Lakers’ Wood To Be Reevaluated In Two Weeks; LeBron To Miss Thursday’s Game
9:34pm: The Lakers are optimistic that Wood’s injury is relatively minor and that he won’t miss more than a couple weeks, a source tells Dave McMenamin of ESPN (Twitter link).
7:15pm: Lakers backup big man Christian Wood has been diagnosed with swelling in his left knee and will be reevaluated in about two weeks, tweets Jovan Buha of The Athletic.
Wood has appeared in 50 of the team’s first 56 games and was able to play 16 minutes last Wednesday in L.A.’s final game before the All-Star break. He’s averaging 6.9 points and 5.1 rebounds in 17.4 minutes per night in his first season with the Lakers.
The team is listing LeBron James as out for Thursday’s game with Golden State due to the peroneal tendinopathy in his left ankle that has been affecting him for a while. He also missed last Wednesday’s contest and sat out the second half of Sunday’s All-Star Game.
James has been receiving treatment on the ankle this week, but it hasn’t responded well enough for him to take the court. Thursday will mark the eighth game he has missed this season, and it comes at a crucial time as the Warriors are just a game-and-a-half behind L.A. in the Western Conference play-in race.
Sixers Notes: Lowry, Batum, Melton, Embiid, Covington
Philadelphia native Kyle Lowry wasn’t hoping to play for the Sixers earlier in his career, but he feels ready now, writes Tim Bontemps of ESPN. Lowry, who had his first practice with his new team on Wednesday and is expected to be ready for Thursday’s game, explained why he didn’t try to join the Sixers before now.
“You never want to play at home because there’s so much going on. It’s a hard place to play when you go back home,” Lowry said. “But at the end of the day, it’s a dream come true, because I’m actually being able to play in front of my friends and family and people I cheered [for] as a Sixers fan growing up. Now, I’m prepared to do it. When you’re younger, you’re not really prepared to do it. But at this in my time in my career, I’m prepared to do it.”
Coach Nick Nurse told Bontemps that Lowry looked sharp at practice and is already familiar with much of the system after their time together in Toronto. The 37-year-old point guard said he understands his duties, which are to get the most out of Tyrese Maxey and provide some veteran wisdom as the team prepares for the playoffs.
“My job is to do everything I can to make this team and this organization better,” Lowry stated. “No matter what the role is, what the minutes are, what the situation is. My job is to be a professional and help Tyrese get better, help this team get better, help coach get better and help everybody get better.”
There’s more from Philadelphia:
- The Sixers’ injury situation appears to be improving, Bontemps adds. Nicolas Batum, who has been sidelined since last month with a strained left hamstring, is listed as questionable for Thursday, and De’Anthony Melton, who’s dealing with a back issue, is expected to return soon. “There were two or three starters, sometimes four starters, not playing, so we certainly need some of those starting guys back,” Nurse said.
- The team remains optimistic that Joel Embiid will be able to return from his meniscus injury before the end of the regular season, ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne said on NBA Today (Twitter link from Philly Sixers Galaxy). “They don’t want to put any time frame on it until he starts ramping up,” Shelburne said, “but I’m told he went to practice [yesterday], he got there early to see how everything was in the morning … his enthusiasm is there.”
- Robert Covington hopes to be able to increase his on-court activities during the next two to three weeks, tweets Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. He’s suffering from a bone bruise in his left knee and will be reevaluated in 10-to-14 days, Pompey adds.
Central Notes: Giannis, Gallinari, Pistons, Haliburton
Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo said former coach Adrian Griffin was “figuring things out” before the team fired him last month, but he’s enjoying the security of having Doc Rivers in charge, writes Eric Nehm of The Athletic. Antetokounmpo felt like he had to become a more vocal locker room leader earlier in the season with a first-time head coach running the team. That responsibility has eased, and Antetokounmpo expressed full confidence in Rivers’ ability to get the team ready for the postseason.
“We have to keep on evolving. We don’t have to change our identity,” he said. “Of course, we gotta be stronger. We gotta be tougher. I have to play better. I have to see the game better. But we have to keep on evolving. We have to add coach Doc’s philosophy with what has been working and hopefully can create a great mix for the next 25 games that we have and compete in the playoffs.”
Another major difference for Milwaukee will be the presence of Damian Lillard, a supreme scorer with the ability to take over playoff games. Antetokounmpo and Lillard had discussions about the direction of the season while they were in Indianapolis for All-Star Weekend, Nehm adds.
“I am his biggest fan,” Antetokounmpo said. “Good or bad, I ride with Dame until the f—ing end. I ride with Dame. Like I’ve been saying this over and over again. This. Is. His. Team. Down the stretch, he’s going to get the ball. There’s nothing else that we will do. I don’t know how else to put it. I don’t know what else to say. But at the end of the day, he has to believe it too.”
