“A Long Way To Go” For Stephen Curry
Stephen Curry is traveling with the Warriors for the first time this season, but his timeline for a possible return hasn’t changed, writes Mark Medina of USA Today. Curry, who has missed 35 games with a fractured hand that required surgery, will be re-evaluated February 1. That means Golden State will play at least 10 more games without the two-time MVP.
“There is a long way to go for him to heal and be ready to play in a game,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “He just started really getting onto the court shooting and moving around. He has a ways to go, but it’s good to see him out there.”
Curry was averaging 20.3 PPG when he suffered the injury in the fourth game of the season. His jumper was still on target as he participated in a shooting drill yesterday with Draymond Green and assistant coach Bruce Fraser.
The Warriors’ plans also haven’t changed on fellow Splash Brother Klay Thompson, Medina adds. His condition will be evaluated during the All-Star Break (February 13-17) to see how much progress he has made in his recovery from the ACL injury in his left knee he suffered in Game 6 of the NBA Finals. Thompson has been taking part in shooting practice with his teammates when they have been in San Francisco.
Medina suggests the Warriors might set up conditioning and scrimmaging drills for both players after they have been checked by team doctors.
Hawks Sign Paul Watson To 10-Day Contract
JANUARY 6: Watson’s 10-day contract with the Hawks is now official, the team announced today in a press release. The deal makes Watson the first player to sign a 10-day contract in 2020 and will keep him locked up through January 15.
JANUARY 4: The Hawks will sign G League swingman Paul Watson to a 10-day contract, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic.
Watson has spent this season with Raptors 905, where he is averaging 18.4 points and 7.4 rebounds in 13 games while shooting 46.7% from 3-point range. Undrafted out of Fresno State in 2017, Watson had a brief stop in Germany before joining the G League later that year.
Tomorrow is the first day this season that 10-day contracts can be extended. Teams can sign players to a pair of 10-day deals, then they must either be waived or signed for the rest of the season.
Atlanta only has 14 players on its active roster, so Watson can be added with no corresponding move. The Hawks have been carrying an open roster spot since waiving Tyrone Wallace on December 14.
Lakers Notes: Augustin, Collison, Rondo, Kuzma
D.J. Augustin could be an option for the Lakers as they seek help at point guard, writes Sean Deveney of Heavy. A source tells Deveney the team would be the front-runner to land Darren Collison if he’s serious about returning to the NBA, but the Lakers’ front office is exploring other options as well.
LeBron James has been handling most of the point guard duties, with help from 33-year-old Rajon Rondo and combo guards Alex Caruso and Avery Bradley. Offseason addition Quinn Cook has fallen out of the rotation.
Augustin, who has an expiring $7.25MM contract, would provide a more dependable option in the postseason. Deveney speculates that he might be available if the Magic decide to point toward next season after this week’s injury to Jonathan Isaac, particularly now that Markelle Fultz replaced Augustin as a starter. The Lakers don’t have a second-round pick to offer until 2023, but Deveney notes they do have Talen Horton-Tucker, who was drafted by Orlando last year.
There’s more Lakers news to pass along:
- Collison, who said he wants to join one of the L.A. teams, would be the Lakers’ best option if he has kept his game sharp during his brief retirement, writes Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report. Pincus points out that Collison spent the 2013/14 season with the Clippers, but also played for Lakers coach Frank Vogel in Indiana.
- Rondo said he was convinced to spend another year with the Lakers after the organization acquired two of his former teammates by trading for Anthony Davis and signing DeMarcus Cousins, relays Kyle Goon of The Orange County Register. Cousins, who hasn’t played because of injury, was especially important, with Rondo telling general manager Rob Pelinka during free agency, “If you go grab Cous, you got me.”
- The Lakers have started listening to trade offers involving Kyle Kuzma, according to Sam Amick of The Athletic. After hearing his name included in numerous rumors during his first two NBA seasons, Kuzma feels ready for whatever happens, tweets Dave McMenamin of ESPN. “I’ve been in trade rumors ever since I came here,” Kuzma said. “I think that’s just a thing that happens when you’re a Laker. You’re always in trade rumors, especially in this time, so it doesn’t really matter at the end of the day. Just control what you can control.”
Wizards Waive Johnathan Williams
JANUARY 5: The move is official, the Wizards announced in a press release.
JANUARY 4: The Wizards will waive Johnathan Williams, tweets Candace Buckner of The Washington Post. Williams is on a non-guaranteed contract, so only a portion of his minimum salary will count against Washington’s cap.
The second-year center signed with Washington on December 26 under the hardship provision. He appeared in five games, starting four, and averaged 4.2 points and 6.0 rebounds in 18.4 minutes per night.
Williams broke into the league last season on a two-way contract with the Lakers. He also played briefly with Maccabi Rishon Le-Zion in Israel.
The Wizards had been carrying 17 players after being granted a pair of hardship exceptions. Those remain in effect only as long as the team has at least four or five players who have missed three or more games due to injury or illness and are expected to miss at least two more weeks.
