Atlantic Notes: Embiid, Ntilikina, Rose, Quickley, Flynn
Sixers center Joel Embiid is having the best season of his career and has emerged as a legitimate MVP candidate, writes Derek Bodner of The Athletic. In addition to anchoring a defense that ranks first in the Eastern Conference with a 107.4 rating, Embiid is having his best offensive season, with career highs in points per game (29.3), field-goal percentage (55.3%), and three-point percentage (39.0%), among other categories.
Even if he doesn’t earn MVP honors, Embiid is on track to be named to one of the league’s three All-NBA teams, which would bode well for his future earnings. If he earns an All-NBA spot this season, the Sixers star would become eligible to sign a super-max contract extension that would start at 35% of the 2023/24 salary cap instead of his standard limit of 30%.
Here’s more from around the Atlantic:
- Knicks guard Frank Ntilikina has been ruled out for Tuesday due to entering the NBA’s health and safety protocols, per the team (Twitter link). Ntilikina hasn’t tested positive, but is subject to contact tracing after having been in proximity to someone who tested positive, reports Steve Popper of Newsday (Twitter link). If Ntilikina is determined to have been a close contact of that person, he may be sidelined for the next week.
- While there’s some concern among Knicks fans that newly-acquired point guard Derrick Rose will steal minutes from promising rookie Immanuel Quickley, the two guards have already begun to bond, as Marc Berman of The New York Post writes. “First of all he gave me his number — said anything I need just hit him,” Quickley said of Rose on Tuesday. “But he sat down with me a little bit, me and Obi (Toppin) actually, just told us he’s here to help us, he’s here to help us grow and things like that.”
- As he heads to the G League bubble to gain regular playing time and experience, Malachi Flynn is hoping to follow in the footsteps of Raptors teammate Fred VanVleet, who won an NBAGL title as a rookie before emerging as a key player for an NBA championship team two years later. Blake Murphy of The Athletic has the story.
Lakers Notes: Matthews, Vogel, LeBron, Schroder
Wesley Matthews helped the Lakers secure an overtime win over the Thunder Monday night in a rare high point of a frustrating season, writes Broderick Turner of The Los Angeles Times. After not playing at all for 10 days, Matthews got an opportunity due to any injury to Alex Caruso and responded with 16 points. His time with L.A. hasn’t gone the way he expected after signing as a free agent during the offseason, but he doesn’t regret the decision.
“No, it didn’t make me second-guess anything,” Matthews said. “It’s just a matter of time. … Since entering this league, nothing has gone according to what I would have dreamed of being an NBA player. … It was unfortunate, but at the same time, it’s your job to be professional. It’s your job to stay ready.”
At age 34, Matthews is adjusting to a new role after being a starter for most of his career, including 67 games with the Bucks last season. He said he appreciates coach Frank Vogel’s honest approach when he decided to trim the rotation.
“He knows the conversation isn’t going to be easy. I know the conversation isn’t going to be easy,” Matthews said. “But the conversation needs to take place just so that you can get the best out of somebody. … Conversations can be difficult. They need to be had and I didn’t love anything he had to say, but your job is to be professional. Your job is to play basketball and cheer on your teammates and be supportive and be a pro.”
There’s more on the Lakers:
- LeBron James said it was “very inspiring” to watch Tom Brady win a seventh Super Bowl at age 43, according to Dave McMenamin of ESPN. James, who is sometimes compared to Brady for their ability to remain productive past normal retirement age, has no time frame in mind for ending his career. “I don’t know how long I’m going to play the game,” James said. “I don’t know how much more I’ll be able to give to the game. The way I feel right now, we’ll see what happens. But I have no timetable on it. I have no year of, ‘OK, do I want to play until 30-this or 40-that?’ The game will let me know when it’s time, and we’ll figure it out then.”
- Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times examines the reasons for James’ longevity and finds it’s a combination of three factors — continuing to improve his skills, remaining committed to health, and fitness and mastering the mental part of the game.
- Dennis Schroder knew he had to take on a complementary role to James and Anthony Davis when he was traded to the Lakers, Turner writes in a separate story. Schroder adapted right away and has become the third-leading scorer on the team at 14.4 PPG. “I play with the two best players in the world,” he said. “So, for me, I try to adjust to this group, to them, it’s big time. I think I just got to be more aggressive taking the right shots and putting them in good position to score and play a lot faster.”
