Southeast Notes: Banchero, Magic, Salaun, Poole
Magic All-Star forward Paolo Banchero barely looked worse for wear upon returning to action after missing two-plus months with an oblique injury. He recently reflected on his time away in a “diary entry” for Andscape’s Marc J. Spears.
“The toughest part was just missing out on the competition, missing out on the games and being out there with your teammates,” Banchero said. “Obviously, they did a really good job of getting wins and playing at a high level. But as a competitor, you just want to be out there. For me, it was the longest injury I’ve had to deal with.”
In his four games back so far, the former Rookie of the Year has averaged 24.3 points, 6.0 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 0.8 blocks and 0.5 steals per night.
“So, just having to sit there and watch night after night, it allowed me to grow in some other areas, whether it was watching the game from the bench and helping teammates out, telling them what I see, [or] what I think they can do differently throughout the game,” Banchero added. “And also, just talking to the coaches’ staff too after every game on the road, different times, just picking their brains as well and seeing what they think.”
There’s more out of the Southeast Division:
- The Magic have been struggling all year with their shooting from beyond the arc, observes Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel. As of this writing, the Magic have the worst three-point conversion rate in the league at 30.4%. That’s 3.4% worse than the Wizards, who are the No. 29 club in that department. “Got to go back and look at them and see if we’re getting the right ones,” head coach Jamahl Mosley said. “We’re getting downhill and teams are collapsing. We’re going to see more zone [defense], understood. But we’ve got to keep continuing to make the right play. I’m never discouraged when we’re getting the right looks.”
- The Hornets have assigned rookie lottery pick big man Tidjane Salaun to their G League affiliate, the Greensboro Swarm, for the first time this season, the team announced (Twitter link). The 19-year-old has appeared in 34 contests for Charlotte, averaging 4.7 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.1 assists per contest off the bench.
- Wizards guard Jordan Poole had a big night on Saturday against his former team, the Warriors, scoring a game-high 38 points, but it wasn’t enough to secure a win, notes Varun Shankar of The Washington Post.“Made some really tough shots, big shots for us,” said head coach Brian Keefe of Poole’s impact. “I thought he was terrific tonight. They threw the kitchen sink at him down the stretch to make life difficult for him. He really pulled us forward tonight. Hell of a game.”
Central Notes: Bulls, Ball, Pacers, Cavaliers
The Bulls front office, led by team president Arturas Karnisovas and general manager Marc Eversley, needs to get candid about its roster intentions as the trade deadline nears, opines Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times.
As Cowley writes, head coach Billy Donovan, not Karnisovas or Eversley, has been compelled to answer reporters’ questions about Chicago’s long-term plans. The team occupies something of a no-man’s land for now. After trading DeMar DeRozan and Alex Caruso over the summer but retaining many talented veterans and bringing in Josh Giddey, the Bulls are in more or less the same terrain they were in last year.
At 18-24, the Bulls are the No. 10 seed in the Eastern Conference. They finished at No. 9 last season and were eliminated in the play-in tournament. They’re competent enough to at least be in the postseason conversation again, but are likely to miss the playoffs proper for the third straight season while still being at risk of losing their top-10 protected 2025 first round-pick.
Cowley suggests that Karnisovas owes reporters and fans a frank discussion of his intentions moving forward with the team.
There’s more out of the Central Division:
- It may be time for the NBA to revive its Comeback Player of the Year award, in part to reward players like Bulls point guard Lonzo Ball, posits Julia Poe of The Chicago Tribune. The award lasted for six seasons before the league ultimately replaced it with its Most Improved Player honor. Ball overcame formidable odds to return from a two-and-a-half-year, three-surgery layoff, once again becoming a consistent contributor for Chicago.
- The Pacers have a long-term decision to make about the fate of their fifth starter, writes Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star. Reserve wing Bennedict Mathurin performed admirably while filling in for injured starter Aaron Nesmith, who returned to action this week. Nesmith reclaimed his starting spot on Thursday on a minutes limit while Mathurin served a one-game suspension; Mathurin took it back on Saturday a 115-102 victory against Philadelphia. Nesmith has yet to play more than 11 minutes in either of his first two games back, and Dopirak predicts that, until he can reliably play 30 minutes a night, Mathurin will continue to start. Dopirak takes a look at what each player can bring to the table as a starter.
- The standout Cavaliers have earned an “A-plus” grade midway through their 2024/25 season, opines Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (subscriber exclusive). Cleveland is the top seed in the East, sporting a 35-6 record, and looks like it could send three or even four players to the All-Star Game next month. Under new head coach Kenny Atkinson, the team appears to have taken a leap and become a true-blue title contender.
