Eastern Notes: Fournier, Heat, Raptors, Celtics
Trading Evan Fournier would likely cause a ripple effect the Magic wouldn’t be able to ignore, according to Josh Robbins of The Athletic, who suggests a Fournier deal could ultimately lead to the team trading Aaron Gordon for a starter-caliber shooting guard.
Fournier is averaging a career-high 18.5 points and 3.8 assists per game this season, shooting 45% from the floor and 37% from three-point range. The Magic could explore moving the 28-year-old ahead of the March 25 trade deadline this season.
Should the Magic choose to keep Fournier, he would become an unrestricted free agent at season’s end. Hampered by injuries and inconsistency, the club currently owns the second-worst record in the Eastern Conference at 13-23, losing five straight games.
Here are some other notes from the Eastern Conference tonight:
- Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald examines where the Heat‘s young players stand entering the All-Star break. Jackson explores the production of Tyler Herro, Kendrick Nunn and Duncan Robinson this season, all three of whom have shown serious potential during their time with Miami.
- The Raptors‘ next-man-up mentality has remained strong in the G League bubble, Blake Murphy writes for The Athletic. The Raptors 905 – Toronto’s affiliate – went 12-3 in the regular season despite dealing with various injuries and setbacks. “That’s absolutely our mantra,” head coach Patrick Mutombo said. “That’s what it boils down to as we do everything, the way we approach everything, there’s just no excuses, no explanations. Just win.”
- Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports Boston lists six takeaways from the Celtics‘ underwhelming first half of the season. Boston holds a 19-17 record at the All-Star break, though the team still has a young nucleus featuring two All-Stars (Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown) and has fought through multiple injuries and COVID-19. The club won its final four games entering the break.
And-Ones: Barnes, Tyler, Kawhi, Payton
Kings forward Harrison Barnes has been elected as the new Secretary-Treasurer of the National Basketball Players Association, according to a press release from the website. Barnes will begin his three-year term immediately and replace Anthony Tolliver.
“This is a great opportunity to get more involved in union business and I am very excited to join Chris [Paul], Andre [Iguodala] and the rest of the Executive Committee,” Barnes said. “Our union has an important role representing all 450 players and I am honored that my peers elected me to this position.”
Blazers guard CJ McCollum and Bulls wing Garrett Temple were also re-elected as Vice Presidents of the NBPA’s Executive Committee, the release said.
Here are some other odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- Free agent Jeremy Tyler has agreed to a deal in China with the Liaoning Flying Leopards, sources told Hoops Rumors. Tyler has played 104 games in his career, most recently spending time in Puerto Rico. He was the No. 39 overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft.
- Clippers superstar Kawhi Leonard plans to play in the Olympics this year, according to ESPN. Leonard would play for head coach Gregg Popovich, who coached the 29-year-old from 2011-18 — a run that included an NBA title and two Finals appearances. “My plan is to go,” Leonard said. “If I feel up to it and feel ready to go around that time, then I’m going to play.”
- Hall of Fame guard Gary Payton hinted at potentially coaching in the NBA soon, as relayed by Sean Deveney of Forbes.com. Payton made his intentions of coaching clear to Yahoo last year, confirming that his interests haven’t changed. “It is still the case. I got a surprise coming for a lot of people pretty soon,” he said. “I don’t want to announce it right now, but you’ll see it pretty soon in the next couple of weeks, I hope everybody will be excited about it.”
Southeast Notes: Vucevic, Iguodala, Heat, Hornets
Magic center Nikola Vucevic has given the team a feel-good story in the midst of an otherwise difficult campaign, Roy Parry of the Orlando Sentinel writes.
Vucevic, who was named an All-Star for the second time of his career this season, is averaging an impressive 24.6 points, 11.6 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game. He’s also shooting a career-high 41% from three-point range in his 36 contests.
“You get selected among 24 players out of 450 to make it and it’s a special feeling and a huge honor, something I’m very proud of,” Vucevic said. “It just shows that you’ve achieved a great level of respect from coaches around the league, other players around the league, and when you’re able to make it multiple times it kind of fortifies that.”
There’s more from the Southeast Division tonight:
- Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald examines Andre Iguodala‘s veteran impact on the Heat. Iguodala, a former Finals MVP, is currently in his 18th NBA season. “He brings that stability on the floor and even off the floor,” teammate Goran Dragic said of Iguodala. “He has got a lot of experience. He has been in a lot of tough games. He won championships. So it’s always nice to have a guy next to you to ask for some advice. He’s like an open book. … Him, [Udonis Haslem], those two guys are tremendous for our team.”
- Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel explores whether the Heat should trade for a star player now — even if it impacts the team’s long-term flexibility. Miami has expressed interest in several combo forwards ahead of the March 25 deadline, winning seven of its final 10 games before the All-Star break.
- The Hornets have recalled centers Vernon Carey Jr. and Nick Richards from their G League affiliate in Greensboro, the team announced (Twitter link). The team also announced (via Twitter) that two-way players Grant Riller and Nate Darling were transferred from the NBAGL to Charlotte.
Northwest Notes: Wolves, Pokusevski, Thunder, Jokic
Timberwolves president of basketball operations Gerson Rosas has struggled to build a winning culture around a weak supporting cast for star center Karl-Anthony Towns, Chris Hine of The Star Tribune argues. Hine posits that Rosas’ decision to prioritize maximum roster flexibility over more veteran leadership has hurt the development of the team’s young players.
Ricky Rubio and Ed Davis are the only true-blue veterans populating the otherwise very youthful roster, Hine notes. The team has stumbled to the league’s worst record, 7-29, thus far this year.
“There is some evidence it may work like what happened with Philadelphia, I guess,” Rubio said, referring to bottoming out for multiple years while building a roster. “I kind of don’t believe in that kind of system. We have to build good habits from Day One, and I don’t think we are in the right way to be honest.”
There’s more out of the Northwest Division:
- The Thunder have recalled rookie forward Aleksej Pokuševski from their G League affiliate the Oklahoma City Blue, according to a team press release. In his 13 games with the Blue, Pokuševski averaged of 7.9 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 4.0 APG and 1.08 BPG across 25.2 MPG.
- Thanks to a deep roster of intriguing young players, the Thunder appear to be on an exciting future trajectory, writes Berry Tramel of The Oklahoman. Tramel details how up-and-comers like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Theo Maledon, Darius Bazley, Luguentz Dort, and Isaiah Roby, all 23 or younger, were able to band together to defeat the fifth-seeded Spurs in San Antonio on Thursday.
- The play of Nuggets All-Star Nikola Jokic has taken another leap this season, in part thanks to his newly-improved fitness discipline, according to Mike Singer of The Denver Post.
New York Notes: Toppin, Harden, Thibs, Kyrie
Knicks rookie forward Obi Toppin is making his Slam-Dunk Contest debut tonight. His father, Obadiah – an international pro who was nicknamed “Dunkers Delight” – was his top basketball reference point in his youth, and his primary dunking influence, according to Marc Berman of the New York Post.
“I grew up watching him,” Toppin said. “Every team he played on he was — his name was Dunkers Delight, so that speaks for itself.” The 23-year-old rookie, the No. 8 pick out of Dayton in 2020, is averaging 12.7 MPG for the upstart Knicks.
There’s more out of the Big Apple:
- All-Star (and potential MVP candidate) James Harden has already proved his mettle on the Nets, writes Greg Logan of Newsday. The Nets boast a 17-6 record across Harden’s first 23 games Brooklyn, and Harden’s 345 total assists (11.1 APG) this season currently lead the NBA. “So far, so good,” Harden said Wednesday. “Everything I signed up for. Top to bottom, it’s been great. Adversity has hit us . . . we’re affected by injuries, guys in and out of lineups, crazy, weird things happening. But I think we’ve fought through adversity and we’re in a really good position.”
- The addition of new Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau has helped New York return to respectability eight years after its last playoff appearance, but the team is not yet close to actual title contention, writes Zach Harper of The Athletic. “(I) wouldn’t say (Thibodeau) wasn’t considered a good coach anymore,” a Western Conference executive said to Harper. “People know he can coach. But it’s tough to gauge how much of that was the Wolves organization with their issues and how much of it was Tom not being a modern coach.”
- Nets All-Star Kyrie Irving opted out of his mandatory media video conference today before the All-Star game in Atlanta this evening, without notifying the league ahead of time. Marc Berman of the New York Post wonders if Irving may receive another fine from the league, which penalized him with a $25K charge for skipping his Media Day press obligations.
Southwest Notes: Silas, Griffin, Mavericks, Zion
Rockets head coach Stephen Silas is trying to maintain a rosy outlook despite Houston’s recent 13-game losing streak, according to Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle.
