Northwest Notes: Mudiay, Jokic, Oladipo
It wasn’t long ago when Emmanuel Mudiay was being touted as a key component of the Nuggets franchise. One year later, his future with the organization is uncertain, says Nick Kosmider of the Denver Post.
Over the course of the 2016/17 campaign, the second-year guard has seen his role in Denver shrink. In the eight games since the All-Star break, Mudiay has seen action just three times. It’s a precipitous drop for a 21-year-old once taken with the No. 7 pick in the NBA draft but an understandable one considering the stable of young talent on the Nuggets roster.
There’s more out of the Northwest Division.
- The Timberwolves are running out of times to sneak into the Western Conference playoff picture, Jerry Zgoda of the StarTribune writes. With just 17 games left in the season, the Wolves will have to leapfrog three teams and make up 3.5 games in the standings.
- After missing a pair of games with a flu, Nikola Jokic returned to action for the Nuggets. “I can still feel it in my chest, and my throat is a little sore when I start coughing,” Jokic told Nick Kosmider of the Denver Post. “It feels really good to be back.”
- Though he missed six games resting his back, the time off helped Victor Oladipo in more ways than one, Brett Dawson of the Oklahoman writes. “It was amazing for my wrist, actually,” Oladipo said. “I’m not one to complain. It wasn’t 100 percent, but that rest kind of helped it out a little bit. It’s a lot better now.”
Spurs Notes: Aldridge, Leonard, Mills
There’s cause for concern in San Antonio these days, Matt Tynan of USA Today writes, citing the Spurs’ recent injury struggles as a major hurdle heading into the playoff gauntlet.
With LaMarcus Aldridge‘s long-term health in doubt now that he’s been diagnosed with heart complications and Kawhi Leonard‘s recent concussion, the Spurs may lack the star power to compete in the West.
Tynan writes that the Spurs did well to claim home-court advantage over the Warriors in their Saturday night contest but even if they hold on to their current seed or better, navigating the postseason without Aldridge and/or Leonard would be difficult.
- There’s a difference between Aldridge’s heart condition and most other player injuries, head coach Gregg Popovich tells NBA.com’s Fran Blinebury. “That’s a little scary. But you don’t go there yet,” Popovich said. “He is going to see some people on Monday, and based on what they do and see, we’ll know better what we are really looking at. But we don’t know right now.”
- Veteran guard Patty Mills has embraced his role as a representative of his Aboriginal Australian culture, Nick Metallinos of ESPN writes.
- Though he’s found himself firmly established in the conversation, some believe Leonard lacks a good enough narrative to land the MVP award. Marilyn Dubinski of SB Nation’s Pounding The Rock blog sets out to change that.
Lakers Notes: Walton, Old Trades, Draft Picks
There are a few areas that the Lakers will need to address as Rob Pelinka tackles his new role as general manager of the franchise, but head coach isn’t one of them. In fact, the presence of Luke Walton on the payroll could be an asset for the organization, writes Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News.
“Everyone loves you,” Pelinka said to the Lakers coach at the press conference when his hiring was formally announced. “You have this genuine honesty and coolness about you that just makes every player in the league want you to be their coach.”
Walton spoke about his new boss’ support at practice, mentioning the benefits of knowing that the front office supports him. “It gives you the confidence to make the decisions you feel are best for the team,” Walton said.
There’s more from the Lakers:
- When Jeanie Buss opted to hand the keys to the Lakers over to Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka rather than her own brother Jim Buss and long-time general manager Mitch Kupchak, it showed that loyalty matters more than family, Kevin Ding of Bleacher Report writes.
- Though reluctant to commit to a timeline, newly hired general manager Rob Pelinka insisted that the Lakers need to be aggressive in their rebuild and “get better talent for Luke Walton to coach,” Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News wrote in a separate piece.
- In a column published Friday, Mark Heisler of the Orange Country Register wonders if the Lakers forgot to tank. Heisler reminds readers that if the Lakers pick falls out of the top three this year, they lose it (on account of the Steve Nash trade) — otherwise they lose next year’s pick. Should they lose this year’s pick and retain next year’s pick, they would lose their 2019 first-round pick due to the Dwight Howard trade and the Ted Stepien rule. Check out the column for more details.
Week In Review: 3/4/17 – 3/11/17
It was a relatively quiet week in the NBA, at least compared to the flurries leading up to and immediately after the trade deadline. Still there were some significant headlines that will impact contenders over the course of the next little while. Take a look through the transactions, injuries and rumors that popped up over the last seven days.
Signed
- The Hawks claimed Jose Calderon off of waivers.
- The Pelicans signed Jordan Crawford to a 10-day contract.
- The Sixers signed Shawn Long to a 10-day contract.
- The Mavs signed Jarrod Uthoff to a 10-day contract.
- The Mavs signed Manny Harris to a 10-day contract.
