Windhorst/MacMahon’s Latest: Jazz, Pelicans, Fox, Mavs, Grizzlies
The relationship between Jazz stars Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell is back to being “passively aggressively awkward,” ESPN’s Tim MacMahon stated in the latest episode of Brian Windhorst’s Hoop Collective podcast. Windhorst said he has heard the same thing, suggesting Gobert and Mitchell have gotten “under each other’s skin” and referring to it as “the most underplayed story in the league.”
Asked today about the report, Mitchell dismissed it, per Sarah Todd of The Deseret News: “No, no, no, no. We’re good. That’s not true. … I’m getting tired of answering (these questions) to be honest. Look, we put in the work, we’re leaders for our team, and we’re going through a tough stretch and that happens. But this is part of the business and that’s just how it goes.”
Rumors of tension between Gobert and Mitchell were at their height back in 2020 during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. We haven’t heard as much about the relationship since then — MacMahon says that when the Jazz have everyone healthy and are playing well, the issue “falls in the manageable category.”
Here are a few more highlights from Windhorst’s Hoop Collective podcast:
- As the trade deadline nears, the Pelicans have been “pretty active looking to buy,” according to Windhorst, who reports that New Orleans has talked to the Trail Blazers, Kings, Rockets, and Hawks about CJ McCollum, De’Aaron Fox, Eric Gordon, and Kevin Huerter, respectively. Windhorst adds that Josh Hart is believed to be among the players the Pelicans would move.
- Following up on Fox, Windhorst confirms that the Knicks have shown interest in the Kings‘ point guard and says that people around the league don’t really believe Sacramento is fully out of the Ben Simmons sweepstakes.
- Windhorst and MacMahon have both heard whispers that the Mavericks are talking to the Celtics about Marcus Smart, though MacMahon admitted he’s not sure whether those discussions have taken place as of late. “I can say with certainty that they’ve shown interest in Marcus Smart in the past,” MacMahon said. “I don’t know how much of that has been recent.”
- After stating earlier in the week that the Mavericks likely won’t move Jalen Brunson unless they get blown away by an offer, MacMahon repeated that point and applied it to Dorian Finney-Smith as well. MacMahon added that Brunson’s preference in free agency would be to stay in Dallas, but after earning a total of $6.1MM in his first four NBA seasons, the point guard’s top priority will be getting paid — he won’t be interested in taking a home-team discount.
- Windhorst, MacMahon, and ESPN’s Tim Bontemps all agreed – based on what they’ve heard – that the Grizzlies are unlikely to do anything significant at the trade deadline unless they get an opportunity that’s a “grand slam home run.”
Western Notes: Mitchell, Carmelo, Pelicans, Collins
Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell will return to action on Friday night vs. Brooklyn after missing the club’s last eight games due to a concussion. While he’s happy to be back, Mitchell admitted to reporters on Friday that it’s been a long few weeks recovering from his second concussion of the season and his fourth concussion overall.
“I got to a point where I was kind of a little nervous,” Mitchell said, per the Jazz’s website. “… To be honest, I was like, ‘What happened?’ because I knew this was bad. I really wasn’t doing anything on my phone, not playing Xbox, not leaving the house. … It was bad. The headache (and) the nausea were pretty messed up.”
Mitchell and the Jazz are still missing Rudy Gobert, but they’ll be facing a shorthanded Nets club. Already without Kevin Durant, Brooklyn announced today that James Harden will be out due to left hamstring tightness.
Here are a few more notes from around the Western Conference:
- Lakers forward Carmelo Anthony exited Thursday’s game against the Clippers early due to a right hamstring strain, but there’s optimism that the injury isn’t serious, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link). Sources tell Wojnarowski that Anthony is being considered day-to-day for now.
- Pelicans big man Willy Hernangomez and guard Garrett Temple entered the NBA’s health and safety protocols on Thursday, per Christian Clark of NOLA.com (Twitter link). New Orleans now has three players in the protocols, with the two new additions joining injured wing Didi Louzada.
