James Harden, Bruce Brown Newest Nets In COVID-19 Protocols
The Nets suddenly have seen seven players enter the NBA’s COVID-19 health and safety protocols within the 24 hours. All-Star guard James Harden and versatile swingman Bruce Brown have joined five other afflicted comrades on the sidelines for Brooklyn, per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link).
It was reported earlier that Nets role players LaMarcus Aldridge, Paul Millsap, DeAndre’ Bembry, Jevon Carter, and James Johnson are all in the NBA’s coronavirus protocols.
Brooklyn currently has just reached the league minimum for available players to stave off a cancelation of its scheduled game against the Raptors tonight. In addition to the team’s seven coronavirus-related absences, the Nets are also still missing COVID-19 vaccine holdout Kyrie Irving and injured wing Joe Harris. All-Star forward Kevin Durant had been listed as questionable due to a sore ankle, but he’s set to suit up for the Nets now, per Tim Bontemps of ESPN (via Twitter).
Bontemps notes in a separate tweet that both Brown and Harden had been in the Nets’ home arena, the Barclays Center, ahead of the team’s game against Toronto this evening. Brown had apparently even been warming up on the hardwood before he received the bad news.
Bobby Marks of ESPN tweets that the Nets will be eligible to sign up to five players via the hardship provision due to this swath of absences. Marks adds that Brooklyn will be dinged approximately an extra $500K in tax penalties for each 10-day signing the team completes.
The league postponed two games this week for the Bulls, who are currently missing as many as 10 players due to the NBA’s health and safety protocols. Should further spread of the virus among the Brooklyn locker room continue, the league could take similar precautions with the Nets.
Central Notes: Bulls, Boucek, Pistons, Lee
The Bulls have announced (Twitter link) that their next contest, scheduled to be a Sunday matinee matchup against the Lakers, has been pushed back to a later start time. The game will now tip off at 7 p.m. CT, after originally being scheduled to start at 2:30 p.m. CT.
It was announced yesterday that the NBA would postpone Chicago’s two other scheduled games this week – tonight against the Pistons and Thursday night against the Raptors – after it was revealed that as many as 10 Bulls are currently in the league’s COVID-19 health and safety protocols.
K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago tweets that Coby White, Javonte Green, Derrick Jones Jr., and star wing DeMar DeRozan all have a chance to be cleared by the new tip-off time Sunday. It was reported over the weekend that White had returned to the Bulls’ Advocate Center practice facility for the first time since his diagnosis.
There’s more out of the Central Division:
- After missing the Pacers‘ Monday loss to the Warriors, Indiana assistant coach Jenny Boucek is now in the league’s COVID-19 health and safety protocols, per Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files. The first-season assistant will be replaced by Calbert Cheaney on the front of the bench, Agness adds.
- Pistons head coach Dwane Casey has revealed that the NBA will examine game tape to determine which Nets players came into “close contact” with Detroit players, per James Edwards III of The Athletic (Twitter link). Brooklyn players Paul Millsap, LaMarcus Aldridge, DeAndre’ Bembry, Jevon Carter, and James Johnson are currently in the league’s COVID-19 health and safety protocols.
- The Pistons are optimistic that the G League play of second-year point guard Saben Lee will translate at the NBA level, writes Keith Langlois of Pistons.com. Langlois notes that the early returns have been positive, and could lead to more minutes with Detroit for Lee. “I’m just doing whatever the coaches ask me to do,” Lee said. “Up here, I know there’s a lot of scorers, a lot of shooters. Whatever coach [Casey] asks me to do, I’m going to do that. That’s how I navigate that.” Saben played with Detroit’s NBAGL club, the Motor City Cruise, for his first seven contests this season.
Ankle Soreness To Sideline Luka Doncic
All-Star Mavericks guard Luka Doncic will be sidelined for “multiple games” as a result of a sore left ankle, starting tonight against the Thunder, per Marc Stein of the Stein Line (Twitter link).
Stein adds that Dallas does not yet know when Doncic might return. He will miss his fifth game of the 2021/22 NBA season.
Doncic, who apparently entered the team’s training camp out of shape, has nevertheless enjoyed a solid season when available, averaging 25.6 PPG, 8.5 APG and 8.0 RPG across 21 games.
At 12-13, the Mavericks are currently the eighth seed in the Western Conference. The club is just 3-7 across its last ten contests, and without its best player in the lineup could sink further down the standings soon.
Northwest Notes: Wolves, Gay, Lillard, Nnaji
The 11-15 Timberwolves‘ current five-game losing streak, which includes three consecutive home blowout defeats, displays Minnesota’s clear need for more frontcourt help, writes Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic. Adding someone at the level of 6’11” Pacers big man Myles Turner, a solid defender and floor spacer, could be exactly the cure for what ails them.
