Mason Plumlee To Miss “Multiple Months;” Clippers Interested In Daniel Theis
Mason Plumlee will be sidelined for “multiple months” with an MCL sprain in his left knee, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic (video link). The Clippers are optimistic that Plumlee will be able to return sometime before the end of the season, Charania adds.
The team is considering several veteran big men as potential replacements, Charania hears, including Pacers backup center Daniel Theis. He states that Indiana isn’t “rushed” to make a move with Theis, but is willing to listen to offers.
Plumlee suffered the injury Monday when Knicks forward Julius Randle hit his knee while diving for a ball. Plumlee couldn’t put any weight on the knee and had to be helped off the court by two members of the team’s training staff.
The 33-year-old center had appeared in all six of L.A.’s games before the injury and was averaging 5.0 points and 5.5 rebounds in 17 minutes per night. The Clippers acquired him from Charlotte in a February trade, and he re-signed with the team this summer.
Theis, who hasn’t played yet this season, expressed unhappiness with his situation in Indiana last week. He is currently fourth among centers on the Pacers’ depth chart and doesn’t appear to have a future with the team.
After playing just seven games last season, Theis was hoping for an expanded role following his performance with Germany in the World Cup this summer, but it looks like a trade or buyout is the only way that will happen.
Theis makes $9.1MM this season, and his contract includes a $9.5MM team option for 2024/25.
Southeast Notes: Herro, Rozier, Miller, Mexico City
Heat guard Tyler Herro expects to miss “probably a couple weeks” after spraining his right ankle in Wednesday’s game at Memphis, writes Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. Herro landed on Jaren Jackson Jr.‘s foot after shooting a floater in the first quarter. He fell to the court in pain, then hobbled to the locker room without putting any weight on the ankle.
“It was something I felt right when it happened,” Herro said. “I felt it and I kind of knew mentally. I heard some crunches and cracks in my ankle. I’m like, ‘Yeah, that will be it.’ I actually told the bench, ‘I’m done. I can’t keep going.’ It’s unfortunate, but I’m just going to continue to work hard. I’ve been through this injury stuff before and I’m just going to keep working.”
X-rays were negative, but Herro returned to Miami this morning for an MRI with the team’s medical staff, Chiang adds. He was averaging 25.3 PPG coming into Wednesday, and an extended absence would create a major challenge for a team that already has the fifth-worst offensive rating in the league.
Duncan Robinson started the second half with Herro unavailable, and Dru Smith played nearly 15 minutes off the bench. Chiang notes that Kyle Lowry took on a larger role, posting season highs with 17 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists.
“It’s a process at this point,” Bam Adebayo said. “We’ll get him back when we get him back. The biggest thing for him is getting healthy and being able to stay at that high level he’s been at it.”
There’s more from the Southeast Division:
- Hornets guard Terry Rozier doesn’t have a timetable to return from the left adductor strain he suffered Saturday night, per Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer. Addressing the media for the first time since the injury, Rozier said it happened on a routine play. “It was just going downhill,” said Rozier, who has already been ruled out for Friday’s game. “I think just trying to do an in-and-out. I’ve watched the play a lot of times and I think I just dragged my foot, and it kind of tweaked in the groin area. So, it kind of strained it and that’s what happened. But I’ve never had an injury like that before, so that’s why I kind of reacted like that. But I’ll be fine.”
- With Rozier sidelined, the Hornets have inserted Brandon Miller into their starting lineup, Boone adds. The No. 2 overall pick has gotten off to a strong start and is among the rookie leaders in points, rebounds, assists and minutes per game. “He’s doing good,” Rozier said. “He’s just getting his feet wet. He’s one of those guys that just gets better day-by-day, like really huge too. So, I’m happy to see his growth … I think we all are. I’m happy he’s in that position to start.”
- Mexico City will host tonight’s game between the Magic and the Hawks, shining a spotlight on a location that could be considered for the NBA’s next round of expansion, according to Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press.
Celtics Notes: Porzingis, Pritchard, White, Brown
The Celtics made their offseason roster shakeup look seamless while getting off to a 5-0 start, but reality has set in with back-to-back losses, writes Souichi Terada of MassLive. The offense appeared out of sorts through much of Wednesday night’s battle with Philadelphia for the top spot in the Eastern Conference. A late run gave Boston a chance to tie the game on a three-point attempt by Kristaps Porzingis with five seconds left, but he said he jumped too high on the shot and it only grazed the rim.