- Spurs big man Zach Collins, who isn’t on Friday’s injury report, is thrilled to be cleared to play in an NBA game for the first time since August 2020 after enduring a long, challenging recovery process following an ankle injury. “I’m excited, nervous, anxious — but mostly excited,” Collins said on Thursday, per Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News. “Now I’m back to normal life.”
NBA Updates Salary Cap Projection For 2022/23
The NBA has let teams know that it’s now projecting a $121MM salary cap and a $147MM luxury tax line for the 2022/23 season, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).
The cap projections for 2022/23 have been steadily on the rise over the last year-and-a-half. During the 2020 offseason, the NBA estimated a $115.7MM cap and a $140MM tax line for ’22/23. In August 2021, the league increased those estimates to $119MM and $145MM.
The latest projections shouldn’t have a significant impact on teams’ plans at this season’s trade deadline. However, teams that project to have cap room this summer can plan on having a little more space than they originally anticipated, while clubs that will be at or above the tax line can expect a small amount of relief.
The NBA’s salary cap for the 2021/22 season is $112,414,000, with a tax threshold of $136,606,000.
If the cap for next season comes in at $121MM, as projected, it would be an increase of 7.6% and $8.6MM on this season’s figure. That would be the biggest single-year bump since 2016, when the cap spiked to $94.1MM from $70MM.
Stein’s Latest: Collins, Hawks, Poeltl, Turner, Fox, Lopez
Hawks big man John Collins appears increasingly unlikely to be traded before next Thursday’s deadline, Marc Stein writes in his latest Substack article. As Stein explains, Atlanta has been involved in plenty of trade discussions in recent weeks, but the team is playing well lately and seems inclined to push any Collins deal into the offseason.
ESPN’s Zach Lowe conveyed a similar sentiment earlier today. While he didn’t focus specifically on Collins or any other player, Lowe reported that the Hawks remain active in trade talks, but don’t appear to feel the same urgency to make a move that they did a couple weeks ago.
Here are a few more trade rumors from Stein’s latest roundup:
- The Spurs would require a first-round pick and a quality player in order to part with center Jakob Poeltl, according to Stein, who says the Bulls are among the teams to express interest in the big man. Stein previously identified Toronto as another club with interest in Poeltl.
- Stein was told on Friday morning that the odds of Pacers big man Myles Turner being moved before the February 10 deadline are a “coin flip.” Turner seemed more likely to be dealt before he sustained a stress fracture in his foot that cooled his market.
- Despite the Kings‘ insistence that they want to keep De’Aaron Fox and build around him and Tyrese Haliburton, Stein says numerous teams still believe Sacramento would be willing to part with Fox.
- Teams have inquired on center Robin Lopez, but it’s unclear how interested the Magic are in trading him, Stein writes.
Pacers Sign Reggie Perry To 10-Day Hardship Deal
The Pacers have signed big man Reggie Perry to a 10-day contract, the team announced today in a press release. The deal will run through February 13, covering Indiana’s next five games.
According to the Pacers, Perry has been signed using a COVID-related hardship exception. Domantas Sabonis is currently listed in the health and safety protocols, though he’s expected to exit soon, tweets Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files.
As long as Sabonis or another Pacer is in the protocols, Perry can be active. If Sabonis exits the protocols and no other players enter, Perry can finish his 10-day contract with the team, but would no longer be eligible to play.
The 57th overall pick in the 2020 draft, Perry spent his rookie year in ’20/21 on a two-way contract with the Nets, averaging 3.0 PPG and 2.8 RPG in 26 games (8.1 MPG) at the NBA level and putting up 18.1 PPG and 8.9 RPG in 15 games (28.8 MPG) for the Long Island Nets in the G League.
Perry signed with the Raptors for training camp this fall, then joined Toronto’s G League affiliate after failing to secure a spot on the regular season roster. He has averaged a double-double (18.7 PPG, 10.8 RPG) in 24 games (29.9 MPG) for the Raptors 905 this season.
