Rui Hachimura Could Be Out Until February
Wizards rookie power forward Rui Hachimura, absent since suffering a groin injury on December 16, may not return to the court until the calendar changes to February, according to Mike DePrisco of NBC Sports Washington. Hachimura has missed 16 straight contests with the nagging affliction.
Wizards coach Scott Brooks provided the update on Hachimura’s new health status ahead of the Wizards’ 140-111 loss to the Raptors last night.
Before going down, Hachimura was having a solid first season in D.C. The 6’8″ 21-year-old from Japan was taken No. 9 overall by the Wizards in the 2019 draft. In 25 games with the Wizards (all starts), Hachimura has averaged 13.9 PPG (fourth-best among all rookies), 5.8 RPG (first-best), and 1.6 APG. He is also shooting 48.2% from the field and a stellar 85.2% (17th-best) from the free-throw line.
DePrisco notes that Hachimura felt like a prime candidate to make the 2020 All-Star Weekend’s Rookie-Sophomore Game ahead of the injury, but that this new scheduling setback has thrown a possible wrench in an appearance for the talented Wizards rookie.
Siakam, Powell Return To Raptors
Rising Raptors star power forward Pascal Siakam and guard Norman Powell will both return to the starting five for Toronto in Sunday’s game against the Spurs, TSN’s Josh Lewenberg reports (Twitter link). Both will be placed on a minutes limit in their first game back since December. Lewenberg also notes that starting center Marc Gasol remains out (Twitter link).
Siakam, Powell, and Gasol, all Raptors starters, had all been sidelined indefinitely since a December 19 tilt against the Pistons. Siakam had been battling a stretched groin, Gasol a hamstring injury, and Powell a subluxation of his left shoulder.
Siakam is currently third in Eastern Conference All-Star frontcourt balloting, with 1,730,763 fan votes received as of January 9th, according to an Associated Press report (link via SI.com).
A fantastic two-way player, the 6’9″ Siakam had emerged as a borderline MVP candidate with his sterling performance for the 25-13 Raptors. For the 2019/20 season, the No. 27 pick in the 2016 NBA draft out of New Mexico State is averaging career-highs of 25.1 PPG, 8.0 RPG, 3.6 APG, 81.3% free throw shooting, and 39.2% shooting on 6.3 three-point attempts across 27 games.
Powell has also taken a leap this season, logging a career-high slash line of 14.4 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 1.7 APG, 1.1 SPG, and 4.9 three-point attempts per game. The 6’3″ shooting guard, drafted No. 46 out of UCLA in 2015, is connecting on 38.9% of those looks. Powell has also been appearing in a career-high 28.9 minutes a night for the Raptors.
Southwest Notes: McLemore, Aldridge, Porzingis, DeRozan
Former lottery pick Ben McLemore has revitalized his career with the Rockets. ESPN’s Zach Lowe wrote an excellent profile piece examining the reemergence of McLemore in Houston.
On his third team in three years, McLemore seized his opportunity with the Rockets when injuries befell Eric Gordon and Gerald Green. McLemore has transformed himself into an effective catch-and-shoot option in Houston. For nine games starting on November 30th, McLemore averaged 14 PPG while shooting 39-of-85 from long range.
The first season of McLemore’s two-year, $4.4MM contract with the Rockets became fully guaranteed on January 10th. “I love Ben,” Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni told Lowe. “All he was lacking was confidence and an opportunity.” The rangy, athletic McLemore is averaging 10.1 PPG, 2.5 RPG, and 1.0 APG for the 26-12 Rockets. He is shooting 36.5% from long range on 6.7 attempts and 80% from the free-throw line.
There’s more out of the Southwest Division:
- The trade market stock of 34-year-old Spurs center LaMarcus Aldridge is rising, writes San Antonio Express-News reporter Mike Finger. Finger postulates that Aldridge would have net more interest as a trade piece than fellow 30+ former All-Star big man, Cavaliers power forward Kevin Love, who has been very, very vocal about being unhappy in Cleveland. Aldridge has emerged as a moderate three-point shooting threat for the first time in his career, knocking down 45.5% of his 2.5 attempts per game, both career highs.
