And-Ones: BIG3, Gortat, Mack, Chalmers
The BIG3 has announced some changes in advance of its 2020 season, as Eric Woodyard of ESPN.com details. Most notably, Ice Cube‘s 3-on-3 league will lower the minimum age from 27 to 22 in order to try to eliminate the perception that the BIG3 is only for retired NBA players.
“I think lowering the age does erase the stigma,” Ice Cube told Woodyard. “It might’ve kept people from playing in the BIG3 because they don’t want to seem like they’re done.”
The BIG3 will also hold open tryouts this spring and will welcome two-sport athletes, as Woodyard details.
The most entertaining change to the league’s on-court rules is the introduction of a team’s once-per-half ability to challenge a foul call. Rather than having a replay official make a ruling, a challenge will result in an in-game, one-on-one possession, with the victor winning the call. The full list of changes can be found here.
Here are more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- Longtime NBA center Marcin Gortat was recently approached by Polish team Anwil Wloclawek, but rebuffed the club’s interest for health reasons, he told Interia.pl (hat tip to Sportando). Gortat suggested in the same interview that he will likely announce his retirement from the NBA at some point this year.
- Veteran point guard Shelvin Mack, who had been playing for Olimpia Milano, has left the Italian team and is expected to join Hapoel Jerusalem in the Israeli League, according to Alessandro Maggi and Emiliano Carchia of Sportando. Mack, who has played more than 450 regular season NBA games, spent last season with Memphis and Charlotte.
- Another former NBA point guard, Mario Chalmers, has had his contract with AEK Athens extended through the end of the 2019/20 season, according to Ennio Terrasi Borghesan of Sportando. Chalmers signed with the Greek club in November.
- For a long time, the head of basketball operations for an NBA team was given the title of general manager, or perhaps president of basketball operations. In recent years though, those titles have become more varied, with minor distinctions helping to establish a hierarchy in front offices. Jake Fischer of The Washington Post takes a deep dive into NBA management titles and explores how Silicon Valley’s influence has changed things.
LaMelo Ball Shut Down For Rest Of NBL Season
Despite initial optimism that he’d return before the end of the season from the foot injury that sidelined him last month, top prospect LaMelo Ball won’t play any more games for the Illawara Hawks, manager and trainer Jermaine Jackson told Olgun Uluc of Fox Sports Australia.
According to Jackson, Ball is now healthy after dealing with a bone bruise in his foot, but would require several weeks of training and rehab before he’s cleared to return to game action. Australia’s National Basketball League concludes its regular season on February 14 and the 5-17 Hawks won’t make the playoffs, so the team isn’t pushing Ball to return.
Many NBA decision-makers didn’t have a chance to evaluate Ball in person during his time in Australia, but weren’t surprised by the decision to shut him down to avoid the risk of further injury, says Jonathan Givony of ESPN.
Ball averaged 17.0 PPG, 7.4 RPG, and 6.8 APG in the 12 games he did play in the NBL, boosting his stock and making himself a contender for the No. 1 overall pick in 2020. However, he struggled with his shot (.377 FG%, .250 3PT%) and there are still concerns related to his “reportedly erratic work ethic,” according to Givony, who did note that some scouts believe the 18-year-old is the most talented prospect in the 2020 draft class.
One NBA scouting executive who spoke to Sean Deveney of Heavy.com gave a mixed review on Ball’s time with the Hawks, suggesting that he prefers James Wiseman as a potential top pick.
“(Ball’s) got everything you’d like to see in a point guard because he is so big,” the exec said. “He is probably going to be 6’8″ and that kind of size, that sets you apart. … [But] there are times if you watch him where it looks like he is collecting his own numbers and not helping the team win. For a point guard, you don’t want to see that.”
Ball is currently the top prospect on ESPN’s big board, followed by Georgia’s Anthony Edwards and Wiseman.
Kyrie Irving: Nets Have “Glaring” Needs
Following the Nets‘ second loss in two nights on Wednesday, Kyrie Irving told reporters, including ESPN’s Tim Bontemps, that the team needs to do more work on its roster to become a championship contender.
“I mean, it’s transparent. It’s out there. It’s glaring, in terms of the pieces that we need in order to be at that next level,” Irving said. “I’m going to continue to reiterate it. We’re going to do the best with the guys that we have in our locker room now, and we’ll worry about all the other stuff, in terms of moving pieces and everything else, as an organization down the line in the summer.”
Of course, the Nets are currently missing their most talented player, as Kevin Durant will spend the entire 2019/20 season recovering from a torn Achilles. However, it didn’t sound as if Irving’s comments applied specifically to this season. The star point guard implied that Brooklyn would need more help even after Durant returns.
“Collectively, I feel like we have great pieces,” Irving said. “But it’s pretty glaring we need one more piece or two more pieces that will complement myself, K.D. (Kevin Durant), D.J. (DeAndre Jordan), G.T. (Garrett Temple), Spence (Spencer Dinwiddie), Caris (LeVert), and we’ll see how that evolves.”