Perry previously signed a 10-day hardship contract with Portland in late December and appeared in two games for the Trail Blazers. He was paid $85,578 for that deal and will get the same amount for the 10 days he spends with the Pacers. That money won’t count against team salary for cap or tax purposes.
The Pacers are dealing with a frontcourt shortage, missing both Myles Turner and Isaiah Jackson due to injuries while Sabonis remains in the protocols. As a result, Perry could see minutes immediately for Indiana.
Thunder Now Operating Under Salary Cap
The Thunder‘s Trevor Ariza trade exception, created in a deal with Miami last March, expired on Thursday, as Bobby Marks of ESPN notes (via Twitter). As a result, Oklahoma City’s total player salaries and cap holds fell below the $112.4MM cap, which means OKC is now operating as an under-the-cap team rather than an over-the-cap team.
We outlined back in November how the Thunder were technically still operating over the NBA’s salary cap for 2021/22 despite only having about $78MM in player salaries on their books. A series of free agent cap holds, trade exceptions, and other cap exceptions (the mid-level and bi-annual) artificially pushed their total team salary above $115MM.
However, now that the Ariza trade exception has expired, the Thunder’s team salary has dipped below the cap, meaning the team also forfeited its George Hill trade exception, as well as the amounts left on its mid-level and bi-annual exceptions — those exceptions are all only available to over-the-cap teams.
Assuming Oklahoma City renounces its various free agent cap holds, the team will have about $33.7MM in cap room, according to Marks. OKC could’ve renounced all of its exceptions at any point to claim that cap room, but opted to stay over the cap for the sake of flexibility. As of Thursday, that was no longer an option.
In addition to having a ton of cap space, the Thunder remain $23.7MM below the league’s minimum salary floor for ’21/22, says Marks. Each season, NBA teams are required to spend at least 90% of the cap — if they don’t, they must pay the difference to their players at the end of the season.
While they probably wouldn’t be opposed to giving end-of-season bonuses to their players if they have to, the Thunder will be motivated to reach the salary floor by making trades in the coming days, since they’ll have to spend that money anyway. It won’t be surprising to see the team accommodate multiple salary-dump deals before the February 10 trade deadline, taking on unwanted contracts from teams looking to cut costs and acquiring draft picks or young prospects in the process.
Joe Ingles Has “No Doubt” He’ll Come Back From ACL Tear
Veteran Jazz forward Joe Ingles will turn 35 later this year and is preparing to undergo surgery to repair a torn ACL in his left knee, but he’s not contemplating the possibility of retirement. Ingles told ESPN’s Tim MacMahon that there’s “literally no doubt” that he’ll make an NBA comeback after recovering from his ACL tear.
“I know probably everybody says that when they’re going through this,” Ingles said. “A few days post-injury, people might think I’m a little bit crazy. But you look at people who have been through this. The MRI was a little bit of a win, I guess, with it just being my ACL.”
As Ingles notes, while a torn ACL isn’t an easy injury to come back from, he didn’t suffer further structural damage in that knee, such as an MCL tear. The 34-year-old also pointed out that the injury may not affect him as significantly as it would if he were a player who relied more on quickness and explosiveness.
“Then the other part of it — and we joke about it — is my game,” Ingles told ESPN. “My game has never been based on athleticism, above the rim, or anything like that. I’m not writing off what this surgery is and what the rehab looks like, but everyone around the league knows how I play and what I can do.”
Ingles joked that the reactions to his injury on social media made it sound like he was “dead” or “dying.” He told MacMahon that he remains “very, very confident” in his ability to continue playing in the NBA.
Although Ingles is optimistic about eventually returning to the court, there’s no guarantee it will happen for the Jazz. His contract with the team expires this offseason, and his $13MM+ cap hit will make him a candidate to be traded as a salary-matching piece if Utah makes a deadline deal.
“If I’m able to get someone back that would help them make a push for the end of the year, I understand that,” Ingles told MacMahon. “I’m not going to sit here and be sour and upset. I’ve built my eight years here of hard work and in the community and all that stuff, but I’m very well aware of the business side and all that.”