Wizards Waive Justin Robinson
The Wizards have waived rookie point guard Justin Robinson, the team announced in a press release.
Robinson signed with Washington in July after going undrafted out of Virginia Tech. He spent most of his time in the G League, averaging 14.2 points and 6.1 assists in 18 games with Capital City. Robinson saw limited playing time in nine games with the Wizards.
Robinson will have a $396K cap hit for his time in Washington, tweets Bobby Marks of ESPN. He signed a three-year, $4.2MM contract over the summer, but it contains no guaranteed money past this year. Salaries across the league will be guaranteed for the rest of the season later this week for players who remain on the roster past Tuesday.
Washington was briefly carrying 17 players after being approved for two hardship exceptions last week. The roster will be back down to 15, along with a pair of two-way contracts, after today’s move and the expected decision to waive Johnathan Williams.
Cutting Robinson indicates that Gary Payton II, who was one of those hardship signings, will be kept on the roster, notes Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington (Twitter link). Payton is averaging 6.9 points, 4.4 rebounds and 2.4 steals in seven games since joining the Wizards.
Kevin Love: “I Love My Teammates”
After a day that started with a tirade against general manager Koby Altman and culminated with in-game show of disgust that quickly went viral (video link), Kevin Love offered his side of the story last night on Instagram, relays Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com.
“A lot of non truths being shared,” he wrote. “But I’ve learned that we live in a world where people remember accusations and not rebuttals. Let them paint whatever picture they want. Fact is — I love my teammates.”
Those feelings weren’t on display shortly before the end of the first half of the Cavaliers‘ loss to the Thunder Saturday night. Guarded by Chris Paul in the post, Love raised both arms and called for the ball. However, coach John Beilein had instructed Collin Sexton to dribble some time off the clock before running a play. Love stomped toward Sexton and put his hands out until he got the ball, then fired a bullet pass at Cedi Osman.
It was an obvious show of frustration that might have been directed at Sexton, Beilein, Altman or the team’s losing ways in general.
“I think you’re talking about the play with Chris Paul on me,” Love told reporters after the game. “Yeah, I felt we were making a play call and at the end of the second half we were in the bonus and I had Chris Paul on me. Felt swing it to me and try to throw it in the post, see if they double-team me and get a shot out of that, but that’s not what we did. Yeah, I was frustrated.”
After Saturday morning’s shootaround, Love directed his anger at Altman in an animated discussion that began on the court and ended in the GM’s office. Love has had heated exchanges with Altman and the coaching staff before and was fined $1K for a display of emotion during a December 31 loss at Toronto.
Beilein tried to calm tensions last night, accepting responsibility for the play that ended the first half.
“That was my mistake,” he said. “I was trying to get us to slow down and try to get, not the last shot, but close to the last shot. He had Chris Paul posted up and I didn’t see it. It was on me. I called something else.”
Beilein values Love’s passion for the game and his desire to see his young teammates learn to play the right way. Sexton can be frustrating to play with because of his tendency to seek his own shot, Fedor adds, recalling that several veteran Cavaliers spoke out about him early last season.
Love’s future in Cleveland remains uncertain. His championship experience makes him valuable as a mentor, but at age 31 he doesn’t fit in with the rebuilding process. After Saturday’s incidents, everything he does will be closely watched until at least next month’s trade deadline.
Marcus Morris Draws Interest From Clippers, Sixers
The Clippers and Sixers both have interest in acquiring Knicks forward Marcus Morris, according to Marc Berman of The New York Post.
Morris’ playoff experience and expiring $15MM contract make him an attractive addition for any playoff contender. He is among several veterans who signed short-term deals with New York over the summer that carry little to no guaranteed money beyond this season.
With the Knicks in Los Angeles for a game today, Morris was asked about the possibility of joining the Clippers.
“Rumors are rumors,” he said. “Look, I told you before I’m in New York and love being here. I’m excited to help to turn this around. I’m not paying that any mind. I’m focused on what we got going on in this locker room.’’
Morris would likely be more interested in winding up in his hometown of Philadelphia. He said in July that playing close to home was among his reasons for backing out of a deal with the Spurs to join the Knicks.
Berman notes that the Sixers don’t have a first-rounder to offer in the 2020 draft, but they have four second-round picks. He adds that a third team would probably be needed to facilitate a deal, such as the Hawks, who are under the salary cap.
A source tells Berman that the Knicks may also be able to land second-round selections in exchange for Allonzo Trier and Wayne Ellington, who have both fallen out of the rotation.
NBA G League Assignments/Recalls: 1/4/20
Here are Saturday’s assignments and recalls from around the NBA G League:
- The Rockets assigned Chris Clemons to their affiliate in Rio Grande Valley, tweets Mark Berman of Fox 26. Clemons had his two-way deal converted to a three-year contract last week.
- The Wizards announced on Twitter that they have recalled Justin Robinson from Capital City. He is averaging 5.4 minutes per night in nine NBA games in his first season.
