Kyle Kuzma Suffers Lower Back Contusion
3:37pm: Kuzma’s MRI confirmed the diagnosis of a lower back contusion, tweets Tania Ganguli of The Los Angeles Times. Having avoided a more serious injury, Kuzma will be listed as questionable for Friday’s game against New York.
10:10am: The Lakers‘ injury woes continued on Wednesday, as forward Kyle Kuzma left the team’s loss to Oklahoma City at halftime and didn’t return. Kuzma, who was diagnosed with a lower back contusion, is undergoing an MRI today to determine the extent of the injury, as Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com relays.
“He got hit somewhere in the game, something happened during the game,” head coach Luke Walton said. “You could notice he was starting to limp in those last couple minutes he was playing. He said he was fine. They worked on it at halftime; just said, ‘No go.'”
Los Angeles is already without a pair of key rotation players in LeBron James and Rajon Rondo. There has been no indication that James – who is dealing with a strained groin – is ready to return yet, and Rondo is expected to be sidelined for a few more weeks after undergoing hand surgery. As such, the Lakers will have to hope that the injury to Kuzma, who leads the team in total minutes, isn’t serious.
Kuzma is the Lakers’ second-leading scorer this season behind LeBron, averaging 18.3 PPG and 5.8 RPG on .472/.302/.780 shooting. If he has to miss time, players like Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Josh Hart figure to be leaned on more heavily, while Lance Stephenson and Svi Mykhailiuk are among those who could see a bump in minutes.
Cavs Notes: Love, Osman, Sexton, McCaw, Korver
Marc Stein of The New York Times predicted this week that trade talks involving Cavaliers power forward Kevin Love will heat up in advance of next month’s deadline, but sources reiterated to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com that Cleveland hasn’t had “deep discussion” about that scenario. Fedor added that it isn’t high on the club’s list of priorities.
Still, if the Cavs get an enticing offer for Love this season, they’ll have to consider it. That’s a possibility head coach Larry Drew is aware of and prepared for, even if it’s probably a long shot.
“Would I be surprised (if Love were traded)?” Drew said on Thursday, per Fedor. “As far as trades are concerned, I understand the nature of this business. Anybody can be traded. I’ve been in this league long enough where I’ve seen that happen. I think any deal that makes sense for any team, sure, they’ll be willing to pull the trigger. But that’s just the nature of our business.”
For now, Drew is simply looking forward to getting Love back in his lineup. The five-time All-Star has been sidelined since October due to a foot injury, but is said to be targeting a mid-January return.
“Our guys are ready for him to come back,” Drew said. “We miss him dearly. He’s our main guy, he’s our go-to guy. We’re missing a lot of points, we’re missing a lot of rebounds in our lineup. Whenever it’s time for him to come back, we’re going to be ready.”
Here’s more out of Cleveland:
- Cedi Osman and Collin Sexton have two of the worst defensive ratings in the NBA, prompting Joe Vardon of The Athletic to explore whether the Cavs are asking too much of the young duo. For his part, Osman has appreciated the opportunity to work through his ups and downs so far this season. “This is really important for my development — even on nights when I’m struggling, it’s really important that coaches are trusting in me,” the second-year forward said. “Those crucial minutes, they always put me in the game and they want me to feel that pressure. I really appreciate that.”
- Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com takes a look at whether newly-added shooting guard Patrick McCaw, who made his Cavs debut on Wednesday, can help improve the team’s defense against opposing point guards. McCaw’s $3MM salary for this season will become fully guaranteed if he remains under contract with the Cavs through Monday.
- Having been traded from Cleveland to Utah earlier this season, Kyle Korver won’t be looking for any sort of payback when he faces the Cavs on Friday, as Eric Woodyard of The Deseret News relays. Korver said he had too many “great experiences” as a Cavalier to be anything but appreciative for his time in Cleveland. “Some people come back with a chip on their shoulder and feel like they’ve got to give it to the other team, but it’s not going to be like that for me,” Korver said. “Just a lot of gratitude for the time I had there.”
Fantasy Hoops: Harden, DeRozan, Rivers, Russell
James Harden is unreal. Over his last 10 contests, he is averaging 40.8 points per game. Kobe Bryant (three times) and Michael Jordan (twice) are the only other players to score at least 400 points over a 10-game stretch in the last 30 years.
During the month of December, Harden scored 546 total points, 115 more than any other player (Paul George was second). For fantasy owners in both points and category leagues, he’s closing in on the top overall spot in terms of value (I’d still take Anthony Davis for No. 1 by the slightest margin) and there aren’t many players who are better to build around in daily leagues.
