Towns Questioned Playing Friday After COVID-19 Outbreak In Charlotte
Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns went to head coach Ryan Saunders to question the wisdom of playing Friday’s game in Charlotte after three Hornets players entered the league’s health and safety protocols, according to Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic.
Towns said he started to get “spooked” after learning Cody Martin, Caleb Martin and P.J. Washington would all have to miss the game due for coronavirus-related reasons. Hornets coach James Borrego wasn’t allowed to join his team until an hour before tip-off as he waited for his test results.
“It just brought up so many things I’ve been through, and it affected me in such a way where basketball wasn’t important anymore,” Towns said. “And I remember going up to Ryan and asking, ‘Are you sure we should play this?’ These guys had some COVID positives and we’re playing with guys who were around these people.”
No NBA player has been hit harder by COVID-19 than Towns, who lost his mother and six other loved ones to the virus. He missed close to a month after testing positive in January, and although he is still carrying antibodies that make re-infection unlikely, Towns was concerned about the risk to his teammates and to the other Hornets.
“I was one of those guys that was negative today and tomorrow negative and the next day I was positive with COVID — and a bad case of it,” Towns said. “I understood where the situation was for me and not knowing what the timeline for the cases and stuff like that, and I didn’t know if they were contagious, not contagious, how well the contact tracing was and all that stuff, so I was more worried for the guys and I was worried for myself.”
Krawczynski notes that the NBA has been operating in a high-risk environment since the season began. Teams take chances every day by flying from city to city while hoping that strict protocols and frequent testing will be enough to protect the players, who are confined to their hotel rooms and have their post-game handshakes monitored.
The league has already seen 23 games postponed, albeit none since February 1. Most games are still being played in empty arenas, and there have been a few regrettable incidents, such as Kevin Durant being removed in the middle of a game last week.
Towns understands that players and owners want to keep the season going, but incidents like the one in Charlotte are a harsh reminder that the virus hasn’t gone away.
“It’s not going to stop,” he said. “The world, especially America, is just getting more and more COVID cases. I’m just worried. My heart goes out to all the people that have gotten COVID, the families that have been affected by it. I just couldn’t stomach seeing one of my guys get it and not being able to do anything. I’ve already had that situation once; I’m not trying to have that one again.”
John Wall Was “Shocked” By Trade To Houston
John Wall is speaking out about his former team before his return to Washington Monday night. In a lengthy interview with Fred Katz of The Athletic, Wall said he had planned to retire with the Wizards and was “shocked” to find out that he had been traded to Houston in December.
“I felt like I deserved the honesty and respect because I’ve been there for 10 years. I’ve been through the bad times,” Wall said. “… I never turned my back on the organization. I played through damn near every injury that a lot of people wouldn’t have played through. I played through broken hands in the playoffs. I think I did everything I could and gave everything I had, heart and soul to the organization on and off the court.
“Then everybody kept telling me, ‘No, it’s not true. Don’t believe it. Don’t believe it.’ And I’m like, I know Houston probably called them first. But it’s part of the business. Why wouldn’t you call if somebody wants to be traded? You know what I mean? And it’s not nothing, just having conversations. And that’s all I wanted. If you’re having conversations, that’s cool, I get it. Nobody could ever tell me the truth about it.”
Wall didn’t single out anyone in the front office who he thought was being dishonest, but he did explain how he learned his time in Washington was about to end. On the night before the deal was announced, Wall received a two-word text message from Wizards general manager Tommy Sheppard that read, “PLEASE CALL.” Rumors of a Wizards-Rockets trade had been circulating for about two weeks, so Wall knew what Sheppard was going to say.
The Rockets called him a few minutes later, and the next day he was on a plane to Houston.
The deal surprised Wall because he said the Wizards had shown so much support while injuries sidelined him for nearly two full seasons. He spent much of the fall working out in Los Angeles, and the team had made public and private statements about how much he had done to bounce back from surgeries to remove bone spurs from his left heel and to fix a ruptured Achilles.
Wall was returning to Washington from Los Angeles when the first report surfaced that the Wizards were talking to the Rockets about a swap involving Russell Westbrook.
“Somebody hit me and was like, ‘You know you’re on the trade block with Russell Westbrook.’ I’m like, ‘Ain’t no way I’m on the trade block,’” he said. “You know what I mean? I haven’t played in (two) years. And I was like, I know it’s part of the business. I said all I ever wanted from the start was honesty. You know what I mean? Just tell me the truth, what it was. I can deal with it.”
