Wizards Notes: McRae, Brooks, Porter, Cousins
Two-way player Jordan McRae showed off his scoring prowess in Tuesday’s loss to the Cavaliers, writes Ben Standig of NBC Sports Washington. The G League’s top scorer this season at 29.8 PPG, McRae hit all five of his shots from the field, finished with 15 points and was part of a reserve unit that led a huge fourth-quarter rally.
McRae had prior NBA opportunities in Phoenix and Cleveland before signing with the Wizards in September. Defense and attitude remain concerns, Standig notes, but there’s no question about his ability to provide a spark on offense.
“I think it’s just about [Jordan’s] mentality,” said Jarell Christian, head coach of Washington’s Capital City G League affiliate. “When he’s thrown into a game on the next level, still being able to function without getting the ball every possession.”
McRae has been waiting all season for an NBA opportunity, but has watched the Wizards go in other directions. They signed Ron Baker in December, then gave a 10-day contract to Gary Payton II last week.
There’s more from Washington:
- Coach Scott Brooks made a statement by sticking with a patchwork lineup in the final seconds of Tuesday’s game, notes Fred Katz of The Athletic. McRae teamed with Payton, Troy Brown, Sam Dekker and Thomas Bryant to overcome a 25-point deficit with seven minutes to play. Brooks gave that unit a chance to tie the game at the end instead of turning to his regulars. “They played harder than the (starters),” Brooks said afterward. “And our starters didn’t play hard enough. That’s the bottom line.”
- Otto Porter Jr. has adapted well to his new sixth man role, writes Candace Buckner of The Washington Post. A starter for the past four years, Porter joined the reserve unit in early January because he was on a minutes restriction while returning from a quadriceps injury. He has accepted the backup spot despite being the team’s highest-paid player. “I mean, of course everybody in the NBA wants to start,” Porter said. “It’s an earned position, but at the same time, for the better of the team, you have to take sacrifices. And that’s what I’ve been doing.”
- The Wizards had discussions with DeMarcus Cousins when he was a free agent last summer, but the sides were never close to a deal, Buckner relays in a separate story. Cousins turned aside questions during the Warriors’ appearance in Washington this week, but Brooks offered an explanation of what happened. “I think the conversation took place but it was his decision,” Brooks said. “When we made the trade [with Marcin] Gortat, we needed somebody now. We couldn’t afford to wait five or six months or four months into the season. We needed a live, active player that was ready to start the season.”
Celtics Notes: Hayward, Williams, Davis, Bird
Gordon Hayward has become a target for hecklers in Boston as he struggles to rebuild his game following last season’s devastating ankle injury, writes Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe. Hayward continues to struggle with his shot, hitting just 41.6% from the field and averaging 10.6 PPG. He has been limited to two points in each of the last two games, and teams are daring him to shoot from outside.
Despite the difficulties, the Celtics will need Hayward to be at his best for the playoffs, so coach Brad Stevens plans to keep giving him opportunities.
“I think you’ve just got to keep playing him and ultimately he’s going to have some ups and downs and he’s had a couple of games where the ball didn’t go in as much,” Stevens said. “I thought he was active, I thought he did some good things, and when that ball goes in he’ll feel a lot better and it will look a lot better on paper. Ultimately, we’ve got a lot of wings, a lot of other wings played more [Monday] and against Golden State, but there are going to be nights where we are counting on him to close the game because he really got it rolling.”
- Rookie center Robert Williams is free from knee pain for the first time since his freshman season in college, relays Mark Murphy of The Boston Herald. The Celtics’ training staff has helped Williams control a condition called popliteal artery entrapment syndrome that kept him from playing through most of summer league. “I can honestly say with the treatment schedule that the tendinitis level has really gone down,” Williams said. “It’s not bothering me near as much as it used to. Definitely a good thing, but have to stay on top of treatment.”
- Along with a wealth of young players and draft picks to offer, the Celtics might have an advantage in the Anthony Davis sweepstakes because of Davis’ friendship with Kyrie Irving. “Kyrie and Anthony Davis are boys,” Brian Scalabrine of NBC Sports Boston said in a an appearance on Chris Mannix’s The Crossover NBA podcast. “I think they text like every day.”
