Five Key Stories: 12/22/19 – 12/28/19
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:
The NBA’s long trade drought ended this week as the Jazz acquired Jordan Clarkson from the Cavaliers in exchange for Dante Exum and two second-round picks. It was the first deal completed since the Thunder sent Russell Westbrook to the Rockets in mid-July. Clarkson adds more scoring punch in Utah and strengthens the bench unit.
The Jazz also waived veteran forward Jeff Green to create room to sign G League standout Rayjon Tucker. Green cleared waivers on Thursday and is now an unrestricted free agent.
Wizards guard Isaiah Thomas received a two-game suspension after going into the stands to confront an unruly fan in Philadelphia. Although Thomas talked to the fan calmly, the league has a strict policy about players leaving the court to interact with fans during games.
Nuggets coach Michael Malone received a contract extension through the 2022/23 season. He has improved the team’s record each season since taking over in 2015/16.
Pacers guard Victor Oladipo has set late January or early February as his target date to return to the court. He is still recovering from a ruptured quad tendon that he suffered 11 months ago.
Here are 10 more noteworthy headlines from around the basketball world this week:
- Zach Randolph confirmed his retirement after 17 years in the NBA. He hinted in September that he wanted to join a team in training camp, but that opportunity never happened.
- The Knicks have started monitoring Karl-Anthony Towns‘ situation with the Timberwolves to see if he might become available in a trade. Dealing for an unhappy star has become New York’s “dream scenario.”
- LeBron James is being urged to take some time off after aggravating a groin injury in the Lakers‘ Christmas Day game. James, an outspoken critic of load management, has also been bothered by a rib injury.
- The Wizards signed both Gary Payton II and Johnathan Williams as hardship players. Washington has four players with long-term injuries and several others who are currently sidelined.
- The Rockets converted Chris Clemons‘ two-way deal to a three-year contract after he reached his 45-day limit in the NBA. Houston signed William Howard to the open two-way slot.
- Kings guard Buddy Hield told reporters there are “trust issues” on the team after barely playing in the fourth quarter of a pair of games this week. Hield, who also clashed with former coach Dave Joerger, signed a four-year rookie scale extension in October.
- Dewayne Dedmon is also reportedly unhappy in Sacramento after signing a three-year, $41MM deal as a free agent this summer. Dedmon has fallen out of the Kings‘ rotation and may have several teams interested in acquiring him.
- The NBA conducted an investigation of the Clippers after they signed Kawhi Leonard in free agency. It was sparked by reports of improper benefits allegedly being requested by Leonard’s uncle, Dennis Robertson.
- The Hawks are reportedly considering Thunder center Steven Adams as a trade target. He has one more season left on his contract and is owed $25.8MM this year and $27.5MM in 2020/21.
- The NBA is still debating what type of incentive to offer as a prize in its proposed in-season tournament.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Dennis Smith Jr. Responds To Trade Rumors
Dennis Smith Jr. insisted today that he wants to remain in New York, but rumors persist that he wouldn’t object to a trade, writes Marc Berman of The New York Post.
Asked about that possibility at this morning’s shootaround, Smith responded, “I like playing for the Knicks. So whatever I’ve got to do, I’m going to take care of that.’’
When pressed on the topic, Smith said, “I want to be here” and “My thing is to take care of what I got going on now. I’m with the New York Knicks, so I try to be the best version of me with this team.”
Berman notes that Smith became concerned about his future in New York when the Knicks signed free agent Elfrid Payton in July and virtually promised him the starting point guard role. Smith’s camp considered asking for a trade at that point, but decided against it. Shams Charania of The Athletic reported this week that executives from several teams have contacted the Knicks about trading for Smith, and they believe he would welcome a fresh start.
“The way I look at it, of course, you come in and you want to play,’’ Smith said. “I don’t know how much you’re supposed to feed into it. You want to see (Payton) do well. You want to do well yourself. That’s what it’s really about.’’
Smith, Payton and Frank Ntilikina have been staging a three-way battle for playing time at point guard since training camp. Smith is currently at the back of the line, averaging just 16.1 minutes per night, and will miss his second straight game tonight with a strained oblique. He was slowed by a back injury in training camp and left the team for two weeks after his stepmother died.
The injuries and the lack of playing time are driving down Smith’s trade value, creating a difficult situation for team president Steve Mills and GM Scott Perry, who are already on shaky ground. Smith was the centerpiece of the deal that sent Kristaps Porzingis to the Mavericks in January, and it would be embarrassing for the front office to ship him off now without getting something significant in return.
Knicks Notes: Trade Rumors, Bullock, Ellington, Smith Jr.
