D’Angelo Russell Ready To Return On Monday
Timberwolves guard D’Angelo Russell will return to the lineup on Monday against Sacramento, according to Shams Charania and Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic (Twitter link).
Russell last played on February 8, when he lasted just six minutes against the Mavericks before leaving with what was described as left leg soreness. He also missed a game due to right quad soreness.
Russell is averaging 19.3 PPG and 5.1 APG this season. After being drafted by the Lakers with the No. 2 pick in 2015, Russell was shipped to the Nets in the summer of 2017. He became an All-Star for Brooklyn in 2019 but wound up with the Warriors on a four-year, $117MM maximum contract sign-and-trade that summer.
He was traded last February, along with Jacob Evans and Omari Spellman, to Minnesota in exchange for Andrew Wiggins and two future draft picks.
Russell and Karl-Anthony Towns have only played five games together since the trade. Russell’s return gives Minnesota a chance to evaluate how Russell, Towns, and top pick Anthony Edwards blend together.
Knicks Sign John Henson To 10-Day Contract
4:01pm: The Knicks have officially signed Henson to a 10-day deal, the team confirmed today in a press release.
1:55pm: The Knicks are expected to fill the final open spot on their 15-man roster by signing big man John Henson to a 10-day contract, according to Steve Popper of Newsday (Twitter link).
Henson, 30, has a reputation as a defensive-minded center and a solid rim protector. The former 14th overall pick spent last season with the Cavaliers and Pistons, averaging 5.5 PPG, 4.1 RPG, and 1.1 BPG in 40 games (15.0 MPG). However, he hadn’t caught on with a new team since becoming a free agent in November.
Multiple reports in late March indicated that Norvel Pelle and Henson were among the top options the Knicks were considering as they sought additional frontcourt depth in the wake of Mitchell Robinson‘s foot injury. New York ended up signing Pelle on Friday, but apparently that won’t stop the club from adding Henson as well.
With 13 players on full-season contracts and Pelle and Henson on 10-days deals, the Knicks will be able to evaluate both centers and assess whether to commit to either one on a second 10-day contract and/or a rest-of-season agreement.
It’s not clear what stage of COVID-19 testing Henson is at, but he’ll have to clear the NBA’s protocols before officially signing with the Knicks. When the deal is finalized, it’ll pay him $158,907 for 10 days, with the team taking on a $110,998 cap charge.
Thunder Sign Jaylen Hoard To Two-Way Contract
A busy day of transactions in Oklahoma City continued this afternoon, as the Thunder announced in a press release that they’ve signed free agent forward Jaylen Hoard to a two-way contract.
Undrafted out of Wake Forest in 2019, Hoard spent his rookie season on a two-way deal with Portland, logging limited minutes in 13 games for the Trail Blazers. After reaching free agency in the fall, Hoard signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Thunder, who released him after gaining his NBA G League rights.
Hoard, who turned 22 last week, subsequently suited up for the Oklahoma City Blue at the Walt Disney World bubble in February and March, averaging 9.7 PPG and 4.9 RPG in 15 games (22.0 MPG) off the bench for the Thunder’s NBAGL affiliate.
The Thunder had an open two-way contract slot after promoting Moses Brown to the 15-man roster — Hoard will fill that opening, joining Josh Hall as Oklahoma City’s second two-way player.
The Thunder also made a change to their standard roster earlier today, waiving Justin Jackson and signing Justin Robinson to a 10-day deal.
Thunder Sign Justin Robinson To 10-Day Deal
2:42pm: The Thunder have made it official, announcing in a press release that they’ve signed Robinson to a 10-day contract.
1:37pm: The Thunder are signing free agent guard Justin Robinson to a 10-day contract, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).
Robinson, who went undrafted out of Virginia Tech in 2019, spent part of his rookie season with the Wizards, appearing in nine games at the NBA level in ’19/20. He saw more playing time in the G League with the Capital City Go-Go and – after he was waived by Washington – the Delaware Blue Coats, averaging 14.2 PPG and 5.5 APG in 33 total games (31.2 MPG).