- Jabari Bird, who has remained on the roster all season despite legal troubles, faces two new charges in his domestic violence case, according to John R. Ellement and Travis Andersen of The Boston Globe. Court documents were released today revealing new counts of witness intimidation and threatening to commit a crime.
Pelicans Notes: Ball, Davis, Lakers, Demps
Although Lonzo Ball would reportedly resist a trade to New Orleans, the Pelicans see him as an important part of any potential deal for Anthony Davis, according to Tania Ganguli of The Los Angeles Times. Sources tell her that Ball would become the starting point guard in New Orleans and would be given every opportunity to become a star.
Ball’s representatives had expressed concern that he might not have a clear role in a crowded Pelicans backcourt where Elfrid Payton is the starter at point guard and Jrue Holiday can also play that position. However, Holiday “doesn’t want to be a point guard” and prefers his current role, according to one source. It’s not clear whether the Pelicans intend to keep Payton or trade him to another team if they acquire Ball. He has an expiring $3MM contract and will be a free agent this summer.
There’s more Pelicans news to pass along:
- The Lakers believe New Orleans is targeting Ball, Kyle Kuzma and Ivica Zubac as the main components of a Davis trade, relays Sam Amick of The Athletic in an examination of the key players in the drama. However, he adds that L.A. should be prepared to give up Brandon Ingram if that’s what it takes to get a deal finalized before next week’s trade deadline. Sources also tell Amick that LeBron James has been visibly frustrated over the direction the Lakers’ season has taken since he was sidelined with a groin injury on Christmas Day. L.A. has fallen to ninth place in the West, which should increase the urgency to acquire Davis as soon as possible.
- There has been speculation that the way the Davis situation has played out will eventually cost GM Dell Demps his job, but Justin Verrier of The Ringer points out that there’s no obvious candidate to replace him. In previous years, there was speculation that the Pelicans might ask Joe Dumars to take over, but Verrier suggests Dumars might have been responsible for those rumors. Many of Pelicans’ top executives also work for the NFL’s Saints and don’t have the basketball expertise to run a team. Former Hawks executive Danny Ferry has been serving as a consultant and could be next in line if Demps is dismissed. Verrier’s comments are part of a larger look at whether the NBA has a future in New Orleans.
- Davis will talk to the media Friday afternoon for the first time since making his trade request, tweets Scott Kushner of The Advocate.
Knicks Notes: Kanter, Davis, Robinson, Ball
Knicks fans have taken Enes Kanter‘s side in his dispute with coach David Fizdale over playing time, writes Marc Berman of The New York Post. Kanter has sat out the past four games despite reportedly being promised an expanded role in the wake of an injury to Luke Kornet. Fans at Madison Square Garden expressed their support by chanting Kanter’s name during Sunday’s loss to the Heat.
“[If] it was a road game, I understand,” Kanter said. “But it’s a home game, and the fans wanted to see me out here. And they were chanting. I felt bad I couldn’t go out there and help my teammates and the organization. You can’t go out there and help the fans because they’re paying so much money to come watch us. They want to see me out there.”
Fizdale can’t claim it’s because he’s giving more time to younger players, Berman notes, because 30-year-old Lance Thomas has moved into the starting lineup at power forward. Kanter is a prime candidate to be traded by next week’s deadline or bought out if nothing materializes.
“My agent is saying just keep your head up, stay strong and stay in shape and keep being a good teammate and I’ll handle the rest,” Kanter said. “I’m going to leave it to him.”
There’s more this morning out of New York:
- The Knicks are expected to be aggressive in their efforts to land Pelicans star Anthony Davis, but the front office isn’t clear on what New Orleans wants in a potential deal, Berman reports in a separate story. New York has a wealth of future assets to offer, including a high lottery pick in this year’s draft and rookie center Mitchell Robinson, a Louisiana native whom the Pelicans have “always liked,” a source tells Berman. New Orleans didn’t have a first-round pick last summer, and Robinson had already been taken before its first selection at No. 52. However, an NBA talent evaluator says the only things the Pelicans would be interested in from the Knicks are Kristaps Porzingis and draft picks.
