Lonnie Walker To Play In EuroLeague
Free agent guard Lonnie Walker will sign with Zalgiris Kaunas in the EuroLeague, agent George S. Langberg of GSL Sports Group tells Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).
Walker signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Celtics in late August in hopes of winning a roster spot in training camp. He reportedly impressed team officials, but Boston is operating under second apron restrictions, so it would have cost roughly $8.8MM in luxury tax penalties to keep Walker, on top of his $2.1MM salary. He was waived shortly before the start of the season.
There was speculation that Walker would join the team’s G League affiliate in Maine and try to work his way back to the NBA. The Exhibit 10 deal would make him eligible for a bonus worth up to $77.5K if he had spent at least 60 days with the team. However, Walker wasn’t included on Maine’s training camp roster, which was announced over the weekend.
Walker reportedly drew interest from Real Madrid, but he opted to play for another EuroLeague club in Lithuania.
His new contract includes an NBA buyout clause until February 18, Charania adds. The Zalgiris Kaunas roster features former NBA players Ignas Brazdeikis and Alen Smailagic.
Walker, 25, played last season with Brooklyn, where he averaged 9.7 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 58 games. He also spent four years with the Spurs and one with the Lakers.
Jaylin Williams To Miss At Least 4-6 Weeks With Strained Hamstring
Jaylin Williams irritated his strained right hamstring during a workout on Tuesday, the Thunder announced (via Twitter). The third-year big man will have his condition reevaluated in four-to-six weeks.
Williams hasn’t played yet this season due to the injury, which he originally suffered in training camp. The team stated in early October that he would miss the remainder of camp and the entire preseason while rehabbing the hamstring.
Williams was a valuable backup for Oklahoma City last season, averaging 4.0 points and 3.4 rebounds in 69 games while shooting 36.8% from three-point range. His playing time was likely to decline this season with the addition of center Isaiah Hartenstein in free agency, but Hartenstein’s fractured left hand has left the team shorthanded in the middle for another month or so.
The Thunder have been using Chet Holmgren at center with a smaller lineup around him, and that strategy will probably continue until Williams and Hartenstein can return.
Williams, 22, was selected with the 34th pick in the 2022 draft. He signed a four-year contract that runs through the end of next season.
Hoops Rumors Front Office Subscriber Chat: 10/29/2024
Hoops Rumors' Arthur Hill held a live chat today exclusively for Trade Rumors Front Office subscribers.
Arthur took questions on possible Bulls trades, potential in-season coaching changes, the Thunder's top challenges in the West, the chances of a fire sale in Milwaukee, which veteran star might fit best in Houston, and more!
Suns Notes: Nurkic, Durant, Dunn, Allen
Jusuf Nurkic could be the most important variable for the Suns this season, according to Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports. With so many reliable pieces in place, the veteran center’s performance on a night-to-night basis might determine how successful Phoenix can be.
Bourguet notes that Nurkic had trouble staying on the court in the first two games, scoring 15 combined points with six assists and eight turnovers. But the big man was much better Saturday against Dallas, posting 18 points and 14 rebounds while shooting 7-of-12 from the field.
“He was great,” coach Mike Budenholzer said. “His physicality in the paint, his rebounding, defense, everything. So it was good, I think. He’s a great teammate, he’s a competitor. I think he wanted to come back tonight and have that kind of positive impact for us, and he did it in a big way.”
Saturday’s game included a stretch where Nurkic scored 12 straight points in the second quarter. He was more determined to carve out space for post-ups and took advantage of opportunities around the basket.
“I felt like they was disrespecting me in a way because I was last game just not as aggressive,” Nurkic said. “I know I can score the ball, especially in the post, and they wanna just let me play. I think that [Devin Booker] and Tyus [Jones] and coach just let me play, so I was taking advantage of my size and try to be just aggressive as I could.”