- The Warriors recalled Jordan Poole from Santa Cruz, according to a tweet from the team. The rookie guard is averaging 7.1 PPG in 29 games for Golden State.
Wizards Notes: Hachimura, Thomas, Draft, Wall
Rui Hachimura will be re-evaluated in about two weeks as he recovers from “a minor procedure” following a groin injury in a December 16 game, the Wizards announced in a press release. This is the first time the organization has acknowledged that Hachimura underwent a medical procedure, tweets Fred Katz of The Athletic.
The rookie forward met with reporters prior to tonight’s game to provide an update on his condition. The injury resulted from an accidental kick by Isaac Bonga, and Hachimura said he forgave his teammate right away (Twitter link).
“He’s a good kid. It was an accident, you know,” he said. “I saw the video a couple times too. It was like, kind of — I don’t know. I don’t know how to explain but I think he felt bad too. He texted me right after.”
There’s more from Washington, D.C.:
- Isaiah Thomas was fined $25K for making contact with an official in last night’s game, the league announced on Twitter. Thomas, who was ejected, insisted today that it was an accident, tweets Candace Buckner of The Washington Post. He explained that he lost his balance after being pushed in the back. “It was unintentional contact,” Thomas said. “Most importantly I would like to move on from it but I definitely didn’t mean to put my hand on a ref.” (Twitter link)
- With the Wizards likely headed for the lottery again, Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington takes an early look at the draft. He considers former Memphis center James Wiseman the best fit and wonders how the team would handle a guard-heavy draft after making major investments in John Wall and Bradley Beal. Hughes adds that Washington has moved some of its scouting resources to watch LaMelo Ball in Australia and R.J. Hampton in New Zealand.
- In a separate story, coach Scott Brooks tells Hughes that Wall is filling a valuable role as an unofficial assistant coach as he recovers from injury, but is eager to start playing again. “It hurts John not to be out on the court playing. That guy’s a competitor,” Brooks said. “(When you’re out with an injury), you appreciate it more. I hate to say it, especially with the year we’ve had, injuries can happen with the next play. You don’t really know what’s going to happen, so you play your best on every play. When it’s taken away from you, it bothers you.”
Five Key Stories: 12/29/19 – 1/4/20
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:
With the deadline about a month away, trade rumors heated up this week with a report that the Pistons are talking with teams about a deal involving Andre Drummond. The Hawks, Celtics, Mavericks and Raptors were all named as possible trade partners for the star center, who is expected to opt out of his contract for next season.
Longtime NBA commissioner David Stern died Wednesday at age 77, roughly three weeks after suffering a brain hemorrhage. Stern is remembered as a visionary who lifted the league out of financial difficulty and helped make it popular around the world.
Former Pacers guard Darren Collison is interested in returning to the NBA, but only wants to play for a team in Los Angeles. The Lakers and Clippers have full rosters, but both are expected to be interested in adding a veteran with Collison’s resume.
Kings center Dewayne Dedmon was fined $50K after talking publicly about his desire to be traded. Dedmon, who signed with the Kings over the summer, has been unhappy with his playing time since falling behind Richaun Holmes in the rotation.
No. 1 pick Zion Williamson went through a full practice this week for the first time since meniscus surgery in October. The Pelicans remain optimistic that he can make his NBA debut this month.
Here are 10 more noteworthy headlines from around the basketball world this week:
- Magic forward Jonathan Isaac will be sidelined indefinitely with a hyperextended left knee. The team plans to re-evaluate him in eight to 10 weeks and is considering “operative and non-operative treatments.”
- The Trail Blazers will be without Skal Labissiere for at least the rest of their road trip after he hurt his knee last weekend. He has been a regular part of the rotation for Portland, which has been hit with a string of frontcourt injuries.
- Injuries continue for the Clippers, who lost Patrick Beverley this week with a sprained right wrist.
- LaMarcus Aldridge‘s $24MM contract for next season became guaranteed on New Year’s Day. The guarantee date was originally set for late June, but he and the Spurs agreed to move it up to January 1.
- Several playoff contenders are expressing interest in Cavaliers center Tristan Thompson. He is among four veterans on Cleveland’s roster with expiring contracts.
- Tom Thibodeau said he hopes to return to the NBA as a head coach. Thibodeau has been visiting teams and doing television work since the Timberwolves fired him midway through last season.
- The Warriors are the latest team watching Karl-Anthony Towns in Minnesota to see if there’s any indication that he wants out. Towns is in the first year of his extension, but injuries and losing have made it a frustrating season.
- The Nets waived swingman David Nwaba to make room to sign Justin Anderson out of the G League. Nwaba will miss the rest of the season with a torn Achilles tendon.
- The Nets also parted with two-way player Henry Ellenson, who got into just five NBA games this season. January 15 is the last day that players can be signed to two-way deals.
- The Cavaliers converted Tyler Cook‘s two-way deal to a standard contract. The former Nuggets forward had spent most of the season in the G League.