Heat’s Omer Yurtseven On Verge Of Season Debut
Heat center Omer Yurtseven will be available on Monday versus Atlanta in what would mark his 2022/23 season debut, according to Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. The second-year big man underwent left ankle surgery in November to address an impingement, bone spur and stress reaction.
Yurtseven was assigned to the G League last week as he ramped up his activity and closed in on his debut. In two games with the Sioux Falls Skyforce, Miami’s affiliate, the 24-year-old averaged an impressive 27.5 points, 13.5 rebounds and 4.0 assists, Chiang notes.
“It was really long and really grueling,” Yurtseven said of his rehab process. “It feels amazing playing those two games back-to-back. Playing 70 minutes total and afterwards feeling fine, feels amazing.”
Yurtseven, who can become a restricted free agent in the offseason, had a strong rookie showing, averaging 5.3 points and 5.3 rebounds in just 12.6 minutes per contest (56 games). That included one 10-game stretch filling in as a starter for Bam Adebayo when the Turkish center averaged 13.6 points, 13.9 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.0 steal.
However, Yurtseven might not be guaranteed any minutes on Monday. As Chiang writes, Cody Zeller has done a nice job as the primary backup center since signing a rest-of-season deal with the Heat.
“It’s impressive, what Cody has done,” head coach Erik Spoelstra said. “You just already can see it, optically, and you can feel it. He fits. He complements our guys. He’s a hard-playing dude. He really competes. He lets it all out there and even just the diving, going after loose balls, the rebounding, the extra effort. It becomes inspiring. Offensively, he’s just really smart, so he can run our offense very well.”
In other Heat-related news, Kevin Love will be out on Monday with a rib contusion, Chiang adds in the same story.
Police Investigating Ja Morant
The Glendale, Colorado Police Department is investigating Grizzlies star Ja Morant to determine whether he may have broken any gun laws following an incident over the weekend, according to Ramona Shelburne and Liz Merrill of ESPN.
Morant’s latest controversy began with an Instagram Live video that appears to show him waiving a firearm around while shirtless at a nightclub at 4:19 am CT on Saturday. It’s the latest in a string of incidents that have caused many to question Morant’s off-the-court behavior.
The department confirmed the incident occurred in Glendale, a small enclave surrounded by Denver, per Shelburne and Merrill. Colorado is an open-carry state, but there are exceptions to the law. In Colorado, it is illegal to possess a gun while drinking alcohol, ESPN’s duo notes.
It is unclear if Morant was under the influence of alcohol when he streamed the video, but it did occur at a bar and other people near him were spotted drinking.
The fourth-year guard is away from the team after the NBA announced that it was investigating the incident. League rules prohibit players from possessing a firearm when they’re on team property or traveling on team business, as ESPN notes.
The 23-year-old issued an apology following the Grizzlies’ announcement that he would be away from the team for at least two games (one has already been played). Head coach Taylor Jenkins suggested his absence could extend far beyond that, with no timetable for Morant’s return.
Devin Booker, Julius Randle Named Players Of The Week
Suns guard Devin Booker and Knicks forward Julius Randle have been named the NBA’s players of the week, the league announced (via Twitter).
Phoenix went 3-0 last week, with Booker averaging 36.0 points, 5.3 rebounds, 7.7 assists and 1.0 block on .560/.500/.778 shooting in the three victories. The three-time All-Star won for the Western Conference.
Randle, the East’s winner, averaged 29.5 points, 8.3 rebounds and 4.8 assists on .526/.465/.727 shooting last week. New York went 4-0 to extend its winning streak to nine games.
It was the first time either player has won the award this season.
According to the NBA (Twitter link), the other nominees in the West were Anthony Davis, Jamal Murray, Domantas Sabonis and Jalen Williams, while Giannis Antetokounmpo, James Harden, Tyrese Maxey and Immanuel Quickley were nominated in the East.
