NBA G League Assignments/Recalls: 3/12/18
Here are Monday’s G League moves from around the NBA:
- The Spurs recalled guard Derrick White from the Austin Spurs, according to a team press release. White, the team’s first-round pick last June, has played 19 games with Austin, averaging 18.2 PPG, 4.8 RPG and 3.1 APG in 27.0 MPG.
- The Lakers recalled rookie center Thomas Bryant from their South Bay affiliate, the G League team tweets. The second-round pick has appeared in 10 NBA games. In his last two games with South Bay, he averaged 18.5 PPG, 7.5 RPG and 6.0 APG.
- The Celtics recalled forward Guerschon Yabusele from the Maine Red Claws, the team tweets. Yabusele will add depth in the wake of Daniel Theis‘ season-ending injury. A 2016 first-round pick, Yabusele has appeared in 14 games with the Red Claws, averaging 20.3 PPG and 7.9 RPG.
- The Hawks recalled rookie forward Tyler Cavanaugh from a rehab assignment with the Erie Bayhawks, the team announced in a release. Cavanaugh, who hasn’t appeared in an NBA game since January 8th, has been working his way back from an ankle injury.
Dante Exum Aiming To Return This Week
Jazz point guard Dante Exum is expected to return to action at some point this week, league sources informed Tony Jones of The Salt Lake Tribune (Twitter link).
It’s been another injury-marred season for Exum, who was viewed as the Jazz’s long-term solution at point guard when they drafted him No. 5 overall in 2014. Exum suffered a separated left shoulder and ligament damage during a preseason game in early October.
Exum underwent surgery later that month and began non-contact basketball activities in mid-January. He’s made steady progress since that point and his expected return comes at a good time. Raul Neto suffered a left wrist fracture over the weekend and will miss multiple weeks. Exum could fill the No. 3 point guard role behind Ricky Rubio and Donovan Mitchell.
Exum appeared in 66 regular-season games a year ago, averaging 6.2 PPG and 1.7 APG in 18.6 MPG. Exum will be a restricted free agent this summer if the team extends a $6.62MM qualifying offer. Otherwise, he’ll be unrestricted.
Exum missed the entire 2015/16 season after tearing his left ACL.
Raul Neto Fractures Wrist, Out At Least Two Weeks
Jazz guard Raul Neto has been diagnosed with a fractured left wrist after undergoing an MRI today, the team announced in a press release. No formal timetable has been set for Neto’s return to the court, but he’ll be re-evaluated in two weeks, according to the Jazz.
It’s the latest injury for a player who has been plagued by health problems over the last two seasons. After appearing in just 40 games last season, Neto has played in 39 in 2017/18, having been slowed at various times by a concussion and by ankle and knee issues.
When has has played, Neto has been solid in a part-time role for the Jazz, posting 4.6 PPG and 1.8 APG in 12.3 minutes per contest. Utah has performed well when the 25-year-old has been in the lineup — the club has a 27-12 record in those 39 games, and has won 17 in a row when Neto has played.
With Neto sidelined and fellow point guard Dante Exum still on the shelf too, Ricky Rubio and Donovan Mitchell figure to handle point guard duties in Utah, with Alec Burks as a backup option. The Jazz also have an open roster spot, so they could sign a player to a 10-day contract or rest-of-season deal if they have any depth concerns.
Trail Blazers Sign Wade Baldwin To NBA Contract
2:50pm: The Trail Blazers have officially signed Baldwin, the team confirmed in a press release.
1:52pm: The Trail Blazers have filled the open spot on their 15-man roster, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, who reports (via Twitter) that the club has signed Wade Baldwin to a rest-of-season, minimum-salary contract.
Baldwin, who will turn 22 later this month, signed a two-way contract with the Blazers back in October, shortly after he was waived by the Grizzlies. A thumb injury kept him on the shelf for several weeks near the start of the season, but he has since returned to the court and played well in the G League.
Because Portland doesn’t have a G League affiliate of its own, Baldwin has been playing for the Texas Legends, the Mavericks’ affiliate. In 17 games for the Legends, the former first-round pick has averaged 18.2 PPG, 5.1 APG, 4.5 RPG, and 2.2 SPG. He made his Blazers debut last Tuesday, playing three minutes in garbage time against the Knicks.
I wouldn’t expect Baldwin to become a key part of the Blazers’ rotation going forward, but he could see a little more action down the stretch, and his new contract will make him playoff-eligible.
Portland now has 16 players under contract in total — Baldwin will be the 14th on a standard, full-season NBA deal. The Blazers are also carrying Georgios Papagiannis on a 10-day contract and C.J. Wilcox on a two-way pact.
Hawks’ Kent Bazemore Out For Season
2:46pm: The Hawks have issued a press release confirming the injuries to Bazemore and Morris. According to the team, Bazemore will miss the rest of the season and Morris will be out for approximately two to four weeks.
2:20pm: After leaving Sunday’s game with a knee injury, Hawks swingman Kent Bazemore isn’t expected to return to action anytime soon. A source tells Michael Cunningham of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that Bazemore will likely miss “several weeks” due to a right knee bone bruise.
