Pacific Notes: Bogut, Kings, Paul, Suns
Andrew Bogut chose to join the Warriors as a free agent last month, bypassing a number of teams interested in adding a veteran center — including the Lakers. Bogut, who played 24 games for Los Angeles last season, is still hurt by the team’s sudden decision to waive him shortly into the 2017/18 campaign.
“The Lakers told me I’d be there the whole year,” Bogut told Mark Medina of the Bay Area News Group. “They went against their word and waived me at the (salary guarantee) deadline. Whatever. That was their decision.”
Bogut decided to re-join the team he won a championship with in 2015, playing a new backup center role behind DeMarcus Cousins and adding veteran experience to Golden State’s locker room. Upon his surprising release from Los Angeles, Bogut spent time playing in Australia and briefly exited the NBA.
“I took their word for that stupidly,” Bogut said. “It’s part of the business. But it’s disappointing because I have two young kids and all that. I was stupid enough to take their word on something I shouldn’t have.”
The Warriors are gearing up for another deep postseason run and added Bogut for frontcourt insurance, sporting one of the most talented rosters in league history.
There’s more out of the Pacific Division tonight:
- The Kings recently worked out Antonius Cleveland and Kendrick Nunn, according to Keith Smith of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link). Sacramento had an open roster spot to work with after Cody Demps‘ 10-day contract expired, but opted to sign B.J. Johnson to fill that opening.
- Despite trading their top player in Chris Paul two years ago, the Clippers are set up well for the future and the present day, Dylan Hernandez of the Los Angeles Times writes. “He was important to our team,” Clippers coach Doc Rivers said of Paul. “He was important to the whole franchise. So you lose a player like that, you have to evaluate who you are, where you want to go, what you want to be.” The Clippers have major cap flexibility for star free agents this summer, sporting a unique mix of hardworking players under a veteran head coach. The team surprised many fans by easily clinching a playoff berth this season, holding a 47-32 record with three games left in the campaign.
- The Heat Index examines which players could be free-agent targets for the Suns in free agency, focusing on Charlotte’s Kemba Walker, Boston’s Terry Rozier and other talents who are set to hit the open market on July 1. Phoenix could pursue a free-agent point guard to pair alongside Devin Booker, Deandre Ayton and their draft pick this June, or potentially work to secure a meeting with a scoring forward such as Tobias Harris.
Southwest Notes: Porzingis, Mavericks, Davis, Capela
The NBA would have rejected February’s trade between the Knicks and Mavericks centered around Kristaps Porzingis if the league believed the newly announced rape claim against Porzingis was strong, according to Marc Stein and Kevin Draper of the New York Times.
Porzingis, who was dealt to Dallas alongside Tim Hardaway Jr., Trey Burke and Courtney Lee in exchange for Dennis Smith Jr., DeAndre Jordan, Wesley Matthews and two first-round picks, is being accused of sexually assaulting a woman in New York City last February.
“We have been aware of these allegations for some time, have evaluated the accuser’s claims and, based on what is presently before us, stand with Kristaps,” National Basketball Players Association executive director Michele Roberts said.
The Knicks made the Mavericks aware of a potential “extortion” issue with Porzingis, but it’s unclear whether Dallas was ever informed of the impending rape case. Mavs officials have been advised by federal authorities not to comment further on the matter.
“I’ve got nothing to say — n-o-t-h-i-n-g,” Mavs owner Mark Cuban said, spelling out the word. “When I said federal authorities said for us not to comment, they were being serious.”
From a basketball standpoint, Porzingis has a $4.5MM qualifying offer for the 2019/20 season. The Mavericks envision him to be a strong part of their future alongside young star Luka Doncic, and the team could explore signing a third star in free agency this summer.
There’s more out of the Southwest Division tonight:
- The court of public opinion is beginning to sway in the favor of Porzingis in this case, Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News writes. The accuser stayed in Porzingis’ home for nine hours after the alleged assault, as reported by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, appearing to enjoy the rest of her time with Porzingis. Porzingis has yet to play in a single game for the Mavericks.