Irving’s comments are interesting for a few reasons. For one, his list of core players who need to be complemented didn’t include guys like Jarrett Allen, Taurean Prince, and Joe Harris. Allen is viewed as a young building block for the franchise, Prince signed a contract extension in the fall, and the Nets are expected to try to re-sign Harris later this year. It’s possible that Irving not mentioning any of those players was just an oversight, but it’s still worth noting which names he listed and which he didn’t.
Additionally, the Nets’ flexibility to make roster upgrades going forward will be limited, based on the commitments they made this past offseason to players like Durant, Jordan, and Irving himself. Brooklyn projects to be well over the cap and perhaps over the tax threshold in 2020/21, and general manager Sean Marks and team owner Joseph Tsai have both recently said that the team is prepared to go into the tax in order to build a roster capable of contending for a championship.
Still, spending at that level means the Nets would only have the taxpayer mid-level exception available to make a meaningful addition in free agency. Trading rotation players may be the club’s only other avenue to an upgrade.
With Durant out for the season, the Nets are unlikely to make major changes to their roster at this season’s deadline in an effort to push for a title immediately. But it will be interesting to see how the front office responds in the summer to Irving’s assessment of the roster.
Team Serbia In Talks To Hire Michael Malone As Aide, Consultant
JANUARY 16: Asked on Wednesday night about his status with Serbia, Malone denied that the two sides had finalized an agreement, per Mike Singer of The Denver Post (Twitter link). They’ve talked, but nothing is official yet, Singer adds.
JANUARY 15: Nuggets head coach Michael Malone has been hired by the Serbian national program to be a consultant and a top aide for Igor Kokoskov during this summer’s Olympic qualifying efforts, as Nick Kosmider of The Athletic tweets. Marc Stein of The New York Times first reported (via Twitter) that the two sides were in advanced discussions.
Although Kokoskov – the former Suns head coach and current Kings assistant – will run the show for Serbia this summer, Malone’s experience with Nuggets star Nikola Jokic makes him a natural fit to be involved with the team as well. Mike Singer of The Denver Post notes (via Twitter) that Malone’s involvement is likely contingent on Jokic participating.
With his contract locked in through 2023, there’s no reason to think Jokic won’t play for Serbia in the summer, barring an injury. After a disappointing showing at the 2019 World Cup, the Serbians will be vying for one of the four remaining spots for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, with Denver’s big man leading the way.
One of those four Olympic qualifying tournaments in June will be held in Belgrade — Serbia will need to win that tournament to advance to Tokyo.
Malone becomes the latest in a line of NBA head coaches who are involved in international programs. Gregg Popovich, of course, will coach Team USA in the 2020 Olympics and may be joined by assistants like Steve Kerr and Lloyd Pierce, who were on Popovich’s World Cup staff. Brett Brown and Nick Nurse coach Australia and Canada, respectively.
Southeast Notes: Reddish, Parsons, Brown, Silva
Cam Reddish hasn’t been the shooter the Hawks were hoping for when they made him the 10th pick of the draft, but the organization hasn’t lost faith, writes Chris Kirschner of The Athletic. Reddish has been erratic during his first three months in the NBA, shooting 32% from the field and 27% from beyond the arc. Teams have started giving him plenty of space and daring him to shoot from long distance.
“I swear I just feel like it’s been bad luck — a lot of in-and-outs,” coach Lloyd Pierce said. “He’s had some awful ones; he’s had some that have been way off. But he’s had a lot where he’s been wide open in rhythm; I’m slowing the film down and watching it to try and critique where we can help him. It’s the same thing he’s practicing. I think the biggest thing for him is to continue to attack the rim.”
For now, Reddish makes his greatest contributions on defense. Kirschner states that he has become Atlanta’s best individual defender and often draws the most challenging matchup. Reddish said he didn’t expect that to be his primary NBA role, but it’s one he’s willing to accept as he searches for his offense.
“I know what it is,” he said. “But it doesn’t bother me when I’m shooting. I just missed. It happens. A lot of people miss. When I make it, it’s going to be a different story.”
There’s more from the Southeast Division:
- Hawks forward Chandler Parsons was diagnosed with a concussion and whiplash after being involved in a car accident today, tweets Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports. Parsons has been placed in the NBA’s concussion protocol (Twitter link).
- One bright spot among the Wizards‘ injury woes has been the emergence of Troy Brown, writes Fred Katz of The Athletic. Given consistent playing time, the second-year swingman has averaged 14.7 points and 7.1 rebounds over the last 18 games. “I feel like I grew a lot this year in becoming a young man and maturing,” Brown said. “But last year — I don’t know — my confidence was just so up and down just based on playing time and stuff like that.”