“It’s gonna take time,” Porzingis said of the process of becoming a cohesive team. “But honestly we do have a lot of good moments, a lot of good moments where we find each other, where we hit each other with some good passes and start to reach each other more and more.”
Porzingis, who added that he’s looking forward to seeing how the team responds to adversity, has brought a lot of new options to the offense, Terada observes. His outside shooting creates more space for Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, and his post-up skills allow him to take advantage of smaller defenders. Everything is a work in progress as the Celtics try to incorporate Porzingis and Jrue Holiday, but their offense still ranks among the top 10 in the league.
“It’s early, beginning of the season,” Porzingis said. “It’s honestly easy to play with those guys, very selfless. Now being up close I really feel that and see that from them. So, they just want to win. They want to do the right thing, and that makes it easy for everybody.”
There’s more on the Celtics:
- Boston is counting on Payton Pritchard to take over as the backup point guard after trading Marcus Smart and Malcolm Brogdon, but Pritchard has struggled badly with his shot in the early part of the season, notes Brian Robb of MassLive. He’s connecting at just 23.5% from the field and 15% from three-point range through the first seven games, and Robb wonders if he’s starting to lose confidence in his shot.
- The Celtics welcomed Derrick White back on Wednesday after he missed two straight games for the birth of his second child, per Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe. White missed the morning shootaround, but joined the team in time for the game and scored 19 points in 38 minutes. “I’m excited, excited to get back to the team,” he said. “Watching these last two games on TV wasn’t the most fun I’ve had, but it’s good to get back here with the guys.”
- Brown is taking a business-like approach to the new in-season tournament, Himmelsbach adds. Boston will play its first game Friday night in Brooklyn and has upcoming tournament contests with Toronto, Orlando and Chicago. “I wouldn’t choose the word excited, but ready,” Brown said. “We’ll be ready. If there’s basketball to be played, our group will be ready.”
Suns Notes: Beal, Booker, Bates-Diop, Goodwin
The Suns didn’t consider exceeding Bradley Beal‘s minutes restriction when Wednesday’s game at Chicago went into overtime, writes Jamal Collier of ESPN. Beal was making his season debut after missing the team’s first seven games with a back injury, so there was no chance he was going to play more than 24 minutes, even with the game in doubt.
“I can be hard-headed and go play 30 minutes when I know I’m not supposed to,” Beal said. “But how will I feel after that? Probably not the greatest. So that’s why I lean on our staff and our doctors to be the voice for me. Because I’ll be hard-headed and go out there and play.”
Beal posted 13 points, four rebounds and four assists in his first regular season contest since being acquired from Washington in an offseason trade. Even on a subpar shooting night that saw him go 3-of-12 from the field, he showed the benefits he can provide for Phoenix’s offense.
“Just somebody else the defense is scared of,” Kevin Durant said. “Somebody who can score at all three levels. Brad going downhill is a problem. So, as much as we can get him going downhill and also just setting him up in iso so he can beat his man will be great for us. Tonight, he just got his feet wet. He’s on a restriction minute-wise, but as he comes off of that he’s going to be more and more confident. We’ve just got to give him the ball more.”
There’s more on the Suns:
- Devin Booker worked out before Wednesday’s game, but there’s no indication of when he might play again, tweets Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. A report on Wednesday suggested that Booker may be able return from his right calf strain as soon as Friday, but coach Frank Vogel said he’s “making progress, but no firm timetable.”
- Keita Bates-Diop‘s overtime heroics showed why Vogel has been trusting him as a starter for the past three games, Rankin adds in a full story. The 27-year-old forward, who was added in free agency this summer, sparked the Suns’ late comeback by drilling a three-pointer with 1:06 left in overtime to cut the Bulls’ lead to one point. He also forced DeMar DeRozan to take a difficult shot on Chicago’s final possession.
- Jordan Goodwin wore a mask in Wednesday’s game after suffering a jaw contusion Sunday in Detroit, Rankin tweets.
Spurs Notes: Jones, Wembanyama, Vassell, Mavomo
The Spurs have been better when Tre Jones is on the court, but he’s not complaining about being moved to a reserve role after starting last season, writes Chris Hine of The Star Tribune. Coach Gregg Popovich has opted for a non-traditional approach, starting Jeremy Sochan at point guard to create a super-sized lineup.
“I try to view it as, I see how our starting lineup is and how much height and length we have all around the court with that starting lineup,” Jones said. “I see the advantages it gives our team. It’s not hard feelings or anything about that. I’m trying to just be a spark off the bench for us. I’m trying to be a leader for us off the bench as well.”
