Community Shootaround: Heat Roster Logjam
As we relayed earlier today, Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra is “sick” to his stomach about his inability to find minutes for veteran sharpshooter Wayne Ellington. And now that fellow guard and teammate Dion Waiters is set to return from his ankle injury, don’t expect playing time decisions to get any easier for Spoelstra.
Not counting Waiters or up-and-coming youngster Derrick Jones, the Heat already have 11 players on standard NBA contracts who log 20.5 minutes per game or more, the most of anyone in the league. And of those 12 players, seven are swingmen who play primarily on the wing (Josh Richardson, Rodney McGruder, Justise Winslow, Dwyane Wade, Tyler Johnson, Ellington, and Waiters).
In tonight’s blowout win against the Cavs, Wade logged a DNP-Illness, with the remainder of the minutes on the wing going to Richardson (32), Jones (31), Winslow (27), Johnson (26), McGruder (21), and Waiters (11).
With Wade back in the mix soon and Waiters presumably playing his way into more minutes, the question becomes whether the Heat will move on from some of the aforementioned players, such as Waiters or Ellington, or keep the roster logjam as currently constructed as insurance in the event of another injury.
That brings us to our question of the day: Do you think the Heat should try to move on from some of their wings or keep them all around for the rest of the 2018/19 season? If they alter their roster, who is the most likely wing to be moved? Ellington? Waiters? Somebody else?
Please take to the comments section to weigh in. We look forward to your input.
NBA G League Assignments/Recalls: 1/2/19
Here are Wednesday’s G League assignments and recalls from around the NBA:
- The Spurs have recalled rookie shooting guard Lonnie Walker from the Austin Spurs, San Antonio’s G League affiliate, per an official release from the team. In 11 G League games, Walker has averaged 14.2 points, 2.4 rebounds and 1.9 assists per contest.
- The Warriors have also recalled their 2018 first-round draft pick, bringing rookie guard Jacob Evans back to Oakland from Santa Cruz earlier today. Evans, who has appeared in 20 contests with Golden State so far this season, is only averaging 4.3 minutes per game.
- In his first assignment of the season, Nets guard Treveon Graham was assigned to the team’s G League affiliate, the Long Island Nets, in time for the team’s game earlier tonight. Graham scored 17 points and dished out eight assists in his return from a hamstring injury.
Warriors Notes: Bell, Cousins, McKinnie
After an underwhelming beginning to the season, Warriors‘ forward Jordan Bell turned in one of his best performances of the 2018/19 campaign in Monday’s win over the Suns, and the Warriors need more outings like that moving forward, writes Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area.
“This is how we want Jordan to play,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr told reporters, “with great pace and energy and anticipation, being early on rotations defensively, blocking shots and running the floor.”
Bell played less than 16 minutes, but scored a season-high 10 points while also grabbing six rebounds, blocking three shots, and dishing out two assists. And after the Warriors just lost center Damian Jones to a season-ending pectoral injury, the Warriors have been desperate for any help they can get at center before DeMarcus Cousins returns from injury, who Bell credited with his good game.
“Boogie gave me a lot of confidence (Sunday) in open gym, me just kicking his (backside) and getting buckets,” Bell said. “He gave me a lot of confidence. Steve saw it and saw that the confidence was up and decided to play me today.”
Kerr added that he believes Bell is also playing better because he’s started to relax and isn’t trying to do too much – in other words, he’s learning to accept a role.
“He got off to a slow start this year by trying to do too much,” Kerr said. “Lately, he’s settling down. He’s gotten in a few times, even though he hasn’t been in the rotation, where he’s done his job and done a really good job for a few minutes. And that’s what we’re asking.”
There’s more from Oakland:
- Last summer’s prized free agent acquisition, the aforementioned Cousins, went through all of today’s practice, reports Nick Friedell of ESPN. Per Kerr, who spoke to Cousins for a few minutes after practice, the 28-year-old still has to improve his conditioning. So, despite the full practice under his belt, it remains up in the air as to when Cousins will return to game action.
- According to Mark Medina of the Mercury News, it appears that the Warriors will opt to keep Alfonzo McKinnie on the roster and let his contract become fully guaranteed on January 10. It would be interesting to know whether the same could be said had the Warriors’ matched the Cavaliers’ offer sheet for Patrick McCaw.
- ICYMI: Marc Stein believes that Kevin Durant may spend one more season with the Warriors before looking to move on in free agency. Stein also hears that Cousins may be interested in staying in Oakland through the 2019/20 season and Klay Thompson may stay in Golden State past this season as well.
