Northwest Notes: Okogie, Hill, Harrison, Bol
Due to a lack of established options at the power forward position, the Timberwolves may explore having 6’5″ wing Josh Okogie spend some time at the four, according to Jon Krawczynski of the Athletic.
The recently re-signed Juan Hernangómez figures to have the inside track on the starter job for the Timberwolves. Naz Reid, Jarred Vanderbilt and Okogie will also be in the mix for minutes at the four. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and/or Tyler Cook would also be candidates for playing time if one or both make the team.
Okogie is confident that, if called to play power forward, he will be able to hold his own for the Timberwolves. “I do know, if I was in that position, I don’t think I’d have a lot of trouble,” Okogie said. “Even last year, rarely do I guard somebody that’s smaller than me, unless I’m guarding like a point guard or something. Usually I’m guarding the Kawhi Leonards and Paul Georges, usually people that are taller than me, so I don’t think it’d be much different.”
There’s more out of the Northwest Division:
- New Thunder point guard George Hill is looking forward to serving as a veteran presence for his young teammates on a rebuilding squad in Oklahoma City, Joe Mussatto of The Oklahoman reports. “To be that leader out here is much needed with the young locker room that we have,” Hill said.
- The latest offseason addition to the Jazz roster, defensive-minded guard Shaquille Harrison, can help guard multiple positions off the bench, according to Tony Jones of the Athletic. Jones adds that, due to Harrison’s lack of shooting touch, he will need to be employed in shooting-heavy lineups.
- After logging most of his first NBA season in the G League, Nuggets big man Bol Bol flashed intriguing potential in seven of eight regular-season NBA restart seeding game contests. After Denver converted his two-way contract into a two-year, $4.1MM contract this offseason, questions remain about the slight, 7’2″ Bol’s ultimate positional fit on the court, as Mike Singer of the Denver Post details.
Marvin Bagley Missed Training Camp Workouts With COVID-19
Kings big man Marvin Bagley III contracted the novel coronavirus COVID-19 in Arizona ahead of Sacramento’s training camp, and as a consequence was unable to participate in individual workouts, according to Sean Cunningham of ABC10 Sacramento (via Twitter).
As he continues to go through COVID-19 protocol, the oft-injured center/power forward does not expect to play in the Kings’ first preseason game scheduled for this Friday, Jason Jones of the Athletic tweets.
Bagley said that he dealt with a headache and body aches during his first few days with the coronavirus, comparing it unfavorably with the flu, Cunningham notes in a separate tweet. However, he has since recovered and has been observing team practices and talking with coaches on the sidelines, Jones notes.
“I’m feeling great, man,” Bagley said, per James Anderson of the Sacramento Bee. “I’m feeling the best I’ve ever felt in a while. I took time this offseason to put more time into my body, just do everything in can control to make sure I’m on the court and available to my team.”
Drafted with the second pick in 2018 ahead of 2020 All-Stars Luka Doncic and Trae Young, Bagley has appeared in just 75 games for the Kings. In that time, he has flashed potential as a scoring force. He holds career averages of 14.8 PPG and 7.5 RPG in just 25.3 MPG.
Tyrese Maxey, Two Other Sixers Tested Positive For Coronavirus
5:00pm: Mike Scott and another unidentified Sixers player are also waiting to clear coronavirus protocols after testing positive, reports Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer.
3:41pm: Sixers rookie Tyrese Maxey has been held out of training camp after testing positive for the novel coronavirus COVID-19, Derek Bodner of The Athletic tweets.
Bodner notes that Philadelphia anticipates the 6’3″ combo guard out of Kentucky, drafted with the No. 21 pick last month, will join the team within the next few days.
Maxey averaged 14.0 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 3.2 APG, and 0.9 SPG in 34.5 MPG for the Wildcats across 31 games. In his lone collegiate season, he made the All-SEC Second Team and the SEC All-Freshman Team.
