Eastern Notes: Butler, Pistons, Bogdanovic, Oladipo
Heat star Jimmy Butler is appreciative of his teammates’ “disciplined gambles” on defense, Khobi Price details for The Sun Sentinel. Miami most recently defeated Cleveland for its fourth straight victory, winning the contest 115-101 and forcing 15 turnovers.
“I love that we got some guys who’ll gamble,” Butler said, “so I won’t be the only one getting in trouble when I miss an assignment.”
In addition to Butler, the Heat also have defensive-minded players Victor Oladipo, Trevor Ariza and Andre Iguodala on their roster. All three are known for getting in the passing lanes or stripping ball-handlers, which often leads to easy points in transition.
Since Oladipo debuted with Miami, head coach Erik Spoelstra has rolled with a starting lineup of Oladipo, Duncan Robinson, Butler, Ariza, and Bam Adebayo to turn the heat up (no pun intended) defensively.
Here are some other notes from the Eastern Conference:
- Keith Langlois of Pistons.com shared 24 thoughts on the present and future of the Pistons, who currently own the third-worst record in the league at 14-35. Detroit most recently suffered a 125-81 defeat to the Knicks and will visit the Thunder (20-29) on Monday.
- Chris Kirschner of The Athletic recently published a Q&A with Hawks wing Bogdan Bogdanovic, who discussed his role with the team, changes under Nate McMillan, and more. Bogdanovic has poured in 76 points over his last three games, shooting 29-for-52 (56%) from the floor. “I’m just being more aggressive and I feel like we’ve started to build chemistry between us,” Bogdanovic said. “When you really look into it, we’ve only played a couple of games together. It hasn’t been many. Since I got hurt, having the restriction minutes off and now that I’ve been off of it, it’s been fun.”
- Heat guard Victor Oladipo admitted that the major leg injury he suffered in 2019 isn’t fully behind him, Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel tweets. “One leg is stronger than the other,” he explained. “So I have some hypertrophy in one leg than the other. So working my way back and finding my balance is something I’m continuing to work at.” Oladipo underwent surgery just over two years ago on a ruptured quad tendon.
New York Notes: Nash, Marks, Toppin, Johnson, Pelle
Nets head coach Steve Nash recently praised general manager Sean Marks for constructing an impressive culture and roster, Brian Lewis of the New York Post writes. While both areas were strong before the season began, the recent signings of veterans Blake Griffin and LaMarcus Aldridge only helped strength Brooklyn’s culture – and roster – as the team continues its quest of winning a championship.
“Sean deserves the credit for pushing these things over the line and for having a vision to execute,” Nash said. “It may look straightforward and simple from the outside, but a lot goes into all these decisions, and Sean is very thorough in his approach, with the whole front office and then opinions from all the other departments as well.
“He’s done an unbelievable job, not just this year but in building the prior culture that was here before this team was here, building that position of strength and leverage for the roster over the course of the year. So I hope everyone understands what a great job he’s done and what a thorough and well-thought-out process he has. It’s been outstanding.”
Here are some other notes out of the Atlantic:
- Knicks rookie Obi Toppin is gaining confidence as he continues to play with aggression, Barbara Barker of Newsday writes. Toppin scored eight points in 15 minutes off the bench against the Pistons on Friday. “I really like the way he’s been playing,” coach Tom Thibodeau said. “He played extremely well in the first half.” On the season, Toppin is averaging just 4.3 points and 2.2 rebounds in 11.8 minutes per game.
- Nets guard Tyler Johnson will receive a scan on Monday after sustaining a knee injury against Chicago, according to Brian Lewis of the New York Post (Twitter link). The team called the injury a right knee strain before ruling the 28-year-old out for the rest of the game, Malika Andrews of ESPN tweets. Johnson had to be helped off the court and was unable to put any weight on his leg.