Thunder Notes: SGA, Butler, Jaylin Williams
Berry Tramel of The Oklahoman (subscriber link) calls Shai Gilgeous-Alexander another “too-good-to-be-true superstar,” noting that the fifth-year guard went out of his way to wear a Thunder– and Oklahoma City-inspired jacket to his first All-Star game. As Tramel writes, Gilgeous-Alexander may not have had the prospect pedigree of Kevin Durant, but he has developed into a star in his own right, and the 24-year-old is a “consummate leader, forever saying and doing the right things.”
When Tramel brought his “too-good-to-be-true” theory up to head coach Mark Daigneault, he readily agreed.
“Part of the reason why it’s too good to be true, is because he doesn’t separate himself out,” Daigneault said of SGA. “Even with all the temptations and all the attention and status and money, and all the stuff that could tempt you to separate yourself.
“And really, there’s nothing in the NBA stopping players from doing that. You’re kind of at the mercy of whether they want to. Fortunately for us, he’s on that track. He’s already checked a lot of those boxes. And yet, he wants to do it inside the team. He wants to do it inside the organization, he wants to be part of something bigger than himself.”
Gilgeous-Alexander’s maturity and team-first mentality, not to mention his long-term contract that runs through 2026/27, seems to bode well for the Thunder as they continue to build around him, according to Tramel.
Here’s more on the Thunder:
- Gilgeous-Alexander cleared the NBA’s health and safety protocols on Saturday and was able to suit up on Sunday, tweets Joe Mussatto of The Oklahoman. Gilgeous-Alexander missed five consecutive games with a combination of an abdominal strain, right ankle soreness and then entering the protocols. The Thunder went just 1-4 in his absence, but were victorious last night against Utah. The 24-year-old didn’t miss a beat in his return, recording 38 points, seven rebounds, four assists, three steals and a block.
- Daigneault said Thunder GM Sam Presti was high on guard Jared Butler entering the 2021 draft, per Mussatto (Twitter link). Butler just signed a two-way deal with Oklahoma City last week, making one brief appearance thus far. The Thunder had four picks ahead of where Butler was selected (No. 40 overall), including two in the 30s, so they had multiple chances to take him. Instead, they wound up packaging the Nos. 34 and 36 picks (used on Rokas Jokubaitis and Miles McBride) in a trade to land Jeremiah Robinson-Earl (No. 32).
- In an article for The Oklahoman, Mussatto details how rookie big man Jaylin Williams and the Thunder have perfected the art of drawing charges. The team has a league-leading 83 charges on the season, far exceeding the Heat’s 63, which ranks second. Williams is a ground-bound center, but he uses his game knowledge to protect the rim in a different way. “It stems from my dad,” he said, “just watching film with him from a young age, me understanding the game and understanding there’s more than basketball than putting the rock through the rim.”
Lakers Notes: Brown, Schröder, Russell, LeBron
Troy Brown Jr. expected a larger role with LeBron James sidelined, but even he was surprised by how much time he spent on the court on Sunday, writes Broderick Turner of The Los Angeles Times. Brown logged 41 minutes and 11 seconds, more than any other player, in the Lakers‘ win over the Warriors.
“To be honest, I didn’t know I had played that many minutes,” Brown said. “I had no idea. Obviously with the rotations, I thought I was coming out and then going back in, but I wasn’t looking at stat sheets. It’s a blessing, honestly, just to get that opportunity, especially right now playing with time and with us playing for something and being able to be out there with those guys and make big plays. I’m grateful for it.”
James’ foot tendon injury resulted in Brown returning to the starting lineup after being moved to the bench when the Lakers shook up their roster at the trade deadline. Brown, who signed with L.A. as a free agent last summer, is willing to accept either role.
“It’s not really taking anything personal, trying to be professional and just know that they have a plan and the coaching staff has a plan and they are trying to put together their stuff,” he said. “So, for me, I just try to come out every night and do what I can do and make sure I’m locked in and give the team what I need on my end.”