There’s more from Phoenix:
- Also Saturday, Kevin Durant became the eighth player in league history to reach 29,000 career points, notes David Brandt of The Associated Press. At age 36, Durant is off to another hot start, averaging 28.7 PPG through three games. “I’ve got to give credit to the people who have helped me since I was a kid,” he said. “Teammates who passed me the ball, set screens for me, coaches who drew up plays for me.”
- Through the first week of the season, Ryan Dunn has been the biggest surprise in this year’s rookie class, writes John Hollinger of The Athletic. Dunn fell to the 28th pick because of concerns about his outside shot, but he leads all rookies in made threes and is connecting at 46.2% from beyond the arc. That’s a bonus for the Suns, who drafted Dunn because of his elite defensive skills.
- After missing two straight games, Grayson Allen isn’t listed on the injury report for tonight’s contest with the Lakers, Bourguet tweets.
Pacific Notes: Curry, K. Anderson, Zubac, Huerter, Kessler
Stephen Curry‘s sprained left ankle represents the first bit of adversity for a Warriors team that had been on an upward swing since training camp, writes Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic.
Curry underwent an MRI Sunday night to determine the severity of the sprain, but Thompson notes that Rick Celebrini, the team’s vice president of player health and performance, tends to be cautious with injured players. Even if the sprain is mild, Curry is likely to miss back-to-back games with New Orleans on Tuesday and Wednesday, according to Thompson, and may be given a full week off.
Thompson notes that Curry’s absence will be a test for the “strength in numbers” approach adopted by general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. after failing to land another star during the offseason. With a wealth of wing players, coach Steve Kerr has been using a 12-man rotation early in the season to keep everyone involved. That means there will be some nights when players don’t get their expected minutes, and Kerr singled out Kyle Anderson for understanding that Sunday night.
“I only went to Kyle for four minutes,” Kerr said, “and he was amazing the second half on the bench, leading everybody, talking to guys. That’s what you have to have if you’re going to do this and play a lot of people. Everyone’s got to be on board. I couldn’t have been more impressed by Kyle’s professionalism.”
There’s more from the Pacific Division:
- Ivica Zubac posted 23 points, 17 rebounds and six assists Sunday as the Clippers topped Golden State to continue their surprising start, per Broderick Turner of The Los Angeles Times. Zubac has scored at least 20 points in each of his first three games, joining Bob McAdoo as the only centers in franchise history to achieve that feat. “It’s only been three games, but I’m trying to bring the consistency,” Zubac said. “I’m trying to keep it up as long as I can. I’m trying to bring the same stuff every night for my teammates so they can count on me. They can count on me on the defensive end and the offensive end and count on me to rebound, to protect the rim, score in the post, finish around the rim. So I’m trying my best to bring that intensity.”
- Kings guard Kevin Huerter scored 14 points Saturday night, marking his first productive game since having surgery on his left shoulder, notes Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee. After being limited to two points on opening night, Huerter was relieved when he got his first three-pointer to fall. “Yeah, it felt good to get the first one,” he said. “It always does. That long of a layoff, you just need to see it go in, so it felt good to get that.”
- In a recent video, Jovan Buha of The Athletic suggests Jazz center Walker Kessler as a trade possibility for the Lakers as they look for a reliable big man to pair with Anthony Davis (hat tip to Jared Koch of Sports Illustrated).
- The Lakers‘ G League affiliate in South Bay recently announced its training camp roster. Familiar names include two-way players Armel Traore, Christian Koloko and Quincy Olivari.
Southeast Notes: Coulibaly, Sarr, Hornets, Bogdanovic, Magic
Bilal Coulibaly‘s improved ball-handling didn’t earn him a significant role with the French Olympic team, but it’s paying off for the Wizards, writes Chase Hughes of Monumental Sports Network. The second-year forward has already set career highs with six assists and 23 points in the first two games, and he looks to be an important part of the rebuilding project in Washington.
“I showed them I could go to the rim, pull up and everything. [The coaches] saw it, I guess, and now they believe in me,” Coulibaly said. “[Head coach Brian Keefe] saw it and he was like ‘yeah, he can play.’ So, he gave me a lot more [responsibility].”
