Kevin Porter Jr. Signs With Team In Greece
Former Rockets guard Kevin Porter Jr. has signed with PAOK in Greece, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic. The deal will cover the rest of the season and Porter is expected to report to the team soon, sources tell Charania.
Porter’s career has been on hold since being arrested in September following an altercation with his former girlfriend, ex-WNBA player Kysre Gondrezick. Originally charged with felony counts of assault and strangulation, he reached a plea deal in January, agreeing to plead guilty to reckless assault in the third degree, a misdemeanor, as well as harassment in the second degree.
Porter was ordered to complete a 26-week counseling program. If he does that and abides by a restraining order regarding Gondrezick, he can withdraw his plea to the assault charge next January. A second-degree assault charge against Porter was dropped after it was determined that Gondrezick’s vertebra fracture was a congenital defect and not caused by Porter.
In the wake of the charges, Houston traded Porter to Oklahoma City in October, shortly before the start of the regular season. The Thunder waived him the day after the deal was completed. OKC received two second-round picks for taking on Porter’s $15.86MM contract for this season, along with a $1MM partial guarantee for 2024/25. The rest of his four-year, $63MM+ contract was non-guaranteed.
Porter, 23, averaged 19.2 points, 5.3 rebounds and 5.7 assists in 59 games with the Rockets last season while shooting 44.2% from the field and 36.6% from three-point range. He joins a PAOK team that is battling for a playoff spot in the Greek Basket League, according to Johnny Askounis of Eurohoops.
Pacific Notes: Vincent, Davis, Doncic, Green
Gabe Vincent has been upgraded to questionable for Sunday’s game at Brooklyn, raising hopes that the Lakers guard can return to the court for the first time since December 20, writes Khobi Price of The Orange County Register. Vincent, who has been working his way back from knee surgery, was with the team Friday at Indiana. Coach Darvin Ham said Vincent continues to make progress, but didn’t commit to when he’ll be ready to play.
“Right now we’re just taking things one day at a time,” Ham said. “He’s increased his workload. So we’re in the process of trying to see how his body responds to that workload. And that’s as far as it goes for now.”
Vincent expected to be a rotation player in L.A. when he signed a three-year, $33MM contract last summer after helping Miami reach the NBA Finals. He played in the team’s first four games, then missed seven weeks with a left knee effusion. He returned for one game before doctors decided the knee had to be operated on.
“I really don’t want to even get into it too much,” LeBron James responded when asked about Vincent. “Don’t put too much pressure on him. When he’s ready to go, it will be a bonus for our team but he’s been out for quite a while. So, whenever he’s ready, we’ll welcome him back with open arms as a brother of ours, as a teammate of ours and we’ve been waiting on him, but at the end of the day, we’re putting no pressure on him. He needs to take his time.”
There’s more from the Pacific Division:
- Lakers center Anthony Davis returned Friday after sitting out Wednesday’s game to rest his sore knee, and he doesn’t anticipate needing another night off for the rest of the season, per Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times. “Nothing serious,” Davis said. “That’s why I played tonight. I felt like I could play through it. Nothing that I plan to miss any more games for or have to be on a minutes restriction or anything like that.”
- As Luka Doncic was leading the Mavericks to a comeback win at Sacramento Friday night, he was also taunting former Kings general manager Vlade Divac, who was seated at courtside, for not selecting him with the second pick in the 2018 draft (video link), according to a Eurohoops report. Divac, who resigned in 2020, opted for Marvin Bagley III in a historic draft blunder.
- Draymond Green was ejected early in Wednesday’s game at Orlando, but Warriors coach Steve Kerr is confident that he learned from the experience and will do a better job of keeping himself in check, relays Sam Gordon of The San Francisco Chronicle. “We want him to play with that edge. But we want him to keep in control and he didn’t stay in control,” Kerr said. “He knows that. Thankfully we won. Had we lost, and I would tell you it would be a lot tougher for him. But we won the game and he knows he crossed a line.”
