Cody Zeller Worked Out For Heat
The Heat recently brought in free agent center Cody Zeller for a workout, league sources tell Michael Scotto of HoopsHype.
The fourth overall pick in the 2013 draft, Zeller spent his first eight NBA seasons in Charlotte, then played for Portland in 2021/22. He had a limited role for the Blazers last season, averaging 5.2 PPG and 4.6 RPG in a career-low 13.1 minutes off the bench in 27 games before a right patellar avulsion fracture ended his season.
Zeller signed a non-guaranteed training camp deal with Utah this past September, but failed to earn a spot on the Jazz’s regular season roster and was waived at the end of the preseason. He has been seeking a new NBA home since then and also worked out for the Lakers earlier in the season.
As Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel reported this week, the Heat – who have one spot available on their 15-man roster and can create a second opening when Jamaree Bouyea‘s 10-day deal expires – are prioritizing frontcourt targets. Winderman mentioned Kevin Love and Serge Ibaka as possibilities and it appears the team is considering other vets as well.
Power forward is the spot the Heat would really like to address, but their center rotation isn’t entirely settled either. While rookie big man Orlando Robinson has been Bam Adebayo‘s primary backup for much of the season, he’s approaching the games-played limit on his two-way contract and would need to be promoted to the 15-man roster to remain active beyond that limit.
The Heat traded away Dewayne Dedmon prior to this month’s deadline and don’t seem comfortable relying on veteran Udonis Haslem to play a regular role. Omer Yurtseven is nearing his return from left ankle surgery, but it’s unclear how effective he’ll be after being sidelined for several months.
Suns Among Teams Interested In Kevin Love
The Suns are among the teams interested in Kevin Love if he finalizes a buyout with the Cavaliers, Brian Windhorst of ESPN said in an appearance on Pardon the Interruption (YouTube link).
As Windhorst points out, Love was teammates with Suns president of basketball operations James Jones when Cleveland won its lone championship in 2016, so there’s a connection there. Love also played with Kevin Durant and Chris Paul on Team USA in 2012, when the Americans went undefeated in the London Olympics.
The Suns have an open roster spot and both their taxpayer mid-level and bi-annual exceptions available, so they could offer Love more than a minimum-salary contract if they’re so inclined.
According to Windhorst, Love requested the buyout due to a lack of playing time, having been a healthy scratch for the past 12 games. Windhorst suggests the Cavs weren’t “thrilled” with the request, but they had gone 9-3 with Love out of the rotation, so they didn’t want to switch things up when they’re having success without him.
A few teams called Windhorst after the news broke requesting background information on the veteran big man, so he is attracting interest despite having a down year — Love is averaging career lows in points (8.5), rebounds (6.8), minutes per game (20.0). A thumb injury, which is now healed, limited his effectiveness from an efficiency standpoint, as his FG% (.389) and 3PT% (.354) are his worst marks since 2012/13, when the 34-year-old played just 18 games due to injury.
Windhorst says the Heat are “very interested” in Love, but notes that Cleveland might have to play Miami in the first round of the playoffs — paying him to join a direct competitor in the East obviously doesn’t make much sense. Windhorst wonders if the Cavs will negotiate to try to force Love to join a Western Conference team instead.
Giannis Antetokounmpo Suffers Right Wrist Sprain
9:28pm: The initial reports on Antetokounmpo’s wrist were “hopeful” and X-rays were clean, head coach Mike Budenholzer said after the game, per Eric Nehm of The Athletic (Twitter link). Antetokounmpo will continue to be evaluated in the coming days, Budenholzer added.
7:47pm: Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo suffered a right wrist injury during Thursday’s game against the Bulls, tweets K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago.
The two-time MVP fell into the stanchion after blocking Coby White‘s shot and he immediately started holding his wrist (YouTube link via House of Highlights). He checked out of the game shortly thereafter to get evaluated and was ruled out with a right wright sprain, per the Bucks (Twitter link).
It’s unclear how severe Antetokounmpo’s injury is at this time, but it certainly seems like he could be yet another All-Star who might need a replacement for this weekend’s exhibition contest. The forward received the most votes among Eastern Conference players and was set to captain the new pick-up style draft format, which will take place shortly before the game.
