2019 March | Hoops Rumors

Hoops Rumors Originals: 3/24/19 – 3/31/19

March 30th, 2019 at 4:00pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Every week, the Hoops Rumors writing team creates original content to complement our news feed. Listed below are our original segments and features from the past seven days:

Luke Adams broke down the nuances of qualifying offers, mid-level exceptions, and bi-annual-exceptions in the latest additions to our Glossary.
Which 2019 first-round picks are likely to change hands? We checked in on every traded pick and their protections.
Dana Gauruder examined which upcoming free agents in the Northwest Division have seen their stock rise or fall.
We asked which teams are going to end up with the last three seeds in the Eastern Conference.
Adams took a look at five Eastern Conference players who have boosted their free agent values significantly, including Nets All-Star D’Angelo Russell.

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Hoops Rumors Originals

Injury Notes: Embiid, Richardson, McCaw

March 30th, 2019 at 3:07pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Joel Embiid will miss the next three games for the Sixers, starting with tonight’s tilt against the Timberwolves, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer tweets. The move to leave Embiid home during the three-game road trip is part of pre-determined maintenance.

Embiid missed time following the All-Star break with knee soreness and other players, such as Jimmy Butler and Ben Simmons, have also missed time because of injury and rest concerns. As a result, the team’s starting five has only played in 10 games together this season, as I detailed last week.

Here’s more injury notes from around the league:

Heat coach Eric Spoelstra said there is no timetable for Josh Richardson (left heel) to return to action, as Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald relays on Twitter. Spoelstra added that he doesn’t believe Richardson is done for the season.
Patrick McCaw will be in a splint for approximately three weeks, according to a Raptors press release. He will be re-evaluated at that time.
Kyrie Irving and Al Horford will both miss tonight’s contest against the Nets, Tim Bontemps of ESPN.com passes along. Irving’s nursing a sore back while Horford has a sore left knee. Neither player is expected to miss an extended period of time for the Celtics.

Rajon Rondo Wants To Return To Lakers Next Season

March 30th, 2019 at 1:23pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Rajon Rondo signed a one-year deal with the Lakers last summer just days after LeBron James announced he would be joining the team. The long-time Celtics point guard wants at least one more season playing alongside LBJ in yellow and gold.

“Absolutely,” Rondo said of his desire to come back to the Lakers next season (via Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com). “Absolutely. I mean, the only way we can go from here is up.

“So, I don’t know what the future holds as far as the summer — if I come back, or who else comes back or if I don’t come back. Those things are out of my control. But at the same time, it’s a great organization. I can’t say enough about the staff and the people who work here. They’re really kind and helpful, so I want to continue, if I can, help this organization grow.”

Rondo is making $9MM for his one season in Los Angeles. He said there were discussions last summer about signing a multi-year deal, though those talks never materialized. The point guard suggested that he may look to sign a contract longer than one season this time around.

“As far as long term, maybe not like a six-year deal, but you know, I’m only 33,” said Rondo, who missed 34 games so far this season because of a pair of hand injuries and a three-game suspension for his part in a mini-brawl with the Rockets during the Lakers’ home opener. He chalks those things up to being “just part of the game.”

James admires Rondo’s game and if his comments are any indication, Los Angeles will attempt to bring the 33-year-old back.

“The youth look up to us, look at us as superheroes at times, so to be able to have that fun and that joy we hope it goes back to those guys and to the kids that look up to us,” James said of Rondo’s approach to the game. “Rondo, his energy and him just having fun and being the leader that he is [is invaluable].”

Grizzlies Sign Dusty Hannahs To 10-Day Deal

March 30th, 2019 at 10:16am CST by ChrisCrouse

The Grizzlies have inked Dusty Hannahs to a 10-day contract, according to a team press release. Hannahs had been playing with the team’s G League affiliate, the Memphis Hustle.

Hannahs also spent last season with the Hustle and is the young franchise’s all-time leading scorer. He helped lead the G League squad to the playoffs this season.

Hannahs was not selected in the 2017 draft after playing two seasons at the University of Arkansas. He also played two seasons of collegiate basketball with Texas Tech.

The Grizzlies have a full 15-man roster, but won’t need to waive anyone to make room for Hannahs. Kyle Anderson, Dillon Brooks, Jaren Jackson, and C.J. Miles are all sidelined with long-term injuries, so Memphis meets the terms of the hardship provision, which grants injury-plagued teams an extra roster spot.

Knicks Expected To Shop Frank Ntilikina

March 30th, 2019 at 9:10am CST by ChrisCrouse

Frank Ntilikina made a three-pointer against the Nuggets in the first quarter of the road loss last week and that bucket may be his last as a member of the Knicks.

Ntilikina, who has nursed a groin injury for the majority of 2019, has been shut down for the season, and according to Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News, the team is expected to shop the former No. 8 overall pick this summer. Marc Berman of The New York Post previously reported that the Knicks would be willing to deal Ntilikina for a first-round pick.

