Contracts For Austin Reaves, Wenyen Gabriel To Be Guaranteed
The Lakers will keep Austin Reaves and Wenyen Gabriel on their roster, guaranteeing their contracts for the remainder of the season, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Players with non-guaranteed deals have to be released by Saturday if teams want to avoid paying their full-season salaries.
Neither decision comes as a surprise, as both players have been consistent parts of the Lakers’ rotation. Reaves has started 12 games and is averaging 28.9 minutes per night, while Gabriel has made two starts and averages 14.4 minutes per game.
A second-year shooting guard, Reaves signed a two-way deal with L.A. in September of 2021 after going undrafted out of Oklahoma. That was converted to a regular contract before the start of last season, and Reaves responded with 7.3 PPG in 61 games as a rookie. His production has been even better this year, as his scoring is up to 10.8 PPG and his shooting numbers have improved to 48.8% from the field and 36% from three-point range.
Reaves, who will make $1.56MM this season, is headed for free agency in July. The Lakers can make him restricted with a $2MM qualifying offer.
Gabriel appears to have found a home with Los Angeles after playing for six teams during his first three NBA seasons. He signed a two-way contract with the Lakers last March and had it converted into a standard deal shortly before the end of the season.
L.A. picked up his second-year option in June, and Gabriel will earn $1.88MM this season. He will be an unrestricted free agent this summer.
Mavericks Waive Kemba Walker
10:48am: The move is official, the Mavericks confirmed (via Twitter).
10:19am: Kemba Walker‘s comeback with the Mavericks only lasted nine games, according to Tim MacMahon of ESPN, who tweets that Dallas will waive the veteran guard before his contract becomes fully guaranteed this weekend.
Walker, 32, signed with the team in late November, hoping to resurrect his NBA career after knee issues cut short his stays with the Knicks and Celtics. Walker averaged 8.0 points in 16.0 minutes per game during his time in Dallas and even turned in a 32-point outing.
MacMahon states that the Mavs want to dedicate more playing time to young guard McKinley Wright IV, who has been earning minutes on a two-way contract, and second-round pick Jaden Hardy, who may get a larger role in the second half of the season. A source told MacMahon that Walker was an “ultimate pro” in his short stay with the Mavs.
The team will have a $684,712 cap hit for Walker, according to Bobby Marks of ESPN (Twitter link).
A four-time All-Star with Charlotte and Boston, Walker is in his 12th NBA season. His performance in Dallas may lead to other opportunities now that teams are able to offer 10-day contracts.
DeMarcus Cousins To Work Out For Lakers
The Lakers will bring in former All-Star center DeMarcus Cousins for a workout sometime next week, sources tell Chris Haynes 0f Bleacher Report.
Cousins, who spent time with the Bucks and Nuggets last season, has been working out six days a week in Las Vegas in hopes of returning to the NBA, according to Haynes. He reportedly turned down a chance to play in Taiwan in late November.
The Lakers have been hoping to add a veteran big man to their roster, and that interest has increased in the wake of Anthony Davis‘ foot injury. Now that teams are permitted to sign players to 10-day contracts, that’s likely to be an avenue for Cousins to come to L.A. if he’s impressive in his workout.
Cousins signed with Milwaukee in November of last season, but he was waived in January before his contract became guaranteed. He inked three 10-day contracts with Denver before being signed for the rest of the season and averaged 8.9 points and 5.5 rebounds in 31 games as the primary backup for Nikola Jokic.
Davis continues to make progress toward a return, Haynes reports in the same story. According to Haynes’ sources, Davis plans to test the condition of his foot in an individual workout in a few days. He’s been suffering minimal pain as he goes through rehab, the sources add.
Davis hasn’t played since December 16, but the Lakers have managed to stay in the race for a play-in berth. They’re currently 12th in the West at 17-21, just a game-and-a-half away from 10th place. Thomas Bryant has been a capable replacement while Davis is out, and the addition of Cousins would provide even more depth in the middle.
The Lakers also held a workout Thursday with free agent shooting guard Tyler Dorsey, who was recently waived by the Mavericks, tweets Krysten Peek of Yahoo Sports. General Manager Rob Pelinka and head coach Darvin Ham both attended the session to watch Dorsey, according to Peek.