- The Rockets signed Troy Williams to a 10-day contract.
- The Timberwolves signed Lance Stephenson to a second 10-day contract.
- The Pelicans signed Hollis Thompson to a second 10-day contract.
- The Lakers signed David Nwaba to a second 10-day contract.
- The Hornets signed Briante Weber to a second 10-day contract.
- The Hornets signed Johnny O’Bryant III to a second 10-day contract.
Injured
- Spurs forward LaMarcus Aldridge has been ruled out indefinitely with a heart arrhythmia.
- Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard entered concussion protocol following a collision on Thursday.
- Cavaliers center Andrew Bogut fractured his tibia in the first minute of his Cavs career. He’s been ruled out for the remainder of the season.
- Cavaliers guard J.R. Smith is back in the lineup for the first time since fracturing his thumb in December.
- Trail Blazers center Festus Ezeli has undergone knee surgery and been ruled out for the remainder of the 2016/17 season.
News
- The Lakers formally announced the hiring of Rob Pelinka as general manager of the franchise. Pelinka has fully divested from his sports agency.
- Hawks head coach Mike Budenholzer was suspended one game for making incidental contact with an official.
- Acclaimed draft prospect Markelle Fultz has announced that he’ll enter the NBA Draft this summer.
Rumors
- The Cavaliers are in serious discussions with free agent big man Larry Sanders, though no deal has yet been announced.
- The Cavaliers are planning to waive Andrew Bogut in light of his season ending tibia fracture.
- Ahead of schedule in his recovery from a thumb injury, free agent forward Omri Casspi is said to be drawing interest from playoff teams.
- Kings forward Rudy Gay has apparently not yet decided whether or not he’ll turn down his player option for the 2017/18 season.
- Lakers veteran Luol Deng is seeing his role decrease in Los Angeles as the club makes room for its young core.
Comprehensive BIG3 Rosters/Player List
The BIG3 Draft is in the rearview mirror and now we can get a sense of the players that will play on each of the eight squads.
Below the rosters is a list of players who were announced to be available for the draft but who ultimately went undrafted.
(Note: Mobile and Trade Rumors app users, be sure to turn your phone sideways to view the tables in full).
Lakers Sign David Nwaba To Second 10-Day Deal
The Lakers have signed guard David Nwaba to a second 10-day contract, the team announced via press release on its official website. The move was announced by recently (formally) appointed general manager Rob Pelinka.
In five games with the Lakers over the course of his first 10-day deal, Nwaba averaged 2.6 points in 11.2 minutes per game while showcasing good energy and defense.
In addition to his time with the Lakers this season, the 24-year-old has also played in 39 contests, starting 30 of them, for the club’s D-League affiliate. In 29.0 minutes per game with the D-Fenders, Nwaba has averaged 14.1 points and 6.9 rebounds per game.
LaMarcus Aldridge Out Indefinitely With Heart Arrhythmia
The Spurs will be without forward LaMarcus Aldridge for an indefinite period of time, the team has reported on Twitter. The 31-year-old big man is suffering from a minor heart arrhythmia.
Although serious arrhythmias can be life-threatening, they aren’t necessarily always harmful. The franchise, needless to say, has taken the wise approach to sit Aldridge until further examination can be conducted.
In 58 games with the Spurs so far this season, Aldridge has posted 17.3 points and 7.5 rebounds per game.
We will provide updates as they come in from the Spurs organization.
Of note is that, per Jeff Stotts of Rotowire, Aldridge suffers from Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome and has undergone at least two procedures to address the issue since his rookie campaign in 2006.
In 2007, Casey Holdahl of the Oregonian wrote about Aldridge’s 2006/07 campaign being cut short when the Trail Blazers announced that he would undergo treatment for the congenital condition.
Hoops Rumors Originals: 3/4/17 – 3/11/17
- Fresh off of a Mark Cuban appearance at this year’s MIT Sloan Conference, Chris Crouse wrote about how the Mavericks built around Dirk Nowitzki in a must-read feature.
- Luke Adams broke down the early decisions dates for individuals like Rudy Gay with player options for the 2017/18 season.
- Did you know that you can follow specific players on Hoops Rumors? Here’s how you can tap into a dedicated stream of content specifically for your favorite player.
- Several young players due for rookie-scale extensions have been hit hard by injuries. Luke Adams takes a closer look at the cases of Joel Embiid, Jabari Parker and Zach LaVine.
- Amid one of the most hotly debated MVP races in recent memory, we decided to ask our readers who they thought should win the year-end award. If we learned anything from the results, it’s that this is a good year to be an NBA fan.
- The NBA blogosphere is a powerful thing. This week Milo Taibi scoured the internet for some of the best blog features online.
- Looking for help from the waiver wire in your fantasy basketball league? Chris Crouse examined some of the most valuable free agents that could still be available
- Missed Luke Adams’ live chat with fans on Monday? Check out a transcript of the conversation and don’t forget to participate for yourself next time he goes live.