There’s more from the Central Division:
- Coach Billy Donovan talked to Danilo Gallinari about joining the Bulls before he opted to sign with Milwaukee, according to K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. Donovan, who coached Gallinari during the 2019/20 season in Oklahoma City, said the veteran forward was looking for a situation with a greater opportunity for playing time.
- Pistons coach Monty Williams said winning as many games as possible will be the priority for the rest of the season, tweets Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press. “I’m not going to be throwing certain combinations on the floor just to see how they look,” Williams said. “We’re done with that … we’ll be competing.”
- Tyrese Haliburton had been listed as questionable with a hamstring issue for every game since January 30, but he’s not on the Pacers‘ injury report for Thursday’s contest with Detroit, tweets Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star. Aaron Nesmith will miss the game with a sprained right ankle, while Jalen Smith is questionable due to back spasms.
Pistons Waive Malcolm Cazalon
The Pistons have created a two-way roster opening by waiving Malcolm Cazalon, sources tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link).
The 6’6″ shooting guard signed with Detroit last summer after going undrafted. He appeared in just one NBA game back in November and averaged only 9.0 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 14 regular season contests with the G League’s Motor City Drive.
Cazalon, 22, started his professional career in his native France in 2018, playing for JL Bourg, before moving on to teams in Belgium and Serbia. He originally declared for the NBA draft in 2022 before withdrawing his name and deciding to wait a year.
March 4 is the deadline to sign players to two-way contracts, so the Pistons will likely make a move before then.
Darius Bazley Signs 10-Day Deal With Sixers
FEBRUARY 20: Bazley has officially signed with the Sixers, according to a team press release.
FEBRUARY 19: The Sixers will sign Darius Bazley to a 10-day contract, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic.
The 23-year-old big man has been playing with Philadelphia’s G League affiliate in Delaware since being waived by Brooklyn prior to the start of the season. Bazley is averaging 20.1 points, 9.3 rebounds and 3.8 assists in 18 regular season games with the Blue Coats, and Charania points out that he recently had a 38-point, 15-rebound performance.
Bazley should provide some depth to the Sixers’ front line, which has been depleted with the loss of Joel Embiid to meniscus surgery. Assuming he signs on Thursday, Bazley will be eligible for that night’s game against New York, plus four more over the 10-day contract.
After creating three open roster spots through trades, Philadelphia faces a deadline of Thursday to get back to the league-mandated minimum of 14 players. The team filled one opening by signing Kyle Lowry last week.
A first-round pick in 2019, Bazley began his career in Oklahoma City, where he spent three-and-a-half seasons before being traded to Phoenix at last year’s deadline. He appeared in just seven games with the Suns before becoming a free agent last summer. He was selected to participate in the G League’s Up Next Game at All-Star Weekend.
Southeast Notes: Young, Banchero, Hornets, Leonsis
Trade rumors are a reality of life for most NBA players, Hawks guard Trae Young told reporters following Sunday’s All-Star Game (video link). Speculation has been growing that Young could be on the move this summer, especially after Atlanta decided to hold onto his backcourt partner, Dejounte Murray, at the deadline.
“The best players in the game have all been traded,” Young said. “Some of the few lucky ones have been blessed to be drafted in situations where they can win championships and it will all be perfect for them. They can stay in that one situation forever. That’s what I wanted to do, and that’s what I want to do with Atlanta. But who knows? This is the type of league where things change, but obviously my mindset is staying in Atlanta right now. I don’t get caught up in all the rumors and stuff. My contract is locked in for a couple years. I don’t have very much say in it right now.”
As Young notes, he’s under contract for the next two seasons and has a nearly $49MM early termination option for 2026/27. His contract also includes a 15% trade kicker, which would factor into the price of any deal unless he chooses to waive it. Young is in his sixth year with the Hawks after being taken with the fifth pick in the 2018 draft, but the organization may be ready for massive changes following another disappointing season.
There’s more from the Southeast Division:
- Now that his first All-Star Game is over, Paolo Banchero will return his focus to getting the Magic into the postseason, tweets Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel. Banchero said the playoff race was a topic of conversation among Eastern Conference players. “In the locker room, we were talking about the standings and stuff,” he said. “… How intense it’s going to be after the break.”
- The new-look Hornets entered the All-Star break with three straight wins as the shakeup at the trade deadline has brought a new energy to the team, writes Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer. The organization opted to part with veterans Terry Rozier, Gordon Hayward and P.J. Washington while bringing more young talent onto the roster. “It feels good. Guys are happy, coaches are happy,” said Tre Mann, who was acquired in a deal with Oklahoma City. “We know it’s a lot more work to do. We can get better and it’s a small sample size. And we’ve got to build on it.”
