Luka Doncic Sprains Ankle, May Miss Two Weeks
DECEMBER 15, 12:15pm: Doncic may be sidelined for a couple of weeks, tweets Tim MacMahon of ESPN, who states that Mavericks officials feel like they “dodged a bullet” with the injury. Doncic won’t make the trip to Milwaukee for tomorrow’s game and no further updates will be provided until Wednesday night, adds Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News (Twitter link).
DECEMBER 15, 8:19am: Doncic has been diagnosed with a moderate ankle sprain, a source tells ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link).
DECEMBER 14, 8:34pm: Mavericks star Luka Doncic left tonight’s game early after injuring his right ankle, but X-rays didn’t reveal any serious damage, tweets Tim MacMahon of ESPN. He has been ruled out for the rest of the contest.
Doncic was diagnosed with a sprained right ankle, according to Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News (Twitter link), and there has been no word from the team on how much more time he might miss. The injury occurred when Doncic rolled his ankle early in the first quarter.
The reigning Rookie of the Year has been outstanding in his second season, averaging 30.4 points, 9.9 rebounds and 9.3 assists through 24 games and leading Dallas to a 17-7 start.
Heat Exploring Options To Get Rid Of Dion Waiters
The Heat are looking for ways to unload Dion Waiters, who is serving his third suspension of the season, reports Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald.
Two sources tell Jackson that the latest ban was the last straw regarding Waiters’ future in Miami. Management had been open to putting him back on the court if there were no further incidents, but his latest violation of team rules has ended that possibility.
Another source tells Jackson that Waiters is opposed to accepting a buyout that would cost him any of the $12.1MM he is making this year or the $12.7MM he is owed next season. The only thing that might change his mind is if he believes another team is interested in signing him, helping him recoup whatever money he parts with in a buyout. He has already lost $1.4MM because of the suspensions, which total 17 games.
The Heat are willing to offer a buyout, and Jackson was told that every option is “on the table” for resolving the situation. A team source admits that management has explored options for voiding Waiters’ contract, but there are concerns about a potential legal battle with the players union.
Jackson notes that the most likely scenario is for the Heat to continue paying Waiters while keeping him away from the team, an arrangement that he would have to approve. That enables Miami to use his salary as filler if a trade opportunity arises between now and February of next season. So far, no teams have expressed any interest in dealing for Waiters.
Ethan Skolnick of Five Reasons Sports reported this morning that Waiters’ latest suspension was triggered by an Instagram post that showed him on a boat when the team was led to believe he was sick. A source tells Skolnick that the suspension was imposed because of the cumulative effect of Waiters’ actions and team president Pat Riley’s emphasis on maintaining Heat “Culture.”
A source explained to Jackson that the post was one of many factors in the decision to suspend Waiters again.
Skolnick confirms that the team hasn’t made any progress in finding a taker for Waiters, with one source telling him, “There’s been no interest. None. Zip.” The Heat have been reluctant so far to include another asset such as a young player or a draft pick to make a deal happen.
Knicks Notes: Trades, Morris, Payton, Ntilikina
Today marks the unofficial start of the NBA’s trading season, but the Knicks won’t be in a hurry to make any deals, according to Marc Berman of The New York Post. December 15 is the date that most free agents who signed during the summer are eligible to be traded. New York has seven of those, with six on expiring contracts, but several factors make any quick deals unlikely.
A team executive tells Berman that the Knicks want to wait until closer to the February 7 deadline to sort out their assets, especially since interim coach Mike Miller just took over last week. The Knicks are 2-2 under Miller, and management believes the players’ trade value will rise if the team continues to succeed. Another consideration is the shaky status of team president Steve Mills, which may delay any major decisions until after the season.
The Knicks will continue to emphasize cap flexibility heading into the summer, Berman adds, which means it’s unlikely they’ll take on any expensive, long-term contracts. The 2020 free agent class is considered weak, but the organization wants to have cap room available for any offseason trade opportunities that might arise.
There’s more this morning from New York:
- The Knicks believe they can get a late first-round pick from a contender in exchange for Marcus Morris, Berman relays in the same piece. Figuring out the point guard situation remains a priority, with Elfrid Payton apparently back in the lead role. Berman notes that Dennis Smith Jr. and Frank Ntilikina have both been on the trade block before.
- The Knicks have been much better since Payton returned after missing 17 games with a strained hamstring, Berman observes in a separate story. Payton has been closing out games under Miller and sparked a comeback in Friday’s win at Sacramento. “When he’s playing like that, he’s a monster and tough to deal with, pushing the pace,” Julius Randle said. “… He got it done on both ends. I’m extremely proud of him how he competes.’’ A source tells Berman that Randle believes his adjustment to joining a new team would have been much easier if Payton hadn’t been injured.
