Injury Notes: Lakers, Jazz, Bulls, Heat
Lakers coach Frank Vogel said Anthony Davis is progressing each day as he inches closer to a return to action, as Mike Trudell of Spectrum SportsNet tweets.
“Anthony has had a good week … He’s had a productive week,” Vogel said.
Davis continues to do spot shooting, which began on Monday. Davis originally suffered a right foot strain on February 16, so he’s a little more than four weeks into his four-to-six week recovery timetable.
Lakers reserves Carmelo Anthony and Wayne Ellington were both unable to play on Friday at Toronto due to non-COVID illnesses, Trudell relays (via Twitter).
Talen Horton-Tucker missed the game as well, per Blake Murphy of Sportsnet (Twitter link). Horton-Tucker has been battling a Grade 2 ankle sprain.
Here are more injury-related updates from around the NBA:
- The Jazz are dealing with a plethora of maladies at the moment. Six players were listed as out for Friday’s game against the Clippers, the team announced (Twitter link): Donovan Mitchell (right calf contusion), Bojan Bogdanovic (left calf strain), Danuel House (left knee bone bruise), Hassan Whiteside (non-COVID illness), Trent Forrest (right wrist sprain), and Udoka Azubuike (right ankle sprain).
- Bulls coach Billy Donovan says Lonzo Ball has been experiencing discomfort in his rehab, according to K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. “He has not responded,” Donovan said. “There’s no setbacks. It’s still the same thing. He has not been able to do anything full speed. And anytime we get him close to that, there’s discomfort. So I think they’re going to probably at least look at, you know, ‘Do you back off and let him rest for a little bit and see if that helps?’” Johnson notes that Friday marked seven weeks since Ball underwent surgery to repair the torn meniscus in his left knee, and given his lack of progress, it seems highly unlikely he’ll return in the six-to-eight week recovery timetable Chicago originally provided. Donovan said there’s been no talk of Ball missing the remainder of the season, but the team is still determining the next steps in his recovery process.
- On a more positive note, Donovan said Patrick Williams has been a full participant in G League practices with the Windy City Bulls, with no setbacks. He also said there was a “very real” possibility that Williams could return to action versus Toronto on Monday or Milwaukee on Tuesday, Johnson tweets. Williams has been targeting a return next week; he’s been out since October due to wrist surgery.
- Jimmy Butler (sprained right ankle) and Victor Oladipo (back spasms) both missed the Heat‘s 120-108 win over the Thunder on Friday, Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald writes. It’s the third time Butler has sprained his right ankle this season, Chiang notes, which is definitely a concerning trend. However, the injury isn’t considered serious. On the bright side, Caleb Martin (hyperextended left knee) and P.J. Tucker (left knee irritation) were both able to play after being listed as questionable. Martin had missed the past three games for the 47-24 Heat, who hold the No. 1 seed in the East.
Raptors Notes: Barnes, VanVleet, Anunoby, Flynn, Siakam
Rookie Scottie Barnes may be the fulcrum on which the Raptors‘ future balances, according to Michael Grange of Sportnet. Barnes was stellar during the team’s current five-game winning streak, with all the victories coming on the road.
Barnes is an extremely versatile player who epitomizes the positionless nature of the modern NBA. With long arms and a relentless motor, the 20-year-old has an uncanny knack for the ball.
“If you’re a guy who has a nose for the basketball that means usually you have good anticipation about what’s coming ahead of time, before it happens,” head coach Nick Nurse said of Barnes. “Guys that seem to end up where the ball ends up, that takes, I think, an anticipation or a thinking ahead or just playing a lot. I know he’s 20 but we’ve talked about all the stories of they could never get him out of the gym, he was always playing pickup in multiple age groups … he’s played a lot I think to acquire that sense.”
Barnes is one of the leading candidates for Rookie of the Year; through 61 games (35.6 MPG), all starts, he’s averaging 15.3 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 3.3 APG, 1.2 SPG and 0.8 BPG on .490/.316/.732 shooting.
