Southeast Notes: Walker, Dragic, Fultz, Bryant
It’s not a guarantee that he’ll stay with the Hornets, but Kemba Walker is serving as Charlotte’s unofficial host for All-Star Weekend, writes Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer. “Welcome everyone to my city!” Walker tweeted today as a greeting to the thousands of visitors headed to Charlotte for three days of festivities.
“This city has embraced me so much over the years,” Walker said. “Allowed me to be who I am. Allowed me to play through my mistakes early in my career, to become the player I am today. The fans have just been top notch, and I respect that because we haven’t been a top organization, haven’t gone to the playoffs every year. … Through that, they still embrace us, still embrace me. You have to respect that.”
Walker, who holds nearly every franchise scoring record, will be one of the hottest names on this year’s free agent market. A three-time All-Star, he is in the middle of his most productive season, averaging career highs with 25.2 points, 4.4 rebounds and 5.7 assists per night. Despite Walker’s affection for Charlotte, Bonnell states that it’s hard to predict what will happen this summer.
There’s more from the Southeast Division:
- Heat guard Goran Dragic is “making a lot of progress” after having knee surgery in December, but coach Erik Spoelstra tells Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald there’s still no timetable for his return. Miami has been expecting him to be ready soon after the All-Star break. In the same story, Spoelstra says Ryan Anderson, who has only played two minutes since being acquired from the Suns, is ready for a larger role if needed.
- Markelle Fultz and Jonathan Isaac, both top six selections in the 2017 draft, have a chance to prove themselves with the Magic after battling injuries early in their careers, notes Roy Parry of The Orlando Sentinel. Orlando’s front office believes Fultz, who was acquired from the Sixers last week, can become a standout point guard because of his strength, explosiveness, court vision and playmaking.
- Wizards center Thomas Bryant reached starter criteria this week by starting his 41st game of the season, tweets ESPN’s Bobby Marks. The qualifying offer for the upcoming free agent has been increased to $3MM and Washington’s cap hold has been raised as well. Dwight Howard was supposed to be the starting center after signing with the Wizards last summer, but Bryant seized the opportunity when Howard was injured.
Pacific Notes: Barnes, LeBron, Morris, Griffin
Now that the Kings have Harrison Barnes, the next step is to figure out the best role for him, writes Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee. Acquired from the Mavericks last week, Barnes has played extensively at both forward spots and his usage in Sacramento may depend on the opponent, according to coach Dave Joerger.
“I’m still learning what to do,” Joerger said. “How much I do I want to play Harrison at (small forward)? How much at (power forward)? And what do the matchups look like? And I need to get it done sooner than later because we’re not going to find a rhythm if I don’t figure it out quickly.”
Barnes has played both positions extensively throughout his career, with 48% of his minutes as a three and 50% as a four. The Warriors used him mainly as a small forward when he broke into the league, but shifted him to power forward later in his tenure there. He was mainly a power forward in Dallas.
“It’s a good problem to have,” added Joerger, who said he has wanted Barnes on his team for years. “You want to be as versatile as we can be at times. It’s going to be a little bit on the run, as we know, and it’s tough on me, but guys are playing as hard as they can and that’s all you can ask as a coach. And it’s on me to figure some of that stuff out.”
There’s more from the Pacific Division:
- LeBron James hasn’t lived up to the excitement that surrounded his decision to join the Lakers, contends Bill Plaschke of The Los Angeles Times. L.A. will enter the All-Star break with a 28-29 record, placing them 10th in the Western Conference. Plaschke notes that although James has been brilliant on the court, he missed 17 games with a groin injury and affected team chemistry by maneuvering to get head coach Luke Walton replaced and pushing for an Anthony Davis deal that caused all of his young teammates to be subjected to weeks of trade rumors.
- The Lakers missed out on Enes Kanter in the buyout market, but they remain in the running for Markieff Morris, tweets ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne, who names the Rockets, Thunder and Raptors as the other top contenders. L.A. is also considering Carmelo Anthony, Shelburne adds, but is concerned because he hasn’t been active since November.
- Berry Tramel of The Oklahoman examines whether the Clippers made the right move by trading away Blake Griffin last season.
Raptors Sign Jeremy Lin
Two days after agreeing to a buyout with the Hawks, Jeremy Lin has officially signed with the Raptors, the team announced on Twitter. Toronto has been the expected destination for the 30-year-old guard once he cleared waivers.
Lin will make approximately $697K for the rest of the season, which matches the amount he gave back to the Hawks in his buyout, and will carry a $487K cap hit, posts Bobby Marks on ESPN Now. The Raptors’ moves this month have saved them $13.5MM in luxury taxes and they have trimmed their projected tax bill to $21.2MM.
Lin played in 51 games for Atlanta, nearly all as a reserve, and posted a 10.7/2.3/3.5 line in 19.7 minutes per night. He also proved that he can stay healthy after missing significant time with injuries in each of the past two seasons.
Although he is far removed from his “Lin-sanity” days in New York, Lin still has the ability to help a contender. He arrives at a good time for the Raptors, who will be without reserve guard Fred VanVleet for around five weeks after he undergoes thumb surgery.
