Jimmy Butler Fined $25K By NBA
The NBA has tagged Heat forward Jimmy Butler with a $25K fine, the league announced today in a press release. According to the release, Butler has been penalized for violating the league’s rules related to media access and for not complying with a subsequent investigation.
The penalty stems from Butler’s unwillingness to comply with media availability obligations during All-Star Weekend in Cleveland, including not making himself available to reporters following Sunday’s game.
The Knicks were fined $25K by the NBA for a similar violation last month after not making Julius Randle available to the media for several games in a row.
Butler is earning $36MM this season, so the fine won’t put a significant dent into his next pay check.
Community Shootaround: Coach Of The Year Frontrunner
Suns head coach Monty Williams is currently the favorite to be named the NBA’s Coach of the Year in 2022, according to the oddsmakers at Bovada and BetOnline. With a 49-10 record, Phoenix has been 6.5 games better than any other team in the league this season, so Williams certainly has a strong case for the award.
Still, he’s hardly the only coach who is a viable candidate to be named Coach of the Year, especially if the Suns stumble at all during Chris Paul‘s absence in the next few weeks. Based on current betting odds, Bovada and BetOnline both view J.B. Bickerstaff, Taylor Jenkins, and Billy Donovan as the coaches besides Williams who are the strongest contenders for the award.
The Coach of the Year vote often comes down to which team exceeded its preseason expectations most significantly, especially if that club dealt with injuries or other adversity. With that in mind, Bickerstaff should be a popular pick. His Cavaliers are 35-24 despite losing Collin Sexton and Ricky Rubio to season-ending knee injuries and having several other rotation players deal with various health ailments. Cleveland was widely viewed as a lottery team entering 2021/22.
Jenkins’ Grizzlies have also blown away the expectations fans and league observers had for them in the fall. Projected to be roughly a .500 team after sneaking into the playoffs a year ago, Memphis has already reached 41 victories in just 61 games and comfortably holds a top-three spot in the West. While Ja Morant has emerged as a bona fide star, the team’s supporting cast isn’t exactly loaded with household names, which may earn Jenkins some extra votes this spring.
Finally, Donovan’s Bulls were considered a fringe playoff team by oddsmakers last fall — their over/under figure of 42.5 wins was tied with Indiana and New York for seventh in the East. The club has been impacted by injuries throughout the season and was one of the teams hit hardest by COVID-19 in the winter, but still holds the conference’s top seed with a 39-21 record.
Erik Spoelstra of the Heat, Steve Kerr of the Warriors, Doc Rivers of the Sixers, and Chris Finch of the Timberwolves are among the others who could merit Coach of the Year consideration, especially with strong late-season finishes.
We want to know what you think. Is Williams the right pick for Coach of the Year at this point, or do you view Bickerstaff, Jenkins, Donovan, or someone else as a stronger candidate? If the season ended today, who do you think would – and should – win the award?
Head to the comment section below to weigh in with your thoughts!
Kemba Walker Not Interested In Buyout
Kemba Walker has already been bought out of a contract once since the 2021/22 league year began, having reached a deal with Oklahoma City that paved the way for his New York homecoming.
However, even now that he has been shut down for the rest of the season by the Knicks, Walker isn’t seeking a second buyout agreement, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski said during an appearance on NBA Today on Thursday (video link).
“There are a number of teams who would love to have Kemba Walker in a buyout,” Wojnarowski said. “That’s not gonna happen. He’s not interested in that with New York.”
The decision to shut down Walker for the rest of the season was made by the point guard’s camp as well as the Knicks, with an eye toward getting him healthy for the 2022/23 campaign, so it makes sense that Kemba wouldn’t be eager to jump ship for an immediate role with a new team.
Walker also sacrificed a bit of money when he gave up $20MM in his buyout agreement with the Thunder and then signed a two-year, $17.9MM deal with New York, so he probably isn’t looking to do that again just six months later.
The Knicks have no real motive to pursue a buyout with Walker either. They’re not in urgent need of a roster spot, and once the offseason arrives, Kemba’s expiring $9.2MM contract could be useful as a salary-matching chip in trade talks. Wojnarowski said during his NBA Today appearance that New York will likely peruse the trade market for an impact player this summer.
“The goal has been – since Leon Rose was hired as president and William Wesley was brought into the front office – that they would be in the market for franchise-type players who became available in trades,” Wojnarowski said. “This isn’t a team that has cap space this summer, but they do have assets. They have draft assets, they have all their own picks, they still have Dallas’ 2023 first-round pick, which is protected. That certainly would have value.”
