Restart Notes: LeBron, Popovich, Testing, COVID-19
Now that NBA personnel have experienced a few days in the campus environment at Walt Disney World, two of the league’s biggest names spoke out Saturday in support of what the league has accomplished, writes Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press.
“They took all precautionary reasons, measures to make sure that we as a league are as safe as we can be,” said Lakers star LeBron James. “Obviously, in anything that you do, there can be things that could happen, but we will cross that line if it happens.”
Similar sentiments were expressed by Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, the elder statesman among NBA coaches at age 71, who risks exposing himself to a virus that the Centers for Disease Control warns is particularly dangerous for older people. But Popovich didn’t hesitate to make the trip to Orlando and was leading the Spurs through practice Saturday for the first time in four months.
“If this bubble works, I’m safer here than I would be in Texas,” he said, noting the rise in COVID-19 cases in that state. “And since the decision was made to do this to start the season again, under these circumstances, with all the precautions, what a great opportunity.”
There’s more this morning relating to the restart:
- As sports leagues return to action, there are renewed concerns that they will be using a large number of coronavirus tests and other resources needed by the medical community, according to Gabe Lacques, Tom Schad and Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today. The NBA, MLB and MLS are projected to go through a combined 19,000 tests per week. “If you have every single player on a team wanting to be tested — even if it’s once a week or twice a week — that’s just a huge strain on the system,” said Celine Gounder, an infectious disease specialist and epidemiologist at New York University and Bellevue Hospital.
- In addition to the immediate risks for any player who contracts the virus, there are worries about long-term heart issues, notes Baxter Holmes of ESPN. Players who test positive are required to undergo a cardiac screening before being cleared to return to action. Doctors fear that cardiac damage can increase if players try to continue training while they’re infected.
- In a look at how the virus might affect the 2020/21 season, Brian Windhorst and Tim Bontemps of ESPN suggest the financial strain may make teams less willing to part with coaches who are under contract.
L.A. Notes: Noah, Williams, Leonard, LeBron
Joakim Noah, who recently signed with the Clippers for the rest of the season, might have joined the team earlier if not for an accident in September, writes Garrett Chorpenning of Sports Illustrated. Noah had a workout scheduled, but was forced to cancel after getting hurt.
“In September, I had a freak accident and cut my Achilles, and you know, I told myself that that’s just not how I wanted to end my career,” Noah told reporters today. “So you know, the day after the surgery, I was in the gym working out with the hope of making this team. I knew that if I didn’t keep training and if I got a call from the Clippers and I wasn’t ready, I knew I would have regrets for the rest of my life. … Being in a position to win a championship, it’s not something that I take for granted.”
The 35-year-old center finally joined the team on a 10-day contract in March, just two days before the hiatus began. Late last month, he signed a deal that covers the remainder of this season and is non-guaranteed for 2020/21.
There’s more regarding the L.A. teams:
- Clippers guard Lou Williams was “50-50” about coming to Orlando, but respected the results of a team vote, tweets Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN. “We decided our decision was going to be everybody or nobody,” Williams said. “… We decided to come as a group. I’m part of the group. I have a lot of thoughts, ideas I felt strongly about personally, but I represent a group.”
- After not traveling with the Clippers to Orlando, Kawhi Leonard joined the team last night, tweets Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports. Coach Doc Rivers said he hasn’t decided what to do with Leonard’s minutes yet, but having a fully healthy team will make it easier to rest him, tweets Jovan Buha of The Athletic.
- Lakers star LeBron James will wear his name on the back of his jersey rather than one of the league-approved messages regarding social justice, according to ESPN. James said the available options “didn’t seriously resonate with my mission, with my goal.” He adds that he never feared that the NBA wouldn’t finish its season. “No, never crossed my mind that we did not need to play this beautiful game of basketball that brings so many people together,” James said. “That brings happiness. That brings joy to the households of so many families.”
Sixers Notes: Milton, Broekhoff, Simmons, Harris
One of the Sixers‘ priorities will be deciding what role Shake Milton will play, writes Derek Bodner of The Athletic. The second-year guard hadn’t seen much playing time before injuries to teammates gave him an opportunity shortly before the hiatus. In the final nine games before the break, Milton averaged 17.8 points and 4.1 assists while shooting 57.4% from the field and 60.4% beyond the arc.