- Pelicans star Anthony Davis has been fined $15K for directing an obscene gesture toward a fan, the NBA announced on Thursday. The incident occurred while Davis was exiting the court after New Orleans’ 115-109 road loss to the Hornets on Wednesday night. Davis showed his middle finger toward the heckling fan, with his actions being captured on video and quickly circulating on social media.
- A notable free throw bonus is still in play for Rockets center Clint Capela, writes Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle. Capela needs to shoot 65% or higher from the charity stripe this season to obtain $500K, and the 24-year-old is holding a 63.4% mark with three games left on the season. The bonus could help push Houston into the tax if Capela reaches it and also earns a $1MM incentive for the Rockets making it back to the Western Conference Finals.
James Ennis To Miss At Least Two Weeks
Sixers forward James Ennis will miss at least two weeks of action after suffering a contusion of his right quad, the team has announced.
Ennis sustained the injury during the third quarter of the club’s game against the Hawks on Wednesday, according to the press release. He’ll miss at least part of the first round due to the injury, with the playoffs set to begin in just 10 days.
Ennis, 28, holds per-game averages of 5.3 points, 3.6 rebounds and 0.8 assists in 18 games with the Sixers this season, shooting 41% from the floor and 31% from 3-point range. Philadelphia acquired him in a deal with Houston before the trade deadline, sending away the swap rights to a 2021 second-round pick.
Entering Thursday’s game against Milwaukee, the Sixers were dealing with injuries to Jimmy Butler (back), J.J. Redick (quad) and Joel Embiid (knee). Redick and Butler suited up for the game, while Butler was unable to play.
Philadelphia currently holds the third-best record in the Eastern Conference at 49-29, leading the Pacers and Celtics by 2.5 games with four contests left in the regular season.
Grizzlies Waive Dusty Hannahs
The Grizzlies have waived shooting guard Dusty Hannahs, the 25-year-old posted on social media Thursday. Hannahs appeared in just two games with Memphis, recording a total of eight points and five assists in 26 minutes of action.
“My dream was to play in the NBA and the Grizzlies gave me that chance. I was waived today but I’ll be back @NBA,” Hannahs wrote on social media (Twitter link).
Hannahs, a 6-foot-4 guard who spent two seasons at Texas Tech and Arkansas, was originally signed by the Grizzlies to a 10-day contract on March 30. He has spent time with the team’s G League affiliate and appeared in 49 games this season before joining the Grizzlies, scoring 14.5 points on 48% shooting from the field and 41% from behind the arc.
By waiving Hannahs, the Grizzlies are back down to 15 players (with two additional players on two-way deals). Hannahs had been added to the roster via the hardship provision, which the injury-plagued Grizzlies should still qualify for, but it’s not clear whether or not the team intends to sign a replacement before the end of the season.
Allen Crabbe Undergoes Knee Surgery
Nets guard Allen Crabbe underwent successful right knee arthroscopic surgery on Thursday, the team announced in a press release.
The surgery was conducted by Dr. Riley Williams lll at the Hospital for Special Surgery, the team said. Crabbe had been dealing with general knee soreness, missing nine straight contests and 35 of his last 50 games. The team did not issue a timeline for his return.
Crabbe was a key player on the Nets last season, scoring a career-best 13.2 points on 46% shooting from the field. His shooting mark slipped to 37% this year likely due to the knee injury, having only appeared in 43 games.
Crabbe, 26, holds a player option with the Nets for next season worth $18.5MM. He was acquired by Brooklyn in exchange for Andrew Nicholson during the summer of 2017.
The Nets are in the midst of a final playoff push with one week left of the season, holding a 39-40 record and leading the No. 9 place Heat by 0.5 games. They’ll travel to Milwaukee on Saturday, Indiana on Sunday, then back to Brooklyn for a final regular-season showdown against Miami next Wednesday at the Barclays Center.
Southeast Notes: Beal, Carter-Williams, Haslem, Young
The next general manager of the Wizards will be tasked with making a major decision on star guard Bradley Beal, David Aldridge of The Athletic writes.
Beal, named to his second All-Star team this season, has transformed into Washington’s clear leader in the absence of John Wall. He’s averaging a career-high 25.9 points per game on 48% shooting from the field, due to make $27MM next season and $28.7MM the following season.