Coulibaly has been expanding all facets of his offensive attack, Hughes adds. He’s driving to the basket 8.0 times per game, more than double last season’s rate, and he shot 4-of-9 from three-point range Saturday against Cleveland. He was also given the toughest defensive assignment, matching up with Donovan Mitchell.
“This is something he’s going to grow into, a ball-handler and decision-maker, plus guard the best player,” Keefe said. “These are great things. You have to grow through that. That’s not something you just flip the switch on. You have to go through that and learn what that feels like. He’s learning every day.”
There’s more from the Southeast Division:
- Rookie Alex Sarr faced Evan Mobley, who provides an example of what the Wizards hope Sarr can become, states Varun Shankar of The Washington Post. The No. 3 pick in 2021, Mobley is a lean big man with elite defensive instincts and an expanding offensive game. Washington may wind up building its roster around Sarr much like Cleveland has done with Mobley. “It was cool playing against him,” Sarr said. “He’s a great big, so it’s always fun going up against players like that.”
- LaMelo Ball, Cody Martin and Seth Curry were in the Hornets‘ lineup for Saturday’s game against Miami even though they had all been listed as questionable, per Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer. Charlotte is already short-handed with Mark Williams and Brandon Miller both sidelined, so Martin said there’s a determination to take the court. “We want to play,” he said. “At the end of the day, everybody in this locker room is hungry and wants to play and when they decide — or it’s deemed they are not playing — they probably can’t play. And I think that’s the biggest understanding. I don’t think anybody questions how important it is for us to want to play and get out there and just have fun.”
- Hawks guard Bogdan Bogdanovic missed Sunday’s game with right hamstring tendinopathy and the team is being careful not to aggravate the condition, tweets John Hollinger of The Athletic.
- The Magic‘s G League affiliate in Osceola has announced its preseason roster (Twitter link). It includes two-way players Mac McClung and Trevelin Queen.
Central Notes: Bulls, Vucevic, Haliburton, Lillard
Coach Billy Donovan believes the offseason addition of Josh Giddey and the return of Lonzo Ball provide the Bulls with the weapons to play at a much faster pace, writes Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic. The biggest problem with that strategy in the early season is the team can’t hold on to the ball.
Chicago had 26 turnovers in Saturday’s loss to Oklahoma City after losing the ball 21 times in the season opener at New Orleans. They did much better in their only victory, limiting turnovers to 10 while beating Milwaukee.
“We’ve got to bring them way back down,” Giddey said. “Guys’ hearts are in the right place. We’re trying to play the right way, the way we want to play. … The way we want to play, up and down, there’s going to be turnovers. But it just cannot be as many as (we’ve had).”
The biggest culprit so far has been Zach LaVine, who seems to have rediscovered his scoring touch but is struggling to protect the ball. Against OKC, he committed seven turnovers for the second time this season.
“I’ve got to take responsibility for that,” he said. “That’s two games I’ve had seven, and (against the Thunder) was just unforced. It’s not like they did anything.”
There’s more from the Central Division:
- A new emphasis on the pick-and-pop has seemed to unlock Nikola Vucevic‘s outside shot, observes Julia Poe of The Chicago Tribune. After shooting a career-low 29.4% from three-point range last season, the Bulls center is 7-of-13 from beyond the arc through three games.
- Tyrese Haliburton admitted that he doesn’t feel like himself after the Pacers‘ loss to Philadelphia on Sunday, per Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star. The All-Star guard is shooting 31.8% from the floor and 20% from three-point range, and he’s averaging just 3.7 assists per game after leading the NBA in that category last season. “We’re working through things,” coach Rick Carlisle said. “We want to play faster with more aggression, more speed, urgency. So far, we’ve had some challenges and we have to continue to work through them.”