- Chris Silva‘s new three-year contract with the Heat is fully guaranteed at $1.6MM for next season, tweets Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. Silva’s guarantee date for $1.8MM in 2021/22 will occur shortly after the end of next season.
Nets Sign Jeremiah Martin To Two-Way Contract
G League guard Jeremiah Martin has signed a two-way contract with the Nets, the team announced on Twitter, barely beating the deadline for this season.
An opening was created earlier tonight when Brooklyn gave a 10-day contract to two-way player Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot after letting Justin Anderson‘s 10-day deal expire.
Martin, 23, signed an Exhibit 10 deal with the Heat over the summer after going undrafted out of Memphis. He was waived before the season began and joined Miami’s G League affiliate in Sioux Falls, where he averaged 18.5 PPG in 21 games.
NBA G League Assignments/Recalls: 1/15/20
Here are Wednesday’s G League assignments and recalls from around the NBA:
- The Thunder recalled Justin Patton from Oklahoma City Blue, the team announced in a press release. Patton has played four games for the Thunder and is averaging 12.1 points and 8.2 rebounds in the G League.
- The Knicks recalled Ignas Brazdeikis from their Westchester affiliate, according to a tweet from the team.
- The Kings recalled Wenyen Gabriel and Justin James from Stockton, the team announced on Twitter.
- The Hawks assigned Bruno Fernando to their College Park affiliate, the team tweeted.
Nets Part With Justin Anderson, Sign Luwawu-Cabarrot To 10-Day Deal
The Nets won’t re-sign Justin Anderson to a second 10-day contract, tweets Michael Scotto of Bleacher Report.
His roster spot will go to two-way player Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot, who has been playing regular minutes lately and has about a week left on his 45-day NBA limit. Luwawu-Cabarrot will be given a 10-day contract, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link).
Anderson signed with Brooklyn on January 6, so his 10 days expired tonight. The small forward appeared in three games, averaging 5.7 minutes per night and scoring three total points. The Nets were the fourth NBA stop for Anderson, who played for the Hawks last season and has spent time with the Mavericks and Sixers.
Anderson, who had been playing for Raptors 905 before signing with Brooklyn, is expected to return to Toronto’s G League team, tweets Blake Murphy of The Athletic.
Southwest Notes: Anthony, Zion, Porzingis, Brooks
Carmelo Anthony is downplaying tonight’s return to Houston for the first time since last year’s failed experiment, writes Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle. Anthony signed with the Rockets last summer, but only played 10 games before being pulled from the rotation. He remained on the roster but away from the team for about two months before being traded to Chicago in January.
Although GM Daryl Morey made several attempts over the years to acquire Anthony, once the Rockets landed him they found his mid-range game wasn’t compatible with their preferred offense.
“I honestly don’t have any feelings about going back,” Anthony said. “I was only there a couple weeks. I don’t really have any type of feelings going back.”
There’s more from the Southwest Division:
- Now that No. 1 pick Zion Williamson has a target date for his NBA debut, Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer examines how New Orleans will use him during the second half of the season. Despite a dismal start, the Pelicans entered the night just four games out of a playoff spot, and O’Connor notes that 14 of their final 15 games will be against teams with losing records. “I’ve heard the narrative that he shouldn’t play at all, but that would be absurd from where he is,” head of basketball operations David Griffin said. “He’s worked this hard because he intends to play basketball and he wants to lead his guys. He’s going to be an alpha as a vocal presence; you can’t be that when you’re not playing basketball.”
- After initially being listed as available, Mavericks forward Kristaps Porzingis was a late scratch for tonight’s game at Sacramento, tweets Tim MacMahon of ESPN. It marks the ninth straight game that Porzingis has missed because of soreness in his right knee, combined with an illness that prevented him from working out for a few days. The team is “playing it safe,” MacMahon adds (Twitter link). Dallas is 4-4 so far without him.
- Dillon Brooks met the starter criteria by starting his 41st game of the season for the Grizzlies last night, tweets Bobby Marks of ESPN. As a result, his qualifying offer will increase from $2MM to $3.1MM, which will also be the amount of his free agent cap hold.
Daniel Gafford To Miss 2-4 Weeks With Dislocated Thumb
A right thumb injury suffered by Daniel Gafford in tonight’s game is expected to sideline the Bulls‘ rookie center for two to four weeks, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic.
Gafford suffered the injury early in the first quarter when he deflected a pass, relays K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. The thumb appeared to bend backward, and Gafford ran straight to the training room.
Gafford is averaging 4.9 points and 2.5 rebounds in limited playing time through 31 games, but he has taken over a starting role since the loss of Wendell Carter Jr., who is out for four to six weeks with a sprained right ankle. Gafford has been excelling on defense, with a streak of 12 straight games with a blocked shot coming into tonight.
Johnson notes that coach Jim Boylen turned to Luke Kornet after Gafford had to leave the game and used some lineups with Lauri Markkanen at center.