At 39-30, Toronto currently has the same record as Cleveland, but the Cavs hold the tiebreaker for the sixth seed in the East.
Here’s more on the Raptors:
- Fred VanVleet‘s maturity makes him the emotional leader of the Raptors, writes Eric Koreen of The Athletic. “Obviously me being the leader and the point guard out there, it’s my job to be the calming presence. Sometimes I do a good job of that, sometimes I don’t. But for the most part, I’m glad with his team’s disposition and whether things are good or bad or up or down, we’ve done a great job of sticking together,” VanVleet said. “I think it just speaks to our chemistry. … We’re (able to have) honest, open communication. And that helps a lot. There are a lot of runs in a game and different things throughout the season, and you got to be able to just stay even-keeled throughout.” The first-time All-Star and 2019 NBA champion has been struggling with a knee injury, but he’s still serving as a mentor and leader for the young Toronto squad, as Koreen details.
- OG Anunoby will miss at least one more week due to his fractured right ring finger, which still isn’t fully healed, Josh Lewenberg of TSN Sports tweets. He’ll be reevaluated again next week.
- Malachi Flynn had a small tear in his left hamstring, per Lewenberg (Twitter link). Flynn suffered the injury two weeks ago and was ruled out indefinitely, but the hamstring is almost healed and Nurse says Flynn might be back in about a week.
- Count Lakers head coach Frank Vogel as an admirer of Raptors forward Pascal Siakam, as Grange relays (via Twitter). “He’s one of the best players in the league in my opinion,” Vogel said of Siakam. The 27-year-old is having an outstanding season, averaging 22.0 PPG, 8.4 RPG, 5.1 APG, and 1.3 SPG on .486/.358/.744 shooting through 56 games (37.6 MPG) this season.
Central Notes: Caruso, DeRozan, LeVert, Bey
Bulls guard Alex Caruso admits he’s still not 100 percent healthy yet after returning from a fractured right wrist that sidelined him for 22 games, according to K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago.
“It just gets hit, banged up a little bit. There’s nothing wrong with it. It’s just sore. It’s just going to take time,” Caruso said. “We took a very aggressive rehab schedule and ramp-up schedule so I could get back with the team and try to play. It just kind of comes with the territory.
“I’m not 100 percent. I’m not going to lie to you. But it’s moreso just the rhythm of the game. Try not to make excuses, but that seven weeks is tough. I didn’t get any practices or anything. Just right back in the game. I got high standards for how I want to play, how I want the team to play. And I don’t think I’m doing my part as well I can right now, which is frustrating.”
Johnson notes the Bulls were a strong defensive team at the beginning of the season with both Caruso and Lonzo Ball healthy, but have slipped to 18th in the league in defensive rating following their injuries. The Bulls are just 2-7 in their last nine games, including consecutive road losses in Sacramento and Utah, where they gave up 112 and 125 points, respectively.
At 41-28, the Bulls are currently the fifth seed in the East. They have a difficult remaining schedule, with 11 of their last 13 games against teams vying for the play-in or the playoffs.
Here are a few more notes from the Central Division:
- DeMar DeRozan‘s influence on the Bulls is similar to the way Chris Paul has impacted winning throughout his career, Johnson writes in a separate article for NBC Sports Chicago. Coach Billy Donovan has coached both players and compared their leadership qualities. “They’re two totally different players, two totally different people,” Donovan said. “But the impact that Chris made that I saw in Oklahoma and now seeing the impact that DeMar made, you can just see how they’ve kind of galvanized the group and they’ve got everybody together. It’s because of how humble they are, how team-oriented they are, how competitive they are and how much they both want to win.” For his part, DeRozan says he’s just focused on the grind. “I try to be the same person every day and carry that over to my teammates and to my work,” DeRozan said. “That’s how I lead.”
