Injury Notes: Johnson, Curry, Hardaway
James Johnson, who re-signed with the Heat on a four-year, $60MM deal, will be out of the lineup indefinitely because of ankle bursitis, Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel writes.
Johnson missed three games earlier this month because of the ailment and tried to play on Saturday against New Orleans. He had to leave the contest before halftime and the Heat are now expected to closely monitor him until he returns to full health.
“My foot wasn’t functional at the time,” Johnson said of leaving the game. “But I think it was way better just not coming back out at halftime than it was when I just had to leave the court, for sure. So I feel improvement. I see improvement on it. So, like I said, just day-to-day treatment as much as I can.”
Here’s more injury notes from around the league:
- Stephen Curry will remain out until at least Friday and coach Steve Kerr said the point guard needs to go through as many as three more practices before he plays in a game, Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.com tweets. Curry went through 4-on-4 drills over the weekend and the team will see how handles more activities before clearing him to return.
- Tim Hardaway Jr. has been “moving more every day,” Ian Begley of ESPN.com relays on Twitter. Begley adds that the shooting guard has not yet been cleared to run, though the Knicks expect him back with the team at some point next month.
- Devin Booker has missed the last nine games with a groin injury, but he’ll be back in action for tonight’s contest against the Grizzlies, according to Scott Bordow of the Arizona Republic (Twitter feed). The Suns have gone 3-6 with Booker sidelined.
Clippers Hope To Have Blake Griffin Back Soon
The Clippers are hoping that Blake Griffin will return to the court before the end of December, according to Brad Turner of the Los Angeles Times (Twitter link).
Griffin, who sprained the MCL in his left knee at the end of November, was initially expected to miss up to two months. He missed the last 13 games because of the injury and the team has gone 5-8 so far during his absence.
The Clippers play the Kings tonight before taking on the Lakers on Friday and the Hornets on Sunday.
Mavericks Notes: Barnes, Smith Jr., Draft
The Mavericks haven’t lived up to expectations this season and the team’s highest-paid player is taking responsibility for the team’s woes.
“There’s no lying about it, it’s difficult for everybody. It comes down to taking personal responsibility,” Harrison Barnes said (via Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News).
“A lot of that falls on my shoulders. I have the ball a lot. I take the lion’s share of the shots. We’ve been close in a lot of late games. We’ve lost a lot of late games, so I take a lot of blame for that. Obviously, I have to be better, so we can be better.”
Here’s more from Dallas:
- Dennis Smith Jr. sees adapting to the Mavericks‘ system as his biggest challenge at this point in the season, Tim MacMahon of ESPN.com writes. “It’s a systematic team, so I’m trying to convert my game into buying into the system,” said Smith. “Just listen and watch the film. Really, whatever they say, that’s what I’ve got to do.”
- The Mavericks currently own the second spot in our Reverse Standings, which means there’s a good chance that they end up with a top selection in the upcoming draft. Sefko (in a separate piece) believes the team could end up with the worst record in the league, noting that Dallas has lost games to many of the teams sitting in the league’s cellar.
- ESPN’s Fran Fraschilla (via The Dallas Morning News) examines which players could go in the top-3 and speculates that the Mavs could be interested in Luka Doncic with their first-round pick.
Market For Clint Capela Difficult To Read
The Rockets and Clint Capela did not come to an agreement on a rookie contract extension, but the two sides had “very introductory” talks before the season, The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor reports. As a result, the big man will become a restricted free agent and O’Connor is hearing a wide range of predictions from league executives with regard to his next contract.
Some executives believe Capela will land an annual salary as low as $10MM, in the Kelly Olynyk range, while others are more bullish, believing that Capela could command as much as $20MM per season on his next deal.
External factors may play a role in his price tag. There won’t be many teams with an abundance of cap space and the lottery is expected to be flushed with talented bigs. Both factors could drive his market value down. Regardless, O’Connor believes that it’s unlikely we see a scenario similar to Nerlen Noel’s. Capela is having a strong season, making 69.4% of his attempts and sporting a 27.3 player efficiency rating, and opposing teams are fully aware of his breakout campaign.
Fantasy Hoops: Beasley, Daniels, Ibaka, KCP
When fans are chanting “MVP” as Michael Beasley parades the court, it may seem as if though you are in an alternative universe. However, 2017 has brought us a plethora of shocking occurrences in the NBA world and amidst all of that, perhaps we shouldn’t be surprised that the former No. 2 overall pick, who’s known for his offense, has found a way to be relevant again.
Beasley dominated the team with the Eastern Conference’s best record on Thursday night, scoring 32 points in 25 minutes off the bench. He made 65% of shots and posted a plus/minus of 18. While he’s unlikely to be that efficient going forward, he warrants a roster spot for those fantasy owners who have one to spare due to his upside.
Beasley is always a threat to regress, though he should maintain a large slice of Knicks‘ offensive pie, at least while Tim Hardaway remains sidelined, and that makes him a contributor in fantasy leagues.
