Lottery Pick Okongwu Won’t Suit Up For Opener
Hawks lottery pick Onyeka Okongwu will miss at least the first three regular-season games, according to a team press release.
The rookie big man out of USC is recovering from inflammation of the sesamoid bone in his left foot. He has participated in modified team practice with contact and is progressing toward unlimited team practice. He will be reviewed again on December 28.
The Hawks will open the season on Wednesday against the Bulls. They’ll also play the Grizzlies (Dec. 26), Pistons (Dec. 28) and Nets (Dec. 3o) before New Year’s Day.
Okongwu, who turned 20 this month, was a one-and-done player. In his season with the Trojans, he started 28 games and averaged 16.2 PPG, 8.6 RPG and 2.7 BPG in 30.6 MPG. He was the sixth overall pick.
The Hawks previously announced that guard and free agent acquisition Kris Dunn would miss the opener.
Sixers To Sign Guard Frank Mason
The Sixers are signing point guard and reigning G League Player of the Year Frank Mason III to a non-guaranteed contract, Derek Bodner of The Athletic tweets.
It’s an Exhibit 10 contract, Bodner adds (Twitter link), though Mason could add backcourt depth to the NBA club.
Mason became an unrestricted free agent when the Bucks pulled their qualifying offer to him last month.
The 5’11” point guard out of Kansas spent his first two seasons in the league with the Kings, appearing in a total of 90 games. He then signed a two-way contract with the Bucks in 2019/20.
Mason played nine games for Milwaukee and 23 for the Bucks’ G League affiliate, the Wisconsin Herd. Mason averaged a league-best 26.4 PPG for the Herd, along with 5.0 APG and 3.4 RPG, earning G League MVP honors.
Pacers Waive Brimah, Hammonds, Add Gray, Robinson
The Pacers have waived Amida Brimah and Rayshaun Hammonds and signed Josh Gray and Devin Robinson, according to a team press release.
Brimah and Hammonds were on Exhibit 10 contracts and could resurface on the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, Indiana’s G League team, once they clear waivers.
Brimah, 26, was in Indiana’s training camp last season on an Exhibit 10 contract but suffered a torn right ACL that required surgery.
Brimah’s previous NBA experience includes an Exhibit 10 deal with the Spurs in 2018 and a Summer League stint with the Bulls in 2017. He played two G League seasons with the Austin Spurs and spent one season in Belgrade.
Hammonds is a rookie forward out of Georgia. He averaged 12.9 points and 7.4 rebounds in 32 games for the Bulldogs last season.
Gray was waived by the Thunder early this month after they acquired the guard in a multi-team trade. The 27-year-old Gray played in five games for the Suns during the 2017/18 season. He had a two-game cameo with the Pelicans during 2019/20. Across 15.6 MPG with those clubs, Gray has averaged a cumulative 4.9 PPG, 2.0 APG, 1.7 RPG and 1.14 SPG.
Robinson, 25, played for the Raptors’ G League team, Raptors 905, last season. The 6’8” forward averaged 17.5 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.9 assists.
An Exhibit 10 contract provides players with an invitation to training camp and a guarantee of up to $50K if they are waived and later stay with the team’s affiliate in the G League for at least 60 days.
Western Notes: Wood, Beasley, Pelicans, Suns Arena
Christian Wood made an impressive preseason debut for the Rockets after missing three games with a sore elbow, Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle writes. Wood racked up 27 points with 10 rebounds in just 24 minutes. Wood was acquired in a sign-and-trade from the Pistons after agreeing to a three-year, $41MM contract. “It’s one game. It’s preseason. But I left it all out there,” he said. “I felt like I was playing hard. We just have to keep it up.”
We have more from the Western Conference:
- Malik Beasley should be available for the Timberwolves’ regular-season opener on Wednesday despite his impending court case, Darren Wolfson of KSTP tweets. A court hearing scheduled for this week has been moved to next week and it doesn’t appear the NBA will take any action until the case is settled, Wolfson adds. Beasley faces a pair of felony charges related to a late September arrest for drug possession and threats of violence.
- The Pelicans will allow approximately 750 fans at home games as the start of the season, the team announced in a press release. Fans will not be allowed to sit within 30 feet of the court. In addition, a limited number of tickets to satisfy player, team and other required NBA obligations was also approved.
- The Suns have completed 80 percent of their renovations to their arena, according to Kellan Olson of the Arizona Republic. The franchise will able to finish the renovations during the offseason and the building won’t have be to closed next summer, as previously planned.
Nets Claim Paul Eboua Off Waivers
The Nets have claimed forward Paul Eboua off waivers, Alex Schiffer of The Athletic tweets. The Heat waived Eboua on Wednesday.
Eboua had been in the running for one of Miami’s two-way deals. He was previously a member of Italian club Victoria Libertas and declared for the draft as an early entrant in the spring.
A number of teams reportedly expressed interest in Eboua before he signed a camp deal with the Heat. While Eboua chose the Heat at the time, Miami’s G League club in Sioux Falls isn’t expected to participate in the NBAGL’s proposed Atlanta bubble.
