Hoops Rumors Chat Transcript: 4/20/2021
Our weekly Tuesday chat took place as usual today, beginning at noon central time (1:00pm ET).
Today’s transcript can be found right here. If we didn’t get to your question today, join us again next Tuesday afternoon!
Eastern Notes: Stevens, Pacers, Heat, Raptors
Having already said in March that he had no intention of leaving Boston for the Hoosiers, Celtics head coach Brad Stevens addressed an Adrian Wojnarowski report that stated Indiana University was willing to offer him $70MM over seven years to become the program’s head coach.
“I was never offered a package. That’s all news to me. Secondly, I wasn’t going to leave anyways,” Stevens said, per Kyle Hightower of The Associated Press. “I was never offered that. I don’t know where that came from.”
While Stevens’ comments read like a dismissal of Wojnarowski’s report, it’s worth noting that there’s not actually any contradiction between what Stevens and Woj are saying. Wojnarowski reported that Indiana was “prepared” to make that seven-year offer to the Celtics’ coach, but if the Hoosiers got word that Stevens wasn’t interested in the job, it makes sense that the offer was never formally submitted.
Here’s more from around the East:
- As the Pacers near the end of what has been a disappointing season, J. Michael of The Indianapolis Star (subscription required) looks ahead to some big questions the team will have to answer in the offseason, including potentially finally deciding to trade one of Myles Turner or Domantas Sabonis.
- The Heat now have the ability to sign a 15th player to a rest-of-season contract while staying below the luxury tax threshold. With that in mind, Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald considers some of the team’s options, whether it’s a veteran, a developmental player, or a promotion for one of Miami’s current two-way players.
- The Raptors are stuck in an odd spot, caught between tanking and competing for the final play-in spot in the East, as Blake Murphy of The Athletic writes. The team appeared prepared to throw in the towel, having sat a handful of veteran players within the last week or two. But if tanking is the goal, the Raps aren’t having much luck so far, writes Dave Feschuk of The Toronto Star. Toronto has won three games in a row and is just a half-game back of Chicago for the No. 10 seed.
- Doug Smith of The Toronto Star explains that the Raptors received their $25K fine from the NBA over the weekend because they said Kyle Lowry and OG Anunoby would miss Friday’s game for “rest” purposes, but head coach Nick Nurse said they were bothered by foot and knee issues, respectively. Those ailments weren’t noted on the injury report at all prior to Friday’s game.
LeBron James Reportedly Weeks Away From Returning
LeBron James has progressed to “light work,” Lakers coach Frank Vogel said on Monday, as Dave McMenamin of ESPN details. However, sources tell McMenamin that the star forward is still likely weeks away from playing again.
James hasn’t played since suffering a high-ankle sprain in a March 20 game. With less than a month left in the regular season, Vogel didn’t offer any prediction on when James might be available.
“Just trying to do a little bit more with his activity each day,” Vogel said.
The news is more encouraging on Anthony Davis, who may return this week after missing nearly nine weeks with a calf strain and tendinosis in his right leg. Davis put in some “good work” on Monday, according to Vogel, and will “build up” for a possible return Thursday night at Dallas. Vogel added that Davis is working his way back into playing shape and won’t get his usual allotment of minutes right away.
“The biggest thing is conditioning right now,” Vogel said. “He’s healthy. But having not played and not really being able to ramp up his physical on-court activity over the last two months, it’s going to take some time before he gets his wind under him and obviously, that’s the biggest thing. Because if his legs aren’t under him, we don’t want him to be at risk for re-aggravation of the injury or another injury. We want to keep a close eye on that.”
The Lakers have been able to stay in the Western Conference playoff race without their two stars, currently sitting in fifth place with a 35-23 record. They are 14-15 since Davis’ injury and 7-8 since James got hurt.
“I don’t think we’re there yet, to be honest,” Vogel said when asked if the worst is over for his team. “I know I’m not, my coaching staff is not. Even when Anthony returns, it’ll be in short, limited minutes … We’re still in a stretch where we’ve got to compete and win games for the most part without those guys.”
Nuggets Sign Austin Rivers To 10-Day Contract
APRIL 20: The Nuggets have signed Rivers to a 10-day contract, according to Singer. Denver has announced in a press release that it’s official, so it will run through April 29, covering the team’s next six games. The deal will pay Rivers $158,907, with the Nuggets taking on a $110,998 cap hit.
APRIL 14: The Nuggets are negotiating with free agent guard Austin Rivers, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic, who adds that they are in “serious talks” toward a deal, pending health and safety protocols. The team’s interest in Rivers was first reported on Monday.
Rivers is currently in Denver and is expected to sign within the next few days, a source tells Mike Singer of the Denver Post (Twitter link). It will likely be a 10-day contract, Singer adds (Twitter link).
The Nuggets are need of backcourt help after losing star guard Jamal Murray for the rest of the season with a torn left ACL. Denver has a roster opening and can add Rivers without a corresponding move.