- A trade of Davis to the Lakers could help the Knicks solve their problems at point guard, Berman adds in the same piece. Lonzo Ball reportedly doesn’t want to play in New Orleans and could be available if New York gets involved to make it a three-team deal. Berman states that the Knicks “loved” Ball coming out of college and might see him as a long-term answer. It’s also possible that the Pelicans could keep Ball and look to unload Elfrid Payton, whom New York GM Scott Perry drafted in Orlando and tried to acquire at last year’s trade deadline.
- Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic wonders if the Knicks would be willing to surrender their first-round pick and rookie Kevin Knox to the Pelicans to make a deal work for Davis. He also speculates on other players who may be involved in a potential offer.
Heat Notes: J. Johnson, Olynyk, Jones, Ellington
James Johnson and Kelly Olynyk can expect more playing time in the wake of a knee injury that will keep Derrick Jones Jr. out of action for at least six weeks, according to Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. Jones has been diagnosed with two right knee bone bruises and won’t be re-evaluated until mid-March.
“JJ will probably play a little more now,” coach Erik Spoelstra said. “I think he’s ready for that because of his conditioning level and rhythm. The pairing with KO and Bam [Adebayo], we’ll get back to that as well.”
Johnson and Olynyk have seen a reduction in minutes this season as Jones moved into a larger role. They are both signed through next season and have player options for 2020/21 — more than $16MM for Johnson and nearly $13.6MM for Olynyk.
There’s more from Miami, all courtesy of Jackson:
- The silver lining to Jones’ injury is that he won’t need surgery, which Heat officials were concerned about. “It’s the best-case scenario – no surgery,” Spoelstra said. “Considering everything, it could’ve been a lot worse, and we really do think that a lot of the training he’s been doing behind the scenes, strength training with his legs – considerably stronger than he was in the past.” The 21-year-old has been a pleasant surprise in his first full season with the Heat, earning a spot in a crowded wing rotation and averaging 7.4 points per game. He has a non-guaranteed contract for next season.
- Little-used Wayne Ellington responded with a 19-point performance when he got a chance to play in Sunday’s win over the Knicks. Spoelstra won’t commit to regular minutes for the veteran shooter, who remains a candidate to be traded to help the Heat get below the luxury tax line. Ellington and his agent, Mark Bartelstein, haven’t discussed a possible buyout if no deal can be reached, but Jackson states that several contending teams would be interested in adding Ellington if that happens.
- A preseason plan to use Hassan Whiteside and Adebayo on the court at the same time has fallen through, with them playing just 13 minutes together so far. Adebayo’s limited shooting range has made the pairing difficult.
Lakers Notes: K. Thompson, Davis, LeBron, Ingram
The Lakers are hoping for a scenario in which they can add both Klay Thompson and Anthony Davis, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowksi. In an appearance with Scott Van Pelt yesterday, Wojnarowski broke down the latest Davis rumors and said L.A.’s front office has even bigger things in mind.
If the Lakers can acquire Davis before the start of free agency and the Warriors aren’t willing to make a full maximum offer to Thompson, the All-Star guard will think about heading south to form a new Big Three, according to Woj.
“We’ll see what Golden State does there. They’ve got a lot of players to pay going forward,” Wojnarowski said. “They want to re-sign Kevin Durant. They certainly want to re-sign Klay, they’ve got Draymond Green coming up in free agency the following year.”
The Lakers project to have about $36MM in cap space this summer, so they should be considered a serious contender for Thompson if he’s ready to part ways with the Warriors.
There’s more Lakers news to pass along:
- The front office should learn from past mistakes and make an all-out effort to get the Davis deal done, writes Bill Oram of The Athletic. The Lakers had similar opportunities over the past two years with Paul George and Kawhi Leonard, two Southern California natives who both expressed a desire to play in L.A., but were cautious and watched them go to other teams. They didn’t want to give up Brandon Ingram in a deal for George, Oram states, and they never put together their best offer to get Leonard from the Spurs.
