Mavs Notes: Smith Jr., Noel, Discrimination
Despite the Mavs’ disappointing 23-53 mark through 76 games, it’s hard to consider Dennis Smith Jr.‘s rookie season anything less than a success, Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News writes. The 20-year-old has put forth 15.2 points and 5.0 assists per game, which both rank among the top five for first-year players.
More importantly, however, Smith Jr. has been healthy for the majority of the season. Considering the high-flying guard tore his left ACL back in 2015, it bodes well that he has made it through the bulk of an entire NBA campaign in relatively good shape. With the exception of a few instances of soreness, the guard’s knee has held up and he’s played in 86% of the team’s games so far.
“A lot of rookie point guards who have the responsibility of starting would be worn down mentally and really banged up physically,” head coach Rick Carlisle said. “He’s neither. He’s very strong and has worked very hard on his body and his mind is fresh. He wants to be one of those guys that’s really depended on by a franchise and he’s gained is a real knowledge of the amount of work that’s going to go into that.”
There’s more news out of Dallas this evening:
- While it seemed as though Nerlens Noel‘s exit from Dallas was a foregone conclusion a couple months ago, the fact that the injured big man has done so little over the course of the 2017/18 campaign may mean that there isn’t much of a market for him in free agency. Tim Cowlishaw of The Dallas Morning News writes that he doesn’t believe the franchise views Noel as a building block anymore but that the club could use him as a placeholder.
- A woman fired by Arena Operating Co., the company that operates the American Airlines Center, is following up a January complaint alleging gender, sexual and racial issues by seeking information from Mark Cuban about a 2011 incident involving a noose hung in the Mavs’ stadium, Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News writes. It’s alleged that Cuban disposed of the noose at the time, but did not “make a big deal of it.”
- Under the leadership of new CEO Cynthia Marshall, the Mavs have hired a pair of executive leadership employees and officially launched an initial “100-Day Plan” to improve the culture of the disgraced organization. A team-issued press release states that the Mavs plan to position the organization as a standard bearer for inclusion and diversity.
Joel Embiid Has Surgery, May Be Back In Two Weeks
MARCH 31, 3:26pm: Embiid had surgery today to repair an orbital fracture, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. He could be cleared by team doctors to return for the start of the playoffs in two weeks, but the date will depend on his pain threshold (Twitter link).
MARCH 29, 6:57pm: The Sixers have announced in a press release that Joel Embiid has, in fact, been diagnosed with a concussion and will additionally undergo facial surgery after a CT scan revealed an orbital fracture of his left eye.
There is no current timetable for his return, although Zach Lowe of ESPN tweets that a source of his suggests Embiid could resume playing in two-to-four weeks, pending the results of surgery.
Initially Embiid cleared the NBA’s concussion protocol but began to exhibit symptoms later on after being taken to a hospital for further evaluation and testing. Embiid, the team says, has now been formally placed in the league’s concussion protocol.
As we wrote earlier today, Embiid suffered the injury after a collision with teammate Markelle Fultz.
There is no set date for Embiid’s surgery, the team having only specified that the procedure will be performed in the coming days.
Rockets Signing Tim Quarterman To Two-Year Deal
MARCH 30, 12:43pm: The Rockets have signed Quarterman to a multiyear contract rather than just a 10-day deal, reports Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link). According to Charania, the agreement covers this season and next season, with 2018/19’s salary not guaranteed.
The Rockets have a full 15-man roster, so they’ll have to make a corresponding move to formally sign Quarterman. Terminating Le’Bryan Nash‘s 10-day contract – which will expire Sunday night – would be the simplest path to a roster spot, though the team could also waive a player on a full-season contract.
MARCH 29, 3:45pm: The Rockets are set to sign shooting guard Tim Quarterman to a 10-day contract, Marc Stein of The New York Times tweets. Quarterman last suited up for the Trail Blazers in 2016/17.
The undrafted 23-year-old had planned to sign in China but passport complications prevented that earlier this year. Now the wing will look to provide depth for the No. 1 team in the NBA.
Quarterman went through training camp with the Rockets last October and was one of the final four players cut prior to the season.
In 16 games for Portland last season, Quarterman averaged 1.9 points and 0.7 assists in just 5.0 minutes of action. Now he’ll be charged with the task of carving out a role for himself on a team with no shortage of offensive weapons already on its bench.
2018 Free Agent Stock Watch: Portland Trail Blazers
The Trail Blazers are burdened by some unpalatable long-term contracts, but the $112MM already on the books for 2018/19 is tolerable given that they’re in the running for home-court advantage in the first-round of the playoffs.
With little foreseeable cap space projected until the summer of 2020 at the earliest, the Blazers will have to make some decisions on whether to keep the current core together or make more ambitious, financially-driven moves to position themselves for the future.
The 2017/18 campaign saw general manager Neil Olshey unload 22-year-old Noah Vonleh at the trade deadline in order to duck under the luxury tax line. Could a deep postseason run in the spring be enough to convince franchise owner Paul Allen to blow by that threshold next year?