Wall said after the trade became official, one of his first phone calls was to Bradley Beal, his backcourt partner for eight years. Wall described the conversation as “emotional” and said both of them were crying. After a night of “trying to clear my mind,” Wall visited the practice facility to say goodbye to teammates and staff members, then headed to Texas.
Wall still watches all the Wizards’ games and cast an All-Star vote Saturday for Beal. He said his biggest regret about being traded is that he and Beal never got a chance to show they can still be successful together.
“The number one goal is, you didn’t give me the opportunity for me and Brad to run it back, like y’all said we (would),” Wall said. “That was (my) and our ultimate goal. It was, ‘OK, we’re gonna give it one more shot.’ If it’s just one year or two years, we were gonna give it one more shot just to see. … And it’s just crazy we never got to do that. I don’t think they wanted to do that. I think they moved forward and did whatever they wanted, which is cool. But that was the most frustrating thing than anything. Like, to have an opportunity to run it back with my brother and playing with the guy, the level he’s on now.”
Nets Notes: Durant, Irving, Harden, Dinwiddie
Kevin Durant‘s return to Golden State was much friendlier than anyone could have imagined when he left the team two years ago, writes Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic. Although there were no fans Saturday to welcome him back because of COVID-19 restrictions, the organization played a tribute video, followed by a standing ovation from members of the front office. After the Nets posted a lopsided victory, Durant greeted everyone on the Warriors‘ bench.
“Kevin came here and gave us three years of just incredible basketball,” Golden State coach Steve Kerr said. “The least we could do is welcome him back with open arms. I think everybody was genuinely happy to see him, obviously, healthy and playing at such a high level again. That’s the main thing. The guy gave everything to us for three years and then left with a devastating injury. So there should be a lot of love for him. He did so much for us.”
There’s more from Brooklyn:
- A month into their partnership in the Nets’ backcourt, Kyrie Irving and James Harden have worked out a new arrangement, according to Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Irving decided this week that Harden should take over the point guard role, and the former MVP responded with 16 assists Saturday night. “(The talk) went quick, it went professionally and we looked at each other in agreement and James was like, ‘OK, I’m the point guard and you’re the shooting guard,’” Irving said. “It’s easy to play off somebody that’s willing to complement your game and ready to sacrifice and it’s easy to do. I’ve been waiting for this opportunity.”
- Spencer Dinwiddie offered an update on his rehab from a partially torn ACL in an Instagram post Saturday, relays Kristian Winfield of The New York Daily News. The Nets received a Disabled Player Exception for Dinwiddie’s injury, but he says he’s far ahead of schedule and hasn’t given up hope of playing again this season. “I share his sense of optimism for him being back playing, being as good as he ever was. But I certainly don’t want to put any undue pressure, unrealistic expectations on him returning this season,” coach Steve Nash said. “My No. 1 concern with Spencer is long-term health and ability to play and finish his career at a really high level. That to me is way more important than trying to rush him back for our own self-interest here.”
- A NetsDaily story examines whether Brooklyn would still be interested in Hawks forward John Collins after being involved in trade talks for him last season.
Knicks Notes: Robinson, Noel, Beal, Quickley
The Knicks may use some small-ball lineups while center Mitchell Robinson is sidelined with a fractured hand, writes Steve Popper of Newsday. The team is planning a group effort to replace Robinson, who anchors the defense with 1.5 blocks, 1.2 steals, and 8.4 rebounds per game. Nerlens Noel will likely become the starter, with Taj Gibson seeing increased playing time, but coach Tom Thibodeau is willing to use Julius Randle in the middle beside Kevin Knox or Obi Toppin.
“It’s always part of what we can do,” Thibodeau said. “I think in looking at what Mitch provided and what Nerlens provided, I thought that was a strength, and then maybe what Taj provides, as well. But I think Obi is playing at a high level right now, and that second group has a lot of speed and they can get up and run the floor.”
There’s more on the Knicks:
- Noel was the team’s starting center during the preseason while Robinson was learning Thibodeau’s system, and the coach is confident he can slide back into that role, Popper adds in a separate story. “Any time a player like Mitch goes down, you don’t replace him individually,” Thibodeau said. “You have to do it collectively. And that’s where we feel good about our team. I think Taj, going in, his experience will help. Nerlens has done a terrific job for us. We want to make sure we maintain the defensive component of our team and I think those two guys can do that.”