- The Washington Post (subscription required) takes an inside look at the secret negotiations that led to Ted Leonsis’ plan to move the Wizards and the NHL’s Capitals to Arlington, Virginia.
Nets Fire Jacque Vaughn
The Nets have dismissed head coach Jacque Vaughn, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link). The organization made a formal announcement of the move in a press release, stating that an interim coach will be appointed soon.
“This was an incredibly difficult decision, but one we feel is in the best interest of the team going forward,” general manager Sean Marks stated. “Jacque has represented this organization with exemplary character and class for the past eight years. The consistent positivity and passion he poured into our team daily will remain with the players and staff he interacted with throughout his tenure. We thank Jacque for all he has done for the Nets and the borough of Brooklyn, and wish him, Laura and their family nothing but the best in the future.”
The move comes in the wake of a 50-point loss to Boston last Wednesday that left the team with a disappointing 21-33 record at the All-Star break. Because Brooklyn doesn’t own its first-round pick in this year’s draft, management was hoping to be more competitive, but the Nets will need a strong finish to the season just to reach the play-in tournament.
Brooklyn has dropped 18 of its last 24 games, and players lost confidence in Vaughn as the losses piled up, sources tell Ian Begley of SNY (Twitter link). Management is hoping to land a star player this summer to build around, and there were concerns that keeping Vaughn as head coach might impede that effort, according to Begley’s sources.
There’s no immediate word on who the interim coach might be, but Brian Lewis of the New York Post suggests current assistant Kevin Ollie (Twitter link). Ollie, who won an NCAA championship at Connecticut, joined Brooklyn’s staff at the start of this season after coaching two years with Overtime Elite.
Lewis notes that Marks will hire his third coach in his eight years as GM, but this will be the team’s first extensive search since 2016 (Twitter link). Vaughn was promoted after taking over for Steve Nash on an interim basis in November of 2022, and Nash was selected because of his relationship with the team’s former stars, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.
An assistant with the Nets dating back to the 2016/17 season, Vaughn compiled a 71-68 record as the team’s head coach, including 10 games on an interim basis during the 2019/2020 season. He also spent two-and-a-half seasons as head coach in Orlando and holds a 129-226 career record.
Community Shootaround: Fixing The All-Star Game
The NBA continues to tinker with ideas to produce a more competitive All-Star Game, but nothing seems to be working. Scoring records fell Sunday night as the East defeated the West, 211-186, in Indianapolis, but there was little celebration afterward from players, fans or media members following another year of minimal effort and virtually no defense.
As commissioner Adam Silver said dryly at the MVP presentation (video link), “And to the Eastern Conference All-Stars, you scored the most points. Well … congratulations.”
Silver, who had predicted a more watchable contest during his annual All-Star Game press conference, was clearly annoyed by what took place, writes Tim Bontemps of ESPN. Bontemps notes that Silver and NBA executive vice president Joe Dumars have been stressing the need for effort in one of the league’s signature events. Instead, the players produced a lackluster series of dunks and long three-pointers that again raises questions about the future of the game.
LeBron James, an All-Star for the 20th time, summarized the problem of trying to make players care about the outcome when there are no real stakes involved.
“I think it’s something we need to figure out,” said James, who was dealing with a sore left ankle and didn’t play in the second half. “Obviously from a player’s perspective, it’s fun to get up and down. But at the end of the day, our competitive nature don’t like to have free-flowing scoring like that. But I think the good thing that came out of tonight was none of the players were injured, and everybody came out unscathed or how they were before the game started. So it’s a deeper conversation.”
After years of experimenting with having captains choose teams, the NBA went back to its traditional East vs. West format this year. The “Elam Ending” which brought novelty to the game when it was first introduced by setting a target score for teams to reach, has also been dropped.
Several scoring records were set Sunday night, although none of them were all that thrilling to witness, notes Joe Vardon of The Athletic. The teams combined for 397 points in the game and 193 in the first half. They also made a record 67 three-pointers on a record 167 attempts. The East made 42 three-pointers and scored 104 points in the first half.
None of it seemed to captivate the crowd or even the players, as Anthony Davis told reporters that he felt the highlight of the night was a dunking exhibition involving hype teams from the Pacers and Bulls before the start of the fourth quarter.
“For me, it’s an All-Star Game, so I will never look at it as being super competitive,” Anthony Edwards said. “It’s always fun. I don’t know what they can do to make it more competitive. I don’t know. I think everyone looks at it … it’s a break, so I don’t think everyone wants to come here and compete.”
It’s not a problem that’s exclusive to the NBA, as other sports have made changes to their All-Star contests over the past decade in an effort to make them more watchable. Some have suggested adopting a U.S. vs. international players format. Some believe the game should be scrapped entirely.