Harden is gunning for a second MVP and absolutely belongs in that conversation. Any talk of his unworthiness for a second trophy can only add fuel to his fire, which bodes well for employing him in the fantasy basketball world.
The Rockets are in action tonight against the Warriors in a night of great matchups. The Nuggets are visiting the Kings, while the Spurs will host Kawhi Leonard and the Raptors in the small forward’s first game back in San Antonio since being traded.
Let’s take a look at some more stats and notes surrounding these matchups, along with a few trends from around the league:
- Eric Gordon won’t play for the Rockets for the second straight contest, keeping the door ajar for Austin Rivers to continue playing a major role. Rivers has been busy since signing with Houston, averaging 35.6 minutes per game (only Harden and P.J. Tucker have received more MPG since Rivers made his debut).
- DeMar DeRozan is enjoying a solid season for the Spurs, but beware of inserting him into daily lineups tonight against his former team. Leonard will play and DeRozan has struggled when going up against the two-time Defensive Player of the Year. Over the last four seasons, DeRozan has made just 28 of his 58 attempts when playing against Leonard and has only attempted 19 free throws.
- Since the start of December, no player has seen more minutes per game (39.3) than Wizards guard Bradley Beal. With John Wall out, expect Beal to continue to be among the league leaders in court time.
- D’Angelo Russell had arguably the best game of his career for the Nets on Wednesday, scoring 22 points and dishing out 13 assists while committing just one turnover. Since Christmas Day, only six players have a higher usage rate than the former No. 2 overall pick and if Russell can keep the turnovers down, his fantasy value will continue to rise.
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.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Hornets Open To Trading Frank Kaminsky?
The Hornets may be ready to include big man Frank Kaminsky in a trade, according to Sean Deveney of Sporting News, who reports that teams – including some contenders – have expressed interest in the former first-round pick.
While the Hornets would likely have plenty of potential trade partners to choose from if they were to move Kaminsky on his own, they would prefer to attach him to another big contract, according to Deveney’s report.
Sources tell Sporting News that Charlotte would like to get out from under Nicolas Batum‘s deal, which has another two years and $52.7MM left after this season. At least one team was told Kaminsky could be had in a trade if Batum was included as well, per Deveney. Bismack Biyombo‘s contract, which has one year and $17MM left after this season, is another pricey deal the Hornets are interested in moving.
Pairing Kaminsky with a big contract may be a tough sell though — as Deveney notes, the 25-year-old will be a restricted free agent himself in July, so he’ll be in line for a raise on his $3.63MM salary later this year, especially if he plays well for a new team. Plus, Kaminsky’s role has been very limited under new head coach James Borrego this season, suggesting he may not be part of Charlotte’s future. As such, potential suitors figure to be wary about making substantial offers for him.
Kaminsky, the ninth overall pick in the 2015 draft, was a reliable contributor for the Hornets in 2017/18, averaging 11.1 PPG and shooting 38.0% on three-pointers in 79 games (23.2 MPG). This season, however, he has been in and out of the rotation, playing just 11.6 MPG in 22 contests. Even with Cody Zeller sidelined, Kaminsky only played 16 minutes in Wednesday’s blowout loss to Dallas. That limited role prompts Deveney to speculate that the fourth-year power forward “would likely welcome a change of scenery.”
Back in 2015, the Hornets reportedly turned down a Celtics trade offer that included four first-round picks in order to draft Kaminsky, so the optics for the franchise wouldn’t be great if he’s moved now for a modest return. Of course, letting him walk for nothing in the summer might look worse.
Markieff Morris Expected To Miss Six Weeks
After visiting a specialist to address his lingering neck and back soreness, Wizards forward Markieff Morris has been diagnosed with transient cervical neuropraxia, the team announced today in a press release. According to the Wizards, Morris will be limited to non-contact basketball activities for the next six weeks. He’s expected to be cleared to resume full basketball activities at that point.
Morris initially suffered his injury when he took a blow to the chin on December 16 vs. the Lakers, then re-aggravated it during a December 26 game in Detroit.
Although he has been coming off the bench since mid-November, Morris remains a key part of Washington’s rotation, averaging 11.5 PPG and 5.1 RPG in 34 games (26.0 MPG) so far this season. Losing him for an extended stretch will further hamstring the Wizards, who will already be without John Wall for the season and have had Dwight Howard in their lineup for just nine games since signing him over the summer.
Even at 15-23, the Wizards are just three games back of the eighth-seeded Pistons for a playoff spot in a weak Eastern Conference. If they’re still in the hunt when Morris returns, he’ll look to help the club make a postseason push down the stretch as he nears unrestricted free agency.
