Teams Interested In Andrew Bogut
Veteran center Andrew Bogut is getting interest from “multiple contenders,” including the Warriors and Sixers, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic.
Bogut is available now that his season has ended in Australia — he was named both MVP and Defensive Player of the Year in the NBL (National Basketball League).
Bogut isn’t expected to decide on an NBA deal right away, Charania adds. However, the 34-year-old will be playoff-eligible wherever he goes, since he hasn’t been on an NBA roster all season. He has been out of the league since the Lakers waived him in January of 2018.
Bogut was a second-team All-Defensive honoree in 2014/15 when he helped Golden State win the NBA title. The Warriors traded him after the 2016 season in a cap-clearing move to help them sign Kevin Durant.
Celtics Notes: Grousbeck, Brown, Ainge, Baynes
The Celtics will be vulnerable in the first round of the playoffs, co-owner Wyc Grousbeck admitted yesterday, according to Nicole Yang of The Boston Globe. Speaking at the MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference, Grousbeck said the team is coming off the “worst February” in memory since he assumed control of the team in 2002.
Boston posted a 5-6 record and ended the month with four straight losses. There have also been comments from players that the team lacked unity, along with rumors that Kyrie Irving may be reconsidering the verbal commitment he made to re-sign with the Celtics this summer.
“We also have the capability of losing in the first round,” Grousbeck said. “We have a very, very good set of opponents in the East, all of whom have beaten us in the last month.”
There’s more this morning out of Boston:
- At the end of Friday’s shootaround, president of basketball operations Danny Ainge could be seen talking to Jaylen Brown, relays A. Sherrod Blakely of NBC Sports Boston. Brown, who has struggled to adjust to a reserve role after being the team’s second-leading scorer last season, described Ainge’s comments as encouraging. “Some GMs might not say anything to you,” Brown said. “So I appreciate him. I try to listen to everybody, hear from everybody and their perspective… So, Danny’s definitely one of the people in my ear that I’m tuned in to, just because of his position and what he’s been through.”
- Hall of Famer Kevin McHale warned back in November that the Celtics’ depth might turn out to be a problem because too many players would be expecting significant roles, notes Steve Bulpett of The Boston Herald. The return of Irving and Gordon Hayward, who both missed last year’s playoffs with injuries, meant that Brown, Terry Rozier and others who helped the team reach the Eastern Conference finals were asked to make adjustments. “I think they’re in a spot where they’re trying to keep a lot of players involved and a lot of players happy and catching a rhythm for a lot of players,” McHale said. “That’s always really hard. I’ve always believed that you need to make sure, as a coach, that your three or four top guys are in a great rhythm, and then after that you’re going to have to have guys that fill in and play. You can’t make everybody happy all the time.”
- The Celtics may get a boost with the return of center Aron Baynes, who is listed as questionable for today’s game. A left foot contusion has kept him off the court since February 1.
Community Shootaround: Replacing The All-Star Game
When your commissioner compares All-Star Game changes to putting “an earring on a pig,” it’s probably time to try something different.
That’s how Adam Silver characterized the new All-Star format in a speech Friday at the MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference, relays Jimmy Golen of The Associated Press. The NBA is in its second season of having the highest vote-getter from each conference make selections from a pool of players chosen by fans and coaches. Even though this year’s game was shown on both TNT and TBS, it tied for the worst rating in its history with a 3.8.
“The All-Star Game didn’t work,” Silver admitted, calling it “an afterthought” of an event-filled weekend.
Silver would like to shorten the regular season to about 70 games and make up for the lost revenue by replacing the All-Star contest with a midseason or pre-season tournament that would amount to a separate championship. It’s similar to the format in European soccer. He also suggested that teams could stage a mini-tournament in Europe or Asia.
One problem the league would face is how to make the competitions matter when the ultimate goal is to win an NBA title. Another is that cutting the schedule to 70 games means every team would have to give up the money from six home dates. And although players and coaches would prefer a shorter season, none would welcome an accompanying pay cut to make it possible.
We want to get your opinion on Silver’s musings. Is the All-Star Game beyond salvaging? Would you be interested in seeing a tournament take its place, and is there any way to make it meaningful? Does the NBA need a shorter season, and how can the revenue be replaced? Please leave your comments in the space below.
NBA G League Assignments/Recalls: 3/2/19
Here are Saturday’s G League assignments and recalls from around the NBA:
- The Timberwolves recalled Robert Covington from their Iowa affiliate, the team announced on Twitter. Covington, who is recovering from a bone bruise on his right knee, has already been ruled out of tomorrow’s game against the Wizards.
- The Spurs recalled first-round pick Lonnie Walker from Austin, according to a press release. After suffering a meniscus tear in the preseason, Walker has appeared in just six NBA games, but is averaging 16.0 PPG in 20 games with Austin.
