Dwyane Wade Won’t Be Talked Out Of Retiring
Dwyane Wade isn’t open to a suggestion by Heat president Pat Riley that he play until age 40, writes Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel. Wade, 36, is in the middle of his 16th and probably final NBA season, which he has dubbed a “One Last Dance” retirement tour. But Riley claimed last week that Wade still has a lot of basketball left.
“I got to get him to play another three more years,” Riley said. “I want him to get to 40. If he has a great year, he might not fall out of love with the game. He might want to just stay in it. That’s my goal.”
Wade has been away from the team on paternity leave for the past seven games and wasn’t aware of Riley’s comments until yesterday, but he doesn’t seem receptive to the idea.
“I appreciate him thinking that,” Wade said. “Could I be swayed? I don’t think so. Not at this point.”
Beyond the sentimental value Wade has to the Heat organization, he remains a productive player. In the 10 games he has played this season, he is putting up a 13.4/3.8/2.8 line in about 24 minutes per night.
Wade is looking forward to retirement to spend more time with his family, including his newborn daughter. She’s too young for an airplane trip, and Miami’s schedule won’t give Wade much free time for the rest of the season.
Wade admits that Riley can be very persuasive, saying “It’s always a chance of everything,” but adds, “I know the chance is very, very, very, very, very slim. I’ve got my mind made up.”
“I’m just going to finish this year out,” he said. “I want to get back into the groove I was in before I left, just for my body feeling great, and just continue to enjoy the game and play the game the way I know I can, even at this age, even in my role, even in my minutes.”
Wade also noted that this isn’t the first time Riley has brought up the idea of playing until 40.
“The one thing is, he said that a long time ago,” Wade said. “He always said he wanted me to play until I was 40. And even when I was 30 I laughed at him, like, ‘It’s no way possible.’ So he continues to have that. I appreciate that.”
LeBron’s Return And The Kyrie Irving Trade
The Cavaliers believed LeBron James was eventually headed to the Lakers as far back as 2016, but they missed an opportunity to send him off with another championship by mishandling the Kyrie Irving trade, writes Jason Lloyd of The Athletic.
Irving and the Cavs were both trying to protect themselves from the fallout of LeBron’s departure, Lloyd adds. Irving submitted a trade request that eventually landed him in Boston. Cleveland’s front office started the rebuilding process by making the Nets’ unprotected first-rounder the key part of an otherwise underwhelming package from the Celtics that also brought Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, Ante Zizic and a second-round pick in 2020.
James was criticized for not reaching out to Irving and trying to change his mind about leaving the team, but he doesn’t believe he could have made a difference.
“I think by the time it got to me he wanted to be traded, I think he was already gone,” James said. “He was already gone and it was up to the organization to do their job and try to keep him as well. The guy still had two years left on his contract. They didn’t have to give him up. It could’ve been repaired then. Bring him in, let’s see what happens. I don’t think his stock drops if he still comes to Cleveland, see what happens and at the trade deadline you could still do it then.”
The Cavaliers were able to make their fourth straight trip to the NBA Finals without Irving, but they were swept by the Warriors. Lloyd recalls that many of the Cavs’ players thought Golden State was beatable last year, but they didn’t have enough star power to make it happen.
There’s more from LeBron’s triumphant return to Cleveland:
- Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert opted to skip Wednesday’s game, Lloyd adds, which underscores the state of his relationship with James. Although Gilbert’s reaction to James’ departure this time was more dignified than the letter he wrote in 2010, the relationship between owner and player has never fully recovered.
- James received a loud ovation from Cavaliers fans during pre-game introductions and was grateful for a highlight video the organization put together, relays Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. The video highlighted James’ accomplishments on the court and in the community, including the I Promise School that his foundation helped to establish. “They did it the right way,” Cavaliers center Tristan Thompson said of the video. “I think everyone understood and was almost like, We appreciate this guy, he’s given us so much, he’s given us everything he’s got, so we appreciate it. If he wants to move on and start another chapter in his life, we’re all for it.'”
- Last night’s warm reception was a stark contrast to how James was received when he returned to Cleveland with the Heat, notes Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN. In 2010, James was viewed as a traitor by fans and was portrayed as a villain by the team. “From the time we landed yesterday, it just felt a different way,” he said. “I’m a different person. We’re all different from eight years ago, I think, both good and bad.”