“We’re not putting the work in,” Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns noted of the club’s recent losing streak. “It’s as simple as that. We gotta put more work in. All of us. Top to bottom.”
There’s more out of the Northwest Division:
- New reserve Jazz forward Rudy Gay has proven to be exactly what the doctor ordered for Utah this season, writes Mark Schindler of Basketball News. When he plays alongside All-Star starting Jazz center Rudy Gobert, Gay has been particularly effective. Lineups featuring that tandem have outscored opponents by 24.3 points per 100 possessions. Because the bulky 6’8″, 250-pound Gay can convincingly defend centers on switches, he operates as a helpful release valve for Gobert, who can struggle guarding opponents along the perimeter on switches.
- Trail Blazers All-Star point guard Damian Lillard has taken umbrage with what he perceives to be the media’s depiction of him as being somewhat wishy-washy in his thinking, per Portland’s official Twitter account (video link). “You can criticize how I play or who I am as a player, that’s one thing,” Lillard said. “But who I am as a person and the things that I say, I mean them. That’s one thing that I stand on and I know people can’t challenge me on that.”
- Second-year Nuggets forward Zeke Nnaji is doing his darnedest to improve this season, writes Mike Singer of The Denver Post. With long-term injuries sidelining forwards Michael Porter Jr. and P.J. Dozier, Nnaji has carved out some legitimate rotation minutes this month, Singer observes. He is averaging 6.6 PPG and 2.4 RPG, across 17.6 MPG this month. Especially notable, Nnaji is shooting 58.6% from long range this year, tops in the league for volume three-point shooting (defined as two or more triples taken a night). Denver head coach Michael Malone is already a fan. “He is self-motivated,” Malone said. “He is a guy that is not allowing his maybe not playing or Summer League failures to identify and define him, and that’s kind of who Zeke is. He’s a guy that does everything hard. You’re never gonna catch Zeke Nnaji cutting corners.”
Coby White Back At Bulls’ Practice Facility
Reserve Bulls guard Coby White is heading back to the Advocate Center, Chicago’s practice facility, today, per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (via Twitter). White had tested positive for COVID-19 on December 1. This marks his first time back since first being placed in the NBA’s health and safety protocols.
The Bulls have been hit hard by COVID-19 thus far this season. A return for White would still leave the Bulls with eight players in the league’s coronavirus health and safety protocols, after news arrived earlier today that All-Star shooting guard Zach LaVine and reserve swingman Troy Brown Jr. had both entered COVID-19 protocols.
LaVine, Brown, DeMar DeRozan, Ayo Dosunmu, Javonte Green, Derrick Jones Jr., Matt Thomas and Stanley Johnson all remain in protocols as of this writing. As we mentioned earlier today, Green could also clear protocols and return to the court in time for the Bulls’ next game on Tuesday. Starting center Nikola Vucevic also missed significant time earlier this season after contracting COVID-19.
Teams need to be able to suit up at least eight players to avoid a game being postponed. Assuming White can play, that would bring the Bulls’ tally of available players to 10, including Alfonzo McKinnie, who along with the now-out Johnson was added as a hardship exception player after so many Bulls were placed in protocols.
The 17-10 Bulls have lost their last two contests, to the Cavaliers and Heat, thanks in no small part to the absences of most of their players. They hope to right the ship against the 4-21 Pistons on Tuesday.
White has had spotty availability this season. Prior to missing the past two weeks with his coronavirus diagnosis, he also sat for the Bulls’ first 13 contests this year while recovering from offseason shoulder surgery.
Across nine games this year, the third-year combo guard is averaging just 6.1 PPG, 2.6 and 1.3 APG. These are modest numbers for White, but he is seeing significantly fewer touches than he had in his prior two NBA seasons due to a reduced role on a competitive roster. More worrying is his shooting line this season: a career-worst .349/.226/.571.
NBA Fines Kevin Durant $25K For Swearing At Fan
The league has fined Nets All-Star forward Kevin Durant $25K for “directing obscene language” at a fan during the Brooklyn’s 113-105 victory against the Hawks, the NBA has announced (Twitter link).
With 28 seconds left in the first half Friday, Durant apparently made the remarks towards an attendant fan in the arena.
The NBA has been cracking down on players’ on-court obscenities this season. As Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic tweets, the league fined Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma $15K for flipping off a fan earlier this week. Lakers forward LeBron James was also fined $15K for making an obscene gesture on the court last month.
New York Notes: Claxton, Kemba, Noel, Thibs
The return of springy young Nets big man Nicolas Claxton to action could help improve the uneven play of All-Star shooting guard James Harden, says Mark W. Sanchez of the New York Post. Claxton, much like Harden’s former Rockets running mate Clint Capela, can serve as a prime rim-rolling recipient of Harden lobs. Claxton has appeared in just six Brooklyn games for the 2021/22 season due to a non-COVID-19 illness.