- Ntilikina made progress under former coach David Fizdale, but finds himself in a different situation since Miller took over, writes Steve Popper of Newsday. Ntilikina remains in the starting lineup, but he’s not the type of “downhill” point guard that Miller envisions. “My goal is to stay the same, go out here and play hard for the team, give everything I can bring to this team,” Ntilikina said. “So of course, being in that situation is tough. Losing a lot of games, losing a coach, is tough. However, we’ve got to focus on the future.”
Eric Bledsoe Out Two Weeks With Fibula Avulsion Fracture
A right fibula avulsion fracture will sideline Bucks guard Eric Bledsoe for at least two weeks, according to Ben Steele of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. The team announced the injury after last night’s game.
Bledsoe was hurt during the third quarter Friday in a collision with teammate Wesley Matthews. Bledsoe underwent an MRI Saturday in Milwaukee and was examined by the team doctor.
He is averaging 15.0 points, 4.9 rebounds and 5.7 assists for the Bucks, who have begun the season at a sizzling 24-3 pace. He had started all 26 games before last night.
In Bledsoe’s absence, Donte DiVincenzo moved into the starting lineup, just as he did when Khris Middleton missed seven games with a left thigh bruise.
“We got to wish Bled a fast recovery,” Giannis Antetokounmpo said. “Come back healthy and this team is going to be exactly how it is now when he gets back. “We did it (when) Khris missed a lot of games. We were able to win games without him. We got to to it without Bled. If I ever miss games, they got to do it without me. We built a winning culture around the team and everybody knows what they got to do when we step on the floor.”
Jusuf Nurkic Discusses Injury, Recovery
Trail Blazers center Jusuf Nurkic tells Jason Quick of The Athletic he is about 60% recovered from a compound fracture of his left leg that he suffered in March.
A report earlier this week suggested Nurkic could return sometime around the All-Star game in mid-February. Whenever it happens, Nurkic, who went through an on-court workout with assistant coaches today, can’t wait to start playing again.
“I feel hungry,” he said. “… And when I’m with the team, I feel even more hungry. I lost some weight, and feel great — more explosive, more quick — and when the day comes, I’m going to be the double Beast.”
Nurkic’s injury involved breaks to both his tibia and fibula and required surgeons to implant a graphite rod into his leg. He said he has been pain-free for the past eight months.
Nurkic has some perspective on injuries after undergoing surgery in 2015 to fix a torn patella tendon. He said that experience was more painful, but this one has helped him learn to handle grief, to motivate himself and to express appreciation to the people who have provided support.
“I’ve been through a worse injury before; this one just looked bad,” Nurkic said. “But I’m thankful to God to give me a second chance to play, and personally I feel like I’m growing as a person, appreciating the last year, even though basketball was taken away.”
NBA G League Assignments/Recalls: 12/14/19
Here are Saturday’s G League assignments and recalls from around the NBA:
- The Pacers announced that they have assigned Goga Bitadze and Alize Johnson to their Fort Wayne affiliate for tonight’s game (Twitter links).
- The Lakers assigned Talen Horton-Tucker to South Bay, according to a tweet from the G League team.
Five Key Stories: 12/8/19 – 12/14/19
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 Heat suspended Dion Waiters for the third time this season. The latest ban is six games for failure to adhere to team policies, violation of team rules and continued insubordination. Although Waiters hasn’t played this season, Miami is unlikely to try to terminate his contract.
The G League will expand to Mexico City next season. An announcement was made Thursday that Capitanes, which is currently part of Mexico’s Liga Nacional de Baloncesto Profesional, will join the G League starting in 2020/21.
The Nets waived Iman Shumpert, even though the veteran swingman had played well since joining the team last month. Brooklyn needs an open roster spot once Wilson Chandler becomes eligible to be activated again following his 25-game suspension.
Former NBA commissioner David Stern was hospitalized after suffering a sudden brain hemorrhage Thursday. Stern, who ran the league for 30 years, collapsed at a restaurant in Manhattan and had emergency brain surgery.
The Rockets’ protest of a loss in San Antonio was denied by the league. Commissioner Adam Silver acknowledged that the referees missed the call on a James Harden dunk that was disallowed, but ruled that Houston had plenty of time to overcome the mistake.
Here are 10 more noteworthy headlines from around the basketball world this week:
- Cavaliers forward Kevin Love reportedly prefers to join his hometown Trail Blazers if he gets traded to a contender. However, his hefty contract may make him difficult to move.
- Two potential lottery picks playing in Australia both suffered injuries this week. LaMelo Ball will miss approximately four weeks with a bruised foot, and R.J. Hampton is expected to be out for about the same amount of time with a hip flexor injury.
- The Trail Blazers applied to the league for a disabled player exception after a season-ending Achilles injury to Rodney Hood. The Wizards are seeking a DPE for C.J. Miles, who had wrist surgery last week.
