Warriors Notes: Kuminga, Thompson, Curry, Green
Jonathan Kuminga was on the court for 16 minutes Friday night and it could be the start of expanded playing time for the Warriors‘ rookie forward, according to Alex Shultz of SFGate. Kuminga made the most of his opportunity, scoring eight points and playing strong defense on the Bulls’ DeMar DeRozan.
It was only the sixth game of the season for the No. 7 overall pick, whose progress was slowed by a strained patella in the preseason and later spent time in the G League. Head coach Steve Kerr indicated that Kuminga made “huge strides” in practice recently and Friday’s extra playing time was a reward for that effort.
“As long as he goes out there and runs the floor, plays defense, takes care of the ball and passes like he did tonight, we’re going to continue to give him opportunities,” Kerr said.
There’s more on the Warriors:
- Klay Thompson continues to make “steady progress” in his recovery from Achilles surgery and could be ready to play in five to six weeks, tweets basketball writer Jordan Schultz. Sources tell Schultz that Thompson is in “great shape” and is close to being cleared for five-on-five play. That lines up with a report earlier this week that Thompson could return prior to his target date of Christmas Day.
- Grizzlies guard Ja Morant enjoys watching the on-court relationship between Stephen Curry and Draymond Green, writes Alex Didion of NBC Sports Bay Area. As Golden State was pulling away from Chicago Friday night, Morant tweeted “chemistry crazy” after Green set up Curry for an open three-pointer.
- In a mailbag column, ESPN’s Kevin Pelton addresses whether Kuminga, fellow rookie Moses Moody and second-year center James Wiseman can reach their potential on a title contending team where playing time is likely to be scarce. Pelton theorizes that players can improve enough through individual workouts and regular minutes in the G League that NBA playing time isn’t a vital part of the process.
Knicks Notes: Barrett, Fournier, Randle, Walker
Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau lost patience with his starting lineup Wednesday and with the theory that they need more time together to be effective. RJ Barrett, one of the holdovers from last season, agrees that the starters haven’t played well enough but believes the problems will eventually work themselves out, writes Marc Berman of The New York Post.
“Everything takes time — any new team,’’ Barrett said. “No one’s going to have it right away off the bat. It takes time. We’re trying to figure out who we are if we’re going to be consistent. I think this whole team. Even though we were together last year, the guys that were here, we’re still learning each other, so we’re gonna keep growing, improving.’’
New York is 7-6, but all five starters are posting negative plus-minus ratings. Evan Fournier, who was added in free agency over the summer, believes the offense has gotten “very stagnant” when the starting lineup is on the court together.
“We started really well, shooting the ball well, sharing the ball, et cetera,” he said. “Now it’s not as good. So are we playing not as well because we are missing shots or are we missing shots because we aren’t sharing the ball.’’
There’s more from New York:
- The Knicks aren’t getting their money’s worth from Fournier so far, Berman states in a separate story. They signed him for $78MM over four years, but Thibodeau appears to have lost confidence in him late in games. Berman points out that Fournier has been benched for the final 14 minutes of the last two contests, both losses, and he isn’t providing the clutch shots or hustle on defense that the team needs.
- Another issue is a lack of chemistry between new point guard Kemba Walker and Julius Randle, Berman adds. Both players are used to controlling the ball, and a scout tells Berman that Randle “pouts” when he feels he doesn’t have it enough. Berman notes that Randle, who had five turnovers in Friday’s loss to the Hornets, is starting to revert to iso-ball habits. “I definitely think there’s games where we’re being outworked, outrebounded,’’ Randle said. “Our identity’s not our defensive end (like) how it has been. But we know that. We know we got to fix it. We just got to keep working at it, just keep coming together and stay together.’’
- Sopan Deb of The New York Times examines what has gone wrong with the Knicks’ defense, which was the core of the team’s identity last season.
Woj: John Wall May Sit Out Entire Season
John Wall isn’t expected to play for the Rockets this season and it doesn’t appear any teams are willing to gamble on his contract, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski said on tonight’s “NBA Countdown” (hat tip to Doric Sam of Bleacher Report).
“There are no plans for John Wall to play for the Rockets, and it’s becoming increasingly likely that John Wall may not play anywhere in the NBA this season because the cost of his contract right now is just too prohibitive,” Wojnarowski said.
