NBA G League Assignments/Recalls: 1/5/19
Here are Saturday’s G League assignments and recalls from around the NBA:
- The Hornets recalled Dwayne Bacon from the Greensboro Swarm, the team announced on Twitter. Bacon was with Charlotte for this afternoon’s game in Denver, but didn’t see any action. He has played in 18 NBA games this season and has made numerous trips to the G League.
- The Spurs sent rookie Lonnie Walker to their Austin affiliate for an afternoon game, according to a tweet from the G League team. Walker has appeared in just one game for San Antonio as he tries to work his way back from a torn meniscus he suffered during the preseason.
Lakers Notes: Ingram, Ball, George, Robinson
The Lakers are wasting an opportunity to prove they can be successful without LeBron James and may be getting a clearer picture of the value of Brandon Ingram and Lonzo Ball, writes Bill Oram of The Athletic. L.A.is 1-4 since James suffered a strained left groin, and the team learned Friday that he won’t be re-evaluated for another week.
The most troubling game in that stretch was last night’s loss to the Knicks, who have been near the bottom of the East all season. With the game on the line in the fourth quarter, Oram writes, Ingram became a one-dimensional player, making just one of five shots, while Ball tried to force passes and committed a couple of key turnovers.
“Brandon and Lonzo right now are our primary ballhandlers,” coach Luke Walton said, “and I think they led us in turnovers tonight. I’m not putting the blame on them, but that’s part of the responsibility of being a point guard, or being a primary ballhandler-slash-playmaker, is taking care of the ball and getting guys going, getting other guys easy looks.”
There’s more Lakers news to pass along:
- Ingram may be the next young talent sacrificed in the quest to build a super team in L.A., suggests Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report. The Lakers have already parted with D’Angelo Russell, Larry Nance, Jordan Clarkson and Julius Randle to clear cap room, and it may become necessary to do the same with Ingram to have a shot at Anthony Davis. If the Pelicans hang onto Davis and he becomes a free agent in 2020, the Lakers can’t afford the $21.8MM cap hold Ingram would have as a restricted free agent. However, he could turn out to be a valuable trade piece if Davis turns down a supermax offer and New Orleans feels compelled to move him this summer.
- Paul George got an unfriendly reception from Lakers fans this week, but he explained that he made a business decision to stay in Oklahoma City, relays Brett Dawson of The Athletic. There was hope last season that George might return to his native Southern California in free agency, but he decided he had a better situation with the Thunder. “The Lakers is one of the best, most historical franchises in the world,” George said. “It is what it is. I’m with another great organization.”
- The Lakers gave strong consideration to taking Mitchell Robinson with their first-round pick last summer, but the rookie center believes he’s better off with the Knicks, according to Marc Berman of The New York Post. With L.A. hoping to make the playoffs, Robinson thinks he might have spent much of the season in the G League rather than as an NBA starter.
Knicks Notes: Ntilikina, Burke, Jackson, Trier
Knicks guard Frank Ntilikina suffered a strained tendon in his left ankle Friday night that could lead to a prolonged absence, writes Marc Berman of The New York Post. X-rays were negative, but Ntilikina was in a walking boot after the game. Berman adds that an MRI is being considered to determine the full extent of the damage.
The injury occurred in the first quarter on a steal by the Lakers’ Josh Hart. Ntilikina explained that his foot “rolled” as he was stepping backward and trying to protect the ball.
“I’m trying to be positive and get that ankle to be OK real quick,” he said. “We’re going to see day-to-day. Thankfully the X-rays of the bones were OK. Now we’re going to see and do the best to get back on the court real quick.’’
While Ntilikina is sidelined, Trey Burke is expected to return to the rotation as the backup point guard. He had barely played since returning from a sprained knee eight games ago, but scored 16 points in 19 minutes against L.A.
There’s more today from New York:
- The crowd at the Staples Center last night included Knicks owner James Dolan, who doesn’t usually accompany his team on the road, Berman notes in a separate story. Dolan was seated next to entertainment executive Irving Azoff, who encouraged him to hire Phil Jackson as team president five years ago. “He came in [the locker room] and gave everybody ‘dab’ like the coaching staff would do after a game,’’ Tim Hardaway Jr. said of Dolan. “He brought it in with us. He was just happy how we competed on both ends of the floor and said, ‘get the next one.’”