- LeBron James is getting closer to returning from the groin injury that has sidelined him for more than a month, relays Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN. James participated in full-court contact drills this week and hasn’t been ruled out for tonight, although Thursday’s game seems more realistic.
- The Davis trade rumors are a potential distraction for the Lakers’ young players, who are rumored to be part of the package for New Orleans, Youngmisuk notes in the same story. Ingram, Lonzo Ball, Kyle Kuzma and Josh Hart will hear their names mentioned frequently until the Davis situation is resolved. “I think you look on social network and look on everything else, you have all these stories of this player, this player, this player,” Ingram said. “But no one in this room or the players or the coaches or the general manager doesn’t say a word about it. So like I said, we only listen to the important people in this building.”
Latest On Anthony Davis
The Pelicans are in a difficult position after the trade request from Anthony Davis, but they still have the power to control when the deal will get done, writes Jeremy Woo of Sports Illustrated. There are three important dates to consider — the trade deadline on February 7, the draft lottery on May 14 and the start of free agency on July 1 — and New Orleans must determine the best time to move its star.
Woo states that trying to rush a deal by next week only works in favor of the Lakers, along with Davis and his agent, Rich Paul. L.A.’s best offer should still be on the table this summer, and waiting will give the Celtics a chance to become involved. Even if the Pelicans don’t plan to send Davis to Boston, they may be able to gain leverage by using that offer to get more from the Lakers.
The best options may come after the lottery, Woo writes. If the Mavericks, Wizards or another team with established talent lands the top pick, it could be motivated to offer that to New Orleans as part of a package for Davis.
- The Pelicans’ best 0ffer will come from the Celtics, contends David Aldridge of The Athletic. He states that a deal would have to start with Jayson Tatum, who could become a cornerstone player in New Orleans. The Pelicans might also ask for Jaylen Brown, but Aldridge believes the Celtics would prefer to keep one of their young talents and could offer Marcus Smart instead. Boston also has a wealth of draft picks, including a Grizzlies first-rounder that is top-eight protected this year, top six next year and unprotected in 2021, along with the better pick from the Sixers or Kings this year and possibly another first-rounder from the Clippers.
- The Pelicans may consider shutting Davis down for the season if he’s not traded before next Thursday, suggests Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer. Davis is sidelined with a volar plate avulsion fracture on his left index finger and is being re-evaluated every 48 to 72 hours. If surgery is necessary, it would be a way for the Pelicans to avoid any risk and be sure that they have a fully healthy asset for the trade market this summer.
- A team source confirms to Marc Stein of The New York Times (Twitter link) that the Knicks plan to get involved in the bidding for Davis. Their best offer is expected to come after the lottery when they know where they’ll be drafting.
- If the Lakers aren’t able to deal for Davis before the deadline, they will only have seven tradable contracts this summer outside of LeBron James, notes Bobby Marks of ESPN (insider account). L.A. would have to use some of its projected $36MM in cap space to make the deal work and could include some of its free agents in a sign-and-trade arrangement, but only if they agree to go to New Orleans. Marks examines what several teams can realistically offer, including the Nuggets, whom he calls a “dark horse” in the Davis sweepstakes. Denver has a slew of young players and controllable contracts, along with a connection in GM Tim Connelly, who formerly worked for Demps in New Orleans.
- Writers from The Athletic break down the chances of acquiring Davis for every team in the league.
Pistons Notes: Griffin, Trade Exception, Stefanski, Casey
The Anthony Davis situation in New Orleans is a reminder to the Pistons that they need to maximize Blake Griffin‘s time in Detroit, writes Vince Ellis of The Detroit Free Press. Today marks the one-year anniversary of the trade that brought Griffin from the Clippers and set a new direction for the franchise. However, the results haven’t changed much as the Pistons are 21-27 and fighting for the final playoff spot in the East.
Griffin referred to Detroit as “home” when he spoke to reporters after Monday’s practice, but there’s no guarantee his sentiments won’t change. He also talked about the increased power of players to determine their own destiny.