Harry Giles’ Development Key To Kings’ Future
The Kings, long mired in relative insignificance, have surprisingly put together a strong start to the 2018/19 season, writes James Blancarte of Basketball Insiders. Buoyed by the play of guards De’Aaron Fox, Buddy Hield, and Bogdan Bogdanovic and big men Willie Cauley-Stein and Marvin Bagley, the young Kings have a winning record nearly halfway through their schedule as they look for their first winning season since 2005-06.
And while rookie Bagley, the No. 2 overall selection in last June’s draft, has garnered more national attention, Sacramento fans know that the development of their other rookie big man, 20-year-old Harry Giles, is perhaps just as important to the long-term future of this franchise.
Giles, who has bounced back and forth between Sacramento and Stockton this season, knows that while it may be difficult to stay patient, his time may be coming sooner rather than later, especially if Cauley-Stein decides to sign a big offer sheet elsewhere this summer and the Kings opt not to match.
“It’s good. It’s helping me develop. Stay patient and helping me slow down, translate my game to the big leagues. Just trying to play the game the same way I play there, be patient and play with poise. Just let the game come to me. I’m just trying to translate to this.”
Part of Giles’ emphasis on his game moving forward is to put a lot of work into different areas in order to round out his game in what has become an NBA filled with versatile big man who can play outside of the paint, especially on defense.
“(Defense) isn’t difficult but it’s a lot of different things. You got to put together with calling out the screens, the way you want to cover it and so many different things you have to do, positioning to get the rebound too. You got to be smart with things like that. It comes with time, it comes with experience. It comes with guarding different players. I think you guard every player in the league, it’ll change up. But for the most part, it’s great.”
Luckily for Giles, the Kings are open to waiting patiently for him to improve his game and develop, as general manager Vlade Divac doesn’t appear to be keen on making any drastic moves in order to increase the team’s playoff chances in sacrifice of the franchise’s future.
Kyrie Irving To Miss Extended Time?
As we relayed yesterday, Celtics guard Kyrie Irving suffered a scratched cornea in Monday’s loss to the Spurs after being on the receiving end of an accidental elbow from Marco Belinelli. Irving was able to reenter the game, but it now appears that the injury to both eyes is more severe than previously anticipated.
Speaking earlier today to Zolak & Bertrand of Boston’s 98.5 The Sports Hub (h/t to NBC Sports Boston), head coach Brad Stevens sounded confident that Irving will miss both tonight’s game against the Timberwolves and beyond.
“Yes (Irving’s absence may extend beyond tonight’s game), but that will be re-evaluated tomorrow. He got swiped across the face, and it was a unique deal because it got both eyes. And the right eye was the initial concern with the corneal abrasion.”
“(Now today) the left eye had some inflammation so I mean he was not feeling good. We watched film for, you know, an hour and a half in my office yesterday and (Kyrie) was wearing sunglasses and he’s not doing so hot once he takes those sunglasses off.”
For comparison’s sake, Irving’s former teammate, LeBron James, suffered a corneal abrasion towards the end of the 2016/17 regular season in a game against the Hornets, but didn’t miss any playing time, so hopefully Irving will be back on the court before too long.
In 34 games so far this season, Irving is averaging 23.3 points, 4.9 rebounds and 6.6 assists per game and looks well on his way to a third consecutive All-Star game berth.
Knicks Notes: Porzingis, Lee, Mudiay, Porter
The Knicks have treated the re-signing of Kristaps Porzingis as inevitable, given his pending restricted free agency, but the idea that Porzingis will have no leverage in the process is “bogus,” according to Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News, who points out that star players can “maneuver themselves out of undesirable situations” even when they’re under contract.
Even if Porzingis doesn’t go the extreme route – accepting his one-year qualifying offer and becoming an unrestricted free agent in 2020 – he could make things difficult on the Knicks by demanding a shorter-term deal (three years with a fourth-year player option) or signing an offer sheet with another club. In that scenario, the Nets would be a team to watch, per Bondy, who writes that GM Sean Marks is high on Porzingis and has a history of pursuing RFAs.
A five-year, maximum-salary deal with the Knicks would allow Porzingis to maximize his earnings and would give him long-term security. However, some people around the NBA believe the Knicks may try to include injury protection language in their offer, says Bondy. That way, if Porzingis has recurring issues related to his ACL recovery, the team would be protected to some extent. The youngster views himself as a max player though, according to Bondy, so New York could risk creating discord by offering less than that.
As we wait to see how Porzingis’ free agency plays out, here’s more on the Knicks:
- While Enes Kanter has expressed frustration and met with GM Scott Perry about his reduced playing time, another veteran – Courtney Lee – has been taking his diminished role in stride, writes Steve Popper of Newsday. Lee has been a DNP-CD in three of the Knicks’ last four games, but is keeping a positive outlook. “I believe in karma, man,” Lee said. “Not going to come in here and be negative. Not going to pout. Not going to be a distraction because you never know when something could happen, then I get out there and I just play miserable and that’s all because I wasn’t being a professional. Just stay positive and stay ready for whatever happens.”