A three-and-D wing, Bazemore has started 65 of the Hawks’ 67 games this year, averaging 12.9 PPG, 3.8 RPG, and 3.5 APG with a career-best .394 3PT%. He still has two seasons left on the lucrative four-year deal he signed back in 2016, and is owed an $18MM+ guaranteed salary for 2018/19, plus a $19MM+ player option for 2019/20.
The tanking Hawks are currently tied for the third-worst record in the NBA at 20-47, so the club likely won’t be too devastated to lose one of its more productive rotation players. While the recovery timeline on Bazemore suggests he could be back before season’s end, it’s very possible that Atlanta will play it safe and hold him out for the club’s final 15 games.
Meanwhile, the Hawks will also be without rookie Jaylen Morris, who suffered a left ankle sprain and is expected to be out for two weeks, according to Cunningham. Morris just signed his second 10-day contract with the club on Sunday, but it sounds like he won’t be healthy before that deal expires on March 20.
If Morris remains a part of Atlanta’s plans, the team figures to keep him around during his recovery and then sign him to a rest-of-season contract later this month. If not, the Hawks could end up terminating his 10-day deal early.
Marcus Smart To Miss Time With Thumb Injury
Having confirmed a torn meniscus diagnosis for Daniel Theis, the Celtics appear to have received some more bad injury news on Monday. According to Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link), Marcus Smart suffered a torn tendon in his right thumb. Charania reports that Smart, who is getting a second opinion on the injury, will be ruled out indefinitely for the time being.
Charania’s report comes on the heels of a tweet from ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, who suggested that the injury was still being called a sprain but was “under scrutiny” from Boston’s medical staff — a team spokesperson confirmed as much (Twitter link via Mark Murphy of The Boston Herald).
Wojnarowski said it was unclear whether Smart would be able to play through the injury, as he did on Sunday after initially sustaining it. Based on Charania’s report and the club’s announcement, it sounds like that won’t be possible.
Smart previously missed 11 games leading up to the All-Star break due to a hand laceration, and the Celtics struggled on defense without him. The team has shown an admirable ability to overcome injuries so far this season, but the roster depth will be tested now more than ever, with Smart, Theis, Jaylen Brown, and – of course – Gordon Hayward all out of action.
If those four players are all expected to remain on the shelf for at least the next weeks, the Celtics could apply for a hardship exception, which would allow the team to add a 16th player to its NBA roster. Still, head coach Brad Stevens said today after the announcement on Theis that he didn’t expect the C’s to sign anyone (Twitter link via Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe).
The Celtics did get one piece of decent injury news today, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, who tweets that Kyrie Irving‘s knee soreness isn’t believed to be more serious than tendonitis. Irving won’t need to miss significant time, and is considered day-to-day, says Woj.
Wesley Matthews Likely Out For Season
Mavericks forward Wesley Matthews has suffered a stress fracture in his right leg, reports Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports (via Twitter). According to Charania, Matthews will likely miss the rest of the 2017/18 season as he rests and rehabs that injury.
Matthews, in his third season in Dallas, averaged a modest 12.7 PPG in 63 games (33.8 MPG). While his scoring numbers with the Mavs haven’t matched the ones he put up in Portland before his Achilles tear, Matthews’ ’17/18 shooting numbers were an improvement over last year’s marks — he was a .406/.381/.822 shooter this season.
Technically, Matthews could become an unrestricted free agent this summer, but he’s a virtual lock to exercise his player option for 2018/19. That option is worth $18,622,514, a figure Matthews wouldn’t match on the open market. The veteran sharpshooter was the subject of a few trade rumors leading up to this season’s deadline, and his expiring contract should make him easier to move once the new league year begins, so there’s no guarantee he’ll spend next season in Dallas.
In Matthews’ absence, Doug McDermott and Kyle Collinsworth are among the Mavs who could see a bump in playing time.
Fantasy Hoops: A. Davis, Celtics, E. Davis, Nance
Many leagues are entering the fantasy playoffs this week, so if your squad made it this far, congratulations! Hoops Rumors wants to help you take down the remaining competition. Here are some fantasy basketball notes and analysis to help you win your matchups:
- Anthony Davis continues to assert his place in the MVP conversation. The Pelicans star posted a triple-double on Sunday against Utah with 25 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 blocks. Yes, 10 blocks. He remains the top option in all season-long formats, as we noted in last week’s edition of Fantasy Hoops.
- While Kyrie Irving‘s latest injury doesn’t sound too serious, we’re beginning to hear rumblings about him taking additional time off to rest his knee in order to get it back to full health for the playoffs. Jaylen Brown is also expected to be out over the next week for the Celtics, so both Marcus Smart and Terry Rozier should see an increase in usage. (Update: Smart will also be sidelined due to a thumb injury.)