Most of that production came after Ben Simmons was sidelined with a back injury. Now that Simmons has recovered, coach Brett Brown will have to take a fresh look at how all the pieces fit together and determine whether both guards will be in the starting lineup.
“Ben’s an amazing player,” Milton said. “He’s very unselfish. I mean, I’m unselfish too. I feel like we could definitely feed off each other. His ability to pass, his ability to see the court, his ability to play defense … I don’t see it being a problem at all.”
There’s more Sixers news to pass along:
- Newly signed Ryan Broekhoff wasn’t part of the Sixers’ traveling party to Orlando, according to Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. The team didn’t offer any other information before this morning’s practice session, and a spokesman said updates will be provided when appropriate. The former Mavericks shooting guard signed with Philadelphia in late June.
- Even though Simmons has proclaimed himself fully healthy, Brown intends to bring him along slowly until the actual games begin, Pompey tweets. “I think in general when you look at the scrimmage situations, you’re going to see something that’s quite frugal,” Brown said. “I believe when it gets in the regular-season games, you are going to see normal numbers that I played him. That answer isn’t delivered because of anything to do with health. It’s delivered because I think that’s the way I want to do it, and the way that I will do it with (Joel Embiid) and Tobias (Harris) as examples, because of their stature more than anything to do with health.”
- After acknowledging chemistry has been an issue with the Sixers this season, Harris became a leader in maintaining communication with teammates during the break, writes Paul Hudrick of NBC Sports Philadelphia. “I think it’s always important to make sure guys mentally are in the right space,” Harris said. “Just being a teammate or brother. We were around each other for so long, so when we go into quarantine with the pandemic we have, I just thought it was really important to keep us in the loop with one another with what we’re doing.”
Paul George: “Feeling Back To Myself Again”
The NBA’s four-month hiatus allowed Paul George to fully heal for the first time since having surgery on both shoulders last offseason, writes Jovan Buha of The Athletic. In a Zoom session with reporters, the Clippers star talked about how much progress he has made since the season was suspended.
“I had insecurities throughout the season just because I wasn’t all the way 100 (percent), shoulder didn’t feel back to 100 (percent),” George said. “Everything was kind of waiting and hoping, believing in the doctors that everything they were telling me was going to come into this moment now where I feel great, no shoulder issues. The whole season, all the way up until maybe a month or two ago, I had to always do shoulder rehab stuff, warming the shoulder up. Just so much went into stuff I had to do before I actually took a foot on the floor.
“Now I feel great again. I feel great going on the court, shooting, doing regular things. Just confident in that, feeling back to myself again.”
Even though George finished third in the MVP race with the Thunder last season, he was playing through pain, dealing with a small labrum tear in his left shoulder and a partially torn tendon in the right one. He was traded to L.A. in July, but missed all of training camp and the Clippers’ first 11 regular season games while recovering from the operations. A strained left hamstring in midseason cost him 11 more games.
George told reporters he was able to stay in “great shape” during the hiatus by using an exercise machine, adding, “My body (is) in the best form that it can be right now.”
Clippers coach Doc Rivers got to watch George shoot at the team’s practice facility and said the physical difference was evident.
“When you factor in at the beginning of training camp, P.G. couldn’t play, he wasn’t healthy,” Rivers said. “Now in this second ‘training camp,’ he’ll be 100 percent healthy. I think that’s huge for us.”
Duke Hires Celtics Assistant Kara Lawson
Celtics assistant coach Kara Lawson has reached an agreement with Duke to take over the women’s basketball program, writes Steve Wiseman of The Raleigh News & Observer. The university confirmed the hiring on Twitter.
Lawson, 39, is with the Celtics in Orlando, where she participated in a practice this morning. She had a virtual meeting with her new Blue Devils players later in the day.
A former star at Tennessee and in the WNBA, Lawson joined Boston’s coaching staff last summer. She will be the first Black coach in the history of Duke women’s basketball, taking over a program that went 18-12 last season with a 12-6 record in the ACC.
Lindsey Harding, a player development coach with the Kings and a former star at Duke, also interviewed for the job, according to Wiseman.
Nets Notes: LeVert, Crawford, Beasley, Chiozza
The absence of so many key players means Caris LeVert will have to take on a larger role for the Nets in Orlando, writes Greg Joyce of The New York Post. The 25-year-old guard has always been a reliable scorer, but he will need to serve as a play-maker and team leader with Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant, Spencer Dinwiddie, Taurean Prince, DeAndre Jordan, Wilson Chandler and Nicolas Claxton all unavailable.