- Every year the D-League gains ground as a valuable development system for NBA teams and this year has been no different. As Luke Adams explains, an impressive 16 of this year’s 30 first-round picks have already been on assignment this year.
- Have a question for Hoops Rumors? Looking for somebody to validate (or quash) your outlandish fan theory? Don’t hesitate to send your inquiries for a chance to be featured in our weekly mailbag series.
- Five pending free agents have seen their values impacted by recent trades. Luke Adams wrote about what recently moved players like Nerlens Noel and Taj Gibson will be able to expect this offseason.
- Every week we like to turn the floor over to our readers so that they can weigh in on pressing issues relevant to the league. This week was no different, below are our Community Shootaround posts.
- Does the NBA need a better system in place for handling “buyout season“?
- The Knicks caused a stir when they decided to forgo in-game music in a game at Madison Square Garden this week. What do you think about the a capella approach?
- Don’t forget to check out last week’s Hoops Rumors Originals if you didn’t catch them the first time around.
Atlantic Notes: Embiid, Yabusele, Triangle Offense
Confirmed out for the season earlier this month, the next step in the recovery process for Sixers rookie Joel Embiid is figuring out what approach to take with regard to his torn meniscus. Embiid and the organization took the club’s west coast road trip as a chance to discuss surgery options with Los Angeles doctors, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes.
“We are trying to study his path and go about it meticulously,” head coach Brett Brown sqaid, adding that they’re actively trying to keep him a part of the Sixers team even though he may not be suiting up.
As Pompey writes, there are three major types of surgeries for a torn meniscus and the Sixers now face the challenge of finding an option that works best for Embiid. “He’s got an inner circle around him that’s helping guide him. We are just taking all the information in. Ultimately, he’s the one that has to feel comfortable with it,” added Brown.
There’s more out of the Atlantic Division:
- Fresh off a dominant season with the Chinese Basketball Association, Celtics 2016 first-round pick Guerschon Yabusele – who profiles as a super mobile, 270-pound force of nature – could be making his way to the D-League to play with Boston’s affiliate in Maine, says Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe.
- Eager to employ the triangle offense, Knicks president Phil Jackson took to the court to teach the system himself. According to Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News, the 71-year-old Jackson ran a session breaking down the offense for guards on the roster.
- Unheralded Sixers forward Robert Covington has made a case to be included on ballots for the NBA’s all-defensive teams, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes. Covington currently leads the league in deflections and sits tied for fourth in steals per game.
Central Notes: Bulls, Middleton, Beasley
Although some Bulls fans may have clamored for a youth movement in Chicago, the team saw first-hand that their young core may not be ready for primetime just yet, Nick Friedell of ESPN writes. Briefly in Monday’s loss to the Pistons, the Bulls trotted out a lineup of Denzel Valentine, Jerian Grant, Paul Zipser, Bobby Portis and Cristiano Felicio but the offense quickly stalle, resulting in the prompt reinstatement of star forward Jimmy Butler.
Friedell explains that the vaunted trio of Portis, Valentine and recently acquired Cameron Payne may not be reliable enough offensively, citing their struggles against Detroit as an example of what life would be like for Bulls fans without Butler or Dwyane Wade there to steer the ship. Should Wade leave via free agency this summer and Butler get traded, there could be more nights just like Monday in the future.
Payne, brought over from the Thunder in the Taj Gibson trade, hasn’t been particularly effective in a Bulls uniform, K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune writes in his own piece, highlighting the supposed “pure” point guard’s abundance of field goal attempts. Head coach Fred Hoiberg echoed the sentiment. “He took a couple shots that he maybe could’ve got one more bounce to the rim or kicked out for a shot,” Hoiberg said. “This is really the first meaningful big minutes that he’s getting in this league. And it’s all valuable experience for him. And he’s not afraid of the moment. He’s going to give you everything he has.”
There’s more out of the Central Division tonight:
- After battling back from a ruptured hamstring that required surgery, Khris Middleton has wasted no time getting into a rhythm beyond the arc for the Bucks, Alex Boeder of Bucks.com writes. All of Middleton’s shooting numbers since he returned nine games ago are outpacing his career averages.
- The Pacers have put an emphasis on putting smaller lineups on the floor of late with mixed results, Nate Taylor of the Indianapolis Star writes. Since the implementation of the changes the team has shot better from the field but struggled on defense.
- Injured Bucks forward Michael Beasley will be out at least two more weeks, Charles Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel tweets. Beasley, sidelined with a hyperextended knee, will be re-evaluated at that time.
- The Cavaliers are in danger, Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com, more so now that Andrew Bogut has broken his leg and will miss the remainder of the 2016/17 season. Injuries, coupled with upcoming road games, general fatigue and lingering defensive woes could spell trouble for the squad, he writes.