Bulls Notes: LaVine, Ball, Williams, Donovan
Although Bulls swingman Zach LaVine is in the midst of a career year, the two-time All-Star’s teammates feel he is getting short shrift from national media and fans, writes Julia Poe of The Chicago Tribune.
“I don’t understand it,” guard Lonzo Ball said. “(He’s) definitely a top-three shooting guard in the NBA right now. I don’t understand why people talk down on him. He’s a true professional.”
Bulls guard Coby White, LaVine’s longest-tenured Chicago teammate, believes LaVine’s excellence has been under-appreciated for the entirety of their partnership.
“He’s been overlooked since I’ve been here,” White told Poe.
LaVine is shooting with remarkable efficiency as the top scorer on the 18-23 Bulls. Through 36 games, the 29-year-old is averaging 23.8 points per game on a .516/.455/.807 slash line. He’s also chipping in 4.9 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 0.9 steals per night.
Poe notes that Chicago has had just three games on national television this year, which could be partly to blame for why LaVine has been somewhat unheralded in 2024/25.
“Unfortunately, sometimes it’s out of sight, out of mind,” head coach Billy Donovan said. “When guys are not necessarily out there all the time, it’s hard. You’re not really watching them or seeing them or thinking about them.”
There’s more out of Chicago:
- Ball, meanwhile, has been impressive in his first healthy stretch since 2021/22, writes Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. Following three surgeries to address a recurring knee issue, he is finally back in action for Chicago, on a minutes limit. Cowley notes, however, that Ball is now consistently playing more minutes off the bench. “I didn’t know what to expect [of Ball] because a lot of the workouts that I watched were one-on-one, and I didn’t see him play five-on-five,’’ Donovan said of Ball’s gradual return ahead of the season. ‘‘I got pretty optimistic when training camp started. I was able to see he was running and doing the things he was doing. He [just] needed to get his timing back.”
- Bulls forward Patrick Williams has been only sporadically available to Donovan this season. When Williams does hit the floor, the head coach wants to see steadier production from the fifth-year wing out of Florida, Cowley notes in another Sun-Times story. “My expectations for him, even in my conversations with him, is, and this is going to be kind of a broad statement, but you got to feel him out there,” Donovan said. “That’s not necessarily scoring. He’s shot the ball pretty well. You gotta feel him on the glass, feel him in transition, feel him with the activity with his hands, feel him at the rim. That. I think he’s capable of doing that. That’s really been the message more than anything else, of him getting his body size, physicality into the game.”
- Williams inked a five-year, $90MM deal as a restricted free agent to stay with Chicago long-term over the summer. On Wednesday, he became trade-eligible.
Lakers Sign Trey Jemison To Two-Way Deal
10:00 pm: Jemison’s two-way deal is official, per NBA.com’s transaction log.
5:15 pm: Hot off the heels of waiving former two-way point guard Quincy Olivari, the Lakers intend to sign free agent center Trey Jemison to their newly available two-way slot, sources tell Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report and Marc Stein (Twitter link).
The 6’11” big man out of UAB had most recently been on a two-way deal with the Pelicans. New Orleans waived him last week.
Across 16 bouts with the injury-plagued Pelicans at the NBA level this year, Jemison averaged 2.4 points, 2.8 rebounds and 0.6 assists in 10.4 minutes per game.
Jemison went undrafted in 2023 and joined New Orleans’ G League affiliate, the Birmingham Squadron, as an affiliate player at the start of the 2023/24 season. He subsequently signed 10-day contracts with the Wizards and Grizzlies, and was later picked up by Memphis on a two-way deal to close out the season. Jemison was cut by the Grizzlies this past summer, before being picked up by the Pelicans.
Playing for Birmingham last season, Jemison averaged 10.9 points, 12.0 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.5 blocks in 31.6 minutes per contest across 25 total outings.
Jemison is now the second center inked to a two-way deal for Los Angeles, joining Christian Koloko. The Lakers have been dealing with long-term injuries to several of their reserve big men this season. It makes sense that the team’s front office is seeking out immediate, short-term help at the five spot to spell All-NBA center Anthony Davis.
Forward Armel Traore is the Lakers’ third rostered two-way player.
Shams Charania of ESPN tweets that Jemison helps bolster the club’s frontcourt as a physical post presence. As a two-way player, he’ll likely split his time between L.A.’s G League club, the South Bay Lakers, and the NBA squad.
Reserve Lakers center Christian Wood and forward Jarred Vanderbilt have been sidelined all season while recuperating from offseason surgeries. Backup Los Angeles center Jaxson Hayes has been in and out of the lineup for much of the year with his own ailments. Koloko has had to log significant time as occasionally the team’s only legitimate healthy center behind Davis. Meanwhile Davis, who has his own history of injuries, has been the Lakers’ steadiest rotational big man.