There’s more on the Lakers:
- Dennis Schröder is playing with pain after injuring his left ankle in Wednesday’s game at Oklahoma City, Turner adds. The Lakers are missing their other primary ball-handlers because James is out and D’Angelo Russell hasn’t returned from a right ankle sprain. “Yeah, I got a lot of treatment on my ankle. I feel good now,” Schröder said Sunday. “Last game was a little … was still thinking about it a little bit. But right now, I think I feel in a good place.”
- Russell is “trending in the right direction,” coach Darvin Ham said (video link from Spectrum SportsNet). Russell, who has missed the past five games, is going through a series of steps that will lead to his return, Ham adds.
- James has started rehab work, but it’s still too early to predict when he’ll be able to play again, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.
Suns Notes: Durant, Irving, Booker, Roster Depth
Playing his first close game since joining the Suns, Kevin Durant provided a reminder of what a dangerous clutch-time scorer he can be, writes Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. Durant had 37 points in Sunday’s win at Dallas and hit a tough jumper over Tim Hardaway Jr. with 12.4 seconds remaining that proved to be the game-winner.
“Once I had him on my hip, I felt like I was in good position to just stop on a dime,” Durant said. “Glad I made it.”
In just his third game since returning from an MCL sprain, Durant was supposed to be on a minutes restriction. However, coach Monty Williams allowed him to stay on the court for 40 minutes as the game remained close throughout.
“I was out there for a while,” Durant said. “I didn’t look over to (Williams) on purpose. I wanted to keep playing, but I’m glad he trusted me out there. Glad the training staff trusted me. Hopefully we can build on this from here.”
There’s more on the Suns:
- There was drama surrounding Sunday’s game because it marked the first meeting between Durant and Kyrie Irving since they both asked the Nets for a trade last month. But Durant said afterward that he had “no emotions at all,” noting that he played against Irving many times before they teamed up in Brooklyn, Rankin adds. In an appearance on ESPN’s “Get Up” Monday morning (video link), Brian Windhorst observed that Durant and Irving didn’t interact at all during the game, adding, “The only relationship they have right now is zero relationship.”
- The Suns’ rivalry with the Mavericks was punctuated by a verbal altercation between Devin Booker and Luka Doncic late in Sunday’s game, per Tim MacMahon of ESPN. After Doncic missed a floater in the final seconds that would have tied the score, he took exception to a comment from Booker and they went nose to nose before being separated. “You guys say you don’t want everybody to be friendly-friendly,” Booker told reporters. “Here you go. We got some smoke.”
- The Suns are considered to be among the favorites in the West after adding Durant, but they’ll need to overcome a lack of depth after giving up important rotation pieces in the trade with Brooklyn, Windhorst writes in an ESPN story. He notes that Josh Okogie, who has been inserted into the starting lineup, missed all eight of his three-point attempts Sunday, while Torrey Craig was just 1-of-4 from beyond the arc.
Celtics Notes: R. Williams, Mazzulla, White, Horford
Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla announced that center Robert Williams will be sidelined for seven-to-10 days with a strained left hamstring, writes Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe. However, given Williams’ history of injuries, Washburn believes he could be out longer and it might be best to shut him down until the playoffs.
Williams didn’t play Sunday after hurting his hamstring in Friday’s loss to the Nets. Washburn notes that even though Sunday’s game went to two overtimes, Mazzulla didn’t bring big men Luke Kornet or Blake Griffin off his bench. Grant Williams was used at center for long stretches of the game, and the Knicks repeatedly attacked him on the pick-and-roll.
According to Washburn, the Celtics believe they can survive the loss of their starting center with their current rotation of big men. However, he notes that the team has an open roster spot and there are numerous veteran free agents for president of basketball operations Brad Stevens to consider.