Jusuf Nurkic, C, 23 (Up) – Signed to a four-year, $8MM contract in 2014.
While Nurkic’s value tends to fluctuate from month to month, there’s no denying that he’s capable of big things if given an opportunity. Were it not for the Blazers’ financial binds, bringing back the Bosnian Beast on a significant deal would be a no-brainer. Alas, making or matching a significant offer for the big man would vault Portland well into the luxury tax, something that we’re not quite sure the club is willing to do yet. It would be a shame for the Blazers to watch Nurkic walk for nothing, so expect them to work the phones aggressively to see if they can find a way to make it work. If they can’t, he’ll get paid elsewhere, even with a glut of other available centers on the market.
Pat Connaughton, SG, 25 (Up) – Signed to a three-year, $3MM deal in 2015.
After two years of sparse playing time, Connaughton has carved out a role for himself in Portland’s rotation. The dual-threat athlete won’t break the bank as a restricted free agent, but could be a welcomed addition should the Blazers look to bring the familiar face back on the cheap.
Ed Davis, C, 29 (Down) – Signed to a three-year, $20MM deal in 2015.
While Davis has consistently established himself as an efficient player in reserve minutes, he’s never taken the leap to make a case for himself as a starter. The big man should be able to at least replicate his last contract considering his per-36 rates of 10.2 points and 14.0 boards, but don’t bank on that coming in Portland — he’s a replaceable piece of the current puzzle.
Shabazz Napier, PG, 26 (Up) – Signed to a four-year, $6MM contract in 2014.
It took Napier four years and three teams to find a home in the NBA, but he has finally come into his own in Oregon. The prolific 26-year-old combo guard has slotted in admirably behind Portland’s celebrated starting duo – a duo consisting of two other prolific combo guards – and has stepped up occasionally when called upon. In nine games as a starter, the former UConn standout has posted 15.8 points, 4.4 rebounds and 4.4 assists per contest, and may have shown just enough in those stints to draw an offer sheet out of a desperate team in restricted free agency. It’s hard to imagine Olshey digging deep to match an aggressive offer from a team with cap space to spare but that wouldn’t be for a lack of interest.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Atlantic Notes: Lin, Fultz, Mudiay
Sidelined Nets point guard Jeremy Lin has been making progress in his recovery from a knee injury suffered in the first game of the season. Head coach Kenny Atkinson recently told Bryan Fonseca of Nets Daily that the 29-year-old is thrilled to be where he is at this point.
While Lin has been rehabbing his ruptured patella tendon in British Columbia, he’s been in touch with the Nets bench boss, a connection he’s had since his first taste of consistent NBA action with the Knicks back in 2011 (Atkinson was an assistant coach there from 2008-2012).
“He’s so involved. He’s not just sitting there doing his own thing,” Atkinson said of Lin back in February. “He’s always hitting me with stuff after the game; ‘you could’ve done this, you could’ve done that’, it’s great. And I know [the Nets] medical team is all over him. He’s in a really good place, he’s happy with how he’s progressing.”
There’s more from the Atlantic Division:
- The Sixers are happy that Markelle Fultz has regained his shooting form but another area where he could have an impact for the team is on defense, David Murphy of The Philadelphia Inquirer writes. “He’s better than I thought,” head coach Brett Brown said. “He’s got an amazing basketball body. His hips are somewhere near my shoulders. He uncoils and he’s 7-foot-6; he’s got size-15 feet. He just is long.“
- The Knicks opted to bring Emmanuel Mudiay off the bench in favor of Trey Burke this week and the move is already paying dividends, Marc Berman of The New York Post writes.
- After his exit from Los Angeles, D’Angelo Russell has fit right in as a member of the Nets. It doesn’t hurt that he’s appreciating the city as well, Tom Dowd of the team’s official site writes. “It’s cool,” said Russell of Brooklyn. “It’s different. The whole culture is different. I feel like there’s a lot of different crowds out here. You can fit in wherever you want to fit in. It’s great.“
Isaiah Thomas To Miss Remainder Of Season
The Lakers will be without guard Isaiah Thomas for the remainder of the season, Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports tweets. The 29-year-old midseason addition underwent arthroscopic surgery on his hip today and will be shut down for four months, Mike Bresnahan of Spectrum SportsNet adds.
As we wrote yesterday, the procedure was intended to clean up the joint that has plagued him since last season. It will now bring to an end his 17-game stint with Los Angeles after coming over from the Cavaliers in a mid-season purge.
Thomas averaged a commendable 15.6 points and 5.0 assists per game in 17 games for the Lakers but will hit unrestricted free agency eager to prove that he’s more than an offensive sparkplug best suited for a reserve role. In 2016/17, of course, Thomas finished fifth in MVP voting with averages of 28.9 points and 5.9 assists per game.
Draft Updates: Ward, T. Davis, Sanders, Dickerson, Shamet
A number of NBA hopefuls have declared for the draft today and will test the waters as June approaches.
- Sophomore Michigan State big man Nick Ward will gauge interest but not hire an agent, Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports tweets. Ward isn’t currently projected to be selected in the June draft but would retain NCAA eligibility should be decide to withdraw.
