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.”
Michael Porter Jr. To Be Sidelined For “Foreseeable Future”
The back injury that Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. suffered on Saturday will keep him out of action for the “foreseeable future,” according to an article by The Athletic.
Coach Michael Malone updated Porter’s status before Monday’s game, telling reporters that the team plans to be careful as he deals with the injury. Malone added that Porter will undergo more testing before any decisions are made.
“This is a process where we’re being very cautious, talking to doctors, getting imaging all that kind of stuff,” Malone said.
The injury happened as Porter missed a breakaway layup early in Saturday’s game with the Rockets. The Nuggets’ medical staff conducted several tests on Sunday, and he was ruled out of Monday’s game.
The 23-year-old is off to a slow start after last year’s breakthrough season, which saw him average 19.0 points and 7.0 rebounds per game. Through nine games, those numbers are down to 9.9 PPG and 6.6 RPG and his shooting percentages have dropped from 54.2% from the field and 44.5% from three-point range to 35.9% and 20.8%.
Back injuries are particularly concerning for Porter, who has already undergone two surgeries to relieve back pain. However, the team is confident that he will be able to return at some point this season and doesn’t believe another operation will be necessary, according to Joe Vardon of The Athletic. But Porter won’t try to play again until the soreness is gone and the Nuggets are sure that his back is structurally sound.
Denver is already playing without Jamal Murray, who is expected to miss most of the season while recovering from ACL surgery. Vardon expects Aaron Gordon to get a greater share of the team’s offense in Porter’s absence, while free agent addition Jeff Green may see his minutes increase.
“We all have to support Michael like we’re all supporting Jamal. … Michael could be back in a week,” Malone said. “It could be more than that. I don’t know. When I say foreseeable future, I don’t really know what that means. I just know he’s not playing tonight.”
Nikola Jokic Faces Suspension After Fight
A suspension may be coming for Nuggets center Nikola Jokic after a violent hit on Heat forward Markieff Morris in the late stages of Monday’s game, writes Joe Vardon of The Athletic.
With 2:39 remaining and Denver leading by 17 points, Morris committed a hard intentional foul on Jokic at midcourt. The reigning MVP responded by charging at Morris and hitting him in the back with his right forearm and shoulder. According to Vardon, Morris’ head snapped back and he collapsed to the floor while grabbing his forehead as a fight erupted between the other players on the court.
Miami’s medical team, along with paramedics, spent several minutes checking on Morris before he was able to walk to the locker room with help from teammates. After the game, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra blasted Jokic for his actions.
“It’s just absolutely uncalled for, and it would have looked a lot different, this whole thing could have been a lot uglier if Markieff was actually facing Jokic,” Spoelstra said. “The fact that he had his back turned, and he made a play like that, blindsiding, it was just a very dangerous play.”
Jokic, who was ejected, admitted that he handled the situation poorly, saying, “It’s a stupid play. I feel bad.” Morris received a Flagrant-2 foul and was also ejected for prompting the incident.
“The contact by Morris was interpreted to be excessive and unnecessary based on the following criteria,” referee Kevin Scott explained. “One, the severity of the contact. Two, whether or not the player was making a legitimate basketball play. Three, the potential for injury resulting from the contact, and four, the outcome of the contact led to an altercation.”
Denver coach Michael Malone told reporters that he expects to have Jokic available for Wednesday’s game, but admitted that he hadn’t watched a replay of the incident. Vardon considers a suspension to be inevitable.
Bulls Notes: Williams, Vucevic, Dosunmu, White
Bulls forward Patrick Williams is back with the team after having surgery on his left wrist last Sunday, writes Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. It will be several months before doctors can determine whether Williams is able to return for the end of the season or the playoffs, and he wants to stay as involved as possible. That means joining his teammates for an upcoming road trip if the medical staff approves.
“You’d like him around the team, but he’s going to have some difficulties sleeping, just because he has to pretty much keep that hand in a position where he really does no movement until he gets the cast off,” coach Billy Donovan explained. “That’s what the medical staff will talk about. We’ll have discussions on what is in his best interest there. It’s such a detailed surgery he went through, you don’t want to get into anything that disrupts what’s been done. They may recommend against the travel.’’
