Weekly Mailbag: 3/19/18 – 3/25/18
We have an opportunity for you to hit us up with your questions in this, our weekly mailbag feature. Have a question regarding player movement, the salary cap or the NBA draft? Drop us a line at HoopsRumorsMailbag@Gmail.com.
With Isaiah Thomas hitting free agency, do you think Celtics will get stronger if they bring him back? A Kyrie Irving and IT backcourt duo can rival the James Harden and Chris Paul tandem. — Gregory Dizon
Thomas addressed the possibility this week, tweeting “Anything can happen” when a fan asked him about returning to Boston. And although anything can happen, Thomas still has to feel betrayed by the Celtics’ decision to trade him after all he did for the franchise last season. Also, don’t forget that Irving wanted to leave Cleveland so he could be a clear franchise player. He may not be open to the idea of sharing the ball with Thomas. Boston is already over the cap for next season, so without a deal to open some space, it can’t offer Thomas more than the mid-level exception. That’s less than he wants, but it may be the best offer he can get until he proves his hip has healed enough to allow him to play a full season. It’s hard to predict where Thomas will end up, but it feels like his time with the Celtics is over.
Do you think Atlanta will blow it up this summer? I know they tanked this season, but I think they have some quality talent. Add a high draft pick and impact free agent with their cap space and they could be right back in the playoff mix next year. Thoughts on their direction? — VJ Cruz, via Twitter
There’s not much left to blow up in Atlanta, where they fully committed to rebuilding when they opted not to re-sign Paul Millsap last summer. The Hawks have three first-round draft picks, plus their own near the top of the second round, so they will continue to load up on young, affordable talent. They could have as much as $45MM in cap space, but they aren’t in a position to attract elite free agents and won’t spend it recklessly. Kent Bazemore ($18MM next season with a $19.27MM option for 2019/20) or Dennis Schroder ($15MM in each of the next three seasons) could be available for the right offer, but otherwise the Hawks are content to take things slow and build for the future.
How many teams will make coaching changes once the season is over? — Robert, via Twitter
The Suns are an obvious one as they’ve already launched their coaching search. Although interim coach Jay Triano will get consideration, it seems like the organization wants a fresh start. Jeff Hornacek appears out in New York. It’s hard to see how Stan Van Gundy can survive a late-season collapse in Detroit. And with a new front office team in place, the Magic will likely want to move on from Frank Vogel. Charlotte will be an interesting situation to watch as Steve Clifford has one more year left on his contract and has been to the playoffs just twice in five seasons. So will Los Angeles, where Doc Rivers and Luke Walton may be replaced even though their teams have both overachieved.
Knicks Notes: O’Quinn, Ntilikina, Mudiay, Burke
Kyle O’Quinn is the latest Knicks center to have a dispute with coach Jeff Hornacek, although the reason hasn’t been explained, writes Marc Berman of The New York Post. The Knicks canceled Saturday’s practice, so reporters weren’t able to find out more about the incident, which happened when O’Quinn was removed from Friday’s game. Q’Quinn appeared to be making angry comments toward Hornacek on the bench, possibly related to a defensive mistake.
Veteran center Joakim Noah got into a heated exchange with Hornacek at a practice in February and has been on a leave of absence ever since. Berman notes that Q’Quinn should be grateful to Hornacek, who played a large role in New York’s decision to keep him and trade Willy Hernangomez to Charlotte. O’Quinn can opt out of his nearly $4.26MM contract for next season and test the free agent market this summer.
There’s more today out of New York:
- It’s time to insert rookie Frank Ntilikina into the starting lineup and see if he can handle the responsibilities that come with it, contends Al Iannazzone of Newsday. Hornacek may have been considering that move on Friday when he used Ntilikina and Trey Burke to start the third quarter in place of Emmanuel Mudiay and Courtney Lee, who started the game. “The coach knows that’s his job to do all that stuff,” Ntilikina said when asked about being a starter. “Us as players, our job is just to be ready when he calls our name.”
- Mudiay may be squandering his chance in New York, Iannazzone adds in the same story. The seventh player taken in the 2015 draft was considered a bust in Denver, but got a second chance with the Knicks after a deadline-day trade. He was handed the starting point guard job, but is falling out of favor and played less than five minutes Friday. Mudiay said Hornacek didn’t provide an explanation about his reduced role. “That’s on him,” Mudiay said. “Whatever he wants to do. That’s out of my control.”