- Jackson has stayed out of the spotlight since being dismissed in 2017, and former Knicks associate coach Kurt Rambis explained why in a radio interview, Berman relays in another piece. Rambis said Jackson, who is serving as a special adviser for the Lakers, is having trouble moving after knee and hip replacements. Jackson remains on the Knicks’ payroll through March, and sources tell Berman he plans to speak out about his experience in New York once his connections are completely severed.
- The Knicks hold a team option on Allonzo Trier for next season and must exercise it by June 20, tweets Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders. Trier started the season on a two-way contract before agreeing to a two-year deal last month. He will make $3.55MM next season if the Knicks keep him on the roster.
Five Key Stories: 12/29/18 – 1/5/19
If you missed any of this past week’s biggest headlines from around the NBA, we’ve got you covered with our Week in Review. Below are some of the most noteworthy stories from the last seven days:
Wizards perennial All-Star point guard 
star John Wall will undergo season-ending surgery on his left heel that will keep him out of action for six to eight months. Described by the team as a debridement and repair of a Haglund’s deformity and a chronic Achilles tendon injury in his left heel, the operation was deemed necessary because of persistent pain and inflammation in Wall’s heel. Some viewed the Wizards’ poor 2018/19 performance as a factor in Wall’s decision, but Wall maintains that his decision was solely motivated by his fear that he was risking a ruptured Achilles by continue to play on the sore heel. The Wizards are now figured to be active sellers at the trade deadline as a result of Wall’s status and the resultant minimal hopes of a playoff berth this season.
The Warriors opted not to match the offer sheet given to swingman Patrick McCaw by the Cavaliers, who will now officially welcome McCaw to Cleveland on a two-year, $6MM deal. Both the potential locker room consequences of McCaw’s lengthy and public holdout and the idea of keeping its 15th roster spot open to retain flexibility going forward were the primary reasons behind Golden State’s decision to let McCaw go. It also didn’t help that matching the offer sheet and keeping McCaw for the remainder of the 2018/19 season would have cost the Warriors an extra $11MM in luxury tax penalties. McCaw ultimately seems satisfied that Golden State didn’t match, saying he’s ready for a “a new opportunity.”
Just a few months after forcing his way out of Minnesota, Jimmy Butler has reportedly now “aggressively challenged” Sixers head coach Brett Brown on his role in Philadelphia’s offense. Per reports, Butler, who is averaging five-year lows in PPG and MPG since joining the Sixers, would prefer to play more traditional pick-and-roll and isolation sets, rather than trying to find his place in the Sixers’ free-flowing offense. Despite the negative tone of the report, however, Brown has told people within the Sixers’ organization that he has no issues with Butler or their communication. For what it’s worth to fans understandably frustrated with what appears to be this new found, relatively entitled attitude for Butler, he also told reporters this week that he won’t be in the league past the age of 35.
The Bulls traded swingman Justin Holiday to the Grizzlies in exchange for guards Wayne Selden and MarShon Brooks and Memphis’ own second-round picks in 2019 and 2020. The Bulls received interest from multiple teams on Holiday, but ultimately settled on this trade with the Grizzlies. In order to make room on the roster for both Selden and Brooks, the Bulls opted to waive former first-round pick, point guard Cameron Payne, who had been outplayed by both Ryan Arcidiacono and Shaquille Harrison so far this season. In addition to the two players and two draft picks, the Bulls also created a traded player exception worth just over $2.7MM in the deal.
A day before the aforementioned trade, the Grizzlies’ three-game losing streak took its toll on the locker room, with veterans Garrett Temple and Omri Casspi involved in a physical altercation after a team meeting. The meeting began with coaches and players questioning effort and areas needing improvement, but when the bench’s enthusiasm was questioned, Casspi took exception, leading to the altercation. Despite the incident and the trade for Holiday, there’s no indication at this point that Memphis will look to trade Temple or Casspi.
Here are 10 more notable NBA headlines from the last week:
- Grizzlies’ forward Chandler Parsons insists he’s healthy enough to play but that GM Chris Wallace is holding up his return.
- Less than a month after signing him, the Nuggets have parted ways with veteran guard Nick Young.
