2022 September | Hoops Rumors

Nets Release Marcus Zegarowski

September 29th, 2022 at 1:02pm CST by Rory Maher

For the second time in less than two weeks, the Nets have waived guard Marcus Zegarowski, per Brian Lewis of The New York Post (Twitter link).

The No. 49 overall pick of the 2021 draft, Zegarowski was a standout performer during three college seasons at Creighton, averaging 14.1 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 4.2 APG and 1.1 SPG on .471/.423/.772 shooting in 92 games (32.2 MPG).

Zegarowski signed a G League deal last offseason and spent his first professional season playing for the Long Island Nets, Brooklyn’s G League affiliate. He averaged 11.6 PPG, 3.0 RPG, and 2.4 APG with an underwhelming .351/.331/.650 shooting line in 21 total NBAGL appearances between the regular season and the Showcase Cup.

The Nets gave up Zegarowski’s NBA draft rights by previously signing and waiving him, but he still might be headed back to Long Island after this second set of transactions, since the organization still has his G League rights.

Spurs’ Josh Primo Sprains MCL, Expected Back For Opener

September 29th, 2022 at 12:41pm CST by Rory Maher

Second-year guard Joshua Primo has suffered a spained MCL in his left knee, the Spurs announced. However, it sounds like the sprain is relatively minor — while Primo will miss “the start” of the team’s preseason schedule, he’s expected to be back by the season opener on October 19 against Charlotte, according to the Spurs.

The No. 12 overall pick of last year’s draft, Primo appeared in 50 games (16 starts, 19.3 MPG) as a rookie in 2021/22, averaging 5.8 PPG, 2.3 RPG and 1.6 APG on .374/.307/.746 shooting. Primo is still younger than many players who were drafted this year, as he won’t turn 20 years old until late December.

Primo, who also spent a decent chunk of time in the G League last season with the Austin Spurs, is expected to have an opportunity for a bigger role in year two after San Antonio dealt All-Star point guard Dejounte Murray to Atlanta this summer. Multiple starting positions could be open for the Spurs as they pivot to a full rebuild for the first time in decades.

Hoops Rumors Chat Transcript: 9/29/2022

September 29th, 2022 at 12:00pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The transcript of our weekly Thursday live chat can be accessed here.

Please join Luke Adams at noon CT Tuesday for our next live chat!

Categories:
Hoops Rumors Chats

Wizards Sign Devon Dotson, Waive Davion Mintz

September 29th, 2022 at 11:12am CST by Luke Adams

SEPTEMBER 29: Dotson did indeed sign an Exhibit 10 deal, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, who tweets that Dotson is “expected to compete” for the Wizards’ open two-way slot.

SEPTEMBER 28: The Wizards have signed free agent guard Devon Dotson and waived guard Davion Mintz, according to their official website and the NBA transaction log at RealGM.com.

Terms of Dotson’s deal aren’t yet known, but it seems highly likely to be an Exhibit 10 contract, which could be converted into a two-way pact before the season or would entitle Dotson to a bonus worth up to $50K if he’s waived and then spends at least 60 days with the Capital City Go-Go, the Wizards’ G League affiliate.

Dotson, 23, went undrafted out of Kansas in 2020 and spent his first season-and-a-half in the NBA occupying one of the Bulls’ two-way slots before being waived in January. He saw extremely limited action in 22 total NBA games, logging just 135 overall minutes, but he has played well in the G League.

In 2021/22, Dotson averaged 21.0 PPG, 6.9 APG, 4.8 RPG, and 2.2 SPG in 25 games (33.4 MPG) for the Windy City Bulls, though he made just 24.5% of 4.1 three-point attempts per game. He suited up for the Wizards’ Summer League team in Las Vegas this July.

Mintz, meanwhile, is an undrafted rookie who signed with the Wizards after finishing his college career at Kentucky. Washington now controls his G League rights, so he’s a good bet to resurface with the Go-Go when the NBAGL season begins.

The Wizards still have a full 20-man training camp roster, with 15 players on guaranteed standard contracts, one on a two-way deal, and four on Exhibit 10 contracts.

Central Notes: Ball, Clarkson, Bogdanovic, Livers, Vucevic, Caruso

September 29th, 2022 at 10:50am CST by Dana Gauruder

There’s confidence that Bulls point guard Lonzo Ball will return at some point this season, Shams Charania of The Athletic tweets.