The 31-year-old point guard is owed nearly $91.7MM over the next two seasons, which breaks down to a $44,310,840 salary this year with a $47,366,760 player option for 2022/23. Wojnarowski suggested that the only way for Wall to engineer a trade to another team would be to turn down that option in advance.
“Any team that would potentially trade for him would want him to decline that option,” Woj said. “Well, he’s not doing that, he’s not giving that money back.”
Wall reached an agreement with the Rockets in September that he would sit out games while the team explored trade possibilities. Since that time, he has served as a de facto assistant coach, working with the team’s young players but with no intent to actually see any playing time.
Houston acquired Wall before the start of last season, sending Russell Westbrook to the Wizards and picking up a lottery-protected first-round pick in 2023. Wall was able to revive his career somewhat after missing a year and a half because of injuries. He appeared in 40 games for the Rockets and averaged 20.6 points, 3.2 rebounds and 6.9 assists per night.
It appears a buyout is the only way for Wall to join another team, but the amount of money he would have to give up may be too high for that to be realistic.
Knicks Notes: Fournier, Robinson, Gibson, Chemistry
The signing of Evan Fournier has added another dimension to the Knicks‘ offense, writes Zach Braziller of The New York Post. Fournier made a statement with 32 points in his first game with his new team, and although he hasn’t duplicated that, he has put up consistent numbers, averaging 14.9 PPG and shooting 37.5% from three-point range.
Fournier was barely mentioned as a target for New York when free agency began, Braziller notes, as the team was rumored to have more interest in Lonzo Ball and DeMar DeRozan. They both wound up in Chicago, so the Knicks lured Fournier away from Boston on a four-year, $73MM deal.
“I just like his playmaking, I like the shooting,” coach Tom Thibodeau said. “One of the things when you go back, we had to close the gap in the 3-point shooting. That was a big thing for us. Two years ago, we were so far behind in that. I think that he and Kemba (Walker) have added the right shot profile to what we’re trying to get accomplished. We still have room to grow in that area. Understanding how we get to those shots is important.”
There’s more from New York:
- Mitchell Robinson is reminding people how valuable he can be when he’s on the court, notes Mike Vaccaro of The New York Post. The Knicks’ disappointing first-round playoff exit last season came without Robinson, who was sidelined with a broken foot. The team believes it has an effective center combination with Robinson and Nerlens Noel, as long as both can stay healthy. “When they play together, I think we’re a handful to deal with,” Thibodeau said.
- While Robinson and Noel have both battled injuries, Taj Gibson has been the team’s most reliable center, per Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News. Gibson said cutting sugar from his diet has helped him remain productive at age 36. “No candy. No candy,” he said. “Me and Derrick (Rose) were talking about all the good candy we used to eat back in the day. I can’t eat that stuff anymore because so much inflammation it leads to after a game. Playing real physical, playing against talented big men the way we’ve been playing, I just been taking care of my body.”
- The Knicks are still working to develop team chemistry after bringing in a new starting backcourt, observes Peter Botte of The New York Post. “It’s only going to get better,” Walker said. “We’re still trying to figure each other out. But yeah, as long as we keep communicating, which we are, me and (Julius Randle), us as a team, we’ll continue to grow. That’s what it’s about.”
Pacific Notes: Bagley, Davis, Warriors, R. Jackson
Kings coach Luke Walton refused to comment on speculation that Marvin Bagley III refused to check into Monday’s game against the Suns, tweets Sean Cunningham of KXTV in Sacramento. Cunningham posted a video clip of Bagley walking away from coaches and shaking his head during a timeout. Cunningham was told by multiple sources that Bagley turned down Walton when he was told to enter the game.
“Anything that happens within our group, that’s between our group,” Walton responded when reporters asked him about the incident. “So the thing that matters is people know what’s expected and we continue to move forward tonight” (Twitter link from Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee).
Bagley has repeatedly expressed frustration about his situation with the Kings, as have his agent and his father. He has only played once in the team’s first 11 games.
