Northwest Notes: Nuggets, Hayward, Lillard
The sheer abundance of valuable young assets on the Nuggets make Denver a team to watch prior to February’s trade deadline, writes Tim Bontemps of the Washington Post. Bontemps cites Nikola Jokic and the club’s backcourt full of promising guards as two of the major reasons why the franchise’s forecast is so bright.
In addition to their coveted young core, the multiple first-round picks they hold and a bevy of reliable veterans make them uniquely qualified to deal in the coming months. That bodes particularly well as rumors swirl around Hawks forward Paul Millsap. Millsap has been linked to the Nuggets this year and was nearly dealt to the Mile High City last year as well.
If nothing else, the Nuggets could look to simply free up space for the young players they feel most confident about heading forward. As head coach Mike Malone learned with Jokic and Jusuf Nurkic earlier this season, there are only so many opportunities to go around.
There’s more out of the Northwest Division:
- In the midst of a playoff push, the Jazz have little incentive to deal Gordon Hayward, writes Sean Deveney of The Sporting News, and even if they did, the franchise is notoriously tight-lipped. “No one does things more quietly than Utah,” a league source told him. Alas, the Hayward-to-Boston narrative may, for the time being, be more “myth than reality.”
- After missing five games with an ankle sprain, Damian Lillard returned to action for the Trail Blazers. The All-Star’s return was reported by ESPN’s Chris Haynes. Portland matched up against the Lakers on Wednesday night.
- Recently released by the Pelicans, journeyman forward Reggie Williams has reunited with the Oklahoma City Blue, the D-League affiliate of the Thunder. According to The Oklahoman’s Erik Horne, Williams is expected to play on Saturday.
- Regression across the board has limited Ricky Rubio‘s value, writes Jim Souhan of The Star Tribune, and the veteran guard hasn’t provided leadership to help elevate the young Timberwolves either. Rumored to be on the move for months, Rubio is averaging career lows in points and assists per game and is shooting just .276 from beyond the arc.
Pacific News: Clippers, Afflalo, Pachulia
The Clippers may be turning the corner, at least as far as their health is concerned. Superstar point guard Chris Paul has missed seven of the last contests but is expected to be back in the lineup uninhibited on Friday, says Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Daily News.
A return from Paul, coupled with news that rookie Brice Johnson has been cleared for contact, will give Clippers head coach Doc Rivers that much more confidence heading into the middle portion of the season. Johnson is a power forward out of North Carolina that Los Angeles drafted with the 25th overall pick last summer.
Additionally, Woike writes that Blake Griffin is expected to make his own return to the Clippers later this month.
Also out of the Pacific Division:
- It wasn’t long ago when Arron Afflalo‘s future with the Kings looked to be in doubt. Now the veteran has upped his standing in the team’s rotation. “I’ve evolved into getting over myself,” Afflalo told the Sacramento Bee’s Jason Jones. “We have a great opportunity as a team – playoff position. There will be nights where I can perform at a level I was expected to perform at, and there will be nights where other guys take the lead.”
- Things haven’t always gone well for Shaun Livingston since he was drafted in 2004, but he’s settled into a great role with a dominant Warriors team. The veteran point guard spoke with Basketball Insiders’ Michael Scotto about his career thus far and his future. “I’d love to stay [with Golden State].” he said, “It’s been home for me, the Bay has welcomed me with open arms. I love it out there. But, we’ll see what happens. Obviously, decisions have to be made and you just roll with the punches.”
- The NBA recently changed how All-Stars are to be selected and it’s already foiled Warriors big man Zaza Pachulia‘s second consecutive campaign as a dark horse possibility, tweets Tim Bontemps of The Washington Post.
Central Notes: Middleton, Bullock, Bulls
The Bucks have been without perimeter scorer Khris Middleton since September when he underwent hamstring surgery expected to sideline him for the duration of 2016/17. According to Steve Aschburner of NBA.com, the 25-year-old could be back ahead of schedule and potentially take the court this year at some point after the All-Star Break.