Ball underwent another left knee surgery on Wednesday and doctors are optimistic the issue has been fully addressed. However, he’s going to be out a number of months, Charania adds.

Ball was still unable to “run or jump” entering training camp despite a lengthy rehab from two previous procedures this year.

We have more from the Central Division:

The Bucks showed a lot of interest in trading for the Jazz‘s Jordan Clarkson but the Jazz balked at Milwaukee’s proposal, Tony Jones of The Athletic said on the Bill Riley Show podcast (hat tip to HoopsHype). Utah was uninterested at taking back George Hill‘s contract, which Jones described as a non-starter in trade discussions. One of the league’s top scoring reserves, Clarkson averaged 16 points last season. He has two years left on his four-year, $51.52MM contract. Hill has an expiring $4MM contract, so Milwaukee would have still needed to send out more salary in a potential trade.
The Lakers and Suns were among the teams reportedly pursuing Bojan Bogdanovic but he wound up getting traded to the Pistons. The former Jazz forward says he wasn’t concerned where he ended up, according to Keith Langlois of Pistons.com. “I didn’t have any preference,” Bogdanovic said. “There’s a lot of rumors. Who knows if that’s true or not? I’m super happy and excited to be part of the Pistons.”
Pistons forward Isaiah Livers wound up playing 19 games during his rookie season after recovering from a foot injury. He’s aiming to become a regular part of the rotation this season, he told James Edwards III of The Athletic. “I wanted to build off those last 19, 20 games,” the 2021 second-round pick said. “Coaches and everyone seemed to love the way that I was playing. It was working effectively.”
There was heavy speculation that Bulls center Nikola Vucevic would be part of a package to acquire Rudy Gobert during the offseason. Vucevic had serious doubts that would happen and was proven correct when Gobert was dealt to Minnesota, Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times writes. “Rumors are a part of what we do,’’ said Vucevic, who is on an expiring contract. “Whether they’re true or not, it’s out of my control. I focus on what I can control, and, in the end, I had some fun with [the Jazz rumors]. At no point did I feel it was going to happen.’’
Bulls guard Alex Caruso is one of the candidates to replace Ball in the starting lineup as he mends from his latest knee surgery, but that’s not Caruso’s focus, Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic writes. “It won’t be a conversation I’ll have with Billy (Donovan). He might have it with me depending on what we need,” Caruso said. “But I’ve always been team-first trying to win games. If that’s me starting basketball games then that’s what we’ll do. If that’s me coming off the bench, that’s fine too. I’ve always been I’d rather finish games than start games.

Tyler Herro Wants Market Value Before Signing Extension

September 29th, 2022 at 9:16am CST by Dana Gauruder

Tyler Herro wants to sign an extension with the Heat but he’s not going to settle for less than what he perceives as his market value, Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald reports.

Herro is looking for the “right number” before he inks a rookie scale extension, which must happen before opening night. Otherwise, he’ll be a restricted free agent next offseason.

“I want to be here. I want to be in Miami,” Herro said. “But I’m not rushed to sign anything. It’s got to make sense for me and my family. I’m not just going to sign anything. I see the market, I see what guys got paid and I know my worth. So I’m looking for the right number.”

Herro didn’t provide any details on what he believes his market value is but Chiang speculates he could seeking an extension similar to the one RJ Barrett signed with the Knicks late this summer. Barrett inked a four-year deal with $107MM in guaranteed money with another $13MM in potential bonuses.

Herro, the league’s reigning Sixth Man of the Year, will make approximately $5.72MM this season. Yet he was mentioned prominently in trade rumors this summer as Miami pursued a number of high-profile stars. Herro declares he wouldn’t be disappointed by a trade.

“I can get traded or I can stay here, I don’t care. I just want to play,” he said. “I want to play my game, have fun and I want to be wanted. Wherever they want me, I want to be.”

Herro expressed a desire to be a starter this season but has since softened that stance. After last season, team president Pat Riley challenged Herro to get stronger and become a better defensive player to earn a starting spot.

Challenge accepted, according to Herro.