Jones has been effective in his role off the bench, averaging 8.9 points, 3.1 rebounds and 6.3 assists in 25.8 minutes per night through eight games. With the addition of Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio has a chance to be successful for the first time in Jones’ four seasons with the team, and he’s willing to do whatever is necessary to be part of that. Jones described the 7’4″ rookie as a “cheat code” and said he has changed the trajectory of the franchise.
“Very exciting times for our organization,” Jones said. “You can definitely feel a shift through the organization the last couple of years. You can feel it throughout the entire city even. Our city backs us up so much and supports us so much. You can feel that tremendously throughout all the people you run into, all the fans, everyone working for us in the organization, you can feel it all.”
There’s more on the Spurs:
- Wembanyama is making a difference with 2.4 blocks per game, but the Spurs still have one of the league’s worst defenses, notes Andrew Lopez of ESPN. Going into Wednesday’s game, San Antonio had a defensive rating of 110.9 during Wembanyama’s minutes, but it rises to 129.4 when he’s resting. “Size can translate into blocked shots, more rebounding, and that overall helps your defense,” Popovich said. “Length helps you with deflections and that sort of thing, keeping people out of the paint. So it’s been the emphasis since the beginning of training camp that we would behoove ourselves to improve defensively.”
- Devin Vassell was limited to 12 minutes Wednesday in his return after missing two games with an adductor injury, Lopez tweets. Popovich said Vassell didn’t reaggravate the condition, but he’s being eased back into his regular role. San Antonio lost by 21 points in New York, so there was no need for Vassell to play extended minutes in the fourth quarter.
- In a special report for ESPN, Leonard Solms examines the journey of Emmanuel Mavomo, who has become an assistant coach with the Spurs’ G League team in Austin after starting in the Basketball Africa League.
Pacific Notes: Harden, Westbrook, Wiseman, Kings
The Clippers view James Harden as a “ceiling raiser” and believed they had to make another significant addition after watching the Suns, Celtics and Bucks improve their rosters this summer, writes Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN.
L.A. now has a tantalizing lineup if everyone stays healthy, teaming Harden with Kawhi Leonard, Paul George and Russell Westbrook, who are expected to start alongside Ivica Zubac when Harden makes his debut with the team tonight in New York. According to Youngmisuk, the Clippers are the fourth team in league history to have four players who started the season with at least five career All-NBA selections.
Even though coach Tyronn Lue plans to continue using Westbrook as his primary play-maker, the Clippers view Harden as someone who can boost their offense by creating his own shot or setting up open opportunities for Leonard and George. Harden led the league in assists with the Sixers last season and he’s averaged at least 10 per game in each of the past three years.
“James is a superstar,” George said. “Another play-maker. Another scorer, leader. Really happy to have him here. … It’s not every day you get a chance to get a guy of his ability that wants to come and play on this team. It was worth taking a swing on, and so we felt that he could help us.”
There’s more from the Pacific Division:
- This marks the third pairing for Harden and Westbrook, who entered the league with Oklahoma City and spent the 2019/20 season together in Houston, Youngmisuk adds. They both requested trades after that season, but Clippers forward P.J. Tucker, who was also with that Rockets team, doesn’t believe the situation will carry over. “Russ and James (have known) each other for years, so they’re familiar with each other, playing with each other,” Tucker said. “I don’t know if it’s the same (experience this time), especially with Kawhi and PG. I think this team is kind of a totally different type of dynamic (for them).”
- The Warriors‘ game in Detroit tonight will mark their first meeting with James Wiseman since he was traded in February, notes Anthony Slater of The Athletic. Golden State selected Wiseman with the second pick in the 2020 draft, but he was never able to earn a regular role. He’s in the same situation with the Pistons, having made one brief appearance in the team’s first seven games. “I know he’s not playing much, but it’s the challenge that he’s facing,” Stephen Curry said. “In terms of forcing them to play him. That’s the challenge. Knowing him, I know he’ll have extreme confidence in himself to figure it out, even if it’s not on the timeline he wants right now.”
- Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee examines what’s gone wrong with the Kings, who are struggling to score after having the highest-rated offense in league history last season.
Joshua Primo Will Get Standard Contract With Clippers; Xavier Moon To Land Two-Way Deal
The Clippers will convert Joshua Primo‘s two-way contract to a standard deal, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic. The two-way opening will go to Xavier Moon, who was waived before the start of the season.
The new contract signifies a major turnaround for Primo, who was released by the Spurs last year for engaging in “inappropriate and offensive behavior by exposing himself to women.” The NBA imposed a four-game suspension, and Primo has yet to appear in a game for the 3-2 Clippers.
