Nets Shopped Shamet Before Harden Swap
The Nets shopped guard Landry Shamet for a first-round pick prior to the James Harden blockbuster deal, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said on his podcast (hat tip to RealGM).
The motivation for Brooklyn was to forward another first-rounder to the Rockets and hold onto young center Jarrett Allen. Brooklyn gave up three first-rounders to Houston in the deal and a fourth one might have allowed them to retain Allen.
The Cavaliers were motivated to acquire Allen, a restricted free agent after the season, and gave up an unprotected 2022 first-round pick that Milwaukee owed them as part of the complex four-team swap. Cleveland also took on Taurean Prince‘s multiyear salary.
“I talked to two different teams that the Nets offered Landry Shamet to in the last week, attempting to get a first-round pick,” Windhorst said. “They were trying to keep Jarrett Allen, as you can imagine. To get the fourth first-round pick, they were trying to find a team that would give them anything. And so they shopped Landry Shamet pretty hard from what I understand.”
Without Allen, the Nets are left with DeAndre Jordan as the only true center on the roster and it will be difficult for them to trade for another of consequence.
“I just don’t see a lot of assets on the roster. And of course they have no first-round picks they can trade,” Windhorst said.
Shamet was acquired from the Clippers in a three-team trade during the offseason. Brooklyn exercised its $3.77MM 2021/22 option on Shamet prior to this season. He’s making roughly $2.1MM this season.
Shamet will have difficulty getting minutes behind Harden and Kyrie Irving, who is expected to return as early as Wednesday from his personal absence. He played 11 minutes off the bench in the Nets’ two-point win over Milwaukee on Monday. Shamet is shooting just 34.3% from the field in a reserve role this season.
Western Notes: Valanciunas, Lee, Porter Jr., Huestis, Spalding
Grizzlies center Jonas Valanciunas missed Monday’s game against the Suns due to the league’s health and safety protocols, the team’s PR department tweets. It’s uncertain how long Valanciunas will be sidelined. He was instructed to leave the bench area 10 days ago due to COVID-19 contact tracing but it turned out to be a “false alarm,” as Valanciunas described it. Rookie Xavier Tillman started in his place.
We have more from the Western Conference:
- The Warriors might take a longer look at Damion Lee with Kelly Oubre Jr. off to a slow start, Ethan Strauss of The Athletic writes. Lee’s skills mesh more seamlessly with Stephen Curry, so Golden State could even try Lee in a starting role. He had a pair of double-digit scoring outings last week and has shot the ball well from deep (44.7%) with a low turnover rate. Oubre has shot an icy 19.7% on his 3-point tries but the Warriors dipped deeper into the luxury tax by acquiring him, so they’ll likely exercise plenty of patience and hope he returns to last season’s form.
- Michael Porter Jr.‘s starting spot is safe, Nuggets coach Michael Malone said on Monday, per Mike Singer of the Denver Post (Twitter link). Porter hasn’t played since December 29 after being placed on the league’s COVID-19 protocol list. “Bottom line is, he’s the starting small forward at 6’10”, averaging close to 20 points a game and seven rebounds,” Malone said. “Not only are you whole, but you have a really talented player who’s a big part of your current team and also your future.”
- NBA veterans Josh Huestis and Ray Spalding are among the players on the Rockets’ G League roster, according to a tweet from the Rio Grande Vipers. Huestis played in Germany last season after appearing in 76 career games with the Thunder, including 69 during the 2017/18 season. Spalding was waived by the Hornets in November. He played 13 games with the Suns in 2018/19.
Central Notes: Porter Jr., LeVert, Weaver, Oladipo
Cavaliers second-year swingman Kevin Porter Jr., who is expected to be traded or waived soon, was told to clean out his locker after his outburst toward GM Koby Altman and other team officials on Friday, according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst. Porter was incensed when his locker was moved to another location to make room for newcomer Taurean Prince.
The decision to move Porter’s locker spot was based on NBA seniority and spacing to adhere to COVID-19 protocols, Spencer Davies of Basketball News reports. Porter was heard yelling about “modern-day slavery” during the argument with Altman, Davies adds.
Coach J.B. Bickerstaff didn’t directly address Porter’s status on Monday but strongly hinted the decision to move on from Porter was final, according to Chris Fedor of the Cleveland Plain Dealer.
“We all want to see Kevin be successful. I still feel that way,” Bickerstaff said. “So whatever it is that happens in the future for him, I hope nothing but the best for him. And it’s part of our responsibility as coaches to give everyone our all and try to make the best of every situation. I can say that we did that.”
We have more from the Central Division:
- Pacers GM Kevin Pritchard feels strongly that Caris LeVert will fully recover from his kidney issue but expects it will be six-to-eight weeks before he can even pick up a basketball again, according to Tony East of Forbes Sports (Twitter links). “We got comfortable with the medical,” he said. “We are getting more comfortable every single day. He’s probably going to have surgery.” The team will know more about LeVert’s timeline in the next seven days, East adds.