Toronto coach Nick Nurse had planned to use Lin as a combo guard, but he will inherit the role of backup point guard until VanVleet returns, tweets Ryan Wolstat of The Toronto Sun. Lin will make his Raptors debut tonight.
“He’s a good player,” Nurse said of Lin. “We want to get good players on the floor.”
Knicks Sign John Jenkins To 10-Day Deal
FEBRUARY 11: The Knicks have officially signed Jenkins, the team announced today in a press release. Jenkins’ new contract will expire next Wednesday.
FEBRUARY 9: Shooting guard John Jenkins, whose 10-day contract with the Wizards is set to expire, will join the Knicks on a 10-day deal, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic.
Jenkins appeared in four games with Washington, averaging 1.8 points in 3.3 minutes per night. Before his NBA call-up, he was a prolific scorer with the Knicks’ G League affiliate in Westchester, averaging 24.7 PPG and shooting 42.9% from 3-point range.
A first-round pick by the Hawks in 2012, Jenkins spent three years in Atlanta before brief stints with the Mavericks and Suns.
The move leaves the Knicks with two open roster spots. At least one will have to be filled by February 21, which is two weeks after they waived Enes Kanter and Wesley Matthews. Washington will fall back to 14 players and can keep one spot open for the rest of the season.
Raptors Notes: Roster, Gasol, Leonard, Lowry
The Raptors have agreements to add a pair of players on 10-day contracts, but they might not join the team right away. A franchise has to have 12 players with standard contracts before it can issue 10-day deals, tweets Keith Smith of Real GM, and Toronto is down to 10 after after the trade deadline.
Malcolm Miller and Ben McLemore have both committed to joining the Raptors on 10-day contracts as soon as the situation is resolved. A 25-year-old forward, Miller was a two-way player in Toronto last season and appeared in 15 games. He suffered a dislocated shoulder during Summer League and has been doing rehab work with the Raptors’ G League affiliate. McLemore, the seventh pick in the 2014 draft, was waived by the Kings this week.
GM Bobby Webster tells Josh Lewenberg of TSN Sports that the team plans to be aggressive on the buyout market. It will comply with league rules about roster size, but several moves may not come until after the All-Star break. (Twitter link). The Raptors have compiled a ranking of buyout prospects and have talked with several of their agents to express interest (Twitter link).
There’s more from Toronto:
- Newly acquired center Marc Gasol doesn’t mind that the Raptors plan to experiment with him to determine his best role, writes Doug Smith of The Toronto Star. The former Grizzlies star came off the bench Saturday in his Raptors debut, posting seven points and six rebounds in a win over the Knicks. Coach Nick Nurse plans to use Gasol’s passing skills to expand the offense and will make him “captain” of the defense. “I’m not going to rush anything,” Gasol said. “As a player you just want to help a team accomplish their goals. That’s what this is about.”
- Knicks fans have interest in Kawhi Leonard‘s future now that their team has room to offer two max contracts, but the Raptors forward didn’t want to discuss the topic after Saturday’s game in New York, relays Steve Popper of Newsday. “I’m not talking about that right now,” he told reporters. “We’re going to get there. I’m focused on this season. We can talk about the game.”
- Team president Masai Ujiri doesn’t expect Kyle Lowry to be rattled about hearing his name in trade rumors, according to Ryan Wolstat of The Toronto Sun. There were whispers that Lowry might be headed out of Toronto if the team could acquire Mike Conley from the Grizzlies. “I had a very good conversation with Kyle, and rumors are rumors, to be honest,” Ujiri said. “I see no issues, honestly, with him. Zero. We’re good, and I think his mind is focused on this run.”
Mavericks Bring Back Salah Mejri
Salah Mejri has re-signed with the Mavericks, tweets Tim MacMahon of ESPN. Mejri was waived Thursday to open a roster spot so the team could complete a deal that sent Harrison Barnes to the Kings. He cleared waivers Saturday.
Zach Randolph, who was acquired from Sacramento along with Justin Jackson, was waived Friday, creating an opening to bring back Mejri. Randolph hasn’t taken the court yet this season.
Mejri is in his fourth season with Dallas, but hasn’t seen much action this year. He has appeared in just 16 games, averaging 3.2 points and 3.9 rebounds in 11.6 minutes per night.
The 32-year-old center played briefly with Luka Doncic in Real Madrid during the 2015/16 season and is friends with the rookie standout, notes Selby Lopez of The Dallas Morning News. Doncic posted a farewell message to Mejri on Instagram and another objecting to the flurry of trades the team made in the week leading up to the deadline, so Lopez suggests that Mejri was re-signed in part to help keep Doncic happy.
Pacers Sign Wesley Matthews
Free agent guard Wesley Matthews, who agreed to a buyout with the Knicks earlier this week, has signed with the Pacers, the team announced on Twitter.
New York acquired Matthews in the January 31 trade that sent Kristaps Porzingis to Dallas. He played just two games for the Knicks before parting ways with the team. The 32-year-old appeared in 44 games with the Mavericks before the trade, averaging 13.1 points per night and shooting 38% from 3-point territory.
