Knee Injury To Sideline Haliburton For Rest Of Regular Season
Promising Kings rookie Tyrese Haliburton is expected to miss the rest of the 2020/21 regular season with a hyperextended left knee, per a team press release. An MRI examination revealed the injury.
The 28-37 Kings are currently the No. 12 seed in the West, 3.5 games behind the tenth-seeded Spurs for a play-in tournament berth. The club’s statement did not disclose whether or not Haliburton would be available for a potential play-in or playoff appearance, but the odds are against Sacramento making up that ground.
The injury, suffered Sunday in a game against the Mavericks, will not require surgical treatment. Haliburton, a leading contender for Rookie of the Year honors, will be missing Sacramento’s final eight games, including a game tonight.
Sacramento selected the 6’5″ Haliburton with the No. 12 pick out of Iowa State during the 2020 draft. In 58 games (including 20 starts) with the Kings, Haliburton has averaged 13.0 PPG, 5.3 APG, 3.0 RPG, and 1.3 SPG across 30.1 MPG. The 21-year-old is boasting a solid shooting line of .472/.409/.857.
Bjorkgren’s Long-Term Status With Pacers Uncertain
In an intriguing development, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN hears from sources tell him first-year Pacers head coach Nate Bjorkgren may not last as the head man on Indiana’s bench beyond this season, citing the coach’s fraught relationships with both players and staffers. Woj does add that Bjorkgren has acknowledged an interest in addressing the problem.
After logging several years as an assistant coach for the Raptors, Bjorkgren signed a three-year deal with Indiana during the 2020 offseason. Woj notes that the coach’s salary for the 2021/22 season is fully guaranteed.
Bjorkgren has led an injury-plagued roster to a mediocre 30-34 record, good for the No. 9 seed in the Eastern Conference. So long as Indiana secures at least the 10th seed in the East, it will compete in a play-in tournament to qualify for the first round of the playoffs this year. The club has eight games remaining on its schedule.
Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files tweets that the Pacers are grappling with a plurality of locker room “issues” that he agrees need to be ironed out, indicating that there has been an atypical level of internal conflict since January (Twitter link).
Like many teams across this truncated NBA season, the Pacers have dealt with a significant amount of injury- and health-related absences. Players hit the hardest include starting center Myles Turner (who has missed 17 games and counting), reserve wing Jeremy Lamb (28 games and counting), newly acquired Pacers forward Caris LeVert (24 games), and starting small forward T.J. Warren, healthy for just four games this season.
Elsewhere on the team’s drama front, the Pacers were concerned that they would lose former star guard Victor Oladipo to unrestricted free agency this summer, and so dealt him to the Rockets. He was subsequently traded again to the Heat at the March deadline. Nagging injury troubles have beset Oladipo at all three stops this season.
Northwest Notes: Morris, Jazz Depth, SGA, Carmelo
Nuggets reserve point guard Monte Morris is nearing his return to the floor, tweets Mike Singer of the Denver Post. Morris is “definitely getting closer” to suiting up again for Denver, head coach Michael Malone said.
Nevertheless, Singer notes that Morris will remain sidelined for the next few games as he continues to rehabilitate from a hamstring injury that has kept him out since April 16.
There’s more out of the Northwest Division:
- With Jazz All-Star guards Donovan Mitchell and Mike Conley both absent, Utah has been able to showcase the depth of its roster, writes Tony Jones of The Athletic. Wing Bojan Bogdanović has become a prime scoring option on the perimeter for Utah, and even greener players like two-way rookie point guard Trent Forrest have stepped up to help the Jazz remain very much in the race for the West’s top seed.
- Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault has revealed that star guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is still grappling with a “significant” plantar fascia tear, tweets Joe Mussatto of the Oklahoman. “It’s not something that you should really mess around with,” Daigneault said. “If we got aggressive with him, it could compromise him long term, which makes no sense for us for a player that is as important to our franchise as he is.” Gilgeous-Alexander has been sidelined since March with the injury.