The 6’8″ Eboua, 20, will likely to wind up with the Nets’ G League team in Long Island, according to NetsDaily.com. He averaged 7.4 PPG and 5.3 RPG in 21.6 MPG last season.
Jazz Waive Trevon Bluiett, Three Others
The Jazz have waived guard Trevon Bluiett and three undrafted rookies — center Romaro Gill, forward Tre Scott and guard Jake Toolson — according to a team press release.
Utah needed to make room on its 20-man roster for two new additions, guard Yogi Ferrell and forward Malcolm Miller.
Some or all of the players let go on Friday could wind up with the Jazz’s G League club in Salt Lake City if they clear waivers.
Bluiett appeared in 41 games with the Salt Lake City Stars last season, averaging 14.9 PPG, 3.4 RPG and 2.5 APG in 29.3 MPG.
Gill, an undrafted rookie out of Seton Hall, posted averages of 7.8 PPG, 5.6 RPG and 3.2 BPG in 30 games last season.
Scott was a four-year player at Cincinnati and averaged 11.4 PPG and 10.5 RPG in 33.7 MPG for the Bearcats last season.
Toolson spent two seasons at BYU before transferring to Utah Valley and then back to BYU last season. He averaged 15.2 PPG, 4.8 RPG and 3.9 APG as a senior.
Jazz Sign Malcolm Miller To Exhibit 10 Contract
6:03pm: The signing is official, according to a team press release.
12:06pm: The Jazz are signing free agent forward Malcolm Miller to an Exhibit 10 contract, a source tells Blake Murphy of The Athletic (Twitter link).
Miller, 27, spent most of the last three seasons with the Raptors, initially on a two-way deal and later as part of the team’s 15-man roster. Although he flashed a little three-and-D potential, Miller never established himself as a regular rotation player in Toronto, appearing in just 53 games across three years.
He averaged 2.0 PPG on .434/.406/.625 shooting in extremely limited playing time (6.7 MPG) at the NBA level. In 97 career G League contests (29.9 MPG), he has averaged 12.1 PPG with a .374 3PT%.
The Jazz currently have a full 20-man roster and have also reached a deal with Yogi Ferrell, so they have a number of transactions to complete, first to accommodate Ferrell and Miller, then to pare their roster down for the start of the regular season.
Miller is unlikely to make Utah’s regular season squad and could end up playing for the Salt Lake City Stars, the team’s G League affiliate.
Jazz Sign Yogi Ferrell
6:00pm: The signing is official, according to a team press release.
8:08 am: The Jazz have agreed to a deal with free agent guard Yogi Ferrell, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). Charania didn’t provide any additional details on the terms, so it’s not clear whether or not Ferrell will receive any guaranteed money, but it figures to be a minimum-salary contract.
Ferrell, 27, spent the last two seasons in Sacramento and saw his role reduced during his tenure with the Kings. Last season, he averaged just 4.4 PPG and 1.4 APG in 50 games (10.6 MPG). He played a more prominent role earlier in his career in Dallas, averaging a career-best 10.2 PPG and 2.5 APG in 2017/18.
The Jazz currently have a full 20-man training camp roster, so they’ll need to make a cut before officially finalizing their deal with Ferrell.
Utah is only carrying 11 players on fully guaranteed contracts, but Shaquille Harrison, Juwan Morgan, and Miye Oni look like good bets to make the team on non-guaranteed deals. For Ferrell to make the regular season roster, he’d either have to beat out one of those three players or count on the Jazz – who are slightly over the tax line – to retain a 15th man to start the year.
Atlantic Notes: Simmons, Rivers, Harris, Oakley, Dotson
Doc Rivers has talked to Ben Simmons about the trade rumors surrounding the point guard but the Sixers coach wouldn’t reveal any details, Rich Hofmann of The Athletic tweets. Simmons has been mentioned prominently as the centerpiece of any package for the Rockets’ disgruntled star, James Harden, if Philadelphia pursues that avenue. “I can tell you that none of this started from us,” Rivers said. “I gave Ben a call (Thursday) night but I’m not going to share what we said. It’s unfortunate, but it’s part of the business.”
We have more from the Atlantic Division:
- Joe Harris signed a four-year, $72MM contract in free agency but the Nets swingman isn’t guaranteed of having a bigger role, Mollie Walker of The New York Post writes. Harris averaged a career-best 14.5 PPG last season but that’s likely to drop with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving being the main options. “Obviously, right now, those guys are our focal point offensively,” Harris said. “That’s how we’re going to play our best basketball. That’s how we’re going to be most productive. I think, kind of across the board, a lot of other guys are going to have to adapt.”
- Charles Oakley wants to add Knicks owner James Dolan as a defendant to his assault and battery lawsuit against Madison Square Garden, Daniel Kaplan of The Athletic reports. The former Knicks player was forcibly removed, arrested and banned from MSG in 2017. Previously, Oakley contended Dolan had ordered his removal. He is now alleging Dolan ordered the so-called assault. The federal Second Circuit Court of Appeals reinstated the assault and battery claims in November after a lower court had thrown out the lawsuit’s 10 original claims, Kaplan adds.