- Mavericks big man Kristaps Porzingis was given a platelet-rich-plasma injection to treat the soreness in his right knee that has kept him in street clothes for two weeks, according to ESPN’s Tim McMahon. Porzingis is also grappling with an illness that has slowed his recovery process.
- Polarizing, old-fashioned Spurs guard DeMar DeRozan returns to the team for whom he made four All-Star appearances today, the Raptors, as Josh Lewenberg of TSN reports. His former teammate, current Raptors All-Star Kyle Lowry, reflected on his contributions to Toronto basketball. “I think he poured his heart into the city,” Lowry said. “He gave the city and lot and the city [saw] him grow from a boy to being a man.”
Kyrie Irving Eyeing Sunday Return
JAN 12: The Nets have announced that point guard Kyrie Irving will officially be available to play tonight, according to Malika Andrews of ESPN (Twitter link).
JAN 11: Nets guard Kyrie Irving is looking to return for Sunday’s home bout against the league-worst Hawks, sources tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link). It would be Irving’s first game since injuring his right shoulder on November 14 against the Nuggets. The Hawks hold an 8-31 record this season.
After receiving a cortisone shot on Christmas Eve to treat the shoulder, Irving was able to return to 5-on-5 contact drills during a Nets team practice on Thursday. He told ESPN’s Malika Andrews then that he hoped to return to the hardwood within the week.
Bobby Marks of ESPN notes (Twitter link) that the Nets hold a 13-13 record without Irving, including going a middling 4-8 against teams with a record above .500. Spencer Dinwiddie emerged as a legitimate All-Star candidate with his play for Brooklyn during Irving’s extended absence. The Nets were 4-7 in the 11 games they played with Irving.
Thomas Bryant, Bradley Beal Back For Wizards
Center Thomas Bryant will be returning to game action for the Wizards this afternoon against the Jazz, according to The Athletic’s Fred Katz (Twitter link).
Bryant, who had started all of his previous games for Washington this season, will be coming off the bench in his first NBA game since December 1, according to Hoops Rumors’ Chris Crouse (Twitter link). Crouse notes that Wizards All-Star shooting guard Bradley Beal, who has missed his team’s last five games, will return as well.
Before the 22-year-old Bryant suffered a right foot stress reaction in December, he had been enjoying his best season as a pro. The No. 42 pick in 2017, Bryant logged just 15 games for the Lakers in the 2017/18 season. Los Angeles waived Bryant in 2018.
In 2018/19, the Wizards took a flyer on Bryant, and he blossomed in his sophomore season following the injury flameout of nominal starting center Dwight Howard, who missed all but nine games in DC. Bryant averaged 10.5 PPG and 6.3 RPG for the Wizards during his age-21 season, convincing the Wizards to re-sign him this past summer to a three-year, $25MM contract.
Bryant is averaging career highs of 13.9 PPG, 8.5 RPG, and 2.7 APG in 28.4 MPG across Washington’s newly sped-up offense. The Wizards sport the third-fastest offense in the NBA.
Beal, who signed a two-year, $72MM extension with the Wizards this fall that will pay him through the 2022/23 season, had been enjoying a career year for Washington, too. He is averaging career highs of 27.8 PPG, 6.6 APG, and shooting 83.1% from the free-throw line. Beal is also averaging 4.8 RPG.
Hoops Rumors Originals: 1/5/20 – 1/11/20
Every week, the Hoops Rumors writing team creates original content to complement our news feed. Here are our original segments and features from the past seven days:
- In this week’s installment of our Free Agent Stock Watch series, Dana Gauruder examines the Southwest Division. Grizzlies small forward Josh Jackson, who has been toiling in the G League this season, and injured Mavericks shooting guard Ryan Broekhoff, have both seen their free agency stocks take a dip this year.
- In this week’s edition of our NBA Trade Candidate Watch, Luke Adams took a look at the Central and Pacific Divisions. Andre Drummond, Myles Turner, and Kyle Kuzma have all made the rounds in the trade rumor mill recently.
- Luke Adams took stock of NBA players on non-guaranteed contracts ahead of the technical January 10 deadline to guarantee their deals.
- Adams also observed the ramifications of January 10th being the date when mid-level and bi-annual cap exceptions begin to prorate downward.
- He also explained our 10-day contract tracker.
- Adams also took a look at the NBA teams with open roster spots.