- After scoring 14 points in a 123-114 loss to the Hawks, veteran Trail Blazers forward Carmelo Anthony has cracked the NBA’s all-time top 10 scoring list, writes Casey Holdahl of Trailblazers.com. “Top 10 in anything of all-time is a special moment, so I don’t want to take this moment for granted,” said Anthony. “I don’t want to downplay it, I’m excited about it, I’m blessed to be able to accomplish this in year 18. I think that’s what people should look at, the fact that I’m in my 18th season.” Anthony has been a productive offensive contributor during his second season with Portland. He will be a free agent this summer.
PJ Dozier Suffers Right Adductor Strain
An MRI today has revealed that Nuggets guard PJ Dozier has suffered a right adductor strain, tweets Mike Singer of the Denver Post.
The extent to which right adductor strain injuries can affect a player’s availability varies from case to case, but Dozier could be out at least a week as he recovers. The 6’6″ combo guard out of South Carolina has been enjoying a solid season with the Nuggets, his fourth in the NBA.
The 24-year-old Denver guard has carved out a rotational role with an ascendant Nuggets team for 2020/21. In 50 contests, he is averaging career bests of 7.7 PPG and 3.6 RPG, along with 1.8 APG, across 21.8 MPG.
Losing Dozier could mean that the Nuggets could rely on recently-added combo guard Austin Rivers to further pick up the slack. The Nuggets’ depleted backcourt is also, of course, without star guard Jamal Murray, done for the year with an ACL tear. Shooting guard Will Barton is sidelined with a “significant” hamstring strain, while backup point guard Monte Morris has missed the club’s last nine contests.
Central Notes: LaVine, Sexton, Pacers Defense, Green
Bulls shooting guard Zach LaVine has cleared the league’s COVID-19 health and safety protocols and could be back on the floor as early as Thursday against the Hornets, writes Rob Schaefer of NBC Sports Chicago.
“I think he’s excited to be back playing,” Bulls head coach Billy Donovan said of the All-Star guard. “I think for him getting in the gym [upon being cleared] was good.”
LaVine’s return may prove to be too little, too late for the struggling Bulls. Chicago has gone 4-7 without him. Sporting a 26-39 record, the Bulls are currently 4.5 games behind the ninth-seeded Pacers, four games behind the tenth-seeded Wizards and a half-game back of the No. 11-seeded Raptors. The team has eight contests left to play.
There’s more out of the Central Division:
- Cavaliers guard Collin Sexton is aware of critical chirps from his detractors, writes Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. Fedor notes that Sexton wants to address his critics with his play. “They feel like I’m not doing good at something, I’m going to make sure I prove them wrong,” Sexton said. “They say I can’t be a point guard. Now these next stretch of games I’m going to go out there and show them I can do both — run the team and score the ball as well, and be efficient with it. I pretty much just take the criticism and run with it, and just have them look crazy down the stretch.”
- The defensively-challenged Pacers are certainly missing their anchor on that end of the floor, injured center Myles Turner, but also the tactical maneuvering of former head coach Nate McMillan and assistant coach Dan Burke, opines Gregg Doyel of the Indianapolis Star.
- Recently-acquired Bulls wing Javonte Green showed flashes of promise in what was ultimately a 106-94 losing effort against the Sixers on Monday. Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic wonders if Green could be a potential long-term rotational addition for Chicago.
Atlantic Notes: Randle, Raptors, Nesmith, Harris
A major factor in the blossoming of Knicks forward Julius Randle into an All-Star has been his improved passing, contends Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic. Randle is averaging a career-best 5.9 APG this season.