NBA Suspends Pacers’ Bennedict Mathurin For One Game
Pacers swingman Bennedict Mathurin has been suspended for one game without pay for his behavior towards a referee during a 127-117 loss to the Cavaliers on Tuesday night, the NBA announced in a press release (Twitter link).
With about four minutes remaining in regulation during Tuesday’s game, Mathurin fouled Cavaliers big man Evan Mobley on a look near the rim. Upon being whistled for an infraction, Mathurin took umbrage with the decision and approached the official who made the call (Twitter video link). After he made physical contact with the official, he was immediately whistled for a technical foul and ejected from the bout.
Mathurin had been a critical contributor for the Pacers throughout the night. He finished with 19 points while shooting 8-of-12 from the floor. The Arizona alum also notched four boards, two dimes, one swipe and one rejection.
Mathurin has been starting in the stead of Indiana forward Aaron Nesmith, who has missed all but six contests this year with an ankle injury.
Mathurin will serve the suspension on Thursday when the 22-19 Pacers face the rising Pistons.
According to ESPN’s Bobby Marks (via Twitter), Mathurin will lose $41,642 by sitting out Thursday’s game, which represents 1/174th of his $7,245,720 salary for the season. The Pacers, meanwhile, will earn a $20,821 tax variance credit through Mathurin’s suspension, 50% of his lost salary.
Trail Blazers’ Donovan Clingan Sprains Ankle
Trail Blazers rookie center Donovan Clingan exited Portland’s matchup with Brooklyn early on Tuesday night, hobbling to the locker room with just over a minute left in the game.
Now, Portland has announced (Twitter link) that the 7’2″ big man has been diagnosed with a mild sprained left ankle. The two-time NCAA champ will have the injury reevaluated in a week, the Blazers add.
During his first season for the 13-26 Trail Blazers, the 20-year-old has averaged 5.6 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.5 blocks, 0.6 assists and 0.5 steals per game in his 31 healthy outings.
Another Portland reserve center, former All-Defensive Teamer Robert Williams III, missed Tuesday’s clash with an illness. Depending on Williams’ availability, Portland will have to lean on starter Deandre Ayton and perhaps fourth-string center Duop Reath for its next few games.
Clingan has already impressed defensively in his first year as a pro, though he remains fairly raw on the other end of the floor. With veterans Ayton and Williams both looking like potential trade chips, a healthy Clingan could get more minutes and touches soon enough.
The Trail Blazers selected Clingan with the No. 7 overall pick in this past summer’s draft following a run as an All-American Honorable Mention during his second and final college season with the Huskies.
Bulls’ Ayo Dosunmu Returning From Calf Injury Wednesday
Bulls head coach Billy Donovan told reporters today that guard Ayo Dosunmu will be back in action for the first time in weeks during Chicago’s Wednesday tilt against the Hawks, per K.C. Johnson of Chicago Sports Network (Twitter link).
As Johnson relays, Dosunmu will be playing under a restriction, and will see no more than 24-to-26 minutes of game action.
The 6’5″ pro hasn’t played since December 23 due to a calf injury. Johnson had reported earlier this week that a Dosunmu comeback Wednesday was possible.
The 25-year-old Illinois alum is one of his hometown Bulls’ stronger two-way options at guard. Through 30 healthy contests this year, including 17 starts, Dosunmu is averaging 12.6 points, 4.8 assists, 3.9 rebounds and 0.8 steals per game. He’s posting shooting splits of .490/.320/.796.
Wednesday’s Atlanta matchup is the second game in a back-to-back slate. On Tuesday, Chicago fell 119-113 to one of the league’s worst teams by record, the 9-32 Pelicans. That dropped the No. 10-seeded Bulls to a middling 18-22 mark on the season.
Veteran guard Lonzo Ball had a big night on Tuesday. He scored 11 points, pulled down eight rebounds, and dished out six dimes in 25 minutes off the bench for Chicago. Johnson notes that Ball, still working his way back from three knee surgeries, will miss the Hawks contest as Chicago continues to monitor him.
Thunder’s Hartenstein Injures Leg, Out At Least One Week
Thunder center Isaiah Hartenstein suffered a minor leg injury against Philadelphia on Tuesday night, straining his left soleus (calf), per an Oklahoma City press statement.
The Thunder announced that the seven-footer will be reassessed in a week.
With Chet Holmgren having been sidelined since November 10 due to a hip fracture, Hartenstein has been serving as the 33-6 Thunder’s starting center. He’s averaging a career-best 11.8 points, 12.2 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 1.3 blocks, along with 0.9 steals per night, across his 24 healthy bouts.
