Bulls Notes: DeRozan, Trade Rumors, Williams, Caruso
There are a lot of rumors regarding DeMar DeRozan‘s future with the Bulls, but he’s not listening to any of them, writes Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. His agent is trying to work out a contract extension and DeRozan’s name has been included in trade chatter, but he’s keeping his focus entirely on what he needs to do on the court.
“This is work time,” DeRozan said. “I don’t want to hear [bleep], to be honest with you. I’ve been with my agent [Aaron Goodwin] my whole career, and him knowing me like he does, people around me know how I am when it comes down to that kind of stuff. Same thing with family stuff back home. If it isn’t an emergency or something serious, I don’t want to hear about it, I don’t need to know about it.”
A source tells Cowley that negotiations on a new contract are currently stalled, which lines up with a recent report that the sides are “far apart.” President of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas is talking to teams that call about DeRozan’s availability, Cowley adds, but he’s not making an effort to trade the veteran forward. Cowley states that Karnisovas’ preference is still to find a taker for Zach LaVine and then assess the remaining roster in hopes of making other deals before the February 8 deadline.
“I understand what comes with having a rough season or rumors, and that speculation is going to come up everywhere,” DeRozan said. “It comes with this profession. Same with my contract. I’ve never demanded or stated, made accusations, ‘I want this, I need this, I deserve this.’ I just go out and play and let the chips fall where they fall. Tend to my teammates and be the best version of myself that I can be. Like I said, the best thing for me is to have that mentality of ‘Don’t bother me, time to go to work.’”
There’s more on the Bulls:
- Friday marked the unofficial start of NBA trading season, but Chicago doesn’t appear to be close to making any deals, Cowley adds. “I have not heard anything from Arturas regarding any of our players at all,” coach Billy Donovan said. “Obviously, as you move closer to February, the trade deadline and those types of things, there’ll probably be conversations. Everything has been about how can we help this group get better, improve.”
- Patrick Williams officially met the starter criteria by being in the starting lineup for tonight’s game at Miami, giving him an average of 41 starts over the last two seasons, tweets Bobby Marks of ESPN. That means Williams will be eligible for a $12,973,527 qualifying offer next summer instead of $7,744,601, and the Bulls can make him a restricted free agent by tendering the QO.
- Alex Caruso is sitting out tonight’s game with a sprained left ankle, but it’s not expected to be a long-term concern, according to K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago (Twitter link). “Hopefully a few days clears it up. We don’t anticipate him missing any major time,” Donovan said.
Celtics Notes: Brissett, Pritchard, Hauser, Brown
Oshae Brissett has mostly been out of the rotation since signing with the Celtics this summer, but he took advantage of an opportunity to play on Friday night, writes Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe. With Al Horford, Kristaps Porzingis and Luke Kornet all sidelined by injuries, the 6’7″ Brissett was called on to help protect the rim in small-ball lineups. He responded by making all four of his shots and scoring 11 points in nearly 16 minutes. He had just 14 points all season before Friday’s game.
“It’s tough, wanting to win and wanting to do so well and trying to play perfect,” Brissett said. “You can’t really do that as a basketball player, especially in limited minutes. You’ve just got to be yourself and play a little free. It’s tough, again, because you want to do the right thing so bad. But, at the end of the day, it’s basketball and I’ve been playing basketball for a long time.”
Himmelsbach adds that Brissett has remained focused while he’s been out of the lineup, studying the game from the bench to identify ways he can help the team. Brissett also receives regular guidance from coach Joe Mazzulla, who reminded him that his shooting in a game two years ago with Indiana sparked the Celtics’ interest.
“I know what I can bring to the table, and that’s energy and being excited to be out there with these guys,” Brissett added. “And any given night I can get out there, I’m just going to do that.”
There’s more from Boston:
- Jaylen Brown was dealing with hypertension in his right knee, but he was determined to play in what is becoming an intense rivalry with Orlando, per Brian Robb of MassLive. The Magic had won their previous four games against the Celtics, including an in-season tournament contest in which they ran up the score in the final minutes to help with point differential. “In my opinion, for us, I think one we had a bunch of guys out and were on a back-to-back versus a team that’s been kicking our ass the last four or five times we played,” Brown said. “I think this was the biggest game to me so far.”
- Payton Pritchard is showing the Celtics that they’re better off keeping him than using him as a trade chip, Robb observes in a separate story. Pritchard, who scored 21 points in 28 minutes on Friday, and Sam Hauser have become the leaders of a bench unit that is exceeding expectations. “Like I said, those guys since day one,” Mazzulla said. “I coached them both in Summer League, so I’ve always known they were going to be great rotation players, and I had full confidence in them last year, and full confidence in them this year.”