- Knicks 10-day player Norvel Pelle showed toughness after suffering a finger injury in his first game with the team on Saturday, Marc Berman of the New York Post writes. Pelle dislocated his finger, received treatment, and continued to play on despite suffering the injury. “Seeing a player like that that just joined us to go down with an injury and be able to wrap it right back up and make big blocks showed his energy,” Reggie Bullock said. “He’s a Knick type of player with the grit to continue to play in the game. We love that fight from him.’’ Pelle is currently listed a probable to play against Brooklyn on Monday, Berman tweets.
Southeast Notes: Oladipo, Hornets, Gasol, Heat, Hawks
Heat guard Victor Oladipo is confident that the fit between him and Miami will be a great one, telling reporters this past week that he hopes it will last for years to come, as relayed by Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel.
Oladipo, who was acquired by Miami on trade deadline day just over a week ago, has been cited as a potential Heat target for well over a calendar year, with multiple reports indicating that Miami was always his preferred destination. He played his second game with the team on Saturday against the Cavaliers, starting at point guard.
“I think my name has been linked for so many years,” Oladipo said. “Obviously, I spend my offseasons here, the connection with D-Wade and everything like that, I think in some people’s eyes, it would be a good fit.
“For me, personally, I thought I definitely could fit into the Heat culture and what they stood for, how they play, how they get after it and things of that nature. So when told I was being traded there, first and foremost it’s not like I’m going to a foreign land where I don’t know anybody or a foreign experience. It’s something that I’m comfortable with.”
There’s more from the Southeast Division today:
- Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer examines where the Hornets could find offensive production with LaMelo Ball (wrist fracture), Gordon Hayward (foot sprain), and Malik Monk (ankle sprain) sidelined. The trio has combined for 44% of the team’s scoring, meaning other players will have to step up in order for the franchise to sustain success. Charlotte holds the fourth-best record in the East at 25-23, but the club is also just one game ahead of the No. 7 Knicks.
- Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel examines whether Marc Gasol could become a buyout option for the Heat in his “Ask Ira” mailbag. Gasol has an uncertain future with the Lakers, who pegged the recently-signed Andre Drummond as their new starting center last week and already have Montrezl Harrell playing as back-up center. Miami is in the market for a big man and league rules require that they add another player by Thursday.
- Chris Kirschner of The Athletic examines a number of Hawks-related topics in his latest mailbag, including coach Nate McMillan, star big man John Collins and more. Atlanta has climbed back into the playoff picture and currently holds a 25-24 record, trailing the Hornets by half a game.
Southwest Notes: Thomas, New Rockets, Hart, Johnson
With veteran point guard Isaiah Thomas now joining the Pelicans on a 10-day contract, Bobby Marks of ESPN tweets that New Orleans will be an additional $110,998 closer to the NBA’s luxury tax cap. Thomas, meanwhile, will earn $159,698 during his 10-day stint with the club.
Marks adds that the Pelicans remains $253,803 below the tax at present, but, assuming new addition James Johnson does not achieve certain bonus clauses in his expiring $16MM deal, the team may save an additional $253K at season’s end.
Thomas will wear jersey No. 24 in tribute to departed Lakers star Kobe Bryant, according to Andrew Lopez of ESPN. He last wore No. 4 with the Wizards during the 2019/20 season. The 5’9″ point guard will not suit up this evening for the Pelicans as they face off against the Rockets, due to the league’s coronavirus protocols, but is expected to join the club Monday, tweets Will Guillory of The Athletic.
There’s more out of the Southwest Division:
- Former Heat and Celtics teammates Avery Bradley and Kelly Olynyk are excited to remain together for the rebuilding Rockets, writes Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle. Feigen notes that the duo has played more games together than anyone else on Houston. “That’s kind of a crazy stat that [he and I] have played more together than any other two teammates on our team,” Olynyk observed. “Hopefully, we can bring that chemistry.”
- The 21-27 Pelicans will strive to make a playoff push without injured shooting guard Josh Hart. Hart is expected to miss several weeks with a torn UCL in his right thumb, writes Christian Clark of NOLA.com. “Could he get back by the end of the year? Yeah,” head coach Stan Van Gundy said. “But he’s not going to be back in two weeks. It’s a significant amount of time. He’s going to miss the vast majority of what’s left of the season.” New Orleans, the No. 12 seed, is currently just 1.5 games behind the tenth-seeded Warriors (and a play-in opportunity) in the West at present.
