Rick Carlisle Returns After Positive COVID-19 Test
Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle had to miss Friday’s game in New York after testing positive for COVID-19, but he was cleared to travel with the team and will be back on the sidelines tonight at Washington, tweets Callie Caplan of The Dallas Morning News.
“Everything was fine,” Carlisle said in today’s pregame session with reporters. “Obviously knowing what those guys went through back in Denver, I wasn’t interested in staying in a hotel room for seven days.”
He was referring to a situation in January where three players were forced to spend a week quarantining at a hotel after testing positive for the virus following a game against the Nuggets.
Carlisle was fully vaccinated in January and said he felt no symptoms of the virus, according to Tim MacMahon of ESPN. Carlisle called the test result “unexpected” and believed right away that it was a false positive.
“This seems like possibly a mistake, but for these reasons I’m entering the (NBA health and safety) protocol,” he told reporters Friday in a pregame videoconference from his hotel room.
Assistant coach Jamahl Mosley took over as head coach for the night and led Dallas to a 99-86 victory. Mosley, the team’s defensive coordinator, had interviews over the past two years for head coaching jobs with the Knicks, Cavaliers and Pelicans.
“Rick has done such a phenomenal job of preparing all of his staff members to take over or just to step up in every moment,” Mosley said. “It’s the same thing with the team — just being prepared in every moment. For me, it was just going off of the guidance that he’s given me. He text and said, ‘You’re ready for this. You’re prepared for this, and just go off of the things we’ve constantly talked about.'”
Pelicans Sign Isaiah Thomas To 10-Day Contract
APRIL 3: The signing is official, according to a team press release.
APRIL 2: The Pelicans will give Isaiah Thomas the NBA opportunity he has been waiting for, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic. Sources tell Charania that the veteran guard will sign a 10-day contract with New Orleans.
Thomas, 32, was a starter for the first half of last season with the Wizards before being traded at the 2020 deadline to the Clippers, who waived him three days later. Thomas averaged 12.2 points and 3.7 assists in 40 games for Washington, but defensive issues limited his effectiveness.
He was last seen in action in February as part of Team USA in the FIBA AmeriCup qualifying tournament, where scored 28 total points in victories over the Bahamas and Mexico.
The Pelicans have two roster spots open, so they won’t have to make a move before signing Thomas. They faced a Saturday deadline to add a player to get back to the 14-man roster limit.
Thomas has been undergoing COVID-19 testing in New Orleans and is expected to be available for Sunday’s game with the Rockets, sources tell Andrew Lopez of ESPN (Twitter link). The Pelicans were looking into signing him before a recent rash of injuries to Brandon Ingram, Zion Williamson and Josh Hart.
Knicks Sign Norvel Pelle To 10-Day Deal
9:44pm: The signing is official, the team’s PR department tweets.
10:52am: Free agent center Norvel Pelle will sign a 10-day contract with the Knicks this weekend, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic.
Pelle has been mentioned as a possibility since Mitchell Robinson was lost for the rest of the season with a fracture in his right foot. Nerlens Noel and Taj Gibson handled the center position while Robinson was sidelined with an earlier injury, but New York needed an extra big man.
Pelle, 28, will be joining his third team this season. He signed with the Nets in late January, but was waived in mid-February after seeing limited action in three games. Following a brief G League stint, Pelle inked a 10-day contract with the Kings while Hassan Whiteside was in health and safety protocols. He appeared in just one game for Sacramento and didn’t receive a second 10-day deal.
Pelle underwent COVID-19 testing this week so he could be available for Saturday’s game, tweets Marc Berman of The New York Post. The Knicks also considered veteran big man John Henson, according to Ian Begley of SNY.tv (Twitter link).
Warriors Notes: Green, Curry, Brown, Iguodala
At ninth place in the West, the Warriors are in a crowded fight to qualify for a play-in game, but Draymond Green doesn’t take any motivation from trying to reach that pre-playoff contest, writes Nick Friedell of ESPN. After winning three titles and playing in five straight NBA Finals, it’s hard for Green to get excited about such a modest goal.