- Brown, a member of the NBPA’s executive committee, endorsed Andre Iguodala‘s recent ascension to interim executive director, according to Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe, who notes that Brown indicated he may also have interest in leading the players union after he retires from basketball.
Bradley Beal To Miss Multiple Weeks With Ankle Injury
Suns guard Bradley Beal is expected to miss “a few weeks” due to the right ankle injury he suffered Friday night, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic. However, medical tests revealed no major damage to the ankle, Charania adds.
The injury occurred in the first quarter as Beal rolled the ankle when he landed on the foot of Knicks guard Donte DiVincenzo on a shot attempt. DiVincenzo was assessed a Flagrant 1 foul for stepping into Beal’s landing area.
Beal was able to shoot his free throws and leave the court without help, but he was limping on his way to the locker room. X-rays were negative, according to an ESPN report, but he was ruled out for the rest of the game.
Friday’s game was only the sixth of the season for Beal, who had been dealing with back issues since the start of training camp. The Suns envisioned a high-scoring “big three” when they acquired Beal from Washington in an offseason trade, but Kevin Durant and Devin Booker have been battling injuries as well and the three of them have rarely been on the court at the same time.
“Injuries are a part of the game,” Phoenix coach Frank Vogel said. “I’m disappointed for him. You could see the disappointment on his face in the back. That’s my biggest concern, keeping him lifted. He’ll get back soon enough, but it’s been a frustrating injury type of season for him.”
Pacers Notes: Johnson, Team Meeting, Haliburton, Nembhard
James Johnson never considered retirement, even as he went through free agency without an offer and started the season without a team, writes Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star. Johnson’s patience was rewarded on Friday when he signed a one-year deal with the Pacers. Teammates were thrilled to welcome back the 36-year-old forward, who was a valuable contributor for Indiana last season even though he only appeared in 18 games.
“Just the professionalism,” T.J. McConnell said. “You don’t play 15 years in this league without being a great basketball player, but the professionalism you show day in and day out and how you go about things on and off the court is what he brings. He’s big at teaching the young guys. Not many people in this league are as good of people as him and we definitely missed him.”
Coach Rick Carlisle told Dopirak that the Pacers have been considering a move with Johnson for at least two weeks. Carlisle and other team officials traveled to Johnson’s Miami home on December 1 when Indiana was in town for a pair of games.
“He helped us so much last year,” Carlisle said. “This year we started with 15 guys. When Daniel Theis moved on to the Clippers in the buyout situation, it opened up a spot. You see if the need for the spot and if anything else is going to happen. But we talked to him on the Friday between games, had a really good meeting with him and told him it was very much under consideration.”
There’s more on the Pacers:
- In a separate story, Dopirak examines why Indiana often comes up short against the league’s worst teams, including Friday’s loss at Washington. There was a team meeting earlier this week about potential trap games, but the Pacers failed to heed the warning as they were badly outplayed by the Wizards, who were on a six-game losing streak coming into Friday. “It’s just the characteristics of a young group,” Tyrese Haliburton said. “Playing to your competition. Every team in the NBA is good, but there’s some games we’re going to look back and say, ‘Damn, we probably should’ve got that one.’ We’ve gotta grow up as a group at some point. It starts with us as players, us as a first group and me as a leader. We’ve just gotta be better.”
- Haliburton is listed as questionable for tonight’s game at Minnesota with a left knee bruise he suffered Friday, Dopirak tweets. “I’m fine, I’m just banged up a little bit,” Haliburton said. “There was a little wet spot on the floor. I landed on my hip, that’s fine, but me and Bilal (Coulibaly) went knee to knee, so just a little sore right now.”
- Andrew Nembhard feels like he “dodged a bullet” with the right knee bone bruise he suffered in the in-season tournament semifinals, per Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files (subscriber only). Nembhard is considered week-to-week and he’s thankful that the injury wasn’t worse.
Southwest Notes: Brooks, Morant, Nowell, Green, Bassey
Dillon Brooks doesn’t know what kind of reception to expect when he returns to Memphis on Friday, but he’s been looking forward to it ever since he signed with the Rockets this summer, writes Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal. Brooks’ new team has beaten the Grizzlies twice already, including on Wednesday night, but both games were played in Houston. He knows the atmosphere will be different in front of the fans at FedEx Forum.