- Damyean Dotson wasn’t surprised the Knicks failed to make him an offer in free agency, according to Marc Berman of the New York Post. Dotson wound up signing a two-year deal with the Cavaliers, though only the first year is guaranteed. “It’s a whole new staff, management, coaches,” Dotson said. “The guys that drafted me, Phil Jackson, has been gone three years now. It’s a new wave. It wasn’t surprising.’’
2020/21 NBA Over/Unders: Southeast Division
The 2020/21 NBA regular season will get underway on December 22, so it’s time to get serious about predictions for the upcoming campaign.
With the help of the lines from a handful of sports betting sites, including Bovada and BetOnline, we’re running through the predicted win totals for each of the NBA’s 30 teams, by division. In a series of team-by-team polls, you’ll get the chance to weigh in on whether you think those forecasts are too optimistic or too pessimistic.
Of course, there are plenty of wild cards to take into account this season. For one, teams are scheduled to play 72 games instead of 82, so if you’re picking a team to win 41 games, you’re not just expecting them to be a .500 club — you’re projecting them to finish 10 games above .500. For each team’s over/under below, we’ve noted the record they’d have to achieve to finish “over” their projection, as a reminder.
It’s also worth noting that the coronavirus pandemic could cause some games to be canceled in 2020/21. We don’t want you to have to take possible cancellations into account when making your picks though, so don’t let that stop you from taking the “over.” If a team has a couple games canceled, we’ll adjust their over/under figure downward, so you’re essentially just projecting that team’s winning percentage.
We’ll turn today to the Southeast…
Miami Heat
- 2019/20 record: 44-29
- Over/under for 2020/21: 44.5 wins (45-27)
- Major offseason moves:
- Added: Avery Bradley, Maurice Harkless, Precious Achiuwa
- Lost: Jae Crowder, Derrick Jones, Solomon Hill
How many games will the Heat win in 2020/21?
-
Over 44.5 68% (333)
-
Under 44.5 32% (160)
Total votes: 493
Trade Rumors app users, click here for Heat poll.
Atlanta Hawks
- 2019/20 record: 20-47
- Over/under for 2020/21: 36.5 wins (37-35)
- Major offseason moves:
How many games will the Hawks win in 2020/21?
-
Over 36.5 58% (296)
-
Under 36.5 42% (214)
Total votes: 510
Trade Rumors app users, click here for Hawks poll.
Washington Wizards
- 2019/20 record: 25-47
- Over/under for 2020/21: 34.5 wins (35-37)
- Major offseason moves:
How many games will the Wizards win in 2020/21?
-
Under 34.5 51% (253)
-
Over 34.5 49% (246)
Total votes: 499
Trade Rumors app users, click here for Wizards poll.
Orlando Magic
- 2019/20 record: 33-40
- Over/under for 2020/21: 31.5 wins (32-40)
- Major offseason moves:
- Added: Cole Anthony, Chuma Okeke, Dwayne Bacon
- Lost: D.J. Augustin, Wesley Iwundu, Melvin Frazier
- Note: Jonathan Isaac will be out for the season due to a torn ACL.
How many games will the Magic win in 2020/21?
-
Under 31.5 73% (327)
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Over 31.5 27% (118)
Total votes: 445
Trade Rumors app users, click here for Magic poll.
Charlotte Hornets
- 2019/20 record: 23-42
- Over/under for 2020/21: 26.5 wins (27-45)
- Major offseason moves:
- Added: Gordon Hayward, LaMelo Ball, Vernon Carey, Nick Richards
- Lost: Nicolas Batum, Dwayne Bacon, Willy Hernangomez
How many games will the Hornets win in 2020/21?
-
Over 26.5 56% (255)
-
Under 26.5 44% (198)
Total votes: 453
Trade Rumors app users, click here for Hornets poll.
Previous voting results:
- Boston Celtics (45.5 wins): Over (66.3%)
- Brooklyn Nets (45.5 wins): Over (58.6%)
- Philadelphia 76ers (44.5 wins): Over (57.4%)
- Toronto Raptors (42.5 wins): Over (54.7%)
- New York Knicks (22.5 wins): Under (59.5%)
- Denver Nuggets (44.5 wins): Over (69.7%)
- Utah Jazz (42.5 wins): Over (59.9%)
- Portland Trail Blazers (41.5 wins): Over (70.1%)
- Minnesota Timberwolves (29.5 wins): Under (50.3%)
- Oklahoma City Thunder (22.5 wins): Under (64.4%)
- Milwaukee Bucks (51.5 wins): Over (73.7%)
- Indiana Pacers (39.5 wins): Over (57.9%)
- Chicago Bulls (29.5 wins): Under (61.6%)
- Cleveland Cavaliers (23.5 wins): Under (68.5%)
- Detroit Pistons (22.5 wins): Over (53.9%)
- Los Angeles Lakers (48.5 wins): Over (79.1%)
- Los Angeles Clippers (47.5 wins): Under (50.4%)
- Phoenix Suns (40.5 wins): Over (51.0%)
- Golden State Warriors (38.5 wins): Over (60.3%)
- Sacramento Kings (29.5 wins): Under (60.7%)