“To be honest with you, I don’t go into these games thinking like, ‘Man, we need to win these games to get to the playoffs,'” Green said after Thursday’s loss at Miami. “I hate losing, so when I step on the floor I want to win. But I’ll be 100% honest with you, fighting for a play-in spot does not motivate me. We’re in what, (ninth)? Fighting for a (play-in) spot doesn’t motivate me at all.”
The change in the playoff system was introduced as part of last year’s restart in Orlando. A play-in game was instituted between the eighth and ninth seeds if they were close in the standings. This year, the system has been expanded to include teams seven through 10 in each conference.
“I want to win,” Green explained. “That’s enough motivation for me, but I’m not going to spend every day like, ‘Man, we’re right on the cusp of that play-in’ — I don’t give a damn about that play-in game. If that’s where we are and we’re in the game, yeah, I’m going to do all I can to win the game. But, the play-in situation isn’t going to get me out of my bed like I got to bust my ass today because we’re fighting for the play-in spot. That ain’t going to push me.”
There’s more on the Warriors:
- Stephen Curry won’t play tonight against the Raptors, tweets Anthony Slater of the Athletic. Curry had been considering playing back-to-back games for the first time since suffering a tailbone bruise March 17, according to Friedell. Curry scored 36 points in 36 minutes Thursday in his second game since returning. “I gotta see how I feel when I wake up,” he said Thursday. “This is an injury where Monday to Tuesday it was a tough day-after-game feeling. I’m hopefully progressing where I wake up and feel good and know what I’m dealing with and be able to play, but we’ll monitor that.”
- Green may not be excited about the play-in game, but assistant coach Mike Brown believes any postseason experience will be valuable, according to Drew Shiller of NBC Sports Bay Area. “It would be huge. The playoff atmosphere — not only in your preparation but the actual games — it’s at a whole other level,” Brown said in a radio interview. “For our guys to get a feel of it, a taste of it, would only benefit them for many years to come.”
- Heat coach Erik Spoelstra believes the Warriors miss Andre Iguodala as much as Klay Thompson, writes Marcus White of NBC Sports Bay Area. Iguodala was an all-around contributor during Golden State’s best seasons, and now he’s playing that same role in Miami.
Pistons Expect Killian Hayes To Return Saturday
Killian Hayes has missed most of his rookie season with a hip injury, but the Pistons believe he’ll be able to return for Saturday’s game against the Knicks, tweets James Edwards III of The Athletic.
Hayes has been making significant progress with the injury lately, although most estimates were for him to return sometime next week. He was cleared for on-court basketball activities in mid-March.
The seventh pick in last year’s draft, Hayes won the starting point guard job in training camp. He played just seven games, averaging 4.6 points and 3.6 assists in 21.1 minutes per night, before suffering a right hip subluxation.
Aside from that early-season glimpse, the 19-year-old remains something of a mystery to most North American basketball fans. He grew up in France and played a season in Germany before being drafted. He will presumably be worked back into a starting role so the Pistons can see what he’s capable of before this year’s draft.
BIG3 Announces Return This Summer
The BIG3, a summer league that features many former NBA players, will return for its fourth season, the league announced on its website. The 2020 season had to be canceled because of COVID-19 concerns.
“After a challenging year, we can’t wait to have our players back on the court for the best BIG3 season yet – where the world’s top competitors come together on one court and provide fans with an unmatched entertainment experience,” league co-founders Ice Cube and Jeff Kwatinetz stated on the website. “We are excited to bring the BIG3 to two basketball rich cities and we know our players will put on a show.”
The season will begin July 10 with games at Orleans Arena in Las Vegas. There will be an eight-week schedule with games also being played at Xavier University of Louisiana in New Orleans, followed by two weeks of playoffs. The championship game is slated for September 4.
