Coronavirus Notes: Referees, Vaccine, S. Brown
NBA players, coaches, and team personnel aren’t the only ones dealing with the league’s new coronavirus protocols this season. As Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press writes, referees will be tested daily and will have to comply with new league rules related to indoor gatherings.
The NBA is also looking to reduce referees’ travel, Reynolds adds. While the league usually makes an effort to avoid having the same referee(s) work a particular team’s games more than once every few weeks, that may not be the case in 2020/21.
“Obviously, we won’t be able to eliminate all travel,” NBA VP Monty McCutchen said. “As much as we would like to, that won’t be possible. But just like the league took into consideration many scheduling issues for the teams to significantly reduce travel, we’re going to look at as many possibilities on a one-year basis to reduce travel so we can effectively serve the game while still living in this pandemic.”
Here are a few more updates related to COVID-19:
- The league office is working on establishing a policy for the use of coronavirus vaccines around the NBA, according to Brian Windhorst of ESPN, who says the league wants to make sure its players are educated about vaccine choices, possible side effects, and efficacy. Timing will also be an important issue — the league is also wary of the perception of “jumping the line” ahead of higher-risk segments of the population, and recognizes that competitive balance concerns could arise if certain teams and players are vaccinated before others.
- In an interesting story for Yahoo Sports, Vincent Goodwill takes a look at how coaches around the NBA are preparing to work around the coronavirus this season and how they’ll try to ensure their players are all following the league’s protocols. “You try to put the fear of God into them,” one coach told Goodwill.
- Newly-added Rockets wing Sterling Brown had yet to practice with the team as of Wednesday due to COVID-19 protocols, head coach Stephen Silas said (Twitter link via Tim MacMahon of ESPN). Due to the delay, I wouldn’t expect Brown to be ready to go when Houston tips off its preseason schedule on Friday night.
Southeast Notes: Monk, Heat, Fultz, Bamba, Zeller
Hornets guard Malik Monk, who tested positive for the coronavirus, has now received medical clearance and could begin practicing with the team as soon as this weekend, writes Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer.
According to Bonnell, Monk was scheduled to conduct individual workouts on Thursday and Friday. Hornets head coach James Borrego said that the former lottery pick should be able to participate in group workouts on Saturday and there’s still a chance he could play in the club’s second preseason game on Monday.
Here’s more from around the Southeast:
- Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald, who says the Heat are expected to at least kick the tires on the possibility of a James Harden trade, examines what the team’s best possible offer for the Rockets star might look like. Removing the protections on the 2023 first-round pick previously sent to Oklahoma City would be important, Jackson notes, since it would allow Miami to move its ’25 and ’27 first-rounders without violating the Stepien rule.
- Josh Robbins of The Athletic explains why the Magic remain bullish on Markelle Fultz‘s upside and says there’s “no doubt whatsoever” that the team will exercise its fourth-year option for 2021/22 on Mohamed Bamba this month.
- Although Hornets fans view Terry Rozier and Cody Zeller as potential trade candidates, Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer suggests in a mailbag that the odds of either players being dealt in the next few months aren’t particularly high. Of the two, Zeller is probably more likely to be moved in 2020/21, Bonnell adds.
Mavericks Waive J.J. Barea
DECEMBER 10: The Mavericks have officially waived Barea, the team announced in a press release.
Speaking to reporters earlier in the day, general manager Donnie Nelson called it a “sad day in Mavs-ville,” referring to Barea as the longtime “heart and soul” of the club (Twitter link via Callie Caplan of The Dallas Morning News).
DECEMBER 9: Long-time Mavericks reserve point guard J.J. Barea will be waived by Dallas tomorrow, sources tell Tim MacMahon of ESPN.
MacMahon reports that team owner Marc Cuban was aware the Mavericks would most likely release Barea after inking him to a one-year, $2.56MM veteran’s minimum contract last month, but desired to extend him an offer as a reward for the 5’10” Barea’s 11-year tenure with Dallas.