“I’m not saying you have to trade him,” one NBA executive told Aldridge of Beal. “But you do have to think about it.”
Between Beal and Wall, the next Wizards GM will find more interest around the league in Beal’s services. Wall is under contract for another four seasons ($37.8MM in 2019/20, $40.8MM in 2020/21, $43.8MM in 2021/22 and a $46.9MM player option in 2022/23). That, combined with Wall’s surgeries on his heel and ruptured Achilles this year, make trading him virtually impossible in the present day.
For the Wizards, deciding whether to keep or trade Beal in the coming months will determine their future course. The general manager position — which was vacated when the team dismissed Ernie Grunfeld this week — is said to appeal to current GMs under contract elsewhere largely due to the resources and geography that comes with the job, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter links).
There’s more from the Southeast Division today:
- Magic guard Michael Carter-Williams is proving to be a difference maker as the team looks to make a final push for the playoffs, John Denton of NBA.com writes. Orlando signed Carter-Williams to a rest-of-season contract on Thursday, waiving guard Isaiah Briscoe. Carter-Williams provided a much-needed boost of energy off the bench during his first two 10-day contracts, scoring 5.4 points and dishing out 3.7 assists in 18.7 minutes per outing.
- Heat veteran Udonis Haslem reflected on his storied 16-year career in an exclusive article relayed by Marc Spears of ESPN’s The Undefeated, looking back on his competitors, teammates, early upbringing and love for the game of basketball. Haslem has spent the past few seasons in a very limited on-court role, doing most of his work on the Heat with the younger players in practice and in the locker room. Haslem’s veteran presence is greatly valued by Miami’s coaching staff and players, many of whom have publicly stated their hopes of him returning for another season.
- ESPN’s Brian Windhorst chronicles the slow build to success for Hawks guard Trae Young, who continues to improve as the 2018/19 season nears the finish line. Young, a dominant shooter and passer in contention for the Rookie of the Year award, must continue to improve on defense in order to take his game to the next level. The Hawks hold major selling points of Young, John Collins, a new head coach in Lloyd Pierce, cap flexibility and future draft picks for star players entering free agency this summer.
2019 NBA Draft Dates, Deadlines To Watch
Only four teams are still alive in this year’s NCAA tournament, and the list of 2019 early entrants continues to grow by the day, signaling that NBA draft season is just about here.
We’re still two and a half months away from draft day, but there are a number of important dates and deadlines on the calendar in the coming weeks and months as seniors look to boost their draft stock and underclassmen weigh whether or not to enter the draft — and then whether or not to keep their names in the 2019 pool.
Let’s run through the timeline of dates and deadlines to watch up until draft day…
April 11 (11:59pm ET): Deadline to request evaluation from NBA Undergraduate Advisory Committee
Beginning this year, an early entrant who requests an evaluation from the NBA Undergraduate Advisory Committee can hire an NCAA-certified agent without worrying about losing his remaining college eligibility.
April 17-20: Portsmouth Invitational Tournament
Only college seniors are eligible for this pre-draft camp, which takes place in Portsmouth, Virginia.
April 21 (11:59pm ET): Deadline for early entrants to declare for the draft
College underclassmen and international early entrants have until the end of the day on April 21 (Easter Sunday) to submit their names into the 2019 NBA draft pool. They can always withdraw their names later if they decide they’re not quite ready to go pro.
Once the early entrant list is set, NBA teams can begin conducting or attending workouts for those players.
April 26 – May 3: Invites issued for draft combine, G League Elite Camp
While the combine has been a part of the NBA’s pre-draft process for years, the G League Elite Camp has been revamped for this season to accommodate draft prospects. We have the details on those changes right here.
May 12-14: G League Elite Camp
NBA G League invitees will participate in the first half of this mini-camp before 40 top draft-eligible players who weren’t invited to the combine participate in the second half. Again, more details can be found here.
May 14: NBA draft lottery
The 2019 draft lottery will be conducted on May 14, marking the first time that the NBA’s new lottery format will be used. The full odds under the new format can be found right here, while our reverse standings provide a glimpse at which the pre-lottery draft order will look like.