- Second-year Spurs wing Keldon Johnson is discovering how to navigate erratic output as he continues to hone his NBA game, per Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio Express-News. “That’s just the NBA for you,” his teammate Derrick White said. “The league kind of figures you out, and you just got to make adjustments.” Even still, Johnson has increased his contributions on the floor for San Antonio. He has started 42 of his 44 contests with the Spurs this year, after starting just one game last season, and has seen his minutes and touches increase significantly.
Central Notes: Hayes, Theis, Okoro, White
Rookie Pistons point guard Killian Hayes discussed his first game for Detroit in almost three months with reporters, as captured by The Detroit News (video link). “It’s a whole different team from when I left,” Hayes said. Detroit has subtracted Blake Griffin and added Hamidou Diallo and Cory Joseph since the rookie last played.
The No. 7 pick in the 2020 draft, Hayes has missed 41 games thus far this season with a right hip subluxation. In his first game back on the court since January 4 (and eighth overall) against the Knicks yesterday, Hayes went scoreless on 0-of-3 shooting, but pulled down five rebounds and dished out three assists.
There’s more out of the Central Division:
- Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic assesses how new Bulls big man Daniel Theis can make an impact in Chicago. Theis is already impressing his teammates. “He’s a difference-maker,” All-Star shooting guard Zach LaVine raved. Mayberry contends that adding the 6’8″ Theis, the starting center for the Celtics across the past year-and-a-half, was a coup at the deadline. “Whenever I step on the court I just want to give everything I’ve got,” the 29-year-old said. “I just want to help the team, whenever I’m out there, get better and win games.”
- Although the Cavaliers fell 115-104 to the Heat yesterday, rookie shooting guard Isaac Okoro scored 17 points on 5-of-7 shooting from the field and won the respect of star Heat wing Jimmy Butler, according to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. “His potential is out of this world,” Butler said of 2020’s fifth overall pick drafted out of Auburn. Okoro has had an erratic 2020/21 season (averaging a relatively modest 8.0 PPG, 2.8 RPG and 1.7 APG), but he has started in all his 44 games with Cleveland thus far.
- Second-year Bulls reserve point guard Coby White has entered the NBA’s coronavirus health and safety protocols, K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago tweets.
Jrue Holiday Signs Four-Year Extension With Bucks
1:17pm: The Bucks have announced (via Twitter) that Holiday’s extension is now official.
11:34am: The Bucks have reached an agreement on a four-year maximum extension with guard Jrue Holiday, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic. Agent Jason Glushon confirms the deal, which could be worth as much as $160MM.
Holiday has been considering the extension since being acquired in a November trade, Charania adds (via Twitter). He wanted to get more familiar with the roster, coaching staff and front office before making a commitment. Charania notes that Milwaukee now has long-term deals with its three stars: Holiday, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton (Twitter link).
The agreement means Holiday will bypass an opportunity to become a free agent this summer. His current contract contained a $26.765MM player option for next season.
Holiday, 30, has been considered one of the NBA’s top two-way players for several years, but Milwaukee provides his best chance to compete for a title since he entered the league in 2009. He’s averaging 17.0 points, 4.6 rebounds, 5.4 assists and a league-best 1.8 steals per game in his first season with the Bucks.
The first season of a veteran contract extension can have a starting salary worth up to 120% of the player’s previous salary. Although Holiday has a cap hit of just $25,876,111 in 2020/21 for the time being, that figure doesn’t account for a handful of incentives, which bump up his maximum starting salary further.