- The Knicks have plenty of assets on hand and the new front office is willing to package several of them in return for a star player, sources tell Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News. One possible target is Wizards guard Bradley Beal if he changes his mind about wanting to stay in Washington. An unidentified general manager tells Bondy it would likely take three first-round picks, two pick swaps, a young player and an expiring contract to land Beal. Rockets guard Victor Oladipo and Bulls guard Zach LaVine have also been mentioned as possibilities if the Knicks don’t want to pay that price.
- John Wall keeps close tabs on fellow Kentucky players and is impressed by the progress of Knicks rookie Immanuel Quickley, according to Marc Berman of The New York Post. “He’s someone I respect,’’ Wall said. “I’m very happy for him to get the opportunity. I’m glad he’s showing people he’s more than just a shooter. That’s a lot of what people thought. The way he runs the point-guard position has been good. It’s going to be good to go against him.”
Spurs Notes: Poeltl, Weatherspoon, White, Murray, Vassell
Center Jakob Poeltl has been one of the league’s best shot blockers since moving into the Spurs‘ starting lineup five games ago, writes Tom Orsborne of The San Antonio Express-News. Poeltl is averaging 2.8 blocks per game, third in the NBA during that stretch, while filling in for LaMarcus Aldridge, who is dealing with a hip flexor.
“He’s very solid,” coach Gregg Popovich said. “He knows where to be on the court. He works really hard on the boards, protecting the rim, he runs the floor. He’s just done an excellent job, and mostly been very consistent.”
There’s more from San Antonio:
- Reserve guard Quinndary Weatherspoon has been placed in the league’s health and safety protocols, Orsborn adds in a separate story. It’s not clear if Weatherspoon has tested positive for COVID-19 or is merely inactive due to contact tracing, so his quarantine time is uncertain. Drew Eubanks is the only other Spurs player to have gone through the protocols, although assistant coach Becky Hammon and an unidentified staffer were required to quarantine last month.
- The Spurs’ backcourt of Derrick White and Dejounte Murray has become one of the best defensive pairings in the league, according to Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express News. Popovich has experimented with the roles for his young guards and hasn’t always started them together. White was a starter in only 20 of 68 games last season and didn’t start alongside Murray until the season resumed in Orlando. “They are great on defense together,” Poeltl said. “I think we are very, very versatile when we have both those guys out there on defense. It’s really helping us.”
- First-round pick Devin Vassell has already played more minutes than any Spurs rookie since Kawhi Leonard nine years ago, McDonald notes in a separate story. Vassell is leading the team in steals at 1.1 per game and is shooting 40.3% from 3-point range. “One thing about him, he has instincts,” Rudy Gay said. “He showed that from Day 1. You can go out there in any situation, and he’ll find a way to make it happen.”
Pacific Notes: Green, Durant, J. Smith, LeBron
Draymond Green and Kevin Durant will face off tonight for the first time since their confrontation two years ago that some believe led to Durant leaving the Warriors, writes Monte Poole of NBC Sports. The dispute resulted from a situation late in a tie game when Green grabbed a defensive rebound, dribbled the ball upcourt and committed a turnover rather than giving it to Durant. Green, who received a one-game suspension from the team for the incident, reportedly challenged Durant about his impending free agency during the spat.
Poole doesn’t expect the two players to be matched up directly very often tonight, as Green typically guards the interior with three centers sidelined, while Durant is usually on the perimeter. However, Green, who missed the December 22 game with the Nets, may look at the matchup as a chance to make a statement.
“The one thing we all know about Draymond is there’s not a better competitor, not a player who looks forward to competition more, than Draymond,” Golden State coach Steve Kerr said. “So, I know he’s looking forward to (Saturday).”
There’s more from the Pacific Division:
- ESPN’s Nick Friedell believes Durant may consider a return to the Warriors before his career is over, relays Grant Liffman of NBC Sports. Appearing on the DubsTalk podcast, Friedell suggested that Durant’s time away from the team has healed some old wounds and that “he’s going to do what he feels most comfortable with in that moment” when it comes time for his next career decision. Durant is under contract through the end of next season and has a $43,928,850 player option for 2022/23.
- Jalen Smith hasn’t seen much playing time in his first NBA season, but the Suns are content to bring him along slowly, according to Kevin Zimmerman of Arizona Sports 98.7. Smith, who was sidelined by COVID-19 in parts of December and January, has appeared in just seven games, averaging. 6.9 minutes per night. “He’s a diligent worker,” coach Monty Williams said. “I don’t think any young player understands how hard you have to work to be a good player in this league. He embraced that part, which we’re really pleased with. He doesn’t miss days to get work in.”