- Cavaliers rookie Dylan Windler suffered a setback as he tries to recover from a lower leg stress reaction. He will be held out of on-court basketball activities and re-evaluated in two weeks.
- The Hornets‘ PJ Washington had his rookie season interrupted by a fractured finger. He’s not expected to return until after Christmas.
- Marcus Morris said he doesn’t want to be traded despite the Knicks‘ disastrous start. The veteran forward came to New York on a one-year contract over the summer.
- In light of several reports that the Knicks plan to pursue Toronto executive Masai Ujiri, Raptors chairman Larry Tanenbaum vowed that Ujiri is “here to stay.”
- A number of teams are keeping their eyes on Pelicans center Derrick Favors to see if he hits the trade market after the team’s slow start.
- The Rockets are reportedly interested in acquiring forward Robert Covington from the Timberwolves.
- The Wizards are expected to guarantee Jordan McRae‘s contract for the rest of the season.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
John Paxson: No Major Changes Planned In Chicago
It appears Bulls coach Jim Boylen doesn’t have to worry about job security despite a disappointing 9-18 start. Executive vice president John Paxson expressed full confidence in his coach today in separate interviews with several media outlets.
“We’re committed to Jim. There’s no quick fix to this,” Paxson told K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago. “We’re not thinking of making any changes. Jim is a grinder. He’s going to keep grinding. One thing I respect immensely about him is he’s willing to listen to ideas. The thing he and I do is talk basketball. When I see things, he listens to what I have to say. Not that I’m making the decisions and I don’t tell him to play, but we talk basketball. And he’s open. He’s going to continue to grow and get better.”
Boylen has compiled a 26-59 record since taking over for Fred Hoiberg last December. His early days as head coach were met with a near mutiny by some of his players, who weren’t fond of the tough-guy tactics he brought to the role. Since then, there have been ups and downs in his relationship with the team, including public comments last month from Zach LaVine questioning whether Boylen is showing enough trust in him.
“There’s always some conflict,” Paxson said. “It can be teammate to teammate or coaches to players. That’s inevitable in this business. I don’t expect this group to fracture. I’d be disappointed if they did. All the guys in that locker room expressed to us their character and that’s not where they want to go or would ever go. I believe when they tell me that. I know that when things are bad or you’re not winning as much as you should, people want to point fingers. I’m not doing that internally. And we can’t do that internally. Once you do that, you’re in trouble.”
Paxson said at Media Day that he expected the Bulls to challenge for the playoffs. However, the team has stumbled out of the gate and is currently in 11th place, although just three games out of the eighth spot. There have been grumblings about Boylen’s new offense, which places a larger emphasis on 3-point shooting, and about his tendency to use more players than other coaches do, resulting in decreased minutes for LaVine and Lauri Markkanen.
Paxson still believes the Bulls can reach the postseason and told Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times that he accepts the blame for the rocky start.
“I’ll say this again, I thought — and we all did — we would have a better record than we do right now,” Paxson said. “I do believe we have talent. It’s young and not a lot of experience, but I do believe we have talent. So we’ve underperformed in that area, but there’s no quick fix in this right now. That’s the view I have to take.’’
He added that he’s not worried about his own job, even though many Bulls fans have been pleading for a front office shakeup for several years.
“I never worry about that,’’ he said. “I communicate with Jerry and Michael [Reinsdorf], and they know where my head is at, my heart is at and what I’m trying to do. Look, that’s a ‘what if’, and I’m not working on a ‘what-if.’’’
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Hoops Rumors Originals: 12/8/19 – 12/14/19
Every week, the Hoops Rumors writing team creates original content to complement our news feed. Here are our original segments and features from the past seven days:
- Our Free Agent Stock Watch looked at the Atlantic Division.
- Our Trade Candidate Watch focused on the Central Division.
- We conducted a poll on the likely Eastern Conference playoff teams.
- Luke Adams identified a few two-way players who may be in line for promotions.
- In a Community Shootaround we asked how many more coaches will be fired this season?
Amar’e Stoudemire Returns From China, Hopes For NBA Comeback
Amar’e Stoudemire‘s brief stay in China is over and he’s now working out in South Florida in hopes of getting another shot at the NBA, tweets Marc Stein of The New York Times.
The 37-year-old had some success with the Fujian Sturgeons, including a recent 33-point, 17-rebound game, but didn’t like being so far away from his family, Stein adds (Twitter link).
Stoudemire hasn’t played in the NBA since the 2015/16 season, when he averaged 5.8 points and 4.3 rebounds in 52 games for the Heat. He announced his retirement following that season and signed a one-day ceremonial contract with the Knicks.
However, Stoudemire never stopped playing. He agreed to a two-year deal with Hapoel Jerusalem, which he co-owns in the Israeli Basketball Premier League, and helped the team capture the league title. He announced his retirement again in 2017, but joined the BIG3 the following year. Stoudemire spent last season playing in Israel before going to China.