Kevin Durant Explains How He, Nets Were Able To Move Beyond Trade Request
Kevin Durant wanted to go somewhere else last summer, issuing a trade request to the Nets because he had lost confidence in the front office, the coaching staff, and the organization’s ability to put together a winning team. But when a deal didn’t work out, Durant recommitted himself to Brooklyn and now he’s playing at an MVP level while the Nets are in the running for the NBA’s best record.
In a compilation of interviews with Nick Friedell of ESPN, Durant says his trade request wasn’t nearly as disruptive as those made by other stars, explaining that the impact was lessened because it came during the offseason.
“This was a summertime thing. We wasn’t playing no games,” Durant said. “I didn’t interfere with what we were doing on the court every day. It wasn’t a question of what you were asking my teammates every day after a game or a practice. What I did didn’t get in the way of the games that was being played, so I felt like that’s the difference in everything. So we hashed that all up right before camp, and it was cool, it didn’t get in the way of the hoops. So that’s the difference between what happened with those guys and [me].”
Durant was able to put the chaotic summer behind him as soon as training camp opened. Still, the Nets stumbled out of the gate, beset by lingering media questions about Durant’s desire to be in Brooklyn, along with a suspension for Kyrie Irving related to his promotion of an antisemitic film and doubts regarding Ben Simmons‘ availability due to physical and psychological issues.
The season turned around when Steve Nash and the Nets agreed to part ways after a 2-5 start and Jacque Vaughn replaced him as head coach. A coaching change was one of the demands that Durant made during an offseason meeting with owner Joe Tsai, and it paid immediate dividends. Brooklyn is 23-8 under Vaughn and is tied for second in the East after winning 16 of its last 18 games. Durant remains near his career peak at age 34, averaging 29.9 points, 6.7 rebounds and 5.5 assists through 37 games.
“My whole thing was like — are we, does the process matter to us? And that’s one thing I did know that people here enjoy, grinding,” he said. “So that was the most important thing for me. Titles and stuff come with the process in which you — how you prepare. It was more so, ‘All right, are we going to practice harder? Are we going to pay more attention to detail?’ Not just everybody else, all of us, me included. Is that going to be preached to us every day? I had the faith that that would happen because I voiced that throughout the summer as well. Even behind the scenes, like, ‘Yo, this is what I like to do. This is how I like to practice.’ I’ve been saying that for the last couple years, so I figured at that point with me going through that, they understood what I value. That’s what I was hanging my hat on, the preparation side of it.”
Durant addresses a variety of topics during the lengthy interview. Here are some of the highlights:
On how the team was able to survive the early-season drama that surrounded Irving:
“Because we was together regardless. I think coming into the training camp, we understood that it’s going to be a lot on us from a media standpoint, from just the noise in general around our team, so I think that made us tighter once camp started. So we was able to take the Kyrie stuff and move in stride because we were already stuck together before that. We started to win some games, started to get better as a team, and do some things out there that work for us. And now it seems like everything was patched all together, but it felt like it was always cool, to be honest.”
On the perception among some fans that many regular season games lack intensity:
“Fans have become more entitled than anything. So they’re starting to question our motives for the game, or how we approach the game. The ones that do question — like who are you? Just shut up and watch the game tonight. We go as hard as we want to go. We go as hard as our bodies allow us to go at this point. They only see us when the games come on, but the travel, the practices, the shootarounds — we’re constantly moving around. So every game’s not going to be a high-intensity playoff game.”
On the concern that some teams may decide to tank during the second half of the season for a better shot at drafting Victor Wembanyama:
“Teams have been tanking for a minute. What, you’re going to force them to be competitive? I don’t see a problem with it, because each year there’s only a few teams that can win it anyway. So the rest of the league is trying to figure out where they are. And that’s pretty smart business if you’re a team and you know you’re not going to be a playoff team or play-in team, you might as well try to play for [the No. 1 pick]. You might as well try to get some of the guys who probably won’t get real rotation minutes if you have a good team, get them some reps and maybe those guys can change their lives as well.”
Mavericks Open Extension Talks With Christian Wood
JANUARY 4: The Mavericks have begun talking to Wood’s camp about a possible extension, league sources tell Marc Stein (Substack story). Like MacMahon, Stein suggests the team prefers a shorter-term commitment, writing that Dallas is considered unlikely to offer a four-year deal.
Although the Mavs have expressed a desire to retain Wood beyond this season, they’re widely expected to gauge his trade market if they can’t agree to terms on an extension before February 9, Stein adds.