Donovan adds that he hasn’t talked to executive VP of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas about acquiring a possible replacement for Williams. With the season only a couple of weeks old, their conversations have focused on the current personnel.
“We haven’t talked about any of that stuff,’’ Donovan said. “Eight games in, these guys need time to play with each other. I think we’re both excited about the team. We haven’t talked about anything, ‘Hey, going forward, let’s add this.’ None of that. It’s been more about our team and where we can get better.’’
There’s more from Chicago:
- Nikola Vucevic‘s low-post opportunities have decreased after the Bulls added more perimeter scoring in the offseason, but he’s not concerned about his new role, Cowley adds in the same piece. The coaching staff prefers to have him initiating the offense from the top of the arc or operating out of the pick and roll. “Billy does want the ball to go through me a lot on the high post and play through that, especially if we don’t get much out of our initial action,’’ Vucevic said. ‘‘He wants me to flash to the ball and get actions out of that. It’s pretty similar . . . to something I’ve done for years to try to be more of a facilitator.’’
- Ayo Dosunmu has become a rare second-round pick who is able to contribute right away, Cowley adds in a separate story. Taken 38th in this year’s draft, Dosunmu has earned a spot in the rotation and is averaging 12.8 minutes per night through his first eight games.
- Coby White, who is recovering from shoulder surgery, was able to take part in light-contact shooting drills at Friday’s practice, per Paul Sullivan of The Chicago Tribune. However, there’s still not a set timetable for him to return, with Donovan saying, “I don’t know how close he is.”
2021 NBA Offseason In Review: San Antonio Spurs
Hoops Rumors is breaking down the 2021 offseason for all 30 NBA teams, revisiting the summer’s free agent signings, trades, draft picks, departures, and more. We’ll evaluate each team’s offseason moves and look ahead to what the 2021/22 season holds for all 30 franchises. Today, we’re focusing on the San Antonio Spurs.
Free agent signings:
Note: Exhibit 9 and 10 deals aren’t included here.
Doug McDermott: Three years, $41.25MM. Includes $750K in unlikely incentives. Acquired via sign-and-trade.- Zach Collins: Three years, $22.05MM. Second year partially guaranteed. Third year non-guaranteed. Signed using cap room.
- Bryn Forbes: One year, $4.5MM. Signed using room exception.
- Keita Bates-Diop: Two years, minimum salary. Second year non-guaranteed. Signed using minimum salary exception.
- Jock Landale: Two years, minimum salary. Second year non-guaranteed. Signed using minimum salary exception.
Trades:
- Acquired Chandler Hutchison (from Wizards) and either the Bulls’, the Lakers’, or the Pistons’ 2022 second-round pick (whichever is most favorable; from Wizards) in a five-team trade in exchange for the draft rights to Nikola Milutinov (to Nets).
- Acquired Doug McDermott (sign-and-trade), the Pacers’ 2023 second-round pick (top-55 protected), and the right to swap their own 2026 second-round pick for either the Pacers’ or the Heat’s 2026 second-round pick (whichever is least favorable) from the Pacers in exchange for the Spurs’ 2023 second-round pick (top-55 protected).
- Acquired Thaddeus Young, Al-Farouq Aminu, the Bulls’ 2025 first-round pick (top-10 protected), either the Pistons’ or Bulls’ 2022 second-round pick (whichever is most favorable), and the Bulls’ 2025 second-round pick from the Bulls in exchange for DeMar DeRozan (sign-and-trade).
- Note: If the Bulls don’t convey their 2023 first-round pick (top-four protected) to Orlando in 2023, the first-round pick they send the Spurs will be pushed back until at least 2026.
- Note: The Spurs already had the ability to swap the Lakers’ 2022 second-round pick for either the Pistons’ or Bulls’ 2022 second-round pick (whichever is most favorable). Now they’ll receive the Lakers’ pick and the most favorable of the Pistons’ and Bulls’ picks.
- Note: Aminu was later waived.
Draft picks:
- 1-12: Joshua Primo
- Signed to rookie scale contract (four years, $18,415,445).