- Chris Crouse was on the scene for Ish Smith‘s Steve Nash moment with the Wizards.
- In our Community Shootaround this week, Dana Gauruder asked you to identify which teams you think will claim the last two playoff spots in the Western Conference.
Southeast Notes: Hornets, Winslow, Carter, Herro
At the midpoint of the Hornets‘ 2019/20 NBA season, the team has shown growth under second-year head coach James Borrego, Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer notes.
Bonnell goes on to report that the Hornets are the only team with a losing record that is still among the top-10 in the league in net rating in clutch time, thanks mostly to the clutch play of promising youngsters Devonte’ Graham, PJ Washington and even the 25-year-old Terry Rozier. Bonnell cautions optimistic fans that just two of the team’s 15 victories came against teams with winning records, and notes that the 15-26 team is still firmly in rebuild mode.
Rozier, an expensive free-agent gamble inked this summer to a three-year, $57MM contract to be the team’s starting point guard, has become effective as the team’s starting shooting guard after the ascendant Graham emerged as the best option to run the point for the Hornets.
Bonnell wonders if the 6’1″ Rozier can be a long-term fit as the team’s shooting guard, and whether forwards PJ Washington and Miles Bridges, similarly built at 6’7″, can truly coexist starting alongside each other in the frontcourt long term. Bonnell feels that shooting guard and center should be the Hornets’ next big positional targets in the 2020 NBA draft.
There’s more out of the Southeast Division:
- Heat guard Justise Winslow, in the first season of a three-year, $39MM contract extension, has been saddled with several maladies this season. He has appeared in just 11 of a possible 38 games for Miami. Ira Winderman of the Florida Sun-Sentinel opines that Winslow has an incentive to return to the court quickly and be effective for the Heat, as the third season of his extension during 2021/22 is a team option.
- Evergreen Hawks veteran swingman Vince Carter, the 42-year-old surefire Hall of Famer who will retire this spring after spending parts of four decades in the NBA, isn’t letting his age detract from his effort on defense. Mike DePrisco of NBC Sports Washington observes that Carter tried to draw a charge call at half-court against a charging Ish Smith, 31. “Trust me, I’ve been run over by Shaq,” Carter said. “So as he long as he doesn’t hit me in my knees I’m good.”
- Heat rookie wing Tyler Herro is confident of his standing among his fellow NBA freshmen, according to the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson. “I just know what me and [fellow Heat rookie] Kendrick Nunn got going on,” Herro said. “I think I’m one of the best rookies in this class for sure. Obviously there’s a lot of great rookies with Ja Morant and RJ [Barrett]… But I feel we have two of the best rookies.”
Sixers Express Interest In Galloway, Kennard, Green
The Sixers, reeling from a recent injury to center Joel Embiid and still missing departed 2019 free agent wings Jimmy Butler and J.J. Redick, are apparently seeking reinforcements this season.
Philadelphia has “expressed interest” in Pistons wings Luke Kennard and Langston Galloway, plus free agent forward Jeff Green, multiple league sources tell Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Kennard, currently out with a minor knee injury, has blossomed into the sharpshooter the Pistons were dreaming the ex-Dukie could be when they drafted him at No. 12 in 2017 this season. The 6’5″ swingman is averaging 15.8 PPG while shooting 44.2% from the field, 39.9% from deep on 6.5 shots taken per night, and 89.3% from the free-throw line. Kennard is earning $3.8MM this season in the third year of his rookie deal and is owed $5.3MM in 2020/21.
Galloway, in the final year of a three-season, $21MM contract he inked with Detroit in 2017, is converting 39.9% of his 5.2 attempts from three-point range and 87.7% from the charity stripe. Both Pistons players could improve the Sixers’ floor spacing. The 25-14 Sixers are currently seeded fifth in a tough Eastern Conference.
The oft-traveled Green, 33, has played for eight NBA teams across 12 NBA seasons and appeared in 30 games for the Jazz on a $2.6MM veteran’s minimum salary this season before being waived on December 23. He logged 23.8 MPG and was a key defensive cog in the Cavaliers’ most recent trip to the NBA Finals in 2018. The 6’8″ Green is averaging 7.8 PPG and 2.7 RPG and shooting a decent 32.7% from three-point range this season. He could help spell injured Sixers All-Star Embiid in line-ups alongside Al Horford.
