Jaylen Brown Doubted Extension Would Get Done
Celtics swingman Jaylen Brown thought the team wouldn’t budge from its original $80MM extension offer before the front office substantially sweetened the pot, he told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski on the Woj Pod (hat tip to Nick Goss of NBC Sports Boston). Brown eventually signed a four-year, $115MM rookie scale extension, which included a guaranteed $103MM and another $12MM in incentives.
“To be honest, I came with the mindset I didn’t think that anything was going to get done,” Brown told Wojnarowski. “I wasn’t sure that anything was going to get done. The first offer was four years, $80 million. I didn’t think they were going to budge from that. So, I came with the mindset, I told (agent Jason) Glushon that, ‘Let’s see what can happen, you know?’ For me, I didn’t think Jason was going to be able to get anything done. I thought they were going to stay at ($80MM) and that was going to be it.”
Without an extension, Brown would have plunged into restricted free agency this summer. He was fully prepared to do that until the offer grew.
“I was hell-bent, I was already locked in, focused, ready to carry the weight that I was going to go into this year playing my fourth year out. And then they jumped up, and that just showed they wanted me here in the organization,” he said on the podcast. “They appreciated my value. They thought that I added to winning. It was an offer that was too hard to kind of turn down.”
Brown was averaging a career-high 20 PPG, 6.9 RPG and 2.3 APG heading into the team’s game against the Lakers on Monday.
NBA G League Assignments/Recalls: 1/20/20
Here are Monday’s G League assignments and recalls from around the league:
- The Celtics recalled rookie guard Carsen Edwards prior to their game against the Lakers, the team’s PR department tweets. Edwards has come off the bench in 27 games with Boston this season, averaging 3.2 PPG in 9.9 MPG.
- The Knicks recalled rookie forward Ignas Brazdeikis from their Westchester affiliate, the team’s PR department tweets. Brazdeikis has appeared in nine games with the NBA club, averaging 1.9 PPG in 5.9 MPG.
- The Pacers assigned guard Victor Oladipo to the Fort Wayne Mad Ants for a practice, the team tweets. Oladipo is expected to make his long-awaited season debut next week.
- The Wizards recalled rookie guard Admiral Schofield, the team tweets. Schofield has appeared in 24 games with the Wizards this season but did not play in the team’s win over Detroit on Monday.
- The Clippers recalled guard Terance Mann from their Agua Caliente affiliate, the team announced today. Mann has played 27 games for the Clippers this season, averaging 1.9 PPG in 8.1 MPG.
- The Thunder assigned center Justin Patton to the Oklahoma City Blue, according to a team press release. Patton is averaging 12.1 PPG and 8.2 RPG in 23 games with the Blue. He has appeared in five games for the Thunder this season, averaging 1.8 PPG in 4.8 MPG.
Southeast Notes: Hornets, Clark, Nunn, Fultz
Allowing the contracts of Marvin Williams, Bismack Biyombo and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist to expire, rather than trading those impending free agents, might be the best course of action for the Hornets, Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer opines.
The Hornets would have to take back comparable salary unless the team they’re dealing with has a large trade exception. The player or players they take back might have contracts that extend beyond this season and unless they figure into Charlotte’s long term plans, it would not be worth it, Bonnell continues. The Hornets’ players on expiring contracts wouldn’t bring back much more in future assets than a second-round pick anyway, Bonnell adds.
We have more from the Southeast Division:
- Magic forward Gary Clark hopes his defensive skills and rebounding will allow him to stick with the club, as he told David Yapkowitz of Basketball Insiders. Clark signed a 10-day contract after getting waived by the Rockets. “Just bringing some energy and knocking down shots. Being versatile defensively, being able to switch on multiple guys if need be, and use my athleticism,” Clark said. “Knocking down shots is one thing, but my activity on the glass on both ends has been solid.”
- Kendrick Nunn‘s value to the Heat goes beyond his on-court production, Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel notes. Nunn is only making $1.4MM this season and $1.6MM next season and the Heat can an extend a low-cost $2.1MM qualifying offer in the summer of 2021 to make him a restricted free agent. He can then be re-signed above the salary cap after luring a quality free agent. That makes his current contract a major bargain by providing the team plenty of cap flexibility.
- Sixers coach Brett Brown is pleased that 2017 No. 1 overall pick Markelle Fultz has revived his career with the Magic after his struggles in Philadelphia, Rich Hofmann of The Athletic tweets. “From a human standpoint, with complete sincerity, you’re happy for him,” Brown said. “It’s a journey that none of us could have imagined and good for him. Like he didn’t blink, he kept moving forward and I wish him well.”
Lakers, Sixers Interested In Derrick Rose
The Lakers, Sixers and several other playoff-bound teams have expressed interest in trading for Pistons point guard Derrick Rose, Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports reports.
The Lakers and Sixers are each looking to upgrade their point guard rotation, Haynes continues. The Clippers have also inquired about Rose but appear to have nominal interest in making a deal for the former Most Valuable Player.
Rose has been one of the few bright spots in an otherwise dismal season for the Pistons, who appear to be ready to embrace a rebuild. Rose has scored 20-plus points in each of the last nine games, including a 21-point outing against Washington on Monday.