“I think for me it’s just taking on that challenge of being a leader, being the leader of that group,” LeVert said. “Going down there with some of the most experience on the team, playoff experience. I feel like I relish these types of opportunities and situations. Everything aside, I’m looking forward to going down there and seeing what we can do.”
The restart will give LeVert a chance to prove he can be a third star in Brooklyn and show management it doesn’t have to pursue someone else to team with Irving and Durant. A strong performance could also raise his trade value if the Nets decide to go that route. He agreed to a three-year, $52.5MM extension last summer.
“I feel good right now,” said LeVert, who missed 24 games earlier this season after thumb surgery. “I haven’t played in games since March so that’s the question I really don’t know. I feel good in my workouts though. And if I didn’t, I honestly wouldn’t be going down there to play. So I’m looking forward to getting out there.”
There’s more on the Nets:
- Adding Jamal Crawford and Michael Beasley shows that Brooklyn intends to be competitive in Orlando despite its depleted roster, observes Alex Schiffer of The Athletic. Schiffer looks at what the veteran duo can provide the Nets along with scoring punch.
- Even with the additions, Brooklyn will need increased contributions from players such as Chris Chiozza and Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot, according to a NetsDaily article. Both could be competing for a chance to be on the roster next season. “I feel like it’s a big opportunity for me,” Chiozza said recently. “It’s something I’m looking forward to. I hope Spencer feels better, but if not, I’ll be ready to take on those extra minutes.”
- The Nets’ misfortune could wind up costing the Timberwolves a first-round pick this fall, writes Michael Rand of The Star-Tribune. Minnesota will receive Brooklyn’s first-rounder as long as the Nets reach the playoffs, which no longer seems certain with the number of players sitting out.
Bulls Notes: Boylen, Mini-Camp, Draft, Deng
Bulls executive VP of basketball operations Arturas Karnisovas is keeping his promise to evaluate head coach Jim Boylen and his staff before making a decision on their future, writes K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. The Bulls have plenty of down time for Karnisovas to interact with Boylen and the other coaches. The team isn’t part of the restart in Orlando and is awaiting word on a possible mini-camp with the other seven non-invited teams.
Karnisovas and new general manager Marc Eversley have been encouraging the staff to focus solely on coaching-related matters and avoid other distractions that arise, Johnson adds. They want management to be in charge of any other issues that involve the team.
Since joining the Bulls, Karnisovas has met frequently with Boylen to watch film, get his opinions on player development and discuss the draft and free agency. Although Boylen remains unpopular with Chicago’s fan base, Karnisovas has pledged not to let public opinion sway his decision.
There’s more from Chicago:
- The Bulls would probably be well represented at a gathering of the eight teams not in Orlando, though all players may not participate, Johnson adds in the same piece. One of the most intriguing decisions would involve Lauri Markkanen, who will be eligible for a rookie scale extension this offseason and may not want to risk an injury with nothing at stake.
- Point guard may again be a position of need as the new Bulls management team prepares for the draft, writes Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. Kris Dunn hasn’t developed into the play-maker the front office expected, and Coby White, last year’s top pick, seems better suited to play shooting guard. Cowley sees LaMelo Ball, Killian Hayes, Tyrese Haliburton and Cole Anthony as the best point guards available.
- In an interview with Carol Tshabalala, Luol Deng blames former GM Gar Forman for destroying the Bulls’ chances at winning a title. “The guy who traded me obviously ruined the team,” Deng said. “I don’t mind saying that now. I would never speak about him as a person, just the decisions he made.” Tom Thibodeau was irate that the front office opted to trade Deng rather than give him a contract extension, Deng adds.
Lakers Notes: LeBron, Smith, Bradley, Rondo
The stakes are high for LeBron James as the NBA season moves closer to restarting, writes Scott Cacciola of The New York Times. At age 35 and with a fourth championship possibly in reach, the Lakers star will have a chance to significantly add to his legacy.
Teammates say James maintained his leadership role through the nearly four-month hiatus, offering advice on group chats regarding topics such as gyms that were available for workouts and opportunities to speak out about social justice. He also stayed in top physical condition in preparation for a playoff run.
“He’s in the gym early, he’s leaving late and he’s the last guy working — and probably working the longest and the hardest,” Danny Green said. “He hasn’t changed at all, man.”