With the lottery odds flattened out, the NBA’s worst team will only have a 14% shot at the No. 1 overall pick, as opposed to the 25% chance it had in the past. In other words, the new format could make for a very interesting night on May 14.
May 15-19: NBA draft combine
This five-day event, which takes place in Chicago, allows NBA teams to get a first-hand look at many of this year’s top draft-eligible players (though perhaps not a handful of 2019’s very best prospects, since potential top-five picks don’t have much to gain by participating in the combine).
The combine will be particularly important for early entrants who have yet to decide whether or not to stay in the draft. The feedback they get at the combine could go a long way toward dictating whether they keep their names in the draft or return to school for another year.
May 29 (11:59pm): NCAA early entrant withdrawal deadline
College underclassmen who want to retain their NCAA eligibility will have to withdraw their names from the draft pool by May 29. NBA rules call for a later withdrawal deadline, but the NCAA has its own set of rules that say the deadline is 10 days after the combine.
As such, a college underclassmen could technically wait until the first week of June to withdraw from the draft and retain his NBA draft eligibility for a future year. However, he would forfeit his amateur status in that scenario, making him ineligible to return to his NCAA squad.
June 10: NBA early entrant withdrawal deadline
This is the NBA’s final deadline for early entrants to withdraw their names from the draft pool and retain their draft eligibility for a future year. By this point, we generally know whether an NCAA underclassman kept his name in the draft or not, but this is an important deadline for international players, who aren’t subject to the same restrictions as college players. We’ll likely hear about several international early entrants withdrawing from the draft during the days leading up to June 10.
June 20: NBA draft day
The most exciting few weeks of the NBA offseason unofficially get underway on draft day, which is often when the first major trades of the summer are completed and we get a sense of which direction certain teams are heading.
It’s also worth noting that the hours and days after the draft ends will be hugely important for many of this year’s draft-eligible prospects — a ton of players who aren’t selected with one of the 60 picks in the draft will reach agreements shortly thereafter to play for an NBA team’s Summer League squad, or even to attend training camp with a club.
Note: The NCAA previously announced a rule change that would allow players to remain in the draft through draft day and still return to school if they go undrafted. However, that rule change wasn’t mentioned at all in a recent memo issued by the NCAA, so we’re operating under the assumption that it won’t go into effect this year. If that changes, we’ll update this article as required.
Information from ESPN’s Jonathan Givony was used in the creation of this post.
Devin Booker, Tyler Johnson Done For Season
A pair of Suns guards won’t appear in the final three games of the season, as the team has shut down Devin Booker and Tyler Johnson.
Jordan Schultz of ESPN.com first reported (via Twitter) that Booker, who suffered an ankle sprain during Wednesday’s loss to the Jazz, wouldn’t return this season. Shams Charania of The Athletic confirmed as much today (via Twitter).
The former lottery pick had been on a tear lately, scoring 48 of more points in three of his last five games. However, with the Suns only playing for lottery positioning and Booker’s five-year, maximum-salary extension set to go into effect this July, there was no reason for the club to push him to get back before next Wednesday.
As for Johnson, the 26-year-old combo guard, acquired from the Heat at the trade deadline, underwent an arthroscopic procedure on his right knee on Wednesday, the team announced in a press release. The Suns gave no indication of his recovery timeline, but I’d expect him to be ready to go for the 2019/20 season. He hadn’t played for Phoenix since March 13.
Johnson could technically become an unrestricted free agent this offseason, but is far more likely to opt into the final year of his current contract, which is worth $19.2MM+.
With Booker and Johnson sidelined, players like Elie Okobo, De’Anthony Melton, and Jimmer Fredette could get a long look in the backcourt during Phoenix’s final three games.
Beck’s Latest: Lakers, Clippers, Nets, Knicks, LeBron, Durant
In his latest article for Bleacher Report, Howard Beck looks ahead to an upcoming offseason that figures to feature a four-team, big-market battle for many of the NBA’s star free agents. The Lakers, Clippers, Knicks, and Nets aren’t the only four clubs that will have the cap space necessary to add one or two maximum-salary players, but they’re the clubs most frequently cited as top destinations for those stars.