Milos Teodosic Talks About Leaving Clippers
Frustrated over a lack of playing time, Clippers guard Milos Teodosic is thinking about returning to the EuroLeague, possibly before the season ends. In an interview with GlasAmerike (hat tip to Antonis Stroggylakis of EuroHoops), Teodosic sounds ready to end his NBA experiment.
“I think I definitely won’t stay here because … I came, I saw how it looks and somehow … I enjoy more and it’s nicer for me to play in Europe,” he said. “So, I will return to Europe for sure, will it be during this season or at the end, we’ll see.”
If he does get out of his NBA contract, Teodosic would be in great demand in Europe, Stroggylakis adds. When he came to the Clippers in the summer of 2017, the Serbian star passed on a three-year, $12MM offer from CSKA Moscow that would have made him the highest-paid player in the EuroLeague.
Pacific Notes: Bridges, Kings, Green, Durant
A draft night trade that sent Mikal Bridges from the Sixers to the Suns gave the rookie a better chance to excel than he would have had in Philadelphia, writes Sarah Todd of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Bridges, who was in the starting lineup when the teams met Monday, has been playing roughly 20 minutes per game in Phoenix and averaging 8.0 points per night.
The draft was briefly a dream come true for Bridges, who grew up in Philadelphia and played at Villanova. But after the Sixers selected him with the 10th pick, they accepted an offer from the Suns that gave them 16th pick Zhaire Smith and an unprotected first-rounder in 2021.
“He’s starting to feel good about the situation, he’s playing more, he’s having more success,” said Jack Bridges, Mikal’s father. “At the end of the day, he just wants to win.”
There’s more tonight from the Pacific Division:
- The Kings have been able to block out distractions on their way to a 10-8 start, even a weekend report that coach Dave Joerger’s job was in jeopardy because of a dispute with management over playing time for younger players, relays Jason Jones of The Athletic. Although turmoil has defined the organization over the past decade, this new crop of Kings seems to be able to ignore negative influences. “We’re not worried about any of that stuff outside the locker room,” Willie Cauley-Stein said. “We’re just worried about our guys, developing our guys and everybody just leveling up. For us, the business side of this, we can’t control none of that, we don’t care about none of that at the end of the day. We want to get get better, we want to win ball games.”
- Draymond Green is reasserting himself as a leader in the Warriors‘ locker room after last week’s altercation with Kevin Durant, says Shams Charania of The Athletic in a Twitter video. Green addressed the team following Sunday’s loss in San Antonio, emphasizing the need to regroup and pointing out areas that need to be worked on. Charania adds that the Warriors remain confident that things will be fine once Stephen Curry returns from his injury.
- Durant was fined $25K for a profane comment he made to a fan during Saturday’s Warriors game in Dallas, tweets Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports.
Community Shootaround: What’s Next For J.R. Smith?
Cavaliers guard J.R. Smith joined former teammate Carmelo Anthony in NBA purgatory this week — technically still with a team, but not playing again until his next move can be worked out.
The Cavs confirmed yesterday that Smith will no longer have an active role with the organization as they work with his representatives to find a mutually acceptable outcome. However, the 33-year-old and his $14.72MM salary remain on the roster. Smith has asked twice for a trade, but has resisted a buyout that would require him to give back any of this year’s money.
Smith has been an important part of Cleveland’s success over the past four years, but he became obsolete when LeBron James announced that he was leaving for the Lakers. The Cavaliers are transitioning into a youth movement, leaving Smith with a much smaller role.
Management decided fewer minutes would be allotted to Smith and other veterans, although coaches Tyronn Lue and Larry Drew both ignored that edict for a while in pursuit of more wins. Smith wound up averaging 20.2 minutes in 11 games while contributing just 6.7 PPG and shooting .342 from the field.
Smith may have also contributed to his own departure with a pattern of controversial behavior over the years. Two that stood out from last season were a soup-throwing incident that resulted in a one-game suspension and his infamous decision to run out the clock at the end of Game 1 of the NBA Finals, believing the Cavaliers were leading when the score was actually tied.
Although Smith’s salary may scare some teams away from making a deal, he is owed very little money beyond this season. His $15.68MM figure for 2019/20 carries just a $3.87MM guarantee until the end of June, so any team that acquires him wouldn’t be making a long-term commitment.
We want to get your opinion on Smith’s future. He admits that he has a checkered past, but he also hit a lot of clutch shots for the Cavs on their way to four straight Eastern Conference titles and one NBA championship. Do you believe anyone will trade for him or will he have to accept a buyout to get out of Cleveland? Please leave your responses in the space below.
