Bulls Notes: LaVine, Drummond, Donovan, Caruso, Jackson
The Bulls are exploring potential trade packages with the Pistons for shooting guard Zach LaVine, confirms K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago.
Sources inform Johnson that, as has been previously reported, Detroit is hoping to hold on to what the team sees as its four core players in a theoretical deal: point guard Cade Cunningham, shooting guard Jaden Ivey, rookie forward Ausar Thompson, and center Jalen Duren.
Assuming the Pistons remain firm on this point, veteran power forward Bojan Bogdanovic and future draft equity are expected to be priorities from the Chicago side. while some configuration of veteran players like Isaiah Stewart, Joe Harris, Monte Morris, and Mike Muscala could also be involved. Johnson notes that, even if a deal doesn’t get done by the NBA’s February 8 trade deadline, it appears likely LaVine will eventually be moved while on his current contract.
Johnson adds that reserve center Andre Drummond has drawn interest from several clubs as the NBA’s deadline nears.
There’s more out of the Windy City:
- Bulls head coach Billy Donovan‘s job is currently safe in Chicago, but he’s aware his status could become tenuous, Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times writes. “You always have to be grateful each and every day to [coach],” Donovan said. “I drive home and get off the interstate, and there’s people standing out there on the street asking for money or people sleeping in front of police precincts. It’s so easy not to be grateful for the things you have and the opportunity you have, and I always try and keep that in perspective. I get a chance every day to do something I love. I try and view it that way.”
- All-Defensive Bulls wing Alex Caruso is making an effort to not sacrifice his body quite as much as he has in the past, Cowley writes in a separate piece. ‘‘I’ve intentionally missed a couple of charges this year and moved out of the way because I’m realizing that I’ve got to take care of my body, and you’ve got to be a little bit selfish at times to do that,’’ Caruso said. “At the end of the day, it comes down to the NBA is all about efficiency… That’s what I’ve learned, and I’m kind of finding that middle gear to where I don’t need to play as hard as I can every single minute.”
- Six-time championship-winning former Bulls head coach Phil Jackson recently visited the team for a player meeting and an extensive 90-minute chat with Donovan and his staff, Cowley adds. ‘‘It should inspire you,’’ guard Coby White said of meeting Jackson. ‘‘If you love the game of basketball, it should inspire you. He’s a legend, a Hall of Fame coach, if not the best coach of all time. So for us, it should motivate us as a unit and a team to grow. And he gave us some insight on our team.”
Texas Notes: Doncic, Irving, Sengun, Smith, Wembanyama
Mavericks All-NBA point guard Luka Doncic knows how lethal he and backcourt mate Kyrie Irving can be when they’re both firing on all cylinders, writes Mark Medina of Sportsnaut.
“Some days, one is going to have a good game,” Doncic said of the All-Star twosome. “Some days, others are going to have a good game… But when we play both at our best, it’s tough to stop us. Hopefully we can get that to that next game.”
To wit, Medina notes that Dallas is scoring at an average clip of 119.1 points per 100 possessions in 21 games, across 479 Doncic’s and Irving’s minutes together. Doncic is notching a career-high 33.6 PPG on a .485/.376/.778 shooting line, plus 9.2 APG and 8.3 RPG, while Irving is averaging 25.3 PPG on .473/.410/.893 shooting, along with 5.4 APG and 5.0 RPG.
At 24-18, the Mavericks are firmly ensconced in the Western Conference playoff hunt, but seem to be a tier below the best of the West.
There’s more out of the Lone Star State:
- Rockets center Alperen Sengun is quietly making a legitimate case for All-Star consideration this season, writes Tim Bontemps of ESPN. “He’s so skilled,” Houston point guard Fred VanVleet told Bontemps. “He’s unguardable. He’s got a thousand moves. He’s learning the higher aspects of the game now that he’s going to be a featured guy and probably be an All-Star this year.” As the best player on the 20-21 Rockets, Sengun is averaging career highs of 21.9 PPG, 9.1 RPG, 4.9 APG, and 1.2 SPG.
- Rockets power forward Jabari Smith Jr. suffered a sprained ankle Saturday night during the club’s 127-126 overtime victory over the Jazz, per Kelly Iko of The Athletic (Twitter link). Iko notes that a return timeline for Smith is unclear at present, but the 6’11” big man has been ruled out for tonight’s matchup against the Celtics, according to the NBA’s latest injury report
- Spurs rookie center Victor Wembanyama has been playing on a minutes limit since spraining his right ankle three times in December. He has also been held out of one game in back-to-back sets. While head coach Gregg Popovich indicated that Wembanyama will be held to his current restriction of 27 minutes per contest at least through Monday, he hinted that things could change once San Antonio’s road trip concludes, as Andrew Lopez of ESPN relays. The Spurs will host the Thunder on Wednesday.