Robinson rejoined the Blue Coats for the 2020/21 G League “bubble” season, recording 15.5 PPG and 5.9 APG on .389/.376/.629 shooting in 13 games (31.1 MPG). The 23-year-old was a full-time starter for a Delaware squad that made it to the NBAGL Finals.
Because the Thunder waived Justin Jackson earlier today, they have an open spot on their 15-man roster and won’t need to make another move to accommodate Robinson.
Robinson’s 10-day deal will pay him approximately $99K, with an identical cap hit. The Thunder remain well below the salary floor for 2020/21, so the contract won’t have any real impact on the club’s finances.
Hawks’ De’Andre Hunter Undergoes Non-Surgical Procedure
Hawks forward De’Andre Hunter underwent a non-surgical procedure at the Emory Sports Medicine Complex earlier today and will return to activity following three days of “unloading,” the team announced today in a press release.
Atlanta’s announcement is light on specifics, but it’s safe to assume the procedure relates to Hunter’s right knee. He underwent meniscus surgery in February and was experiencing some swelling and soreness upon his return. A PRP injection is a logical possibility, tweets Chris Vivlamore of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, though it’s worth noting that’s just informed speculation.
While the Hawks and Hunter certainly would’ve preferred to be able to avoid a follow-up procedure altogether, it doesn’t sound like this one was too serious. As Chris Kirschner of The Athletic tweets, head coach Nate McMillan said today that the procedure “absolutely” won’t keep Hunter sidelined for the rest of the season. We’ll have to wait for more details on his recovery timeline, but it could be a relatively short-term absence for the former lottery pick.
In 20 games so far this season (31.3 MPG), Hunter has averaged 16.0 PPG and 5.1 RPG on .502/.356/.867 shooting. Until he returns, the Hawks figure to lean more heavily on wings like Bogdan Bogdanovic, Kevin Huerter, Tony Snell, and Lou Williams.
Greg Monroe Hoping For NBA Opportunity
Veteran center Greg Monroe hasn’t appeared in an NBA game since the 2019 postseason, having played in Germany and Russia during the last two seasons. However, during an appearance on The Ringer’s Real Ones podcast with Raja Bell and Logan Murdock, Monroe said he has been working out in Miami for the past couple months in the hopes of earning another NBA opportunity.
“Obviously the last couple years I’ve been playing overseas. I’ve been watching the playoffs and not being a part of it, but right now I definitely am focused on trying to get on a team and make a run” Monroe said. “I’ve been focusing on the work. That’s what I can control.”
Monroe’s contract with BC Khimki in Moscow was terminated in January, with the team citing his “personal circumstances” as the reason for the move. Speaking to Bell and Murdock, the 30-year-old referenced “some difficulties on the business side” leading to the end of his stint in Russia.
In 2019/20, Monroe suited up for German club Bayern Munich. His last stint in the NBA came in ’18/19, when he spent time with a handful of Atlantic teams. Monroe started the season with Toronto and was traded to Brooklyn at the deadline. After being waived by the Nets, he signed a 10-day contract with Boston and eventually reached a rest-of-season deal with the Sixers. For the season, he averaged 5.3 PPG and 4.0 RPG in 43 games (11.2 MPG).
Monroe is more of a traditional low-post center who isn’t an outside threat on offense and has struggled when tasked with defending pick-and-rolls or switching onto perimeter players. He told Bell and Murdock during his Real Ones appearance that he has made an effort to modernize his game, adding that he can bring a handful of useful traits to an NBA team, including toughness, rebounding, leadership, and plenty of experience.
“I’m ready to come in and whatever role is there for me, I’m ready to accept it,” Monroe said. “I know what I bring to a team. I know the skills, the versatility that I bring. It’s just about getting an opportunity to showcase that, to show that my game has evolved and I’ve been working on my game to change it to fit more of the style now.”
Notable Veteran NBA Free Agents Still Available
In recent days, some of the NBA’s more noteworthy free agents have come off the board.