Theoretically, Ingles could return to the Jazz as a free agent next season even if he’s traded at this year’s deadline. His injury recovery will likely extend into the 2022/23 season, complicating his free agency, but he tells ESPN he has “good relationships” with the franchise and will see what happens after his contract expires.
Community Shootaround: 2022 NBA All-Star Rosters
After revealing the 10 All-Star starters for the 2022 NBA All-Star Game last week, the league announced the seven reserves from each conference on Thursday night. The All-Star rosters are as follows:
Western Conference
Starters:
Stephen Curry, G (Warriors)- Ja Morant, G (Grizzlies)
- LeBron James, F (Lakers)
- Andrew Wiggins, F (Warriors)
- Nikola Jokic, C (Nuggets)
Reserves:
- Devin Booker, G (Suns)
- Chris Paul, G (Suns)
- Donovan Mitchell, G (Jazz)
- Luka Doncic, G (Mavericks)
- Draymond Green, F/C (Warriors)
- Karl-Anthony Towns, F/C (Timberwolves)
- Rudy Gobert, C (Jazz)
Eastern Conference
Starters:
- DeMar DeRozan, G (Bulls)
- Trae Young, G (Hawks)
- Giannis Antetokounmpo, F (Bucks)
- Kevin Durant, F (Nets)
- Joel Embiid, C (Sixers)
Reserves:
- Darius Garland, G (Cavaliers)
- James Harden, G (Nets)
- Zach LaVine, G (Bulls)
- Fred VanVleet, G (Raptors)
- Jimmy Butler, G/F (Heat)
- Khris Middleton, F (Bucks)
- Jayson Tatum, F (Celtics)
We can expect at least two players – one from each conference – to be named as replacements in the coming days, since Green and Durant aren’t expected to play in the All-Star Game.
Before that happens though, we want to get your take on which players were the most notable omissions from the initial 24 All-Stars and which guys should be first in line when replacements are selected.
I’d personally have a hard time subbing out any of the Western players who were selected as All-Star reserves — I thought the coaches did a pretty good job. When it comes to naming Western Conference replacements, Spurs guard Dejounte Murray would probably be at the top of my list, followed closely by Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram, Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Suns forward Mikal Bridges.
There were plenty of deserving candidates in the Eastern Conference, where you could make legitimate cases for Hornets starters LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges, Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen, Bucks guard Jrue Holiday, Pacers center Domantas Sabonis, Raptors forward Pascal Siakam. Obviously, there’s not room for all of them, but any would be worthy replacement All-Stars, and some of them probably had stronger cases than Middleton to be included in the top 12.
What do you think? Did voters get it right with the initial 24 All-Stars or were any of those players undeserving? Which players do you think should be the top choices for commissioner Adam Silver when he names replacements?
Cronin: Blazers Not Planning To Blow Up Roster
The Trail Blazers have fallen short of their expectations on the court this season, having posted a 21-31 record to date. The team has also undergone front office and head coaching changes within the last year. However, interim general manager Joe Cronin told Mark Medina of NBA.com that the Blazers don’t plan to blow up their roster and launch a full-fledged rebuild at the trade deadline.
“I don’t think we have the appetite to tear it all the way down,” Cronin said. “We have too many good players and too many ways to get better without taking too big of a step back.”
When I previewed the trade deadline for Northwest teams on Thursday, I wrote that the Blazers’ most likely path would be to hang onto players like Damian Lillard, Anfernee Simons, and Nassir Little while perhaps moving one or more veterans from a group that includes CJ McCollum, Norman Powell, Robert Covington, and Jusuf Nurkic.
In his conversation with Medina, Cronin didn’t confirm or deny shopping specific players, but hinted that Portland would be open to reshaping its roster to have a better chance of competing in 2022/23 and beyond, even if it means taking a bit of a hit in the short term.