According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the four-year extension has a base value of about $135MM, which means it’ll start at approximately $30.13MM. It can be worth up to a total of $160MM with incentives, though Holiday is unlikely to earn all those bonuses.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Northwest Notes: Porter, Brown, Jerome, Russell
Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. has become a much different player in his second NBA season, writes Kyle Fredrickson of The Denver Post. A year ago, there were concerns about Porter’s effort, especially on defense, as well as his tendency to rely too much on the three-point shot. But now his game is flourishing and he has won the full trust of the coaching staff. The concerns about his back that made him available with the 14th pick in the 2018 draft appear to be gone as well.
“(Porter) is getting so much more comfortable,” Nuggets guard Will Barton said. “He knows that he’s going to play and he knows that we count on him. You’ve seen him grow on the other side of the ball. It’s a nice thing to see, especially for a guy with his talent. When he’s stepping up and playing defense, it’s only going to open up his game more and open up our team’s game. He’s just becoming a heck of a player. You can just see his IQ growing with each game and each possession. It’s a pleasure to see, man. I’m very excited for him and his future.”
There’s more from the Northwest Division:
- Moses Brown has been one of this season’s most pleasant surprises, writes Nick Gallo of OKCThunder.com. After earning First Team and All-Defensive Team honors in the G League, the 21-year-old center has continued that level of play with the Thunder, averaging 11.5 points and 11.8 rebounds since being added to the rotation after the All-Star break. “I’m just a player that plays hard and does everything that is asked of me to do. I’m very into the game,” Brown said. “This is what I love to do. I can’t really see myself doing anything else. Not saying that I can’t, but I just don’t want to.”
- Teams are starting to notice how dangerous Thunder guard Ty Jerome is as a three-point shooter, states Joe Mussatto of The Oklahoman. Jerome has been limited to 16 games after suffering a high ankle sprain in the preseason, but he’s shooting 42.5% from beyond the arc.
- The Timberwolves haven’t set a timetable for D’Angelo Russell to return from knee surgery, but there are indications it might happen this week, according to Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic. Russell underwent an arthroscopic procedure in mid-February and was projected to miss four to six weeks. Minnesota may need him to replace Malik Beasley, who strained a hamstring Friday night. “It’s more minor than it is significant,” coach Chris Finch said, “but these things are tricky with hamstrings.”
Pacific Notes: T. Davis, Kings, Thompson, Craig
Terence Davis hopes last week’s trade to the Kings will give him a fresh start and help him leave off-the-court issues behind, writes James Ham of NBC Sports. After scoring 27 points Saturday in a narrow loss to the Bucks, Davis addressed the legal matters that arose in October when he was still with the Raptors.
Davis was originally charged with seven counts of domestic violence, but all charges relating to an alleged assault were eventually dropped by the New York District Attorney’s office. He still faces two counts of endangering the welfare of a child and criminal mischief, but those will reportedly dissolve in a year if he avoids further legal trouble.
“When you’re going through something like that, it defines you as a person, as a man, for me, as a father,” Davis said. “I’m just excited to be here, excited to be a part of the Kings. I’m happy man, I’m ready to get to work and continue to work. This is a fresh start for me, man, I just want to take advantage of it.
“As an individual, I’m a tough dude. You know, just having to deal with so much. I haven’t really seen my son in a while. I’m getting kinda teary right now, man, just talking about this situation. I’ve been through a lot. I’m just happy to be here and happy that the Kings welcomed me with open arms.”
There’s more from the Pacific Division:
- The Kings‘ new additions were noticeable for the energy they brought to Saturday’s game, while the holdovers didn’t seem to provide as much toughness and competitiveness, observes James Jones of The Athletic. The Kings have lost some of their veteran leaders in recent years and they’re hoping to get those qualities from Davis, Maurice Harkless and Delon Wright, who were all acquired at the deadline. “I’m excited about these guys our front office brought in,” coach Luke Walton said. “I think that will, with some more time, will continue to get us there faster. But when they come in, there’s an intensity level they’re playing with. And that’s how it has to be at the start of games, middle of games.”
- Klay Thompson delivered a message to his Warriors teammates after a 53-point loss Friday night, according to Nick Friedell of ESPN. The injured guard talked about the need to uphold the tradition that the franchise has built. “He was just kind of going off about how he missed the game and how it’s just not acceptable to lose this way,” Kent Bazemore said. “He’s fired up, man. It’s hard watching, regardless if you’re playing or not playing.”
