LeBron, Lue, Love, Thomas
LeBron James offered a tepid endorsement of his coach after the Cavaliers gave up 148 points in today’s loss to the Thunder. In a clip tweeted by Cleveland.com, James responds to a reporter asking whether Tyronn Lue should be fired after the team dropped to 2-6 in its last eight games.
“I would hope not, but really don’t know,” James said. “I don’t know what’s going to happen with our team. I have no idea what conversations have been going on. I’ve been trying to stay as laser sharp as I can to keep my guys ready to go out and play.”
Lue signed a five-year, $35MM extension in 2016 after leading the Cavs to their first NBA title. Firing Lue would mean swallowing a lot of money for owner Dan Gilbert, who is already committed to a massive team salary and large luxury tax payments each year. Lue has a 105-63 record since taking over for David Blatt midway through the 2015/16 season.
There’s more news out of Cleveland:
- The Cavaliers have been at the center of several trade rumors, but Lue doesn’t believe a deal is necessary, relays Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com. DeAndre Jordan, Lou Williams and George Hill are among the names that have recently been connected to Cleveland. “I like the group that we have,” Lue said before today’s game. “We just haven’t been healthy the whole year, have had to do some different things, but I’m just focused on coaching the guys that we have. I like our group, any further questions with that you’ll have to talk with [GM] Koby [Altman]. Sorry.”
- Kevin Love‘s usage percentage has dropped significantly since Isaiah Thomas returned from a hip injury, raising the question of whether they can be effective in the same lineup, writes Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. “Whoever has it going or whoever is open should get the basketball, so it’s really not an option thing,” Lue said. “Kevin’s been great all year and we got to continue to get him touches and continue to feature him, no matter who’s on the floor.”
- The Cavs are reluctant to part with the unprotected Brooklyn pick, and ESPN’s Kevin Pelton doesn’t see anyone on the market worth trading it for. Cleveland got the selection from Boston in the Kyrie Irving deal and would like to keep it as insurance in case James leaves again in free agency. The pick is almost guaranteed to land in the lottery as the Nets are tied for seventh in our current Reverse Standings.
DeAndre Liggins Gets Second 10-Day Deal With Pelicans
The Pelicans have signed guard DeAndre Liggins to a second 10-day contract, the team announced on its website.
Liggins appeared in just one game for New Orleans during the first 10-day deal, scoring four points in 11 minutes. The team needs roster depth with Alexis Ajinca, Frank Jackson, Tony Allen and Solomon Hill all sidelined by injuries. The Pelicans were granted a $2.75MM disabled player exception on Wednesday.
Liggins played 31 games for the Bucks, averaging 1.8 points per night, before being waived earlier this month. He has been with seven teams since entering the league in the 2011/12 season.
Once Liggins’ second 10-day contract expires, the Pelicans will either have to release him or sign him for the rest of the season.
Coaching Shakeup May Be On The Way
Coming off a rare season in which no coaches were fired, the NBA may be preparing for a shakeup that will affect a third of the league, writes Frank Isola of The New York Daily News.
Isola suggests as many as 10 teams could be looking at coaching changes at the end of the season, if not sooner. The actual number will depend on how things play out, but several more names may join David Fizdale of Memphis and Earl Watson of Phoenix as coaching casualties for 2017/18.
Both Los Angeles teams could be open to changes, with the Lakers far out of the playoff race at 16-29. The front office was slow to defend Luke Walton after recent derogatory comments by LaVar Ball, and ESPN’s Brian Windhorst recently suggested that hiring former Fizdale, a former assistant with the Heat, would give the organization a better shot at LeBron James. However, Walton still has an important ally in majority owner Jeanie Buss.
Across town, Doc Rivers is doing a remarkable job with a depleted roster, but he may not remain with the Clippers if they decide to rebuild by following through with rumored trades involving DeAndre Jordan and Lou Williams. Rivers, who has one more year left on the extension he signed in 2014, was removed from his front office duties before the start of the season. Isola says Rivers may return to television if he leaves the Clippers, though he would become a candidate for possible openings in New York and Orlando.
There will be no shortage of prominent candidates if the Knicks decide to move on from Jeff Hornacek. Isola identifies ABC/ESPN analysts Mark Jackson and Jeff Van Gundy as potential replacements, along with former Pelicans coach and Knicks player Monty Williams, reigning G League Coach of the Year Jerry Stackhouse and Villanova coach Jay Wright, although there is speculation that Wright would only leave the college ranks to take the Sixers’ job.
NBA G League Assignments/Recalls: 1/20/18
Here are Saturday’s G League assignments and recalls from across the NBA:
- The Spurs have assigned guards Brandon Paul and Derrick White to their G League affiliate, according to a press release. White has played eight games for the Austin Spurs this season, but it’s Paul’s first assignment. The duo figures to suit up for Austin tonight in the club’s game against Grand Rapids.
- The Lakers have recalled rookie big man Thomas Bryant from the G League, the club announced today (via Twitter). Bryant scored a team-high 23 points on Friday to help lead the South Bay Lakers to a win.