The Pacers have a pair of roster openings, so no move was needed to add Matthews. Indiana has been looking for backcourt help since star guard Victor Oladipo suffered a season-ending injury last month.
Knicks Notes: Porzingis, Davis, Trade Deadline, Allen
The Knicks were surprised to discover how much Kristaps Porzingis‘ trade value had dropped when they started shopping him, reports Marc Berman of The New York Post. Some of that was because of the ACL injury that has sidelined him for a year with still no clear date for a return. But some executives also expressed reservations about “where his mind was at and his actual skill set,’’ a source tells Berman.
The Knicks had three criteria in any trade for Porzingis: a good young prospect, which they got in Dennis Smith Jr.; enough expiring contracts to offer two max deals in free agency, which Wesley Matthews and DeAndre Jordan provided; and future first-round picks. Of eight to 10 offers that were available, the Dallas deal was the best one that checked all three boxes.
But New York could have gotten much more if it had traded Porzingis prior to the 2017 draft, when former team president Phil Jackson first raised the idea. Berman reports that the Celtics offered a package of young assets, while the Suns were willing to part with Devin Booker along with a draft pick swap that could have brought Lauri Markkanen to the Knicks.
There’s more this morning from New York City:
- Signing two elite free agents is just one way the Knicks can take advantage of their cap space, Berman notes in the same story. They could also use that money to absorb Anthony Davis‘ $27MM salary in a potential trade with the Pelicans. New York attempted to convince New Orleans GM Dell Demps to accept Porzingis as part of a package for Davis rather than wait for a trade this summer, a source close to Demps tells Berman, but the Pelicans didn’t believe Porzingis would be willing to re-sign in a smaller market. Berman states that the Knicks will become a serious contender for Davis if they land a top-two pick on lottery night.
- A lack of interest in their available players led to the Knicks being quiet on deadline day, Berman adds. Virtually no one wanted to take on Enes Kanter‘s $18.6MM contract when a buyout was expected; offers for Frank Ntilikina “underwhelmed;” Damyean Dotson sparked some inquiries, but not enough for New York to act; and few teams made offers for Noah Vonleh.
- G League callup Kadeem Allen continues to impress, Berman and Howie Kussoy write in a separate story. Allen, who signed a two-way contract with the Knicks last month, played in his seventh straight game last night and produced career highs with 14 points and six assists. “He’s a tough little runt. I love him. I really do. He fits my personality,” coach David Fizdale said. “He’s a grimy kid. He’s really worked his way to where he’s at. He keeps getting better and better.”
Marcus Morris: “Hasn’t Been Any Fun” In Boston
Marcus Morris provided some insight into the Celtics‘ locker room situation after Saturday’s loss to the Clippers, relays Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports Boston. Morris’ comments came at the end of a miserable night for the team, which squandered a 28-point lead and saw Kyrie Irving leave in the second quarter with a sprained right knee.
With the Celtics reeling from back-to-back losses to both L.A. teams, Morris said the season “just hasn’t been fun for a long time.” Boston, which was projected to be the top team in the East, has underachieved all season long, sporting a 35-21 record and holding the fifth spot in the conference. Players have been asked to adjust to new roles, Irving has publicly called out his younger teammates, speculation has started that he might break his verbal commitment to re-sign with Boston and there have been persistent rumors that the team will break up its core in a few months to chase Anthony Davis.
“For me, it’s not really about [Saturday’s] loss. It’s about the attitudes that we’re playing with,” Morris said. “Guys are hanging their heads. It’s just not fun. It’s not fun. We’re not competing at a high level.
“Even though we’re winning, it’s not fun. I don’t see the joy in the game. I watch all these other teams around the league and guys are up on the bench, they’re jumping on the court, they’re doing all of this other stuff that looks like they’re enjoying their teammates’ success, they’re enjoying everything, and they’re playing together and they’re playing to win. And when I look at us, I just see a bunch of individuals.”
Morris volunteered to give up his starting role if a rotation shakeup might help the team, but Forsberg suggests that’s not the best solution. The Celtics’ starting five has been among the NBA’s best when Irving has been healthy.
As Forsberg notes, there’s no obvious solution to what has gone wrong. Talent isn’t the issue, as prior to the trade deadline, Morris lobbied the front office to keep the current team together. It appeared players were starting to embrace their roles amid a recent winning streak, but the last two losses have raised questions again.
“I’ve never seen a team that’s not having fun, that’s not bonding well on the court, win a championship,” said Morris. “If the goal is to win a championship, that has to change first.”
Lorenzo Brown Will Play In China
China will be the next stop for former Raptors point guard Lorenzo Brown, according to Emiliano Carchia of Sportando. Brown, who was waived in January, has signed a contract with the Guangzhou Long Lions of the Chinese Basketball Association.
Brown appeared in 26 games for the Raptors this season, averaging 2.1 points and 1.1 assists in 8.2 minutes per night. He spent 2017/18 as a two-way player for Toronto, getting into 14 NBA games, then signed a standard contract last summer.
Brown, who was named MVP of the G League last year, was a second-round pick by the Timberwolves in 2013. He also had brief stops with the Sixers and Suns.