- The Suns acquired Torrey Craig at the deadline, but they were hoping to add him last offseason, coach Monty Williams tells Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. Craig said he wanted to sign with Phoenix at the time, but “pretty crazy and pretty wild and unpredictable” things happened and he chose the Bucks instead.
Atlantic Notes: Embiid, Poirier, Rozier, Trent
Sixers center Joel Embiid feared his season was over when he injured his knee last month, writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Embiid landed awkwardly after a dunk and his knee bent backward, causing a hyperextension that forced him to miss 10 games.
“When I got hurt and laying on the floor in Washington, I honestly thought I was done,” he said. “I thought my season was done. You know, the pain, you know how bad it was hurting, I just knew that it was something worse than we saw. (Afterward) I was just crying and asking myself, ‘Why me? Why does it always happen to me?’ When everything seems to be going well for my team and myself, something always has to happen.”
Embiid returned to the court Saturday night, playing 29 minutes and posting 24 points, eight rebounds and three blocks in a win over the Timberwolves. With 23 games remaining, Embiid can still be a strong MVP contender if he avoids any more injuries.
“(Friday) was really the first time I went full court since I got hurt,” he said. “So it’s going to take a while to get back to myself. But my body feels great, obviously game shape is different than how your body feels. But the main thing is my body feels great. I’ve just got to keep putting up these games and these practices and I will be back to where I was before I got hurt.”
There’s more from the Atlantic Division:
- Sixers coach Doc Rivers refused to respond to comments from Vincent Poirier, who told a French newspaper that Rivers didn’t reach out to him after a trade last week, Pompey adds in a separate story. Poirier was sent to the Knicks, who waived him three days later. “I wish someone had told me, ‘We were wrong. You can’t play with us,’” Poirier said. “I like it when things are straight. The coach didn’t even send a message although I know he sent (one to) others. I’m not asking him to give me compliments, but just a message to wish me good luck.”
- Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports questions whether the Celtics should have invested in Terry Rozier two years ago instead of signing Kemba Walker. Although Walker got off to a strong start in Boston, he has been slowed by knee issues this season and is still owed $73.6MM over the next two years. Rozier is having a career-best season with the Hornets, averaging 20.3 points per game.
- Gary Trent Jr. looks like a perfect fit with the Raptors, writes Scott Rafferty of NBA Canada. In five games since being acquired from the Trail Blazers, Trent is scoring 16.8 PPG and shooting 43.2% from three-point range.
Rockets Sign Armoni Brooks To Two-Way Deal, Waive Justin Patton
APRIL 4: Both moves are official, the Rockets announced on Twitter.
APRIL 3: The Rockets will sign free agent guard Armoni Brooks to a two-way contract, tweets Kelly Iko of The Athletic. Houston will make room by waiving center Justin Patton, who is currently on a two-way deal, sources tell Iko (Twitter link).
Brooks, 22, played for the Rockets’ G League affiliate this season, averaging 16.8 PPG in 15 games in the Orlando bubble. He also played in the NBAGL last season after going undrafted out of the University of Houston. There was an announcement last week that Brooks was headed to France to join Orléans Loiret Basket, but those plans fell through.
“It’s just exciting,” Brooks told Mark Berman of Fox 26 in Houston. “It’s a dream come true to finally be able to play in the NBA and being able to do it in the city that I went to college in is just great” (Twitter link).
Patton, 23, appeared in 13 games with the Rockets after signing in mid-February. He averaged 5.4 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game, but fell out of the rotation when Christian Wood returned from an ankle injury. Houston was the fourth team in four years for Patton, who has struggled through injuries since being selected with the 16th pick in the 2017 draft.
The moves continue a roster overhaul for the rebuilding Rockets, who are also planning to waive Ben McLemore. The team doesn’t have any immediate plans to replace McLemore, according to Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle.