Bulls Notes: White, Harrison, Boylen, Collins
Bulls coach Jim Boylen is reversing his stance on not starting rookie guard Coby White for the rest of the season, according to Rob Schaefer of NBC Sports Chicago. With the playoffs out of reach, White may be inserted into the starting lineup soon as the team focuses on developing players for next season.
“I think that day is probably coming,” Boylen said after practice this morning. “We’ve talked all year about developing and winning. Is that day coming? I would say, ‘Yes, probably.’ When, I’m not exactly sure.”
White is making a strong case for a starting role with his recent performance. He is averaging 27.7 points and 3.9 assists over the past seven games, and Schaefer notes that his defense and decision making have improved.
“He’s been great, man,” Zach LaVine said. “Just seeing his growth over the last month, he’s getting better every game. Even if it’s not like he’s getting 30 like he was, he’s still doing things that we’re progressing on. He’s growing every game.”
There’s more from Chicago:
- Shaquille Harrison used his new-found 3-point stroke to put up a career-high 25 points last night, Schaefer writes in a separate story. He has made nine of his last 11 from beyond the arc after shooting 27.7% on 3-pointers for his career. With restricted free agency looming this summer, Harrison is looking for any edge he can find to prove his worth. “I was undrafted, I had a couple offers coming out of high school,” he said. “I’ve always been that last guy they’re looking at, and I knew I had to make an impression that one opportunity or chance I get. So, it’s usual for me, it’s nothing new. I take pride in that, a lot of guys can’t do that.”
- Boylen is denying reports of a rift with senior advisor Doug Collins, relays K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports. The dispute reportedly involves Collins’ presence at coaching staff meetings. “All my interaction with Doug has been very positive. He’s been in my meetings and on the floor with the team,” Boylen said. “I don’t control his schedule or if he’s here or not here. We’ve had a very good, close relationship since he’s been here.”
- Despite another disappointing season, Boylen continues to have strong backing from ownership and executive vice president John Paxson, Johnson writes in another piece.
NBA G League Assignments/Recalls: 3/7/20
Here are Saturday’s G League assignments and recalls from around the NBA:
- The Rockets recalled Chris Clemons from their Rio Grande Valley affiliate, tweets Mark Berman of Fox 26 in Houston.
- The Cavaliers assigned Sir’Dominic Pointer to Canton, according to the G League transactions log.
Five Key Stories: 3/1/20 – 3/7/20
If you missed any of this past week’s biggest headlines from around the NBA, we’ve got you covered with our Week in Review. Here are some of the most noteworthy stories from the last seven days:
One of the NBA’s biggest stars returned to the court this week as Stephen Curry received medical clearance after missing four months with a fracture in his left hand. The two-time MVP scored 27 points in his first game back, but then came down with the flu.
In a surprising move, the Nets decided to part with coach Kenny Atkinson, who had been the longest-tenured active coach in New York professional sports. Assistant Jacque Vaughn will guide the team on an interim basis.
Leon Rose formally took over the Knicks’ front office this week, but the move was overshadowed by a public dispute with celebrity fan Spike Lee. The director has vowed not to attend any more games this season at Madison Square Garden.
The Lakers signed former Heat guard Dion Waiters for the rest of the season. L.A. opened a roster spot by waiving Troy Daniels, who wound up with the Nuggets.
Joakim Noah is returning to the NBA, reaching an agreement to join the Clippers. The veteran center will start on a 10-day deal with hopes of signing for the remainder of the season.
Here are 10 more noteworthy headlines from around the basketball world this week:
- Amid fears of a worsening coronavirus outbreak, NBA teams are being instructed to make plans to play games in empty arenas. Those measures are already in place in Italy, which is among the nations hardest hit by the virus.
- Magic coach Steve Clifford is OK after leaving Friday night’s game with dizziness in the third quarter. He was diagnosed with dehydration and was given clearance to continue coaching.
- The NBA denied a protest of the Mavericks‘ February 22 loss in Atlanta and fined owner Mark Cuban $500K for remarks he made about league officials.
- Clippers owner Steve Ballmer is attempting to buy the Forum in Inglewood, California, to help clear the way for a new arena for his team. The Forum is owned by Madison Square Garden Company, which has been engaged in a legal battle to block the new facility.
- Nets guard Kyrie Irving had arthroscopic surgery on his injured right shoulder. He is expected to make a full recovery in time for next season.
- Suns forward Kelly Oubre had surgery to fix a torn meniscus in his right knee. He will be re-evaluated in four weeks to determine if he will return this season.
- Trail Blazers center Jusuf Nurkic set March 15 as a target date to return from the severe leg injuries he suffered last season.
- The Pistons obtained guard Jordan McRae with a successful waiver claim. The Suns were also reportedly interested, but Detroit was ahead of them in the waiver order.
- Bradley Beal expressed interest in remaining with the Wizards for the rest of his career. He signed an extension in October that will keep him in Washington through at least the 2021/22 season.
- Zach Randolph has committed to play in the BIG3 this summer.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
NBA Sets Tuesday Deadline For Coronavirus Plans
The NBA wants all its teams to have precautionary measures in place by Tuesday to handle an outbreak of the coronavirus, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
A memo from the league office instructs the teams to make plans to reduce the size of their traveling parties and calls for mandatory distribution of hand sanitizer to players and staff. Players have already been advised to change the way they deal with fans, with autographs and handshakes being discouraged.
A conference call will be held Monday with doctors and trainers from all 30 teams, Wojnarowski adds. Teams are being instructed to have an infectious disease specialist on call as well as a nearby facility that can test for the virus. Teams are also asked to designate a limited number of employees who will be permitted to have close contact with the players.