- Enes Kanter met with Knicks’ general manager Scott Perry earlier in the week to discuss his diminishing role.
- The Nets did veteran big man Alan Williams a solid and released him so that he could sign a lucrative deal in China.
- Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra says he’s “sick to (his) stomach” about not being able to find more minutes for veteran sharpshooter Wayne Ellington.
- After only one appearance with the team, the Suns have waived 27-year-old veteran big man Eric Moreland.
- Wizards’ forward Markieff Morris has been diagnosed with transient cervical neuropraxia and is expected to be out of action for six weeks.
- The Hornets may be ready to include big man Frank Kaminsky in a trade after other teams have expressed interest.
- Cody Zeller has undergone surgery for a fracture of the third metacarpal of his right hand and will miss four to six weeks.
- Lakers’ superstar LeBron James will remain out through next weekend with a strained left groin.
Bulls Notes: Hutchison, Parker, Grizzlies Trade
Before Thursday’s trade with the Grizzlies, Justin Holiday was a regular starter at small forward for the Bulls, starting every game he played in during the 2018/19 season. But now that he’s gone, the Bulls are asking yet another rookie, 2018 first-round pick Chandler Hutchison, to step up and play a significant role just like they’ve already asked of fellow 2018 draftee, rookie big man Wendell Carter, writes Sam Smith of Bulls.com.
“Chandler will start at the three (small forward),” head coach Jim Boylen confirmed before last night’s game. “I like his defense, his length and rebounding. He can handle the ball. He can drive the ball. I’m excited to see him play. I want to see him compete. He doesn’t have to do anything great. Just compete. Play within yourself and play like ‘Bulls’ across his chest is important.”
Hutchison, 22, is only averaging 4.2 points and 3.5 rebounds per game and has struggled to get going on offense so far this season, generally being brought in for defensive intensity rather than offensive prowess. As such, the loss of Holiday will likely put something of a strain on the Bulls’ already dismal offense.
But, as has been obvious all season, the Bulls are playing for the future of the franchise, not this season’s club. And with Hutchison now in the starting lineup alongside Kris Dunn, Zach LaVine, Lauri Markkanen, and Carter (all 24 years old or younger), the Bulls’ now hope to have their starting lineup of the future in place.
There’s more from the Windy City:
- In a performance that accurately summed up his inconsistent time in Chicago thus far, Bulls’ forward Jabari Parker did a few things well in last night’s loss to the Pacers that were ultimately not enough to make up for his glaring shortcomings, writes Mark Strotman of NBC Sports Chicago.
- In another article for Bulls.com, Smith relays how Bulls’ VP of Basketball Operations John Paxson views the two second-round picks received from the Grizzlies in Thursday’s trade, writing that Paxson called them “crucial” to the team’s development goals. The Bulls now have a second-round pick in the 2019 NBA Draft after having previously traded their selection away in 2016.
- The Bulls created a modest traded player exception (TPE) worth a little more than $2.7MM, the difference between Holiday’s and MarShon Brooks‘ 2018/19 salaries, when they traded Holiday to the Grizzlies for Brooks and Wayne Selden. Find out how here.
Hoops Rumors Originals: 12/29/18 – 1/5/19
Every week, the Hoops Rumors writing team creates original content to complement our news feed. Below are the original segments and features from the past seven days:
- In a Fantasy Hoops post, Chris Crouse takes a look at the absurdly good numbers that James Harden has been putting up lately, among other fantasy notes.
- In this week’s lone poll, we asked whether the recently struggling Pelicans will make the playoffs in the Western Conference?
- In his Weekly Mailbag, Arthur Hill answered readers’ questions regarding trade rumors surrounding Anthony Davis, a premonition about a trade involving the Grizzlies, and the free agency strategy employed by Patrick McCaw.
- In this week’s Community Shootaround posts, we asked:
- Which 2018 NBA story will you remember the most when you look back on it years from now?
- What should the Heat do with their roster logjam at the wing position?
- Which 10 players deserve to be starters in this year’s All-Star game?
- January is an important month in the NBA, and Luke Adams has you covered with all of the significant upcoming deadlines.
- Luke Adams also dives into some analysis on the status of 2019 first-round NBA draft picks that have been traded to other teams.
- Following the Bulls/Grizzlies trade centered around Justin Holiday, Luke Adams rounded up some contract- and CBA-related details.
