Warriors Notes: Wiseman, Curry, Poole, Kerr
James Wiseman could be a difference-maker as the Warriors try to reach the playoffs, but head coach Steve Kerr won’t “force the issue” when it comes to playing time for the rookie center, writes Nick Friedell of ESPN.
Wiseman, the second pick in last year’s draft, is averaging 11.4 points and 5.8 rebounds per game, but he hasn’t provided the consistent production that Golden State was hoping for. He saw just 18 minutes in Sunday’s loss to the Hawks, and Kerr indicated his playing time moving forward will depend on his performance.
“I think development also includes observation from the sidelines, earning time, earning minutes,” Kerr said. “If there are mistakes made in the previous game, let’s work on those mistakes. And if we correct those then we get more playing time; if we don’t correct them then we get less playing time. So it can’t just be throw him out there and let him go for 30 minutes because frankly he’s not ready for that.”
Kerr expressed confidence that Wiseman will eventually reach his potential, but said he needs to take part in summer league and training camp before that can happen. Last year’s summer league was canceled due to COVID-19 concerns, and Wiseman missed most of training camp because he was in the NBA’s health and safety protocols.
There’s more on the Warriors:
- Stephen Curry admitted the team had much higher expectations than battling to reach a play-in game, Friedell adds in a separate story. Curry’s return after missing most of last season with an injury was supposed to make the Warriors a contender again, but they’re clinging to 10th place after losing seven of their last eight games. “I hope it stings. I hope it’s uncomfortable,” Curry said after the latest loss. “I hope it motivates you to keep grinding, challenging yourself to get better. I hope nobody is content just being in this middle-of-the-road situation.”
- Jordan Poole quickly won Draymond Green‘s respect by standing up to him in practice last year, according to Kendra Andrews of NBC Sports Bay Area. The second-year guard has raised his numbers across the board this season and appears to be part of the Warriors’ core for the future.
- This season is Kerr’s biggest challenge since becoming a head coach, writes Connor Letourneau of The San Francisco Chronicle. Kerr inherited a team that was loaded with talent when he took the job in 2014 and has never had to focus on player development while trying to reach the playoffs.
Hoops Rumors Chat Transcript: 4/6/2021
Our weekly live chat takes place every Tuesday at noon central time (1:00pm ET).
Click here for today’s chat transcript and join us on Tuesday, April 13 for the next one!
Marcus Bagley Among Prospects Entering 2021 Draft
Arizona State forward Marcus Bagley has decided to declare for the 2021 NBA draft while maintaining his college eligibility, he tells ESPN’s Jonathan Givony.
Bagley, the younger brother of Kings big man Marvin Bagley III, currently ranks 27th overall on ESPN’s big board of 2021 prospects. He missed a portion of his freshman season due to COVID-related interruptions and ankle and calf injuries, but showed enough in 12 games to make him a potential first-round pick.
The 19-year-old averaged 10.8 PPG and 6.2 RPG while shooting 34.7% from beyond the arc in 29.2 minutes per contest during his first – and possibly only – college season.
Bagley is one of many early entrants who has declared for the draft in recent days. Here are some others:
Expected to go pro:
- RaiQuan Gray, F, Florida State (junior) (link via Twitter)
- Scottie Lewis, G, Florida (sophomore) (link via Instagram)
- RJ Nembhard, G, TCU (junior) (link via Twitter)
- DJ Steward, G, Duke (freshman) (link via Duke)
Testing the draft waters:
- Jermaine Couisnard, G, South Carolina (sophomore) (link via Instagram)
- Antonio Reeves, G, Illinois State (sophomore) (link via Twitter)
- Malachi Smith, G, Chattanooga (sophomore) (link via The Chattanooga Times Free Press)
- D.J. Stewart, G, Mississippi State (sophomore) (link via Twitter)
Nets’ Johnson Likely Out 2-3 Weeks, Harden Still Bothered By Hamstring
Prior to Monday’s game vs. the Knicks, the Nets announced that guard Tyler Johnson will require a “period of rehabilitation and strengthening” to address the soreness in his right knee, as Brian Lewis of The New York Post relays (via Twitter).
The club didn’t offer a specific timeline for Johnson’s recovery, indicating in its announcement that updates on his status would be provided as appropriate. However, speaking later to reporters, head coach Steve Nash suggested that it would likely be a “two-or-three week thing” (Twitter link via Lewis).
Johnson has been a reliable rotation player for Brooklyn this season, averaging 16.8 minutes per contest in 31 games. However, he’s obviously not nearly as crucial to the team’s ongoing success as James Harden, who is dealing with a leg injury of his own.