Obviously, of bigger concern is his status for the remainder of the 2022/23 season. Antetokounmpo is as physical of a player as there is in the NBA, and he has played through injuries in the past, but he is right-handed, so the injury will affect his dominant shooting hand.
On a positive note, the Bucks won’t play again until February 24, so Antetokounmpo will have eight days to rest the wrist sprain and hopefully be ready to go after the break. Milwaukee is currently 40-17, the No. 2 seed in the East, trailing Boston by one game and leading Philadelphia by two.
The 2021 Finals MVP is nearly averaging a point per minute, recording career highs in points (32.5) and rebounds (12.3) to go along with 5.5 assists through 46 games (33.6 minutes).
Kevin Durant On Joining Suns, Time With Nets, Irving, More
The Suns held a press conference on Thursday (YouTube link via ESPN) introducing Kevin Durant, who was acquired last week from the Nets in a four-team blockbuster trade. With several thousand fans in attendance, the superstar forward confirmed that he requested a trade to Phoenix following Kyrie Irving‘s own surprise trade request and the subsequent deal that sent the guard to Dallas.
“I was upset that we couldn’t finish (the season),” Durant said, per Nick Friedell of ESPN. “I thought we had some good momentum. We were finally building a culture that we always wanted. I felt like every game we were building our chemistry, but I didn’t know what was going on with Kyrie and his situation with the organization, so I didn’t really focus on that. I only focused on what we were doing on the court, and it was a blow to our team. It just took away our identity. He was a huge, huge part to what we do. His game, he’s a Hall of Fame player, a great, great player, that can do everything on the floor and we relied on that.
“So without him we didn’t have a clear identity. So that was tough for me to stomach. I love playing with those guys throughout the year. I felt like we had dudes that were stepping up and doing stuff that they didn’t do on their previous teams. So I enjoyed everything about it — it was tough not finishing the season, but I just tried to move forward as quickly as I can and try to figure something out for myself, but also still focus on trying to rehab and get back. So it all happened so fast, but I’m glad it worked out this way.”
Durant got emotional discussing his time with Brooklyn, Friedell adds.
“It was a lot of ups and downs, but I loved the grind,” Durant said. “And everybody in Brooklyn loved the grind, too, so I built a family over there. They’re going to always be part of my journey. So we didn’t accomplish what we wanted to accomplish as far as winning a championship, but I enjoyed the grind. And everybody there, we tried our hardest every day, regardless of what was going on in the media, or what was going on with our teammates.
“I get emotional talking about them because that was a special four years in my career, coming off an Achilles (injury). They helped me through a lot, so I don’t have anything (bad to say).”
Here’s more from Durant’s press conference (quotes courtesy of Friedell, Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic and Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports):
On the Nets’ “big three” he formed with Irving and James Harden:
“We just didn’t get on the court enough. I think when you seen James, Kyrie and myself, it was amazing basketball for (16) games, but in order for you to win a championship and be a great team, you just need more time on the floor. It’s another story about why we didn’t get on the floor together, but we just didn’t get enough time on the floor. And those are Hall of Fame players that I learned a lot from every day. I’m wishing them the best as well. It just didn’t work out.”
On why he wanted to join the Suns in particular:
“They experienced a lot the last couple of years. You see the growth of this team. When (head coach) Monty (Williams) took over, when (GM) James (Jones) came in, I saw the culture start to change. The way they played on the floor, the energy that they play with started to change. I always loved playing here in Phoenix. The fans always showed love to just good basketball in general. They always cheered their team on, but they always showed love to the opposing team as well. I knew this would be a great place to play and a great place to continue get better as a player.”
On Durant’s belief that the Suns have enough to bring Phoenix its first NBA championship:
“I think we got all the pieces to be successful. We got guys that have experienced what it’s like to play in that final round. We got a champion (Jones) already that’s overseeing us. Monty’s a champion as a coach. So we got guys that been there and that’s half the battle, just knowing what it takes.”
On playing with Devin Booker:
“He’s just such a quiet, efficient scorer, and he goes about his business on and off the court in just a mature manner. I wanted to be a part of his journey and see how good he can get from here. He’s just one of those players that I really admire, and people are gonna be doing classes on him once he’s done playing. You can learn so much from watching his game.”