- Both the Wizards and Pelicans are teams to keep an eye in the next couple of days when looking for players on non-guaranteed contracts who may be waived.
- Our Free Agent Stock Watch series highlighted the Northwest Division.
Paxson Talks Holiday Trade, Parker, Payne, Future
The Bulls (10-29) are tied with the Knicks for the second-worst record in the Eastern Conference, and are focused on the future. That was signaled by this week’s trade that sent veteran swingman Justin Holiday to the Grizzlies for Wayne Selden, MarShon Brooks and two second-round picks. Chicago also subsequently waived Cameron Payne to created a roster spot.
Bulls vice president of basketball operations John Paxson spoke to reporters, including NBC Sports Chicago’s Mark Strotman, on Friday and said the Holiday trade came together “in a couple of hours.” Paxson also addressed Jabari Parker‘s future with the team, Chicago’s plan leading up to the trade deadline and expectations of new head coach Jim Boylen.
On potentially making more trades before the deadline…
“That’s what has to happen. Things have to align. You can’t just force it. Again, if we can acquire young players, draft assets, we can maybe look at our roster and think there’s a better fit, we’ll go that route.”
On Parker’s future in Chicago…
“The one thing [Boylen] has been really consistent with is the accountability aspect. I believe you can hold players to a certain standard of what you want as a coach. Jabari is a really good guy. You guys have been around him. He’s a terrific person. If we can acclimate him back into things, he’s going to get a chance. This league is about getting chances, even for players who have been through what Jabari has been through.”
The decision to part with Payne…
“You make decisions and hope for the best. The reality is both (Ryan Arcidiacono) and (Shaq Harrison) have outplayed him. They fit what we want to do. Cam had some struggles with his foot and trying to get him back. We wish him well.”
On the Bulls’ future and player development…
“Very important. It’s really important. We need to see growth. We need to see how they play. We’re a month into [Boylen]’s tenure now, and I think they understand what’s expected. So we’re going to go out on the road here after these next two games. That’s a good time for a young team to get together. They’re going to be hard games. We just need to see development. That’s going to be a big key.”
Teams Now Allowed To Sign Players To 10-Day Contracts
Teams looking to fill roster spots temporarily are now allowed to add to on 10-day contracts. As noted by ESPN’s Bobby Marks, salaries for 10-day deals are based on a player’s years of service and will be either 10 days or three games, whichever is longer.
[RELATED: Hoops Rumors Glossary: 10-Day Contracts]
Current teams with open roster spots include the Warriors, Hornets, Pacers, Grizzlies, Heat, Thunder, Sixers, Suns, Raptors and Wizards. Teams are permitted to sign a player to two 10-day pacts, then would have to sign him for the remainder of the season or let him go after the second one expires.
As Keith Smith of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link) notes, luxury tax restrictions may dissaude the Warriors, Heat, Thunder, Raptors, and Wizards from adding a 10-day player. Also, given Monday’s deadline to waive players before salaries become guaranteed, we examined five notable non-guaranteed contract situations that are worthy of monitoring. On Jan. 10, all standard contracts become fully guaranteed.
Additionally, Jan. 15 is the last day teams can sign players to two-way contracts. As it stands, the Celtics, Nets, Knicks and Trail Blazers (two slots) are the only teams with the ability to add two-way players. You can keep track of all two-way deals with our tracker.
As Marks notes, since half the teams with open spots are in the luxury tax and many clubs still have NBA days available for their two-way players, this year’s market for 10-day contracts may be a quiet one.
Enes Kanter To Skip London Trip Due To Feud With Turkish President
Due to a longstanding feud with Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Enes Kanter will not travel with the Knicks to London when the team faces the Wizards later this month, he told reporters on Friday (Twitter link).
Following a 16-point, 15-rebound performance in a win over the Lakers in Los Angeles, Kanter said he feared for his life if he left the country for the Knicks’ Jan. 17 tilt in London.
“I talk to the front office and decided I’m not going,’’ Kanter said, per the New York Post. “The freaking lunatic, there’s a chance I can get killed out there. I talked to the front office. I’m not going. I’m going to stay here and practice. It’s pretty sad. All this stuff affects my career in basketball. I want to help my team win, but because of one lunatic guy I can’t even go there to do my job.