- Trail Blazers big man Ed Davis doesn’t get enough credit. Only five players have grabbed more rebounds than his 11.2 per game during the month of March. Throw in his solid field goal percentage (65.4%) and ability to avoid turnovers (only three in five games so far this month), and it’s hard to fathom why Davis is available in over 86% of ESPN leagues.
- Larry Nance Jr. (available in slightly over 34% of ESPN leagues) should be owned in all leagues. During his three starts for injured big man Tristan Thompson, the Cavaliers‘ newbie is averaging 17.0 points, 13.3 rebounds and 2.3 steals per game.
- Keep an eye on Luke Kornet. The big man started for the Knicks on Sunday in place of Enes Kanter and he produced, accumulating 18 points, four rebounds, two assists and one block. Should Kanter miss any additional games, Kornet would be a streaming option and possibly a sneaky daily league play for those contests.
Fantasy questions? Take to the comment section below or tweet me at @CW_Crouse.
Missed an earlier edition of Fantasy Hoops? Check out the entire series here.
Statistics are current through Monday morning. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Northwest Notes: Rose, Brewer, Turner, Faried
Appearing in his first game for the Timberwolves on Sunday, Derrick Rose played just seven minutes. While Rose says he’s not looking to “take someone’s spot” or step on anybody’s toes in Minnesota, he hopes to earn the opportunity to play a larger role down the stretch, as Steve Aschburner of NBA.com writes.
“I want [Timberwolves head coach Tom Thibodeau] to see me and be like, ‘Damn, he’s still got it,'” Rose said. “I want him to count on me. I want to be held accountable. You know what I mean? I don’t just want to be, like, an average guy on the team riding along just to see how far they go. I really want to add.”
The Rose signing drew some criticism from observers who felt that the Timberwolves didn’t need more depth at a point guard spot that already features Jeff Teague, Tyus Jones, and Aaron Brooks. However, Thibodeau and the Wolves’ guards believe that the team’s backcourt depth make sense in today’s NBA, where many teams play more than one point guard at a time, says Jerry Zgoda of The Star Tribune.
Here’s more from around the Northwest division:
- Speaking to Alex Kennedy of HoopsHype, Corey Brewer discussed his decision to sign with the Thunder, his expectations for the team, and several other topics. “I looked at my situation and considered if I’d have a chance to play, the pieces that were already in place on the team and whether I’d have a chance to compete in the playoffs,” Brewer said. “I felt like going to the Thunder would be the best situation for me because of those reasons and I get to play with old college coach Billy Donovan, who I have a great relationship with.”
- In an interesting piece for NBC Sports Northwest, Jason Quick takes an in-depth look at Trail Blazers swingman Evan Turner, who continues to grapple with how his $70MM contract has impacted fans’ expectations for – and perception of – him.
- Despite his lack of playing time this season, Nuggets big man Kenneth Faried appears to be staying positive, per Gina Mizell of The Denver Post. Faried, who has been the subject of trade rumors for multiple seasons, will be entering the final year of his contract this offseason, so it will be interesting to see if he’s still on Denver’s roster six months from now.
Checking In On 10-Day Contracts
Only nine players signed 10-day contracts prior to the All-Star break this season, but 10-day deals have dominated the NBA’s transaction wire in recent weeks. Currently, 13 of the league’s 30 teams are carrying at least one player on a 10-day contract, giving them the opportunity to take a look at that player without being committed to him for the rest of the season.
Ten-day contracts turn over frequently and can be a challenge to keep up with, which is why we created a tracker to keep tabs on all the 10-day deals around the NBA. Updated daily, our tracker shows which 10-day contract recipients still have active deals.
With the help of our tracker, here’s a quick roundup of the players currently on 10-day contracts, along with a handful of players whose deals recently expired. The expiration date noted below for each player represents the final day of his contract.
Active 10-day contracts:
- Shaquille Harrison (Suns): Expires 3/12.
- Troy Williams (Knicks): Expires 3/12.
- Walter Lemon Jr. (Pelicans): Expires 3/13.
- Antonius Cleveland (Hawks): Expires 3/13.
- Sean Kilpatrick (Clippers): Expires 3/13.
- Xavier Rathan-Mayes (Grizzlies): Expires 3/14.
- Ramon Sessions (Wizards): Expires 3/14.
- Nigel Hayes (Raptors): Expires 3/15.
- Rodney Purvis (Magic): Expires 3/17.
- Georgios Papagiannis (Trail Blazers): Expires 3/17.
- Derrick Williams (Lakers): Expires 3/18.
- Brandon Jennings (Bucks): Expires 3/20.
- Jaylen Morris (Hawks): Expires 3/20.
- Jameel Warney (Mavericks): Expires 3/20.
Recently expired 10-day contracts that haven’t been renewed:
- Travis Wear (Lakers): Expired 3/11.
- Jarell Eddie (Bulls): Expired 3/10.
- Scotty Hopson (Mavericks): Expired 3/7.
- Rashad Vaughn (Magic): Terminated on 3/7.
- Naz Mitrou-Long (Jazz): Expired 3/5.
- Marcus Thornton (Cavaliers): Expired 3/3.