Vorkunov credits Randle’s excellent aptitude for last-second passes, frequently distributed nanoseconds before he lands from his jumps. The extended timing is designed to attract defenders away from his passing targets. “A lot of coaches hate that,” Knicks reserve guard Derrick Rose said. “But I’m somebody [who has] been doing it for a while, too. As long as his turnover ratio isn’t greater than his assist ratio, I feel like it’s alright. He makes smart decisions. He’s delivering the ball.”
There’s more out of the Atlantic Division:
- The Raptors already appear to be playing with an eye towards next season as their play-in tournament odds continue to shrink, writes Michael Grange of Sportsnet. One sign is the team’s willingness to experiment. To wit, head coach Nick Nurse has tried new center Khem Birch as a fast-break ball handler of late. The club is 26-38, three games behind the 10th-seeded Wizards with just eight games left to make up ground.
- After the Jazz defeated the Raptors 106-102 yesterday, the Knicks will officially at least make the league’s play-in tournament, according to Marc Berman of the New York Post. This will mark the team’s first postseason appearance since 2013.
- Though the Celtics anticipated that rookie first-round draft pick Aaron Nesmith could be an instant contributor as a shooter, he has made more of an impact with his hustle on both ends of the floor. A. Sherrod Blakely of the Boston Sports Journal examines the disparity between Nesmith’s anticipated skill set at the next level and the reality thus far. “I’m happy for him because it seems he has found a role with those guys now,” an Eastern Conference scout said. “It’s not the role we thought it would be or the role the Celtics thought it would be, but give him credit, he’s figured out a way to get on the floor which is huge for a rookie.”
- Raptors head coach Nick Nurse said on Saturday that he appreciated the recent performance of Jalen Harris in limited minutes, and hopes to find more time for the rookie guard during the season’s home stretch, tweets Josh Lewenberg of TSN Sports.
Northwest Notes: Brown, D-Lo, Campazzo, Edwards
With the Thunder now officially eliminated from play-in tournament contention, the rebuilding team appears open to developing some of its less-heralded young prospects. According to head coach Mark Daigneault, 6’6″ second-year shooting guard Charlie Brown Jr. will start and receive significant run while on a 10-day deal with the club, tweets Cameron Jourdan of the Oklahoman.
Brown inked a two-way deal with the Hawks after going undrafted out of St. Joseph’s for the 2019/20 season. So far with the Thunder, he’s averaging 16.0 MPG across three games.
There’s more out of the Northwest Division:
- The minutes restriction has been lifted for Timberwolves guard D’Angelo Russell, who will continue to come off the bench for Minnesota, tweets Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic. The Timberwolves are 8-7 since Russell returned to the lineup following a February left knee surgery.
- 30-year-old rookie Nuggets point guard Facundo Campazzo recently explained to Mike Singer of the Denver Post why he was ready to try his hand at the NBA after spending several years as a star overseas. “I just wanted the opportunity,” Campazzo said. “I don’t know if my level can work here or my game can fit here, but I just needed the opportunity to try at least. I don’t want to finish my career and think, ‘OK, I didn’t try at least, you know?’” In 58 games with Denver (including 12 starts), the 5’10” guard is averaging 20.8 MPG, 5.7 PPG, 3.3 APG, 1.8 RPG, and 1.1 SPG.
- The next step in the long-term evolution of the Timberwolves is for 2020 No. 1 pick Anthony Edwards to become a star, writes Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic. “We know what [Karl-Anthony Towns] can bring to the table,” guard Ricky Rubio said. “We know what [D’Angelo Russell] can bring to the table. But Ant, he has to bring it every night. That’s the toughest part of the NBA if you want to be one of the best.”
Southwest Notes: Bradley, Porter, Pelicans, Martin
Rockets reserve guard Avery Bradley is close to returning to the floor from a calf injury, writes Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle. Bradley has missed the past two games for Houston, and four of the last five.
“I’ve just been dealing with this calf situation all season,” Bradley noted. “Unfortunately, it came back a little bit. I’m just trying to be smart and making sure I’m working hard each and every day so I can come back strong.”