- In a separate Newsday story, Popper explores how Emmanuel Mudiay‘s confidence has increased since he was dealt from Denver to New York last year.
- Within a story about Courtney Lee, Marc Berman of The New York Post provides a tidbit related to the 2018 draft, citing sources who say the Knicks passed on Michael Porter Jr. last June in part because they were told he wouldn’t play in 2018/19. However, Berman now hears there’s still a chance Porter will make his NBA debut for the Nuggets later this season.
Spoelstra “Sick” Over Inability To Get Ellington Minutes
Speaking on Wednesday to reporters, including Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra said he’s “sick to my stomach” about not being able to find more minutes for veteran sharpshooter Wayne Ellington.
Ellington – who was an important part of Miami’s rotation in 2017/18, knocking down 39.2% of his three-pointers in a career-high 26.5 MPG (77 games) – has been the odd man out this season when the team has had a relatively full roster. His MPG average has dipped to 22.7, and he has frequently been a healthy scratch.
Since December 4, Ellington has appeared in just four games and played 32 total minutes, and with Dion Waiters set to return from his ankle injury, playing time may be even harder to come by going forward.
As Jackson relays, Ellington hasn’t had any conversations with Spoelstra or Heat president Pat Riley about a potential trade. However, he didn’t rule out the possibility of approaching team officials at some point and asking them to find a place where he could play more.
“Anything is a possibility,” Ellington said. “I can’t sit here and say yes or no to a question like that right now. But at the same time, I want to play but I want it to be with these guys, with my brothers. Hopefully we can work it out.”
[RELATED: Trade Candidate Watch: Southeast Division]
The Heat have re-entered the top eight in the Eastern Conference in recent weeks, relying on wings like Josh Richardson, Justise Winslow, Rodney McGruder, Dwyane Wade, and Derrick Jones. Because Miami’s most productive lineups haven’t featured Ellington (Miami has a -9.5 net rating in his minutes), it has been difficult to find a role for the 31-year-old, though Spoelstra stressed that’s “not an indictment on his play,” adding that he has “great empathy” for the veteran.
While Ellington, who is in a contract year, is staying patient for now, he admits that the thought of joining a team that would play him more has “absolutely” crossed his mind, according to Jackson.
“You come off your best season in your career to this situation, of course it crosses your mind,” Ellington said. “I’m human. A lot of things cross your mind. It’s a tough situation for anybody.”
Checking In On 2019’s Traded First-Round Picks
Of the eight 2019 first-round picks that have already been traded, seven had some sort of protections on them from the moment they were dealt. The eighth – Sacramento’s first-rounder – started off as unprotected when it was sent to the Sixers, but Philadelphia added protections and swap rights to it when it was re-routed to Boston in 2017’s Markelle Fultz/Jayson Tatum blockbuster.
In other words, the destinations for all eight of this year’s traded first-round picks will hinge on the NBA’s 2018/19 league standings.
[RELATED: 2018/19 NBA Reverse Standings]
With the regular season nearing its halfway point, it’s worth checking in on those protected first-round picks to get a sense of which ones are likely to change hands and which ones may end up falling within their protected ranges.
Here’s a breakdown of where things stand right now:
Traded picks that are likely to change hands:
- Kings‘ pick to Celtics
- Protection: Top-1
- Current draft slot: No. 14
- Nuggets‘ pick to Nets
- Protection: Top-12
- Current draft slot: No. 28
- Raptors‘ pick to Spurs
- Protection: Top-20
- Current draft slot: No. 29
The Nuggets and Raptors look like good bets to finish near the top of their respective conferences, so their late first-rounders will almost certainly be conveyed in 2019. As for the Kings‘ pick, it’ll head to Boston if it’s not the No. 1 overall pick and if it’s more favorable than Philadelphia’s first-round selection. Right now, the Sixers‘ first-rounder projects to be No. 24, so the Celtics will likely end up with Sacramento’s first-rounder.
Traded picks that are unlikely to change hands:
- Cavaliers‘ pick to Hawks
- Protection: Top-10
- Current draft slot: No. 1
- Bucks‘ pick to Suns
- Protection: Top-3 and 17-30
- Current draft slot: No. 30
Even with the NBA’s new draft lottery rules instituted for 2019, teams can’t fall more than four spots as a result of the lottery results. So the Cavaliers would need to have a pretty strong second half for their pick to be in any real danger. The Bucks, meanwhile, have the NBA’s best record, so the odds of their first-rounder falling between 4-16 are minuscule.