“It would be great to get Nic going again, getting him fully functioning again,” Nets head coach Steve Nash said of Claxton’s return. “We saw him Friday night and obviously it looked like he hadn’t played in a while, was fouling and just a little out of rhythm. And that’s normal for a guy who has had that much of a layoff, lost a bunch of weight, is trying to get himself back in shape. By the end of the year, we would love Nic to be a great add to what we do on both ends of the floor.”
On Tuesday night, in a 102-99 defeat of the Mavericks, Claxton suited up for nearly 21 minutes off the bench. The 6’11” big man logged six points and nine boards in just his second game back from his illness.
There’s more out of the Big Apple:
- The Knicks would likely consult Kemba Walker were they to seriously consider trading the veteran point guard, per Ian Begley of SNY.tv. Walker, a former four-time All-Star with the Hornets and Celtics, has been demoted from starter to DNP-CD, and has not suited up for New York at all since November 26. The 31-year-old is averaging career lows of 11.7 PPG, 3.1 APG and 2.6 RPG.
- Knicks center Nerlens Noel returned to New York’s starting lineup, replacing Mitchell Robinson in the role, ahead of Tuesday night’s 121-109 victory over the 8-15 Spurs, per Steve Popper of Newsday. Noel took and made just one field goal, but also chipped in eight rebounds, three dimes, one steal and a block in the win. Robinson, meanwhile, enjoyed a terrific night with the second unit, notching 11 points and 14 boards. The Knicks snapped a three-game losing streak with the victory and returned to .500 on the season with a 12-12 record. Robinson conceded that, as a result of an offseason surgery and subsequent weight gain, he has struggled with his conditioning, per Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News. “I’m getting tired real quick,” Robinson said before Tuesday’s game. “I run for about six or seven minutes, and then boom — I’m gassed. So it’s something I need to work on real bad … I wish I could jump right back into it and be who I was before the injury.”
- Much like his former boss Jeff Van Gundy in the 1998/99 NBA season, current Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau may have to figure out major rotational changes to improve the up-and-down Knicks this year, per Mike Vaccaro of the New York Post. Among those adjustments, Vaccaro suggests potentially exploring more run for emerging second-year power forward Obi Toppin and rookie shooting guard Quentin Grimes, and possibly reducing the role of defensive sieve Evan Fournier, whom New York added on a four-year, $78MM contract via a sign-and-trade with the Celtics this past summer.
Central Notes: Cunningham, DiVincenzo, LeVert, Pacers Trade Options
The 4-19 Pistons, losers of nine straight games, are currently sole owners of the NBA’s worst record. Happily from a big-picture perspective, intriguing rookie guard Cade Cunningham is showing promising early signs of development, details James L. Edwards III of The Athletic.
Cunningham was shelved for Detroit’s entire preseason and the early portion of the 2021/22 regular season with an ankle injury, but has come on in a big way across the Pistons’ last four games. In that time, Cunningham has averaged 22 PPG while shooting 51% from the floor and 50% from deep, along with 7.7 RPG and 3.2 APG. Overall, the 6’6″ point guard is averaging 14.9 PPG, 6.6 RPG and 4.6 APG across the 18 games he has played this season.
“I feel like my voice is heard in the locker room,” Cunningham said of where he stands on the Pistons roster. “That hasn’t been a problem for me. We have a good group of guys.”
There’s more out of the Central Division:
- Injured Bucks starting shooting guard Donte DiVincenzo will continue to rehabilitate with Milwaukee’s G League affiliate, the Wisconsin Herd, per Eric Nehm of The Athletic. DiVincenzo will practice with the Herd ahead of an anticipated return to the floor for the Bucks. The 24-year-old tore an ankle ligament during the first series of the Bucks’ 2020/21 title run. Last year, the Villanova alum averaged 10.4 PPG, 5.8 RPG and 3.1 across 66 regular season games for Milwaukee.
- After it was floated earlier today that the Pacers would be open to offloading players following an underwhelming 10-16 season start under the stewardship of new head coach Rick Carlisle, Evan Sidery of Basketball News has cooked up some intriguing potential trade destinations for swingman Caris LeVert. Clubs like the Cavaliers, Grizzlies, Jazz Mavericks and Pelicans are all considered fits by Sidery. Sidery notes that LeVert has become movable thanks in part due to the emergence of rookie wing Chris Duarte.
- As the Pacers look to shake up their roster, Clark Wade of The Indianapolis Star wonders which Indiana players the club should trade. The markets for big men Domantas Sabonis and Myles Turner, plus lead guard Malcolm Brogdon, all good players on agreeable contracts, should be robust, though Brogdon won’t be trade-eligible until the offseason.