On the support he’s received from Phoenix’s fans:
“While I appreciate it, I truly don’t think I deserve all this because I know I’ve done a lot of good things in basketball, but I haven’t done ‘em yet in a Suns jersey. I’m looking forward to doing it. I wanna go out there and do the most as I can and be the best that I can every day for you guys. So I appreciate the warm welcome, but I got more work to do.”
On when he might return to action from his MCL sprain:
“I’m going to follow the training staff and go on the schedule they got me on. So hopefully soon after the break.”
Jazz Waive Leandro Bolmaro
7:30pm: Bolmaro actually reached a buyout agreement with the Jazz, reports Eric Walden of The Salt Lake Tribune (via Twitter). Bolmaro wanted to return to Europe in order to get playing time and Utah accommodated his request, per Walden.
4:55pm: The Jazz have officially waived Bolmaro, per NBA.com’s transaction log. Utah now has 13 players on standard contracts and will have up to two weeks to add a 14th man.
2:24pm: The Jazz intend to waive Leandro Bolmaro, sources tell Shams Charania and Tony Jones of The Athletic (Twitter link).
Bolmaro, a 6’6″ guard from Argentina, was the 23rd overall pick of the 2020 draft, but wound up signing his contract a year later, so he’s only in his second NBA season. The Jazz declined their third-year team option on the 22-year-old before the 2022/23 season began, which indicated that he might not be in Utah’s long-term plans.
As Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune notes (via Twitter), the Jazz’s backcourt was shorthanded during Wednesday’s loss to Memphis — Russell Westbrook is away from the team as he explores his options, and Collin Sexton exited the game early with a left hamstring injury (Twitter link via Larsen). The fact that Utah opted not to use Bolmaro in that situation was a pretty ominous sign.
Larsen has heard the Spurs may have been interested in Bolmaro in the past. San Antonio’s 17-man roster is full at this point, however.
Bolmaro spent his rookie season with the Timberwolves, but was sent to Utah as part of the Rudy Gobert trade. In 49 career games, including 14 this season with the Jazz, Bolmaro has averaged just 6.3 minutes per contest.
If he clears waivers, the former first-round pick will receive $2,471,160 from Utah and will become an unrestricted free agent.
Anfernee Simons Diagnosed With Grade 2 Ankle Sprain
Anfernee Simons has been diagnosed with a grade 2 right ankle sprain after undergoing an MRI on Thursday, the Trail Blazers announced in a press release.
Portland confirmed the fifth-year guard will miss All-Star weekend, which was expected (he was replaced in the three-point contest by Julius Randle). However, his return timeline is hazy, with the Blazers saying it will be determined at a later date.
As Aaron J. Fentress of The Oregonian notes (via Twitter), grade 2 sprains can be tricky injuries. Simons’ teammate, Justise Winslow, has been out since December 21 due to his own grade 2 ankle sprain, though that seems to be an abnormally slow recovery process.
Another player who dealt with a grade 2 ankle sprain this season was LaMelo Ball, who missed about a month of action to start 2022/23. At the time, Jeff Stotts of InStreetClothes.com reported that players have missed an average of 19 days with the injury, so perhaps Simons will recover quicker than Winslow or Ball. The Blazers are off until next Thursday, so that should help.
Simons sustained the injury in Tuesday’s loss to the Wizards. He drove toward the basket late in the third quarter, pulled up, and attempted a floater over Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma. When he landed, Simons’ right foot came down on Kuzma’s right foot, causing his ankle to roll (video link). He had to be helped off the court by the training staff and was on crutches after the game.
If Simons has to miss extended time after the break, it would be a tough blow for a Blazers team that’s fighting to stay in the play-in mix in the Western Conference. Portland currently has a 28-30 record, putting the club a half-game behind the No. 10 Thunder.
The Blazers don’t have a ton of backcourt depth, so it won’t be easy to replace Simons’ production. Portland’s second-leading scorer is posting career highs in several categories this season, including points (21.4), assists (4.2), rebounds (2.7), FG% (.450) and FT% (.913) through 56 games (35.5 minutes per contest).
Rookie first-rounder Shaedon Sharpe should receive an uptick in minutes with Simons sidelined, but beyond him it’s hard to say who else could be in line for additional playing time. Nassir Little is another candidate, though he’s definitely more of a forward than a guard.