“We are happy to have two great host cities in Las Vegas and New Orleans for our fourth season, bringing our fast paced and one-of-a-kind game back to fans across the country,” said BIG3 CEO Chris Hannan.
Attendance policies and arena capacities will be set in accordance with protocols established by the host sites. All games will be broadcast live, either on CBS or Paramount+.
During its first three seasons, the BIG3 has served as a showcase for players such as Joe Johnson, Rashard Lewis, Amar’e Stoudemire, and Josh Smith.
Cavaliers Won’t Re-Sign Quinn Cook
Quinn Cook‘s second 10-day contract has expired, and the Cavaliers don’t plan to sign him for the rest of the season, tweets Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com.
The 28-year-old guard appeared in seven games during his 20 days with Cleveland. He averaged 6.1 points, 1.7 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 13.6 minutes per night and shot 46.2% from three-point range. Quinn, who also played 16 games for the Lakers earlier this season, is now a free agent and can sign with any team.
Players can only sign two 10-day contracts with the same team during a season, so the Cavs had to either give Cook a contract through the end of the season or let him go. They opted to keep the roster spot open for flexibility, sources tell Fedor.
The Cavs currently have 13 players, along with a pair of two-way contracts, and must fill at least one of the openings within two weeks.
Nets Notes: Aldridge, Harden, Durant, Johnson
LaMarcus Aldridge described his debut with the Nets as “perfect,” and Brooklyn fans would probably agree. Playing for the first time in a month, Aldridge started at center Thursday night and posted 11 points, nine rebounds, six assists and two steals in a win over the Hornets, writes Matt Eppers of USA Today.
“I’ve been working. I wasn’t just sitting on my couch,” Aldridge said after logging 30 minutes. “I’m an older guy, so I know how to stay ready. I was surprised how good my wind was because I thought I would definitely be more tired, but I felt great.”
There was a huge demand for Aldridge once he cleared waivers last week, even though San Antonio couldn’t work out a trade after deciding to shut him down early last month. He chose the Nets because he saw them as his best chance to compete for a title. Brooklyn played last night without Kevin Durant and James Harden, and Aldridge knows his role will eventually be to complement his All-Star teammates.
“Just try to find my spots to help these guys be better, try to open up the floor for Kyrie (Irving), James, KD,” Aldridge said. “And when teams switch, just go down low. So I thought tonight was perfect. We had a good balance of inside, outside. They doubled me tonight, so I was just trying to find the open guy.”
There’s more this morning from Brooklyn:
- Coach Steve Nash doesn’t believe Harden’s hamstring injury will be a long-term concern, according to Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Harden had to leave Wednesday’s game and sat out Thursday, but it’s considered to be just a Grade 1 strain and he’s expected back soon. “He’s doing pretty good. He had a scan and it was clear, so he’s day-to-day. So, we’re excited that it wasn’t worse,” Nash said. “So, big sigh of relief and you know, day-to-day means we will see him probably in the next few games for sure.”
- Durant’s return could happen next week, Nash tells Tom Dowd of NBA.com. Nash doesn’t expect Durant to be ready Sunday or Monday, but he said the former MVP is “progressing in the right manner and we’re hopeful it wont be too long.” Durant has missed 21 games with a hamstring strain and hasn’t played since February 13.
- In case you missed it, the Nets signed forward Alize Johnson to a second 10-day contract Thursday.
Rockets’ GM Doesn’t Regret Return In James Harden Trade
Victor Oladipo, the only big-name player the Rockets got in return for James Harden, barely stayed in Houston for two months, but general manager Rafael Stone doesn’t regret making the deal with the Nets, writes Tim MacMahon of ESPN.
Oladipo was traded to Miami last week for a modest return of Kelly Olynyk, Avery Bradley, and a 2022 pick swap. As a result, the Rockets’ haul for Harden mostly consists of the collection of draft picks Stone received from the Nets (and Cavs) in the four-team blockbuster.