JANUARY 3: The Mavericks are interested in a two-year extension for Christian Wood, according to Tim MacMahon of ESPN.
Wood recently became eligible to sign an extension of up to four years at $77MM, but the team prefers a shorter commitment, sources tell MacMahon. The most the Mavs could offer on a two-year in-season extension would be about $35.7MM.
Wood is still finding his role in Dallas after being acquired from the Rockets in an offseason trade. He’s second on the team in scoring at 17.8 PPG, and he appears to have developed a chemistry with Luka Doncic.
The Mavs were reluctant to give Wood major responsibilities right away due to long-time concerns about his defense and efficiency. But an injury to Maxi Kleber and a disappointing season from JaVale McGee created an opening for Wood to move into the starting lineup. He’s averaging 19.7 points, 8.4 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game in that role, and the team is 7-1 in the games that he and Doncic have both started.
Still, the original concerns about Wood haven’t gone away, MacMahon adds, and the Mavericks may not know for sure how reliable he can be until they see him in the playoffs. Dallas gives up 119.8 points per 100 possessions when Wood is the only big man on the court with Doncic, but the offense is compensating by averaging 121.9 points in that situation.
“I’m happy to be here. That’s what I’ll say,” Wood told reporters on Christmas Day. “The vibe is good. … I’m open to it.” However, he responded “I can’t answer that” when asked if it would take a four-year offer to keep him in Dallas.
If the Mavericks can’t work out an extension agreement with Wood, they run the risk of having him leave in free agency, just as Jalen Brunson did last summer. They may look to the trade market to get some value in return, and MacMahon notes that the team could have a difficult decision to make with the February 9 deadline barely five weeks away.
Southeast Notes: Suggs, Isaac, Adebayo, Martin
After being a “full go” at practice Monday and Tuesday, Magic guard Jalen Suggs is hoping to be ready for game action this week, according to Khobi Price of The Orlando Sentinel. Suggs has been sidelined with right ankle soreness since November 25 and has only played in 14 games this season.
It’s been a frustrating start for Suggs, who was limited to 48 games as a rookie after being taken with the fifth pick in the 2021 draft. At Wednesday’s shootaround, coach Jamahl Mosley said Suggs won’t play tonight against the Thunder, but “there’s a possibility” he might be available when Orlando hosts the Grizzlies on Thursday.
“I’ve had the biggest smile on my face these past two weeks, just being able to do more every day, ramping up,” Suggs said. “Going from the weight room to actual on-court workouts to (1-on-1 games) to 3s to now playing 5s. All of it’s been great.”
There’s more from the Southeast Division:
- Although Jonathan Isaac also practiced this week, the Magic aren’t planning for him to start playing soon, Price tweets. Isaac, who hasn’t played since the NBA bubble at Disney World, is recovering from a torn ACL in 2020 and a setback he suffered in March. “Jalen is obviously going to be further along than (Isaac),” Mosley said. “JI’s going to be sometime down the road. Have to get some more practices under his belt to get comfortable with these guys and group.”
- Heat center Bam Adebayo has responded to management’s desire for him to take on a larger role in the offense by averaging career highs this season with 21.5 points and 15.6 shots per game, writes Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. Adebayo posted his second consecutive 30-point game in Monday’s victory over the Clippers. “I saw him this summer,” Victor Oladipo said. “I saw the work he put in, I saw his growth. It’s no shock to people who’ve seen his grind. So, it’s no shock. I’m not surprised he’s having the year he’s having.”
- Hornets forward Cody Martin feels ready to return following his long absence caused by an opening-night knee injury that required arthroscopic surgery, tweets Rod Boone of The Charlotte Observer. Martin has been listed as questionable for Wednesday’s game against Memphis. “It’s just tough,” he said. “Nobody wants to sit out any games, much less however many games I sat out. So, I’m just looking forward to getting back.”
Central Notes: Donovan, LaVine, Ivey, LeVert
Last-Two Minute Reports have shown that the Bulls were on the wrong end of some critical calls during their past two games, but that’s little consolation for coach Billy Donovan, writes Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic.
“It doesn’t do anything,” Donovan said after Monday’s overtime loss at Cleveland. “It’s like, ‘We’re sorry.’”