- Kelsey Russo of The Athletic details how Caris LeVert has been acclimating to the Cavaliers. LeVert, who recently returned from a nine-game absence after suffering a sprained foot, admits it was difficult dealing with the injury, but he’s enjoying his time in Cleveland. “It’s been fun for me, to be honest with you,” LeVert said. “I try to look at it as a positive challenge for me; it’s just getting better. I know we’re playing for something, playing for the playoffs or playing for a championship. So that’s what gets me going in every morning.”
- Second-year forward Saddiq Bey helped the Pistons snap a four-game losing streak on Thursday by scoring a career-high 51 points, writes Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press. Bey became the seventh Piston to score 50-plus in a game and tied Hall of Famer Joe Dumars‘ franchise record with 10 threes made (on 14 attempts), Sankofa notes. Bey finished with an eye-popping 51 points, nine rebounds, four assists, and three steals on 17-of-27 shooting in the team’s 134-120 victory over Orlando.
Richaun Holmes Done For Season Due To Personal Reasons
Kings big man Richaun Holmes will miss the remainder of the season due to personal reasons, the team announced (Twitter link via James Ham of ESPN 1320).
“Richaun is a core member of our team, who is very important to our success,” general manager Monte McNair said. “We fully support Rich and look forward to seeing him back on the court for the 2022-23 NBA season.”
“I would like to thank everyone for their support during these difficult times,” Holmes said. “I love this team, I love my teammates and I look forward to returning next year.”
Holmes, 28, is in his third season with Sacramento. He has developed into a quality starting center with the Kings after spending the majority of his first four seasons coming off the bench for the Sixers and Suns, respectively.
Through 45 games this season, including 37 starts, Holmes is averaging 10.4 points and 7.0 rebounds on 66% shooting from the field and 77.8% from the charity stripe. His minutes have decreased drastically since the Kings dealt for Domantas Sabonis last month — Holmes is averaging just 15.3 minutes, 3.9 points and 2.9 rebounds per game in a reserve role since the trade.
After a breakout season in 2020/21 when he posted averages of 14.2 PPG, 8.3 RPG, 1.7 APG, and 1.6 BPG, Holmes re-signed with the Kings on a four-year, $46.5MM deal as a free agent last August. The fourth year is a player option.
The timing of the announcement is interesting, as ESPN’s Zach Lowe just wrote this morning (Insider link) that Holmes “might be the good player on a long-term contract most likely to be traded this summer.” While this isn’t exactly surprising, considering Holmes is too good of a player for the limited role he’s had since the Sabonis trade, it’s still noteworthy.
Pelinka: Lakers Hope Monk Is “Part Of Our Future”
A number of the Lakers‘ 2021 offseason acquisitions haven’t worked out as well as the team had hoped, but one bright spot has been Malik Monk. The fifth-year guard has significantly outplayed his minimum-salary contract, averaging a career-high 12.9 PPG on .464/.394/.767 shooting in 63 games (27.6 MPG).
Los Angeles’ ability to offer Monk a raise when he returns to free agency this summer will be limited, but VP of basketball operations Rob Pelinka would like to retain the former lottery pick if possible, as Dave McMenamin of ESPN relays.
“The partnership has been a win from both sides,” Pelinka said. “Both for the Lakers, in terms of the productivity he’s had for us and then I think on his side, just showing people what he can do in big moments in big games. … He’s a guy that we would see as hopefully a part of our future.”
According to McMenamin, when Monk reached unrestricted free agency last year, he only received interest from three teams: the Lakers, Knicks, and Mavericks. And by the sounds of it, none of those teams were willing to offer more than the league minimum.
“Did I think Malik could make a few more dollars than a minimum? Yes, I did,” agent Jeff Schwartz said. “Unfortunately, the offers just didn’t come. So then it was about finding the right place. … I was disappointed there was no bigger offers out there, but I also know sometimes you got to just go out and show it for a year.”