The 36-year-old Barea will now look for a new home in the league, per MacMahon. MacMahon also notes that Cuban hopes to find an organizational position for Barea once his playing career concludes. The Mavericks had 16 players on guaranteed contracts for their 15-man regular season roster, and waiving Barea made the most basketball sense, per Bobby Marks of ESPN (via Twitter).
Between the younger Jalen Brunson and Trey Burke, the Mavericks clearly felt secure enough in their backup point guard rotation behind All-Star lead ball handler Luka Dončić. Just last week, Rick Carlisle cited Barea’s locker room leadership as the club’s motivation to bring him back.
Last season for Dallas, Barea averaged 7.7 PPG and 3.9 APG in 15.5 MPG across 29 regular-season games. The 2019/20 season marked Barea’s return from a torn Achilles tendon incurred in January 2019.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Pacers’ Warren, Bowen Sidelined With Injuries
The Pacers announced today in a press release that forward T.J. Warren is being considered week-to-week due to right foot plantar fasciitis.
Warren, one of the stars of the NBA’s Walt Disney World bubble during the summer restart, was also being affected by plantar fasciitis in his right foot at that time. The fact that it continues to bother him isn’t a great sign. However, after he was able to play through the injury over the summer, the Pacers may simply be playing it safe this time around in an attempt to ensure it doesn’t become a longer-term issue.
Meanwhile, the Pacers also announced in today’s release that small forward Brian Bowen II will miss approximately six to eight weeks as a result of a partial groin tear.
Bowen didn’t project to be a regular part of Indiana’s rotation this season after having signed a two-way contract in November. However, his injury will still reduce the team’s depth on the wing with the regular season around the corner.
On the positive side, as a two-way player, Bowen would have been limited to 50 regular season games in 2020/21 anyway. If he’s sidelined for a full eight weeks, the Pacers will have just 49 games remaining in their season when he returns, meaning they won’t have to worry about those limitations for Bowen down the stretch.
Clippers Sign Paul George To Four-Year Max Extension
The Clippers and Paul George have completed an extension that will keep the star forward under contract for four additional years beyond 2020/21, agent Aaron Mintz tells ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. The Clippers have officially announced George’s new deal.
The four-year extension – which will go into effect in 2021/22, replacing George’s current player option – will be worth the maximum salary and will include a new player option for the ’24/25 season, according to Wojnarowski.
The four-year extension projects to be worth approximately $176.3MM, assuming a 3% salary cap increase for next season. After earning about $35.5MM in 2020/21, George would receive a projected $39.3MM in the first year of his new deal, with 8% annual raises from there. The final-year player option would be worth $48.8MM. Those figures would all be a little higher if the cap increases by more than 3%.
“This is an important moment for our franchise and our fans, to secure a long-term commitment from one of the premier two-way players in the NBA,” Clippers president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank said in a statement. “We aspire to create a destination for players, an environment where they can succeed and enjoy their success. We’re delighted by Paul’s pride in representing Clippers fans, honored that he trusts the organization with this chapter of his career, and share in his relentless pursuit of championships.”
Although George only joined the Clippers in 2019, he was eligible to sign a veteran contract extension because it has been more than two years since he signed his current contract with the Thunder.
The move comes on the heels of George telling reporters that he’d like to retire as a Clipper. This doesn’t necessarily assure him of that — he could be traded before 2025, and even if he plays out his full contract with the Clippers, he’ll be 35 years old when it expires, so he could sign elsewhere at that point to continue his career.
Still, the extension means that George – like LeBron James, who also recently completed an extension – will no longer have the opportunity to become a free agent in 2021. His teammate Kawhi Leonard can still opt out next year and will be ineligible to sign an extension before then, but there has been no indication that the two-time Finals MVP plans to leave Los Angeles. The Clippers appear fully committed to continuing to build around the Leonard/George duo.
