Lakers Notes: Waiters, LeBron, Clippers Rivalry
Dion Waiters signed with the Lakers on Friday, but it will be “a few games” before he makes his debut with the team, coach Frank Vogel told Kyle Goon of The Orange County Register. Waiters, who went through his first practice with his new team Saturday, has barely played this season after falling out of favor in Miami. That’s why Vogel plans to bring him along slowly, unlike Markieff Morris, who played right away after joining the Lakers two weeks ago.
“(Morris had) been playing games for the Pistons; Dion’s played three games this year,” Vogel said. “So it’s a matter of acclimating, getting used to our system, getting a few practices under his belt.”
The 28-year-old guard is ready for a fresh start after a difficult season with the Heat that included three suspensions. The first step was getting to know his new teammates, including LeBron James, whom Waiters briefly played alongside in Cleveland.
“We all grew up on the AAU circuit and things like that, so it wasn’t that hard,” Waiters said. “I could easily just come in here and be myself. I don’t have to be nobody I’m not. So they opened the doors for me and welcomed me in with open arms, so it’s been smooth. It’s been really, really good.”
There’s more Lakers news to pass along:
- Waiters said the team asked about his off-court issues in Miami before deciding to sign him, but that part of the interview was short, Goon adds in the same story. General manager Rob Pelinka was Waiters’ agent for five years, so they already have a relationship in place. “At the end of the day, I’m grown,” Waiters said. “So you learn from your mistakes, at the end of the day. We don’t got to keep drilling on the past, things like that. You live and you learn. And I did that.”
- Although they have much bigger goals in mind, the Lakers enjoyed clinching a playoff spot with Friday’s win over the Bucks, relays Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN. It was especially important for James, who missed the postseason last year for the first time in more than a decade. “I came here to put this team and put this franchise back where they needed to be,” he said. “The league is not what it is if the Lakers are not winning. And that was one of my responsibilities, one of my goals when I came here.”
- The Clippers have replaced the Celtics as the Lakers’ most intense rival, claims Arash Markazi of The Los Angeles Times. They occupy the top two spots in the Western Conference and will have their third meeting of the season this afternoon.
The Latest On Kenny Atkinson
Kenny Atkinson‘s surprising departure as coach of the Nets on Saturday may have been instigated by his players, but it was a mutual decision, according to Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Sources tell Lewis that Kyrie Irving bears much of the responsibility for the move, but Atkinson has understood for months that a change might be necessary.
“Kenny and I had these pretty frank conversations. And it wasn’t last night, 24 hours; there wasn’t one game,” general manager Sean Marks said. “This was a culmination of events over the course of the year. Kenny’s brutally honest, and the humility he showed to admit ‘My voice is not what it once was here. It’s time.’ This is a compromise that Kenny and I and ownership came up with; it was time. Kenny grinded and did everything he could, but it was time for another voice in that locker room, and it’s our job to find it.”
Marks and owner Joe Tsai gave Atkinson credit for helping to turn around a franchise that was among the league’s worst when he took over in 2016. He has the Nets on track for their second straight playoff appearance, but what the organization wants in a coach apparently shifted after last summer’s free agency bonanza that brought in Irving and Kevin Durant. Neither of them offered comment on Atkinson’s departure, but the players who did insist that they weren’t involved in the decision.
“I absolutely [had] no ‘Fire Kenny’ conversations with Sean, so I don’t know, not a part of that,” Spencer Dinwiddie said. “It’s not like I called Joe on the phone and was like, ‘Hey you making any moves?’ I like to think we’re cool, but not that cool.”
Lewis adds that one of the first actions from interim coach Jacque Vaughn was to talk to Irving and other players about what changes they would like to see.
“It’s a service business. I’m serving these guys. I’m just a vessel,” Vaughn said. “It’s today’s game and being able to adjust to that, getting the most out of talent on your roster, but also listening and hearing the voices of the No. 1, 2, 3, 4 guys on your roster. It’s crucial, and having that relationship is a must in today’s game.”
There’s more fallout from this season’s most surprising coaching change:
- Irving would like to see the Nets hire Tyronn Lue, his former head coach in Cleveland, reports Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports. Currently an assistant with the Clippers, Lue took the Cavaliers to three straight NBA Finals, including two with Irving as his point guard. Irving didn’t like Atkinson’s “rigid” coaching methods and clashed with him almost immediately, sources tell Goodwill. Multiple sources also say Atkinson didn’t mesh with his two new stars and wasn’t looking forward to coaching them next season when both will presumably be healthy. “Oh, it was definitely mutual,” a league source said.
- Alex Schiffer of The Athletic talked to sources around the league and compiled a list of candidates to potentially become the Nets’ next head coach. Vaughn’s name is on the list along with some familiar candidates such as Jeff Van Gundy, Tom Thibodeau, Mark Jackson and former Nets star Jason Kidd. A few possibilities without head coaching experience are Darvin Ham, Ime Udoka, Brian Keefe and Adam Harrington.