A player who is bought out must be waived by March 1 in order to retain his playoff eligibility for a new team. Once that date passes, we can be even more certain that Walker will finish this season with the Knicks.
Raptors’ OG Anunoby Fractures Right Ring Finger
Raptors forward OG Anunoby has been ruled out for Friday’s game vs. Charlotte due to a fractured right ring finger, tweets Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca. According to Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca (Twitter link), Anunoby’s finger was sore “for a while” before the All-Star break and X-rays this week showed a small fracture.
It seems safe to assume Anunoby will miss some time beyond tonight’s game due to the injury, which affects his shooting hand, Lewenberg notes. Eric Koreen of The Athletic tweets that the plan is for the 24-year-old to rest while the team further assesses the injury.
Anunoby has averaged a career-high 17.5 PPG in 42 games (36.7 MPG) for the Raptors this season, though his shooting numbers (.436/.351/.748) have dipped a little as he has become more of a focal point in the offense. He has also averaged 5.5 RPG, 2.6 APG, and 1.5 SPG.
Beginning tonight, the Raptors play six games in eight days — they have back-to-back sets tonight and Saturday, Monday and Tuesday, and next Thursday and Friday.
As Lewenberg tweets, the Raptors may lean on newly-acquired forward Thaddeus Young to play an increased role in Anunoby’s absence, though Khem Birch is probably the favorite to take Anunoby’s place in the starting lineup.
Injury Updates: Oladipo, Morris, Nets, Brooks, Hampton
Heat guard Victor Oladipo (knee) and forward Markieff Morris (neck) traveled with the team to New York, but won’t play in Friday’s game vs. the Knicks and still don’t have timelines for their respective returns, writes Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald.
“They were able to do a lot (in Thursday’s practice),” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said, per Chiang. “I’m not going to give you all the details. There’s nothing that’s imminent right now. This is all just part of the process. But it was good to have the entire group here at practice and getting after it, and getting a little bit of the rust off by competing and try to get ready for the stretch run.”
Here are a few more injury updates from around the NBA:
- Nets head coach Steve Nash said it’s possible Kevin Durant (knee) and/or Goran Dragic could play as soon as Saturday, but said it’s more likely to happen at some point next week, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Nash expressed optimism that both players will be active beginning either Monday vs. Toronto, Tuesday in Toronto, or Thursday vs. Miami.
- Dillon Brooks‘ recovery from a left ankle injury is “progressing well,” per Grizzlies head coach Taylor Jenkins (Twitter link via Grizzly Bear Blues). A previous report stated that Brooks is expected to be back at some point in early March, and that timeline hasn’t changed.
- Magic guard R.J. Hampton had been expected to return to action on Friday night after missing 14 games due to an MCL sprain and bone bruise in his left knee. However, Hampton sprained his left ankle during Friday’s shootaround and is now questionable to play, tweets Khobi Price of The Orlando Sentinel.
Michael Reinsdorf: Bulls “Absolutely” Willing To Pay Tax
Speaking to K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago on the Bulls Talk Podcast, Bulls president and COO Michael Reinsdorf said the plan is to keep All-Star guard Zach LaVine in Chicago for “years to come” and reiterated that ownership is comfortable with becoming a taxpayer as long as the team is a legitimate contender.
“Absolutely,” Reinsdorf said. “All you have to do is go back and look at the last number of championship teams, how many of them were in the luxury tax? With the nature of the NBA and having a soft cap, if you want to compete for championships, you have to be willing to spend into the tax.”
“I think most people will tell you, ‘I don’t want to spend into the tax if we’re not competing for championships, if we’re not good enough. I don’t want to be the eighth seed or out of the playoffs and go into the luxury tax.’ But when it comes to a team like this, and if we can take the necessary steps next year that allow us to compete for a championship, then for sure we’ll go into the tax. It’s part of the nature of the NBA.”
The stance is one that Reinsdorf and his father – team owner Jerry Reinsdorf – have conveyed in the past. However, the franchise has a history of being relatively conservative in its spending, having paid the luxury tax just once. As Johnson points out, the club was on track to be a taxpayer for a second time in 2014, but traded away Luol Deng after Derrick Rose tore his meniscus in order to get below the tax line.
“That was a particular circumstance,” Reinsdorf said. “You’re not going to see us make trades like that when we’re competing for championships. That doesn’t make any sense.”
As Johnson acknowledges, the Bulls have shown an increased willingness to spend during the last year or two, expanding their player development and scouting departments and carrying full 15-man rosters. They also used a portion of their bi-annual exception to offer Tristan Thompson more than the minimum salary, ensuring they beat out other potential suitors on the buyout market.