In Morris’ absence, Jeff Green figures to get the brunt of the team’s power forward minutes. Sam Dekker should also see regular action at the four, while Thomas Bryant and Ian Mahinmi man the five.
No Deal For Shanxi, Jordan Crawford
JANUARY 3: After a brief tryout period, Shanxi has opted to keep its current import players rather than signing Crawford, a source tells Sportando. As a result, Crawford remains a free agent and is still in China for the time being, ready to sign with another team if he receives an offer, according to Carchia.
DECEMBER 31: Veteran NBA guard Jordan Crawford appears set to resume his playing career overseas. According to Emiliano Carchia of Sportando, Crawford has reached a deal with China’s Shanxi Brave Dragons.
Crawford, a first-round draft pick in 2010, has appeared in 281 career regular season games, averaging 12.2 PPG on .411/.317/.826 shooting. Most recently, he finished the 2017/18 season with the Pelicans, playing in five regular season games and a couple more playoff contests for the club.
After failing to secure an NBA job in the offseason, Crawford seemingly lined up a deal with German team Alba Berlin in November. However, he reportedly didn’t pass his physical with the club, which voided his agreement. Now, he’s set to head back to China, where he previously played for Xinjiang in 2014 and Tianjin in 2015-16.
Because the Chinese Basketball Association’s season ends before the NBA’s, there’s a chance that Crawford will once again catch on with an NBA club down the stretch in 2018/19 if he performs well in China for Shanxi.
Suns Release Eric Moreland
The Suns have waived veteran forward/center Eric Moreland, the team announced today in a press release. Assuming he goes unclaimed on waivers, Moreland will become an unrestricted free agent on Saturday.
Moreland, 27, signed with Phoenix last month and appeared in just one game for the team, playing five minutes in a blowout loss to Golden State on New Year’s Eve.
Moreland was leaned on as a rotation piece in Detroit last season, averaging 2.1 PPG, 4.1 RPG, and 1.2 APG in 67 contests (12.0 MPG) for the Pistons. However, he was cut by in July before his salary for 2018/19 could become fully guaranteed, and spent training camp with the Raptors. He also participated in the latest round of World Cup qualifiers, helping Team USA clinch a berth in this year’s event.
Before releasing Moreland, Phoenix had been carrying 14 players on standard NBA contracts, which is the league-mandated minimum. Teams are allowed to dip down to 13 players for two weeks at a time, so the Suns will have until January 17 to replace Moreland on their roster.
Because Moreland’s contract was non-guaranteed, the Suns will only be on the hook for a prorated portion of his minimum salary. The big man earned approximately $239K during his time in Phoenix.
Raptors/Spurs Notes: Kawhi, DeRozan, Popovich
The Raptors and Spurs are set to face one another on Thursday night for the first time since consummating their blockbuster offseason trade nearly six months ago. Predictably, discussion this week has centered on Kawhi Leonard‘s return to San Antonio and DeMar DeRozan‘s first game against the team with whom he thought he’d spend the rest of his career.
In his latest deep dive for ESPN.com, however, Tim Bontemps focuses less on last summer’s trade and more on the Raptors’ plan to keep Leonard beyond this season. Within his piece, Bontemps shares a series of interesting details on Nick Nurse‘s first meeting with Kawhi, the Raptors’ strategy for managing their superstar’s health, and the franchise’s belief that it has built the sort of culture in Toronto that will help convince Leonard to re-sign.
“When we came aboard six years ago, we wanted to bring this organization to a level where you can make this pitch,” Toronto GM Bobby Webster said. “So you have strength in excellence around the organization — the basketball side, the coaching staff, the medical and support staff, obviously ownership — to where when we have a superstar player, an MVP-candidate-type player, now we can go to him and say, ‘We are really confident in who we are, we’re really proud of what we’ve built, and these are all the reasons why we think you should stay.'”
According to Bontemps, the “popular opinion among league executives” for now is that Leonard’s decision could come down to the Raptors vs. the Clippers. While the Raps are doing their best to sell Kawhi on the city and the franchise, the Clippers can offer two things Toronto can’t — an opportunity to return home to Los Angeles and year-round warm weather. It remains to be seen how important those factors will be and what other factors Leonard will seriously weigh, and he’s not offering any hints.
“I’m not thinking about that,” Leonard told Bontemps when asked about his upcoming free agency. “I’m focused on right now, what this is bringing for me and focused on the opportunity that I have here and what we can do this season. Later down the road, that’s when I’ll make my decision.”