Asked to make a quick decision during free agency so that the Lakers could move onto other targets if he turned them down, Monk accepted L.A.’s offer and hasn’t regretted it, despite the team’s struggles this season. After four challenging seasons in Charlotte, Monk is playing more – and better – than ever with the Lakers and appreciates that the organization was willing to take a shot on him.
“They put a lot of trust in me,” Monk says. “And I just feel comfortable, man, to go out and perform for them.”
Because the Lakers will only hold Monk’s Non-Bird rights and won’t have any cap room this offseason, the highest starting salary they’ll be able to offer will likely be $6.34MM, the projected amount of the taxpayer mid-level exception. Without dipping into their MLE, the Lakers would only be able to give Monk a 20% raise above the minimum.
It’s possible a more lucrative offer will await Monk elsewhere, but the 24-year-old tells McMenamin he has had a “beautiful experience” with the Lakers, while Marcus Monk – Malik’s older brother and manager – suggests a return to L.A. is possible.
“We’re very loyal people,” Marcus said. “The Lakers were calling him nonstop once free agency opened. So we don’t forget about that. On the other side, it is a business. … But I would love to see him in a Laker uniform.”
John Collins Expected To Be Out At Least 10-14 Days
MARCH 18: Collins has been officially diagnosed with a right foot sprain and plantar fascia tear, as well as a right ring finger sprain, according to a press release from the Hawks.
He has received an anti-inflammatory shot in his finger and been fitted with custom splints, which he’ll wear for the rest of the season. Additionally, during the next few days, he’ll undergo a non-surgical procedure on his foot, according to the team.
Collins’ status will be updated in the next 10-to-14 days, per the Hawks. Presumably, that means he’ll be out for at least that long.
MARCH 17: Hawks forward John Collins has a plantar fascia tear in his right foot and will be out indefinitely, Shams Charania and Chris Kirschner of The Athletic report (Twitter link).
Collins had been trying to play with a mangled right ring finger as well as foot pain. He sought out a second opinion for both injuries. Collins has missed three straight games and 10 of the last 14 for Atlanta.
Collins signed a five-year, $125MM deal last August to remain with the Hawks. In 54 games, Collins has averaged 16.2 PPG, 7.8 RPG and 1.8 APG. Without him, the Hawks will continue to rely more on De’Andre Hunter and Danilo Gallinari.
Atlanta is 34-35 and holds the 10th and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
Warriors To Reevaluate Stephen Curry In Two Weeks
After reports on Thursday indicated that star guard Stephen Curry had suffered a sprained ligament in his left foot and would be out indefinitely, the Warriors confirmed that injury diagnosis today.
The team stated in a brief press release that Curry will be reevaluated in two weeks, which suggests he’ll be sidelined for at least the rest of March. Golden State has seven games during that stretch and will have just five contests left in the regular season by the time Curry is reassessed.
The 47-23 Warriors are, of course, in no danger of losing their playoff spot, and still seem relatively likely to hold onto a top-three seed, since they have a 3.5-game lead over the No. 4 Jazz.
Still, it’s an unfortunate turn of events for a team that just got Draymond Green back on Monday following a 29-game absence and has had Klay Thompson miss so much time since 2019. The Warriors’ three stars have shared the court for just 11 minutes so far this season and it appears they won’t do so again until either the final week of the regular season or the postseason.
As long as Curry remains on the shelf, the Warriors will likely lean more heavily on Jordan Poole, with Gary Payton II poised to immediately reclaim a regular backcourt role upon his return from a knee injury. Two-way player Chris Chiozza could also see a little action in a reserve role.
Free Agent Stock Watch: Central Division
For the rest of the regular season and postseason, Hoops Rumors is taking a closer look at players who will be free agents or could become free agents this offseason. We consider whether their stock is rising or falling due to their performance and other factors. Today, we’re focusing on a handful of Central players.