Earlier today, we passed along a report that media members may be barred from locker rooms over coronavirus fears. A memo from the league office yesterday ordered teams to make plans to play in empty arenas if the virus outbreak becomes severe.
Pelicans’ Nickeil Alexander-Walker Out Indefinitely
Pelicans guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker will be sidelined indefinitely with a hairline fracture in his right wrist, the team announced in a press release.
He underwent an MRI after feeling discomfort in the wrist at Thursday’s practice, according to the release. Further evaluation will be conducted to determine the next steps in treatment.
Alexander-Walker has put together a solid rookie season after being taken with the 17th pick in the 2019 draft. He has appeared in 41 games and is averaging 5.1 PPG in about 12 minutes per night. He was selected to participate in this year’s Rising Stars Challenge at All-Star Weekend.
Kevon Looney Out At Least 3 Weeks; Stephen Curry Diagnosed With Flu
Warriors center/power forward Kevon Looney is experiencing left hip soreness and will be re-evaluated in three weeks, the team announced on Twitter. Looney has missed the past three games because of pain in the hip area and has played only 20 times all season.
It has been a tough fifth season for Looney, who signed a three-year, $15MM extension last summer. He dealt with a a neuropathic condition early in the campaign, then an abdominal strain caused him to miss 18 games in December and January.
With five and a half weeks remaining, Golden State may decide to keep Looney out of action and get him ready for next season. However, coach Steve Kerr says the organization hasn’t considered that yet (Twitter link from Nick Friedell of ESPN)
In a separate tweet, the Warriors announced that Stephen Curry has been diagnosed with the flu. Team doctor Robert Nied is calling it a “seasonal flu,” adding that Curry has “no specific risk factors” for the coronavirus. Curry returned to action Thursday for the first time since breaking his left hand in late October.
Pacers List Malcolm Brogdon As Week-To-Week
Pacers guard Malcolm Brogdon has been diagnosed with a torn left rectus femoris (a muscle in the quadriceps), the team announced in a press release. His status is listed as week-to-week.
He suffered the injury Wednesday at Milwaukee when a sore left hip forced him to leave the game after 11 minutes. He underwent an MRI that showed the extent of the damage.
Brogdon is putting up the best numbers of his career in his first season in Indiana, averaging 16.3 points, 4.7 rebounds and 7.1 assists in 48 games. However, he has suffered seven different injuries that have forced him to miss 15 games, according to J. Michael of The Indianapolis Star.
An extended absence for Brogdon could have a huge effect on the Eastern Conference playoff race. The Pacers are tied with the Sixers for fifth place at 38-25 and are two games behind Miami for home court advantage in the first round.
Community Shootaround: Best Available Coaches This Summer
Now that the Nets have abruptly parted ways with highly-respected head coach Kenny Atkinson, there is one more big-ticket name available for this summer’s intriguing coaching carousel. With several other teams potentially looking to make coaching changes in the offseason, we at Hoops Rumors felt it was high time to speculate wildly about summer 2020 coaching hires.
There may be coaching vacancies among several glamor NBA franchises, including the Knicks, Nets (Atkinson’s Nets replacement, Jacque Vaughn, will be merely an interim coach this season), Bulls, Rockets and Sixers.
Atkinson served as an assistant coach in New York and Atlanta before finally getting a crack at the lead job in Brooklyn. He coached the rebuilding Nets, without a single All-Star, to an impressive 42-40 record and a playoff berth last season. At 28-34, the team is currently the No. 7 seed in the East, despite All-Stars Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant appearing in a combined 20 games this year.
Mike D’Antoni is a coaching free agent this summer, and even if Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta may be wary of bringing him back, he will not be hurting for work. A great 212-95 regular season record, a Coach of the Year Award in 2016/17, and one Western Conference Finals appearance should ensure that.
Though interim Knicks head coach Mike Miller has coached a hapless New York squad to a competent 15-26 record, his job security has been openly challenged by Knicks brand manager Steve Stoute. Miller may have done enough in a tough environment to warrant a look from another franchise.
Top assistant coaches like Becky Hammon with the Spurs, Tyronn Lue with the Clippers, Adrian Griffin with the Raptors and Nate Tibbetts with the Trail Blazers could all get a head coaching opportunity this summer.
We want to know what you think. Who are the best available coaches on the market this summer? Which teams would match best with which available or potentially-available coaches?
Head to the comment section below to weigh in with your thoughts!
Hoops Rumors Originals: 3/1/20 – 3/7/20
Every week, the Hoops Rumors writing team creates original content to complement our news feed. Here are our original segments and features from the past seven days:
- Luke Adams explained the rules on playoff eligibility for players waived on or after March 2.
- He also updated our 2019/20 NBA Reverse Standings.
- Because teams are only allowed to carry rosters with fewer than 14 players for two weeks at a time, Adams detailed the teams who would need to make roster additions soon.
- In our Community Shootaround conversations this week, we asked:
- Who was the best second-half NBA free agency signee? (link)
- Does LeBron James or any other challenger have a legitimate chance at stopping Giannis Antetokounmpo from winning his second straight MVP award? (link)
NBA May Limit Locker Room Access
In light of the still-developing COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak nationwide, the NBA may keep media out of locker rooms and limit team locker room accessibility to just players and team personnel, per Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium (Twitter link).
The NBA has been making other preparations to protect players and fans from the spread of the coronavirus, including potentially staging games without fans. Lakers All-Star LeBron James has openly pushed back against this notion.
Earlier in the week, it was reported that coronavirus could adversely affect the NBA’s pre-draft combines, on-site workouts and international scouting events. League measures taken could include limiting those events or cancelling them entirely.
Around the NBA, the coronavirus outbreak has already made an impact on how players interact with fans, as The Athletics’s Mike Vorkunov detailed.