“I would for sure, 100 percent, do that deal again,” Stone said. “Again, you guys don’t have the advantages of knowing everything I know, but literally no part of me regrets doing that deal. I have not second-guessed it for a moment. A lot of what I said about being in a position maybe to not have to be bad (to rebuild), there’s some other things that we’ve done, too, but it’s primarily that deal that’s allowed us to say, ‘Hey, we want to compete on a slightly quicker time frame.’ We’re not going to go down this path of intentionally trying to lose games for years on end.”
The Rockets could have hung unto Caris LeVert and Jarrett Allen in the Harden trade, but flipped LeVert to Indiana for Oladipo and sent Allen to Cleveland along with Taurean Prince for a future first-round pick.
After acquiring Oladipo, the Rockets determined he wasn’t a good fit alongside John Wall and a group of young players. Oladipo is headed for free agency this summer, and Houston wasn’t willing to make the financial commitment it would have taken to re-sign him. The team also wants to give more playing time to 20-year-old guard Kevin Porter Jr., who was acquired from the Cavaliers in January and played in the G League until early March.
The Harden trade could eventually pay huge dividends for the Rockets, who received draft capital from Brooklyn over the next seven years. Stone said critics need to be patient in examining what the team got in return for its superstar.
“One of your colleagues texted me the day after the trade and they said they would evaluate me in 2027,” Stone told McMahon. “And I told them that that was too early; they should do it in 2030. I think we felt at the time that we did the best deal for the franchise possible. Obviously, that’s my job, so I did it. Particularly given the types of things we got back, yeah, it feels like you can’t possibly know how you did for multiple years — like three, five, something like that. But I feel good about it. I do feel good about it.”
The Rockets have bottomed out since the Harden deal, losing 20 straight games at one point and falling into a tie for the league’s second-worst record. Stone said injuries played a part in the collapse, as well as the lack of a foundation after so many years of making short-term moves in pursuit of a title.
Stone has worked this year to build up a stockpile of draft picks, and he believes Houston can quickly rebuild around a “young core that we really like” made up of Porter, center Christian Wood and rookie forwards Jae’Sean Tate and KJ Martin.
“In terms of how we go from here, I feel pretty comfortable that we like where we are in the beginning stages,” Stone said. “We’re going to take constant bets. Everybody does that; it’s just the level you do it at. We’re going to do it — not all of them are going to work out. … I don’t think that we need to do like a wholesale tank strategy like some other teams have done in the past or maybe are doing now.”
Spurs Sign Gorgui Dieng, Waive Marquese Chriss
MARCH 29: The Spurs have made it official with Dieng, announcing in a press release that they’ve signed him to a new contract.
MARCH 28: Free agent center Gorgui Dieng will sign with the Spurs once he clears waivers, tweets Marc Stein of The New York Times. The Knicks, Suns, Clippers, Sixers, Raptors, Heat and Nets also reached out to Dieng, sources tell Stein (Twitter link).
San Antonio doesn’t have an open roster spot, so Marquese Chriss will be waived to make room for Dieng, as Shams Charania of The Athletic first reported (via Twitter). Chriss, who is out for the year with a broken right fibula, was acquired from the Warriors on Thursday. His $1.8MM contract expires at the end of the season.
The Spurs have officially released Chriss, Marc Stein of The New York Times tweets.
The Grizzlies waived Dieng on Friday after failing to find a taker for him by the trade deadline. His $17.3MM contract limited the options for Memphis on the trade market.
Dieng has played in just 22 games this season and was averaging 7.9 points and 4.5 rebounds per night. He had fallen behind Xavier Tillman in the rotation and didn’t appear to have a future with the Grizzlies.
Dieng will officially clear waivers at 5pm today. The 31-year-old will provide another veteran front court option for San Antonio, which reached a buyout agreement with LaMarcus Aldridge on Thursday.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.