- Burke credits the time he spent as a backup to John Wall in Washington last season with helping him revive his career, Iannazzone relays in a separate piece. Burke was able to watch one of the NBA’s top point guards up close and adopted much of Wall’s approach to the game. “His motor, the way he attacked each and every game, it was like he never gasped for air,” Burke said. “His approach night in and night out and just the way he took it to every guard. It didn’t matter if it was a lower-tier guard or if it was a superstar guard, he played the same way.”
Southeast Notes: Ellington, Payton, Isaac, Hawks
The Heat would almost certainly have to go into the luxury tax to re-sign Wayne Ellington, according to Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel. Ellington will be a free agent again after accepting a one-year, $6.3MM deal last summer. He has a chance to set the franchise record for 3-pointers in a season, but team president Pat Riley operates under a policy of only paying the tax when the Heat can contend for a title. Miami will be well over the salary cap next season, with more than $116MM already committed.
The Heat may not have a significant role for Ellington even if he does re-sign, Winderman adds. Dion Waiters should be fully recovered from ankle surgery, and Dwyane Wade will probably return for another season. Tyler Johnson, Josh Richardson, Rodney McGruder and Justise Winslow will also be competing for wing minutes.
There’s more from the Southeast Division:
- Suns guard Elfrid Payton has a reunion in Orlando Saturday night, seeing his former Magic teammates for the first time since being traded last month, relays Josh Robbins of The Orlando Sentinel. Payton got a warm greeting from the crowd before the game and from the Orlando players afterward. “A lot of people asked me, ‘Do I still talk to any of those guys?’ We’re still talking all the time,” Payton said. “They support me a lot, want me to do well, and the feeling is mutual. I’ve been through the trenches with those guys, been through a lot of things and a lot of ups and downs. Seeing them go through ups and downs — those types of things build relationships that last forever.”
- A lingering ankle injury wiped out much of his rookie season, but Magic forward Jonathan Isaac has done enough to keep the Magic excited about his future, notes James Blancarte of Basketball Insiders. “His defense is out of this world. I mean it’s really something else,” coach Frank Vogel said. “Just watch him play and everybody’s getting a taste of it right now. They haven’t seen him a whole lot but he’s an elite defender right now at 20 years old and the sky’s the limit for what he can be on that end of the floor.”
- The Hawks will reap the benefits of their decision to rebuild, starting with this year’s draft, writes Bobby Marks of ESPN. Atlanta currently projects to have four picks in the top 35 and sits in third place in our latest Reverse Standings. The team could have up to $30MM in cap space available and will be in the market for a third point guard and a combo forward.
Warriors Notes: Cook, Curry, Green, Durant
In the wake of Stephen Curry‘s latest injury, the Warriors need to add two-way player Quinn Cook to their roster before the postseason, writes Chris Haynes of ESPN. The second-year point guard has made the most of his time with Golden State, averaging 6.9 points in 23 games. He has been extremely productive lately, reaching double figures in his last five contests, including a career high of 28 points.
With the G League regular season now over, Cook’s 45-day NBA limit is no longer a concern. However, he cannot be on the playoff roster unless the Warriors convert his contract to a full NBA deal by April 10, the day before the season ends. Golden State doesn’t have an available roster spot, so someone would have to be waived. Sources tell Haynes that the team hasn’t discussed such a move with Cook’s representatives.
“I want to secure a guaranteed deal,” he said. “I know I’m an NBA player, and I want to continuing proving that.”
There’s more Warriors news this morning:
- In an interview with HoopsHype, Cook said he is more focused on a strong finish to the regular season than the roster decision. “Obviously if it were to happen, I’d be grateful, I’d be thankful,” Cook said of being activated for the postseason. “But if it doesn’t, I’ll still be with the team during the playoffs and practicing with the guys and still learning. It’s not something that I’ve been thinking about. Whatever happens happens, and I’ll be grateful either way.”
- After being injured Friday, Curry spent time after the game talking to Cook about his new role with the team, according to Mark Medina of The San Jose Mercury News. It’s a continuation of the mentoring role Curry has adopted since Cook’s first call-up to the Warriors in December. “He’d literally sit down with me before every game and at halftime and tell me what he would see,” Cook said. “We developed a great friendship and mentorship along the season.”