“It’s possible. That’s if everything goes right, with no setbacks and a good, long stretch of practices,” Middleton told Aschburner of his possible return to the Bucks. “Still a long way to go but I’m working towards it.”
Over the last three seasons the Bucks have seen their swingman develop from an unheralded second-round pick to a legitimate perimeter threat. In 2015/16, the small forward averaged 18.2 points per game.
There’s plenty more out of the Central Division today:
- There’s a general attitude in the Pacers locker room that Monta Ellis would produce more in the second unit, writes Jim Ayello of the Indy Star. The team already starts Jeff Teague who, like Ellis, is most effective when he’s free to dominate the basketball. “It’s hard for him to play with the ball in his hands in the first unit,” Indiana reserve C.J. Miles says.
- After signing a substantial four-year, $50M contract with the Bucks over the offseason, Miles Plumlee was expected to play a vital role in Milwaukee’s rotation. Fast forward to January and the center has played just 9.2 minutes per game. According to Gery Woelfel of Woelfel’s Pressbox, head coach Jason Kidd suggested that Plumlee put less pressure on himself. Worth noting is that Plumlee’s role could change if Greg Monroe is ultimately moved before the deadline, as has been rumored.
- Having recently returned to practice, it appears as though Reggie Bullock could return to action for the Pistons as early as the end of their upcoming west coast trip, tweets Rod Beard of The Detroit News. The Pistons play at home against the Hawks on January 18.
- As both the coach on the sidelines and one of the executive charged with making personnel decision, Stan Van Gundy has his work cut out for him with the struggling Pistons. He voiced his perspective on the matter to MLive’s Aaron McMann. “We’re all frustrated, but you can’t make decisions out of frustration,” Van Gundy said. “You’ve got to try and have an objective analysis of what we’ve got and where we’re going and everything else.”
- With circumstances grim in Chicago, Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer speculates that the volatile situation could soon erupt. O’Connor explores some of the decisions the Bulls have made in the last year, including their decision to entertain trade offers for Jimmy Butler last summer. Fortunately, writes Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun Times, players on the team have become immune to front office dysfunction.
Andrew Bogut Unlikely To Remain In Dallas?
JANUARY 5, 11:07am: Speaking today to reporters, including Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News (Twitter link), Bogut said that he hasn’t requested a trade, but he also hasn’t begged the Mavs to keep him. The veteran center does have personal reasons for wanting to stay in Dallas, per Earl K. Sneed of Mavs.com (Twitter link).
It’s worth noting that Bogut was given the opportunity to pick his destination when the Warriors traded him last summer, and reportedly chose Dallas over Houston and Philadelphia. Of course, at that time, he expected the Mavs to be a contending team this season.
JANUARY 4, 9:36pm: After an offseason trade from the Warriors last summer, Australian center Andrew Bogut is likely to leave Dallas. The veteran Mavs big man spoke over the phone with Australia’s Sky Sports Radio:
“Thankfully I’m a free agent here so I only have a couple of months more here and then will most likely move on. I don’t see myself hanging around with everything that’s gone on. It will be an interesting six months ahead.”
In 18 healthy games with the Mavericks this season, Bogut has averaged a career low 3.3 points per game. In December, the 32-year-old missed three weeks with a right knee injury.
Relegated to the bench ever since Dirk Nowitzki returned to the lineup, a move that ESPN says he initiated, Bogut has seen his role shrink dramatically. He’s scored just two points in the three games since he returned to action on December 27.
Considering the big man’s expiring contract, it’s well within reason that he gets moved prior to the trade deadline in February and his contributions as a defensive presence in the paint will make him that much more appealing to club’s looking to stock up for the final stretch of the regular season.
“I’ve got a valuable contract … having four months left on my contract I’m a valuable commodity to be moved,” he said in the same interview.
Last October, Carson LaCava of Fansided’s Mavs Moneyball speculated that Bogut’s tenure in Dallas wouldn’t last long. In the 17 seasons since Nowitzki was drafted, LaCava writes, Dallas has started nine different centers for at least half a season.