We want to know what you think. Are there changes the NBA can make to improve its All-Game or is the league stuck with an noncompetitive exhibition every year? Please leave your comments in the space below.
Pacific Notes: Suns’ Buyout Options, Durant, Booker, Harden, LeBron, Curry
The Suns have numerous options on the buyout market, but their preferred targets may not be available, writes Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports. Phoenix had two roster spots open after an active trade deadline, and one of those will be filled by Thaddeus Young, who is expected to finalize his reported deal with the team early this week, according to Bourguet.
The Suns are looking for help in several areas, and one of their top priorities was reportedly Delon Wright, who is expected to sign with Miami. Sources tell Bourguet that Phoenix also considered Danilo Gallinari, but he was crossed off the list after the agreement with Young and wound up signing with Milwaukee. Bourguet also cites mutual interest in a reunion with Bismack Biyombo before he reached a deal with Oklahoma City.
Bourguet identifies ideal targets as Spurs forward Cedi Osman and Jazz forward Otto Porter, who hasn’t played since being acquired from Toronto at the deadline. However, there hasn’t been a strong indication that either player will reach a buyout before the March 1 deadline to be eligible for the postseason with a new team. If they aren’t available, Bourguet looks at Danuel House as a potential signing, along with the possibility that Saben Lee could be promoted from his two-way contract.
There’s more from the Pacific Division:
- Suns stars Kevin Durant and Devin Booker both talked Saturday about the connection they’ve formed after a full year as teammates, per Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. “We have the same likes in life,” Booker said. “We’re hoops junkies and that’s where it started. Now we spend a lot more time together, man. We like to kick it, chill. Talk basketball and play video games.”
- Clippers coach Tyronn Lue believes the early-season trade for James Harden relaxed the burden on Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, enabling both stars to stay healthier, according to Janis Carr of The Orange County Register.“(Having Harden) makes it a lot easier on Kawhi and PG not to have to handle and make every play for themselves and for our team,” Lue said. “So, James has been great, just keeps everybody happy … takes a lot of grind off of PG and Kawhi.”
- In the wake of a report that the Warriors contacted the Lakers about LeBron James before the deadline, Bruce Jenkins of The San Francisco Chronicle looks at what would have to happen if James and Stephen Curry decide they want to join forces with Golden State.
Heat Notes: Love, Williams, Wright, Jaquez
There were reasons to believe Kevin Love‘s career might be nearing the end when he agreed to a buyout with the Cavaliers during last year’s All-Star break, writes Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel. Instead, the past 12 months have included a trip to the NBA Finals and a new contract with the Heat, as well as the birth of his first child, all of which have combined to make Love very content in Miami.
“I think the thing that’s most gratifying to me is that going to a new location or a new team or a new organization, new city, especially at this stage in your career, you never know what’s going to happen,” he said. “And after that run last year, I got so much fun out of it, as well as guys I’ll have relationships for life, bigger than basketball. My daughter was born on June 10th, right after Game 4 (of the NBA Finals). We bought a new house in Miami. It’s almost like we got to start our life in a place where we have a lot of friends and a lot of great teammates and people in the organization who have become family in a pretty quick time, so it has been a very happy year.”
Love was stuck on the bench in Cleveland, but a big forward who could shoot and rebound and had previous Finals experience was just what the Heat needed. He started 17 of the 21 regular season games he played after signing with Miami and maintained a rotation role throughout the team’s playoff run.
In addition to his on-court contributions, Love has become a veteran leader in the locker room, especially after the retirement of Udonis Haslem, Winderman notes. Love believes he can play for at least another year or two and then may transition into a mentorship role.
There’s more from Miami:
- Alondes Williams was impressive in Friday’s Rising Stars competition, and he might get a shot at more playing time after the break, Winderman states in a mailbag column. Winderman speculates that the two-way player may be in line for a standard contract if the Heat decide to waive Dru Smith, who’s out for the rest of the season after undergoing ACL reconstruction surgery.
- Delon Wright was likely promised regular minutes to get him to commit to the Heat, Winderman adds in the same piece. However, the extent of Wright’s rotation role won’t be clear until Terry Rozier and Josh Richardson return from their current injuries.
- Jaime Jaquez, who jumped over Shaquille O’Neal for his first entry in Saturday’s Dunk Contest, said clearing the Hall of Fame center was a difficult thing to prepare for, per Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. “Listen, I ain’t gonna lie. I didn’t practice jumping over Shaq,” Jaquez said. “I used Bam [Adebayo] as practice. But there’s a big height difference. So I was really nervous when I saw Shaq out there. I’ve seen him a bunch of times. But when he’s standing there, I was definitely feeling nervous.”