Malik Beasley Sentenced On Violence Charge
Timberwolves guard Malik Beasley received a 120-day sentence in the Hennepin County Workhouse with work release and a home confinement option after pleading guilty to making threats of violence with reckless disregard to risk, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic.
The sentence will be served at the end of the season, and the threats of violence charge will be reduced to a misdemeanor once he completes three years of probation, Charania adds (Twitter link).
“We are very pleased with this outcome that will allow Malik to continue working on becoming a better person and making better choices,” said his attorney, Steve Haney.
The sentence also includes a three-year ban on alcohol and illicit drug use, with regular testing, and a lifetime ban on possessing firearms, writes Paul Walsh of The Star Tribune. A felony drug charge was dismissed as part of Beasley’s plea agreement.
Beasley, 24, was accused of aiming a rifle at a pregnant woman, her husband and their teenage daughter in an SUV outside his home in September. During a video hearing, he expressed remorse for his actions, Walsh adds, but explained that “for several weeks leading up to this incident, day and night, countless vehicles … came up to my house bothering my family and myself. I was worried and in fear for the safety of us and … all this caused me to be frustrated in this situation.”
Beasley’s house was listed on a Parade of Homes tour, even though had asked to have it removed, according to defense attorney Ryan Pacyga. The family was participating in the tour when the incident occurred.
Beasley asked the judge how he could “apologize face-to-face” to the victims and was instructed to write a letter to them and have it delivered. He is banned from having any future contact with the family.
Hoops Rumors Chat Transcript: 2/9/2021
Three trades have been completed since the 2020/21 NBA season began, but we expect to see many more finalized leading up to the March 25 trade deadline.
With that in mind, we’ve brought back our weekly live chats at Hoops Rumors to discuss all the latest news and rumors in the NBA world. Those chats will take place each Tuesday at 12:00 pm central time (1 pm ET),
Today’s chat transcript can be found right here.
Hawks Notes: Hunter, Reddish, Point Guard, Bogdanovic
Hawks forward De’Andre Hunter, who underwent a lateral meniscus arthroscopic debridement procedure earlier this week, won’t be back on the court for the team anytime soon. Addressing Hunter’s situation today on 92.9 The Game in Atlanta, general manager Travis Schlenk suggested that the 23-year-old will be sidelined until at least late March, and likely sometime in April.
“The doctors say, typically, on average, these things are seven to 10 weeks,” Schlenk said, per Mike Conti of 92.9 The Game. “And most of the guys are ready to go by eight weeks. So, we’re hopeful.”
The Hawks’ initial announcement on Hunter indicated that his status would be updated when he’s re-evaluated in two weeks. According to Sarah K. Spencer of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (Twitter link), the club hopes to have a clearer idea at that point about which end of the seven-to-10 week timeline is more likely to apply to Hunter.
Here’s more out of Atlanta:
- Chris Kirschner of The Athletic explores what Hunter’s absence will mean for the Hawks in the short term and the long term, noting that the pressure on new starting small forward Cam Reddish will increase. Kirschner also expects Atlanta to play it safe with Hunter’s return timeline to help avoid any recurring knee issues.
- In a separate story for The Athletic, Kirschner and John Hollinger discussed a few Hawks-related topics, including the hole at backup point guard that Rajon Rondo hasn’t adequately filled. Hollinger, who questioned Atlanta’s decision not to claim Elfrid Payton when New York waived him in November, suggested that Payton, George Hill, Delon Wright, and T.J. McConnell could be potential targets if Atlanta tries to shore up the position via trade.
- Hawks guard Bogdan Bogdanovic, who was only able to play nine games for his new team before being sidelined by a right knee fracture, spoke to Sarah K. Spencer of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution about the injury and his goal to return before the end of the first half. “Anything before All-Star would be really good for me, but I don’t want to put the pressure on it,” Bogdanovic said. “But I would like to play before the All-Star (break), if it was me, and if my body heals up.”