Currently, the Bulls owe about $98MM in guaranteed money to nine players in 2022/23. That number would increase to $100MM if Tony Bradley exercises his player option.
A maximum-salary contract for LaVine, who will be an unrestricted free agent, would pay him a projected $35.7MM next season, or $41.7MM if he qualifies for a super-max. Theoretically, Chicago could give him a max deal and still remain below the projected $147MM tax line by filling out the roster with low-cost contracts.
Still, Reinsdorf’s comments suggest the Bulls could be willing to make moves – perhaps on the trade market or using their mid-level exception – that push team salary above that $147MM threshold if ownership feels the club is on the verge of title contention.
“We’re going to spend the money because you have to invest in your team,” Reinsdorf said. “I’m looking forward to it, because if we’re spending in the tax, that means we have a really good team.”
Pelicans Notes: McCollum, Zion, Griffin, Nance, Hart
Amid persistent speculation about whether Zion Williamson is happy in New Orleans, veteran Pelicans guard CJ McCollum came to his teammate’s defense on Thursday, essentially telling reporters to back off while the former No. 1 overall pick recovers from a foot injury.
“Leave the young fella alone, man,” McCollum said, per Christian Clark of NOLA.com. “He’s trying to rehab in peace. Trying to get himself ready to come back. We spoke, and I’ll speak to him later this week or next and just catch up with him. He’s a very talented player. He’s going through a lot. You guys are putting him on the spot on the daily. I think he’s just trying to recover on his own time and focus on his rehab.”
McCollum pointed out on Thursday that he has dealt with multiple foot injuries in his own career, including a hairline fracture that sidelined him for a good chunk of the 2020/21 season. He said he knows what Williamson is going through during his long rehab process.
“You feel disconnected. You feel away,” McCollum said. “It’s tough mentally and physically. I know it’s frustrating.”
Here’s more on the Pelicans:
- In a separate story for NOLA.com, Clark takes a closer look at the apparent tension between Williamson and the Pelicans, revisiting some points he made in a September report and sharing some new details. According to Clark, Williamson and his camp seem to have a “lack of trust” in Pelicans head of basketball operations David Griffin. Clark also says that Zion’s stepfather Lee Anderson has “maintained a great deal of control” over the young forward’s career since he was drafted and that some people who knew Williamson and his family before he reached the NBA have discussed whether Anderson has Zion’s best interests at heart.
- Rod Walker of NOLA.com believes that a lack of communication, both publicly and privately, has exacerbated the divide between Williamson and the Pelicans, arguing that even a brief social media post from Zion reiterating that he wants to be in New Orleans would go a long way toward silencing the noise.
- Larry Nance Jr. and Josh Hart are good friends and would’ve loved the chance to play on the same team rather than being traded for one another, tweets Andrew Lopez of ESPN. They made the most of the situation by agreeing to temporarily swap houses when Nance was dealt to New Orleans and Hart was sent to Portland.
- Nance referred to his recent knee surgery as a minor procedure and said he hopes to be back on the floor soon, according to Lopez. It has been two weeks since Nance went under the knife — reports at the time suggested it would take the forward about six weeks to recover, so he could return in a month or so.
Western Notes: Lillard, Blazers, Kings, Lakers, Micić
Appearing on Draymond Green‘s podcast, Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard expressed some enthusiasm about the team’s direction, singling out teammates Anfernee Simons, Nassir Little, Jusuf Nurkic, and Josh Hart, and suggesting Portland has “got some pieces to the puzzle” and just needs to keep adding to those pieces.
As Casey Holdahl of Blazers.com relays, Lillard also pushed back against the idea that Portland can’t be an appealing free agent destination, arguing that if the Blazers have a chance to seriously contend, they’ll attract talent.
“No offense, but people (are) going to Oklahoma City, people going to Milwaukee, you know what I mean?” Lillard said. “People are going places and Portland ain’t what people think it is, otherwise I wouldn’t have been living here this long. If you just couldn’t live here, I wouldn’t be living here this long.
“I think that’s part of it, but at the end of the day, people are going places that’s like ‘You went there?’ (Carmelo Anthony) went to OKC when we was trying to get ‘Melo to come here. Ask ‘Melo where he would go first. And I’ll say this: not just because of the living situation.”
Here are a few more notes from around the Western Conference:
- The Kings‘ trade deadline shake-up create a more positive vibe around the organization, point guard De’Aaron Fox said this week, according to Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee. “I think the mood is definitely a bit better,” Fox said. “It’s definitely different when guys come into new situations, guys coming from Indiana, guys coming from Detroit and Donte [DiVincenzo] coming from Milwaukee … it’s like a breath of fresh air when you have a change of scenery.”