“It’s encouraging to know when we get back and we’re healthy and we’re whole and we’re in a position [where] we have enough guys to compete, we’re going to be just fine,” Silas said.
There’s more out of the Southwest Division:
- During a recent interview with team broadcaster Todd Graffagnini of ESPN New Orleans, Pelicans team president David Griffin explained the reasoning behind the team prioritizing its veterans over its youth. “So where we’re struggling right now is finding a way to play those guys in a way that makes sense within the framework of a system that doesn’t allow for practice to put them in a position to succeed when they’re on the court,” Griffin said (a transcript is viewable here). “So it’s complicated, and I think the coaches have done a remarkable job of trying to find the balance there. I really take exception to the idea that, well, if you’re losing, you might as well be playing the young kid, that that doesn’t make any sense.”
- The Mavericks have brought back rookies Josh Green, Tyler Bey and Tyrell Terry from the G League, according to The Dallas Morning News. Green and Bey were playing for the Salt Lake City Stars while in Orlando for the NBAGL “bubble” campus. Terry suited up for the Memphis Hustle.
- Pelicans forward Zion Williamson will start in place of Sixers center Joel Embiid in the starting lineup for tonight’s All-Star game, Adrian Wojnarowski of EPN tweets. Embiid and his Philadelphia teammate Ben Simmons will be missing the contest as a result of COVID-19 contact tracing. Scott Kushner of The Times-Picayune details how Williamson’s exciting offensive game makes him an ideal fit for the All-Star stage.
Breaking Down The Contenders For Blake Griffin
The Nets may be viewed as the favorites to sign Blake Griffin, but the Warriors are in position to make the best offer when Griffin clears waivers today, tweets Bobby Marks of ESPN.
Golden State has a $9.3MM Disabled Player Exception for the season-ending Achilles tear suffered by Klay Thompson (Twitter link). The DPE allows a team to sign a replacement player for half of the injured player’s salary ($35.36MM this season for Thompson) or for the amount of the non-taxpayer’s mid-level exception, whichever is lesser.
Free agents who sign under the DPE are limited to one-year contracts. If the Warriors want to offer Griffin a longer deal, they have the $3.25MM taxpayer’s mid-level exception, which can be used for up to a three-year contract, and the veteran’s minimum option, which can cover two years. Golden State has a full roster, so someone would have to be waived to accommodate Griffin.
Brooklyn also has a Disabled Player Exception, which was granted for the loss of Spencer Dinwiddie, but its value is only about $5.7MM, which is half of Dinwiddie’s $11.45MM salary. The Nets have their taxpayer’s MLE available too. They have three players on 10-day contracts, which all expire this weekend, so adding Griffin wouldn’t require another roster move.
Among other rumored contenders for Griffin, Marks notes that the Trail Blazers have their $3.4MM biannual exception available, along with an open roster spot; the Heat have the same biannual exception and a $4.7MM DPE, but have a full roster; and the Lakers can only offer a veteran’s minimum deal, but have a roster spot open (Twitter link).
Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons Won’t Play In All-Star Game Due To Contact Tracing
10:53am: Embiid and Simmons have been ruled out of tonight’s game, a source tells Wojnarowski (Twitter link). Their pre-game session with the media has been canceled, tweets Steve Popper of Newsday.
10:48am: The barber has returned a second positive test, according to Wojnarowski (Twitter link). The final decision will be up to the NBA, but it appears likely that Embiid and Simmons will be held out of tonight’s game.
10:13am: Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons may be forced to miss tonight’s All-Star Game because of contact tracing, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic. Both players were exposed to a person who likely has COVID-19 before they arrived in Atlanta, sources tell Charania.
The exposure involves the players’ personal barber, who tested positive for the virus and will take another test, Charania adds (via Twitter). Embiid and Simmons flew to Atlanta on private planes and had no contact with other players or anyone else in the bubble atmosphere surrounding the game.
The Sixers teammates will do media sessions from their rooms prior to the game, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link). A decision on whether they will play will be made once the barber’s condition is more certain.
Philadelphia coach Doc Rivers, who will coach Team Durant, confirms the reports and tells Marc Stein of The New York Times that “it’s not looking great” for Embiid and Simmons to participate (Twitter link). Both players are currently isolated in their hotel rooms. Rivers is waiting for guidance from the league and isn’t sure if Embiid and Simmons will have to remain in Atlanta if they are not permitted to play, adds Tim Bontemps of ESPN (Twitter link).