- Pistons GM Troy Weaver made more roster moves than any other NBA executive during the abbreviated offseason and he vows to stay bold during the team’s rebuilding process, Rod Beard of the Detroit News writes. “When I was growing up, I didn’t stick my toe in the pool; I jumped in,” Weaver said. “I sit on the front on the roller coaster with my hands up so I’m not going to come in and be gun-shy. My clip will be empty.”
- Victor Oladipo, traded to the Rockets in the four-team blockbuster that brought James Harden to Brooklyn, bid farewell to Pacers fans in an Instagram post. “I find myself going through a wide range of emotions. But the one emotion or feeling that I keep coming back to is gratitude,” he wrote in part. “I am just extremely grateful right now. … Grateful to still be able to make a living playing the sport I love. Grateful that I still have the opportunity to achieve greatness at the highest level of basketball. But I’m deeply grateful of my time spent in Indiana and in the city of Indianapolis.”
Wizards’ COVID-19 Problems Worsen As Another Player Tests Positive
The Wizards’ COVID-19 issues continue to mount, as a seventh player and a staff member have now tested positive, Ava Wallace of the Washington Post tweets.
On Friday, Washington GM Tommy Sheppard confirmed that six players had tested positive for the virus and three others were under health and safety protocols.
However, there is some room for optimism. The team could practice again as soon as Wednesday, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski tweets. That’s because some of the players currently under health and safety protocols could soon be cleared to return, he adds.
The lack of available players has forced the NBA to postpone five consecutive Wizards games. Earlier on Monday, the league announced the Wizards’ game on Wednesday against the Hornets would be moved to a later date. They also officially waived center Anžejs Pasečņiks, though it’s unknown whether he was one of the players on the COVID-19 list.
The Wizards started to bring players who have tested negative and cleared contact tracing protocols into the practice facility for one-on-zero workouts Sunday, Fred Katz of The Athletic tweets. They haven’t been together in a group setting since their last game a week ago.
Sixers Waive Dakota Mathias
The Sixers are waiving guard Dakota Mathias, Kyle Neubeck of PhillyVoice.com reports. The team has confirmed the transaction (Twitter link).
Mathias was playing on a two-way contract, so the move will open up one of those slots. However, the Sixers don’t plan to fill it right away. The decision to cut ties with Mathias was done to create flexibility for opportunities that may become available down the road, Neubeck adds.
Forward Paul Reed holds the other two-way contract.
A former Purdue standout, Mathias had appeared in eight games, including two starts, as a result of the team’s COVID-19 issues. He was averaging 6.0 PPG on 39.6% shooting and 1.6 APG in 15.4 MPG.
Mathias, 25, played last season for the Mavericks’ affiliate, the Texas Legends. He averaged 18.1 PPG and 3.1 APG while shooting 39.5% on 3-point attempts.
And-Ones: Franchise Valuations, G League, Two-Way Deals
We’re likely still a few weeks away from Forbes’ publication of its annual NBA franchise valuations, which are typically revealed during the first half of February. However, new sports-business website Sportico has gotten the jump on Forbes in 2021, trying its hand at projecting the values of all 30 NBA teams.
According to Peter J. Schwartz of Sportico, the average NBA franchise is worth nearly $2.4 billion. That projection dipped slightly as a direct result of the coronavirus pandemic, since teams around the league have missed out on anticipated revenues as a result of playing without fans. However, the fact that the NBA’s national revenues have remained relatively stable means Sportico’s projected valuations have only dipped about two percent.
In Sportico’s view, the Knicks ($5.42 billion), Warriors ($5.21 billion), and Lakers ($5.14 billion) are far and away the most valuable NBA franchises, followed by the Nets ($3.4 billion) at No. 4. The Pelicans ($1.35 billion), Grizzlies ($1.36 billion), and Timberwolves ($1.43 billion) are at the other end of the spectrum.
Here are more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- The NBA G League announced in December of 2019 that it would be expanding to Mexico City for 2020/21, but given the circumstances surrounding this season, the Capitanes franchise won’t be debuting now after all. While the league has been quiet about its plans for that Mexico-based franchise, the club is now expected to begin playing in the NBAGL in 2021/22, says Marc Stein of The New York Times.
- Although most coaches and general managers around the NBA support the idea of giving teams a third two-way contract slot – an idea being discussed by the league and the players’ union – some would have liked to see a different tweak made to the two-way rules, writes Jared Weiss of The Athletic. “We are in support of (the proposal),” a Western Conference GM said. “But (we) might prefer to have current two-ways with unlimited game-day restrictions.” Players on two-way contracts are limited to being active for 50 of 72 games this season.