There’s more from Boston:
- After holding the NBA’s best record for most of the season, the Celtics have now dropped three of their last four games, Washburn adds. Mazzulla said he has “zero concerns” about the recent rough patch, framing it as an opportunity for the team to grow. “You obviously want to be playing your best basketball later in the season as you get closer to the playoffs, but this is a tough stretch,” Mazzulla said. “And whatever this stretch has you have to learn from it and use it later in the year.”
- With Robert Williams unavailable, Mazzulla went back to his early-season lineup by inserting Derrick White into the starting five, per Brian Robb of MassLive. White had 12 points, six rebounds and four assists in 32 minutes, and Robb suggests he could be considered the team’s third-most valuable player behind Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
- Al Horford believes a lack of focus is causing the Celtics to let big leads slip away, according to Souichi Terada of MassLive. Brooklyn overcame a 28-point deficit Friday night, and New York trailed by as many as 14 points on Sunday. “We’re not locking in as much as we need to,” Horford said. “This is the second time that we kind of have a lead, we feel good about it, a team makes a run and we just kind of let them back in the game. And throughout the season, you’re gonna have adversity. We’ve played pretty good basketball most of the year, and this is a time where you tighten up, you fix some of these things, some of these issues, or it goes the other way.”
Nets Sign Nerlens Noel To 10-Day Contract
MARCH 6, 9:32am: Noel’s signing is official, the Nets announced (via Twitter).
MARCH 4, 9:38am: Noel is expected to receive a 10-day contract from the Nets, Wojnarowski writes in his full story on the agreement.
Brooklyn may wait until Sunday to officially complete the signing to ensure that Noel is available for the team’s next six games instead of five. Noel would earn $151,821 on a 10-day deal, with $105,522 counting against the Nets’ cap.
MARCH 4, 7:18am: Veteran center Nerlens Noel has reached an agreement to sign with the Nets, agent George Langberg tells ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link).
Brooklyn has had an open spot on its 15-man roster since the trade deadline, so no corresponding move will be needed to create an opening for Noel, who became a free agent on Wednesday after clearing waivers. He finalized a buyout agreement with the Pistons earlier in the week.
The sixth overall pick in the 2013 draft, Noel has established a reputation as a talented, versatile defender with a limited offensive game.
After beginning his career with the Sixers, Mavericks, and Thunder, Noel thrived in New York in 2020/21, averaging 6.4 rebounds and 2.2 blocks in just 24.2 minutes per game for the league’s fourth-best defense. That performance helped earn him a three-year, $28MM contract from the Knicks, but he was slowed by injuries in ’21/22, appearing in just 25 games.
The Knicks sent Noel to Detroit in a salary-dump trade last offseason and he played sparingly for his new team as the Pistons evaluated younger players. Before agreeing to a buyout, the 28-year-old only appeared in 14 contests, averaging 2.3 PPG and 2.6 RPG in 10.9 MPG.
The Nets have been on the lookout for months for a reliable frontcourt player to back up starting center Nic Claxton — Noel is as good as an option as they’ll find on the buyout market.
Following last month’s trades of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving, Brooklyn no longer looks like a team with championship potential, but the club remains firmly in the playoff race and still appears invested in upgrading this year’s roster. The Nets’ 35-28 record currently gives them a 2.5-game lead over Atlanta for the sixth seed in the East.
Brooklyn still has a portion of its mid-level exception available, but a rest-of-season, minimum-salary contract is probably the likeliest outcome for Noel. If he were to officially sign a minimum deal on Saturday, the big man would earn about $562K, while the Nets would take on a cap hit of approximately $390K.
Warriors Notes: Curry, Lamb, Iguodala, Wiggins
The Warriors lost to the Lakers Sunday afternoon, but there was optimism in the locker room due to the return of Stephen Curry, writes Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic. Playing for the first time since Feb. 4, the two-time MVP had 27 points and six assists in 32 minutes while shooting 5-of-13 from beyond the arc.