- Appearing on the Knuckleheads podcast (video link), Bucks guard Damian Lillard said he and Giannis Antetokounmpo need to be able to communicate openly on the court to reach a championship level. “Me and him got to be able to hold each other accountable, and that don’t mean yelling at each other all the time,” Lillard explained. “It just means, like, I got to be able to say something to you, and you got to be able to say something to me at all times.”
New York Notes: McBride, Towns, Claxton, Fernandez
Miles McBride is a player development success story for the Knicks and has a chance to be the team’s first Sixth Man of the Year in more than a decade, writes James L. Edwards III of The Athletic. The fourth-year guard didn’t play much in his first two seasons, but he got coach Tom Thibodeau’s attention by improving his game behind the scenes. He emerged as a rotation member last season and has become a vital part of the second unit following the team’s offseason moves.
“From the front office down to the coaching staff and my teammates, there has been a lot of belief in me,” McBride said. “It gives me a lot of confidence to go out there and do what I do.”
After trading RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley to Toronto last year, New York signed McBride to a three-year, $13MM extension that’s turning out to be a team-friendly contract. Edwards notes that the organization’s faith in McBride made it easier to part with Donte DiVincenzo last month in the deal for Karl-Anthony Towns.
“Every time he was called upon, he was ready,” Thibodeau said. “I think it was a byproduct of the work ethic. When he went down to the G League, he played really well. Anytime he was thrust into the rotation, he played really well in those situations.”
There’s more from New York City:
- Towns appreciates having more chances to play in front of his family after the Knicks acquired him from Minnesota, per Ethan Sears of The New York Post. His father still coaches in New Jersey at the school where Towns once played. “It’s special to be around family more often,” Towns said. “My niece and nephew being able to be at more of my games and being able to see them grow up on my off-days. It’s really special. Definitely special to be back home.”
- Nic Claxton is still coming off the Nets‘ bench after missing the preseason with a hamstring injury, but he looks close to reclaiming his starting job, observes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Claxton played a season-high 22 minutes Sunday night, helping to control Giannis Antetokounmpo while posting 10 points, 11 boards and two blocks. “I’m still finding [my rhythm]. I’m still finding it,” Claxton said. “It’s gonna take some time. But I felt better today being out there just helping out trying to just make something positive happen on every single possession. And I did that.”
- The Nets gave Jordi Fernandez his first win as an NBA head coach on Sunday, Lewis adds in a separate story. It was extra special because his family flew in from Spain to watch the game. “You have to enjoy this moment, because there’s only one time that you’re the head coach when you win a [first] game,” he said. “On the other hand, I also feel like what’s the next step, and we’ve got to move on to the next thing. I want to be in this league, I want to be with this club for a long time.”
Pacific Notes: Hield, Wiggins, Powell, LeBron
Buddy Hield has been one of the best acquisitions of the summer, providing instant offense for a Warriors team that hasn’t lost since the preseason started, writes Anthony Slater of The Athletic. After scoring 22 points in Golden State’s opener, Hield singed the Jazz for 24 points in the first half Friday night and now has 49 points in 35 minutes while shooting 12-of-16 from three-point range.
Slater notes that the only downside for the Warriors has been an awkward starting lineup that hasn’t quite meshed despite the team’s overall success. The unit features an excess of size with Jonathan Kuminga, Andrew Wiggins, Draymond Green and Trayce Jackson-Davis lining up alongside Stephen Curry. Golden State has fallen behind 12-5 and 13-6 in its first two games before rallying to take control. Coach Steve Kerr admits there are spacing issues, but he plans to keep the group together because of its defensive potential.
“That unit is still learning how to play (together),” Green said. “We didn’t have Wiggins all training camp. … Now this lineup is getting a chance to get minutes together. What you’ll start to see if we will start to settle in offensively. We’re coming out in the first quarter and everyone is trying to get to it: Go. Go. Go. Because we want that lineup to do well so bad. Everyone is coming out pressing. But once we settle down, that lineup takes over.”