Another rocky start in New York has led several Knicks to begin seeking a way out, according to Ian Begley of SNY.tv. Sources tell Begley a few players have said privately that they hope to be dealt before the February 6 trade deadline arrives.
That was always a danger for a team that signed so many players to short-term contracts this summer. Of the seven free agents who came to New York, only Julius Randle has any money guaranteed beyond this season. Management has admitted that it prioritized roster flexibility and future cap room after missing out on its top targets in the free agent market.
Begley expects the team to explore trading options on everyone except rookie guard RJ Barrett and possibly second-year center Mitchell Robinson. He notes that several teams, including the Timberwolves, have expressed interest in Dennis Smith Jr.
There’s more from New York:
- Two much-needed shooters are expected back in the lineup soon, Begley adds in the same story. Reggie Bullock practiced yesterday with the Knicks’ G League team and is close to making his season debut after having cervical disc herniation surgery in July. Wayne Ellington, who has missed the past 10 games with an Achilles issue, may be ready for Saturday’s game at Washington.
- Efforts to trade Smith will be complicated by an oblique injury that could sideline him for several games, writes Marc Berman of The New York Post. Smith started feeling discomfort during an extra workout after playing just seven minutes Monday. There’s no word on how much time he might miss with the injury, which is more common among baseball players. “He pulled something in his oblique while he was playing,’’ interim coach Mike Miller said. “It wasn’t a collision. It was just some kind of movement when he did something, it pulled something. … He’s been testing it and going through treatment as best he can. We’ll just have to see day-to-day how he feels.”
- Robinson credits an agreement he made with former coach David Fizdale for turning his season around, relays Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic. Any time Robinson commits a reach-in foul during a game, he has to run laps during practice as punishment. “Who wants to keep running all day in practice?” Robinson said. “Why not jump vertical? It worked out pretty great.”
Zach Randolph Confirms His Retirement
A few months after suggesting that he wanted to continue his NBA career, Zach Randolph tells TMZ his retirement is official. Randolph confirmed the news during a quick interview while he was at the Clippers–Lakers game on Christmas Day.
Randolph earned more than $200MM during his 17 years in the NBA. His time in the league ended unceremoniously last season as he spent time with the Kings and Mavericks, but never got into a game.
Randolph, who plans to devote more time to his music label, also spoke briefly about Ja Morant, saying he’s got a “good chance” to be Rookie of the Year.
In an interview shortly before training camps opened in September, Randolph declared, “I ain’t retired yet,” and seemed to be holding out hope that someone would give him a chance to earn a roster spot. But when that opportunity didn’t come, Randolph accepted that his career is over.
Buddy Hield: Kings Have “Trust Issues”
Buddy Hield complained to reporters about “trust issues” in Sacramento after being benched for much of the fourth quarter in last night’s loss to the Timberwolves, writes Jason Jones of The Athletic.
New Kings head coach Luke Walton has been keeping Hield off the court late in close games ever since a defensive lapse cost the team a victory against San Antonio on December 6, Jones adds. Hield didn’t play at all in the fourth quarter Monday and saw just 4:06 of action in the final frame of Thursday’s double overtime loss.
“Seems like we’re all over the place,” Hield said. “… Trust issues going on, I guess. They stop believing in players. It is what it is.”
Hield’s comments capped an overall miserable night for the Kings, who fell to 12-19 with their fifth straight loss. Not only did they allow Minnesota to snap an 11-game slide, but De’Aaron Fox left the game after two minutes with back spasms and Marvin Bagley III exited in the third quarter with an injured left foot.
But the bigger issue might be Hield, who is lashing out at the organization two months after signing a four-year rookie-scale extension worth $86MM. Hield also clashed with former coach Dave Joerger after repeatedly abandoning set plays to get his own shot, and Jones notes that their uneasy relationship was part of the reason for Joerger’s dismissal.
That’s not going to happen with Walton, who has a four-year contract and the full support of management, Jones adds. He was given the freedom to remove Dewayne Dedmon from the rotation after the team signed the free agent center to a three-year, $40MM contract this summer, and he will be allowed to handle Hield as he sees fit.
Hield didn’t directly attack Walton last night and made it clear to reporters that he doesn’t feel like he’s being singled out by the coaching staff.
“I never said that,” Hield said. “I just feel like I’m one of the better players on the team, I should be in there in the fourth quarter, trying to help my team win, regardless. That’s why I’m here, right?”
Hield hit a key shot in the first overtime and played the entirety of the second one. However, he showed questionable judgment at the end as the Kings had the ball and a chance to win with 11.6 seconds remaining. Hield ran off nearly the entire clock before misfiring on a 3-pointer.