Primo has been undergoing therapy for his behavior, which allegedly included multiple incidents with Dr. Hillary Cauthen, a sports psychologist who worked for San Antonio during Primo’s time with the organization. Cauthen filed a lawsuit against Primo and the Spurs that accused the team of being “willing to tolerate abhorrent conduct” from players.
The 20-year-old wing was the youngest player in the 2021 draft when the Spurs selected him with the 12th pick. He appeared in 50 games as a rookie, making 16 starts and averaging 5.8 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.6 assists in 19.3 minutes per night. He got into just four games during his second season before being waived.
The Clippers were down to 13 players after last week’s James Harden trade, so another move won’t be needed to add Primo to the regular roster.
Moon, a 28-year-old shooting guard, made brief appearances with the Clippers over the past two years, playing in 14 total games. He spent last season with the organization’s G League affiliate in Ontario and was named to the All-NBAGL Third Team.
Pistons Notes: Sasser, Ivey, Duren, Losing Streak
It hasn’t taken long for Marcus Sasser to earn the trust of Pistons coach Monty Williams, writes James L. Edwards III of The Athletic. After being eased into the lineup during the first week of the season, Sasser has seen an expanded role in the past three games and has responded by averaging 16.3 points, 4.3 assists and 2.0 steals while shooting 62.5% from the field. He also hasn’t turned the ball over in five games, which is rare for a rookie guard.
“I feel like the work I put in is just paying off,” Sasser said. “The travel and amount of games is new to me, so that is something I have to adjust to, knowing how to take care of my body. On the court, it’s not really surprising.”
Sasser’s hot start will eventually lead to difficult decisions for Williams about how to allocate playing time in a crowded backcourt, Edwards adds. Sasser is getting an expanded opportunity because of injuries to Alec Burks and Monte Morris, but it will be difficult to find minutes for all of them along with Cade Cunningham, Killian Hayes and Jaden Ivey. For the moment, Sasser is taking advantage of his opportunity and may be on the verge of landing a starting role.
“He works his tail off,” Williams said after Sunday’s game. “He understands when to shoot, when to drive and he defends. There were times tonight when he was outmatched with a bigger guy, and he just kept fighting. He is the kind of player that we thought he was, and he’s just going to get better.”
There’s more from Detroit:
- Williams offered an explanation for Ivey’s reduced role after being a full-time starter as a rookie, per Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press. Williams has placed an emphasis on defense and rebounding that Ivey hasn’t lived up to as much as the team’s other guards, but he said that frequently happens with young players. “He’s not the only guy that’s seen his minutes and all that reduced because of mistakes on the floor,” Williams said. “It’s happened with (Jalen Duren), it’s happened with Cade, it’s happened with everybody, because I think the standard that we have around here should be excellence. And you can’t have excellence if guys feel like they’re being gifted minutes. So it’s not just JI. Overall, we need guys to play to a certain level and hold them accountable to that every night.”
- Duren’s inability to stay on the court has played a role in Detroit’s four-game losing streak, observes Mike Curtis of The Detroit News. Duren sat out Wednesday’s game against Portland with an ankle injury, was ejected late Thursday in a loss to New Orleans, then got tossed again Sunday against Phoenix after committing two flagrant fouls.
- The current slump is presenting the first major challenge for the Pistons after a 2-1 start, states John Niyo of The Detroit News. The loss to the Suns, who were missing Devin Booker and Bradley Beal, marked the second straight against an undermanned opponent. “They were tougher than us,” Williams said. “They played harder than we did in stretches, pretty much most of the game. And the spacing certainly helps, but we just we had too many situations where we missed assignments. You don’t know an assignment on Kevin Durant, that’s a problem.”
And-Ones: Draft Rankings, Holland, Sarr, In-Season Tournament
With the college basketball season tipping off today, Jonathan Givony of ESPN has posted his top 25 prospects for the 2024 NBA draft, putting G League Ignite forward Ron Holland at the top of the list. Givony notes that Holland was already being hyped before impressive performances in exhibition games against Perth and in the FIBA Intercontinental Cup, where he averaged 20.0 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.4 steals.
Scouts like Holland’s competitiveness, his ability to attack in the open court and the improvement he has shown as an outside shooter, Givony adds, but he needs to work on his shot selection and decision making. Givony also cautions that Holland isn’t viewed as a definite No. 1 pick like Victor Wembanyama was this year, and the ratings could change throughout the season.