Isaiah Thomas signed a 10-day contract with the Pelicans; DeMarcus Cousins agreed to a 10-day deal with the Clippers; Rondae Hollis-Jefferson reached a rest-of-season agreement with the Trail Blazers.
However, even with those players no longer available, there are still several familiar veteran names on our list of free agents. And with a number of teams around the NBA in need of at least one more player, it’s possible that many of those veteran FAs are generating some interest.
Here’s a check-in on some of the more notable names on the market:
Point Guards:
The Pelicans opted for an offense-first player when they signed Thomas, but a team in need of a defensive point guard could look to Shaquille Harrison, who was waived in February by Utah.
Quinn Cook and Jalen Lecque are among the guards who were on NBA rosters for much of this season before being released, while Jeremy Lin and Gary Payton II are among those whose play in the G League bubble in the winter may have boosted their stock a little.
Brandon Knight is seeking an NBA comeback and reportedly worked out recently for the Bucks. Shabazz Napier, Emmanuel Mudiay, Yogi Ferrell, and Tim Frazier are among the other experienced options available.
Wings:
Veterans like J.R. Smith, Dion Waiters, Allen Crabbe, Jamal Crawford, Troy Daniels, Kyle Korver, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Lance Stephenson, Treveon Graham, and Courtney Lee haven’t been on an NBA roster since the season began. If they’re healthy and in game shape, they could be intriguing depth options.
However, teams may look first as players who have been in the NBA more recently. That list includes vets like Austin Rivers, Ben McLemore, Iman Shumpert, Glenn Robinson III, and Sindarius Thornwell, as well as young players such as DaQuan Jeffries, Justin Jackson, and Terrance Ferguson. McLemore, Jeffries, and Jackson remain on waivers, so they’ll need to go unclaimed this week to formally reach free agency.
Teams in need of instant offense on the bench may take a look at Jabari Parker or Allonzo Trier, while clubs seeking a defensive stopper could target Andre Roberson.
Big Men:
It’s a bit surprising that Dewayne Dedmon hasn’t been on an NBA roster since 2020 — if he’s healthy and in shape, he should draw some interest from teams in need of a backup center. John Henson, Anthony Tolliver, Noah Vonleh, Vincent Poirier, and Tyler Zeller are among the other options for clubs seeking veteran depth.
The big man market is, frankly, more intriguing for non-playoff teams looking to take a shot on a younger player. Thon Maker, Mfiondu Kabengele, Justin Patton (once he clears waivers), Skal Labissiere, Anzejs Pasecniks, Donta Hall, T.J. Leaf, Ray Spalding, Henry Ellenson, and Omari Spellman are among the many available 25-and-under players who have some NBA experience.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Thunder Release Justin Jackson
10:13am: The Thunder have officially waived Jackson, the team announced in a press release.
10:04am: The Thunder are waiving fourth-year forward Justin Jackson, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (via Twitter). The move will open up a spot on Oklahoma City’s 15-man roster to go along with the team’s open two-way contract slot.
Jackson, who turned 26 in March, has appeared in 33 games (16.5 MPG) for the Thunder this season, averaging 7.2 PPG and 2.2 RPG on .406/.306/.857 shooting.
The former 15th overall pick began his career in Sacramento in 2017 and also played for Dallas before arriving in OKC in the 2020 offseason along with Trevor Ariza as part of a three-team trade that sent Delon Wright to the Pistons and James Johnson to the Mavs.
With a $5,029,650 cap hit for 2020/21, Johnson had been the third highest-paid player on the Thunder’s active roster. Although Oklahoma City will remain on the hook for that money, the club won’t owe the forward anything beyond this season, since he had been on track for free agency.
Jackson would have been eligible to be a restricted free agent if he had played out his contract, but clearly wasn’t in the Thunder’s long-term plans and always seemed unlikely to receive a qualifying offer. He’ll instead reach the open market later this week as an unrestricted FA, and will be able to sign with any team except the Mavs.