Julian Champagnie Claimed Off Waivers By Spurs
6:02pm: San Antonio confirmed in an email that it claimed Champagnie. He will wear No. 30 for the Spurs.
4:20pm: The Spurs have claimed Julian Champagnie off waivers, sources tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowki (Twitter link).
An undrafted rookie out of St. John’s, Champagnie had been with Philadelphia on a two-way contract, but he was recently waived in favor of Mac McClung. The Spurs have an open two-way spot, so they won’t need to release anyone to acquire Champagnie.
The 21-year-old spent three college seasons with the Red Storm, averaging 19.2 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 2.0 APG, 2.0 SPG and 1.1 BPG on .414/.337/.781 shooting in 31 games (34.2 MPG) as a junior. He only appeared in two games with the Sixers for a total of seven minutes, having spent the majority of his first pro season with their G League affiliate, the Delaware Blue Coats.
The 6’8″ forward had an impressive run during the fall Showcase Cup, averaging 21.9 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 1.1 SPG and 1.2 BPG on .465/.347/.839 shooting in 14 games (35.1 MPG). His numbers have declined since the regular season began, with Champagnie recording 14.3 PPG, 5.7 RPG and 0.9 BPG on .419/.352/.875 shooting in 18 games (28.7 MPG) for the Blue Coats.
The Spurs now have a full 15-man standard roster and both two-way slots filled — Dominick Barlow occupies the other.
Nuggets Notes: KCP, Jackson, Murray
Nuggets guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope was disappointed that he wasn’t selected for the three-point contest at All-Star weekend, writes Mike Singer of The Denver Post (subscriber link).
“I really tried to get out there and show them, it’s a lot of great shooters in this league, and if we’re going to put in the work to be the best, we should be at least rewarded or have an opportunity to showcase it,” Caldwell-Pope said. “That didn’t happen. It’s all good. I’m gonna come back and bring home another trophy.”
Caldwell-Pope is shooting a career-high 45% from deep, which ranks third in the NBA. He said he thought he may have been passed over due to his lack of attempts (he averages 4.3 per game), per Singer.
Head coach Michael Malone raved about Caldwell-Pope’s professionalism and defense, Singer adds.
“The reality is, honestly, KCP could get (the Defensive Player of the Game chain) every night,” Malone said. “No, really. We should actually name it the KCP-DPOG and give it to everybody else.”
Here’s more on the Nuggets:
- Malone believes Reggie Jackson‘s playoff experience will be big for the Nuggets, according to Sean Keeler of The Denver Post. “When I think about Reggie, what gives me confidence is, this guy has been there and done that,” Malone said. “(The) 2021 Western Conference finals, where he was phenomenal — just go back and look at the game logs and the productivity and the efficiency. So you’re getting a veteran who understands he’s coming to a really good team. (There’s) role acceptance, role definition.” The veteran guard, who played high school ball in Colorado Springs, was recently signed by Denver after being traded by the Clippers and bought out by the Hornets.
- At his introductory press conference, Jackson explained why he chose the Nuggets over other suitors. “Great team at the right age right now. They’re playing really good ball. The backup point guard role was kind of open. I figured that, and coming home, was definitely appealing,” Jackson said, per Vinny Benedetto of Gazette.com. “It just all matched up once I sat down and thought about it. I’m just very blessed to be able to go from the sixth team in the West to the best team in the West.”
- Jamal Murray missed his sixth straight game Wednesday against Dallas due to right knee inflammation, notes Harrison Wind of DNVR Sports (via Twitter). The team is being cautious with Murray, Malone said, adding that the guard isn’t confident enough in the knee to play yet. Malone didn’t sound overly concerned about it, but the Nuggets aren’t taking it lightly either, according to Wind. “You’re always concerned when a guy misses five-to-six games in a row,” Malone said. The Nuggets don’t play again until next Thursday, so we’ll see if another week of rest will aid Murray’s recovery. The 25-year-old missed all of last season with a torn ACL in his left knee.