There’s more from the Pacific Division:
- Anthony Davis is determined to prove that he can lead the Lakers with LeBron James sidelined, per Kyle Goon of The Orange County Register. Davis overcame a lingering stomach illness Monday night to push L.A. to an overtime victory against the Hornets. “(Carmelo Anthony) is in my ear a lot about leading the team and just controlling the team, especially with (James) out,” Davis said. “We don’t have all our guys yet, so guys are playing a lot of minutes now, but it’s my job to make sure I stay in command of the team.”
- Warriors president of basketball operations Bob Myers didn’t make a splashy trade during the offseason, but all his smaller pick-ups have worked out, observes Kendra Andrews of NBC Sports Bay Area. Myers filled the roster with Andre Iguodala, Nemanja Bjelica and Otto Porter Jr., all of whom have contributed to the team’s league-best 9-1 start.
- Defense was among the many topics that Clippers guard Reggie Jackson wanted to talk about after Tuesday’s win over the Trail Blazers, writes Mirjam Swanson of The Orange County Register. He said everyone has bought into the scheme, enabling L.A. to rank in the top three in team defense despite playing without Kawhi Leonard. “(Ivica Zubac) and myself and a few of us have actually been joking about (Luke Kennard’s) willingness to play defense, honestly,” Jackson said. “He’s been such a threat on offense and now the way that he’s locking in on defense and giving his best effort, he understands what we’re trying to get accomplished, he understands where help’s coming from, where he needs to be at in help and it’s just getting contagious. Like, this is fun. It’s fun figuring it out.”
Cavaliers Notes: Sexton, Windler, Okoro, Allen
Coach J.B. Bickerstaff will explore his options as the Cavaliers try to survive without starting guard Collin Sexton, writes Kelsey Russo of The Athletic. Sexton was diagnosed Monday with a torn meniscus in his left knee, and the Cavs are still determining the best way to deal with the injury and how much time he might miss. Cleveland is one of the NBA’s surprise teams with a 7-4 start, and Sexton has been the top scorer at 16.0 points per game.
Bickerstaff doesn’t have a similar scoring threat at shooting guard, where Sexton has started all 11 games, so playing time might depend on nightly matchups. He said everyone will need to “tick up a couple of notches” until Sexton returns.
“So those guys that are stepping in and their minutes are going to increase, they’ve got to find ways to help,” Bickerstaff said. “Whether they create shots for other people, whether it’s the shots for them, on the defensive end of the floor, they take those challenges. So it’s going to be everybody that’s got to contribute a little bit more. The guys that are taking those minutes and then the guys who are playing as well. They’re going to have to find a way to help us more as well.”
There’s more from Cleveland:
- Sexton’s absence could result in more minutes for Dylan Windler, who is fully healthy after injuries limited him to 31 games in his first two seasons, Russo adds. Windler is playing just 9.9 minutes per night, but he’s shooting 50% from three-point range. “I think he’s finding his way,” Bickerstaff said. “And the only way that happens in the league is by playing. You have to believe and have the confidence, but you’ve got to get the experience of being on the floor and playing against other NBA players and playing with your teammates so that they know where you’re going to be and what spots you like and all those things. So, the more and more he plays, the more comfortable he’ll get.”
- The Cavs are welcoming back swingman Isaac Okoro, who is returning tonight after missing seven games with a strained left hamstring, according to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. Okoro will be on an undetermined minutes restriction, Fedor adds.
- Center Jarrett Allen, the Eastern Conference Player of the Week, is quickly building chemistry with new frontcourt partners Lauri Markkanen and Evan Mobley, writes Katie Heindl of Uproxx.
Heat Notes: Morris, Haslem, Strus, Herro
With a couple of days to cool down following Monday’s incident in Denver, Heat players are hoping to put the skirmish behind them, writes Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. Nuggets center Nikola Jokic was suspended for one game for striking Markieff Morris in the back following a hard foul late in Monday’s contest. Morris was fined $50K for the initial hit, while teammate Jimmy Butler received a $30K fine for “attempting to escalate” the conflict.
Morris suffered whiplash and has been ruled out of tonight’s game against the Lakers, Chiang adds. He was at the team’s shootout this morning, but didn’t participate and left for a doctor’s appointment without speaking to reporters.
“Obviously in a situation like that, alpha males and reactions take over,” said team captain Udonis Haslem. “A couple of days later, we all want what’s best for everybody. I don’t think Jokic is a bad guy. I actually love him as a basketball player and I love him as a person. I think he’s a really good guy. I think emotions just got the best of everybody.”