Rivers, 28, signed with the Knicks during the offseason, but was never able to establish himself in the rotation, averaging 7.3 points and 2.0 assists in 21 games. He was traded to the Thunder at last month’s deadline and was waived a few days later.
Rivers would be eligible for the postseason because he wasn’t on an NBA roster beyond April 9, Singer notes (Twitter link). He offers plenty of playoff experience, having reached the postseason five times, including the past two years with the Rockets.
Draft Notes: Hyland, Cockburn, Mobley, Wheeler, More
VCU guard Nah’Shon Hyland has opted to declare for the 2021 NBA draft and will sign with an agent, signaling his decision to go pro, he announced this weekend on Twitter.
The 20-year-old known as “Bones” had a breakout sophomore year in 2020/21, averaging 19.5 PPG, 4.7 RPG, and 1.9 SPG with a shooting line of .447/.371/.862 in 24 games (31.9 MPG). The performance earned him Atlantic 10 Player of the Year honors. Hyland currently ranks 68th on ESPN’s big board, making him a borderline candidate to be drafted in July.
Here are a few more draft updates:
- Illinois sophomore center Kofi Cockburn, who tested the draft waters a year ago, has once again declared for the draft, he announced on Twitter. Cockburn, who averaged 17.7 PPG and 9.5 RPG in 31 games (27.0 MPG) in 2020/21, didn’t explicitly state that he’s forgoing his remaining NCAA eligibility, but his statement strongly suggests that.
- Like his brother Evan, USC sophomore forward Isaiah Mobley will enter the 2021 NBA draft, he announced on Twitter. While Evan – a probable top-four pick – is definitely going pro, Isaiah will test the draft waters, maintaining his college eligibility throughout the process.
- Georgia sophomore guard Sahvir Wheeler is entering the NCAA transfer portal and will simultaneously test the draft waters, he told Jonathan Givony of ESPN. A member of the All-SEC Second Team in 2021, Wheeler averaged 14.0 PPG and 7.4 APG this season, and is considered one of the best passers in the NCAA, says Givony. However, his 115 turnovers were the second-most among D1 players.
- Auburn forward Allen Flanigan, a projected second-round pick, has decided to return to school for his junior season rather than entering the draft, he tells Givony. “The tremendous unwavering support these fans and university show is one of a kind and one of the best in the country,” Flanigan said. “The NBA has always been my lifelong dream and goal, but I couldn’t pass up being a part of something special.”
- Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report has updated his big board for the 2021 NBA draft, writing that you could make a reasonable case for any of Evan Mobley, Jalen Green, or Jalen Suggs as the No. 2 player in this year’s class. Wasserman ultimately gives Green that spot, with Cade Cunningham continuing to hold the No. 1 place on the board.
Terry Stotts’ Seat In Portland Getting Hotter?
Terry Stotts is expected to remain the Trail Blazers‘ head coach for the rest of this season, but the team will likely take a “long, hard look” at Stotts’ performance this offseason, Jason Quick writes for The Athletic.
Stotts, who took the reins in Portland way back in 2012, has led the Blazers to a 392-312 (.557) record since then and is on track to make the postseason for an eighth consecutive year. This year’s team is 32-24, two games ahead of Dallas for the No. 6 seed in the West.
However, as Quick explains, Portland’s inability to improve on defense is a concern, especially since the front office has added several players – including Robert Covington, Derrick Jones, Norman Powell, and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson – viewed as upgrades on that side of the ball. The Blazers currently rank 29th out of 30 teams with a 115.9 defensive rating.
This year’s Blazers have also shown a “staggering lack of fight” against some contenders, according to Quick, who notes that the club has a 1-8 record against the top five teams in the West. Quick observes that the team has had a few frustratingly flat performance as of late, with Stotts making some curious rotation decisions, such as holding out a healthy Jones for the entirety of Sunday’s loss in Charlotte.
Portland’s record this season has been buoyed by a 22-8 showing in “clutch” games (games whose scores are within five points at any time in the last five minutes), which can be attributed in no small part to Damian Lillard‘s heroics. The Blazers have a negative overall net rating, which is rare for a team eight games over .500.
As Quick writes, it’s not a question of whether the Blazers believe Stotts is a good coach — they wouldn’t have stuck with him this long if they didn’t think so. However, the front office will have to determine if he’s capable of getting more out of a team that has championship aspirations.
Stotts has one year and $7MM left on his contract after this season, according to Quick.
Central Notes: Cavaliers, Pistons, Bey, Theis
The Cavaliers are playing important games late into the season again for the first time in years, writes Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com.
At 20-37, the Cavaliers are 3.5 games behind the Bulls for the tenth seed in the East. Should Cleveland make up that ground, the team would qualify for the play-in tournament this season. This would be the Cavs’ first postseason berth since making the NBA Finals in 2018.