- Texas A&M center Tyler Davis will declare for the draft without hiring an agent, Jonathan Givony of ESPN says (via Twitter). The junior isn’t projected to be taken in early mock drafts.
- Sophomore guard Landry Shamet will forgo his final two years at Wichita State in order to declare for the NBA draft, the guard announced on Instagram. According to Taylor Eldridge of The Wichita Eagle, Shamet does intend to sign an agent.
- Rutgers point guard Corey Sanders will enter the NBA draft once again, Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports tweets. While the junior intends to sign an agent, James Kratch of NJ.com writes that the guard may not be eligible to return to college even if he decides against hiring representation. NBA rules only allow players to test the waters twice and Sanders did so after both his freshman and sophomore seasons.
- Washington forward Noah Dickerson will declare for the NBA draft, according to his Instagram page. He doesn’t intend to hire an agent, Ryan Clark of The Tacoma News Tribune adds.
Projected 2019 Lottery Pick Darius Bazley To Sign In G League
Projected 2019 lottery pick Darius Bazley has decommitted from Syracuse and will instead sign a G League contract when he’s eligible to do so next September, Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports writes. The decision is unprecedented for a player of Bazley’s stature coming out of high school.
Since individuals are eligible to sign G League contracts one year sooner than they’re eligible to declare for the NBA Draft, the soon-to-be 18-year-old will be free to do so in September, months after finishing high school in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Those familiar with the 2019 NBA Draft landscape may already know that Bazley has established himself as an intriguing 6’9″ playmaker. The wing’s ball handling and ability to contribute defensively will make him a tantalizing prospect as he navigates the uncharted territory.
While highly regarded high school prospects have skipped the NCAA to play overseas prior to entering the NBA Draft previously, this is the first time a player as celebrated as Bazley, a 2018 McDonald’s All-American, will forego college for a year in the G League where player salaries are capped around $30K. In contrast, Emmanuel Mudiay signed a one-year deal in China worth $1.2MM following his final year of high school in 2014.
“I’m aware that this might start a trend and that’s one of the reasons why I am doing this,” Bazley told Yahoo Sports. “I’m outspoken and I like to speak on things. This is me speaking through my actions, speaking through my character. This is going to happen down the road and become more common. But someone has to start the fire — and I believe I’m going to do that, and it’s very important to me.“
Avery Bradley Undergoes Surgery, Out For Season
The Clippers will be without midseason acquisition Avery Bradley for the remainder of the season Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN tweets. The guard has undergone surgery to repair muscles related to the sports hernia that has plagued him for much of the season.
Bradley had the procedure to repair adductor and rectus abdominis muscles on Tuesday and will take six to eight weeks to recover. That timetable could put the 27-year-old back on the court in late April, should the Clippers make the playoffs, but there’s no indication that he’ll be looking to suit up for the squad before the end of the campaign.
Bradley wasn’t all that effective in six games with the Clippers after heading over from the Pistons in the Blake Griffin trade and will now get the opportunity to address an issue that Pistons.com editor Keith Langlois writes has troubled him since his half-season stint in Detroit.
Bradley will hit the market this summer as an unrestricted free agent and was expected to draw significant interest prior to his down year in 2017/18.
Southeast Notes: Hernangomez, Mahinmi, Charlotte’s GM Search
Midseason Hornets acquisition Willy Hernangomez isn’t familiar enough with Charlotte’s way of business to see more action than the 5.3 minutes per game he’s been seeing since coming over from New York, Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer writes.
Head coach Steve Clifford says that it’s not fair for either Hernangomez or the rest of his teammates to have him thrown him out on the court before he’s able to mesh with the rest of the players.
“[He] will play some, but it’s hard for the other guys [to function well] when he’s not up to speed,” Clifford said. “With younger players, you don’t just throw guys in there just to watch them. It’s not fair for them, and it’s not fair for other guys on the floor. The team has to be organized, and we’re not as organized with him.”
There’s more out of the Southeast Division:
- After pursuing a larger role (and the inherently larger contract), Jonathon Simmons is getting his first taste of losing basketball. That’s made for a bit of an adjustment, Josh Robbins of The Orlando Sentinel writes. “I think he’s definitely tried to rally guys at certain times and make sure that we’re all understanding that it’s not acceptable to lose at the rate we’ve lost this year,” Magic coach Frank Vogel said. “But, at the same time, he hasn’t short-circuited, either. Sometimes guys short-circuit when they haven’t experienced losing like this. He’s been a team guy.“
- The Wizards will still owe Ian Mahinmi north of $31MM after this season, a troubling thought considering the way his usage has been trending over the course of the year. Mahimni’s playing time this season is down from last year and, as Candace Buckner of The Washington Post writes, he logged the first DNP-CD of the season over the weekend.
- The Hornets hope that their search for a general manager wraps up in early April, Katherine Peralta of The Charlotte Observer writes. “We’re going through an exhaustive process,” recently promoted team managing partner Curtis Polk said. “We started with quite a few names that we collected and put together a spreadsheet on these people and have been narrowing it down.“