The Pelicans, already missing star big man Anthony Davis, will be without another key frontcourt player for at least the next week. The club announced in a press release on Thursday evening that Nikola Mirotic is dealing with a right calf strain and will be re-evaluated in a week. Shams Charania of The Athletic suggests (via Twitter) that Mirotic may end up missing a week or two due to the injury.
Meanwhile, a division rival got some promising injury news this week. The Rockets are expected to get Chris Paul back in their lineup on Sunday, head coach Mike D’Antoni confirmed today (Twitter link via Ryan Wolstat of The Toronto Sun). While Paul isn’t quite ready to return from his hamstring ailment on Friday night against Toronto, he’d play if it were a playoff game, D’Antoni said.
Here’s more from around the Southwest:
- After a two-week absence from the Mavericks‘ lineup, Dennis Smith Jr. returned on Tuesday and had head coach Rick Carlisle raving about his performance, as Tim MacMahon of ESPN.com writes. Carlisle said Smith gave the Mavs “everything we needed,” while Luka Doncic was happy to see his teammate back in the lineup, writes Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News. Despite the positive vibes, Tim Cato of The Athletic doesn’t believe much has changed about how the two sides feel, writing that DSJ would probably still welcome a trade and Dallas will likely continue to probe the market.
- In the wake of Grizzlies owner Robert Pera telling longtime franchise players Marc Gasol and Mike Conley that they could be traded, Mark Giannotto of The Memphis Commercial Appeal writes that – for the sake of the city of Memphis – he really hopes Pera knows what he’s doing.
- Frank Urbina of HoopsHype identifies four potential landing spots for Conley if the Grizzlies get serious about moving him before this season’s deadline.
link to espn.com
How about this deal
Great for two teams, completely ridiculous for the other two
Not enough first rounders to go around to make that worth while.
Phoenix needs a 1st rounders for Parsons contract plus right to swap seconds following year.
Memphis will be wanting a first for Conley.
Pistons won’t include their first Josh Jackson and Okobo, especially sitting on the outside of the playoffs today and likely getting bounced in the first round this year. They aren’t complete as is and Okobo/J Jackson doesn’t do it either.
Look how hard it was for HOUSTON to trade Anderson, nobody is taking Parsons contract.
They would easily take his contract with incentive
It seems Perra, not GM Wallace, is kind of the dealer now. It’s just as well, but why keep Wallace, instead of getting the next GM started so there is a through line for all the moves coming up?