“It’s delicate,” Cronin said when asked about the team’s short- and long-term goals. “I think we all take a big-picture approach knowing that one season is a small vacuum of a larger picture. It’s hard. We’re all so competitive that we want to win consistently. Sometimes to do that, you have to take a step back at times. Sometimes you just have to be patient. So, you’re trying to balance deal by deal what accomplishes the overall big-picture goals.”
Here are a few more of the most noteworthy comments Cronin made in his discussion with Medina:
On what message ownership has sent the interim GM about his job status:
“They’ve been very open with me as far as I’ll have an opportunity to keep this job. But there’s going to be a (GM) search. They showed a lot of trust in me by allowing me to make some decisions with staffing and going into this trade deadline with some roster decisions. So, the trust they’ve shown is really I can ask for and it’s a big compliment. We’ll just take it as we go as far as what the job search looks like and what my chances are.”
On Lillard’s recovery from abdominal surgery:
“It’s coming along great. The surgery was a success. That had been bothering him for years and years. It’s a big relief for him to finally address it. The hope that comes with it is knowing it’s a lot better and that this is really going to enhance his game and hopefully prolong his career.
“… We’re going to be patient and make sure he’s fully healed physically and mentally. I think the break for him is really good. These years really ran together the last three. The weight that he carries, that’s a lot. The way he carried through that injury. Physically, we want to make sure he’s good. Mentally, we want to make sure he’s refreshed and ready to go whenever he comes back.”
On whether the Blazers’ place in the standings will influence Lillard’s return date:
“With our whole approach, it’s going to be big-picture. We’re not going to rush him back just to win a few ball games. We’re going to make sure he’s healthy and right and perform for many years, not just this closing season. We’ll address it and look at it. But I don’t want to put any pressure on him. He can come back once he’s fully healed.”
Latest On Kawhi Leonard, Paul George
Clippers star Kawhi Leonard is “probably not gonna come back” this season, head coach Tyronn Lue told reporters, including Mirjam Swanson of the Southern California News Group, on Thursday night.
Lue made that statement on Leonard in passing when he was asked, following a thrilling win over the Lakers, about the challenge of coaching a team missing its top two players (Kawhi and Paul George).
“The enjoyment I get from this team, we know Kawhi’s probably not gonna come back, we don’t know the status of PG, but these guys continue to keep fighting,” Lue said. “Every single night. And so that’s kind of how I had to play, that’s how I had to make it, so just seeing how these guys scrap and compete every single night, just makes me feel good – that’s the enjoyment I get from coaching this team.”
Asked to clarify whether he was counting on not having Leonard for the rest of the regular season – and possibly the postseason too – Lue said he’s not ruling anything out.
“Yeah, I don’t know,” Lue said, per Swanson. “I mean, I’m not a doctor. But hope is stronger than fear. So I’m hoping that these two guys (Leonard and George) can come back. But, you know, you never know. So that’s all I got to say, man.”
Leonard has spent the entire season so far recovering from surgery on a partially torn ACL. Despite one report stating he’s ahead of schedule in his rehab and could return earlier than expected, other reports have conveyed pessimism about the likelihood of the two-time Finals MVP returning this season.
George, meanwhile, is dealing with a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow. During Thursday’s broadcast, TNT’s Allie LaForce reported that George will undergo an MRI on that elbow on February 24 to assess how it’s healing. Lue confirmed that report after the game, as Swanson relays.
The Clippers have been optimistic that George will be able to make it back this season without requiring surgery on his elbow. If the MRI shows later this month that the injury isn’t healing like team doctors have hoped, surgical intervention may be necessary. Such a procedure would almost certainly end George’s season, but for now it sounds like that’s a last resort.
Even without their two star forwards, the Clippers have remained firmly in the play-in mix in a Western Conference that has been less competitive than usual beyond the top few seeds. L.A. is only at .500 (27-27), but currently controls the No. 8 spot in the West, 1.5 games up on the ninth-place Lakers and a full five games ahead of the No. 10 Trail Blazers.