Suns Notes: Paul, Durant, Landale, Ross, Payne, Sarver
It appeared Chris Paul‘s championship window may have closed after the Suns‘ second-round loss in last year’s playoffs, but it’s wide open again after the team was able to land Kevin Durant at the trade deadline, writes Nick Friedell of ESPN. The new version of the Suns hasn’t been unveiled yet because Durant remains sidelined with an MCL sprain, but Phoenix now looms as potentially the most dangerous team in the West.
The 37-year-old point guard will direct an offense that features Durant, who was playing at an MVP level prior to his injury, and Devin Booker, who finished fourth in the MVP voting last season. Paul admits there will be “a process” to making the new arrangement work, but he’s thrilled about the possibilities, telling reporters that he was in disbelief as he watched Durant on the team’s bench Tuesday night.
“I know, know KD, you know what I’m saying?” Paul said. “We done talked for years, worked out, all this stuff. It’s wild. Everything happens for a reason. KD is like family. So now, to get an opportunity to play alongside him in this capacity, I’m excited and grateful for the opportunity.”
There’s more from Phoenix:
- Appearing on a podcast with Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports, Jock Landale said the addition of Durant has invigorated the entire team.“Guys are running around like ‘Man, I’m playing with Kevin Durant now! I gotta step this thing up!'” Landale said. “So everything’s gone up a level, and that’s what needed to happen for us to win this thing this year.”
- Terrence Ross had his first practice with the Suns today after agreeing to a buyout with Orlando, Bourguet tweets. Ross confirmed reports that he was convinced to come to Phoenix after initially leaning toward Dallas. “At the last second, really, I was just talking a lot to (president of basketball operations) James (Jones) and talking to (head coach) Monty (Williams) and just kinda understanding what my role would be, and I just felt like this was a better fit,” Ross said. The veteran swingman signed a minimum-salary contract with Phoenix.
- Cameron Payne, who has been sidelined since January 4 with a foot injury, is hoping to return on February 24, the Suns’ first game after the All-Star break, Bourguet adds (via Twitter).
- Former Suns owner Robert Sarver will give $20K bonuses to many team employees and plans to make a $5MM donation to the team’s charity, according to Baxter Holmes of ESPN.
Heat Notes: Love, D. Robinson, Injuries, Herro
The Heat may be able to attract Kevin Love by offering a starting role, writes Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel. News broke late Wednesday night that Love is involved in buyout talks with the Cavaliers, and Miami was mentioned as a possible destination for the 34-year-old big man, who was recently removed from the rotation in Cleveland.
Caleb Martin currently serves as the Heat’s starting power forward, but at 6’5″ it’s not his natural position. Love could bring more size, better rebounding and improved passing to the starting lineup if he can be convinced to sign with Miami. Winderman notes that the addition of Love would also reduce the urgency to give a standard contract to Orlando Robinson, who is nearing the end of his eligibility on his two-way deal.
The Heat have their full $4MM+ bi-annual exception available, as well as $3MM+ on their mid-level exception, which gives them an advantage in the buyout market over teams that are limited to minimum-salary offers. Miami has also been linked to players such as Russell Westbrook and Patrick Beverley, but Winderman hears that the front office is prioritizing front-line help over a guard, making Love or Serge Ibaka a more likely target (Twitter link).
There’s more from Miami:
- Duncan Robinson was able to return Wednesday after finger surgery in January sidelined him for the past 20 games, per Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. Robinson, who still feels discomfort in his finger, was originally expected to be sidelined until after the All-Star break, but he played Wednesday because the team has so many other injured players. “That was one of the things that I knew when I elected to do the procedure is that there was going to be pain,” Robinson said. “But it’s significantly less than it was before and it functions better than it did before.”
- The Heat will welcome the All-Star break to heal up from their injuries, Chiang adds. Tyler Herro, Nikola Jovic, Kyle Lowry, Victor Oladipo and Omer Yurtseven were all unavailable Wednesday, and Miami ranks second in the league with 235 missed games. All five players are expected back at varying points after the break ends. “The biggest thing for us is we’re glad everybody will get fresh legs,” Martin said. “We’ve been down a lot of guys most of the season, so it will be good to get everybody fresh from the jump.”
- Herro is considered day-to-day with a left knee contusion, but he’s still expected to participate in the three-point contest at All-Star Weekend, according to Chiang.