After missing two games due to right hamstring tightness, Harden returned to action on Monday night, but only played four minutes before experiencing discomfort in the same hamstring and leaving the game, per Malika Andrews of ESPN.
As Lewis writes for The New York Post, Nash said that a pregame scan on Harden’s hamstring was clean and that his strength tests were normal, so there’s no indication that there’s any structural damage. For now, Harden is considered day-to-day — after the game, Nash expressed uncertainty about whether the former MVP would have to miss much time.
“This may linger. It may be all behind us like we thought it was before the game,” Nash said. “But it’s just one of those things where the scan is clean, the strength tests are clean, but he feels something, so we’re going to err on the side of caution.”
The banged-up Nets are also missing guards Landry Shamet, who is day-to-day with an ankle injury, and Spencer Dinwiddie, who is expected to be sidelined for the rest of the season while recovering from ACL surgery.
On the plus side, star forward Kevin Durant, who has been out since February 13 with a hamstring injury of his own, is reportedly close to a return. And even while battling the injury bug, Brooklyn keeps winning. The team is currently 35-16, a half-game ahead of Philadelphia for the top seed in the East.
Magic Sign Devin Cannady To 10-Day Contract
Free agent guard Devin Cannady has signed a 10-day deal with the Magic, agent Jared Mucha of Excel Sports tells ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link). The club has issued a press release announcing the move.
Cannady, 24, went undrafted out of Princeton in 2019 and has spent the last two seasons in the G League. After playing for the Long Island Nets as a rookie, he joined the Magic for training camp in December, then suited up for Orlando’s G League affiliate, the Lakeland Magic, during the 2020/21 “bubble” season.
Cannady’s regular season numbers in 13 games (25.8 MPG) for Lakeland were relatively modest, as he averaged 11.7 PPG, 2.8 RPG, and 2.7 APG. However, he knocked down 40% of his three-point attempts and played a key part in the Magic’s postseason run, scoring 22 points in the team’s NBAGL championship win to earn Finals MVP honors.
The Magic had an open spot on their 15-man roster, so no corresponding move was required to make room for Cannady. He’ll earn $61,528 during his 10 days with Orlando and should get a chance to make his NBA regular season debut sometime in the next week-and-a-half.
Bucks Notes: Holiday, Portis, Ham
Jrue Holiday‘s contract extension includes $4.1MM in bonuses currently deemed likely and $20.9MM in unlikely bonuses, Eric Nehm of The Athletic reports. The guaranteed salary adds up to roughly $135MM through the 2024/25 season.
The contract includes a player option in the fourth and final season. He received a 20% raise from his $25.1MM base salary this season. From there, the extension gives him an 8% raises on his first-year base salary.
With Holiday locked up along with Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton, it will be nearly impossible for the Bucks to create cap space to sign significant free agents. Instead, they will have to using cap exceptions and offer minimum contracts, Nehm adds.
We have more on the Bucks:
- Holiday’s contract will make it nearly impossible to retain Bobby Portis, John Hollinger of The Athletic writes. Portis has a $3.8MM option on his contract for next season and is likely to opt out. Milwaukee won’t have access to its full mid-level exception next year and that will remain the case should the front office extend Donte DiVincenzo close to his market rate, Hollinger adds.
- Holiday already feels like a part of the Bucks’ family and didn’t have to be persuaded to sign the extension, according to an ESPN story. “I’m really not the type to be wooed and all that,” he said. “I don’t need to be courted or whatever, but it felt good to be appreciated. It felt good to be wanted.”
- Darvin Ham had discussions with Texas Tech, his alma mater, about its head coaching position but opted to stay on Milwaukee’s staff, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN tweets. Ham plans to stay in the NBA and pursue a head coaching job. He was a finalist for the Pacers’ head coaching job last fall and also interviewed for the Clippers’ head coaching position.
Clippers Notes: Rondo, George, Cousins, Zubac, Kennard
Rajon Rondo will try to maximize the production of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George when he’s on the court for the Clippers, Mark Medina of USA Today writes. “I’ll try to get our two main guys the ball in a lot easier spots as far as them not having to work so hard to get the ball against a set defense,” Rondo said. “If we’re able to create the stops and get out on the break, it’s my job to advance the ball and let those guys attack one-on-one before the defense gets set.” Rondo has already noted opponent tendencies that his teammates have found helpful, Medina adds.
We have more on the Clippers:
- George has no issue with Rondo jumping right in as a team leader and sage voice, according to Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN. “Rondo’s a leader, you know the point guard, he’s a leader,” George said. “We’re going to listen to him. I look at him as a leader, a leader of this group. He’ll hold a lot of weight. He holds a lot of weight in the locker room. As he gets more comfortable within our system, getting games under his feet, he’ll hold us accountable.”