Rose was signed to a two-year, $15MM contract as a free agent last summer. Coach Dwane Casey moved Rose into the starting lineup last week and has expanded his playing time after being cautious earlier this season with the oft-injured point guard.
Rose isn’t looking to be traded, according to Haynes, but it would make sense for the Pistons to sell high and acquire future assets for him.
Trade rumors have also swirled around Pistons center Andre Drummond, who can opt out this summer and become a free agent. However, those talks have apparently cooled off.
And-Ones: Mavs, All-Star Draft, China, Ball
The Mavericks announced in a press release that they’ve partnered with Chime Banking for a jersey sponsorship deal. While the exact terms of the agreement aren’t known, Mark Medina of USA Today reports that it’s worth “just under eight figures.”
Dallas previously had a jersey sponsorship deal with the company 5miles, but terminated it last year. Following the end of that partnership, the Mavericks had been the only team without a uniform patch in place, as our tracker shows.
Here are more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- As it did a year ago, the NBA’s All-Star draft will take place on the day of the trade deadline, with the league announcing in a press release that the event will air on TNT at 7:00pm ET on February 6, four hours after the deadline. The top vote-getter in each conference will be an All-Star captain, and those two captains will select their teams from the pools of All-Star starters and reserves.
- Nets owner Joseph Tsai recently said in an interview with YES Network that the NBA is working to get its relationship with China back on track (hat tip to NetsDaily). “The key thing is we need be broadcast on TV back in China,” Tsai said. “There’s talk NBA ratings are kind of down for various reasons. But we don’t want to see ratings go down globally. We need the NBA games to be back on TV in China.” Tsai faced some criticism in the fall when he wrote a Facebook post essentially defending China’s reaction to Daryl Morey‘s infamous tweet supporting Hong Kong protestors.
- Ethan Strauss of The Athletic takes a look at LaMelo Ball‘s National Basketball League film as he attempts to assess the youngster’s value, ultimately concluding that he wouldn’t feel comfortable making Ball a top-five pick in the 2020 NBA draft.
Poll: Eastern Conference’s No. 2 Seed
Barring a major second-half swoon, the Bucks won’t give up the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference this season. At 38-6, Milwaukee is on pace to win over 70 games and currently has an eight-game cushion over the next-best team in the conference.
While the race for the top seed in the East may already be over, a fascinating race is developing for the No. 2 spot. With six potential contenders in the conference, the importance of nabbing that second seed shouldn’t be understated. Not only would it set up a first-round matchup against a less dangerous opponents like the Magic or Nets, it would also mean avoiding the Bucks until the Eastern Conference Finals and holding home court advantage for two rounds.
As we enter the second half of the season, the Heat currently hold the second seed, but the margin is extremely tight. Here’s what the standings look like for the five teams vying for the No. 2 seed, entering today’s action:
- Miami Heat (29-13)
- Toronto Raptors (28-14)
- Boston Celtics (27-14)
- Indiana Pacers (28-15)
- Philadelphia 76ers (28-16)
All five teams are separated by just two games, so one hot or cold streak could have a significant impact on seeding. Just ask the Celtics, who could fall out of the top four tonight for the first time since October if their current losing streak extends to four games.
With a real incentive tied to claiming the No. 2 seed, the second-half race among these five teams should be fascinating. The Raptors finally have a healthy roster, and the Pacers will be getting star guard Victor Oladipo back next week. The Sixers have been shakier than expected all year long, but showed their upside on Christmas Day when they dismantled the Bucks. The Celtics and the Heat are in position to potentially upgrade their rosters at the trade deadline if they so choose.
Of course, we should also consider each team’s second-half schedule. According to Tankathon.com, the Heat, Sixers, and Raptors have three of the NBA’s easiest remaining slates, while the Pacers’ schedule ranks in the middle of the pack and the Celtics’ is the eighth-hardest.
What do you think? Which of these five teams do you like best to finish the season strong and claim the No. 2 seed in the East?
Vote in our poll, then head to the comment section below to share your thoughts!
Which team will claim the East's No. 2 seed?
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Toronto Raptors 41% (1,384)
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Boston Celtics 20% (668)
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Philadelphia 76ers 17% (583)
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Miami Heat 14% (486)
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Indiana Pacers 7% (242)
Total votes: 3,363
Trade Rumors app users, click here to vote.
Cavs Sign Tyler Cook To Second 10-Day Deal
2:18pm: The Cavaliers have officially signed Cook to a second 10-day contract, the team announced today in a press release. It’ll run through January 29.
11:07am: It looks like rookie power forward Tyler Cook will be the first NBA player this season to receive a second 10-day contract. A source tells Michael Scotto of Bleacher Report (Twitter link) that the Cavaliers are re-signing Cook, while Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com reports (via Twitter) that the new 10-day deal will be completed before Monday night’s game.
Cook, 22, has spent the season with the Cavaliers, first on a two-way contract, then briefly on a standard deal, then on a 10-day pact which expired on Saturday night. He has appeared in eight total NBA games, including two during his last 10-day deal, logging just 28 total minutes.