“I can’t wait to get back out there playing,” Brooks said. “This has been circled out there on my schedule.”
For six seasons, Brooks was a fiery part of a brash Grizzlies team, clashing with opponents and challenging teammates to raise their intensity level. However, after saying last month that he felt like a “scapegoat” for the team’s playoff loss to the Lakers, he’s not sure how Memphis fans will receive him.
“I’m excited,” he said. “I miss the Forum. I just can’t wait to get out there, shoot on the court and see what it’s all about. We’ll see what happens.”
There’s more from the Southwest Division:
- Ja Morant, who may be nearing the end of his suspension, will speak to the media Friday morning, Cole tweets. If commissioner Adam Silver agrees to reinstate Morant after 25 games, he will be eligible to return Tuesday at New Orleans.
- With the Grizzlies facing a roster crunch ahead of Morant’s return, they’re not likely to keep Jaylen Nowell, whose second 10-day contract expired Wednesday. Nowell called his time with the organization “a blessing,” according to Cole (Twitter link). “They accepted me, and I’m real thankful for that,” he said. “I definitely think that these guys are going to pick it up and be one of the best teams in the West, for sure.”
- Rockets coach Ime Udoka is proving that he’s willing to bench anyone who isn’t performing up to expectations, notes Kelly Iko of the Athletic. Jalen Green sat out the entire fourth quarter for the second straight game on Wednesday amid a poor shooting night and questionable decision making. “Play harder like the group that was in,” Udoka responded when asked about his advice for Green. “It starts with effort. Continuing the play through it. Learn from those things, but it’s not always a result of what they don’t do. It’s more so the other lineup and what they’re doing.”
- Spurs teammates say Charles Bassey is in good spirits despite suffering a season-ending ACL tear, according to Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News. “He is resilient,” Collins said. “He has come back from stuff before. He is a very positive guy. But we are going to miss him.”
Spurs Notes: Wembanyama, Collins, Sochan, Johnson
The Spurs have abandoned two experiments related to the development of No. 1 pick Victor Wembanyama, writes Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports. San Antonio began the season by starting Zach Collins at center and Wembanyama at power forward so the 18-year-old wouldn’t have to battle with other NBA big men. However, Collins’ unexpected struggles with outside shooting — he’s connecting at just 28.4% from three-point range after hitting 37.4% last season — caused coach Gregg Popovich to move him to the bench after 20 games.
“I think if we were shooting it a little bit better, I think it would have worked better,” Collins said. “The negative right now is spacing, so that’s a big reason why we went back to one big out there starting the game instead of two.”
Popovich has also stopped using Jeremy Sochan as his primary point guard, Fischer adds. Sochan is a versatile forward with a gift for passing, but he had never played point guard before Popovich decided to try him at the position in training camp. Fischer notes that instead of having a designated ball-handler, any of the Spurs’ starters are free to lead the break after grabbing a defensive rebound.
Even though the Spurs are losing at unexpected levels, dropping their 18th straight game last night, Wembanyama’s performance is providing hope for the future. He had 30 points, 13 rebounds, three steals and six blocks against the Lakers on Wednesday, and Fischer believes he’ll be a perennial candidate for Defensive Player of the Year.
There’s more from San Antonio:
- The Spurs may consider moving Keldon Johnson before the trade deadline (video link), Marc J. Spears of Andscape said on the latest Hoop Collective podcast (hat tip to RealGM). San Antonio has a surplus of wing players on its roster, and sources tell Spears that Johnson isn’t viewed as a good fit with the rest of the starting lineup.
- Wembanyama’s first meeting with LeBron James didn’t happen Wednesday because the Lakers‘ star sat out the second game of a back-to-back with calf soreness, but the French rookie was excited about matching up with Anthony Davis, per Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News. “He’s somebody I’ve studied a little bit in the past and a great player of course,” Wembanyama said, “and I’m glad I’m going to be able to play so much more times against him.”
- While Wembanyama has been outstanding, the Spurs don’t have the foundation they were hoping to build by having lottery picks in the previous three drafts, McDonald adds. Joshua Primo, their 2021 pick, is already off the roster. Sochan (2022) has been struggling, possibly because of the attempted position change, and Devin Vassell (2020) has cooled off in December after a strong start to the season.
Latest On Draymond Green
The players union wouldn’t have been on board with an indefinite suspension for Draymond Green if he wasn’t willing to accept it himself, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski said on a SportsCenter appearance (video link).