Southwest Notes: Pondexter, Diallo, Beverley
After missing all of last season and the first half of this one, Quincy Pondexter has undergone yet another knee surgery, the Pelicans announced today. The team didn’t provide a return timetable, but Pondexter seems unlikely to return this season. The procedure was the veteran’s third since he last suited up in a game back during the 2015 playoffs, writes Kurt Helin of NBC Sports.
In his last taste of NBA action, his first season with New Orleans, Pondexter averaged 7.2 points in 23.9 minutes on the perimeter. Ever since, the Pelicans have struggled to restock the perimeter with reliably healthy players.
Expect continued opportunities for Pelicans rookie Buddy Hield and free agent acquisition Solomon Hill in Pondexter’s continued absence. The news also ensures that minutes will remain open for Tyreke Evans as his usage ramps up after his own setbacks.
That’s not all out of the Southwest Division:
- Rookie Cheick Diallo made waves when he dropped 19 points and 10 rebounds in his first significant taste of NBA action, and the Pelicans aim to keep him with the big league club as often as they can for the remainder of the season. ESPN’s Justin Verrier reports that the team would like to be “hands on” with the player’s weight training regimen.
- It was no secret that Harrison Barnes would see plenty of opportunities to score with the Mavs, but it’s been his evolution as a playmaker that has stood out to teammates in Dallas. “He’s starting to see other guys [out of double teams] and get shots for open guys,” guard Devin Harris tells Eddie Sefko of Dallas News. “[That] takes his game to another level.”
- After missing three of the last four games, Patrick Beverley is expected to return to the lineup for the Rockets. According to Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle, Mike D’Antoni is confident that his defensive stopper will be ready in time for Thursday’s run-in with the Thunder.
Justise Winslow Likely Out For Season
Heat sophomore Justise Winslow will probably miss the rest of the 2016/17 season, writes Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel. The versatile forward injured his shoulder tangling with Al Horford on Friday and will undergo what’s presumed to be season-ending surgery this Thursday.
The news that Winslow had in fact torn his labrum was announced by head coach Erik Spoelstra prior to Miami’s tilt with the Kings on Wednesday.
Winslow had missed the last two games with what the team had listed generically as a “right shoulder injury.” Earlier in the season he missed 16 games with a wrist injury that was said to potentially warrant surgery in its own right.
In 18 games with the Heat this season, Winslow has averaged 10.9 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game, up from 6.4, 5.2 and 1.5 respectively in his rookie year.
Community Shootaround: Crowder’s Fan Comments
The Celtics wrestled a hard-fought victory away from the Jazz on Tuesday, thanks largely in part to the contributions of small forward Jae Crowder. Crowder’s 21 points tied his season high, but the takeaway from the evening would prove to be neither his production nor the result on the scoreboard but rather his unexpected comments about the fans in attendance.
Supporters at the TD Garden could be heard cheering for rival forward Gordon Hayward, writes Christopher L. Gasper for The Boston Globe and it’s this to which Crowder took offense.
“[It’s] a sign of disrespect to me from the fans,” Crowder told the media, before doubling down on his unconventional reaction over Twitter.
The C’s have long been rumored to be interested in Hayward (here in 2014, for example, and here in October), but it’s the Butler alum’s connection to head coach Brad Stevens that gives the notion continued validity. As the 26-year-old wing approaches free agency via his player option for 2017/18, speculation about Hayward joining the Celtics and theoretically supplanting Crowder in the starting lineup has gained traction.
Given the circumstances, is Crowder’s reaction warranted? Is it bad form for fans to cheer for opposing team players? You tells us in the comments below.
Warriors Notes: Pachulia, Chase Center, Durant
When Zaza Pachulia opted to sign with the Warriors this summer, he left millions of dollars on the table. The big man’s decision to take the $2.9M offer rather than other more lucrative ones came at a time when his value was at one of the highest points of his 13-year-year career.
According to Michael Scotto of Basketball Insiders, the 32-year-old’s choice to forego more money and longer terms wasn’t all that tough to make, either.