CJ McCollum Has Collapsed Right Lung
8:53pm: McCollum released an optimistic statement addressing the injury on his personal Instagram page.
7:32pm: Trail Blazers starting shooting guard CJ McCollum has suffered a collapsed right lung, according to a team press release. A CT scan revealed the injury.
Per Portland, McCollum incurred the injury, also known as a pneumothorax, during a 145-117 loss to the Celtics on December 4. The team went on to disclose that McCollum would undergo further testing before a recovery timeline is determined.
The 30-year-old is averaging 20.6 PPG, 4.5 APG, 4.1 RPG and 1.1 SPG across 35.3 MPG for the 11-14 Trail Blazers, currently the N0. 10 seed in the Western Conference and losers of three straight games. McCollum owns a shooting line this season of .424/.393/.700.
Portland is also missing All-Star point guard Damian Lillard, still recuperating from lower abdominal tendinopathy. The 31-year-old is in the first season of a four-year, $176.3MM maximum contract with the Trail Blazers. Lillard will become eligible for a two-year maximum extension to that deal during the 2022 offseason.
McCollum, who has three years and $100MM guaranteed on his deal, has long been considered a viable candidate for a trade to improve the team alongside his All-NBA backcourt running mate. Prior to this injury news, a deal for embattled Sixers All-Star Ben Simmons seemed possible.
This news is very scary for one of the NBA’s most dynamic players. We at Hoops Rumors wish McCollum a speedy and full recovery and can’t wait to see him lighting up box scores very soon.
Florida Notes: Suggs, Miami Backcourt, Butler, Spoelstra
Magic rookie guard Jalen Suggs continues to develop his skills at the next level despite remaining sidelined due to a fractured right thumb, writes Dan Savage of Magic.com. Savage notes that the injury will not require surgery, and the club will continue to monitor it with check-ups every other week.
Rather than rehabilitate at home, Suggs wanted to travel with his Magic teammates for the club’s recent Western Conference road trip: “For me, the biggest part was still being around the team, hearing what the coaches are saying, being on the bench, and being engaged into the game. That was the biggest piece for me for wanting to come and hoping they’d let me come. Again, just continuing to build the camaraderie because I love to be around these guys.”
Savage reports that Suggs is going through game film with head coach Jamahl Mosley and assistant coach Nate Tibbetts as he hopes to take strides even while unavailable for the Magic.
“Just trying to see the flow, see where certain shots come in, see how I can better control the game in certain situations,” Suggs said. “I think they’ve done a great job of keeping me involved and keeping me engaged.”
Across 21 games thus far this season, the 6’4″ 21-year-old point guard out of Gonzaga is averaging 12.3 PPG (albeit on lackluster shooting percentages), 3.6 APG and 3.4 RPG.
There’s more out of the Sunshine State:
- Due to a rash of injuries early in the 2021/22 NBA season, the Heat have been compelled to tinker with lineup optionality, writes Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald. The backcourt tandem of veteran point guard Kyle Lowry and up-and-comer Gabe Vincent has emerged by necessity, and may become a favorite for head coach Erik Spoelstra going forward. “You have toughness and that defensive disposition from both of them,” Spoelstra said. “Either one of them can play on the ball or play off the ball and they feel equally comfortable in that role. I think the different roles that Gabe has had to play for us the last year and a half have really prepared him to be able to complement Kyle very well.”
- Heat All-Star swingman Jimmy Butler, in his first game back from a tailbone injury that kept him sidelined for four contests, appeared to re-injure himself after suffering a hard fall in an eventual 105-90 defeat against the Grizzlies Monday night, per ESPN.com. “It is a contact sport,” head coach Erik Spoelstra noted. “But he definitely re-aggravated it. You can tell from that point on he was not his usual self. So we’ll reevaluate him [Tuesday] and see where we are.” When available, the 32-year-old swingman has looked like his usual All-Star self, averaging 22.8 PPG on 50.9% shooting from the floor and 85.2% from the charity stripe, while chipping in 5.8 RPG and 5.2 APG across 18 games.
- Spoelstra discussed his frustrations with himself as a coach in the wake of the Heat‘s recent slump, per Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. The team has lost four of its last five contests overall, including three games on its home court. “I have to do a better job getting the team organized and getting the team comfortable, where the ball’s going, how we’re going to play offensively,” Spoelstra said. To be fair, the team has been without All-Stars Jimmy Butler or Bam Adebayo, out with injuries, for most of those games. The Heat are currently still the fourth seed in the East at 14-11. The lead man in Miami since 2008, Spoelstra is the second-longest-tenured NBA head coach, behind just Gregg Popovich of the Spurs.