[RELATED: 2020/21 NBA Contract Extension Tracker]
George averaged 21.5 PPG and 5.7 RPG in 48 regular season games in his first season as a Clipper in 2019/20. Those numbers were his lowest in five years, but he was also coming off shoulder surgery and was limited to 29.6 minutes per contest, his lowest-full season average since his rookie year. He’s believed to be 100% healthy this year and will look to recapture the form that made him a six-time All-Star and five-time All-NBA player.
As a result of signing a new contract that exceeds the extend-and-trade limits, George will be ineligible to be traded during the 2020/21 regular season, notes ESPN’s Bobby Marks (via Twitter).
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
And-Ones: Jersey Ads, Magette, Sixers, Thunder, Rookies
The NBA’s jersey advertisement patch program, which was launched in 2017 and became permanent in 2019, will be more important than ever as a revenue stream for teams at a time when most of the league’s clubs aren’t selling tickets to games, writes Bill Shea of The Athletic. A number of teams that originally agreed to three-year deals with sponsors in ’17 are either re-upping those contracts or reaching deals with new sponsors in 2020.
“What’s held up the best (in the pandemic) are assets where the value is heavily driven by broadcast and digital media,” said Matt Wolf, a senior VP in the NBA’s team marketing and business operations department. “Things like the jersey patches have held up really well.”
Finding steady sources of revenue to rely on will be a greater challenge than usual in 2020/21, prompting the NBA to give its teams a stimulus of $30MM apiece in order to protect against liquidity issues, according to John Lombardo of Sports Business Journal (hat tip to ESPN). That $900MM was raised from notes issued by the NBA in the private placement market, according to the Sports Business Journal report, which indicates that those notes will eventually be paid back with interest.
Here are more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- Former NBA guard Josh Magette has signed with Turkish club Darussafaka, the team announced in a press release. Magette, who appeared in 26 games for Atlanta and Orlando between 2017 and 2020, was waived by the Magic in January.
- Bobby Marks of ESPN (Twitter link) provides some additional details on the Al Horford/Danny Green trade, reporting that the $2MM sent from the Sixers to the Thunder in the deal will actually convey in 2027, and only if Philadelphia’s first-round pick has been protected in 2025, 2026, and 2027. That money still counts toward the 76ers’ traded cash limit for this season, however.
- In an Insider-only story for ESPN.com, Mike Schmitz identifies the six 2020 rookies he believes have the best chance of cracking ESPN’s list of top 100 players a year from now. Schmitz’s picks include top-five draftees Anthony Edwards, LaMelo Ball, and Isaac Okoro, along with later lottery picks Obi Toppin, Deni Avdija, and Tyrese Haliburton.
Eight New Players Test Positive For COVID-19 Since Dec. 2
The NBA and the National Basketball Players Association announced today that eight new players have returned positive tests for the coronavirus since their last update on December 2.
The league and the players’ union announced last Wednesday that 48 players has tested positive for COVID-19 during the initial round of testing prior to training camp from November 24-30.
This week’s update represents a step in the right direction, though without a bubble in place to essentially eliminate the spread of the virus, it’s a safe bet that positive tests will continue to be reported in the coming weeks, especially with teams starting to travel to other markets for preseason games this weekend.
[RELATED: NBA Not Setting Specific Rules For When To Postpone, Cancel Games]
The players who have returned confirmed positive tests are isolating themselves until they receive clearance based on the rules and guidelines that have been established by the NBA.
Nets Notes: Durant, G League, Dinwiddie
As he prepares to make his debut for the Nets, nearly 18 months after joining with the team, Kevin Durant expects to be asked to play a few different positions, he told reporters on Wednesday. As Malika Andrew of ESPN writes, Durant will spend time playing frontcourt roles besides his old small forward spot.
“I think Coach (Steve Nash) is going to use me in a variety of ways, especially as a small-ball five and four sometimes,” Durant said. “And bringing the ball up, too, so I’ve just got to be ready for anything.”