The 20-year-old Maxey was new Sixers team president Daryl Morey‘s first selection for Philadelphia. A strong defender projected to be able to operate both as a lead ball-handler and an off-ball option, Maxey had already worked out with Sixers All-Star guard/forward Ben Simmons ahead of team practices.
Kings Discover Two Positive Coronavirus Tests
The Kings have discovered two positive COVID-19 tests among their players, according to head coach Luke Walton, per Jason Anderson of the Sacramento Bee (Twitter link).
Jason Jones of The Athletic tweets that, in accordance with NBA protocols surrounding this information, Walton would not divulge the names of the players afflicted with the virus, or which players were working their way through injuries.
Anderson adds that those players have been quarantining since being alerted about their test results over the last few days. He tweets that the players tested positive last weekend, before Sacramento’s practice facility, the Golden 1 Center, was opened for players.
The Thunder and Trail Blazers also announced discovering multiple positive novel coronavirus test results among their organizations today.
A league determination on the status of this Friday’s scheduled preseason contest between the Kings and Trail Blazers remains up in the air at present.
Rudy Tomjanovich Joins Timberwolves As Consultant
Never underestimate the heart of Rudy Tomjanovich. The two-time title-winning former Rockets head coach has joined the Timberwolves as a player personnel consultant, the team announced today in a press release.
According to Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle, Tomjanovich worked to scout and evaluate talent for the Wolves ahead of the 2020 draft.
Tomjanovich was a five-time All-Star as a forward from 1970-1981. He spent his entire league tenure with the Rockets. He was drafted out of Michigan with the second pick by the Rockets when the team was still based in San Diego. Upon retiring, he was an assistant coach for Houston from 1983-1992.
A 2020 Naismith Hall of Fame inductee, Tomjanovich holds a 527–416 record as a head coach. He served in that capacity with the Rockets from 1992-2003, and with the Lakers for the 2004/05 season.
Tomjanovich won his titles with Houston in 1994 and 1995, with teams fronted by Hall-of-Famers Hakeem Olajuwon and Clyde Drexler, plus point guard Sam Cassell and power forward Robert Horry.
Former Rockets director of player performance Javair Gillett is also among the Timberwolves’ new basketball operations additions, having been named the team’s VP of sports science and player performance. Joseph Blair (assistant coach), Aaron Blackshear (director of analytics), and Josh Gershon (college scouting coordinators) were among the other hires announced by Minnesota.
Two Thunder Players Test Positive For COVID-19
New Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault has indicated that two Oklahoma City players did not practice today due to positive COVID-19 test results, according to Joe Mussatto of the Oklahoman.
Mussatto goes on to note that the identity of those players was not divulged by Daigneault, in keeping with NBA guidelines surrounding coronavirus testing. About 11-15 players suited up today for the club’s initial training camp team practice.
That tally did not include oft-traded veteran small forward Trevor Ariza, who remains away from the team indefinitely as he attends to a family situation, Mussatto reports in a separate piece.
Ariza is focused on the same family matters that prompted him to opt out of the NBA’s Orlando restart with the Trail Blazers this summer, according to Mussatto, who adds that the Thunder were aware of Ariza’s family conflict when they traded for him.
Bulls Add Center Simisola Shittu
The Bulls have announced that they have added big man Simisola Shittu, according to the team’s official Twitter account.
K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago notes that, with the Shittu signing, the Bulls have now filled their 20-man roster for training camp (via Twitter link).
The 6’10” big man went undrafted in 2019 out of Vanderbilt. Inked to a training camp contract by the Bulls last season, Shittu went on to play 40 games for the Bulls’ G League affiliate (including 18 starts), the Windy City Bulls. He averaged 12.3 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 1.3 APG, and 1.3 SPG for the club in 20.2 MPG.
Though joining the Bulls’ regular season roster looks like a long shot, signing his second training camp deal with Chicago could suggest that a second trip to the Windy City Bulls this season is on the table for the 21-year-old.