Here’s more on the Raptors and Spurs, with a focus on the two stars involved in July’s blockbuster:
- Speaking to reporters, including Michael C. Wright of ESPN.com, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich downplayed the importance of Thursday’s reunion, calling it a “waste of our time” to rehash the details of Leonard’s exit from San Antonio. “You move on in life,” he said. “We’re not going to redo what’s happened in the past in any way, shape or form. It’s of no consequence at this point, and it does no good to go backward and talk about this, that or the other.”
- For what it’s worth, within his story on Leonard (detailed above), Bontemps reports that Popovich, who said in November that Leonard “wasn’t a leader,” has regretted making those comments — and the way that they were perceived.
- Jabari Young of The Athletic takes a look at Thursday’s reunion from both sides, citing one source close to Leonard who says the All-Star forward doesn’t hold any hard feeling toward the Spurs. Meanwhile, a source close to DeRozan offered the following assessment of DeMar’s impressions of the Spurs’ organization: “He has never experienced the amount of professionalism from a day-to-day basis from a coach, GM, or organization that he has in his short term in San Antonio.”
- DeRozan spoke a little more this week about unexpectedly being traded by the Raptors, telling reporters – including Eric Koreen of The Athletic – that he had wanted to remain with the team and “break every single record” in Toronto. “Sometimes you don’t get in life the opportunity to marry the woman you felt was the woman of your dreams,” DeRozan said. “So, it just happens that way.”
Grizzlies’ Postgame Meeting Turns Physical
The Grizzlies‘ slide down the Western Conference standings continued on Wednesday, as the team lost its third consecutive game – and 10th of 13 – to slip below .500 for the first time since October. After the game, frustrations with that slump boiled over in Memphis’ locker room, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic, who reports that veterans Garrett Temple and Omri Casspi were involved in an altercation after a team meeting turned physical.
League sources tell Charania that the meeting began with coaches and players “questioning each other about their effort and what each can do to improve.” However, when the bench unit was accused of a lack of enthusiasm, Casspi “became vocal in his defense.” Temple and Casspi had a verbal exchange which turned physical before the two men were separated, per Charania.
A source tells ESPN.com that the scuffle between Temple and Casspi was “heat-of-the-moment stuff,” and head coach J.B. Bickerstaff didn’t mention it during his post-game comments. At the time that Bickerstaff addressed the media, approximately 30 minutes later than expected, news of the physical altercation hadn’t yet leaked, giving the coach some leeway to downplay what happened in the locker room.
“A conversation that needed to be had that will stay between those of us that were in that locker room,” Bickerstaff said, according to Chris Herrington of The Daily Memphian. “I think addressing larger issues was the conversation that we needed to have. Right now it’s not X’s and O’s that need to be resolved. I think we resolved some of those issues tonight.”
The Grizzlies, who were 15-9 less than a month ago, now sit at 18-19, tied with the Mavericks for 10th in the West. Memphis is still within striking distance of the top eight, 2.5 games back of the Spurs (No. 7) and Lakers (No. 8), but the club will need to right the ship soon in order to avoid slipping further out of the playoff race in a competitive conference.
Temple and Casspi are both in contract years, on track to become unrestricted free agents this summer, so it wouldn’t be hard to trade one of them before next month’s deadline. However, there’s no indication at this point that that would be necessary. Of the two, Temple is the least expendable — he has started 37 games and averaged 31.8 MPG this season, emerging as a veteran leader for the Grizzlies after arriving from Sacramento in an offseason trade.
Willy Hernangomez’s Opportunity Tied To Defense
With starting center Cody Zeller injured and out for the foreseeable future, the Hornets plan to give big man Willy Hernangomez a chance to grab the newly available minutes provided his defense holds up, writes Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer.
“I think my defense is getting way better,” Hernangomez said yesterday. “Really knowing all the coverages (and) knowing all the scouting for the defense. All the coaches have talked to me of late and said I’m doing good things. The offense will come. I know it’s really important to focus on defense, particularly if I start. To lock in.”
Because the Hornets are about to embark on a daunting January schedule that features 10 road games and 10 opponents with records of .500 or better, Hernangomez has the opportunity to show the Hornets’ brass just how valuable he can be to the franchise. And as he knows, his defensive performance will speak the loudest volume.
“He has to protect that paint for us now,” head coach James Borrego said. “He’s got to stay in front of the ball, and rebound and defend. Not just allow guards and bigs to come down and horse us inside. He has the ability to do that.”
Hernangomez, 24, is averaging 7.4 points and 4.9 rebounds in 13.0 minutes per contest so far this season. If things go as planned for the big man, all of those numbers should go up soon.