Northwest Notes: Wolves, Jokic, Murray, George, Giddey
The battle for control among Timberwolves‘ ownership isn’t affecting the team’s performance, writes Chris Hine of The Star Tribune. While majority owner Glen Taylor and minority owners Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez fight things out in the media and probably in the court system, Minnesota picked up one of its biggest wins of the season Friday night at Denver. The Wolves are now tied with Oklahoma City for the top spot in the West with just nine games remaining.
“I don’t think it affects the players as much,” Mike Conley said of the ownership situation. “Maybe it affects the image of the team, the aura of the team around a little bit. But as far as the players are concerned, I think we just are like, ‘Damn, that’s crazy.’ Then we go back to watching film and worrying about (Nikola) Jokic, Jamal Murray and (Michael) Porter and those guys. It’s a unique situation and it’s something we don’t have any control over. We’re trying to do our job.”
Rudy Gobert didn’t mention Taylor, Lore or Rodriguez by name, but he said ownership in general has improved since he was traded to Minnesota nearly two years ago, creating a better atmosphere for the players.
“Whether it’s nutrition, recovery, facility, family room, how our family is being treated — it’s a lot of things,” Gobert said. “This organization is becoming really a top-notch organization and I think it’s come a long way.”
There’s more from the Northwest Division:
- The Nuggets may need to prioritize health over chasing the No. 1 seed, contends Bennett Durando of The Denver Post. Jokic played with his right wrist taped Friday night, and Durando observes that it was clearly bothering him even though he finished with 32 points and 10 rebounds. “His wrist has been giving him a lot of trouble,” coach Michael Malone said. “But as we know, Nikola plays through things that most guys won’t.” Murray missed his fourth straight game with an ankle injury, but Malone said he’s expected to return before the start of the playoffs.
- The Jazz dropped their eighth straight game Friday night as they deal with the realities of starting three rookies, notes Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune. Taylor Hendricks, Keyonte George and Brice Sensabaugh are struggling with efficiency as they get accustomed to playing big minutes at the NBA level, but the organization is committed to all three players, with coach Will Hardy complimenting George on his mental approach to the game. “Keyonte is really, really smart. He’s really, really smart in general, and that applies to basketball,” Hardy said. “He watches a lot on his own, which is very rare these days. He’s at home watching League Pass, watching games. So with that he has pretty quick recognition of things. He has an ability to learn things fast. He has really good recall. He can remember plays that we ran three weeks ago that we haven’t scripted in a while.”
- Thunder swingman Josh Giddey said he used to hate it when teams dared him to shoot from the outside, but he’s learned to use it as a weapon, tweets Joel Lorenzi of The Oklahoman. “Now I’ve changed my mindset going into games,” Giddey said, “where it’s like, ‘If he’s gonna leave me open, I’m gonna punish them. I’m gonna make them pay and change their defensive scheme.’”
Central Notes: Mitchell, Morris, Lillard, Nesmith
Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell addressed speculation about his future Friday night after returning to the lineup following a six-game absence due to a broken nose and knee issues, writes Joe Vardon of The Athletic. Speaking to the media for the first time since being sidelined, Mitchell said he wants to focus on the rest of the season and the playoffs rather than his contract.
“I think the biggest thing for me, as I said before to you earlier, I mean obviously you have to ask the question, but my focus is I got a lot of things to focus on outside of that right now,” he said. “I’ve got to focus on myself, getting back for this group, focus on us getting over this stretch, continuing to be ready when it comes time. So, I’ll handle that when it comes, and I understand you gotta ask that question and I’ll give you the same answer.”
The question is relevant because Mitchell will become eligible for a four-year extension this summer worth approximately $200MM. If he decides not to accept it, the Cavs may start looking for a trade to avoid the risk of losing him in free agency in 2025. There have been rumors for years that the New York City native would prefer to play at home, and Vardon notes that many other teams will also have offers ready for Cleveland if Mitchell becomes available.