There’s more Lakers news to pass along:
- Veteran guard J.R. Smith, who signed with the Lakers last week, said the coaching staff has given him a clearly defined role, Cacciola adds in the same piece. Smith was instructed to “shoot the ball at a high level” and concentrate on defense, leaving the playmaking duties to others. “It’s fortunate,” he said, “because I’ve never been the guy who was really trying to set up guys.”
- Even though Avery Bradley opted out of the restart, he will receive a championship ring if the Lakers win the title, according to Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports. Bradley, the only player from a serious title contender to pass on playing in Orlando, made the decision because of health concerns involving his six-year-old son. “Will I accept the ring? I’m neither here nor there about it,” he said. “I am 10 years in this league. The physical possession of a ring doesn’t make me feel like more or less of a person. I play basketball strictly for enjoyment and to add to the support of my family. Supporting them is exactly what I’m doing right now.”
- Rajon Rondo is sporting an impressive physique in a Lakers practice video that has been circulating on social media, notes Austin Boyd of Heavy. The 34-year-old guard is notably leaner and stronger than when the season was suspended in March.
Restart Notes: Silver, Disney Workers, Conditioning, Food
The last of the 22 teams headed for Orlando will arrive today, but concerns remain about whether the NBA’s attempt to finish its season will be successful, writes Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN. The idea of keeping so many players and staff members protected in a controlled environment remains daunting, as commissioner Adam Silver admitted this week.
“We won’t be surprised when they first come down to Orlando if we have some additional players test positive,” Silver said in an interview with Fortune Brainstorm Health. “What would be most concerning is once players enter this campus and then go through our quarantine period, then if they were to test positive or if we were to have any positive tests, we would know we would have an issue.
“We would know that there’s in essence a hole in our bubble or that our quarantine or our campus is not working in some way,” he added later. “So that would be very concerning.”
Six teams were forced to shut down their practice facilities over the past week after positive coronavirus tests among their travel groups. Silver admits a significant number of positive tests in Orlando could lead to another shutdown of the season.
There’s more news related to the restart:
- One frequently raised concern is that some Disney workers won’t be subject to the same testing requirements as NBA personnel, but Magic CEO Alex Martins doesn’t expect that to be an issue, Youngmisuk adds in the same story. “I don’t have that concern because we’ve been assured by Disney and by the NBA that our players coaches and staff will not come in direct contact with any of those employees at Disney,” Martins said. “Whether they be food and beverage employees, or whether they be housekeeping employees, specific protocols have been put in place so that they’re really not coming into contact with each other at all. And because of that, I have the utmost confidence that there won’t be any interaction there.”
- Players across the league seem to have remained in shape during the long layoff, notes Baxter Holmes of ESPN. However, there’s still work to do to get them ready for the rigors of NBA games. “Imagine not playing 5-on-5, not getting hit, not getting hit in the air and landing — all those little details that are so critical to your brain, [to] your central nervous system,” said physical therapist Fabrice Gautie, who has worked with many NBA players.
- The NBA is responding after several players already in Orlando shared photos of their meals on social media, which were compared to airline food, writes Gabriel Fernandez of CBS Sports. “After clearing quarantine, players will also have access to various restaurants on campus and delivery options to choose from,” a league spokesman said. “Players will receive three meals a day and four meals on game days. There is never a shortage of food options – players can always request additional food by speaking with their team nutritionists.”
Rockets Sign Luc Mbah A Moute
JULY 7: Mbah a Moute has officially signed his contract with the Rockets, according to Charania (via Twitter). GM Daryl Morey published a tweet confirming the move.
As a result of the team signing Mbah a Moute as a substitute player, Sefolosha is ineligible to return this season.
JULY 1: Former Rockets forward Luc Mbah a Moute will rejoin the team for the NBA’s restart, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic. He will serve as a substitute player for Thabo Sefolosha, who opted out of Orlando earlier today.
Mbah a Moute hasn’t played in the league this season, but worked out for the Rockets in early March, shortly before the hiatus. He and the team had mutual interest in a reunion for a while, according to Kelly Iko of The Athletic (Twitter link).
A defensive specialist, Mbah a Moute was a rotation player for Houston during the 2017/18 season before being injured late in the year. He signed with the Clippers before the start of last season, but injuries limited him to just four games.