- DeMarcus Cousins‘ 10-day contract will pay him $175,668, with $110,998 counting toward the cap, ESPN’s Bobby Marks tweets. Cousins was officially signed on Monday to provide frontcourt depth with Serge Ibaka currently out due to a back injury.
- A couple of tweaks could help both the starting lineup and second unit. A Western Conference scout told the Los Angeles Times’ Dan Woike the team should keep Ivica Zubac in the starting lineup, even when Ibaka returns. A executive within the conference believes the coaching staff should unleash Luke Kennard as the primary second-unit point guard.
Rockets Claim DaQuan Jeffries
7:29pm: The Rockets have officially claimed Jeffries, according to a team press release.
4:28pm: The Rockets will claim former Kings forward DaQuan Jeffries off waivers, Shams Charania of The Athletic tweets.
Jeffries, a 23-year-old shooting guard, is under contract through next season. He was placed on waivers Saturday by Sacramento.
The Rockets had an open roster spot after waiving Ben McLemore.
Jeffries signed a two-year, $3MM contract in November which included a $1.7MM team option on the second season. Houston can take a look at Jeffries the rest of this season and see if it wants to exercise that option.
Jeffries missed time this season due to a Grade 3 ankle injury and fell out of Sacramento’s rotation. He averaged 3.1 PPG and 1.6 RPG across 17 games for the Kings this season after appearing in 13 games as a rookie on a two-way contract last season.
He had a season-high 18 points against Milwaukee on February.
Malik Beasley To Miss 4-6 Weeks With Injured Hamstring
Timberwolves guard Malik Beasley will miss the next four-to-six weeks due to a Grade 3 left hamstring injury, The Athletic’s Shams Charania tweets.
Beasley played 29 minutes against Memphis on Friday, then missed Minnesota’s game against Philadelphia on Saturday for what was initially described as a minor hamstring injury. The injury turned out to be much more severe after an MRI was conducted, according to a team press release. He’ll be re-evaluated in three weeks, the release adds.
Beasley is averaging 19.6 PPG, 4.4 RPG and 2.4 APG while making 39.9% of his 3-point attempts. He re-signed with Minnesota on a four-year, $60MM contract in November as a restricted free agent.
With Minnesota wrapping up its schedule on May 16, it sounds like Beasley’s season could be over.
The news of Beasley being sidelined coincides with the return of backcourt partner D’Angelo Russell, who will play on Monday after missing 26 games due to a knee injury.
Clippers Sign DeMarcus Cousins To 10-Day Deal
APRIL 5: The signing is official, according to a team press release.
APRIL 4: The Clippers will add Cousins this week, provided he clears COVID-19 protocols, Charania tweets.
MARCH 31: The Clippers plan to sign free agent center DeMarcus Cousins, pending clearance of the NBA’s health and safety protocols, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). Sources tell Charania that Cousins is in Los Angeles and is beginning to go through the testing protocols (Twitter link).
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski first reported (via Twitter) that Cousins and the Clippers were discussing a 10-day contract, adding that a decision isn’t expected to be finalized until next week.
Los Angeles is currently carrying just 13 players on standard contracts, and the NBA’s required minimum is 14. However, the league allows teams to dip below that minimum for up to two weeks at a time, and the Clippers don’t have to add a 14th man until next Monday, so they may use that full two-week window before officially signing Cousins.
Cousins, 30, began the season with the Rockets after missing all of 2019/20 due to an ACL tear. The four-time All-Star didn’t exactly look like his old explosive self in Houston, averaging 9.6 PPG and 7.6 RPG on just 37.6% shooting in 25 games (20.2 MPG). He also wasn’t particularly mobile on defense. The Rockets ultimately decided to part ways with the veteran center, releasing him last month.
Still, Cousins has some remaining upside as last year’s ACL surgery moves further into his rear view, and the Clippers are in need of a third center behind Serge Ibaka and Ivica Zubac, as Wojnarowski tweets.
It doesn’t hurt that Cousins has long-standing relationships with a handful of Clippers players, including former teammates Rajon Rondo (Kings, Pelicans, Lakers) and Patrick Patterson (Kentucky, Kings), notes Charania (Twitter link).
Assuming Cousins and the Clippers officially finalize a 10-day deal, it’ll pay him nearly $176K, with the Clippers taking on a $111K cap hit. Cousins would be able to sign up to two 10-day contracts with L.A. before the team would have to either let him go or sign him to a rest-of-season deal.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.