“Oh yeah, they got a lot of spies there. I could get killed very easy. It would be a very ugly situation.”
After Kanter criticized Erdogan in June 2016 on Twitter, his passport was canceled by the Turkish Embassy in May 2017. The 26-year-old was detained in Romania and an arrest warrant was issued by the Turkish government, but he was able to return to the United States.
Kanter said he will practice while the team is overseas in London. The big man was recently demoted to the bench in favor of rookies Luke Kornet and Mitchell Robinson. He subsequently met with Knicks’ general manager Scott Perry to discuss his role but reportedly did not request a trade. It’s possible the Knicks, who sport a 10-29 record, deal Kanter ahead of the Feb.7 trade deadline.
Free Agent Stock Watch 2019: Northwest Division
Every week, Hoops Rumors takes a closer look at players who will be free agents or could become free agents next offseason. We examine if their stock is rising or falling due to performance and other factors. This week, we turn our attention to the Northwest Division:
Raul Neto, Jazz, 26, PG (Down) – Signed to a two-year, $4.4MM deal in 2018
Neto’s $2.15MM salary for next season becomes guaranteed if he’s still on the roster after July 6. Even though it’s not much money, Neto has given the Jazz little reason to keep him around. He’s not in the rotation with Dante Exum backing up Ricky Rubio. Except for a blowout win over the Knicks in which he played 20 minutes, Neto has either been benched or seen fewer than four minutes over the past 10 games. With Rubio headed to unrestricted free agency, it’s conceivable Utah could exercise that option as insurance. The Brazilian native is more likely to continue his career elsewhere, probably overseas.
Trey Lyles, Nuggets, 23, PF (Down) – Signed to a four-year, $10.4MM deal in 2015
Lyles has received rotation minutes but his offensive numbers have declined. He’s shooting just 41.1% from the field and 24.1% beyond the arc, compared to a 49.1/38.1 slash line last season. He was mired in a terrible slump last month, making just 32.3% (18.6% from distance) of his field goal attempts. Lyles will be a restricted free agent if the Nuggets extend a $4.63MM qualifying option. That may depend on some other factors. They hold a $30MM team option on Paul Millsap‘s contract. It’s also predicated on whether they believe Michael Porter Jr. will contribute significantly next season.
Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot, Thunder, 23, SG (Down) – Signed to a three-year, $4.26MM deal in 2016
Luwawu-Cabarrot, a 2016 first-round pick by the Sixers in 2016, got some opportunities in his first two seasons with Philadelphia. His court time has diminished considerably in Oklahoma City. After playing in 69 games (19 starts) in his rookie year and 52 last season, Luwawu-Cabarrot has languished at the end of OKC’s bench despite Andre Roberson‘s injury issues. He’s played just 12 minutes since November 28. The Thunder didn’t pick up Luwawu-Cabarrot’s option during the offseason, so he’ll be unrestricted in July. It will be interesting to see if any team believes he has untapped potential or whether he’ll have to seek overseas opportunities.
Taj Gibson, Timberwolves, 33, PF (Up) — Signed to a two-year, $28MM deal in 2017
Gibson has become a more efficient offensive player in recent years while providing his usual toughness in the paint as well as rebounding. Gibson remains one of the top offensive rebounders in the league (2.7 per game) and has kept a positive attitude despite the addition of Dario Saric, which has cut into his minutes. If Tom Thibodeau remains in charge, the Timberwolves will likely try to re-sign him. Otherwise, Gibson will find work as a 25-30 minute option at power forward for a suitor looking for an upgrade at that position.
Nik Stauskas, Trail Blazers, 25, SG (Down)– Signed to a one-year, $1.6MM deal in 2018
Stauskas is playing for his fourth organization in five seasons. He will be on the move again if his shooting doesn’t perk up. After a strong start, Stauskas has gone into an offensive funk. He made just 24.3% of his 3-point attempts in December and went scoreless in a nine-minute stint against Sacramento in his first 2019 appearance. Stauskas reached double figures in five of his first eight games with the franchise but has hit that mark just twice since that point. With first-rounder Anfernee Simons showing no signs of taking Stauskas’ rotation spot, the Blazers may try to acquire a wing player before the trade deadline.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.