- The Clippers recalled first-round pick Jerome Robinson from Agua Caliente, the team tweeted.
- The Grizzlies recalled Jevon Carter from the Memphis Hustle.
- The Hornets tweeted that they assigned Dwayne Bacon to the Greensboro Swarm so he could play in tonight’s game against Long Island.
Joel Embiid Expects To Return Next Week
Sixers center Joel Embiid, who hasn’t played since the All-Star Game because of soreness in his left knee, told reporters before tonight’s game that he plans to be back next week, tweets Tim Bontemps of ESPN.
Embiid added that the pain in his knee had been intensifying before the break and he wanted to get it back in shape heading into the postseason. He said he approached team officials about taking a few games off (Twitter link).
“It’s all about long-term preservation and making sure I’m ready, not just for the playoffs, [but] also for the next 15 years,” Embiid said in a quote relayed by Kyle Neubeck of The Philly Voice. “Knowing the team and what we’ve been through, knowing me and knowing that I like to push on everything, I like to play through anything, we just felt like it was better to preserve.”
The Sixers have won three out of four games without Embiid and enter the night half a game out of third place in the East. Aggressive moves to add Jimmy Butler and Tobias Harris have made Philadelphia one of the top contenders in the conference if everyone is healthy.
Embiid says the rest has been effective and his knee is feeling better, tweets Serena Winters of NBC Sports Philadelphia. “I didn’t feel comfortable and coming from me, you know that if I don’t want to push through anything, it means that I really need it (rest),” Embiid said (Twitter link).
Bontemps also offered an update on rookie Zhaire Smith, who has been sidelined all season because of foot surgery and a food-related allergic reaction. Smith said he had to regain more than 40 pounds after his weight dropped to 164 (Twitter link).
Smith played his first game last night for the Sixers’ G League affiliate in Delaware, but isn’t expected to see any NBA action this season. He logged 15 minutes and posted two points, three rebounds and two assists.
Damion Lee In Position To Get Warriors’ Final Roster Spot
The buyout market didn’t offer the Warriors any help at Friday’s deadline, so it appears the 15th roster spot may be filled from within the organization, writes Mark Medina of The San Jose Mercury News. Damion Lee, who has been on a two-way contract all season, has the inside track on the final position, according to Medina.
“He would be someone given he has been with us all year,” coach Steve Kerr said. “We don’t have to make any decisions right now. Well wait and see how it all plays out.”
The Warriors could use veteran help at center and had been hoping Robin Lopez would reach a buyout deal with the Bulls. However, Chicago decided to hang on to Lopez as a veteran influence for its young roster. The only buyout that occurred yesterday involved San Antonio’s Pau Gasol, who will sign with the Bucks. Friday marked the final day that players currently on an NBA roster could be waived and still be playoff eligible with their new team.
The Warriors will be in no rush to fill their roster opening, although it’s virtually certain that someone will be added before the playoffs. Two-way players aren’t eligible for the postseason, so Golden State would have to convert Lee’s deal to a standard NBA contract by the end of the season, just as it did with Quinn Cook last year.
Lee still has 12 of the allotted 45 NBA days remaining on his two-way deal. He is expected to assume a larger role with the team starting tonight because Klay Thompson is awaiting an MRI on his sore right knee.
A 26-year-old shooting guard, Lee has appeared in 20 games for the Warriors, averaging 4.6 PPG in about 11 minutes per night. He played 15 games for the Hawks at the end of last season.
“I feel like I belong here,” Lee said. “The times I’m out there on the court, there’s nothing that’s challenging. The times that I’m not playing either, I see something and I’ll mention something to someone. I pride myself on having a high IQ and knowing the game.”
Jeanie Buss: Lakers’ Anthony Davis Offer Was “Fake News”
Lakers owner Jeanie Buss says reports of what her team offered to the Pelicans in an attempt to land Anthony Davis were exaggerated, tweets Howard Beck of Bleacher Report. Buss addressed the rumors in a speech today at the Sloan Sports Analytics Conference. She couldn’t mention Davis by name because of tampering rules, but said leaks that the Lakers were willing to trade “our entire roster” for “a certain player” were “fake news.”
A report just before last month’s trade deadline said L.A. was prepared to give up all its young talent, offering Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball, Kyle Kuzma, Ivica Zubac and Josh Hart to New Orleans, along with a pair of first-round draft picks.
The denial from Buss meshes with a report yesterday by ESPN’s Jackie MacMullan, notes Christian Rivas of Silver Screen and Roll.
“My sources have told me within the last 48 hours that what we’ve heard the Lakers offered may not be true,” MacMullen said in an appearance on “The Jump.” “… I think there’s some question about just how much did they offer. Did they even get a chance to offer anything?”