Most of Cook’s rookie season has been spent with the Canton Charge in the G League, where he has averaged 13.1 PPG and 6.2 RPG in 16 contests (21.4 MPG).
Cleveland is carrying 13 players on fully guaranteed standard contracts and had signed Cook and Alfonzo McKinnie to 10-day pacts on January 9. It’s unclear if McKinnie will also be brought back or if the Cavs will find another use for that 15th roster spot, perhaps leaving it open for the time being.
Teams can’t sign a player to three 10-day contracts in the same season, so once Cook’s second 10-day deal expires, the Cavs will either have to sign him for the rest of the season or let him return to the free agent market.
Pistons Notes: Jackson, Mykhailiuk, Drummond
Pistons point guard Reggie Jackson has been medically cleared to return and could return to action this week, head coach Dwane Casey said today (Twitter link via Rod Beard of The Detroit News).
“A lot of is going to depend on Reggie,” Casey said. “He’s been in practice dunking on people and talking more than anybody else, so I’ll be glad when he gets back.”
Jackson, 29, appeared in just two games at the start of the season before being sidelined with a back injury. In his absence, Bruce Brown has emerged as the Pistons’ starting point guard and Derrick Rose has become one of the team’s most important contributors, so it’ll be interesting to see how Casey adjusts the rotation when Jackson – who is in a contract year – is ready to go.
Here’s more on the Pistons:
- Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk, acquired from the Lakers nearly a year ago in a deadline deal for Reggie Bullock, is cementing himself as a part of the Pistons’ long-term future, writes Keith Langlois of Pistons.com. The second-year sharpshooter has knocked down 44.5% of his three-point attempts this season and has taken on an increased role in the last month, averaging 27.9 minutes per game since December 20.
- As trade rumors continue to swirl around Pistons big man Andre Drummond, Dwane Casey looked to put a positive spin on the chatter and speculation, as A. Sherrod Blakely of NBC Sports Boston details. “If you’re doing anything in this league your name is going to be out there,” Casey said. “At the end of the day on the 1st and the 15th, you’re getting paid by the team you’re with. So, you have to do your job each and every day. There’s no reason to be upset with anybody. It’s a business; we understand that. We’re all professionals. We have a job to do.”
- Rod Beard of The Detroit News explores what the next steps are for a Pistons team that is just three games out of the playoffs in the East and hasn’t yet picked a lane for the trade deadline.
Lawyers Say Parsons “Seriously Injured” In Car Accident
Hawks forward Chandler Parsons has retained the services of the law firm Morgan & Morgan after being involved in a car accident last Wednesday, as Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports relays (via Twitter). Parsons was traveling home from practice when his car was struck by a driver who was subsequently arrested for drinking and driving.
“Morgan & Morgan has been retained by Mr. Parsons to help preserve all of his rights and navigate the legal process on his behalf in the wake of this terrible automobile crash,” attorneys John Morgan and Nick Panagakis said in a statement. “Chandler was seriously injured in this crash, which never should have occurred.”
According to that statement, Parsons suffered “multiple severe and permanent injuries” in the collision, including a traumatic brain injury, disc herniation, and a torn labrum. Morgan & Morgan’s statement indicates Parsons was in “peak physical condition” before the accident and is now working with a team of doctors to regain his health. The statement also suggests the accident has the potential to end Parsons’ playing career.
When the Hawks first announced Parsons’ injuries last week, the team only diagnosed him with a concussion and whiplash, entering him into the NBA’s concussion protocol. It’s unclear if the disc herniation and torn labrum mentioned in Morgan & Morgan’s statement reflect injuries later identified by team doctors or if Parsons sought outside opinions.
Sarah K. Spencer of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution notes (via Twitter) that the Hawks have updated their injury report to mention an “associated disc injury” in addition to “concussion/whiplash” for Parsons.
Parsons wasn’t part of the Hawks’ rotation before last week’s accident, having appeared in just five games this season for the team. Now that he’s out indefinitely, it appears he may have played his last game for the franchise — his contract will expire at season’s end. Hopefully the 31-year-old can fully recover from his injuries and eventually make it back to the court.
The Hawks are ineligible to apply for a disabled player exception to replace Parsons even if his injuries are deemed season-ending, since they’re under the cap and the January 15 deadline has passed.
Anthony Davis Set To Return For Lakers
Lakers star Anthony Davis will be available to play on Monday night, the team announced today, per Dave McMenamin of ESPN (Twitter link). Davis will make his return to the court in Boston as the Lakers visit the Celtics as part of their five-game road trip.
Davis has been sidelined for nearly two weeks, having suffered a gluteus maximus contusion during L.A.’s blowout win over New York on January 7.
The injury wasn’t as serious as the Lakers initially feared, but the team has played it safe with its star big man and hasn’t really missed a beat without him. The Lakers are 4-1 in Davis’ absence, with the lone loss coming by just one point to Orlando.
With Davis back in the lineup, the Lakers will continue their push to secure the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference. The club currently has a 34-8 record and a 4.5-game lead over the second-place Clippers.