“I don’t coach the team, it is what it is,” he said. “I’m an emotional player. I express my feelings on the bench and they know how competitive I am and they hear me. I don’t say nothing quietly. They know I’m all about winning, I’m a team-first guy and nobody says I’m being selfish so that’s not the case, I’m not a selfish guy.
“I’m all about winning. When I’m not out there, it hurt my gut not to be out there. For the past two games when I feel I can make a difference. … I know they’re trying to prove a point, of course. But the point didn’t get proved; that’s a game we could have won.”
Community Shootaround: Earning Christmas Day Games
Christmas has long been a showcase for the NBA, a chance to put the top teams and brightest stars on display. While the league usually does a good job of identifying them months in advance, there are exceptions, which is how we wound up with the Warriors and Pelicans as part of this year’s holiday slate.
When the schedule makers were picking out teams this summer, there was no way to know that Golden State would be crushed by injuries, including Stephen Curry‘s broken hand four games into the season, and would be fielding a roster that often resembles an expansion team. Likewise, they couldn’t have predicted preseason knee surgery for New Orleans rookie Zion Williamson, who would have been an automatic ratings boost if he had remained healthy.
So even after taking the Knicks off the Christmas Day schedule, the league might be stuck with two duds tomorrow. The Warriors host the Rockets in the middle of the five-game marathon, and the Pelicans travel to Denver in the nightcap for a contest that many fans may not stay up to watch after a full day of basketball and holiday cheer.
Former NBA star Dwyane Wade offered a solution to potential Christmas mismatches in a tweet last night.
“Proposal: Christmas games should be earned,” he wrote. “Let’s have an element of surprise in the schedule. The teams that are playing well are the ones that needs to be playing on Christmas Day. Reward the teams just like we reward players with an in season AllStar game.”
Wade’s idea would obviously be tricky to implement. A few days would have to kept open on the schedule so that the teams not selected for Christmas could get their games in. And the future schedule would have to be flexible enough that all teams still play everyone in their division four times and every team in the other conference twice.
However, as the league tries to be forward thinking with its regular season and searches for ideas to increase fan interest, Wade’s suggestion is worth considering. Instead of being stuck with the current versions of the Warriors and Pelicans, fans would be more excited to watch early-season surprises like the Heat and Mavericks or maybe a dynamic young talent like Ja Morant.
We want to get your thoughts on Wade’s tweet. Please leave your feedback in the space below, and Merry Christmas to all of our readers.
Southeast Notes: Payton, Waiters, Collins
In his season debut with the Wizards Monday, Gary Payton II looked a lot like his Hall of Fame father, writes Fred Katz of The Athletic. Some of the resemblance was the familiar No. 20 — the first time the younger Payton has worn his dad’s number in his brief NBA career — but a lot was performance. After being signed out the G League, Payton flew to Washington for a physical and arrived at Madison Square Garden shortly before the start of the game with the Knicks. He came off the bench to post 10 points, 11 rebounds, five assists and six steals in 34 minutes.
“I told him at the end of the game; he changed the whole game around. He really did,” teammate Ish Smith said. “He came in that second quarter, him and (Justin Robinson), and at the top of that zone, they were so disruptive.”
Payton hopes to find a lasting NBA home after short stays with the Bucks and Lakers, followed by three games with the Wizards last season. He figures to get plenty of minutes in Washington’s next game while Isaiah Thomas completes his suspension, but his future beyond that is uncertain.
“It’s one game. You can’t get overly excited, but I love players that have stories like this,” coach Scott Brooks said. “You cheer for them. You want them to have success. They fought. They’ve been cut. They almost made it. They’ve been cut. They fought. They’ve been cut. And hopefully, he plays well enough to stick with us.”
There’s more from the Southeast Division:
- Payton’s new contract is a non-guaranteed one-year deal that carries a $1,090,781 base salary and a $1,052,909 cap hit, tweets Bobby Marks of ESPN. Payton will earn $9,485 for each day he remains on the Wizards‘ roster.
- Dion Waiters worked out today with a few teammates and some of the coaching staff after his latest suspension ended Monday, relays Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel. The Heat won’t practice again until Thursday, but Waiters took advantage of the chance to get some extra work in. It still appears doubtful that he will be used in any games this season.
- The Hawks are optimistic that they can salvage something after a 6-25 start, according to Chris Kirschner of The Athletic. Before John Collins returned from a 25-game suspension last night, their young core of Collins, Trae Young and Kevin Huerter had only played together for 19 minutes this season. “I feel like there’s a little bit of a relief factor that comes along with the guy that you expected to have throughout the season, and now you have him back now getting acclimated to regular basketball activities,” Collins said. “I feel like it’s definitely a relief for everyone.”