There’s more on the Heat:
- Max Strus will miss his fifth straight game tonight with a sprained left knee, Chiang adds. Strus was initially listed as probable, but woke up with pain in the knee today following a workout Tuesday. “He had a really good day of work yesterday,” coach Erik Spoelstra said. “He’s definitely making progress and I think he needs a little bit more time.”
- Tonight will mark Miami’s first meeting with Kendrick Nunn since he signed with the Lakers in free agency, notes Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel. The Heat decided to rescind their qualifying offer to Nunn because of luxury tax concerns, but Spoelstra said he enjoyed the two years they spent together. “He surprised everybody in the league,” Spoelstra said. “He really contributed and helped us win at a high level. And he got better as a basketball player. And he developed a relationship with some that I know will continue. I’m a big fan of K-Nunn.”
- The offseason addition of Kyle Lowry is one obvious reason for the Heat‘s 7-3 start, but Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer identifies a few more. One is the resurgence of Tyler Herro, who is back to being the dangerous offensive threat he was after the NBA’s restart in 2020. He’s averaging 20.3 PPG and has become a more efficient scorer in his third season.
Nets Notes: Harden, New Rules, Irving, Aldridge
The NBA’s new philosophy on calling fouls has been nicknamed the “Harden Rules,” and Nets guard James Harden is having a difficult time adapting to it, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Harden attempted just three free throws in Monday’s loss to the Bulls and was noticeably demonstrative after several non-calls.
Harden’s production has fallen dramatically during the season’s first 11 games as he’s averaging just 18.3 points per night after more than a decade of being among the league’s scoring leaders. Part of the drop has been at the foul line, where he’s taking just 4.6 free throws per game, down from 7.3 last season.
“I don’t want to talk about it,” Harden told reporters after the game. “No, I don’t want to talk about it. I never got … it didn’t take me out of my game. I felt like I played well to the fourth quarter. In the fourth quarter, none of us played well. It definitely didn’t take me out of my game.”
There’s more on the Nets:
- Michael Scotto of HoopsHype talked to several NBA executives about Kyrie Irving‘s trade value and found a widespread reluctance to deal for the enigmatic point guard. “For the most part, every front office and coaching staff is scared to death of him and doesn’t want to touch him,” an unidentified executive said. “Honestly, it might’ve been four teams before this (his refusal to get vaccinated). He’s a guy that front offices don’t trust. Coaches don’t want to deal with him. Players like him.” Another speculated that the Sixers might be willing to take him in exchange for Ben Simmons, but there’s overall pessimism that Irving will be dealt.
- LaMarcus Aldridge, who has revived his career after the medical scare that forced him to briefly retire last spring, talked to Sopan Deb of The New York Times about the difficulty of almost seeing his career end so abruptly. “The first day didn’t feel real. The first day felt like I had an off day,” Aldridge said. “And then your second day, you feel like it’s a game day, so you’re just at home. And after like a week or two, you’re like: “Man, I’m not at the gym. I’m not with the fellas. I’m not traveling, not playing.” Like two weeks in, I was like: “Man, this is what it is. I have to find my new interest, shift my focus to something else.” That’s when it hit me, like, “Man, what’s next?”
- The Nets are known for their stars, but a few players have created a Blue Collar Boys club that is dedicated to doing the dirty work, per Tom Dowd of NBA.com. Blake Griffin and Joe Harris started the club last season and have inducted other players as they prove themselves worthy.
Sixers Notes: Expanded Rotation, Drummond, Embiid, Simmons
The Sixers have the best record in the Eastern Conference, but they’re starting to feel the effects of a depleted roster, writes Kyle Neubeck of The Philly Voice. Joel Embiid‘s positive COVID-19 test was the latest challenge for a team that is already playing without Ben Simmons and has seen Tobias Harris, Matisse Thybulle and Isaiah Joe also sidelined by the virus.
The result has been an increased workload for the remaining rotation players, which is raising concerns about fatigue. Tonight’s game against the Bucks will be the second of a back-to-back, and coach Doc Rivers said he plans to use at least 10 players. Neubeck expects Jaden Springer and two-way player Aaron Henry to both see action, but probably not Charles Bassey, who has only played seven total minutes this season.
