Speaking today to reporters for the first time since reporting to the NBA’s campus and clearing quarantine, Rockets forward Luc Mbah a Moute confirmed that his arrival was delayed because he had contracted the coronavirus, tweets Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle.
Mbah a Moute signed with the Rockets on July 7 as a substitute player replacing Thabo Sefolosha, but didn’t arrive in Orlando until last Wednesday. According to Feigen, Mbah a Moute said today that he dealt with “chills (and) body ache” while battling COVID-19, adding that the recovery was “tough.”
Meanwhile, Mbah a Moute’s teammate Austin Rivers hasn’t tested positive for the coronavirus, but remains quarantined in his hotel room after briefly leaving the Orlando campus last week. Rivers, who returned on Saturday, is scheduled to complete his four-day quarantine period on Tuesday and should be ready to go for the Rockets’ first seeding game this Friday vs. Dallas, Feigen writes for The Chronicle.
Here’s more from around the Southwest:
- Mavericks big man Kristaps Porzingis was held out of Sunday’s scrimmage because he missed a mandatory coronavirus test on Saturday, though head coach Rick Carlisle wasn’t overly upset by the mistake, per Eddie Sefko of Mavs.com. “This situation was one where he just took his eye off the ball a little bit in terms of the day-to-day protocols and procedures,” Carlisle said. “It can be challenging on off days to keep track of the schedule. I almost missed testing on our first off day. … It’s an innocent mistake, but it’s significant.”
- Trey Burke just signed with the Mavericks on July 1 and was late arriving to the NBA’s campus in Orlando, but he believes his experience playing for Carlisle in 2018/19 will help him quickly adjust, Sefko writes at Mavs.com. “I feel comfortable, rather than other places coming into a new place and it’s a brand new system and a brand new coaching staff,” Burke said. “I pretty much know the pace that coach likes to play with, I know how hard he can be on guys and I’m ready for that.”
- With LaMarcus Aldridge and Trey Lyles sidelined for the summer, the Spurs are experimenting with some guard-heavy lineups, according to Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News. One unit, which features recent first-rounders Dejounte Murray, Derrick White, and Lonnie Walker playing alongside each other, could be a preview of the club’s future backcourt, McDonald notes.
Where’s Henry Aldrich?
His wife just called back. She said he’s either at home still taking a nap or by now he walked down to the pool with Cliff, his golf buddy.
Spurs ……… time to rebuild. Pops retire already.
Trade Aldridge n DeRozan. Go full rebuild.
In sports you never go full rebuild unless you absolutely have to. With Murray and a couple other young guys the Spurs are still a playoff team.
What seriously hurt them and it’s amazing how one transaction can do it, was counting on Marcus Morris and thus giving away Davis bertans.
I imagine they will look to deal DeRozen and Aldridge at next year’s trade deadline, get a couple players for them.
You’re probably right. They give it a go to start the year and see what happens. If they don’t look super strong then it could be time. Those are not two guys you would build the future on anyway.
Aldridge has been fantastic, seriously fantastic, but he’s getting older. And DeRozan, I’ve just never liked his game. He’s an All-Star and he’s 20 points plus every time but the fourth quarter is not quite his prime time and he cannot master the 3-point shot. But he’s paid like a number one guy.
The Mavericks are hilarious. How many 5-11 slow point guards do they want on the roster?
Always flying under the radar!
Just like I said. Mavs bring their A+ game for the first 3 quarters against the Rockets, but the cream always rises at the end. 153-149
As far as the Doncic or Harden argument goes, it comes down to this. If you want a player who might be great in the future to build a team around, go with Doncic. But if you want a player to build a championship caliber team around who is already great, go with Harden.