Second on Givony’s list is Australian big man Alexandre Sarr, who also impressed scouts this summer. He totaled 43 points, 18 rebounds, 12 blocks and four assists in two games against the G League Ignite and provides a combination of mobility, skill and defensive versatility that’s rare in a 7-footer.
Rounding out Givony’s top five are USC point guard Isaiah Collier, Kentucky swingman Justin Edwards and French forward Zaccharie Risacher.
Here’s more from around the basketball world:
- Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report has updated his full mock draft, with Holland and Sarr also holding the top two spots. G League Ignite forward Matas Buzelis is third in Wasserman’s rankings, followed by Connecticut shooting guard Stephon Castle and Duke point guard Tyrese Proctor. Another notable prospect, USC freshman Bronny James, is listed at No. 43 because of concerns over his health after he suffered cardiac arrest during a July workout.
- In a discussion of Australian basketball, Kane Pitman, Olgun Uluc and Peter Hooley of ESPN discuss whether Sarr should consider wrapping up his NBL season by Christmas to start preparing for the draft. Sarr’s Perth Wildcats are off to a slow start, and it doesn’t appear his role on the team is likely to expand.
- The NBA’s new in-season tournament was inspired by soccer’s FA Cup, which has captivated fans for a century and a half because of its unpredictable nature, notes Richard Sutcliffe of The Athletic. Players and coaches are optimistic about what the tournament can grow into, adds Tim Bontemps of ESPN. “I’ve been a part of (the) conversations since they first happened,” said Warriors guard Chris Paul, the former president of the National Basketball Players Association. “I think the in-season tournament has an opportunity to be something big for the league. … As players, as the league and everything, you (are) always trying to continue to grow the game. I think this is a good way.”
Steve Kerr To Step Down As Team USA Coach After 2024 Olympics
Steve Kerr doesn’t plan to coach Team USA beyond the 2024 Olympics, writes Joe Vardon of The Athletic. Kerr intends to follow the same path as Gregg Popovich, guiding the U.S. team through the World Cup and the Olympic Games before turning over the reins to someone else.
“To me, it’s a two-year; it’s a cycle,” Kerr said. “Pop coached a World Cup and the Olympics, now it’s my turn to pass the baton. I think that’s kind of how it should be. Frankly, it’s a huge commitment too. I guess I think it was different the last go-around with Coach K (Mike Krzyzewski) and Jerry (Colangelo), when they were really establishing this culture and this system where guys had to commit for a couple years. Made sense for Coach K to stay on. But I think where we are now, one cycle and you move on.”
Kerr, who played for the gold-medal-winning American team in the 1986 world championships, signed on as a coach in 2019, serving as an assistant to Popovich as the U.S. finished seventh in the World Cup. He remained on the staff for the Olympics in 2021, when Team USA picked up its fourth straight gold.
Kerr took over as head coach for this year’s World Cup, which saw the Americans drop three of their final four games for a fourth-place finish. The performance was disappointing, but it still qualified the U.S. for the Olympics next summer.
Vardon notes that candidates to replace Kerr who are currently on the Team USA staff include Heat coach Erik Spoelstra, Clippers coach Tyronn Lue and Gonzaga coach Mark Few. The next World Cup will be played in Qatar in 2027, followed by the Olympics in Los Angeles in 2028.
Prominent players such as LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Jayson Tatum, Devin Booker and Joel Embiid have already expressed a desire to represent the United States in the 2024 Games. Kerr told Vardon that he hasn’t had an “in-depth conversation” about the possibility yet with Curry because they’re both focused on the Warriors’ season.
The process of selecting the 12-man team for next summer is just beginning, Vardon adds. Kerr admits that USA Basketball can’t turn down players with the status of James, Durant and Curry, but the amount of available talent is bound to lead to difficult decisions. Vardon notes that Damian Lillard, Kyrie Irving, Anthony Davis and Draymond Green are among the other All-Stars who have expressed interest in joining the team.
Kerr said USA Basketball officials will begin sorting through their options “over the next couple of months.” There’s no set date to form a preliminary roster, but they want to let players know fairly soon whether they’re being considered.
“You want everybody excited about the prospect (of playing for Team USA); that’s the first sign of, hey, we’re taking this really seriously. A lot of guys are dying to play. Obviously, (USAB managing director Grant Hill) has to lead the way in terms of building our strategy, and we haven’t made any decisions,” Kerr said. “It’s highly likely that guys who want to play may not be … whether it’s established guys or guys who have been with us and guys who just played and played really well this last go-around, no matter how you slice it, you can only take 12, so it’s very, very difficult, and it’s a painful process because, you know, you get really attached to guys.”