New York’s point guard situation will be a top offseason storyline. The franchise traded for Dennis Smith in the Kristaps Porzingis deal and former No. 7 overall pick Emmanuel Mudiay found a mini-resurgence during his first full season with the club. While GM Scott Perry is responsible for bringing in both players, the front office won’t hesitate to put those two in the backseat and let Kyrie Irving drive the offense should the six-time All-Star decide that the orange-and-blue is his jersey of choice.

The Knicks are expected to pursue Irving this summer, though they won’t be alone. Their crosstown rival is also expected to be among the teams that make a run at him and some sources around the league tell Bondy that Irving actually prefers the Nets over the Knicks. Brooklyn already has an All-Star point guard in D’Angelo Russell, though it’s feasible that the team could look to coordinate a backcourt with both players.

During a recent NBA TV interview, former Cavs GM David Griffin suggested that Brooklyn was the more attractive situation to Irving. “I think Brooklyn is the fit that’s better for [Irving] in terms of his mindset,” Griffin said. “I think he likes what they’ve done there, culturally.”

Ntilikina’s future in New York doesn’t appear to be directly tied to Irving’s decision, as the team will shop him regardless of whether they land the Uncle Drew star.

The 20-year-old point guard is focused on getting healthy. He wants to play for France in the FIBA World Cup in August. Teams can’t flat out restrict players from playing internationally but they can strongly encourage or suggest that they should not.

“You can’t really dictate it. You can only suggest,” coach David Fizdale said. “I just think it depends on where the guy is at personally and how many years they have in their career. And what he necessarily needs in the summer. Some guys need to play games. And other guys need court work and drills with the coaches.”

Ntilikina skipped the World Cup qualifiers last offseason to train with the Knicks and it’s unclear whether New York will lobby for Ntilikina to avoid the risk of further injury and stay home during the international tournament. Then again, by the time August comes around, that could be another organization’s issue.

Draft Notes: Reid, Knight, Enoch, Elleby

March 29th, 2019 at 9:56pm CST by Dana Gauruder

LSU freshman big man Naz Reid is expected to declare for the draft, Adam Zagoria of ZagsBlog.com reports. The 6’10” Reid averaged 13.7 PPG and 7.2 RPG for the Tigers, who were eliminated from the NCAA Tournament by Michigan State on Friday.

“Yeah, we’re expecting to lose him,” LSU assistant Greg Heiar told Zagoria. “If you’re a top-20 pick in the draft, you need to go.”

Reid has some work to do to reach that status. He’s rated No. 48 overall on ESPN’s Jonathan Givony’s list of the top 100 prospects. Reid told Zagoria that he would “think things over” in the next few weeks before making a final decision (Twitter link).

We have more draft news:

William & Mary 6’10” junior Nathan Knight has declared for the draft but will leave open the possibility of returning to college, Jeff Goodman of ESPN tweets. Knight averaged 21.0 PPG, 8.6 RPG and 3.5 APG this season.
Louisville center Steven Enoch will test the draft waters, Jeff Greer of The Athletic tweets. The 6’10” junior transfer from the University of Connecticut averaged 9.4 PPG and 5.2 RPG in 34 games this season.
Washington State freshman CJ Elleby, who broke Klay Thompson‘s freshman scoring record, will enter his name into the draft pool. “I will use the new NCAA rule allowing me to have representation while maintaining my college eligibility,” he told ESPN draft expert Jonathan Givony (Twitter link). The 6’6” swingman averaged 14.7 PPG, 7.1 RPG and 3.0 APG this season.

Free Agent Stock Watch 2019: Northwest Division

March 29th, 2019 at 8:26pm CST by Dana Gauruder

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:

Isaiah Thomas, Nuggets, 30, PG (Down) – Signed to a one-year, $2MM deal in 2018
The sad and swift decline in Thomas’ career hit a new low a couple of weeks ago when the veteran was informed by Nuggets coach Michael Malone he would not be in the rotation going forward. Thomas didn’t even make his season debut until mid-February due to his hip condition. He has only seen action in one game since March 8 — a scoreless seven-minute stint in Boston, where his career peaked two seasons ago when he averaged 28.9 PPG. Thomas will probably have to settle for another one year, “show me” contract this summer.

Tyus Jones, Timberwolves, 22, PG (Up) – Signed to a four-year, $6.54MM deal in 2015
Jones has received steady playing time since late February and is now the starter by default with Jeff Teague and Derrick Rose out for the rest of the season. He isn’t much of a scoring threat but he rarely turns the ball over. He’s averaging less than one turnover per game in 25.8 MPG this month. Teague has a $19MM option on his contract for next season and is expected to exercise it, so Jones’ starting gig probably won’t last. The Timberwolves can make Jones a restricted free agent by extending a qualifying offer of $3.57MM and that seems likely, given his age and steady hand at the point.