Teammate Georges Niang and Cavaliers chairman Dan Gilbert recently expressed optimism that Mitchell will be part of the team’s long-term future, Vardon adds, with Gilbert indicating that the organization has been talking to Mitchell about an extension since he was acquired from Utah.
There’s more from the Central Division:
- Even though he didn’t spend much time with his hometown Sixers, Cavaliers forward Marcus Morris is grateful that he got to play for them, according to Gina Mizell of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Philadelphia acquired Morris from the Clippers in early November, then shipped him to San Antonio at the trade deadline in February. After being waived by the Spurs, he agreed to a 10-day deal with the Cavs and signed for the rest of the season on Friday. “I built a really good relationship with those guys,” Morris said of the Sixers. “A lot of good things happened for me and my family while I was there. … They actually did me a favor by bringing me home, giving me an opportunity to check off something on my bucket list. I’m happy for them. Still watch them. I still connect with those guys. And I’m rooting for them — just not against us.”
- Bucks guard Damian Lillard missed tonight’s game in Atlanta for personal reasons, and coach Doc Rivers told reporters he might not be available for Tuesday’s contest at Washington, per Jim Owczarski of The Journal-Sentinel. “Just miss the ‘when you need a bucket, you have Dame,'” Rivers said. “Also just running the team at times. It shortens your rotation again. Khris (Middleton) is still on a semi-minute restriction, even though we’ve ignored it a couple times. Just shortens your rotation.”
- The Pacers defeated the Lakers Friday night, holding them to 60 fewer points than when the teams met over the weekend in L.A., notes Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star. A big part of the difference was the defensive effort by Aaron Nesmith, who committed just one foul while limiting LeBron James to 16 points. “I just stuck to the game plan,” Nesmith said. “He challenges you, but I just did a good job tonight.”
Malik Monk To Miss Four-To-Six Weeks With MCL Sprain
8:02pm: The Kings will reevaluate Monk’s condition in four weeks, tweets James Ham of The Kings Beat.
5:16pm: Kings guard Malik Monk suffered a sprained right MCL in Friday’s game and is expected to be sidelined for four-to-six weeks, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
The injury occurred shortly after Monk entered the game in the first quarter against Dallas, according to Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee. Monk was defending Luka Doncic on a drive to the basket when their legs got tangled up, and Doncic landed on Monk’s right leg with much of his weight. Monk was able to walk to the locker room for treatment, but the Kings announced that he wouldn’t return to the game.
Monk is among the favorites for Sixth Man of the Year honors, averaging career highs of 15.6 points and 5.2 assists per game while shooting 44.3% from the field and 35.1% from beyond the arc. He’s also an indispensable piece for a Sacramento team that’s locked in a tight race to avoid the play-in tournament.
A four-week absence would have Monk returning in late April. That would keep him out of action past the play-in games, which start April 16, but it could allow him to return late in a first-round matchup that lasts six or seven games.
A six-week absence means Monk wouldn’t be back until mid-May, which would be well into the middle of the second round.
Lauri Markkanen Likely Done For Season
An MRI conducted Friday on Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen revealed that he re-aggravated an impingement to his right shoulder, the team announced (via Twitter). Doctors plan to reevaluate Markkanen in two weeks, which effectively ends his season.
Markkanen was feeling discomfort in the shoulder after playing 42 minutes in Wednesday’s game against San Antonio, the Jazz added. He missed more than two weeks earlier this month due to a right quadriceps contusion.
Injuries limited Markkanen to just 55 games in his second year with Utah. His numbers were down slightly from his All-Star season in 2022/23, but he still averaged 23.2 points, 8.2 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 33.1 minutes per night while shooting 48% from the field and 39.9% from three-point range.
Markkanen’s $18MM contract for next season currently carries just a partial guarantee of $6MM and won’t officially become fully guaranteed until two days before the start of this year’s moratorium. That figures to become a moot point, though, as Markkanen is expected to pursue a renegotiation and long-term extension with the Jazz this summer.