- 2-41: Joe Wieskamp
- Signed to two-way contract.
Waiver claims:
- Devontae Cacok: Exhibit 10 contract. Converted to two-way contract after being claimed.
Contract extensions:
- None
Departing players:
- DeMar DeRozan
- Gorgui Dieng
- Rudy Gay
- DaQuan Jeffries
- Trey Lyles
- Patty Mills
- Luka Samanic
- Quinndary Weatherspoon
Other offseason news:
- Hired Manu Ginobili as special advisor to basketball operations.
- Hired Matt Nielsen as assistant coach; lost assistant coach Will Hardy.
Salary cap situation:
- Went under the cap, used their cap room, then used the room exception.
- Carrying approximately $117.9MM in salary.
- Hard-capped at $143MM.
- $410,000 of room exception still available ($4.5MM used on Bryn Forbes).
The Spurs’ offseason:
It’s been more than two decades since the Spurs have needed to rebuild, but it appears the youth movement is now fully underway in San Antonio. The veteran core that led the team to the play-in tournament last season is gone, and the roster is constructed around a promising group of 25-and-under players.
The transformation began last winter when San Antonio shut down and eventually reached a buyout agreement with LaMarcus Aldridge, who was the starting center for the first half of the season. DeMar DeRozan, Rudy Gay, and Patty Mills all departed in free agency over the offseason, speeding up the transition to a younger group.
Gregg Popovich, the league’s oldest and longest-tenured head coach, has welcomed the opportunity to start teaching again after so many years of having a veteran-laden team. The Spurs are now led by 25-year-old Dejounte Murray, who leads the team in points, assists and steals through the early part of the season; 22-year-old Keldon Johnson, who earned a spot on the U.S. Olympic team; and 25-year-old Jakob Poeltl, whose strong play last season led to the decision to part with Aldridge.
The Spurs spent the summer searching for players to complement their young nucleus. They added a sharpshooter by acquiring Doug McDermott from the Pacers in a sign-and-trade deal that didn’t cost them any assets besides cap room. McDermott is a career 40.7% shooter from three-point range who should help stretch opposing defenses and provide plenty of driving lanes for San Antonio’s guards.
More shooting came through a reunion with Bryn Forbes, who played a role off the bench for the champion Bucks last year after spending his first four NBA seasons in San Antonio. Forbes, whose modest $4.5MM deal fit into the room exception, is another deadly outside threat, connecting at 41.2% for his career from beyond the arc.
The Spurs gambled on former Trail Blazers big man Zach Collins, who has been through multiple foot surgeries over the past two years and was limited to a combined 11 games in that time. Collins agreed to a three-year, $22MM contract, but the only guarantees are $7MM for the first season and half of his $7.35MM salary in the second season. The team hopes Collins will be ready to start playing sometime after Christmas.
The other significant offseason addition was Thaddeus Young, who was part of the return in the sign-and-trade that sent DeRozan to Chicago. Now in his 15th NBA season, the 33-year-old power forward brings a touch of veteran leadership to the roster and figures to be in demand at the February trade deadline.
Al-Farouq Aminu, who was acquired from the Bulls in the same deal, was waived before the start of the season, despite having a guaranteed $10MM+ salary. The Spurs also opted to part with Luka Samanic, whom they took with the 19th pick in the 2019 draft. He’s only 21, but San Antonio had more than 15 players with guaranteed contracts in camp and Samanic didn’t produce enough in his two years with the organization.
The Spurs provided one of the surprises of this year’s lottery, using the 12th pick on Alabama guard Joshua Primo, who was the youngest player in the draft. Primo has already been assigned to the G League and may spend much of the season there so he can get regular playing time and develop his skills.
With the 41st pick, San Antonio drafted Iowa guard Joe Wieskamp, another shooting specialist. He has also been sent to the G League, and like Primo, is considered more of a long-term prospect than someone who will help right away.
The Spurs’ season:
The Spurs reaching the playoffs used to be the safest bet in sports — they got there in a record 22 consecutive seasons. Those days are gone now, as the rebuilding team that may be a long shot to return to the play-in tournament. Instead of molding a title contender, Popovich will focus on developing his youngsters and paving the way for the next era of Spurs basketball.