Eastern Rumors: Celtics, Knicks, Payton, Knox, Bulls
The Celtics appear to be in the market for an in-season upgrade to their roster, according to Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer, who says he received “a flurry of texts” on Saturday night from executives around the league who suggested that Boston appeared to be up to something.
The Celtics haven’t completed any moves in the couple days since then, so there’s no indication at this point that anything is imminent — the team could wait until closer to the March 25 trade deadline to attempt to finalize a move. O’Connor notes that league sources have long stated that the C’s are looking to bolster their wing and frontcourt rotations.
Discussing the Celtics’ massive trade exception during a radio appearance last week, president of basketball operations Danny Ainge suggested the club’s top priority on the trade market will be “shooting with size.”
Here’s more from around the East:
- The Knicks aren’t done exploring trade options after acquiring Derrick Rose from Detroit, says Ian Begley of SNY.tv (video link). According to Begley, at least one team in playoff contention has shown some interest in Elfrid Payton. Additionally, while New York didn’t want to move Kevin Knox in the Rose deal, that doesn’t mean that he’s untouchable “by any stretch of the imagination,” per Begley.
- As long as the Bulls continue playing sub-.500 ball, Zach LaVine – whose contract expires in 2022 – will be the subject of trade rumors. However, K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago argues that LaVine, whose scoring average this season is up to a career-high 27.4 PPG, continues to improve and that the team should seriously consider pursuing a contract extension for the standout guard in the offseason.
- With multiple reports indicating that the Bulls could be a landing spot for Pelicans guard Lonzo Ball, Bryan Kalbrosky of HoopsHype explains why a trade sending him to Chicago would make sense for both Ball and the Bulls.
Jrue Holiday Not Traveling With Bucks To Phoenix
Bucks guard Jrue Holiday was a late scratch on Monday night, having entered the NBA’s health and safety protocols shortly before the team’s game against Denver tipped off. While Holiday’s status going forward remains up in the air, the Bucks indicated after Monday’s contest that he wouldn’t be traveling with the club to Phoenix for Wednesday’s game vs. the Suns, per Eric Nehm of The Athletic.
A player generally enters the league’s health and safety protocols if someone he has been in contact with tests positive for the virus or if he returns a positive or inconclusive test himself. As Nehm observes, Khris Middleton‘s comments about Holiday after the game suggest this may be a case of the latter.
“Once he tested positive, you immediately think about his health, his safety and then his family back home,” Middleton said of his teammate. “He has little kids too that he has to worry about. So, I think that was a huge part of what was going through my mind before the game. Just thinking about him and his family back home.
“Hopefully, the test may come back negative a couple more times and then it’s just a false positive. Right now, I think that’s the best-case scenario, but I’m sure he’ll be fine no matter what though.”
If Holiday did return a positive test, it’s entirely possible – as Middleton points out – that it could have been a false positive. If that’s the case, registering two negative tests should allow Holiday to be cleared, perhaps even in time for Wednesday’s game.
However, if Middleton is right that Holiday tested positive and that test is ultimately confirmed, the Bucks would be without their starting point guard for at least the next couple weeks or so and could have one or more of their other players tied up in a contact-tracing investigation.
As Nehm notes, the Bucks haven’t run into any major coronavirus-related issues so far this season. Milwaukee’s game on January 22 vs. Washington was postponed, but that was due to several COVID-19 cases among the Wizards. The hope is that Holiday’s time in the league’s health and safety protocols will be brief and won’t affect any of his teammates, but we’ll have to wait for further updates for more clarity.
Central Notes: Bayno, Hutchison, LeVert, Cavs, Holiday
Pacers assistant coach Bill Bayno has resigned due to mental health issues, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski tweets. Bayno, 58, took a leave of absence two weeks ago. Both of his parents recently passed away and he needed to step away from the pressures and workload of the NBA grind amid the pandemic, Wojnarowski adds. He could return to coaching at some point. The team confirmed his resignation in a press release.
“I appreciate the impact Coach Bayno has had on our players and the Pacers organization over the last five years,” head coach Nate Bjorkgren said. “All of us at the Pacers wish him the very best as he transitions to his next chapter.”