- Atkinson may be the perfect choice to take over the cross-town Knicks, suggests Greg Joyce of The New York Post. New York is trying to rebuild with a collection of unproven young talent, much like Brooklyn was when Atkinson was hired there, and he is represented by Creative Artists Agency, which was run by new Knicks president Leon Rose. “It seems like he’s very well respected within players, within the league — players he coached and players he didn’t coach,” said Knicks forward Julius Randle. “I know I respected him.”
Warriors Plan Second 10-Day Contract For Mychal Mulder
Rookie guard Mychal Mulder made a strong impression on his first 10-day contract with the Warriors and appears to have earned another one, writes Anthony Slater of The Athletic. Mulder’s contract expired after last night’s game, but he went out with a flourish, scoring 18 points in a win over the Sixers.
He has gotten into six games since signing with the team on February 27 and is averaging 12.3 PPG in 29.5 minutes per night. He has made 16 total 3-pointers and is shooting 35.6% from long distance. Slater notes that among 22 players who have been on Golden State’s roster this season, Mulder is the only one with a positive plus-minus rating.
“Mike is fantastic,” coach Steve Kerr told reporters after Saturday’s game. “A really good player. Good defensively. We are lucky to have him. I know this is his final day of 10-day, but we are anxious to get him back in some way, so I’m sure that’s going to happen.”
This is Mulder’s first NBA opportunity after three seasons and 134 games in the G League. He spent training camp and the preseason with the Heat after signing an Exhibit 10 contract, but was waived before the season began.
The Warriors don’t play again until Tuesday, so they may hold off on the signing for a couple of days to get maximum value out of Mulder’s next 10-day deal. Once that expires, they will have to sign him for the rest of the season if they want to keep him on the roster.
Bulls Notes: White, Harrison, Boylen, Collins
Bulls coach Jim Boylen is reversing his stance on not starting rookie guard Coby White for the rest of the season, according to Rob Schaefer of NBC Sports Chicago. With the playoffs out of reach, White may be inserted into the starting lineup soon as the team focuses on developing players for next season.
“I think that day is probably coming,” Boylen said after practice this morning. “We’ve talked all year about developing and winning. Is that day coming? I would say, ‘Yes, probably.’ When, I’m not exactly sure.”
White is making a strong case for a starting role with his recent performance. He is averaging 27.7 points and 3.9 assists over the past seven games, and Schaefer notes that his defense and decision making have improved.
“He’s been great, man,” Zach LaVine said. “Just seeing his growth over the last month, he’s getting better every game. Even if it’s not like he’s getting 30 like he was, he’s still doing things that we’re progressing on. He’s growing every game.”
There’s more from Chicago:
- Shaquille Harrison used his new-found 3-point stroke to put up a career-high 25 points last night, Schaefer writes in a separate story. He has made nine of his last 11 from beyond the arc after shooting 27.7% on 3-pointers for his career. With restricted free agency looming this summer, Harrison is looking for any edge he can find to prove his worth. “I was undrafted, I had a couple offers coming out of high school,” he said. “I’ve always been that last guy they’re looking at, and I knew I had to make an impression that one opportunity or chance I get. So, it’s usual for me, it’s nothing new. I take pride in that, a lot of guys can’t do that.”
- Boylen is denying reports of a rift with senior advisor Doug Collins, relays K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports. The dispute reportedly involves Collins’ presence at coaching staff meetings. “All my interaction with Doug has been very positive. He’s been in my meetings and on the floor with the team,” Boylen said. “I don’t control his schedule or if he’s here or not here. We’ve had a very good, close relationship since he’s been here.”
- Despite another disappointing season, Boylen continues to have strong backing from ownership and executive vice president John Paxson, Johnson writes in another piece.
NBA G League Assignments/Recalls: 3/7/20
Here are Saturday’s G League assignments and recalls from around the NBA:
- The Rockets recalled Chris Clemons from their Rio Grande Valley affiliate, tweets Mark Berman of Fox 26 in Houston.
- The Cavaliers assigned Sir’Dominic Pointer to Canton, according to the G League transactions log.
Five Key Stories: 3/1/20 – 3/7/20
If you missed any of this past week’s biggest headlines from around the NBA, we’ve got you covered with our Week in Review. Here are some of the most noteworthy stories from the last seven days:
One of the NBA’s biggest stars returned to the court this week as Stephen Curry received medical clearance after missing four months with a fracture in his left hand. The two-time MVP scored 27 points in his first game back, but then came down with the flu.
In a surprising move, the Nets decided to part with coach Kenny Atkinson, who had been the longest-tenured active coach in New York professional sports. Assistant Jacque Vaughn will guide the team on an interim basis.
Leon Rose formally took over the Knicks’ front office this week, but the move was overshadowed by a public dispute with celebrity fan Spike Lee. The director has vowed not to attend any more games this season at Madison Square Garden.
The Lakers signed former Heat guard Dion Waiters for the rest of the season. L.A. opened a roster spot by waiving Troy Daniels, who wound up with the Nuggets.