Green and his agent, Rich Paul of Klutch Sports, will meet today with Warriors general manager Mike Dunlevy Jr. to determine what kind of help Green will need to deal with the issues that are leading to his repeated suspensions, and sources tell Wojnarowski that Green has a desire to get counseling.
“I’m told he wants to get help to keep this from happening again,” Wojnarowski said, “to handle whatever issues he might have and whatever challenges he might have in his life.”
Woj adds that by making the suspension indefinite, commissioner Adam Silver is “trying to get to the root of the problem” rather than placing a number of games on Green’s latest act, which involved striking Phoenix center Jusuf Nurkic in the head in Tuesday’s game. Sources tell Wojnarowski that Green is looking to deal with the underlying causes of his behavior, maybe for the first time in his career.
There’s more on the Green suspension:
- The NBA office is sending a message to the Warriors that it’s tired of dealing with Green’s frequent transgressions and their effect on the league’s image, according to Tim Kawakami of The Athletic. Kawakami points out that Green has already missed five games this season due to suspension and has been ejected from three others. If his current ban lasts for 10 games, he will have been either suspended or ejected from 18 of the team’s first 33 contests. He’s also just two more flagrant fouls away from another automatic one-game suspension. Green seems incapable of controlling his behavior, adds Kawakami, who speculates that the league’s response to a future incident would be “swift and thunderous” and may result in a suspension for the remainder of the season. If that happens, Kawakami notes that the Warriors’ could either try to get out of the remainder of the four-year, $100MM contract that Green signed this summer, trade him for little or nothing in return, or release him and take the financial hit.
- Green’s latest incident could spark much-needed roster changes, suggests Sam Amick of The Athletic. The Warriors have lost 12 of their last 17 games and aren’t doing enough to justify a payroll that hovers around $400MM with luxury taxes. With Green unable to stay on the court and Klay Thompson‘s dramatic drop in production ahead of free agency, Amick sees a reduced chance that they and Stephen Curry will all get to retire with Golden State.
- Green’s suspension will result in a financial benefit for the Warriors because it was imposed by the league instead of the team. Scott Allen of Spotrac looks at how much the organization might save depending on how long Green is out of action.
And-Ones: Bronny, In-Season Tournament, Las Vegas, SGA
Bronny James was grateful to be playing in a basketball game again Sunday, less than five months after he suffered cardiac arrest, writes Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN. With LeBron James in attendance to watch his son’s USC debut, Bronny totaled four points, three rebounds, two assists, two steals and a block in 16 minutes in a loss to Long Beach State. He came off the bench and played under a minutes restriction.
“I just want to say I’m thankful for everything,” Bronny said in his first public comment since the July 24 health scare. “Mayo Clinic, everything they helped me with, my parents, siblings for supporting me through this hard time in my life. I just want to give appreciation to everyone that’s helped me through this. Also, my coach, my teammates, all my other coaches. They’ve been with me since the start and I just want to say I’m thankful for them.”
LeBron posted an Instagram message expressing pride in his son and saying he’s already won the “ultimate goal/championship.” Bronny didn’t receive medical clearance to start playing again until November 30. He participated in full-contact practices Thursday and Friday in preparation for Sunday’s game.
“Everybody’s been through a lot emotionally,” Trojans coach Andy Enfield said. “Bronny the most. He’s handled it very well. And anytime you go through an emotional situation, it’s nice to have teammates and staff that care. And I thought his teammates did a great job with Bronny and he’s back now and we’re all excited for him.”
There’s more from around the basketball world:
- The NBA is happy with the reception for its first in-season tournament, but changes are likely on the way. Tim Bontemps of ESPN reviews several alterations being considered, including a more substantial prize for the winner, increased financial incentives for players and coaches, toned-down court designs, a new name, potential changes to group play and tie-breakers, and a different way of scheduling the teams that fail to advance.
- Las Vegas turned out to be a perfect host for the tournament’s final four, according to Barry M. Bloom of Sportico (subscription required). Although commissioner Adam Silver hasn’t determined if any of next year’s games will be played in Vegas, Bloom notes that there’s no other neutral site with the glamour to make it an attraction for NBA players. He adds that Saturday’s title contest attracted 19,021, and the semifinals and final brought in a total of 53,875 people.
- Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has won the 2023 Northern Star award, which recognizes Canada’s top athlete, per Doug Smith of The Toronto Star. After earning his first All-Star and All-NBA (First Team) nods in 2022/23, the 25-year-old was named to the All-Star 5 at the World Cup, leading the Canadian national team to its first-ever medal finish at the event, claiming the bronze after defeating the favored Americans. As Smith writes, Gilgeous-Alexander also helped Team Canada clinch a spot in the Olympics for the first time since 2000. Hall-of-Famer Steve Nash is the only other basketball player to claim the Northern Star, Smith notes, with the former MVP point guard winning back in 2005.
Rory Maher contributed to this post.
Mitchell Robinson To Miss At Least 8-To-10 Weeks After Ankle Surgery
Knicks center Mitchell Robinson will undergo surgery on his left ankle and will be reevaluated in eight-to-10 weeks, the team announced today (via Twitter). The operation will be performed this week at the Hospital for Special Surgery, according to the Knicks.
Robinson had already been ruled out of tonight’s game after injuring the ankle in the first half of Friday’s contest at Boston. He had an X-ray and was able to return for five minutes in the third quarter before being pulled from the game.
The Knicks will miss Robinson as both a defensive anchor and a presence on the boards. Through 21 games, he’s averaging career highs of 10.3 rebounds and 1.5 steals per night, along with 1.3 blocks and 6.2 points while shooting 59.2% from the field.
Robinson’s place in the starting lineup will go to Isaiah Hartenstein, who has been an effective backup, averaging 5.3 points and 5.6 rebounds in 17.6 minutes per night over 21 games. Robinson’s absence should also mean more playing time for Jericho Sims, who has only appeared in nine games but was effective when Robinson was sidelined last season.
After Robinson hurt his ankle on Friday, coach Tom Thibodeau expressed confidence in his reserve big men, according to Mark W. Sanchez of The New York Post.
“I felt all along that one of our strengths was that position,” Thibodeau said. “The way Mitch has been playing, the way Isaiah has been playing — actually, Isaiah has … deserved more [time]. But also, Jericho, we forget that he’s sitting there. And Jericho played very, very well for us last year.”
Charania’s Latest: Siakam, Bulls, Tucker, Vincent, Morant, Grizzlies
Rival teams believe Pascal Siakam is the most likely player to be traded if the Raptors decide to break up their core, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.
Charania identifies the Hawks, Kings and Pacers as “expected suitors” for either Siakam or OG Anunoby. Atlanta had “intense conversations” with Toronto during the offseason about a potential Siakam deal, and Sacramento and Indiana have both reached out to the Raptors about his availability over the past year, according to Charania. However, he adds that the Kings are becoming more confident that they can develop into a contender with their current roster and may be less likely to pursue a major trade.
Both players are headed toward free agency next summer, with Siakam on a $37.9MM expiring contract and Anunoby holding a $19.9MM player option for 2024/25 that he’s virtually certain to decline. Toronto’s front office might be more aggressive about seeking a trade after losing free agent Fred VanVleet this offseason, but a rival executive tells Charania to expect “a game of chicken” from the Raptors all the way to the deadline.
Charania offers an inside look at several other teams:
- The Bulls have won four straight games without Zach LaVine, but his injury setback is expected to slow down any progress toward a trade. Charania identifies the Lakers and Sixers as potential destinations, but adds that both teams are being patient while considering their options. Several teams have called about Alex Caruso, league sources tell Charania, but Chicago’s front office has no interest in moving him.
- P.J. Tucker is unhappy with his current situation, and the Clippers are working with him to resolve it, either by giving him a larger role or moving him elsewhere, according to Charania. Tucker, who came to L.A. in the James Harden trade, hasn’t played since November 27 and is mainly serving as a mentor to the team’s younger players. Charania hears that multiple contenders are keeping an eye on Tucker’s potential availability.
- The Lakers could have Gabe Vincent back on the court by next Monday, sources tell Charania. After signing as a free agent this summer, Vincent has been dealing with a left knee effusion that has limited him to four games.
- Grizzlies guard Ja Morant “looks good” as he prepares to return from his suspension, according to Charania’s sources. Commissioner Adam Silver said over the weekend that Morant “has complied with everything he’s been asked to do.” He could be cleared to return as early as December 19 for a game at New Orleans.
- The Grizzlies will have to remove someone from their roster when Morant is reinstated, and they would prefer to keep veteran center Bismack Biyombo, according to Charania. Memphis signed Biyombo to a one-year, $5MM contract after an injury sidelined Steven Adams for the season, and he has been a capable fill-in, averaging 6.1 points, 7.0 rebounds and 1.25 blocks in 15 games. Sources tell Charania that Memphis has been active in trade talks around the league involving other players on its roster.