Central Notes: Beasley, Siakam, Nance, Pistons
Speaking to Shams Charania of Stadium (Twitter video link), Bucks shooting guard Malik Beasley explained the thinking behind his decision to sign Milwaukee over the summer when he reached unrestricted free agency.
“Definitely wanted to win a championship, that was one of my goals,” Beasley said. “I felt that I’m at a point in my career where I just want to win and do whatever I can for the team. With the Bucks I felt like the dynamic of Giannis (Antetokounmpo) and being able to space the floor for them, I felt like that was huge. I looked into all that, making sure I would be able to get some reps, making sure I’d be able to get some playing time.”
“I do feel like I’m one of the best shooters in the league,” Beasley added. “I’m not try to be cocky or anything, I’m just confident.”
There’s more out of the Central Division:
- Pascal Siakam‘s new Pacers teammates were encouraged by his strong debut for the club, a 21-point showing in a 118-115 loss to the Trail Blazers, per Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star. “We were just learning how to go on the fly, just going off our basketball brains,” All-Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton said. “It’s like playing pickup a little bit out there. That’s the exciting part for us I think is we get back here is, we played alright, but there’s so much more room for us.”
- Cavaliers 10-day signee Pete Nance is reveling in his opportunity to play for his favorite team, writes Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (subscription required). “It’s surreal,” Nance told Fedor. “The goal was to get a call-up from the G League at some point, but to have it be the Cavs, it’s just a really cool thing for me. I’m super excited. I grew up a lifelong Cavs fan. Something I’ve thought about my whole life. I’ve been working for this my whole life. It’s a dream come true.” Pete’s father Larry Nance played for the Cavs from 1988-94, while his brother Larry Nance Jr. was with the team from 2018-21.
- The struggling Pistons face an intriguing trade deadline. In a new reader mailbag, Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press (subscription required) unpacks Detroit’s options, suggesting that the team will essentially view the trade deadline as an opportunity to get a head-start on the offseason by adding players who will be with the team beyond this season.
Draymond Green Set To Return For Warriors On Monday
Warriors forward Draymond Green will return to action in a Monday clash with the Grizzlies, sources inform Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).
This will mark the four-time All-Star’s first appearance in the last 16 contests, as he was suspended indefinitely last month after violently striking Suns center Jusuf Nurkic in the face last month, unprovoked. He was instantly ejected upon being assessed a flagrant 2 foul for the offense.
Golden State has gone 8-8 since Green began serving his suspension.
Across his 15 available contests with the club, Green has averaged 9.7 PPG on a respectable .490/.429/.833 shooting line, along with 5.8 APG, 5.5 RPG, and 0.7 BPG.
This latest altercation with Nurkic marked just the most recent in a series of bizarre on-court transgressions from Green in the last two seasons. The four-time champ received no regular season penalty for punching then-teammate Jordan Poole in the face during a training camp practice in the fall of 2022. He was suspended, however, after stomping on Kings center Domantas Sabonis‘ chest during a first-round playoff game last season, and again last month after choking Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert.
Green, 33, underwent counseling during his time away. The 2016/17 Defensive Player of the Year also revealed recently that he had contemplated retirement, but was talked out of it by league commissioner Adam Silver.
Because his ban lasted less than 20 games, Green lost $153,931 per contest during the suspension.
Pistons Notes: Bagley, Livers, More Possible Deals, Trade Exception
Ex-Pistons players Marvin Bagley III and Isaiah Livers got news of their trade to Washington in the midst of a Detroit practice. As Mike Curtis of The Detroit News relays (Twitter video link), Bagley and Livers – now members of the Wizards – were filmed bidding their Pistons colleagues farewell.
The duo, along with a pair of second-round draft picks, was shipped out to the Wizards earlier today. Detroit added forwards Danilo Gallinari and Mike Muscala, while saving considerable coin on Bagley’s contract for 2024/25.
There’s more out of the Motor City:
- With the trade deadline looming and the Pistons still spiraling at a league-worst 3-36, Omari Sankofa II Detroit Free Press has cooked up several potential trades that could help slightly elevate the club’s dismal 2023/24 season. Sankofa’s piece was published prior to today’s trade, hence the inclusion of Bagley in one of the proposals. Several of the hypothetical moves involve shipping out veterans Bojan Bogdanovic and/or Alec Burks.