Clippers Notes: Leonard, Rivers, George, Vogel
Kawhi Leonard said he wasn’t aware of any illegal demands allegedly made by his uncle, Dennis Robertson, during free agency, writes Mark Medina of USA Today. A report surfaced yesterday that Robertson was making outrageous requests as Leonard considered whether to remain with the Raptors or head to Los Angeles to join the Clippers or Lakers. Robertson reportedly sought an ownership stake, a private plane, a house and a guaranteed amount of off-court endorsement money.
“I didn’t read it. I don’t know how reliable it is,” Leonard said of the story by Sam Amick of The Athletic. “I have no knowledge of it. People make up stories every day.”
Coach Doc Rivers also dismissed the report, calling it a “pretty empty story” because the Clippers were cleared of any wrongdoing in a formal investigation by the league. The organization insists that the only demand Leonard made was to find a way to trade for Paul George.
“They investigate every year. I don’t know why that is news,” Rivers said. “Every year, someone signs, there is going to be an investigation. That’s fine. The key is once you’re clear. From what I know, I don’t think we were the only ones.”
There’s more Clippers news to pass along:
- After being traded to L.A. in July, George engaged in some playful banter with newly hired Lakers coach Frank Vogel about who was going to take over the city, Medina adds in a separate story. Vogel coached George with the Pacers in six of his first seven NBA seasons and they have remained close friends. “He definitely helped with my development by throwing me out there, throwing me into the fire, giving me that experience, letting me learn on the fly and make mistakes,” George said.
- George was heartened by the friendly reception he got from Thunder fans Sunday night in his first game back in Oklahoma City since requesting a trade, relays Royce Young of ESPN. The Thunder acknowledged his work in the community as well as his success on the court. “Everything was a chapter, from the second I got here,” George said. “From my foundation, to big games we won, rivalries, brotherhood, partnerships and relationships, with [Thunder general manager] Sam [Presti] ... they looked out for me, they looked out for my family and I’m forever grateful for this opportunity.”
- Kyle Goon of The Orange County Register compares recent moves by the Clippers and Lakers as they both try to put together a title contender.
Injury Updates: Anthony, Wagner, MCW, Hayward
Carmelo Anthony doesn’t believe a left knee contusion he suffered Friday night will be a long-term concern, writes Jamie Goldberg of The Oregonian. Anthony, who was held out of Saturday’s game, asked to be removed from Friday’s contest against Orlando in the second quarter after banging knees with another player. He remained in the locker room to get treatment on the injury.
“I didn’t want to take the chance of going out there,” the Trail Blazers‘ forward explained afterward. “We had it rolling. The guys had it rolling. We set the tone early in the game.”
Anthony, 35, has been productive since returning to the NBA last month after a year away from the game. He has averaged 16.0 points and 6.2 rebounds through 15 games and has given Portland another reliable scorer to go along with Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum.
There’s more injury news from around the league:
- The Wizards will be without Moritz Wagner for at least a week because of an ankle injury, relays Fred Katz of The Athletic (Twitter link). Coach Scott Brooks provided an update last night, telling reporters that Wagner can’t do anything basketball-related right now.
- Michael Carter-Williams has been diagnosed with an AC joint sprain in his left shoulder, the Magic announced on Twitter. He has been ruled out of tomorrow’s game, and his return date will depend on how the injury responds to treatment. The veteran guard had his arm in a sling after being hit with a hard pick Friday night (Twitter link from Josh Robbins of The Athletic).
- Gordon Hayward will miss his third straight game today with soreness in his left foot, according to a tweet from the Celtics. An MRI taken this week revealed no structural damage. Hayward was sidelined for about a month with a fractured bone in his left hand and has been limited to 11 games this season.
- The Heat have already ruled Justise Winslow out for tomorrow’s game, tweets Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald. Winslow hasn’t played since December 4 because of a lower back strain.
Sixers’ Matisse Thybulle Out Indefinitely
Sixers rookie Matisse Thybulle is sidelined indefinitely with a right knee sprain and a bone bruise, tweets Kyle Neubeck of Philly Voice. His condition will be re-evaluated in about two weeks.
Thybulle suffered a hyperextension injury in the fourth quarter last night after colliding with the Wizards‘ Troy Brown Jr., according to Serena Winters of NBC Sports Philadelphia (Twitter link). Thybulle was examined by team doctors this morning.
The 20th player selected in this year’s draft, Thybulle has provided a valuable defensive presence off the Sixers’ bench. He is averaging 4.8 points per game, along with 1.4 steals and 0.7 blocks.