Zach LaVine, G, Bulls
2021/22: $19.5MM
2022/23: UFA
Stock: Up ⬆️
LaVine is dealing with a knee injury that has diminished his explosiveness, but it hasn’t slowed him down too significantly — he hasn’t scored fewer than 20 points in a game since the All-Star break, and he’s coming off a 33-point showing in Utah on Wednesday.
While the injury is a short-term concern that may need to be addressed surgically in the summer, there’s no reason to believe at this point that it will be a nagging issue in future seasons. LaVine is still significantly outperforming his current contract and is in line for a maximum-salary deal this summer, likely with the Bulls.
Collin Sexton, G, Cavaliers
2021/22: $6.35MM
2022/23: RFA
Stock: Down ⬇️
Sexton is also dealing with a knee injury, but it’s more serious than LaVine’s. The Cavaliers guard appeared in only 11 games before meniscus surgery sidelined him for the remainder of the season.
The fact that Sexton averaged 24.3 PPG with an efficient .475/.371/.815 shooting line in 2020/21 shouldn’t be overlooked, but there are a number of factors working against him. With Darius Garland and Caris LeVert under contract for next season and Sexton entering restricted free agency in an offseason when few teams will have cap room, the Cavs will have plenty of leverage in negotiations. Concerns about Sexton’s knee and his defense may further limit his ability to secure a significant raise.
An eight-figure annual salary is still certainly within reach for Sexton, but a payday in the $80-100MM range no longer looks like a good bet.
Bobby Portis, F/C, Bucks
2021/22: $4.35MM
2022/23: $4.56MM player option
Stock: Up ⬆️
Portis raised some eyebrows when he settled for a two-year, $9MM deal with the Bucks in 2021, giving the club a “hometown” discount after winning a title in Milwaukee. That agreement included a second-year player option, so Portis has the opportunity to revisit the open market in 2022. At this point, it’s hard to imagine he won’t take advantage of that opportunity.
With Brook Lopez out for much of the season, Portis has been thrust into a larger frontcourt role and has responded with a career year, averaging 15.3 PPG and 9.1 RPG on .484/.405/.752 shooting in 61 games (28.9 MPG). He’ll have Early Bird rights this time around, putting him in a better spot to get a raise from the Bucks, who shouldn’t expect the 27-year-old to once again accept a team-friendly rate.
Cory Joseph, G, Pistons
2021/22: $4.91MM
2022/23: $5.16MM player option
Stock: Up ⬆️
The Pistons have been one of the NBA’s worst teams since the start of the season, and any national attention they’ve gotten has focused primarily on Cade Cunningham, Saddiq Bey, and the rest of their young core. Their 30-year-old journeyman point guard shouldn’t be overlooked though — Joseph is enjoying one of the best seasons of his career in Detroit this season, averaging 8.1 PPG and 3.8 APG with a career-best .423 3PT% in 59 games (24.8 MPG).
Joseph may be happy with the Pistons and not interested in seeking a change of scenery. But if he decides to opt out this summer, he should certainly be able to earn a raise, perhaps from a team much closer to title contention.
T.J. Warren, F, Pacers
2021/22: $12.69MM
2022/23: UFA
Stock: Down ⬇️
Having officially been ruled out for the rest of 2021/22, Warren will enter unrestricted free agency having played just four games in the last two seasons due to foot injuries. It’s been an unfortunate run for the veteran forward, who had a great 2019/20 season and looked like one of the NBA’s very best scorers in the Walt Disney World bubble that summer.
What Warren has gone through is reminiscent of what happened to another former Pacer, Victor Oladipo, following his breakout years in Indiana. Oladipo battled leg injuries for two seasons and ultimately settled for a minimum-salary contract when he became a free agent.
Unlike Oladipo last year, Warren should be healthy when he reaches the open market this summer. But given how little teams have seen from him over the last two years, he may not be able to do a whole lot better than the minimum deal Oladipo got.