- Today’s trade seems to forecast a change-heavy summer for the Pistons, posits James L. Edwards III of The Athletic. Veterans Gallinari and Muscala are both signed to expiring deals, which – along with the expiring salaries of Burks, Joe Harris and Monte Morris – will put Detroit in position to create upwards of $60MM in cap room.
- Sankofa confirms (via Twitter) that the Pistons generated a $5.7MM trade exception as part of the deal. As Keith Smith of Spotrac (Twitter link) observes, that means Detroit continues to operate as an over-the-cap team, despite its player salaries coming in a little below the $136MM cap.
Atlantic Notes: Quickley, Raptors, Harris, Thibodeau
New Raptors starting point guard Immanuel Quickley is looking to an All-NBA superstar as a point of reference for his expanded role on Toronto, per Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca. Quickley has been watching game tape on Warriors point guard Stephen Curry.
“To see someone 6-foot-3, 190 pounds winning an MVP, it makes you ask yourself: ‘Why can’t I be great? If you have the work ethic, why can’t you go out and accomplish great things?’” Quickley said. “It’s always great to see great players do well, especially players who have the same kind of body type as you, it’s just cool to see that.”
Curry, meanwhile, had high praise for Quickley.
“He’s got so much potential in this league and the change of the scenery will be fresh for him,” Curry said. “He’s got a nice responsibility as a starting point guard now.”
There’s more out of the Atlantic Division:
- These revamped Raptors are struggling on defense without OG Anunoby or Precious Achiuwa, writes Eric Koreen of The Athletic. In Koreen’s view, one part of the problem is the team’s decision to frequently play Quickley alongside reserve point guard Dennis Schröder, in undersized backcourt lineups.
- Against the Kings on Friday, Sixers power forward Tobias Harris reminded Philadelphia fans why the team to sign him to a five-year, $180MM contract in 2019, per Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. His 37-point night vs. Sacramento came on the heels of a 32-point performance on Wednesday against the Hawks, marking the first time in his NBA career he has scored 30+ points in two straight games. With Embiid ailing from a sore left knee, Harris has taken on a bigger role in his team’s scoring attack.
- After claiming his 500th career victory as a head coach, Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau reflected on the retirement of 24-year Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, per Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. “Growing up in New England, I appreciate what he brought, and what he did there was just incredible,” Connecticut native Thibodeau said. “That’s the mark of greatness to do it the way he did it for as long as he did. I grew up thinking the Patriots never win and then my nephews grew up thinking the Patriots win every year. So it’s completely different perspective. But I think a lot of coaches learn from him — coaching is leadership. He’s incredible. He’s at the top of my list.”
Kings Re-Sign Toscano-Anderson To 10-Day Deal
JANUARY 9: The Kings have re-signed Toscano-Anderson on a 10-day contract, Jason Anderson of the Sacramento Bee tweets.
JANUARY 7: As expected, the Kings have officially waived reserve wing Juan Toscano-Anderson, according to James Ham of ESPN 1320 Sacramento (Twitter link). However, Ham reports that Sacramento intends to re-sign Toscano-Anderson to a 10-day deal if and when he clears waivers.
Toscano-Anderson first joined Sacramento last month, though he never cracked the regular lineup, only playing 19 minutes of mop-up duty across eight games. He scored a total of two points, grabbed five cumulative boards, and dished out three dimes.
After spending two days on waivers, the 30-year-old will have earned a total of $323,506 from the non-guaranteed minimum deal he initially signed on December 15.
Given that today marks the NBA’s deadline to lock in non-guaranteed salaries, it makes sense that Sacramento wants to maximize its flexibility on the fringes of its roster, with just over a month until this year’s February 8 trade deadline. Toscano-Anderson would again fill the Kings’ 15th and final roster spot once he rejoins the team.
Across his five NBA seasons spent with four teams now, the 6’6″ swingman boasts averages of 4.1 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 1.9 APG, and 0.6 SPG. He went undrafted out of Marquette in 2015. Following stints with pro clubs in Mexico and Venezuela, he latched on with the Warriors’ Santa Cruz NBAGL affiliate in 2018. Toscano-Anderson signed on with Golden State proper in 2020 and won a title with the club in 2022. He has spent the past two seasons with the Lakers, Jazz, and now Kings.
Magic’s Fultz Available For First Game In Two Months
Magic point guard Markelle Fultz has been given the green light to suit up on Sunday for his first game in nearly two months, the team has announced (Twitter link). Orlando is facing the Hawks today.
Fultz has been out since November 9 with left knee tendinitis, as Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel (Twitter link) notes.