While the Knicks and Lakers are popular choices to land marquee free agents, Beck asked 10 executives and scouts to evaluate and rank those four New York and Los Angeles teams based on basketball considerations( such as roster, coaching staff, front office, and ownership), and seven placed the Nets and Clips in the top two. Eight ranked the Knicks last.
As Beck explains, the Lakers and Knicks are viewed with skepticism because of doubts about their young prospects, a lack of faith in the Lakers’ management duo of Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka, and the poor reputation of Knicks owner James Dolan.
“Brooklyn and the Clippers have a decided advantage over the two marquee names because they’ve done far more in the last few years to position themselves to be sustainable than either New York or the Lakers,” one veteran GM told Beck.
Still, many Lakers and Knicks rivals wouldn’t necessarily be surprised to see those clubs do well in free agency, given the history and “mystique” attached to the two franchises.
“If the Knicks and Lakers get the guys, it means mystique and market really will matter more [than which franchise is run the best],” one GM said. “That’s terrifying.”
Here’s more from Beck’s piece, which is worth checking out in full:
- LeBron James tells Beck that this will be a “critical summer” for him and the Lakers, and he fully intends to help with recruiting stars to Los Angeles. “I will be as active as I need to be for this franchise to get better. That’s why I came here. I came here to win,” James said. “And obviously, we need to get better, as far as our personnel. We have an opportunity to get better. And there’s a lot of talent out there, and a lot of guys that can help our franchise. So I’ll be as active as I need to be for us to get better and go from there.”
- One assistant GM is skeptical that any star wings or point guards will want to team with LeBron, suggesting that the team will have to focus on star bigs. Rivals also view the Lakers as behind the curve in areas such as analytics, sports science, and player development, according to Beck. Still, the “glamorous sheen” attached to the franchise can’t be overlooked. “The Lakers can show up with a dead body in the room and not get arrested,” a rival official said. “It’s just the nature of the business we are in that they are perceived in this holy-grail-type situation.”
- According to Beck, rival executives around the NBA are nearly uniform in their belief that Kevin Durant will end up with the Knicks this summer. While no one knows for sure yet, “virtually everyone believes he’s leaving the Warriors,” Beck writes.
- Beck adds that it’s also “considered a given in NBA circles” that Durant and Kawhi Leonard won’t seriously consider the Lakers.
- Despite a widespread belief that the Knicks will land Durant, people around the NBA have far more praise for their cross-town rivals, Beck writes. “I think they’ve turned around the Brooklyn era,” a scout said of the Nets. “They’re one or two steps ahead of the Knicks.” Another executive offered the following assessment: “Who would want to go play with the Knicks? Who are your teammates? [Kevin] Knox isn’t even that good.”
Indiana’s Romeo Langford Entering 2019 NBA Draft
Indiana freshman guard Romeo Langford tells Jonathan Givony of ESPN.com that he’ll enter the 2019 NBA draft.
“I plan on officially declaring for the draft next week,” said Langford, who currently ranks at the No. 11 prospect on ESPN’s big board, making him a potential lottery selection.
Langford has a very good freshman season for the Hoosiers, scoring a team-high 16.5 PPG to go along with 5.4 RPG and 2.3 APG. He managed to put up those numbers despite suffering a torn ligament in his thumb early in the season, per Givony, who says Langford is scheduled to undergo surgery soon to repair that ligament.
“I think it’s fair to say that we never got a chance to see me at my best at the college level, especially since I’ve been playing with basically a cast on my thumb the whole season,” Langford said. “Obviously that throws off your shot. Even though I didn’t shoot as well as I’m capable of, I feel like I shot the ball pretty well in the second half of the season.”
Here are a couple more updates on early entrants for the 2019 NBA draft:
- Minnesota guard Amir Coffey will test the draft waters with an agent, but hasn’t ruled out a return to the Gophers for his senior year, writes Marcus Fuller of The Star Tribune.
- Seton Hall junior guard Myles Powell announced on Twitter that he has elected to enter the 2019 NBA draft while retaining his college eligibility throughout the process. He’ll have until May 29 to decide whether or not to withdraw.
- Our full list of 2019’s early entrants will continue to be updated.