“You can talk about back in the day all you want, but back in the day is not today,” Griffin said. “The NBA isn’t structured the same way, contracts aren’t structured the same way, teams aren’t structured the same way, so you can’t expect players to keep doing the same thing. It’s such an outdated view on life. I get the whole loyalty thing, but at the same time, you have to do what’s best for your family, best for you, and a lot of the times, sometimes, those things don’t align.”
There’s more today out of Detroit:
- A $7MM trade exception created by sending Boban Marjanovic to the Clippers as part of the Griffin deal figures to expire today without being used, tweets Rod Beard of The Free Press. The Pistons are right on the edge of tax territory and adding another player would likely push them over.
- Don’t expect a major deal from the Pistons before next week’s trade deadline, Beard relays in a full story. Although fans are clamoring for a move to increase the team’s playoff chances, senior adviser Ed Stefanski recently explained that the team is more likely to take a long-term approach to improving. “I will tell the fans I’m not going to make a deal that could hurt us going forward that could be instant relief but could be only for this season and then we could have issues going forward,” Stefanski said on the Wired Pistons podcast. “That makes no sense to me. The word people don’t want to hear is patience. Where we have (cap) restrictions, there’s nothing else but to be patient.”
- Whatever the Pistons do for the rest of the season, it won’t involve tanking, Beard adds in a separate piece. The organization is committed to trying to reach the playoffs, and even if that doesn’t happen, new coach Dwane Casey will use that time to decide which players will make up the long-term core of the team.
Woj: Davis May Only Sign Extension With Lakers
League sources expect Anthony Davis and his agent, Rich Paul of Klutch Sports, to inform the rest of the league that he only plans to sign an extension with the Lakers, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
That means Davis would be just a short-term rental for anyone else who tries to acquire him. He has a $28.75MM player option for the 2020/21 season and can become a free agent next summer.
The Pelicans won’t rush into a deal, Wojnarowski adds, writing that it will take an “overwhelming” offer to get Davis out of New Orleans before the February 7 trade deadline. The Lakers plan to try to reach that standard, with trade talks between the two teams expected to begin soon. L.A. is in position to offer a max contract in free agency this summer, but sources say the team would give that up to acquire Davis. The Lakers are willing to part with draft picks and some combination of young players Kyle Kuzma, Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart and Lonzo Ball in their trade proposal.
The Celtics, who have been collecting assets in hopes of making a deal for a star, are reportedly among the teams willing to take the risk of trading for Davis without a guarantee of a long-term arrangement. Sources tell Wojnarowski that president of basketball operations Danny Ainge has been calling the Pelicans for more than a year to let them know of his interest in Davis. There is also a tight bond between Davis and Kyrie Irving, who would be virtually assured of re-signing in Boston if Davis becomes part of the team.
Although he doesn’t identify them, Wojnarowski adds that several other teams are considering a deal for Davis, even if it’s only for the rest of the season. They could use him to make a run at the title, then flip him for other assets this summer.
Pelicans Shopped Mirotic, Randle, Moore
The Pelicans spent the weekend trying to trade Nikola Mirotic, Julius Randle and E’Twaun Moore in exchange for draft picks, ESPN’s Zach Lowe said on his weekly podcast (hat tip to Andrew Lopez of The Times-Picayune).
“Over the weekend, I had heard from two separate teams that Mirotic, Randle and Moore had all been made available for picks,” Lowe said. “New Orleans is known for perhaps playing some misdirection, so teams didn’t know what to think of this. One team made of it, their guess and/or impression was, New Orleans was trying to get picks that it then flips for a big, big piece in a save-the-season trade.”
The other team told Lowe it also wasn’t sure how to interpret the Pelicans’ move and speculated that they might be giving up on this season and trying to build for the future. New Orleans is 13th in the East with a 22-28 record and is five and a half games out of a playoff spot.
Mirotic, who was acquired from the Bulls last season, will be a free agent in July and will be seeking a raise on his $12.5MM salary. Randle, who signed with the team over the summer, has a player option for next season worth a little more than $9MM. Moore is in his third season with the Pelicans and has one year left on his current contract at nearly $8.67MM.
New Orleans is trying to plan for the future without star big man Anthony Davis, who informed the team over the weekend that he won’t sign an extension this summer and wants to be traded.