The Spurs have drafted well over the years and have plenty of talent on the roster. Derrick White, Devin Vassell and Lonnie Walker IV are other intriguing members of the young core, and San Antonio has plenty of roster flexibility, with no player earning more this season than Murray’s $15.4MM salary.
The most pressing question about the Spurs’ future is how much longer Popovich plans to be part of it. With his 73rd birthday looming in January, he’s already the oldest coach in NBA history and he accomplished a major career goal over the summer when he led Team USA to an Olympic gold medal.
There have been conflicting rumors about Popovich’s plans for the future, but the latest report indicates the Spurs are expecting him to step down within the next two years. Before that happens, he almost certainly will pick up the 23 victories he needs to become the all-time leader in coaching wins. Popovich may not coach another title contender before he leaves, but he can develop some of the players that could eventually take San Antonio to that level again.
Salary information from Basketball Insiders and Spotrac was used in the creation of this post. Luke Adams contributed to this post.
Wizards Notes: Beal, Avdija, Harrell, Bryant
COVID-19 forced Bradley Beal to miss the Olympics, but he’s feeling better after going through a few months of “funk,” writes Ben Golliver of The Washington Post. Along with improved health, Beal is enjoying the Wizards‘ 6-3 start as he hopes the conversation will focus more on the playoff race rather than his upcoming contract decision. Washington has offered Beal a four-year extension valued at more than $180MM, but he could make about $50MM more by waiting for free agency next summer.
“There are situations where it can loom over your head like, oh, damn, what am I going to do, where am I going to go, who am I going to sign with?” Beal said. “I don’t think I have that problem. I’m here. This is what I’m making. I’m making a lot of money, and I’m comfortable with doing that, and I could stop today and be good (financially).”
Beal has repeatedly expressed his loyalty to the organization and his desire to spend his career with one team. The drawback has been a lack of competitiveness by the Wizards, who haven’t advanced past the second round of the playoffs since Beal joined the team. That’s the goal he expressed recently to team chairman Ted Leonsis.
“I’m not sitting here and saying we’re going to hold up the Larry (O’Brien NBA Championship Trophy), but I want to be able to have those opportunities,” Beal said. “I want to be able to see that that’s reachable.”
There’s more from Washington:
- Deni Avdija doesn’t mind having players challenge him on defense, per Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington. The second-year forward is a deceptively strong defender, ranking second on the team in opponents’ field goal percentage at 36.2%. “I think I was a good defender even last year, but last year I didn’t get the most respect. I’m just, it’s my heart, you know? I’m not the most athletic. You see people bring me in pick-and-roll all the time. They think they can attack me, they think they can score on me, and it’s fun,” Avdija said.
- Montrezl Harrell, who was acquired from the Lakers over the summer, says it’s easy to understand why his numbers have improved, Hughes tweets. Harrell is averaging 18.0 points and 9.7 rebounds in 30.4 minutes per night after playing just 22.9 minutes per game last season. “Montrezl Harrell is on the floor, brother,” he said. “That’s the biggest difference.”
- With Thomas Bryant expected to return from an ACL tear next month, Hughes posted a video of him at practice, noting that he appears to be running without discomfort (Twitter link).
L.A. Notes: Westbrook, Davis, Bledsoe, Ibaka
The Lakers and Russell Westbrook had their worst night of the season Saturday in Portland, but the former MVP indicated that he’s still in the adjustment phase with his new team, writes Kyle Goon of The Orange County Register. Westbrook hit one of eight shots from the field and scored just eight points in a game that L.A. trailed by as many as 34 points.
Ten games into the season, the Lakers are still working on chemistry after overhauling their roster during the summer. The tinkering included Westbrook, who was part of an offseason trade for the third straight year.
“With that is always a struggle to make sure that I am able to be who I am supposed to be on the floor and that’s doing everything and playing the hardest I can possibly play,” he said. “And I’ve gotta do that for our team and I didn’t do that tonight but that is something that I will make sure is done moving forward.”