“If somebody challenges me, I’m going to take it as a challenge,” he said. “That’s how my personality is, that’s what I do. And it’s not coming from just anybody. It’s coming from Pat. He wants the best for not only his team, but at the end of the day he wants the best for us individually, as well. If he challenges me, I’m going to take it on.”

Southwest Notes: Pelicans, Williamson, Silas, Adams, Lecque

September 29th, 2022 at 8:15am CST by Dana Gauruder

The Pelicans have never paid the luxury tax but that could change soon, Christian Clark of the New Orleans Times-Picayune reports.

Owner Gayle Benson is willing to pay the tax, according to Pelicans executive VP David Griffin, since the team has the ability to become a serious contender.

“We’re not bound by, ‘We won’t pay the tax,'” Griffin said. “We will not frivolously pay the tax. If this team is in a position to be as good as we hope to be, I don’t think resources are going to be the reason we won’t get where we need to go.”

The Pelicans are currently approximately $3.6MM below the NBA’s luxury tax line of $150.3MM.

We have more from the Northwest Division:

Following a season in which he rehabbed a foot injury, Pelicans big man Zion Williamson left his coach and teammates awestruck in two practices Tuesday, according to Andrew Lopez of ESPN. “What stood out was his force more than anything,” coach Willie Green said. “He got down the floor quickly. When he caught the ball, he made quick decisions. Whether it was scoring, finding a teammate. It was really impressive to see.” Williamson inked a five-year, max extension this summer.
Rockets coach Stephen Silas wasn’t thrilled by what he saw during Wednesday’s practice, according to Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle. “I saw we have a lot of work to do,” Silas said. “(It’s) day two, obviously. We did a good job of putting things in. We scrimmaged quite a bit today and it’s evident, it doesn’t happen overnight. It’s going to be a process for us. We’re going to have to learn from mistakes and watch film and get better as a result.”
Steven Adams taking 3-pointers this season? It’s not out of the question. “He’s definitely putting in the work over the summer,” Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins told Damichael Cole of the Memphis Commercial Appeal. “I even told him if you’re open, shoot it. I want him to be aggressive.” However, Adams hopes to keep it a secret weapon. He’s only made one 3-pointer in 14 career attempts.
The Rio Grande Valley Vipers, the Rockets’ G League affiliate, acquired the returning player rights to guard Jalen Lecque from the Raptors 905, the team tweets. The Vipers traded away the returning player rights to Christian Vital. Lecque played four games with the Pacers in 2020/21.

Central Notes: LeVert, Crowder, Turner, Dosunmu

September 28th, 2022 at 10:06pm CST by Rory Maher

Cavaliers point guard Darius Garland says fellow guard Caris LeVert was never fully healthy after Cleveland acquired him in a deal with Indiana last season, but he’s turning some heads in training camp, as Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com relays (via Twitter).

“Caris is on a tear right now. He’s scoring the ball really well, he’s playing both sides of the ball, he’s defending really hard. We just have that attack mentality right now. He’s looking really good,” Garland said.

LeVert has plenty of financial incentive to have a big season in 2022/23. The 28-year-old is extension-eligible as he enters the final season of his $18.8MM contract. He averaged 13.6 PPG, 3.4 RPG and 3.9 APG on .435/.313/.745 shooting in 19 games (10 starts, 29.8 MPG) with the Cavs in ’21/22.

Here’s more from the Central:

In an article about Cleveland’s roster battle to determine the starting small forward, Joe Vardon of The Athletic suggests the Cavs might have interest in Suns forward Jae Crowder, who is sitting out training camp as Phoenix looks to find a deal for the veteran. Crowder’s first stint in Cleveland (back in ’17/18) did not go well, but the circumstances were rough — his mother had just passed away and his former team (Boston) had just lost to the Cavs in the Eastern Conference finals the prior season.
Myles Turner‘s days with the Pacers are numbered and they would be wise to move him sooner rather than later, argues Bob Kravitz of The Athletic. Turner has been a consummate professional during his time in Indiana and he deserves credit for the way he’s handled trade rumors over the years, but he’s on an expiring contract, the team is rebuilding, and having him on the roster would prevent younger players from receiving more playing time, Kravitz writes.
Fatigue played a factor in slowing down Bulls guard Ayo Dosunmu in the second half of last season, so he was focused on improving his stamina entering year two, according to K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. “I want to be able to go up and down four or five times without getting tired. (Wednesday), I think I did a good job with that. I was picking up fullcourt and I really didn’t get tired,” Dosunmu said, referencing practice scrimmages. “With us playing faster and getting out in transition and playing a more open, free game, I would say me not getting tired would be a huge plus for me and the team because I can use my speed, make plays, get downhill and do what I do.”