Although he was on a minutes restriction, Curry looked fully recovered from the left leg injury that caused him to miss 11 games. He and his teammates are focused on improving their playoff position in the 17 games remaining, hoping to move into the top four in the West and trying to avoid falling into the play-in tournament. Golden State was able to survive for a month without Curry and now has a crucial string of games upcoming against fellow playoff contenders.
“Yeah, especially on the road,” Curry said of the excitement surrounding his comeback. “Brings the best out of you. And like I said, as the game gets deeper into it, you try to meet that intensity and that energy and that level, mentally and physically. It felt great to get thrown back in there right away. … If I get better as the game goes on, it’s always a great sign for me individually. And then our team, even though we lost, there were some bright spots for sure.”
There’s more on the Warriors:
- Sunday’s game was the 50th of the season for Anthony Lamb, which marks his limit as a two-way player, tweets Anthony Slater of The Athletic. Lamb has been productive all season, but he won’t be able to play any more unless Golden State converts him to a standard contract. The team currently has a full roster, but a 10-day contract for Lester Quinones will expire March 11. “I’d like to have Lamb on the roster,” coach Steve Kerr said after Sunday’s game. “He plays an important role for us because he connects a lot of lineups with his ability to space the floor and shoot the three, and he just plays the way we’ve always played.”
- The return of Andre Iguodala could lessen the urgency to work out a new deal with Lamb, Slater adds (Twitter link). The 39-year-old swingman logged 14 minutes Sunday in his first game action since January 13.
- The Warriors are being patient with Andrew Wiggins, who is away from the team while attending to a “family matter,” according to Connor Letourneau of The San Francisco Chronicle. Team officials haven’t provided any specifics, but general manager Bob Myers said in a radio interview last week that Wiggins is expected to return before the end of the regular season.
Grizzlies Coach Says There’s No Timetable For Ja Morant To Return
The Grizzlies announced Saturday that Ja Morant will be away from the team for at least two games, but his absence could last much longer than that, writes Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.
Speaking to reporters before Sunday night’s contest in Los Angeles, coach Taylor Jenkins said there’s no set length for how long the embattled point guard will be out of action.
“We have said that it’s going to be at least these two games,” Jenkins said. “I mean, this is going be an ongoing healing process. … It’s really not a timetable situation.”
Morant’s latest controversy began with an Instagram Live video that appears to show him waiving a gun around while shirtless at a strip club at 5:19 am Saturday. It’s the latest in a string of incidents that have caused many to question Morant’s off-the-court behavior.
Morant issued an apology for the video Saturday afternoon while announcing that he was going to “take some time away to get help.” He also deactivated his Instagram and Twitter accounts, which he had been using frequently to promote his business interests and interact with fans.
“We’re taking this very seriously,” Jenkins said. “There’s a supportive element for someone that’s got to get better and needs some help. But then there’s also accountability to the team that we’ve got to stand for.
“Obviously nationwide, leaguewide, there’s been a lot of attention on gun violence, and so for us, that’s the stance that we’ve taken about how we can support Ja throughout this growth opportunity. It’s a learning opportunity, and hopefully we can be better from it.”
On Sunday, the Grizzlies played their first game since Morant stepped away, squandering a big fourth quarter lead in a loss to the Clippers. Afterward, players expressed support for their teammate, per Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal.
“We’re wrapping our arms around him and showing him our love,” said Desmond Bane, who scored 30 points Sunday and took over more ball-handling responsibilities with Morant not in the lineup. “Whenever he is ready to come back, we’ll welcome him with open arms.”
Jenkins is also counting on Jaren Jackson Jr. to help make up for Morant’s lost production, Cole adds. The All-Star big man took 18 shots Sunday and finished with 24 points.
“I’m happy for whatever he decides to do,” Jackson said. “I trust his judgment. He’s doing what’s best for him. He’s going to come back and take over the league again.”