There’s more from the Pacific Division:
- Wiggins seems to have revived his career in the early part of the season, observes Sam Gordon of The San Francisco Chronicle. The much-maligned forward scored 20 points on 8-for-15 shooting in the Warriors‘ opener and followed that with 13 rebounds Friday night, which is a regular-season record for him. “He’s getting off to a great start,” Kevon Looney said. “… He came with a different focus. A different energy. He’s been locked in and it’s good to see all his hard work has been paying off.”
- Norman Powell is helping the Clippers stay competitive while they wait for Kawhi Leonard to return from injury, per Broderick Turner of The Los Angeles Times. Powell shot 14-of-21 from the field and scored 37 points as L.A. picked up its first win Saturday at Denver. “I was just focusing on what the next play was, what the next read was and really just staying in the moment,” he said. “I don’t think about how much I’m scoring or what’s going on, missed shots, made shots, good games, bad games.”
- Lakers coach J.J. Redick will be supportive if LeBron James is sincere about his goal of playing every game this season, tweets Dave McMenamin of ESPN. “Most players go into a season wanting to play 82 games,” Redick said. “So if that’s what he wants to do, great. I love it. I would love to have him for 82. We’ll manage the minutes accordingly.”
Central Notes: Giddey, Caruso, Trent, Middleton, Haliburton
The Bulls don’t have any buyer’s remorse about parting with Alex Caruso to acquire Josh Giddey from Oklahoma City, writes Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. Chicago was criticized for not getting any draft compensation in the deal, but executive vice president of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas explained that they valued Giddey highly enough to accept the trade without draft picks. Even though it’s early in Giddey’s Bulls tenure, his teammates seem to agree.
“I think the play-making is huge and a thing that is going to help us a lot,” Nikola Vucevic said. “He makes passes that not many people can see, and I think his size is something that people underestimate a little bit. For him it’s the same as it is for us, just getting used to playing next to each other. As a team we need to build that chemistry, but I think he’s a player that can help us a lot, especially with his vision. We want to play fast, and I think that’s his style as well.”
The Thunder were in Chicago tonight, creating a perfect opportunity to reflect on the deal. As one of the NBA’s best defensive guards, Caruso was a valuable part of the Bulls’ rotation for the past three seasons, so reporters asked coach Billy Donovan how he reacted when he learned about the trade.
“That’s hard, it’s hard, especially when you’ve been with him for three years and the relationship we built,” Donovan said. “The one thing for Alex in all this for me is I just hope that he’s really, really going to get compensated. He obviously got a great situation, but he’s also at the point where his age, some of the things he’s had to deal with health-wise too. He’s always played banged up and hurt. They came to me and thought this was best for a variety of reasons. I believe this is Alex’s last year of his contract, but they didn’t share with me the representation conversations.”
There’s more from the Central Division:
- The Bucks were impressed by Gary Trent Jr.‘s defensive effort in his debut with the team, according to Eric Nehm of The Athletic. Trent was used as the primary defender on Tyrese Maxey, who had to carry the offense for the short-handed Sixers. “It’s hard guarding one of the quickest players in the NBA, full court, always being in front, navigating screens, putting your body on the line, and that’s what he did tonight and he was incredible,” Giannis Antetokounmpo said. “(Maxey) took a lot of shots. He made a lot of shots. He missed a lot of shots, but I think (Trent) was there for every one of them and he did an incredible job. He’s probably tired.”
- Three-time All-Star forward Khris Middleton will miss the Bucks‘ game Sunday in Brooklyn as he continues his recovery from two offseason ankle surgeries, Nehm tweets. Middleton is considered day-to-day.
- Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton vowed to work on his shot after being held scoreless Friday in New York, per Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star. Haliburton is shooting 1-of-16 from beyond the arc in the team’s first two games. “I’m going to get in the gym and I’m gonna shoot,” he said. “We’re all gonna shoot and we’re going to be ready to go on Sunday (against Philadelphia.) … I’m gonna get a lot of shots (Saturday). I’m gonna get a lot of shots on Sunday and I’m gonna be ready to go on Sunday.”