The NBA determined that officials in that game missed a lane violation on Donovan Mitchell when he sank a game-tying shot with three seconds left in regulation after rebounding his intentionally missed free throw. The league’s report also said a travel by Cleveland center Jarrett Allen was missed before he scored with 8.9 seconds left in the fourth quarter.
The NBA acknowledged that two nights earlier, DeMar DeRozan was fouled by Cavaliers guard Caris LeVert on a potential game-winning shot as time expired. The Bulls also were the victim of a missed call at the end of their second game of the season. Three extra wins would have Chicago on the verge of a top-six spot in the East instead of its current position outside the play-in tournament, but Donovan said the team can’t dwell on officiating mistakes.
“We’ve got to overcome things. I’m just a big believer of that,” he said. “I think a lot of times you can look around and look at what everybody else is doing wrong instead of looking at yourself and what we can do better ourselves and what we have control over.”
There’s more from the Central Division:
- Bulls guard Zach LaVine said this week that he doesn’t mind seeing the team’s last-second shots going to DeMar DeRozan, but K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago doubts whether LaVine was being honest with that statement. Sources tell Johnson that LaVine has “questioned his role internally” as a complementary player to DeRozan.
- Pistons guard Jaden Ivey is making an impression on rival coaches during the first half of his rookie season, according to James L. Edwards III of The Athletic. Although the No. 5 pick needs to improve his shooting numbers, his athletic gifts suggest that he has a bright NBA future. “You watch him the open floor and he’s dangerous,” Pelicans coach Willie Green said. “He’ll continue to develop his shot. He’ll get better as time progresses. That’s just how those guys are.”
- LeVert is considered the Cavaliers‘ top trade asset heading into next month’s deadline, Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com said on his latest podcast. Fedor explains that LeVert has an expiring contract and his $18.8MM salary is in the range of players that Cleveland might want to acquire.
Wizards Notes: Beal, Davis, Gafford, Three-Point Shooting
Bradley Beal isn’t sure how long soreness in his left hamstring will continue to be an issue, writes Ava Wallace of The Washington Post. Beal returned from a three-game absence Tuesday, but he was only able to play during the first half of the Wizards‘ loss at Milwaukee. He felt the hamstring tighten up and checked out of the game late in the second quarter.
“I tried to make a few accelerations, and (it) kind of prevented me from doing that,” Beal told reporters. “It’s frustrating because I didn’t have that the last 48 hours. Nobody wants to play more than me. But I’ve just got to be smart about it.”
Beal has been available for just 24 of Washington’s 39 games. He missed five games in November while in health and safety protocols and six more in December with a strained right hamstring. Beal couldn’t offer any insight about when he expects to be 100% again, saying that the latest injury can be aggravated by normal basketball activities.
“It’s tough. It is frustrating. I always preach your best ability is your availability, and I haven’t been that. That piece is definitely frustrating, but I have to be encouraged and understand that there’s still more that I can contribute to the game,” Beal said. “… It’s tough because we’re playing good ball. I want to be a part of that.”
There’s more on the Wizards:
- Johnny Davis, a rookie guard out of Wisconsin, didn’t accompany the team for its four-day stay in Milwaukee because he’s being treated for a hip injury, Wallace adds. Although Davis has spent much of the season in the G League, appearing in just 10 NBA games so far, coach Wes Unseld Jr. indicated that he might have been brought on the trip if not for the injury.
- Daniel Gafford also left Tuesday’s game early, according to Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington. Gafford was pulled from the contest in the fourth quarter with a right elbow issue after a series of collisions with Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Wizards didn’t provide any information on Gafford’s status, but they have two days off for him to recover before their next game.
- Outside shooting may be the team’s priority heading into the trade deadline, Hughes states in a separate story. Washington shot just 8-for-27 (29.5%) from beyond the arc in Tuesday’s loss, and Hughes notes that it’s the 21st time this season that the Wizards have made 10 or fewer three-pointers. They’re last in the league in threes made by their guards, so that could be an area to address in the trade market, particularly if Beal’s playing status remains uncertain.
Wizards Notes: Hachimura, Winning Streak, Beal, Kuzma
Wizards forward Rui Hachimura has looked better than ever since returning from a month-long absence caused by a bone bruise in his right ankle, according to Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington. Hachimura is averaging 21.4 PPG and shooting 60% from the floor over his past five games. He led all scorers with 26 points in Sunday’s win at Milwaukee and has become an integral part of Washington’s offense.