Celtics Notes: Stevens, Irving, Morris, Rozier
Coach Brad Stevens altered the starting lineup for Monday’s game at Charlotte, and he told A. Sherrod Blakely of NBC Sports Boston that it will probably happen again. Stevens opted for more size in the matchup with the Hornets, inserting center Aron Baynes into the starting five in place of Gordon Hayward.
“We’re not done probably tweaking the lineups,” Stevens said. “And so, I do think you’ll see more.”
Stevens is trying to spark a team that has stumbled to a 9-8 start after being the preseason favorite to win the East. Few of the combinations he has used this season have provided any consistency, so he continues to mix and match in hopes of shaking things up. Even so, Blakely adds that the Celtics are remaining patient and a major move is unlikely, at least for a while.
There’s more news out of Boston:
- Kyrie Irving made a verbal commitment last month to stay with the Celtics when he becomes a free agent next summer, but Blakely wonders in another story if he might be rethinking his decision. Blakely notes that when Irving made his announcement he believed there was enough talent in place that he wouldn’t have to carry the team every night. However, that may not turn out to be true.
- There are concerns about the locker room atmosphere in Boston in the wake of the disappointing start, relays Jay King of The Athletic. Veteran forward Marcus Morris suggests that the anxiety may be a result of having so many young players on the roster. “The mood swings are really high,” he said, “and I think that’s the difference between having a veteran team and having a young team. Veterans, game over, you get rid of it, you throw it in the trash, you get ready for the next game. I think our mood goes game by game. And I think to be a successful team down the road you can’t be that way.”
- Stevens is dismissing a social media message from Terry Rozier that some interpreted as a sign that he wants traded, writes Darren Hartwell of NBC Sports Boston. “Let’s do us ALL a favor,” Rozier tweeted Tuesday, before saying later that it had nothing to do with basketball. “I’m not going to pretend to read into tweets,” Stevens said. “I guess I don’t pay attention to that that much.”
Injury Updates: Nowitzki, Markkanen, Leonard, Harkless
Mavericks star Dirk Nowitzki is targeting next month for his season debut, tweets Tim MacMahon of ESPN. Nowitzki provided an update today on his condition as he continues rehab work after having surgery on his left ankle in April. “Hopefully somewhere in December, I’ll be ready,” he said, although he hasn’t been able to participate in a full practice since the operation.
Nowitzki saw some action in a “staff game” today, playing against interns and younger members of the coaching staff. “I wasn’t the best player out there, so I have some work to do,” he said.
Nowitzki, who turned 40 over the summer, remained effective last season, playing 77 games and averaging 12.0 points and 5.7 rebounds per night. He has indicated that this may be his final NBA season, although he hasn’t made a formal announcement.
There’s more injury-related news to pass along:
- Bulls forward Lauri Markkanen continues to make progress in his return from a right elbow injury and could start practicing with contact next week, according to the Chicago Sun-Times (Twitter link). Coach Fred Hoiberg said Markkanen has made major improvements with his conditioning. He suffered a high-grade lateral elbow sprain during training camp.
- Hoiberg added that Kris Dunn is ahead of Bobby Portis in recovering from knee injuries that they suffered within days of each other (Twitter link).
- The Raptors are moving closer to using Kawhi Leonard in back-to-back games, coach Nick Nurse told Ryan Wolstat of The Toronto Sun (Twitter link). Nurse added that the team’s strategy with Leonard over the first quarter of the season has been successful, and there have been no problems when he has been asked to play a lot of minutes. “He feels good,” Nurse added of Leonard, who was limited to nine games with the Spurs last season because of a quad injury.
- The Raptors‘ C.J. Miles missed his fifth straight game tonight with a groin strain, but he should be back soon, Wolstat adds (Twitter link).
- Maurice Harkless is returning to the Trail Blazers‘ lineup tonight after missing 13 games with a sore left knee, tweets Joe Freeman of The Oregonian.
Markelle Fultz Has Bad Wrist, May Prefer Trade
6:20pm: Fultz’s agent is denying that his client is seeking a trade, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. “I have given no indication to [Sixers GM] Elton Brand or anyone else that Markelle would prefer to be traded,” Brothers said. “My focus is to get Markelle healthy. End of story.”