Joakim Noah is returning to the NBA, reaching an agreement to join the Clippers. The veteran center will start on a 10-day deal with hopes of signing for the remainder of the season.
Here are 10 more noteworthy headlines from around the basketball world this week:
- Amid fears of a worsening coronavirus outbreak, NBA teams are being instructed to make plans to play games in empty arenas. Those measures are already in place in Italy, which is among the nations hardest hit by the virus.
- Magic coach Steve Clifford is OK after leaving Friday night’s game with dizziness in the third quarter. He was diagnosed with dehydration and was given clearance to continue coaching.
- The NBA denied a protest of the Mavericks‘ February 22 loss in Atlanta and fined owner Mark Cuban $500K for remarks he made about league officials.
- Clippers owner Steve Ballmer is attempting to buy the Forum in Inglewood, California, to help clear the way for a new arena for his team. The Forum is owned by Madison Square Garden Company, which has been engaged in a legal battle to block the new facility.
- Nets guard Kyrie Irving had arthroscopic surgery on his injured right shoulder. He is expected to make a full recovery in time for next season.
- Suns forward Kelly Oubre had surgery to fix a torn meniscus in his right knee. He will be re-evaluated in four weeks to determine if he will return this season.
- Trail Blazers center Jusuf Nurkic set March 15 as a target date to return from the severe leg injuries he suffered last season.
- The Pistons obtained guard Jordan McRae with a successful waiver claim. The Suns were also reportedly interested, but Detroit was ahead of them in the waiver order.
- Bradley Beal expressed interest in remaining with the Wizards for the rest of his career. He signed an extension in October that will keep him in Washington through at least the 2021/22 season.
- Zach Randolph has committed to play in the BIG3 this summer.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
NBA Sets Tuesday Deadline For Coronavirus Plans
The NBA wants all its teams to have precautionary measures in place by Tuesday to handle an outbreak of the coronavirus, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
A memo from the league office instructs the teams to make plans to reduce the size of their traveling parties and calls for mandatory distribution of hand sanitizer to players and staff. Players have already been advised to change the way they deal with fans, with autographs and handshakes being discouraged.
A conference call will be held Monday with doctors and trainers from all 30 teams, Wojnarowski adds. Teams are being instructed to have an infectious disease specialist on call as well as a nearby facility that can test for the virus. Teams are also asked to designate a limited number of employees who will be permitted to have close contact with the players.
Earlier today, we passed along a report that media members may be barred from locker rooms over coronavirus fears. A memo from the league office yesterday ordered teams to make plans to play in empty arenas if the virus outbreak becomes severe.
Pelicans’ Nickeil Alexander-Walker Out Indefinitely
Pelicans guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker will be sidelined indefinitely with a hairline fracture in his right wrist, the team announced in a press release.
He underwent an MRI after feeling discomfort in the wrist at Thursday’s practice, according to the release. Further evaluation will be conducted to determine the next steps in treatment.
Alexander-Walker has put together a solid rookie season after being taken with the 17th pick in the 2019 draft. He has appeared in 41 games and is averaging 5.1 PPG in about 12 minutes per night. He was selected to participate in this year’s Rising Stars Challenge at All-Star Weekend.
Kevon Looney Out At Least 3 Weeks; Stephen Curry Diagnosed With Flu
Warriors center/power forward Kevon Looney is experiencing left hip soreness and will be re-evaluated in three weeks, the team announced on Twitter. Looney has missed the past three games because of pain in the hip area and has played only 20 times all season.
It has been a tough fifth season for Looney, who signed a three-year, $15MM extension last summer. He dealt with a a neuropathic condition early in the campaign, then an abdominal strain caused him to miss 18 games in December and January.
With five and a half weeks remaining, Golden State may decide to keep Looney out of action and get him ready for next season. However, coach Steve Kerr says the organization hasn’t considered that yet (Twitter link from Nick Friedell of ESPN)
In a separate tweet, the Warriors announced that Stephen Curry has been diagnosed with the flu. Team doctor Robert Nied is calling it a “seasonal flu,” adding that Curry has “no specific risk factors” for the coronavirus. Curry returned to action Thursday for the first time since breaking his left hand in late October.
Pacers List Malcolm Brogdon As Week-To-Week
Pacers guard Malcolm Brogdon has been diagnosed with a torn left rectus femoris (a muscle in the quadriceps), the team announced in a press release. His status is listed as week-to-week.
He suffered the injury Wednesday at Milwaukee when a sore left hip forced him to leave the game after 11 minutes. He underwent an MRI that showed the extent of the damage.
Brogdon is putting up the best numbers of his career in his first season in Indiana, averaging 16.3 points, 4.7 rebounds and 7.1 assists in 48 games. However, he has suffered seven different injuries that have forced him to miss 15 games, according to J. Michael of The Indianapolis Star.
An extended absence for Brogdon could have a huge effect on the Eastern Conference playoff race. The Pacers are tied with the Sixers for fifth place at 38-25 and are two games behind Miami for home court advantage in the first round.