Hachimura is taking advantage of all his offensive talents, Hughes adds. He has long been effective in attacking the basket, and his development as a ball-handler has improved that aspect of his game. He also has upgraded his jumper and is connecting at a career-best 52.2% from the field.
“I always thought he was a one-dribble pull-up guy,” Suns coach Monty Williams said. “Now he can put it down for more than one dribble. He’s a big, strong kid. If you don’t have a sizable guy to guard him, he can bury you. So, I think he’s going to be a guy that can draw double teams against smaller guys. That’s always an advantage for a team.”
There’s more on the Wizards:
- Washington has taken advantage of some short-handed teams during its five-game winning streak, observes Josh Robbins of The Athletic. The Bucks were missing Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday in Sunday’s loss, and Robbins details a few other wins over teams without their full complement of players. He also points out that the Wizards’ 10-game losing streak earlier this season came amid a slew of injuries, and they understand that it’s part of life in the NBA. “Obviously, we’ve caught some teams that have been banged up, but we’ve been on the other side of that,” coach Wes Unseld Jr. said. “We can’t determine who’s available, who’s playing — it’s just more about us. Can we take care of our business? And for the most part, we have.”
- Bradley Beal sat out his third straight game Sunday night with a sore left hamstring, but he could return for Tuesday’s rematch with the Bucks, Robbins adds.
- Kyle Kuzma, who has been the subject of trade speculation ahead of next month’s deadline, had one of his best games of the season Sunday, notes Ava Wallace of The Washington Post. Kuzma posted 10 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists for his second career triple-double, and he’s been one of the catalysts of the winning streak. “(Kuzma) has been a big-time play-maker for us,” Unseld said. “Facilitating in the open floor (and) playing out of the post. His pace up the floor has been really good for us, even after makes. So he’s doing a little bit of everything, and I think it’s important. Brad has been out; he and (Kristaps Porzingis) have to kind of shoulder the burden offensively. But the fact that we’re still trying to play through them and they are willing to share the ball I think speaks volumes.”
Pacific Notes: Shamet, Payne, Warriors, Batum, Toscano-Anderson
Phoenix has stumbled amid injuries to key players, but two of them are expected to return for Monday’s game in New York, according to Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. Landry Shamet and Cameron Payne are both listed as probable for the afternoon contest as the Suns try to shake a slump that has dropped them to seventh in the West.
“I feel good,” said Shamet, who has sat out the past three games with a sore right Achilles. “Training staff took care of me as they always do. I feel good. Body feels good.”
Payne suffered a strained right foot December 13 and has missed nine games. He was posting career highs with 12.7 points and 5.3 assists per game before the injury, and he enables the Suns to play at a faster tempo when he comes off the bench to replace Chris Paul.
“Pace. Getting into the paint,” Payne said when asked how he can help the team. “Like touching the paint. I feel every time we touch the paint, something good happens and I feel like we got away from that. I feel like getting into the paint and bringing my energy.”
There’s more from the Pacific Division:
- The news isn’t as good for the Warriors, who will be without four frontcourt players for Monday’s game against the Hawks, tweets Anthony Slater of The Athletic. Andrew Wiggins remains sidelined with an illness and will miss his 14th straight game since suffering an adductor strain. Also inactive are Jonathan Kuminga (sprained right foot), James Wiseman (sprained left ankle) and JaMychal Green (lower right leg infection).
- Nicolas Batum‘s goal of playing all 82 games this season ended when he sat out Saturday with a sprained ankle, but the Clippers forward is proud of his durability at age 34, writes Janis Carr of The Orange County Register. Batum credits daily weightlifting sessions, workouts and practices with keeping him in top condition. “If I got some injury stuff, I take care of it,” he said. “I don’t want to miss practice. I haven’t missed practice or shootaround yet this year, so I try to be there as much as possible every time. It’s just the routine I have just to take care of my body to be there for my team.”
- Lakers players are responding to the challenge LeBron James delivered last week when he said he doesn’t want to “finish my career playing at this level, from a team aspect,” per Kyle Goon of The Orange County Register. “I actually appreciate the pressure, I like the pressure,” Juan Toscano-Anderson said. “I know what championship basketball looks like, I know what high-level basketball looks like. That’s what they expect. … You gotta step up to the plate. It’s a man’s game.”