Jay Larranaga Staying With Clippers After Talking To Celtics

September 28th, 2022 at 9:07pm CST by Dana Gauruder

SEPTEMBER 28, 9:07pm: Larranaga will be sticking with the Clipppers after speaking to the Celtics, sources tell Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated (Twitter link).

SEPTEMBER 28, 10:40am: The Clippers are granting the Celtics permission to speak to Larranaga, a league source tells Andrew Greif of The Los Angeles Times (Twitter link).

SEPTEMBER 27, 10:45pm: The Celtics are apparently looking to hire another veteran coach to assist interim head coach Joe Mazzulla.

They are seeking permission to talk to Clippers assistant Jay Larranaga about joining Mazzulla’s staff this season, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN tweets.

Larranaga is a familiar face in Boston. He joined Tyronn Lue‘s staff last season after spending nine years with the Celtics, including seven seasons as Brad Stevens’ top assistant.

Mazzulla was thrust into the spotlight when Ime Udoka was suspended for the season for violating team policy.

Raptors Notes: VanVleet, Achiuwa, Boucher, Depth

September 28th, 2022 at 8:56pm CST by Rory Maher

Fred VanVleet made changes to his diet as well as his strength and conditioning regimen in order to stay healthy while playing heavy minutes, according to Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca. Lewenberg notes that VanVleet has played the second-most minutes per game in the NBA over the past three seasons (trailing only James Harden), and 47 of his 55 missed games over that span have come in the second half of seasons.

“It’s a 12-month season now, year ‘round,” said a noticeably slimmer VanVleet. “Hopefully I can stay on this regimen the rest of my career. There’s always gonna be new changes and things you have to adjust and adapt to as you try to grow. I’ve had a hell of a run so far, so to continue to try to keep growing is going to be challenging every year but I’m up for it.”

Head coach Nick Nurse said the team hopes to reduce VanVleet’s workload in 2022/23, but it’s more complicated than just following a prescribed plan.

“It’s not easy,” Nurse said, per Lewenberg. “When you got a super competitive guy who’s playing great and he wants to play, to rest him, to just say, ‘Sorry, it’s your rest time, we don’t care what’s happening on the floor right now, it’s your rest time,’ that’s hard to do. But I think we learned a lot about how we can shift our team around without him in there and I think that we’re going to need to be able to do that. I hope we can get it done.”

Here’s more on the Raptors:

Precious Achiuwa‘s development is one of the keys to Toronto’s standing in the East, writes Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca. Achiuwa made an immediate impact as a defender in his first year with the Raptors in ’21/22, but struggled on offense. However, he had a big second half last season, and if he can build upon that, the Raptors will be that much more dangerous, Grange notes. Nurse says the third-year big man has impressed early on in training camp. “I think that he’s improving all the time. I think he had a great especially last half. I’ve already talked about I think he had a great spring, summer, fall so far, and he’s looked really good during the first three practices,” said Nurse. “So you know, I think a good step forward for him is expected by him, first and foremost, which is the most important, and by all of us, yeah.”
Both Nurse and Chris Boucher are hoping for more consistency from the “really unique” big man, who signed a three-year, $35MM contract to remain with the Raptors. “There are some nights when he’s picking and popping and not hitting those, and he can’t live in that world, that’s always just extra for us,” Nurse said, per Lori Ewing of The Toronto Star. “(He has to) continue to run, continue to crash the glass, continue to block shots and continue to be that spirit, that force of spirit that he is out there and playing hard.”
In another article for Sportsnet, Grange writes that the Raptors are more confident in their depth after adding Otto Porter and Juancho Hernangomez in free agency, plus having a full season of Thaddeus Young, who signed an extension shortly before free agency opened. Young players like Malachi Flynn, Dalano Banton and Justin Champagnie could also be important depth pieces if they continue to improve, Grange adds.

Month: April 2024