We have more from the Central Division:
- Bulls guard Chandler Hutchison is out indefinitely due to personal reasons, Rob Schaefer of NBC Sports Chicago tweets. He’ll continue to be around the team and on the sidelines. Hutchinson played four minutes against Orlando on Friday but only appeared in one game in January after testing positive for the coronavirus.
- Caris LeVert is attending Pacers practices two weeks after undergoing surgery for kidney cancer, according to Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files. “He’s obviously in all of our film sessions and our team meetings,” coach Nate Bjorkgren said. “He’s getting there, he’s walking around and that’s a good start.” Acquired in the four-team blockbuster deal that sent James Harden to Brooklyn, LeVert is out indefinitely.
- The Cavaliers’ current road trip could determine the direction of the team for the remainder of the season, Chris Fedor of the Cleveland Plain Dealer writes. It could decide their approach to the trade deadline and whether they have a realistic chance at making the postseason.
- Bucks guard Jrue Holiday was declared inactive on Monday due to the league’s health and safety protocols, Eric Nehm of The Athletic tweets.
Pistons Notes: Smith, Casey, McGruder, Weaver
Dennis Smith Jr. could follow the path of Josh Jackson on the rebuilding Pistons, Keith Langlois of the team’s website opines. Jackson is reviving his career after signing with the club as a free agent, as evidenced by his 28-point outing against the Lakers on Saturday. Smith, who was officially acquired from the Knicks on Monday, is another lottery pick who could get his career back on track in Detroit.
With lottery pick Killian Hayes out indefinitely, Smith will get playing time and he’s now in an organization invested in the futures of all its young players, Langlois adds. Smith could be a restricted free agent after the season if Detroit extends a $7MM+ qualifying offer.
We have more on the Pistons:
- Since Smith spent time at Orlando’s G League bubble, coach Dwane Casey anticipates the guard will have to quarantine a few days in Detroit, James Edwards of The Athletic tweets. If so, Smith won’t be in uniform on Tuesday against Brooklyn, Detroit’s first game since its 0-4 West Coast trip. He’s officially listed as questionable.
- Casey didn’t sign up for a rebuilding project when he was hired by owner Tom Gores but he’s on board with the team’s rebuilding effort, Edwards adds in another tweet. The Pistons also acquired a second-round pick from the Knicks in the Derrick Rose deal. “It’s a direction, and it’s one needed for a long time with this organization,” Casey said.
- Rodney McGruder has known GM Troy Weaver since childhood, as McGruder’s father grew up with Weaver in Washington, D.C., according to Langlois. “Troy’s like an uncle to me. Grew up in the same neighborhood,” McGruder said. “I’ve known him all my life. That relationship, he’s family. We both want to see each other succeed.” McGruder’s $5MM for next season in non-guaranteed.
Warriors Notes: Wiseman, Curry, Thompson, Roster
James Wiseman will be reevaluated once the Warriors return home from their road trip, Anthony Slater of The Athletic tweets. The No. 2 overall pick in the draft is recovering from a wrist injury suffered January 30 against Detroit. Coach Steve Kerr said the rookie center is progressing well from the left wrist sprain. The Warriors’ next home game is Thursday against Orlando.
We have more on the Warriors:
- While the odds are starting to drop, Stephen Curry is a value play for bettors wagering on the Most Valuable Player award, according to Ethan Strauss of The Athletic. Curry currently has the sixth-best odds, but is posting offensive numbers on par with – or better than – any season in his career except for his brilliant 2015/16 campaign, Strauss adds. Curry is averaging 29.4 PPG and 6.1 APG after his 57-point explosion against Dallas over the weekend.
- Klay Thompson has shed the walking boot as he continues to recover from a right Achilles tendon tear, Slater notes in another tweet. “Getting the boot off is a milestone,” Kerr said. “I’m not sure what’s next.” Thompson suffered the injury in November.
- If the Warriors want to bring in a free agent big man due to their frontcourt injuries, a wrinkle in the COVID-19 protocols could make that happen quickly, Marcus White of NBC Sports Bay Area relays. According to TrueHoop’s Tom Haberstroh, free agents who have tested positive for COVID-19 within the last 90 days (and are now negative) only require a two-day quarantine.