“Not really,” Pachulia tells Scotto. “Honestly, at the moment that’s what my gut feeling was, especially after talking to Steve Kerr.”
In Pachulia, the sharp-shooting Warriors get a heady veteran capable of clearing floor space with his broad-shouldered screens.
Pachulia has seen action in 31 games so far this season and averaged 4.9 points and 5.8 rebounds per game in the process.
That’s not all the news on the Warriors front:
- The Warriors will officially break ground on their new arena on January 17, the team has announced in a press release. The Chase Center, built in San Francisco’s Mission Bay neighborhood, should be ready in time for the 2019/20 NBA campaign.
- In a phone interview with Steve Nash, Tim Kawakami of The Mercury News spoke at length about the retired point guard’s relationship with Kevin Durant. Nash, now a player development consultant with the Warriors, stressed that Durant’s free agency decision was a personal one. “He’s at a stage of his life where he wanted to challenge himself as a man and put himself in an environment where he felt there was room for a different kind of growth,” Nash said.
- Throughout his tenure with the Thunder, Durant’s relationship with the media was spotty. Recently, the superstar connected with ESPN’s Chris Haynes for a candid discussion about what’s different now versus then.
Jarrett Jack Nears Return, Will Hold Open Audition
It appears that Jarrett Jack, who was cut by the Hawks in October, is nearing a return from the knee injury that derailed his otherwise solid 2015/16 campaign with the Nets. According to Marc Stein of ESPN, the soon-to-be healthy veteran will “hold an open audition” so that NBA teams can see him play.
After averaging 12.8 points and 7.4 assists per game as the primary point guard in Brooklyn, Jack suffered a torn ACL in January and was ultimately cut by the club. Last June, the Georgia Tech alum signed on to play in Atlanta, but was cut again when the injury lingered into preseason.
At 33, Jack is a solid veteran capable of contributing to team’s seeking point guard help down the stretch. He won’t be the only veteran looking for a new club, however, as Stein reminds his Twitter followers that Mario Chalmers will be seeking a return to the court in 2017 as well.
In October, the Cavaliers – a team frequently said to be seeking point guard help – had only a “passing interest” in the veteran.
Central Notes: Felder, Antetokounmpo, Pistons
The Cavaliers are showing more faith in rookie point guard Kay Felder, especially recently while starter Kyrie Irving has missed time with hamstring tightness. Four times in the last six games Felder has played a substantial role in Cleveland’s rotation and his ability to initiate offense off the bench hasn’t gone unnoticed.
According to Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com, Cavaliers head coach Tyronn Lue has told the 21-year-old to play his game and not fret about his decisions. The result lends credence to the notion that the solution to Cleveland’s backup point guard dilemma may already be on the roster.
In the five games that Felder has played 15 or more minutes for the reigning champions – all since mid-December – he’s responded with an average of 12.2 points per game in 20.0 minutes. That ability to produce could impact the role he plays for the Cavaliers for the rest of the season.
Also coming out of the Central Division:
- An injury to J.R. Smith has opened a door for DeAndre Liggins to salvage his NBA career and the 28-year-old has made the most of his opportunity with the Cavaliers. TNT Analyst David Aldridge writes about the lockdown defender’s journey back. “Sometimes you need to go backwards to realize what you had,” he tells Aldridge. “I wake up and think about that.”
- Once a raw, goofy prospect, Giannis Antetokounmpo has evolved into an NBA superstar. “I’ve become more serious,” he tells Lee Jenkins of Sports Illustrated. “I have a franchise on my shoulders.” Jenkins profiled the 22-year-old in the magazine’s January 9 cover story (the first Bucks player to grace the cover of the publication since 1982).
- Sidelined with a torn meniscus since November 23, Reggie Bullock has returned to practice for the Pistons, tweets Rod Beard of The Detroit News.
- The ankle injury sustained by Aron Baynes isn’t as bad as it appeared, writes Beard in an article for The Detroit News. Though Baynes exited the game in a walking boot, he isn’t expected to miss significant time for the Pistons.