There were rumors in the week before the deadline that former Pelicans GM Dell Demps was refusing to take calls from the Lakers to give them a chance to talk about Davis, so MacMullan may be right when she speculates that a formal offer was never made.
No one has confirmed which players L.A. would have been willing to part with to acquire Davis, but there have been reports that the trade talk had a negative effect on many of those whose names were mentioned. The Lakers haven’t played well since the deadline, falling into 10th place in the West with a 30-32 record.
L.A.’s trade plans involving Davis should become clearer once the season is over and negotiations can resume. However, the Lakers will find a more competitive playing field, with the Celtics and Knicks expected to become actively involved, along with other teams.
Channing Frye To Retire At Season’s End
5:06pm: Frye confirmed today in a tweet that he intends to retire at the end of the 2018/19 season.
“Yes, I am really retiring,” he wrote. “It’s been a amazing ride. I’ve had the chance to have some amazing teammates and play for some great coaches. I’m gonna miss it but I’m super excited to see the other side of the fence!”
12:58pm: Veteran forward Channing Frye hinted at retirement last night with an Instagram post stating that he had played his final game at Madison Square Garden, tweets Joe Vardon of The Athletic. Frye confirmed that sentiment in exchanges with former Cavaliers teammates Jeff Green and Isaiah Thomas (Twitter link).
Frye, 35, is in his 13th NBA season. He has seen limited playing time since returning to the Cavaliers over the summer, appearing in 29 games and averaging 3.3 PPG in 9.5 minutes per night. His veteran’s minimum deal expires at the end of the season.
The eighth pick in the 2005 draft, Frye put together a productive career as a stretch four, sinking 1,041 career 3-pointers and shooting at a .387 clip from downtown. His best season came in 2010/11 with the Suns when he averaged 12.7 PPG.
Frye played for six teams in his career and was able to bounce back after missing the 2012/13 season because of an enlarged heart. He’s one of four remaining Cavaliers who were part of the 2016 championship team.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
New York Notes: Dinwiddie, LeVert, Knox, Ntilikina
The Nets are looking forward to having three of their most productive players together for the stretch run, writes Mike Mazzeo of The New York Post. Spencer Dinwiddie will return to action tonight after thumb surgery sidelined him for about a month. The trio of Dinwiddie, D’Angelo Russell and Caris LeVert, who recently came back after missing three months with a dislocated right foot, have only been on the court together for 90 minutes all season.
“D’Lo is obviously playing at a high level. Caris is working his way back into form,” Dinwiddie said. “They’re going to do what they do, and our focus and our sights are set on the playoffs and trying to win as many games as possible, trying to be that team that not only makes it but strikes a little fear into some of those top seeds’ heart.”
Dinwiddie will be available for back-to-back games, coach Kenny Atkinson said, but his minutes will be limited at first and will gradually increase. The Nets were 6-8 while he was injured.
There’s more NBA news out of New York:
- LeVert doesn’t want to blame the injury for the struggles he has encountered since returning, Mazzeo relays in a separate story. The Nets guard was off to a career-best start before getting hurt, averaging 18.4 PPG in his first 14 games. In the seven games since coming back, his scoring has dropped to 8.9 PPG. “Three months is a long time to be out, but I don’t want to put it all on the injury,” LeVert said. “I feel like I could have had better energy and defensively and maybe sparked something offensively. It’s hard to pinpoint exactly what it was.”
- Knicks rookies Mitchell Robinson and Allonzo Trier continue to exceed expectations, but first-round pick Kevin Knox‘s shooting woes are concerning, writes Marc Berman of The New York Post. Knox has hit just 5-of-28 shots in his last two games, continuing a problem that caused him to lose a starting job in the preseason. “I want him to stay aggressive,” coach David Fizdale said. “We’re not going to get caught up in the percentages right now. He’s taking shots he can make. So keep taking them.’’
- After missing more than a month with a strained groin, Frank Ntilikina may return during a three-game road trip, Berman adds in another story. Ntilikina could be cleared for practice tomorrow, which would mark the first time he has played alongside Dennis Smith Jr. Ntilikina had taken over the Knicks‘ starting point guard role before being sidelined, but that position now belongs to Smith.
Hawks Won’t Keep Jordan Sibert
The Hawks won’t re-sign Jordan Sibert after his 10-day contract expires today, tweets Chris Vivlamore of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Sibert appeared in a single game during his time with Atlanta, playing four minutes against the Timberwolves on Wednesday. The 26-year-old went undrafted out of Dayton in 2015 and spent time playing in Greece and Germany.
The move will leave the Hawks with 13 players under contract, but they’ll get back up to 14 when they officially sign B.J. Johnson, whose deal was reported earlier this week.