Heat, Warriors, Raptors Among Teams Needing To Add 14th Man
As we detailed last week, a number of teams dipped below the NBA’s required minimum of 14 players (not counting two-way contracts) with their moves leading up to the trade deadline. Teams are only permitted to drop below 14 players for up to two weeks.
Since then, the Pelicans (Isaiah Thomas) and Knicks (Norvel Pelle) have added a 14th man to their respective rosters to get back up to that minimum, but a handful of teams still need to make roster moves this week.
[RELATED: 2020/21 NBA Roster Counts]
First up is the Clippers, who face a Monday deadline for signing a 14th man. By all accounts, that player will be DeMarcus Cousins, who has been going through the coronavirus protocols in advance of signing a 10-day contract with Los Angeles.
Like the Clippers, the Trail Blazers appear to have a 14th man lined up already, as word broke last Friday that they’ve struck a deal with free agent forward Rondae Hollis-Jefferson. That deal still isn’t official, but Portland has until Thursday to finalize it, so there’s plenty of time to get it done.
Three other teams face a Thursday deadline for filling one of the two current openings on their 15-man rosters — the Heat, Warriors, and Raptors all must sign a player by then.
All three of those teams have players on two-way contracts who could be candidates for promotions to the main roster, including Max Strus (Miami), Juan Toscano-Anderson (Golden State), Nico Mannion (Golden State), and Yuta Watanabe (Toronto). However, those clubs could also opt to bring in outside free agents and keep their two-way players where they are.
For the time being, the only other team to watch on this front is the Cavaliers. Since Quinn Cook‘s second 10-day contract expired last Wednesday night, Cleveland has been carrying just 13 players on standard deals. It doesn’t sound like the Cavs will re-sign Cook, but they’ll need to sign someone to fill his vacated roster spot — unlike the teams mentioned above though, Cleveland won’t need to add a 14th man until next week.
Western Notes: Towns, Powell, Paschall, Hall, Roby
Timberwolves star Karl-Anthony Towns acknowledged that the time to chase stats is over, re-affirming that his only focus is helping Minnesota win in a turbulent season, Dane Moore of Blue Wire Podcasts tweets.
Towns recently put forth a 30-point, 16-rebound performance in a loss to the Grizzlies on Friday, following it up with a 39-point, 14-rebound outing in a loss to the Sixers on Saturday. The Timberwolves are just 12-38 and have dealt with significant injuries and COVID-19 issues throughout the season.
“I’ve had the time to mess up and I guess you could say ‘chase stats.’ That s–t is over,” Towns said. “I’ve proved myself in this league. I truly believe that. I don’t have to prove myself anymore. But now what I have to prove is: can I win? I think that’s the next step.
“I have to do whatever it takes. I look at the stat sheet, ‘Oh, it’s great, it’s wonderful, 30 and 16’. But we lost. I don’t give a s–t then. At the end of the day, the word on me is still gonna be the word. There’s only one way to change the narrative, and that’s to go beat the narrative.”
Here are some other notes from the Western Conference:
- Trail Blazers guard Norman Powell is adjusting quickly in Portland, Casey Holdahl of NBA.com writes. Powell was recently traded to Portland from Toronto and has proven to be effective in his limited time, scoring 15 points in the team’s win over the Thunder on Saturday. “I feel good, I feel like the transition has been really easy,” Powell said. “The coaches, the guys have made it real easy to fit in. I feel like the more time I spend with them, the more practices we get in, the more games, I’ll start to feel better with the chemistry, the flow of the game, the play-calling and rotations on defense. I’m liking it so far.”
- Warriors forward Eric Paschall will miss at least two weeks after undergoing an MRI on Saturday that revealed a left hip flexor strain, the team announced (Twitter link). Paschall, 24, is averaging 9.5 points, 3.2 rebounds and 17.3 minutes per game this season.
- The Thunder have released medical updates on Josh Hall and Isaiah Roby, announcing that both players sustained concussions in the team’s game against Portland. They’ll now join second-year player Luguentz Dort in the league’s concussion protocol.