Durant also said on Wednesday that he doesn’t have a set number of minutes in mind for the Nets’ preseason games as he makes his return from a torn Achilles. He’s just hoping to use those two exhibition contests as a measuring stick for what his body can handle, writes Andrews.
Here’s more on the Nets:
- Durant was asked about the James Harden trade rumors again on Wednesday and deflected them, saying he’s “very excited” about Brooklyn’s current roster. “I don’t think about James Harden at all,” the Nets’ star said, according to Adam Zagoria of Forbes. “I mean, he doesn’t play on our team.” Durant previously insinuated that reports of him and Harden talking about teaming up in Brooklyn were “made up.”
- The Nets are among the teams expected to opt in for the proposed G League bubble in Atlanta, tweets Zagoria. The Long Island Nets – Brooklyn’s affiliate – would be among the dozen-plus clubs likely to participate, Zagoria adds.
- Spencer Dinwiddie was mentioned in some offseason trade rumors, with Shams Charania of The Athletic reporting today that the Nets guard was among the players pursued by the Bucks. However, head coach Steve Nash sounds confident that Dinwiddie will remain in Brooklyn for the 2020/21 season, per Brian Lewis of The New York Post (Twitter link). “I’m heavy towards not trading Spencer Dinwiddie and the front office feels the same way,” Nash said.
Lakers Keeping Eye On Trevor Ariza
The Lakers are monitoring Trevor Ariza‘s situation and would have interest in signing him if he becomes a free agent, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic.
For now, Ariza – who is on an expiring contract – remains under contract with the Thunder, though he’s reportedly away from the team for family reasons. According to Charania, Ariza and veteran point guard George Hill, who is also drawing some interest around the league, are expected to open the regular season as members of the Thunder.
Oklahoma City entered full rebuilding mode this offseason and Ariza and Hill landed with the team in bigger trades that were more about other assets (draft picks). However, it makes sense for the Thunder to retain Ariza and Hill – along with fellow veteran Al Horford – rather than simply cutting them, since the club may be able to move them for an asset or two later in 2020/21.
While Horford’s contract has negative value, Ariza and Hill are earning mid-level type money and neither has a fully guaranteed salary beyond this season, so they could make good trade candidates.
Adding another veteran three-and-D wing would help fortify the Lakers’ depth chart, but they aren’t in position to trade for Ariza’s $12.8MM expiring salary. The defending champions will only be in position to add Ariza if the Thunder can’t find a taker for the 35-year-old forward and decide to release him, perhaps with a buyout agreement.
The Lakers are right up against a hard cap and figure to start the season with just 14 players, but Quinn Cook‘s contract isn’t fully guaranteed and the team should be able to add a 15th man later in the season on a prorated veteran’s minimum contract.
Timberwolves, GM Scott Layden Part Ways
The Timberwolves and general manager Scott Layden have parted ways, sources tell Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic.
As Krawczynski writes, Layden – who was hired as Minnesota’s GM in 2016 when Tom Thibodeau was the team’s president of basketball operations – had one year left on his contract with the franchise, but the two sides decided it was the right time to go their separate ways.
Although Layden stuck with the Wolves following the hiring of Gersson Rosas as the team’s new president of basketball operations in 2019, his role was reportedly reduced last season, as he focused primarily on scouting and worked out of New York rather than Minnesota.
The logistical challenges posed by Layden not being based in the Twin Cities played a part in his departure, according to Krawczynski, who notes that the NBA’s coronavirus protocols would’ve made it tricky for the GM to travel back and forth to be around the team this season without going through isolation procedures each time.
Layden’s early exit will also save him and the team from negotiating to extend the end of his contract, which had been set to expire in April when the regular season would normally wrap up, says Krawczynski.
The Wolves recently added another respected voice to their front office, hiring Rudy Tomjanovich as a player personnel consultant.