There’s more from Los Angeles:
- Anthony Davis left Saturday’s game midway through the first quarter with a stomach illness, but the team said it’s not related to COVID-19, per Dave McMenamin of ESPN. Lakers coach Frank Vogel said Davis, who was listed as questionable after spraining his left thumb Thursday, tried to play through the illness, but wasn’t able to. “I know this year he’s very upset with how last year went and how much time he missed,” Vogel said. “So, everything that’s 50-50 whether to be in or out thus far this year, it’s been, ‘I’m playing unless I absolutely can’t play.’ He’s just not happy with how much time he missed last year. So, if he can play without major limitations, he’s going to be in there.”
- The Clippers haven’t lost confidence in point guard Eric Bledsoe during his slow start, according to Mirjam Swanson of The Orange County Register. Bledsoe is putting up career-worst numbers in shooting, rebounds and assists in his first eight games after being acquired in an offseason trade, and some of his misses have been particularly ugly. However, he helped spark Friday’s rally in Minnesota and his teammates believe his game will eventually come around. “I don’t think people are understanding how tough it is for someone to come into a new system and is being expected to have a large role and to bring what he’s great at,” Paul George said. “It’s hard to kind of find yourself, find your way.”
- Clippers center Serge Ibaka may be ready for his season debut today, tweets Andrew Greif of The Los Angeles Times, who notes that Ibaka isn’t listed on the team’s injury report. Ibaka battled back pain last season and underwent surgery during the summer.
Northwest Notes: Whiteside, Azubuike, Olshey, Wolves
Hassan Whiteside‘s time with the Heat was often stormy, but he doesn’t hold any grudges against his former team, writes Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. Whiteside, who signed with the Jazz during the offseason, said he remains in contact with some of his ex-teammates.
“(Udonis Haslem), Bam (Adebayo), I still talk to them guys,” Whiteside said. “I even talk to (coach Eric Spoelstra). I told him, ‘Happy Father’s Day.’ I still talk to them guys. There are no hard feelings. We broke up. We were in a relationship and we broke up. I don’t hate nobody.”
Whiteside revived his career with Miami in 2014/15 after two years out of the league. He was the team’s starting center for five seasons, although he sometimes clashed with Spoelstra about playing time and his role on the team. He was traded to Portland in 2019 and is on his third team since that deal. In Utah, Whiteside has reunited with former teammate Dwyane Wade, who is a part owner of the Jazz.
“It’s a special feeling. Having D-Wade, seeing a familiar face like that,” Whiteside said. “He was a part of me even wanting to come to the Jazz. I don’t know what I would have been without D-Wade. D-Wade, I don’t think he knows how much he means to me.”
There’s more from the Northwest Division:
- The Jazz picked up their third-year option last week on Udoka Azubuike, which shows they still have confidence in the first-round pick from 2020, per Sarah Todd of The Deseret News. General manager Justin Zanik admits Azubuike has been placed in a difficult situation. “Last year we drafted him, and four days later he shows up to camp and we’re asking of him, one; you’re not going to get any reps in the regular season because of the goals that we have as the veteran team, and two; nobody in college plays like us,” Zanik said. “The only way you can learn that is reps, but last year he had a major injury. He only played in one game.”
- The “bully act” by Trail Blazers president of basketball operations Neil Olshey has been allowed to continue for too long, contends John Canzano of The Oregonian. The team has opened an investigation into Olshey amid accusations of a toxic work environment. Canzano states that Jody Allen deserves some of the blame for not controlling Olshey’s behavior during the three years she has owned the team.
- Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic examines the issues that have caused the Timberwolves to go into a four-game tailspin after a 3-1 start. Krawczynski notes that teams have discovered Minnesota doesn’t have enough shooters to make them pay for doubling Karl-Anthony Towns, while Anthony Edwards and Jaden McDaniels have hit rough spots after strong rookie seasons.
Atlantic Notes: Irving, Udoka, Richardson, Simmons
It’s possible that Nets guard Kyrie Irving will make his only appearance of the season at the All-Star Game, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Irving appears ready to sit out the entire year rather than comply with a New York City vaccine mandate that requires him to get the shot before he can play in his home arena. However, there’s no mandate in Cleveland, which will host the February 20 game, so there’s nothing to stop Irving from playing if fans vote him onto the team.