Traded picks that remain up in the air:
- Mavericks’ pick to Hawks
- Protection: Top-5
- Current draft slot: No. 11
- Grizzlies‘ pick to Celtics
- Protection: Top-8
- Current draft slot: No. 13
- Clippers‘ pick to Celtics
- Protection: Top-14
- Current draft slot: No. 19/20 (tie)
If the season ended today and there were no major lottery surprises, these picks would all change hands. Given how close the Western Conference standings are, however, that outlook could change quickly. Of these three teams, the Clippers may be the most likely to hang onto their pick, since they’ll need to make the playoffs in order for Boston to get their first-rounder.
The other two look reasonably likely to change hands for now, but the NBA’s new lottery system shouldn’t be overlooked as a potential wild-card factor here. Let’s say the Mavericks finish with the NBA’s 10th-worst record — under the old system, they would have had just a 4.0% chance at jumping into the top three. Under the new system, they’d have a 13.9% at moving into the top four and keeping their pick.
Alan Williams Waived By Nets, Will Play In China
The Nets have requested waivers on veteran big man Alan Williams, the team announced today in a press release. Williams, a two-way player with Brooklyn, has a deal lined up with a team in China, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (via Twitter).
[RELATED: 2018/19 NBA Two-Way Contract Tracker]
Williams, who will turn 26 later this month, spent parts of three seasons with the Suns after making his NBA debut in March of 2016. The former UC Santa Barbara standout had a promising 2016/17 season in Phoenix, averaging 7.4 PPG and 6.2 RPG in just 15.1 minutes per contest (47 games).
That showing earned Williams a three-year, $17MM+ contract, but a knee injury sidelined him for most of last season, limiting him to five games. Because the final two years of his deal weren’t guaranteed, the Suns released him in the offseason and he caught on with the Nets.
Williams had bounced back nicely in the G League in 2018/19, averaging 21.0 PPG and a league-high 14.7 RPG in 17 games (26.9 MPG) for the Long Island Nets. However, he didn’t appear in a game for Brooklyn, which has a crowded frontcourt, and the team has opted to move on from him, allowing him to pursue an opportunity overseas.
The Nets now have one two-way contract slot open, with Theo Pinson occupying the other slot. Teams have until January 15 to sign two-way deals, so Brooklyn figures to fill its newly-created opening within the next couple weeks.
Danny Green Talks Spurs, Raptors, Free Agency
When the Raptors and Spurs made their blockbuster trade last July, discussion and analysis of that deal focused on the big pieces: Kawhi Leonard and DeMar DeRozan. However, Danny Green, who was sent from San Antonio to Toronto in the swap, has proven this season that he wasn’t just included in that trade as a throw-in.
In his first 38 games with the Raptors, Green has averaged 9.5 PPG on .438/.408/.933 shooting and has been a key part of many of the club’s most productive lineups. For the season, Green has a total plus-minus of +374, which leads the NBA by a huge margin — teammate Kyle Lowry is second at +283.
In advance of his first game in San Antonio as a Raptor on Thursday night, Green spoke to Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca about how he found out about being traded, his experiences playing with Kawhi, and his 2019 free agent decision, among other topics. Here are a few of the highlights from that discussion:
On his time with the Spurs:
“It was the organization that groomed me. It’s kind of where I grew up in this league, became professional and learned how to be one… spending so many years with Timmy, Tony, Manu and Pop, of course, I learned how to win, how to be successful and played in some very fun games, battles, big stages, so it was a blessing all around. It was a great part of my career, great stage and it helped me get to where I am today and hopefully I can carry that on to wherever it is I’m at.”
On how he felt about being traded to the Raptors:
“I’m a positive person. I look at things in a positive light, that’s human nature, or my nature anyway. I already knew how [the Raptors] played… the more I watched and the more I studied I thought: ‘You know what? This could be a really good fit.’ And the fact I was going with [Leonard] helped even more.”
On his 2019 free agency:
“Obviously we don’t know what’s going to happen after this year. I would love to still be here [with the Raptors], obviously, but we don’t know. We don’t know where [Leonard’s] going to be, we don’t know a lot of things [that] are going to happen. In terms of decision making, [Leonard’s future] affects everybody.
“… If [Leonard] stays, they might want to bring everybody back; if he leaves, they might want to change, who knows? We’re both grown, we can make our own decisions for our own families. We might sit down and talk about it to see what page he’s on and how he feels about something and how I feel, but at this point we’re not thinking about that or talking about it. We’re trying to play good basketball… and get everybody healthy and winning games. Hopefully at the end of the year we can celebrate some things, outside of free agency.”