Here’s more fantasy basketball notes and analysis from around the league:
- Sometimes smaller trades pay dividends, as I mentioned in last week’s edition of Fantasy Hoops, and the Suns made one of the offseason’s best minor deals when they nabbed Troy Daniels from the Grizzlies. Daniels hasn’t been a consistent fantasy performer, though he’s been a contributor in the three-pointer category for those in Roto leagues. Since Devin Booker exited the lineup with a groin injury, only eight players have made more shots per game from behind the arc than Daniels has. Booker could be back before the end of the month, but while he’s sidelined, enjoy the production.
- Serge Ibaka is enjoying a nice month of December, posting 6.7 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game since the calendar turned. He’s also shooting 53.7% from downtown, making 2.4 shots per night. Sometimes veterans can be undervalued in fantasy and if that’s the case in your league, Ibaka could be a player to target in trades.
- Searching for someone on the waiver wire to help you in the steals category? Kent Bazemore (owned in just under 57% of ESPN leagues) may be your guy. Only three players—Robert Covington, Draymond Green, Chris Paul—have more steals per game in the month of December than Atlanta’s swingman.
- Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is currently serving a 25-day jail sentence and can only play home games as part of his work-release program since he is not permitted to leave the state of California. KCP should only miss two games during this stretch (Houston on December 31; Minnesota on January 1). Plan accordingly.
Fantasy questions? Take to the comment section below or tweet me at @CW_Crouse.
Statistics are current through Friday morning. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Rockets Notes: LeBron, Paul, Morey
Earlier this month, it was reported that the Rockets believe they have a chance to land LeBron James in free agency this summer and Zach Lowe of ESPN.com echoes those reports in his latest piece.
Lowe writes that the team will go after James while planning a long-term deal for Chris Paul, who will turn 33 in May. Giving a point guard a max deal at that age may make most franchises think twice. However, the team believes the potential reward of a championship during James Harden‘s prime outweighs the risk of having an expensive declining veteran on the books.
“We think we have a five-year window with Chris and James,” Coach Mike D’Antoni tells Lowe.
GM Daryl Morey knows it will be up to Paul to return to Houston, but added that the franchise feels good about having him around long-term.
Here’s more from Houston:
- Winning a championship will require the Rockets to beat several teams in the postseason, though they are “obsessed” with taking down one team in particular. “It’s the only thing we think about,” Morey recently said on ESPN Radio’s The Ryen Russillo Show. “I think I’m not supposed to say that, but we’re basically obsessed with ‘How do we beat the Warriors?’
- Morey added (in the same segment) that in approximately 90% of the team’s simulations, Houston will have to go through Golden State to win the title and he admitted that much of the team’s offseason decisions were made with that in mind. “…we’ve gotta obviously beat the Warriors at some point. So we’re extremely focused on that. A lot of our signings and what we do during the year is based on that,” Morey said.
Latest On Joel Embiid
DECEMBER 21, 5:42pm: Embiid will not play tonight, Jessica Camerato of NBC Sports Philadelphia tweets. The big man went through warmups, however.
DECEMBER 21, 11:18am: Embiid has been upgraded to questionable for Thursday night’s game against the Raptors, tweets Jessica Camerato of NBC Sports Philadelphia. While that doesn’t mean he’ll play tonight, it’s a sign that Embiid is nearing a return, perhaps even before Monday’s Christmas Day game.
DECEMBER 20, 6:20pm: Injuries continue to plague Joel Embiid, with a back issue the latest ailment to keep him off the court. Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.com reports that big man will likely miss the next two games, though he’s expected to return to action against the Knicks on Monday.
The Sixers looked like a playoff team earlier this season, something fueled in part by Embiid’s success. The Cameroon native has missed seven games this season, including that last two, and Philadelphia has lost six of those contests.
Embiid, who is averaging 24.1 points, 11.0 rebounds and nearly two blocks per game this season, signed a massive five-year, $146.5MM extension back in October. The deal included unique clauses which protect the Sixers, allowing them to waive Embiid without paying him his full guaranteed salary if he misses 25 or more regular season games or fails to play at least 1,650 minutes in a season as a result of specifically named injuries. Those clauses do not kick in until next season, though it’s worth noting that the named injuries include Embiid’s back.
It’s extremely unlikely that Philadelphia waives Embiid unless he suffers a catastrophic, career-altering injury. The center simply has too much talent to let go of if the team feels he can still play. However, the nature of back injuries, coupled with Embiid’s contract language, makes this a situation worth monitoring.
Danilo Gallinari Expected To Miss Multiple Weeks
DECEMBER 21, 8:22am: Gallinari said late on Wednesday night that his latest glute issue may sideline him for just as long as the previous iteration of the injury did, if not longer.
“More or less, it’s the same thing I did before, but maybe a little more time,” Gallinari said, per Broderick Turner of The Los Angeles Times. “So the rehab I did in four weeks, you’re going to spread it out in six weeks instead of four weeks.”
Gallinari’s estimated timetable would put him on track to return around the end of January.