- In an interesting article for HoopsHype, Michael Scotto explores the “art of the smokescreen,” speaking to agents and team executives about why they might be motivated to leak information to reporters.
NBA Postpones Wednesday’s Wizards/Hornets Game
The Wizards‘ coronavirus outbreak continues to force postponements, with the NBA announcing today that Wednesday’s game in Charlotte between the Wizards and Hornets won’t take place as scheduled. It’s the fifth consecutive Washington game that has been postponed.
General manager Tommy Sheppard confirmed over the weekend that the Wizards have had six players test positive for the coronavirus, with three more players tied up in the NBA’s health and safety protocols for contact tracing purposes.
It’s not clear whether or not Anžejs Pasečņiks – who has since been waived – was one of the affected players. Either way though, with Thomas Bryant out for the season due to a torn ACL, Washington doesn’t have the league-required minimum of eight players available for games.
The team hasn’t played since last Monday, when it recorded a 128-107 win over Phoenix. The next game on the Wizards’ schedule is a Friday contest in Milwaukee — we’ll have to wait to see if it can be played as scheduled.
The NBA has now had to postpone 15 games on this season’s schedule. The full list can be found right here.
Jodie Meeks Seeking NBA Roster Spot
Veteran sharpshooter Jodie Meeks hasn’t appeared in an NBA game since logging 51 seconds of action for the Raptors in Game 3 of the 2019 NBA Finals, but he hasn’t given up on returning to the league. In a conversation with Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, he said that he’s hoping to earn an NBA roster spot this season.
“I haven’t retired, and I’m not looking to retire,” Meeks said. “I’m still healthy, and I’m only 33. The way my game is, it’s not like I’m super athletic, running and jumping like Russell Westbrook. I’m strictly shooting and playing defense. I could still move. I could still play for a while. I just need an opportunity.”
Although he played a little for the champion Raptors in 2018/19, Meeks hasn’t been a regular rotation player since ’18/19, when he averaged 6.3 PPG in 77 games (14.5 MPG) for the Wizards. His .343 3PT% that season represented his lowest mark since his rookie year. Over the course of his 10-year career, he’s a 37.3% shooter from beyond the arc.
Meeks is ineligible to sign a two-way contract, but a number of teams around the NBA have open spots on their 15-man rosters. Meeks views one contending club as a particularly good fit, pointing to the Nets and their three current roster openings.
“They need to get me in Brooklyn,” Meeks told Scotto. “They need some shooting.”
Start Of Monday’s Pistons/Heat Game Pushed Back
12:39pm: The NBA has officially announced that the Pistons/Heat game has been delayed to 8:00 pm. According to Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press (Twitter link), the move was made to allow for more COVID-19 tests to be processed before the teams take the court. Both clubs are still planning to play tonight, Reynolds adds.
12:20pm: Monday’s game between the Pistons and Heat, originally scheduled to be played in Miami at 3:00 pm eastern time, will be delayed until at least 8:00 pm, according to Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel (Twitter link).
As Winderman explains, the delay is related to the NBA’s COVID-19 protocols. The league, which has already had to postpone 14 games so far this season due to the health and safety protocols, still hopes today’s Pistons/Heat game can be played, but it sounds like a postponement remains a possibility.
The Pistons and Heat have each had one game postponed this season, but there hadn’t been any prior indication that today’s contest was in jeopardy. On last night’s injury report, Miami only had Avery Bradley and Jimmy Butler listed as out due to health and safety protocols, while Detroit wasn’t missing any players due to the protocols.
We’ll update this story with the latest info when the NBA provides more clarity. Until then, you can view the list of this season’s postponements right here.
Kyrie Irving Remains Out For Monday’s Game
JANUARY 18: The Nets have listed Irving as out for Monday’s game. The point guard continues to ramp up his conditioning following his absence and seems likely to return for Brooklyn’s next contest on Wednesday, per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter links).
JANUARY 17: Nets star Kyrie Irving has been upgraded to questionable for Monday’s marquee game against the Bucks on TNT, Malika Andrews of ESPN tweets.
Irving has missed the team’s last six games due to personal reasons and the league’s health and safety protocols. Should the 28-year-old become available for Monday, it could be the first time he, James Harden and Kevin Durant share the floor since last week’s massive multi-team trade was finalized.
Harden and Durant combined for 74 points in the team’s win over Orlando on Saturday without Irving, shooting an impressive 24-for-44 from the floor.
“We didn’t even have 11 (Kyrie Irving) tonight. Scary hours wow!!!” Harden wrote on social media postgame.
Brooklyn (8-6) has one of the league’s most formidable offensive rosters, while Milwaukee (9-4) is known for having one of the top defenses. Both clubs will have plenty of time to develop their chemistry as the season progresses.
Irving, a six-time All-Star, was recently fined $50K for violating the league’s COVID-19 protocols. The violation also cost him in excess of $800K in salary.