Knicks Sign Feron Hunt To Two-Way Deal
MARCH 18: The Knicks have made it official, announcing in a press release that they’ve signed Hunt to a two-way contract.
MARCH 17: The Knicks plan to sign Feron Hunt of the G League to a two-way contract, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic.
In order to sign Hunt, the Knicks have waived forward Luka Samanic, the team’s PR department tweets. Samanic is out for the remainder of the season with a left heel injury.
Hunt 22, went undrafted in 2021 after three collegiate seasons at SMU. He was signed to an Exhibit 10 contract by the Mavericks during training camp, but was waived before the season started. The 6’8″ forward signed a 10-day hardship deal with the Pelicans in December, but didn’t receive any NBA playing time.
Through 37 games (35.2 MPG) with the Texas Legends, Dallas’ affiliate, Hunt is averaging 17.8 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 2.2 APG, 1.4 SPG and 1.1 BPG on .547/.361/.737 shooting.
Samanic was the 19th overall pick of the 2019 draft by the Spurs, who waived him in October of 2021, just before the season started. The 22-year-old Croatian appeared in 36 total games as a Spur, averaging 3.8 PPG and 2.2 RPG on .430/.294/.576 shooting in 9.9 MPG.
He caught on with the Knicks a handful of days later, signing a two-way contract. He hasn’t made an NBA appearance for New York and only played two games for its G League affiliate in Westchester, averaging 26.0 PPG, 9.0 RPG, 4.0 APG, 1.0 SPG and 2.0 BPG on .524/.125/.667 shooting.
Marc Berman of The New York Post says (via Twitter) Samanic’s heel injury is plantar fasciitis, noting the young forward has only played once in the past nine weeks.
Southeast Notes: Unseld, Herro, Strus, Vincent, J. Johnson
Wes Unseld Jr. has been thrown into the deep end during his first year as an NBA head coach, according to Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington, who notes that the Wizards have used a franchise-record 29 players in games this season.
Injuries, trades, and COVID-19 outbreaks have shaken up the Wizards’ roster, and Unseld himself missed multiple games when he contracted COVID. Despite having to deal with a somewhat chaotic first season in D.C., Unseld has tried his best to take it all in stride.
“With this being my first experience in this chair, in a weird way it’s the norm. I can’t compare it to anything,” Unseld told Hughes. “But it’s not lost on me that this has been a bizarre experience, just because of all the things that we’ve had to process and go through.”
Wizards guard Bradley Beal, who is out for the rest of the season while he recovers from wrist surgery, said he had “huge respect” for the way Unseld has responded to a challenging year.
“That’s tough on a coach, a first-year coach,” Beal said. “I’m very impressed with how well he’s handled the adversity.”
Here’s more from around the Southeast:
- With Tyler Herro extension-eligible beginning this July, Keith Smith of Spotrac takes a closer look at what the guard’s next contract might look like and considers how much the Heat should be comfortable paying to lock up a player who is currently a sixth man.
- Now that the Heat‘s roster is healthier than it has been all season, Max Strus and Gabe Vincent aren’t getting the same sort of consistent minutes they were earlier in the year. However, as Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald writes, the two reserves said they were prepared for that possibility, recognizing that the coaching staff needs to experiment with different lineups ahead of the postseason. “They got to play with things. They got to see what works, see what doesn’t work and try to get this chemistry going in a short span,” Vincent said. “I kind of knew it was coming. But you don’t really know how it’s going to go. You could only prepare for something like that so much.”
- Nate McMillan‘s inclination to trust his veterans over rookies has meant there has been no NBA role this season for first-rounder Jalen Johnson, who has spent much of his rookie year in the G League. According to Chris Kirschner of The Athletic, the Hawks are still very intrigued by the potential of Johnson, who was recalled today from the NBAGL with John Collins out, but it remains unlikely that he’ll see regular minutes this season.