5:52pm: Sixers guard Markelle Fultz is being treated for a wrist problem as well as his right shoulder issue and would prefer to resume his career with another team, report Jared Weiss, Derek Bodner and Sam Amick of The Athletic.
The injury has affected Fultz’s ability to hold onto the ball while shooting. Specialists have been working to increase his strength in the wrist.
The problems with the wrist and shoulder vary in severity from day to day, according to the Athletic writers, which is why his shot is more effective in some games than in others. The dual injuries have prompted changes in Fultz’s shooting motion, but he has continued to struggle from the field (.419) and the foul line (.568) during his second season in the NBA.
As we noted yesterday, Fultz and his agent, Raymond Brothers, made an appointment with a specialist in New York for Monday. Fultz will have his shoulder and wrist examined and will not return to the lineup until after that visit.
Fultz reportedly still experiences pain when lifting the ball above his chest to shoot, although the Sixers say they don’t know of any physical problem that would prevent him from being medically cleared to play.
The writers trace the history of Fultz’s physical difficulties to his lone season at Washington, where he suffered right knee soreness and opted for having the knee scoped instead of meniscus surgery. As he recovered, he worked to change the trajectory on his shot to make it more effective from the NBA 3-point line. However, it was noticeably off in his first workout with the Celtics, which prompted the team to trade its No. 1 pick to Philadelphia.
Fultz has been wearing a specialized undershirt to help stabilize the shoulder area, but any progress is on hold until after he sees the specialist next week.
L.A. Notes: Harris, Rivers, Ball, Walton
Tobias Harris is one of the leaders of a surprising Clippers team that is near the top of the Western Conference, but he still isn’t immune to trade rumors. Harris checked with management after he heard his name floated as part of a package to acquire Jimmy Butler from the Timberwolves, writes Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports. It turned out that the Clippers were interested in Butler, but they envisioned using him and Harris together.
“It is hard, but you have to be honest and there’s times when you tell [players], ‘I can’t tell you.’ I tell guys that,” coach Doc Rivers said. “But with Tobias it was easy. I was pretty confident he wasn’t going anywhere. That one wasn’t that hard for us. We love Tobias. And we think he’s part of our future here.”
Harris, who has been with four teams in his eight NBA seasons, is headed for free agency next summer and can expect a significant raise from the $14.8MM he is making this year. Whether he stays in L.A. or not, he already has plenty of experience with the business side of basketball.
“It didn’t bother me. It was funny,” Harris said of the trade rumor. “At the end of the day, I’m so well-equipped and well-suited for whatever’s next that nothing will ever surprise me.”
There’s more today out of Los Angeles:
- With cap room to offer at least one max contract, the Clippers are expected to be a major player in free agency and Rivers believes the organization has a unique selling point, relays Martin Rogers of USA Today. “Coming to the Clippers and turning them into a team that wins a title? It hasn’t been done,” Rivers said. “For a lot of these players, it is the chance to go to a franchise and ‘be the man,’ be the one that gets them to something [we’ve] never done in the history of the franchise.”
- The Lakers have tried several options to run the second-unit offense with Rajon Rondo injured, and it appears that job may fall to Lonzo Ball, according to Kyle Goon of The Orange County Register. Ball played more minutes with the reserves in Sunday’s win in Miami and may get that role on a long-term basis.
- Head coach Luke Walton has heard that his job is in jeopardy several times since taking over the Lakers, but he has a supporter in Heat coach Erik Spoelstra, who coached LeBron James under similar circumstances, Goon adds in a separate story. “If you look at his whole professional career, all of [it] he has been involved with are teams like this with great expectations, with a lot of pressure and a lot of noise,” Spoelstra said. “He doesn’t know any different. I don’t think you can find a better fit than to coach that team.”
Spurs Sign Ben Moore To Two-Way Contract
NOVEMBER 20: The Spurs have officially signed Moore to a two-way deal, the team announced today in a press release.
NOVEMBER 17: The Spurs will sign former Pacers power forward Ben Moore to a two-way contract, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic.
Indiana waived Moore two weeks ago to free up a roster spot. He re-signed with the team over the summer, agreeing to a partially guaranteed deal, but hadn’t appeared in any games this year. He got into two games last season as a two-way player. After going unclaimed on waivers, Moore returned to the Pacers’ organization with its G League affiliate in Fort Wayne.
The signing will fill the second two-way slot for San Antonio, which had been among a handful of NBA teams with an opening. Center/forward Drew Eubanks is the Spurs’ other two-way player.