- Curry’s MRI results dominated the headlines Saturday, but the Warriors have much better news regarding their other injured stars, relays Anthony Slater of The Athletic. Draymond Green has recovered from a pelvic contusion that he suffered Monday and should play in today’s game, while Kevin Durant is expected back from a rib cartilage fracture by the middle of the week. Klay Thompson will be out a little longer with a fractured right thumb, but Slater expects them to have about five games together before the season ends.
Atlantic Notes: Fultz, Lowry, Irving, Celtics
Sixers rookie Markelle Fultz will have the final say in whether he plays again this season, according to Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. The first overall pick in last year’s draft has been limited to four games because of a shoulder injury and difficulties with his jumper. He sat out his 68th straight game tonight, but his shot has looked better in pre-game warmups and there is speculation that he might see some action before the playoffs.
There’s more from the Atlantic Division:
- Raptors guard Kyle Lowry is still playing at a high level at age 32 and believes he has a lot of years left in the NBA, relays Josh Lewenburg of TSN. Lowry, who talks about staying in the league until age 40, says he is inspired by some of the league’s elder statesmen. “[LeBron James] is kinda setting the trend to show that it ain’t the olden times,” Lowry said. “You know, guys at 32 [or] 33, [it used to be] like ‘Oh, they’re done’. But I think those days are over. … We all know our bodies, our diets, we’ve got nutritionists, chefs, trainers. It’s a little bit of a different game and [with new] technology I think guys will be able to play at a higher level at 35 or 36 years old.” Lowry will be 34 when his current contract expires in 2020.
- Even though Kyrie Irving is expected to miss the first part of the playoffs, there’s a silver lining for the Celtics regarding today’s surgical procedure on his knee, writes Matt Dollinger of Sports Illustrated. The operation showed the patella fracture he suffered during the 2015 NBA Finals is fully healed and the knee is structurally sound. President of basketball operations Danny Ainge has a long-term plan to build around Irving and Gordon Hayward, Dollinger adds, and should be relieved that Irving projects to have a healthy future.
- The Celtics had to alter their plans to sign Sean Kilpatrick to a 10-day contract when he reportedly got a better offer from another team. Boston is targeting perimeter depth with its hardship exception, tweets Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe.
NBA G League Assignments/Recalls: 3/24/18
Here are Saturday’s G League assignments and recalls from around the NBA:
- The Knicks have recalled rookie guard Damyean Dotson from their Westchester affiliate, the team tweeted. Dotson has played in 38 games for New York and is averaging 2.9 points per night.
- Jaylen Johnson, who signed a contract with the Bulls earlier today, was assigned to Windy City, where he has spent the entire season, tweets K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune.
Injury Notes: Thomas, Paul, Booker, Simmons
The hip injury that caused Lakers guard Isaiah Thomas to miss nearly the first half of the season appears to be acting up again, tweets Tania Ganguli of The Los Angeles Times. Thomas woke up this morning with stiffness in his right hip and will be held out of the final two games of the team’s road trip.
Thomas first suffered the injury last year in Boston, and the Cavaliers held him out of the first 36 games of this season while he was recovering. The latest flare-up could be a warning sign for any team interested in the 29-year-old guard when he becomes a free agent this summer.
There’s more news on the NBA injury front:
- Down to eight players for tonight’s game, the Lakers will get some help tomorrow when two-way player Gary Payton II joins the team after the G League regular season ends. However, fellow two-way contract holder Alex Caruso is sidelined by a concussion, according to Bill Oram of The SoCal News Group (Twitter link).
- Rockets guard Chris Paul will be held out of tonight’s game, but could return tomorrow, according to Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle (Twitter link). Coach Mike D’Antoni said Paul is making progress after hurting his hamstring Tuesday night.
- Devin Booker will miss his fourth straight game tonight with a sprained right hand, but coach Jay Triano is optimistic that he can play Monday, tweets Scott Bordow of The Arizona Republic (Twitter link). T.J. Warren is missing his third consecutive game with left knee inflammation after a non-contact injury last Saturday (Twitter link).
- Magic swingman Jonathon Simmons, who has missed the past two games with a right wrist contusion, will probably be held out another week, relays Josh Robbins of The Orlando Sentinel (Twitter link).