Thunder Waive Melvin Frazier Jr.
Shooting guard Melvin Frazier Jr. has been waived by the Thunder, according to the NBA’s official transactions log.
The Thunder signed Frazier earlier this week. Initially drafted by the Magic in the second round of the 2018 draft out of Tulane, Frazier played just 29 games for Orlando over the past two seasons.
Frazier got significantly more run with the Magic’s G League affiliate, the Lakeland Magic. Frazier played 41 games (all starts) for Lakeland, with a competitive slash line of 15.5 PPG/5.8 RPG/1.9 SPG/1.9 APG. The 24-year-old will now look to continue his basketball career beyond Oklahoma City.
Frazier’s brief stint on Oklahoma City’s roster signals that the club may have been looking to secure his G League rights.
Trail Blazers Close Practice Facility After Positive COVID-19 Tests
The Trail Blazers organization discovered three positive novel coronavirus tests among its personnel across the last four days. The club will be closing its Tualatin, Oregon practice facility, it announced in an official tweet.
In a team press release, president of operations Neil Olshey further addressed the COVID-19 test results. “Out of an abundance of caution, having completed contact tracing, we are closing our practice facility today for deep cleaning while we run confirmatory tests,” he said.
The identities of the personnel afflicted were not disclosed, in accordance with league guidelines for coronavirus testing disclosures. The Trail Blazers held limited practices and media sessions this week.
Portland has shored up its front court and wing depth this offseason. The Trail Blazers have added versatile three-and-D forward Robert Covington, defensive-oriented wing Derrick Jones Jr., and high-upside center Harry Giles III.
The Trail Blazers also retained forward Carmelo Anthony for bench scoring and brought back reserve center Enes Kanter, who enjoyed an impressive playoff run with the club in 2019.
According to Jason Anderson of the Sacramento Bee, the league will decide whether to move forward with the Blazers’ scheduled preseason games against the Kings, set for this Friday, December 11, and the following Sunday, December 13.
Raptors Notes: Bembry, Len, Ibaka, Siakam
In a new exchange, Eric Koreen and Chris Kirschner of The Athletic discuss what recently-added Raptors players DeAndre’ Bembry and Alex Len will bring to Toronto.
Kirschner notes that Bembry was available to the Raptors because his offensive game stagnated in Atlanta, and the team did not have enough confidence in his health or in his potential to become a standout defender. The swingman was the No. 21 selection by the Hawks in the 2016 draft out of Saint Joseph’s.
Len, meanwhile, can provide solid rim protection and occasional jump shooting in a limited role as the Raptors’ new backup center behind expected starter Aron Baynes, also a fresh signing.
There’s more out of Toronto:
- Len is excited to join a playoff-caliber club for the first time in his career, Josh Lewenberg of TSN Sports tweets. “When Toronto reached out I just jumped on board,” Len said of his joining the Raptors. “It wasn’t about the money, just the opportunity to play for a top-notch, great organization.”
- Clippers power forward/center Serge Ibaka anticipated a return to the Raptors in the offseason, according to Eric Koreen of The Athletic (Twitter link). After a meeting with team president Masai Ujiri and GM Bobby Webster when his free agency commenced, Ibaka became more open to going in a different direction. “It was not an easy decision to make,” he said. “They made me better as a player. The organization (challenged) me to be a better person, on or off the court.”
- After a breakout season that saw him make his first All-Star team, Raptors forward Pascal Siakam is hoping his play this season will quiet his doubters following a disappointing performance during the NBA’s Orlando restart, according to The Athletic’s Eric Koreen. “I think when I watched the games (from the bubble), one of the things that I really felt was I didn’t recognize myself in terms of just, like, having fun,” Siakam said. “I’m always somebody that has fun playing the game and I love this game and I don’t never want to be able to play the game without any joy.”