“I would feel more for them if they had COVID,” Rivers said. “They get to make the team still, and they’re on the team … But you want to play and them being in a jersey.” (Twitter link from Mark Medina of USA Today)
Embiid is a member of Team Durant, while Simmons was drafted by Team LeBron, so both teams will have 11 players if the two 76ers stars can’t participate.
Both players are having exceptional seasons for the Sixers, who lead the East with a 20-12 record. Embiid is among the mid-season favorites for MVP, averaging 30.2 points, 11.6 rebounds and 1.4 blocks through 30 games. Simmons averages 16.1 points, 7.9 rebounds and 7.6 assists per night and is one of the league’s best perimeter defenders.
It’s not clear how the potential exposure to the virus will affect their availability once the season resumes. Philadelphia doesn’t play again until Thursday night, and both players may be required to quarantine if the barber’s positive test is confirmed.
Aggregation Restriction Lifted For Players In James Harden Trade
The trade aggregation restriction has expired for the seven players who were involved in this season’s most significant deal, tweets Bobby Marks of ESPN. That means everyone who was part of the four-team swap that sent James Harden to the Nets in January can now be combined with other salaries in another trade.
While that may not matter much to the other three teams involved, it’s significant for the Rockets, particularly involving Victor Oladipo, who has an expiring $21MM contract. Oladipo has remained a productive scorer in Houston, averaging 19.9 PPG in 15 games, but he’s shooting just 38.7% from the field and 31.3% from three-point range.
The rebuilding Rockets will have to decide whether they want to make a long-term investment in Oladipo, who will turn 29 before the season ends and is still sitting out one-half of back-to-back sets due to health concerns. He declined a two-year, $45MM extension offer from Houston shortly after the trade, the largest the Rockets could offer at the time, but the team admits that was just a way to show he was wanted. Oladipo will seek a longer deal once free agency arrives.
If Houston decides not to make that investment, its best option is to trade him before the March 25 deadline. The Knicks would be among the teams with interest, according to a report this week.
Owning the league’s third-worst record after 13 straight losses, the Rockets are expected to be among the league’s most active sellers heading into the deadline. They will also be able to aggregate the $9.6MM contract for Dante Exum and the $1.78MM deal for Rodions Kurucs, as both were acquired in the Harden deal.
In addition to Harden, the other players in the trade – who can now be aggregated – were Pacers guard Caris LeVert and Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen and forward Taurean Prince.
Nets Notes: All-Stars, Perry, Griffin, 10-Days
Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving and James Harden have become regulars at the All-Star Game, but it’s still an important event for all three of them, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. The Nets‘ trio, which has combined for 27 All-Star appearances, will technically be teammates Sunday on Team Durant, although Durant won’t be in Atlanta because of a strained left hamstring.
“For the All-Star Game, that’s always a blessing,” Harden said. “That means you’re doing something right. That means you’re playing extremely well up to that point. You never want to take opportunities like that for granted. So I’m blessed. I’m fortunate to be a part of my ninth All-Star Game.”
There’s more from Brooklyn:
- Brooklyn has recalled Reggie Perry from the G League, Lewis adds in the same story. The rookie power forward averaged 18.1 points, 8.9 rebounds and shot 52.1% from the field in 15 games for Long Island. He appeared in 14 games for Brooklyn before being sent to the G League bubble.
- The Nets are rumored to be the favorites to sign Blake Griffin, who agreed to a buyout with the Pistons this week, and Dan Devine of The Ringer believes he would be a good fit in Brooklyn. With Durant recovering slowly from his hamstring issue and Jeff Green dealing with an injured shoulder, the Nets need could use help in the frontcourt. Griffin could provide valuable minutes at power forward and may even split time with Green as a backup center. Devine believes Griffin might be rejuvenated by being surrounded with so much talent, and his play-making skills could make Brooklyn’s offense even more dangerous.
- The Nets are letting their three 10-day contracts expire during the All-Star break, according to a NetsDaily story. Tyler Cook‘s deal ended today, while contracts for Andre Roberson and Iman Shumpert will expire Sunday. A league source told NetsDaily there’s no urgency to sign any of them to a second 10-day deal because Brooklyn doesn’t play again until Thursday.