- The Lakers‘ LeBron James and Kyle Kuzma both received warnings for flopping in Friday’s game against the Grizzlies, the NBA announced on its website.
L.A. Notes: Davis, Vogel, Zubac, Ballmer
Anthony Davis missed two games this week because of Achilles tendinosis, but the Lakers star doesn’t expect it to be a long-term concern, writes Jovah Buha of The Athletic. After returning to the lineup with a 35-point performance Friday, Davis explained to reporters how the injury is affecting him.
“It felt great going into the game,” he said. “But as you play, I’m always using that Achilles tendon. It got sore towards the end from just constantly moving on it. But it felt great coming into the game, felt great throughout the game, but late game it was kind of bothering me a little bit. I felt like we had the game in hand when I was able to — and Coach felt that way — when I was able to sit down the last two and a half (minutes).”
Davis added that doctors told him the pain isn’t coming directly from the Achilles tendon, but from an adjacent body part in the same area of the leg. He said the quickest way to recover is through rest, but he doesn’t want to sit out a lot of games in a row.
“The doctors and training staff feel comfortable enough for me to go out there and perform as well,” Davis said. “So it’s something that’s gonna continue to get better. (I’m) constantly doing treatment on it throughout the day, throughout the night, and wearing stuff in my shoes to help out the pain level and wearing tape and all these things to make it feel better throughout the course of time, and basically, I’m very — I’m able to just go out there and play and not worry about it.”
There’s more from Los Angeles:
- After trimming his rotation during the week, Lakers coach Frank Vogel expanded it to 10 players Friday with the return of Davis and Alex Caruso, Buha adds in the same story. Vogel called it “impossible decisions” to determine what to do with Wesley Matthews and Markieff Morris when the full team is healthy, noting that both of them “deserve to be in the rotation.”
- The Clippers lost Sixth Man of the Year Montrezl Harrell, but their bench remains among the most productive in the league, according to Mirjam Swanson of The Orange County Register. One of the new components is center Ivica Zubac, who was a starter last season. “I am just in a space where I want Zu to be great,” said reserve guard Lou Williams. “I want to push him, I want to challenge him to be the best player that he can be and at the same time, we can feed off each other’s success and continue to build.”
- Seattle will be at the top of the list whenever the NBA decides to expand, Clippers owner Steve Ballmer said on a Clubhouse podcast.
Bulls Notes: Porter, Hutchison, Markkanen, Trade Market
Bulls forward Otto Porter Jr. hasn’t played since February 1 because of a lower back issue and it doesn’t sound like he’ll return for a while, writes Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. Coach Billy Donovan said Porter has made only “incremental gains” in his rehab process and no timetable is in place for him to play again.
‘‘(Porter’s) still dealing with discomfort,’’ Donovan said. ‘‘It’s been very, very limited for him. Obviously, part of the rehab and recovery is to work on some strengthening and some mobility in his lower back, but he’s still dealing with some symptoms in his lower back. He’s made some incremental gains, but I wouldn’t say he’s really made some significant gains. Some of his rehab has been maybe limited to how he’s feeling a little bit, so there’s certain things he can do physically and other things he can’t do.’’
The Bulls are concerned that Porter’s back problems might be a recurring issue, according to Cowley. Porter is in the final year of his contract, so he’ll want to be careful not to damage his back any further heading into free agency.
There’s more from Chicago:
- The Bulls aren’t putting any pressure on Chandler Hutchison, who is out indefinitely for personal reasons, Cowley adds in the same story. No details have been released on Hutchison’s situation, but Cowley says the team is giving him time to handle some personal matters. ‘‘He’s working on some of the things that are challenges right now, but a lot of it is going to be on his timetable on how he’s doing,’’ Donovan said. ‘‘But he’s in constant dialogue, he’s around the team, he’s around the guys and I have great respect for the way he’s handled himself and the line of communication, how open and honest he’s been. We’ll look forward to getting him back, but it’s really going to be on him to see how he’s progressing and how he’s doing.’’
- Lauri Markkanen is sidelined two to four weeks with a sprained shoulder and he believes he can make his recovery time closer to two weeks, according to Jamal Collier of The Chicago Tribune. “When it happened, I was frustrated and disappointed,” Markkanen said. “I did everything on my part to not have this happen. That’s part of the game unfortunately. I feel better — I would say not every day, there are bumps in the road — but I do feel better now compared to when it happened.”