Knicks Notes: Hartenstein, DiVincenzo, Brunson, McBride, Anunoby
It took some time for Isaiah Hartenstein to adjust to the style that coach Tom Thibodeau wants him to play, but the Knicks center now believes he’s in a “perfect situation,” writes James Herbert of CBS Sports.
Hartenstein thrived as a play-maker with the Clippers before signing with New York in the summer of 2022. But Thibodeau had other players to run the offense, and he wanted the big man to focus on protecting the rim, rebounding and setting screens. Hartenstein wasn’t certain the situation would work out, but he’s been more comfortable in his second season with the team, blending his passing skills with Thibodeau’s demands while replacing Mitchell Robinson as the starting center.
“Coming in, it took us some time to adjust,” Hartenstein said. “But I think, unless you’re really the top guy on any team, you’re going to have to adjust to a certain role. You’re not going to be able to do everything you want. So, I mean, if you want to be a winning player, you have to be able to do it. Now I’m in a perfect situation, where I’m allowed to play my game, and it’s been working really well.”
Hartenstein has helped the Knicks weather numerous injuries to their front line and has emerged as a candidate for the All-Defensive team, according to Herbert. He’ll be in line for a huge raise on his $8.2MM salary when he becomes an unrestricted free agent this summer.
“I think I’ve proven that, no matter what big comes in, it’s a matchup,” Hartenstein said. “I don’t think, any big that ever comes in, I’m scared of or anything. I think I’ve established that I’m a starter in the NBA. I can play a big role on a winning team.”
There’s more on the Knicks:
- Donte DiVincenzo set the franchise record for three-pointers in a season Friday night, per Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. DiVincenzo hit six shots from long distance in an overtime loss at San Antonio, giving him 245 for the season, which ranks third in the league. “It’s cool, it’s a cool accomplishment. You look at the list of who is on there, it’s special,” DiVincenzo said. “We still have nine games to go. So there’s no real pressure. Just go out there and take the shots I’ve been taking all year.”
- In a separate story, Bondy examines New York’s potential first-round playoff matchups and how the team has fared against Indiana, Cleveland, Orlando, Philadelphia and Miami. Bondy also considers a possible extension this summer for Jalen Brunson, but believes it’s unlikely because Brunson will only make $25MM next season, which limits the extension to $156.5MM over four years. The All-Star guard will be in position for a much bigger payday as a free agent in 2025, becoming eligible for a five-year deal worth approximately $258MM.
- Steve Popper of Newsday looks at how Miles McBride has been able to improve his three-point shooting as his playing time has increased. McBride sank a career-high nine three-pointers Friday night.
- OG Anunoby will miss his seventh straight game Sunday with right elbow “injury management,” tweets Fred Katz of The Athletic. Robinson is listed as questionable after spraining his left ankle in his second game back following ankle surgery.
Hoops Rumors Chat Transcript: 3/26/2024
Hoops Rumors hosted a live chat today at 11 a.m. Central time (noon Eastern).
Heat Notes: Lineup Combinations, Jaquez, Highsmith, Jovic
With their season disrupted by injuries, the Heat won’t be able to rely on continuity in the playoffs, but coach Erik Spoelstra thinks they might have something even better, writes Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. Miami has used 34 different starting lineups this season — trailing only Memphis and Portland — and Spoelstra believes it has been beneficial for so many players to receive important minutes.
“There’s always going to be a benefit,” he said. “A lot of guys get to step up and earn the opportunity to impact winning. The more players that can be engaged in a season and impact wins, that helps. Our versatility is super important for our team. So we feel like we’ve been able to weather some of the missed games.”
Chiang notes that the Heat only have one five-man group that has logged more than 100 minutes together. Terry Rozier, Duncan Robinson, Jimmy Butler, Nikola Jovic and Bam Adebayo have played 115 minutes as a unit, but they’ve been outscored by 4.2 points per 100 possessions.
One positive sign is that Butler, Adebayo and Tyler Herro were very effective in their 21 games together before Herro was sidelined with a foot injury last month. Groupings featuring those three are outscoring opponents by 5.1 points per 100 possessions, and Spoelstra will have a lot of options to surround them with once Herro returns.