Markieff Morris, Thunder, 29, SF/PF (Down) — Signed to a one-year, $573K deal in 2019
The above salary figure doesn’t reflect that Morris was making $8.6MM before he was traded by the Wizards to the Pelicans, who waived him. He seemed to be walking into a good situation with a playoff-bound team but hasn’t made much of an impact. He’s averaging 6.0 PPG and 3.5 RPG in 15.9 MPG in 17 appearances with Oklahoma City. He played just seven scoreless minutes against Indiana on Wednesday. Morris brings enough to the table to be a rotation piece but it’s increasing unlikely he’ll get a starter-level offer on the open market.

Enes Kanter, Trail Blazers, 26, C (Up) – Signed to a one-year, $653K deal in 2019
Jusuf Nurkic‘s gruesome leg injury changes the outlook for Kanter in the short- and long-term. He’ll suddenly be playing heavy minutes for Portland, which signed him as a backup after the Knicks reached a buyout agreement with him on his $18.6MM salary this season. A productive postseason by Kanter should enhance his prospects as an unrestricted free agent. He’s not going to make anyone’s All-Defense team but he’s a double-double machine when he plays half the game. While it seems Kanter has been around for awhile, he’s still only 26 and in the prime of his career.

Derrick Favors, Jazz, 27, PF (Up)– Signed to a two-year, $37.6MM deal in 2018
Favors’ $16.9MM contract for next season isn’t guaranteed unless he’s on the roster through July 6. That seemed unlikely from the time he signed the deal but it’s not a given the Jazz will let him go. That salary isn’t outrageous for a starter and the Jazz have plenty of cap room to absorb that salary. Plus, they’d need to have a solid plan to replace Favors, who has posted a 21.9 PER this season. Favors nearly got dealt to Memphis for Mike Conley and Utah could use his expiring contract in a blockbuster trade next season if it retains him.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Ducks Center Bol Bol To Enter Draft

March 29th, 2019 at 6:57pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Oregon Ducks freshman center Bol Bol will enter the draft and is hiring Creative Artists Agency to represent him, ESPN’s Nick DePaula reports.

The 7-foot-2 Bol, the son of NBA legend Manute Bol, is ranked No. 12 on Jonathan Givony’s ESPN.com list of 2019’s top 100 draft prospects.

Bol’s college career lasted just nine games. He suffered an ankle injury in mid-December and eventually a stress fracture in his left foot that required surgery. He’s expected to return to full basketball activities sometime this summer.

Bol put up impressive numbers during his brief period of good health, averaging 21.0 PPG on 57% shooting, 9.6 RPG and 2.7 BPG.

CAA will overlook his ongoing rehab and pre-NBA draft meeting and interview schedule, DePaula adds.

Bol Bol has the ability to stretch the floor with his perimeter shooting. Mike Schmitz of ESPN writes in his pre-draft analysis that Bol is a fluid center who moves extremely well for his size. He also has excellent rim-protection potential, thanks to his huge reach, solid instincts and timing, along with an intriguing offensive skill set.

NBA G League Assignments/Recalls: 3/29/19

March 29th, 2019 at 6:22pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Here are Friday’s assignments and recalls from around the NBA G League:

The Rockets assigned forward Gary Clark to the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle tweets. Clark will play for the Vipers in the Western Conference playoffs on Friday. Clark has appeared in seven G League games this season, averaging 12.0 PPG and 6.9 RPG. The rookie big man has appeared in 47 games with Houston this season, including two starts.
The Grizzlies assigned rookie guard Jevon Carter to the Memphis Hustle, the team’s PR department tweets. Carter will play against the Vipers in the Western Conference playoffs. He’s averaging 18.4 PPG, 6.5 APG and 2.7 SPG in 22 G League games.

Pelicans To Interview Harris, Langdon, Rosas For GM Job

March 29th, 2019 at 5:11pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Pelicans have been granted permission to interview several front office candidates for their GM job, including Warriors assistant GM Larry Harris, Nets assistant GM Trajan Langdon and the Rockets’ VP of basketball operations Gersson Rosas, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski tweets. More candidates are expected to be interviewed, Wojnarowski adds.

New Orleans’ GM position opened up when it parted ways with Dell Demps shortly after the February deadline. Danny Ferry has been serving as the interim GM.

Harris interviewed for the Sixers’ GM job last summer, which went to Elton Brand. Rosas was a finalist for the same job. Rosas also withdrew his name from the pool of candidates for the Pistons’ GM job last summer. Detroit eventually chose to hire Ed Stefanski as a senior adviser. Additionally, Rosas was seriously considered by the Hornets for the same position a year ago.

Langdon was a prime candidate for a Pistons front office position last summer.

Month: May 2024