The Heat signed Bradley to a two-year, $11.6MM deal during the 2020 offseason, though the second year is a team option. Injuries and COVID-19 have limited the 30-year-old to just 25 games combined for Miami and Houston this season.
There’s more out of the Southwest Division:
- Though recently-acquired Rockets swingman Kevin Porter Jr. enjoyed a career night against the Bucks on Thursday, head coach Stephen Silas is hopeful Porter can have more consistently effective scoring nights, writes Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle. “I don’t really know if we have a true feel for how good he can be or not,” Silas observed. “I think if you take the game that he had against Minnesota (10 points on 2-of-12 shooting) and the game he had against Milwaukee, you don’t want to really focus on either. You want to focus somewhere in between. He had a poor game and then a great game. You can’t do that in an NBA season where you’re kind of going up and down, up and down with your emotions or your evaluations.”
- As the Pelicans remain in the play-in tournament mix, Will Guillory of The Athletic assesses several important threads worth tracking in May. Key among these is the play of Brandon Ingram, who Guillory believes needs to improve his passing and defense to be a true long-term compliment to All-Star forward Zion Williamson. Guillory also hopes to see more of versatile guards Lonzo Ball and Kira Lewis Jr. in tandem on the floor.
- Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle appraises the growth of athletic rookie wing Kenyon Martin Jr., the youngest Rockets player. Martin is all too aware of what he needs to improve going forward to achieve his full potential. “I know what I need to work on and I need to focus on to get ready for next season,” Martin said. “Making my shot more consistent… Being comfortable on the ball and defensively, just learning from watching film and picking it up on that side of the floor.” Martin is averaging 13.5 PPG on 53.8% shooting across his past four games.
Sacramento Signs Louis King To Two-Way Deal
May 1: The Kings have announced the signing of King to a two-way deal, confirming the news in a press release on Saturday.
April 30: Free agent swingman Louis King will sign a two-way deal with the Kings, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
Woj notes that the 6’7″ wing made a 10-game cameo for the Pistons during his rookie season, having spent the year on a two-way contract with Detroit after going undrafted out of Oregon in 2019. He played significantly more meaningful minutes for the Pistons’ then-NBAGL affiliate, the Grand Rapids Drive, during the 2019/20 season. King appeared in 31 games (22 starts) with the Drive.
After signing an Exhibit 10 deal with the Knicks for the preseason, King was waived by the franchise before he could log a game for New York. However, that deal ensured that the Knicks’ G League affiliate, the Westchester Knicks, had the 22-year-old’s rights for the 2020/21 “bubble” season at Walt Disney World.
In 15 games (13 starts) for Westchester this year, King averaged 13.7 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 2.9 APG, and 1.6 SPG across 32.2 MPG. He posted a respectable slash line of .517/.456/.810.
Sacramento recently opened up a two-way slot by promoting Chimezie Metu to its 15-man roster.
Cavs Ink Mfiondu Kabengele To Three-Year Deal
MAY 1: The Cavaliers have made their deal with Kabengele official, per a press release on Saturday.
APRIL 30: With the second 10-day deal for Cavaliers big man Mfiondu Kabengele set to expire tonight, Cleveland plans to retain him for the rest of the season, with an opportunity to stick around for two more years, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
Woj reports that the Cavaliers will ink Kabengele for the rest of the 2020/21 and will add non-guaranteed salaries for the ’21/22 and ’22/23 seasons to the deal. A three-year contract would mean that the Cavaliers are using a portion of their mid-level exception to complete the move.
Selected with the No. 27 pick out of FSU in 2019, Kabengele spent his rookie season and half of the 2020/21 season with the Clippers. He was included in a trade deadline deal to the Kings and ultimately waived, after which he caught on with Cleveland.
Across six games with the developing Cavaliers thus far, the 6’9″ 23-year-old is averaging 7.3 MPG.
Luke Adams contributed to this story.