“Some teams will be trying to throw different lineups and they’ve never played with each other,” Caleb Martin said. “There’s no way we throw a lineup out there now that hasn’t played with each other. So that’s definitely going to come to our benefit eventually. Obviously, it’s been a struggle during the regular season. But around this time of the year, it’s going to benefit us.”
There’s more from Miami:
- Jaime Jaquez was added to the injury list on Sunday with discomfort in his left knee and ankle, Chiang states in a separate story. There’s no immediate prognosis on Jaquez, but the Heat hope to have him back before the end of the regular season, along with Herro, Robinson and Kevin Love, who also sat out the game.
- Haywood Highsmith provided a lift by hitting his first five shots from the field and making all four of his three-point attempts, notes Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel. The outburst was welcome, as Highsmith had only reached double figures in scoring one time since February 26.
- Jovic feels fortunate to be learning about the NBA from Spoelstra, tweets Brady Hawk of Five Reasons Sports. “He wants me to be great,” Jovic said. “And I appreciate that.”
Atlantic Notes: Sixers, Harden, Knicks-Pistons Trade, DiVincenzo, Holiday
The Sixers‘ first meeting with James Harden since trading him to the Clippers last fall was relatively calm, but Wednesday’s rematch in Philadelphia will likely have a different atmosphere, writes Joe Vardon of The Athletic. Harden concentrated on play-making on Sunday afternoon, scoring 12 points and handing out 14 assists as the Sixers picked up a much-needed road victory. Harden left without speaking to reporters, but his former teammates said they’re happy that he appears to have found a positive situation in Los Angeles.
“James is a hell of a player and I’ll always have a huge amount of respect for him,” Tobias Harris said. “Playing with him here, it’s good to see him playing in L.A., flourishing and playing his game and just ballin’ out. It’s all love and respect. He’s a hall-of-fame player, and for me it was an honor being here, playing with him.”
Harden can expect a raucous reception when he returns to Philadelphia for the first time since a bitter contract dispute with Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey led him to demand a trade last summer. Haden launched repeated verbal attacks at Morey and disrupted training camp and the early part of the season before being traded to L.A. at the start of November.
Vardon adds that instead of being focused on Harden, the Sixers are concerned about their playoff prospects as they try to stay in the race for the sixth seed while Joel Embiid recovers from meniscus surgery.
“We know what the situation is,” Tyrese Maxey said. “We know we gotta go out there and fight. He’s not here, he’s not walking through those doors right now. What we have in this locker room, that’s who has to go out there and compete.”
There’s more from the Atlantic Division:
- The Knicks will host the Pistons tonight in a reminder of a trade that has turned out poorly for both teams so far, notes Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. New York hoped to bolster its shooting last month when it acquired Alec Burks and Bojan Bogdanovic from Detroit. However, they’ve both been disappointing, even with extra opportunities created by injuries to Julius Randle and OG Anunoby. For Detroit, Quentin Grimes has missed 15 of 21 games with a right knee injury he suffered when he was still with the Knicks. Evan Fournier has appeared in 19 straight games after being trapped on Tom Thibodeau’s bench, but he’s been in a severe shooting slump.
- Donte DiVincenzo is nearing the Knicks‘ record for most three-pointers in a season, Bondy adds in a separate story. He’s 18 away from the mark of 241 that Fournier set two years ago. “I don’t think about it. Obviously I’m aware of it, but I don’t go into the game going, ‘How many do I need?’” DiVincenzo said. “That’s for you guys to talk about, that’s for everybody else to have fun with. But when you start doing that — there’s basketball karma, basketball gods. That’s not something [I want to mess with].”
- Celtics guard Jrue Holiday explained the shoulder issue that will cause him to miss his fourth straight game tonight, tweets Jared Weiss of The Athletic. “Not a dead arm. I got hit on my shoulder and it felt like my arm went dead,” Holiday said. “But it’s not a nerve thing or anything. It’s just the part of the shoulder that I got hit in. But my shoulder is fine.