The revised NBA All-Star ballot lists all active players, which includes Irving, who is still on the Nets’ roster even though he’s currently unlikely to play. Lewis notes that Irving has a lot of fan support with more than 4.3 million followers on Twitter and 15.5 million on Instagram. He may also get a lot of votes from people looking to make a political statement in opposition to vaccine mandates.
Fan balloting will make up 50% of the final vote this year, with the rest split between the media and the players. Lewis considers it unlikely that the league would prevent Irving from participating in the game if he does get voted in.
There’s more from the Atlantic Division:
- Celtics coach Ime Udoka clarified reports of a players-only meeting that his team had before Wednesday’s game in Orlando, per Jared Weiss of The Athletic. Udoka said the gathering, which came in the wake of complaints by Marcus Smart that Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown aren’t passing the ball enough, was less dramatic that the media made it seem. “It wasn’t really a players-only meeting,” Udoka said. “We had a team dinner scheduled way before anything happened, so that was planned for some weeks now. And we gave the players their time before the coaching staff and everybody else came down. So they had about 30 minutes on their own, but it wasn’t anything scheduled. It wasn’t anything scheduled by them.”
- Celtics swingman Josh Richardson is back in the lineup tonight after missing Thursday’s game with a left foot contusion, tweets Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe. Richardson underwent an X-ray on the foot to make sure there’s no structural damage, Weiss reports in a separate story. It’s welcome news for Boston, which could be without Brown for several games.
- The longer the Sixers‘ battle with Ben Simmons continues, the less likely it becomes that either side will get what it wants, contends Mike Sielski of The Philadelphia Inquirer. The team began fining Simmons again this week and plans to continue until he cooperates with team doctors about his mental health treatments.
Raptors Notes: Dekker, Bonga, Siakam, Barnes
The Raptors‘ decision to waive Sam Dekker came down to Isaac Bonga having more of the qualities that the organization values, writes Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca. Both players were signed to partially guaranteed deals and had agreed to delay their guarantee dates until today, but keeping both would have inhibited Toronto’s ability to get below the luxury tax threshold.
Dekker improved his outside shot while playing in Turkey last season, but Bonga is 6’8″ with a 7-foot wingspan and can play several positions. At 21, he’s five-and-a-half years younger than Dekker and may be a better investment for the future. Even though Dekker only got into one game for the Raptors, coach Nick Nurse said it wasn’t an easy choice on which player to keep.
“It was pretty close all the way,” Nurse said. “Isaac probably just kind of filled the role that we want. He’s got size, he’s kind of a versatile defender, he’s on the offensive glass. He’s kind of a real role-playing guy that we think we can throw in there at any time. He’s good enough to get into games right now, to be honest with you, but we can’t play everybody. … We were real close on it. Sam was awesome. He spent a lot of time with us from the moment, all the way back from when we first looked at him in the sort-of open run situation, and he spent a lot of time working the job. But it’s the tough side of it, man. Tough side. Sorry to see him go.”
There’s more from Toronto:
- Bonga has only played seven total minutes this season, but the Raptors believe he can handle a rotation spot, Murphy adds. He got consistent playing time during his two years with the Wizards, and Toronto identified him as a low-cost target in free agency. Murphy believes the best move for Bonga is to get consistent playing time in the G League, but he and the players union would have to sign off on the move because he’s in his fourth NBA season.
- Pascal Siakam is ready for his season debut Sunday after recovering from shoulder surgery and he likes what he has seen from the Raptors in their 6-4 start, per Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca. “I wanted to be out there throughout the whole process,” he said, “but I’m excited to be back out there and just be with your teammates and do whatever I can to help.”
- Friday’s game with the Cavaliers featured a matchup between two early favorites for Rookie of the Year, and both Scottie Barnes and Evan Mobley looked like worthy candidates, according to Steven Loung of Sportsnet.ca. While scoring has a major effect on the voting, Cavs coach J.B. Bickerstaff notes that Barnes and Mobley are special because of what they provide on defense. “Both of those guys are uniquely framed,” he said, “they’re mobile and agile and it gives them an opportunity to be impactful defensively.”