“We have guys who have not, I want this to come across the right way, but have not played meaningful games down the stretch in an NBA season,” Cavaliers head coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “Obviously we have our group of guys who have played in the playoffs and those types of things, but we have young guys who haven’t experienced meaningful games at the end of a season.”
“We’re all in this cluster,” guard Darius Garland said of the competition among the Cavaliers, Bulls, Raptors and Wizards for the final play-in spot. “Every game matters right now. They’re in the cluster with us… They’ve got the 10th seed right now, they’ve got the target on their back.”
There’s more out of the Central Division:
- The Pistons have played their hand as they focus on the future, opting to start their young players, writes Rod Beard of the Detroit News (subscription required). At 18-40, Detroit holds the worst record in the East by a half-game.
- James L. Edwards of The Athletic assesses the most exciting prospects on a developing Pistons roster, starting with a trio of rookies led by 22-year-old forward Saddiq Bey. The No. 19 pick in the 2020 draft out of Villanova tops the list thanks to his floor as a three-point-shooting wing capable of defending multiple positions.
- New Bulls starting power forward Daniel Theis concedes that he was surprised to be traded by the Celtics to Chicago, according to Rob Schaefer of NBC Sports Chicago. “(The deal) definitely caught me off guard,” Theis confirmed. Currently on an expiring $5MM deal, the big man will be an unrestricted free agent this summer.
New York Notes: Knicks, Nets, Rose, Claxton/Perry
The outstanding recent play of Knicks veteran big men Nerlens Noel and Taj Gibson has appeared to validate the team’s decision not to make a big offer to center Andre Drummond on the buyout market, according to Marc Berman of the New York Post. Berman notes that head coach Tom Thibodeau ultimately made the call to not add Drummond.
“Those guys cover so much for us on the defensive end, blocking shots, being in the right position,” All-Star forward Julius Randle raved of the Knicks’ two veteran bigs. “They anchor our defense, honestly. They make my job easier, our guards’ job easier. It’s just amazing to have those two guys behind you. If you make mistakes, they’re going to cover for you.’’
Noel and Gibson have had to step up in the absence of Knicks center Mitchell Robinson, anticipated to miss the rest of the year with a broken foot.
There’s more out of the Big Apple:
- Thanks to sharpshooting Nets duo Landry Shamet and Joe Harris connecting on 43% of their triples combined since the league’s All-Star break, Brooklyn might have its own poor man’s version of a “Splash Brothers” shooting tandem, writes Matthew Brooks of NetsDaily.
- 32-year-old veteran Knicks reserve guard Derrick Rose is relishing his second tour of duty in New York, per Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News. “It’s great being on a young team where everybody is locked in, everybody loves playing with one another and everyone is on the same page — which is to win games,” Rose said. “So it’s perfect.”
- Nets center Nicolas Claxton and power forward Reggie Perry have entered the NBA’s coronavirus health and safety protocols, tweets Malika Andrews of ESPN.
LaMelo Ball Cleared For Basketball Activity, Could Return Soon
Standout Hornets rookie point guard LaMelo Ball has been permitted to resume individual basketball activity after doctors discovered that his surgically-repaired right wrist has healed, according to a team press release.
Ball was the clear frontrunner for Rookie of the Year honors before he fractured his right wrist on March 20 against the Clippers. He won Rookie of the Month honors in January, February and March. After his cast was removed, a CT scan by Dr. Michelle Carlson of The Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City indicated that Ball’s wrist has fully healed.
Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN tweets that a source tells him Ball could be back on the floor for Charlotte as early as seven-to-10 days from now. Across 41 games (21 starts) for the eighth-seeded Hornets, the 19-year-old is averaging 15.9 PPG (second among rookies), plus 6.1 APG and 5.9 RPG (both first among rookies). He boasts a solid shooting line of .451/.375/.789.
If Ball can return, it would be a major salve for the Hornets, who are currently missing several key players due to various injuries. The club is 8-7 since Ball was sidelined.
Hill To Suit Up For First Sixers Game Monday
Veteran point guard George Hill will be available for his first Sixers game tonight against the Warriors, reports Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Traded to Philadelphia from the Thunder in a three-team deal last month, Hill has been rehabilitating from a right thumb sprain that has kept him sidelined since January 24. He underwent surgery to address the sprain in February.
It appears that Hill, who started in Oklahoma City, will have a reserve role behind Seth Curry tonight, as All-Star starting point guard Ben Simmons will sit with an illness, per Pompey (Twitter link).
Hill, the No. 26 pick out of IUPUI by San Antonio in 2008, has enjoyed a lengthy career on a variety of contenders, and should be a welcome addition to the Sixers’ second unit thanks to his shooting and play-making. He enjoyed his most productive seasons with the Spurs, Pacers, and Jazz, but also had stops with the Kings, Cavaliers, and Bucks prior to this season.
The 34-year-old has played in just 14 games during the 2020/21 season, averaging 11.8 PPG and 3.1 APG on a hyper-efficient .508/.386/.840 shooting line.