There’s more on the Sixers:
- Andre Drummond, who was signed over the summer to be Embiid’s backup, turned in his best game of the season Monday night, Neubeck adds. Drummond collected 25 rebounds in a loss to the Knicks, becoming the first Sixer to reach that total in 34 years. He played more than 38 minutes, but doesn’t seem fazed by the increased workload. “Sleep, sleep as much as we can,” Drummond said. “Take care of our bodies, ice, compress our knees. Guys that have played a lot of games know how to take care of their body. I’ve played a long time, we know what it takes to sustain our bodies for the rest of the year.”
- Because Embiid is symptomatic for COVID-19, there are concerns that his absence could stretch beyond the normal 10 days, according to Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Pompey notes that Embiid has historically found it difficult to stay in shape when not playing, so having him out of the lineup could impact the Sixers well into the future. “Obviously, this is an extreme case without Joel,” Rivers said. “We didn’t anticipate this. But, we do have a bona fide starting center. And that helps us for sure.”
- Philadelphia has reportedly talked to at least 10 teams about trading for Simmons, but sources tell Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report there have been “very few firm offers.” Most of the talks have involved setting up two-team and three-team frameworks that the Sixers might accept, but president of basketball operations Daryl Morey hasn’t dropped his insistence on receiving a star player in return.
Monte McNair: Playoffs Are “Singular Focus” For Kings
The Kings hired Monte McNair as general manager 14 months ago with a mission to end their long postseason drought, and he believes the best approach is patience rather than splashy moves, writes Sam Amick of The Athletic. In a lengthy interview, McNair explains his philosophy on team building and delves into several other topics.
McNair didn’t arrive in Sacramento with a desire to put his “stamp” on the organization, Amick notes. That’s why he has chosen to build through the draft and minor deals, rather than taking a big swing on a risky talent like Ben Simmons.
“One thing that’s really helped us is (that) we have a very, very clear goal,” McNair said. “We want to get this organization back to the playoffs. We want to get back there (and) that helps (that) we have a singular focus.”
The Kings are off to a 5-6 start that has put them in the middle of the Western Conference playoff race. McNair has drafted well, landing Tyrese Haliburton and Davion Mitchell in the last two lotteries, and was able to keep Richaun Holmes in free agency, re-signing him to a four-year deal over the summer.
While Sacramento’s management team has sometimes been chaotic over the past decade and a half, McNair believes the current group works well together and will ultimately be successful.
“The thing we are definitely all doing is rowing the boat in the same direction,” he said. “Now we want to row as fast as we can and as straight as we can. … But we are for sure rowing in the same direction, and that makes it a lot easier. We’ve got a great group. And so now, it’s just, ‘Can we do it?’”
McNair covers several other issues in the interview, including:
The decision to draft Mitchell when the Kings already had plenty of guards:
“Certainly, when you just look at the team we had and who we had drafted the year before and Tyrese and who we already had on the team with De’Aaron (Fox), and you say, ‘Why would you draft another point guard?’ (But) this is where we talk about being a best player available in the draft. And it’s a hard thing to do sometimes, but we truthfully sit here and try to (draft) best player available. And when Davion is sitting at the top of our board, we do not hesitate to draft him.”
The relationship with Buddy Hield after he was nearly traded to the Lakers over the summer:
“Yeah, we had some (trade) conversations over the offseason. I don’t want to go into too much detail there, but (the approach was to) treat Buddy like the adult that he is and I think he appreciated that. He does the same with me. And I said, ‘Look, you know, obviously your name has been out there. But if it doesn’t work out, if nothing happens, you come back, you’re expected to let it fly.’ And he’s been doing that.”
The status of Marvin Bagley III, who has complained about how the franchise has handled him after drafting him second overall in 2018. Bagley has only appeared in one game this season and is on track for restricted free agency after not receiving an extension offer:
“Marvin has been putting in the work and staying ready. And just like we tell all our guys, when your number’s called, you go in, and you help us win. It’s a long season. We’re gonna need — we’ve (got) 17 guys now on the roster and we’re gonna need all of them at some point. And you know, Marvin as well as everybody else is going to be ready when they’re called.”