Atlantic Notes: RHJ, TLC, R. Williams, Sixers
Due to the continued injury absences of Norman Powell, Marc Gasol and Pascal Siakam, defensive-oriented forward Rondae Hollis-Jefferson has been used more frequently as a big-man passing alternative to the Raptors’ point guard stable, notes Michael Grange of Rogers SportsNet.
“I love doing it,” Hollis-Jefferson said of his expanded role as a passer once defenses key in on Raptors guards Kyle Lowry and Fred VanVleet. “Growing up in high school and college, even some in Brooklyn, just made plays with the ball whether that was bringing it up or whether that was catching it at the high post.”
When Toronto signed Hollis-Jefferson to a one-year, $2.5MM contract this summer, he was not anticipating being used extensively on offense. Laura Armstrong of the Toronto Star notes that Raptors coach Nick Nurse has been tactical about shifting around his rotation to adjust to opposing teams. This has forced players like Hollis-Jefferson and OG Anunoby to remain primed for starter minutes, though Nurse sometimes favors one over the other.
There’s more out of the Atlantic Division:
- Nets wing Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot is getting close to reaching the 45-day limit two-way players can spend with an NBA team, the New York Post’s Brian Lewis hears from YES Network and Fox Sports television analyst Sarah Kustok (Twitter link). The Nets will have to make a determination on whether or not they convert Luwawu-Cabarrot to a standard NBA contract. In 12 games with Brooklyn, Luwawu-Cabarrot has averaged 4.9 PPG and 2.2 RPG, while shooting 76.5% from the free-throw line and 37% from deep.
- Celtics head coach Brad Stevens noted that doctors are encouraged by the latest MRI scanning the injured hip of center Robert Williams, Mark Murphy of the Boston Herald reports (Twitter link). Stevens says that Williams will meet with a specialist after Boston’s road trip concludes tomorrow against the Wizards. “Tuesday I’m going to see somebody to get the final word,” Williams said, “but that was good news for me” (Twitter link).
- The reeling Sixers, losers of four straight games, will look for perimeter help at the trade deadline, sources tell ESPN’s Tim MacMahon. The team will prioritize shooting wings with ball-handling skills. Philadelphia, currently 23-14 in the East, made just six of their three-point 27 attempts in a loss to the Rockets Friday night.
Southeast Notes: Hornets, Vinsanity, Magic, Wizards
Hornets player development coach Nick Friedman has been tasked with improving the on-court performances of young players like Caleb Martin and Jalen McDaniels, who spend time with both the Hornets and their G League affiliate, the Greensboro Swarm, The Charlotte Observer’s Rick Bonnell reports. Friedman operates as a liaison for Hornets head coach James Borrego.
Player development via the G League worked wonders in the 2018/19 season for Devonte’ Graham (who spent 13 games in Greensboro) and Dwayne Bacon (17 games). Graham is enjoying a breakout sophomore season in Charlotte, averaging 19.0 PPG and 7.9 APG for the 15-23 Hornets, who are just two games out of the No. 8 seed in the East.
There’s more out of the Southeast Division:
- 42-year-old Hawks wing Vince Carter became the first NBA player to suit up for teams in four different decades when he stepped onto the hardwood for Atlanta’s 116-111 defeat of the Pacers, Tory Barron of ESPN writes. The eight-time All-Star, who is playing in his record-setting 22nd season, notched a +7 plus-minus rating in 18 minutes. Barron notes that 36 NBA players who have logged one minute or more in a game this season were born after Carter’s league debut on February 5th, 1999.
- Following injuries to versatile forwards Jonathan Isaac and Al-Farouq Aminu, the Magic are considering filling their vacant 15th roster spot, according to The Athletic’s Josh Robbins (Twitter link).
- Although several injuries have required 11-24 Wizards to adjust their bench, it has remained among the league’s best, as Candace Buckner of The Washington Post reports. The Wizards’ bench has averaged 70 points per contest in their last five games, 14.4 PPG clear of the next-most prolific bench over the same period, the Pistons. The bench scored 92 points against the Nuggets and 80 points against the Heat, the two highest second unit marks in franchise history. “No matter who we’re plugging in, that’s the way we want to play,” backup guard Ish Smith observed.