DECEMBER 20, 9:09pm: Danilo Gallinari will remain out of action as he recovers from an injury to his gluteus maximus, according to a team press release. He will be reevaluated in January.
The small forward suffered a contusion to the left glute muscle earlier in the season, which forced him to miss nearly a month of action before he attempted a comeback. He played in a pair of games earlier in the month, though he re-aggravated the injury and hasn’t played since.
The Clippers brought Gallinari to the team via a three-way, sign-and-trade deal with the Nuggets and Hawks. The former No. 6 overall pick’s contract covers three seasons and is worth slightly under $65MM.
Gallinari has only been able to play in 11 games for Los Angeles. He’s averaging 13.4 points and 4.4 rebounds per game while shooting 34.5% from the field.
Bulls Notes: Mirotic, Winning Streak, Butler
Coach Fred Hoiberg believes Nikola Mirotic‘s return has given the team confidence, as Nick Friedell of ESPN.com relays.
“You see our bench really rallying behind him when he’s out there making plays,” the coach said. “You see the guys on the floor celebrating together when he makes the big plays. … Niko’s been in pressure situations a lot over the course of his basketball life.
“And it’s great to have an experienced player out there with our young guys to help close some of the close ones. I give Niko a lot of credit; he’s been awesome, especially since he’s been back in the lineup. When you’ve got guys out there playing with confidence, that rubs off on the whole team.”
Chicago has won every game since Mirotic returned to the lineup, going 7-0 after a 3-20 start.
“The biggest thing is [Mirotic is] playing the right way,” Hoiberg said. “…his overall game has been a huge lift to our group.”
[RELATED: Fantasy Hoops: Mirotic, Gasol, Hollis-Jefferson]
Here’s more from Chicago:
- It appears the physical altercation between Mirotic and Bobby Portis is behind the two players and the incident no longer has any lingering effects on the team.“They hashed it out,” Kris Dunn said (via Friedell in the same piece). “They brought that positivity back into the team.“
- Mirotic sees a difference in the team’s energy since he returned, as Friedell passes along in the same piece. “Before I came [back], everybody was like a little bit with their heads down… But now I think we are much, much better. We come [to] the games with a different energy,” Mirotic said.
- Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times wonders if the Bulls‘ win streak is going to ruin the franchise’s rebuilding plan and argues that dealing Mirotic once he becomes trade-eligible may be the team’s best move.
- While many view the Jimmy Butler trade as a loss for the Bulls, K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune believes it was a good deal for both sides. He notes that the front office made the trade with 2018 in mind.
- Bulls owner Jerry Reinsdorf believes the team has the right combination of executives in the front office, as we passed along earlier today. He also touched on why Chicago decided to go with a rebuild, citing a desire to stay out of the league’s middle ground and become championship contenders.
Bulls Owner Talks Front Office, Team, Rebuild
The Bulls hierarchy hasn’t always been clear with VP of Basketball Operations John Paxson and GM Gar Forman each taking on various responsibilities during their respective tenures. However, despite the unconventional approach, owner Jerry Reinsdorf is confident that the franchise has the right management in place.
“I picked Paxson to rebuild when [Jerry] Krause left [in 2003] because he’s a leader. Nothing has changed,” Reinsdorf tells K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune. “He’s a fine evaluator of talent. He’s a long-term thinker. He works well with the general manager. He works well with coaches. I’m a John Paxson fan.”
Paxson has traveled with the team all season in an attempt to create transparency and accountability while offering support to players and coaches. Forman has spent much of his time on the road, scouting prospects in search of future talent and taking on other traditional front office responsibilities.
“Forman is great with agents,” Reinsdorf said. “John hates to deal with agents. Gar is good at negotiating with the other general managers, but John was good at that too. Gar is great at cap knowledge and planning ahead. He’s an extremely detailed guy. That’s why we have the two jobs. And that’s a trend that teams are moving too. They realize you need two different skill sets.”
Forman served as the face of the front office during the Derrick Rose era, giving up that unofficial title to Paxson as the team went into a rebuild. Reinsdorf believes Forman has consistently done a great job, though Paxson is more of a media darling than the GM is.
“I think John plays well publicly, more than me or Gar,” the owner said. “People tend to like John. They trust him. He’s the guy next door. People look at Gar and me and we’re not warm and cuddly like John.”
Reinsdorf, who also owns the Chicago White Sox, will turn 82 years old in February and that begs the question: Why sign off on another rebuild?
“I figure I have at the most 15-20 years left and I’d like to win again,” Reinsdorf said. “I don’t like being caught in the middle.
“I think the rebuild is going great. We don’t want to be fooled by winning six games in a row. But we’re seeing our young players step up. We’re seeing [Nikola Mirotic] show what we thought we had in the first place. [Kris Dunn] is coming on. [Bobby Portis] is having a good year. And [Zach LaVine] hasn’t even played yet.
“I think Gar and John have put together the core of something good. Now it remains to be seen [if we] can take the next two steps, mediocrity and being good, without being stuck too long in mediocrity.”