- Lakers head coach Frank Vogel shared a series of injury-related updates on Thursday, per Dave McMenamin of ESPN (Twitter link). Most notably, Kendrick Nunn (knee) has begun his ramp-up process again following a setback last month, Anthony Davis (foot) is off his crutches, and Carmelo Anthony (hamstring) is probable to return on Friday after missing the team’s last five games.
- Speaking to Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews.com, veteran international agent Misko Raznatovic expressed dissatisfaction with the rules governing draft-and-stash players like his client Vasilije Micić, whose NBA rights are held by the Thunder. “One team gets your rights and then, (even if) you’re the best player in Europe, they don’t want to trade you and they don’t want to give you (a fair contract) offer,” Raznatovic said. “And then you never play in the NBA, (even if) you’re better than 80% of the guys who are there. I don’t believe this is fair.” Raznatovic did note that Micić has an annual NBA escape clause in his contract with Anadolu Efes, so he’ll talk to the Thunder again this summer to see if they can work something out.
Anfernee Simons Plans To Re-Sign With Blazers
Anfernee Simons will be a restricted free agent this summer, but the young Trail Blazers guard is content with his current situation.
Simons, who is enjoying a breakout season, says he has no desire to go anywhere else, according to Ben Pickman of Sports Illustrated.
“I 100% want to stay in Portland,” Simons said. “And I think everybody wants me to stay as well. I think it’s a perfect fit for me.”
Simons, a 2018 first-round pick, played a backup role in his first three seasons. Injuries to CJ McCollum and Damian Lillard, and the subsequent trade of McCollum to New Orleans, opened up a starting spot for Simons and he’s thrived under first-year head coach and former NBA point guard Chauncey Billups.
Simons is averaging 17.0 PPG and 3.9 APG in 29.3 MPG for the season. As a starter, he’s averaging 22.0 PPG and 5.8 APG.
The current qualifying offer for Portland to make Simons a restricted free agent is $5,758,551. However, he could meet the starter criteria before the season’s end, which would increase that figure to $7,921,300.
It seems a formality that the Trail Blazers will extend the QO, which would allow them to match any offer sheet to Simons.
He views the McCollum trade as another sign that the front office is keen on re-signing him.
“I have a management that really believes in me and wants to see me succeed and wants me to help them reach a championship level,” the 22-year-old said.
Central Notes: LeVert, Garland, Williams, Caruso, Haliburton, Brogdon
Cavaliers guard Caris LeVert will be out at least a week or two after spraining his right foot during Tuesday’s practice, Chris Fedor of the Cleveland Plain Dealer relays.
LeVert underwent an MRI on Wednesday, which confirmed the sprain. All-Star point guard Darius Garland also missed Thursday’s loss at Detroit due to lower back soreness. He’ll undergo a period of treatment and rehabilitation, according to a team press release.
Garland’s injury is muscular and will need to be managed throughout the remainder of the season, according to Fedor.
We have more from the Central Division:
- Patrick Williams is getting closer to returning from wrist surgery but the 2020 lottery pick won’t automatically return to the Bulls’ starting lineup, according to Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times. “Staff-wise, as players get closer and closer to coming back, I think Javonte [Green] has done a really good job with that group in terms of how he’s fit in, what he’s been able to bring to the table in Patrick’s absence,’’ coach Billy Donovan said. “I’m not opposed to bringing Patrick off the bench and I’m not opposed to starting him. I think a lot of it is going to be once he can get back to practice, is there a minutes restriction on him, how many minutes can he play at a time, and what’s the best role for him to help our team?’’
- Alex Caruso underwent surgery to repair a fractured right wrist on January 24th and had an six-to-eight week reevaluation timeline. The Bulls guard appears to be on schedule, according to Rob Schaefer of NBC Sports Chicago. “We’re hoping by the end of this week, certainly early next week, that he’ll have a ball in his hands and be able to do things,” Donovan said. Williams has begun doing some dribbling and shooting work but Donovan said he needs to strengthen the wrist further before facing live contact.
- Pacers coach Rick Carlisle believes the backcourt pairing of Tyrese Haliburton and Malcolm Brogdon will produce big results, Wheat Hotchkiss of Pacers.com writes. “I think they’re perfect compliments to one another,” Carlisle said. “They both have had their share of playing with and without the ball so both positions come naturally to them. I’m looking forward to it. Really with those two guys and their knowledge of the game, feel for the game, I should never have to call a play. “