In his five healthy games for the Magic this season, Fultz has averaged 11.4 PPG on 48.2% shooting from the floor, 4.0 APG, 3.4 RPG, and 1.2 SPG.
Rookie lottery pick Anthony Black has generally been starting in Fultz’s stead, though reserve guard Cole Anthony has taken the lion’s share of minutes at the position.
Beede tweets that an activated Fultz will operate as a reserve for this first game back. Head coach Jamahl Mosley has indicated that Fultz will be working under a restriction of about 12-to-16 minutes per night, per Lauren L. Williams of The Atlanta-Journal Constitution (via Twitter).
At 20-15, the Magic are currently the seventh seed in the East. Their record is identical to that of the No. 6 Heat, as well as the No. 8 Pacers. Every game counts for the Magic in a crowded Eastern playoff race, so this is a critical positive health development. The club is just three games behind the third-seeded Sixers and 5.5 games clear of the No. 11 Hawks.
Suns Notes: Bol, Vogel, Allen, Durant
Suns head coach Frank Vogel has applauded reserve power forward Bol Bol for his recent output with Kevin Durant absent, per Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports (Twitter link). Bol’s play has been strong enough to yield meaningful rotation run even once Durant is back in the fold, Vogel suggested.
Since first entering the team’s lineup on New Year’s Day, Bol has been playing solid ball. Across just 16.4 minutes per night, the 7’3″ big man is averaging 9.7 PPG on an unsustainably excellent shooting line of .800/.750/.667, along with 5.7 RPG and 1.3 APG.
Unfortunately, Bol has been ruled out for Sunday’s game vs. Phoenix due to a right ankle sprain.
There’s more out of Phoenix:
- The impact of veteran 3-and-D Suns swingman Grayson Allen on Phoenix this season has been remarkably seamless, Bourguet writes in a separate piece. Various injuries to the Suns’ three maximum-salaried stars have compelled the team to lean on Allen, who has already impressed Vogel. “I didn’t foresee the way he’s played for us this year,” the head coach admitted. “I think he’s exceeded all of our expectations from that standpoint.” The 28-year-old sniper is posting one of the top effective field goal percentages in team history. Across 30 contests, the Duke product is averaging 13.6 PPG on elite .509/.473/.891 shooting splits.
- Although Kevin Durant did partake in a pregame shootaround Friday before ultimately sitting out the Suns’ victory over the Heat, Vogel told reporters that he was still feeling discomfort in his strained right hamstring, per Bourguet (Twitter video link). Vogel was quick to point out that the ailment is not a tear. Durant is now considered questionable to play on Sunday against the Grizzlies, Bourguet tweets.
- Following that shootaround, Durant did seem to be taking the next step to a comeback, according to Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. Rankin writes that, per Vogel, Durant had a “game intensity” workout Saturday. “His individual work, individual shooting he normally goes through, which is high intensity,” Vogel said. “Some strength work. He’s doing some stuff with the medical team.”
Chris Paul Fractures Hand, Will Need Surgery
Warriors reserve point guard Chris Paul fractured his left hand in a game against the Pistons on Friday, per Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). Charania notes that Paul will require surgery for the injury, while Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area tweets that a recovery timeline for the 38-year-old has yet to be established.
The 12-time All-Star departed during the third quarter of an eventual 113-109 home win, after battling with Detroit shooting guard Jaden Ivey for a rebound. He concluded his night with eight points, six boards, and four dimes.
This is a huge blow for Golden State, and not just on the court.
Paul’s $30.8MM 2023/24 contract could have been a massive trade chip, but with just a month remaining until the this season’s deadline, it appears unlikely he’ll be healthy in time to appeal to rival teams as anything more than an expiring contract.
He is technically owed $30MM next season, though that money is non-guaranteed and almost certainly will not be picked up by any club. The Warriors could still package Paul’s money along with future draft equity and some combination of young players on rookie-scale salaries.
The six-footer is now definitively in a different phase of his Hall of Fame NBA run. Through his 31 healthy contests this season, Paul’s averages of 9.0 PPG, 7.3 APG, 3.7 RPG, 1.2 SPG and 27.7 MPG all represent career lows. He achieved that scoring output fairly efficiently, however, with a shooting line of .421/.357/.854.
Paul’s hand injury is the second long-term ailment to afflict Golden State’s backcourt this week. Defense-first guard Gary Payton II incurred a grade 2 left hamstring strain, and will miss at least the next three weeks as he recovers.
Without Paul or Payton available, the Warriors seem likely to lean even more on standout rookie combo guard Brandin Podziemski, with veteran point guard Cory Joseph another candidate to get some extra rotation run.