- Bulls guard Kris Dunn remains in a walking boot with a toe injury, but was able to exercise today on an elliptical machine, reports K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune (Twitter link). Swelling has gone down and he will join the team on its upcoming road trip, but coach Fred Hoiberg said Dunn will need to be “reconditioned” if the team doesn’t shut him down for the rest of the season.
Community Shootaround: Curry, Irving Injuries
Two point guards who squared off in the last three NBA Finals suddenly face health problems heading into this year’s playoffs.
Stephen Curry was diagnosed with a Grade 2 MCL sprain that was revealed in an MRI performed today on his left knee. Curry suffered the injury in Friday’s game, which marked his return to the court after missing two weeks with a tweaked right ankle. The Warriors announced that he will be re-evaluated in three weeks, which coincides with the start of the playoffs.
In Boston, Kyrie Irving is sidelined after undergoing a surgical procedure today on his left knee. The operation was described as minimally invasive and was performed to remove a tension wire that was inserted when he fractured his patella during the 2015 NBA Finals. Doctors say Irving should be able to resume basketball activities in three to six weeks, which doesn’t necessarily mean he will be cleared to play at that point.
Both teams are locked pretty solidly into second place in their respective conferences, so today’s injury news shouldn’t affect the regular season standings. However, both become more vulnerable in a first-round matchup if Curry and Irving can’t play.
The bottom of the West remains jumbled with the fourth-place Thunder and 10th-place Clippers separated by only four games in the loss column. Realistically, there are seven teams that could face Golden State in the first round, with each presenting a different challenge.
Things are a little more settled in the East, where the Bucks, Heat, Wizards or Pacers seem most likely to land in the seventh seed. Any of those teams could throw a scare into the Celtics, who will also be without Marcus Smart for about six more weeks after surgery to fix a torn ligament in his right thumb and Daniel Theis, who had season-ending surgery for a torn meniscus.
Our question for today is whether the Warriors or Celtics are now in danger of a first-round upset without their floor leaders. A lot depends on the eventual matchups, but do you see either team suffering an early playoff exit? Please jump into the comments section below and give us your feedback.
John Wall Participates In Practice; Return Expected Soon
John Wall passed an important test in his recovery from knee surgery as he was able to fully participate in today’s practice, according to Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington.
This was the first full practice for Wall since he underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee in late January. He went through five-on-five scrimmages with teammates and was able to handle contact. He is now cleared of all restrictions, but the Wizards want him to practice a few more times before setting a date for his return. They have 10 regular season games remaining.
“John did everything, he did an entire practice, which was great,” head coach Scott Brooks said. “I thought he did a great job offensively and defensively.”
Brooks added that Wall tested the knee by aggressively attacking the basket and was moving around well in general. He is slightly lighter after losing some weight during his absence.
Washington managed a 14-10 record without Wall, but most of those wins came early. They have dropped seven of their last 11 games and have fallen into sixth place in the East.
Wall, who is averaging 19.4 points and 9.3 assists in 37 games, should provide a huge boost in the race for playoff positioning. His coach said just having him back at practice raises the overall performance of the team.
“He gives us that edge,” Brooks explained. “When you have him on the floor, you get a lot of easy shots. John creates a lot of attention when he drives to the basket… I think [his teammates] have always appreciated it, but when you don’t have him around you definitely miss it.”
Hoops Rumors Originals: 3/17/18 – 3/24/18
Every week, we here at Hoops Rumors strive to create interesting original content to complement our news feed. Here are the original segments and features from the past seven days:
- In an exclusive interview for Hoops Rumors, Hawks rookie Damion Lee talks with Mark Suleymanov about the resiliency it took to make it to the NBA after overcoming two ACL tears.
- In this week’s Community Shootaround Series, we asked:
- What direction should the Hornets take when selecting a new GM to replace Rich Cho?
- What does the future look like for the Nuggets?
- Arthur Hill’s Weekly Mailbag addressed questions on whether the Spurs would be better off missing the postseason, potential cap space for the Wizards, and some 2018 NBA Draft prospects.
- Luke Adams updated the current 10-day contract situation around the NBA.
- We reminded our readers of an increasingly important feature at this time of the season – our 2017/18 NBA Reverse Standings.
- Luke Adams wrote up an original piece on how the end of the G League season affects two-way players.
- Luke Adams took a look at eight soon-to-be restricted free agents who are positioned to sign long-term contracts this summer.