In that 118-102 Thunder victory on Tuesday, Hartenstein scored nine points on 4-of-7 shooting from the floor and 1-of-2 shooting from the foul line. He also had an impressive 16 boards to go along with three assists, a block, and a steal.
Hartenstein was poached in free agency following an impressive showing with New York in 2023/24. The Thunder signed him to a lucrative three-year, $87M deal, bolstering their frontcourt with a key veteran presence. Now, Oklahoma City has emerged as the class of the Western Conference, led by perennial MVP contender Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and rising star forward Jalen Williams.
The Thunder have a six-game lead on the No. 2 Rockets in the West standings. A steady two-way presence in the interior, the 26-year-old Hartenstein has been a critical component to the club’s early success.
With Hartenstein and Holmgren both out for at least the next week, the 6’5″ Williams will need to step up defensively inside. He will likely jump at center for the Thunder.
Lakers Release Two-Way Player Quincy Olivari
The Lakers have cut two-way guard Quincy Olivari, sources inform Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link). The move has been confirmed in the NBA’s official transaction log.
As Scotto notes, Olivari has put up solid numbers this season while mostly playing for L.A.’s NBAGL affiliate squad in El Segundo, the South Bay Lakers.
Across 13 combined Tip-Off Tournament and G League regular season games, Olivari averaged 17.2 points, 4.4 dimes, and 4.4 boards per night. He also notched a .421/.406/.711 shooting line, taking 7.8 three-point tries per game to reach that 40.6% mark.
The 23-year-old rookie guard cameoed in just two contests for the Lakers at the NBA level, logging 10 total minutes of mop-up time.
Scotto reports that Olivari is anticipated to have a market as a free agent.
The 6’3″ guard spent his first four collegiate seasons as an All-Conference USA talent at Rice, before finishing out his NCAA tenure at Xavier in 2023/24. He went undrafted over the summer, but impressed the Lakers enough in the 2024 preseason to earn a two-way slot.
The Lakers are reportedly expected to fill their newly opened two-way slot by signing big man Trey Jemison. Forward Armel Traore and center Christian Koloko are the club’s other two-way players.
New York Notes: Bridges, Knicks, Marks, Johnson
Knicks forward Mikal Bridges‘ first year in New York continues to be somewhat up and down. As Andrew Crane of The New York Post observes, the former All-Defensive Teamer went scoreless on 0-of-9 shooting from the floor in a lopsided recent 126-101 Friday defeat to the Thunder.
“I just gotta make them,” Bridges said of his shooting woes. “I think I’m just short on a lot of them probably these past couple games. I just gotta put a little more lift probably on it.”
Across his last three contests, Bridges has shot just 6-of-32 from the floor.
On the season, the 6’6″ wing is averaging 17.6 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game, all solid stats. He’s connecting on a just-mediocre 33.2% of his 6.8 three-point attempts per night, however. That represents a career-worst, and Bridges’ first time below 36% since his 2018/19 rookie season.
There’s more out of the Big Apple:
- The Knicks obliterated Milwaukee, 140-106, on Sunday, but a happy victory hardly erases New York’s recent slump, opines Mike Vaccaro of The New York Post (subscriber link). The team has gone 2-4 across its last six contests, a brutal stretch to follow up a nine-game win streak. Bridges’ recent shooting issues have been a concern, while All-Star center Karl-Anthony Towns missed one of those losses with an injury. But it’s tough to excuse the team’s middling effort in its recent blowout loss to Oklahoma City, Vaccaro opines.
- Nets general manager Sean Marks is angling to capitalize on what’s expected to be a starry 2025 draft class, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Part of that goal includes prioritizing the future over the present, be that trading away veterans or thinking longer-term and not necessarily looking to win games now. Since opening night, Brooklyn has already dealt away veterans Dennis Schröder, Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton in the interest of draft equity and future cap space. “We’re going to have to be systematic with some of the decisions we make,” Marks told Lewis. “And they may not always be in line with winning the next game or putting the most talent out there.” For now, the 13-25 Nets have the sixth-worst record in the league, and thus the sixth-best lottery odds. “To be frank, you’ve still got to get a little lucky,” Marks said. “The hot-button topic has always been the draft. We all know we’ve still got to get lucky. At the end of the day, the Ping-Pong balls are going to drop a certain way.”
- While there has been some speculation that the Grizzlies could emerge as a real trade bidder for Nets forward Cameron Johnson, Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal remains somewhat dubious, tweeting that the two sides have yet to engage in significant talks with regard to a Johnson trade.