- A 9-14 start could push the Bulls to become sellers on the trade market fairly soon, Cowley suggests in a separate story. He adds that no players should be considered untouchable, even first-round pick Patrick Williams.
G League Notes: Kuminga, Green, Azubuike, Lin
Projected lottery pick Jonathan Kuminga made a strong impression today in his first professional game, writes Brian Martin of the G League’s website. Playing for the G League Ignite, Kuminga registered 19 points, four assists, two rebounds and two blocks in 33 minutes. The 18-year-old also swatted away a shot in the final seconds to help the Ignite pick up a victory in their first-ever game.
“I wasn’t impressed because I see it every day in practice,” Ignite coach Brian Shaw said. “It’s what I expect; it’s what I see every day. He does a lot for us and you guys are just seeing the beginning of what he can do.”
Kuminga was considered one of the top high school players in the country, but he opted to develop his game in the G League rather than college basketball. He is projected as the fifth overall pick in the latest mock draft from ESPN’s Jonathan Givony and Mike Schmitz.
There’s more from the first day of G League action:
- Team Ignite’s Jalen Green, who is tabbed as the third selection by ESPN, also had a strong debut after overcoming a slow start, Martin adds in the same story. He finished with 11 points and five rebounds, but most of that came after halftime. “Jalen pressed a bit; he was trying too hard, which is natural,” Shaw said. “In having conversations with him about how other teams are gunning for him based on the attention he’s getting. I expect him to bounce back from this game and have a better game next game.”
- Center Udoka Azubuike, a first-round pick by the Jazz in November, was carried off the court on a stretcher after suffering a leg injury in today’s Salt Lake City Stars game, according to Brandon Judd of The Deseret News. No immediate details were provided on the severity of his injury. Azubuike appeared in 12 games for Utah before the G League season began.
- The odds are against Jeremy Lin returning to the NBA, no matter how he performs in the G League, contends Dieter Kurtenbach of The San Jose Mercury News. Lin had 18 points and five assists in his first game with the Santa Cruz Warriors, but he’s 32 and Kurtenbach notes that teams are more likely to take chances on younger players.
Pistons Notes: Smith Jr., Casey, Rose, Weaver
Despite a lack of playing time in New York, Dennis Smith Jr. didn’t ask to be traded, writes Marc Berman of The New York Post. Smith held his first media session today since the deal, which gives him a chance to revive his career with the Pistons. After suffering a quad injury early in the season and falling out of Tom Thibideau’s rotation, Smith requested a trip to the G League for more playing time and was preparing for the season in Orlando when he heard about the trade.
“I was super excited,’’ he said. “I was down in the ‘G’ getting ready to have our first scrimmage. I heard the news. I was just smiling all day. I couldn’t really sleep that night. I was looking at it as an opportunity and a fresh start and make the most out of it.”
Smith will have a few months to show the Pistons what he can do before they have to make a decision on his future. This is the final year of his rookie contract, and Detroit will have a chance to make him a restricted free agent by submitting a $7MM-plus qualifying offer after the season. Coach Dwane Casey is willing to give him an opportunity.
“Sometimes it just doesn’t work,’’ Casey said. “Christian Wood had how many teams (before starring here)? Sometimes a change of scenery is good for everybody. I told him you’re starting out with a clean slate. I don’t care what happened in New York, what happened in Dallas. I don’t care what happened at North Carolina State. It’s what happens here.”
There’s more from Detroit:
- Smith will make his Pistons debut Thursday night against the Pacers, tweets Rod Beard of The Detroit News. He has played just 28 total minutes this season and hasn’t gotten into a game since January 17. “He’s a full go and we’ll see how much he can go tomorrow,” Casey said.
- Derrick Rose left Detroit on good terms, according to Keith Langlois of NBA.com, who adds that Rose and the Pistons recognized that he should be with a team that has a shot at the postseason. Casey complimented the job Rose did as a mentor to the team’s young players and noted that he’s already taking on the same role in New York.
- General manager Troy Weaver is off to a strong start in his rebuilding project, according to James L. Edwards III of The Athletic. Weaver recognized the potential of free agent forward Jerami Grant, who has turned into a star with the Pistons, and he appears to have guessed right on rookie center Isaiah Stewart, the 16th choice in the draft. Weaver also took a chance on former lottery pick Josh Jackson, who is having the best season of his career.