- Second-year forward Troy Williams has been recalled from the G League by the Rockets, per Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle (via Twitter). Williams struggled with his shot for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers on Friday night, scoring 15 points on 6-of-17 shooting (2-for-9 on threes).
- The Celtics have sent Guerschon Yabusele and Abdel Nader to the G League, the team announced today (via Twitter). They’ll look to help the Maine Red Claws, Boston’s affiliate, pick up a win tonight against Westchester.
- The Suns have assigned guard Davon Reed to their Northern Arizona affiliate, the team announced (via Twitter).
And-Ones: Antetokounmpo, Bynum, 10-Day Deals
Giannis Antetokounmpo was named an All-Star starter on Thursday for the second consecutive season, but he also got some bad news this week. As Matt Velazquez of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel details, the Bucks plan to hold their star forward out of the team’s next two games in order to manage soreness in his right knee.
Antetokounmpo has been extremely durable during his NBA career, playing at least 77 games in each of his first four seasons with the Bucks, but he’s had a history of knee pain. A league source tells Velazquez that the injury – not considered to be tendinitis – is viewed as something that will always bother Antetokounmpo to some extent, which leaves it up to him and the team to manage it as best they can.
In this case, the Bucks have a stretch in their schedule that allows them to get Antetokounmpo eight full days of rest without having him miss more than two games. The decision to take advantage of that portion of the schedule to rest the All-Star was made “for the greater good of the season,” a source tells Velazquez.
Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- With the NBA’s players and officials at odds more frequently than ever this season, Erik Horne of The Oklahoman explores what role the NBA should have in repairing that relationship. A meeting between the players’ union and referees’ union is expected to take place during All-Star weekend in Los Angeles.
- Veteran guard Will Bynum, who last played in the NBA with the Wizards in 2014/15, has signed with Turkish team Yesilgiresun, the team announced in a press release (English link via Sportando). A longtime Piston, Bynum appeared in 360 total regular season NBA games for Golden State, Detroit, and Washington.
- Frank Urbina of HoopsHype identifies six teams that he believes should be active at the trade deadline, including three sellers (Bulls, Lakers, Grizzlies) and three buyers (Cavaliers, Pacers, Bucks).
- Which G League players should be candidates to receive 10-day contracts from NBA clubs? David Yapkowitz of Basketball Insiders names five, starting with former Sixers and Hornets forward Christian Wood.
Hornets Hoping To Engage Knicks In Walker Talks?
The Hornets would like to engage the Knicks in trade talks involving point guard Kemba Walker, but the two teams have yet to have any substantive discussions, league sources tell Ian Begley of ESPN. As ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported on Friday, the Hornets are open to moving Walker, though the star guard won’t come cheap.
Any potential trade partner with interest in Walker would likely have to be willing to take on one of Charlotte’s less desirable contracts — Nicolas Batum, Dwight Howard, Marvin Williams, and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist are among the highly-paid Hornets who fit that bill. Additionally, according to Wojnarowski, the Hornets are hoping that the inclusion of Walker in a salary-shedding deal would help the club land a good young player or a first-round pick.
[RELATED: More Kemba Walker notes, rumors from Friday]
As Begley notes, it makes sense that Charlotte would view New York as a good match, since the Knicks have a talented young point guard prospect in Frank Ntilikina and haven’t traded away any of their future first-round picks.
Still, Begley is skeptical that the Knicks will be willing to match the Hornets’ asking price. The club was very reluctant during the offseason to take on any sizable long-term salary commitments in a Carmelo Anthony trade, and it’s unlikely that stance has changed. Additionally, in order to match salaries with the Hornets, the Knicks might want to include one of their own long-term contracts, such as Joakim Noah‘s or Courtney Lee‘s, which wouldn’t appeal to Charlotte.
Rodney Hood Could Be Traded Before Deadline
JANUARY 20, 1:51pm: Expanding on Stein’s report from Friday, Tony Jones of The Salt Lake Tribune writes that the Jazz have “increased efforts” to move Hood before February 8. According to Jones, there’s enough interest around the NBA that Hood will likely end up being dealt.
JANUARY 19, 9:25pm: There’s growing belief around the NBA that the Jazz could move swingman Rodney Hood before the trade deadline, Marc Stein of the New York Times reports (via Twitter). The scribe adds that several teams have already expressed interest.
Hood, the 25-year-old guard initially expected to shoulder more of Utah’s offensive load with Gordon Hayward out of the picture, has been underwhelming in his fourth season. While his 16.7 PPG are commendable, he doesn’t offer the Jazz the all-around package or general upside that standout rookie guard Donovan Mitchell has.
Hood, in the final year of his rookie deal, will hit restricted free agency this summer, so any team acquiring the shooting guard would essentially have several months to trial him as a possible long-term solution.
Hood’s underwhelming 2017/18 season recently boiled over in an incident earlier this month in which he slapped a phone out of a fan’s hand, resulting in a $35K fine.