Sixers May Look To Add Backup Center
The Sixers are running out of healthy big men and if it appears that Boban Marjanovic won’t return soon, the team will likely explore options for adding a center to the roster, Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer reports.
Joel Embiid came out of the All-Star break with knee soreness and was expected to miss about a week. Those three games have now turned into six, with Embiid sitting out against the Magic tonight.
“He just doesn’t feel like he’s ready to go,” coach Brett Brown said of Embiid. “He really does feel restricted with some of his movements, there’s a little bit of soreness, I think, still.”
Brown added that he doesn’t have a timeline on Marjanovic. Jonah Bolden and Amir Johnson are both nursing ailments and didn’t practice on Tuesday, leaving. Justin Patton, who came to Philadelphia in the Jimmy Butler deal, as the only fully healthy center on the team.
The Sixers don’t currently have an open roster spot, but could create an opening by waiving a player like free-agent-to-be Furkan Korkmaz, who is currently injured and didn’t have much of a role when he was healthy.
Fantasy Hoops: Frontcourt Report
Marvin Bagley III left the court on Wednesday night with an injury to his left knee, which is the same one that kept him sidelined for roughly a month earlier this season. The 2018 No. 2 overall pick was showing promising signs coming out of the All-Star break, scoring 20.3 points per game while adding 10.5 rebounds, 1.0 steals, and 1.3 blocks per contest over that stretch.
With Bagley set to miss at least a week or two, the Kings will be forced to reshuffle their rotation and the biggest winner could be Harry Giles.
Giles saw 18 minutes on Wednesday versus the Bucks, accumulating 18 points, seven rebounds and one block while making 9-of-13 looks from the field. He played many of his minutes at the four spot when Bagley was sidelined this winter and on Friday, Sacramento will take on the Clippers—a team that has been the fourth-most fantasy-friendly to opposing power forwards this season.
While Giles should be a profitable low-cost option in daily fantasy this weekend, I wouldn’t necessarily add the second-year big man in season-long leagues until we see exactly what coach Dave Joerger is going to do with the rotation. If you have the roster space, he makes for a nice speculative add, as has the potential to be a fantasy playoff difference-maker if he gets enough run.
Here’s more from around the league:
- The Sixers are without Joel Embiid and Boban Marjanovic, leaving Jonah Bolden to get the starting nod against the Thunder tonight. OKC has been an above-average fantasy matchup vs. opposing centers this season, per HTB. Philadelphia will play the Warriors on Saturday, a team that ranks in the bottom 10 this season vs. the position, so keep an eye on Bolden should Embiid miss that contest.
- Domantas Sabonis will miss nearly a week with an ankle injury and Myles Turner and Kyle O’Quinn will both benefit. However, over the next two games, the Pacers take on the Timberwolves and Magic, a pair of teams that have been among the top-10 stingiest matchups this season in terms of fantasy production.
- Dewayne Dedmon ranks eighth overall in ESPN’s Player Rater over the last 15 days. Dedmon has become very Paul Millsap-like this season, contributing in many categories. Over that 15-day stretch, he’s averaging a solid 13.8 points and 7.6 rebounds while adding 2.0 assists. Dedmon is just one of four players (Brook Lopez, DeMarcus Cousins, and Turner) to average two blocks, one steal and one 3-pointer made during that stretch. The Hawks center should be owned in season-long leagues.
- Hassan Whiteside‘s hip issues caused him to miss the Heat’s tilt with the Warriors on Wednesday and he’s not expected to play against the Rockets tonight either. Bam Adebayo should be owned in all leagues and he’s a nice DFS play tonight.
- If Mitchell Robinson is somehow still available in your league, go and scoop him up. The Knicks rookie should also be owned in all leagues.
Fantasy questions? Take to the comment section below or tweet me at @CW_Crouse.
Missed an earlier edition of Fantasy Hoops? Check out the entire series here.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Otto Porter Jr. Discusses Trade To The Bulls, Role With Team
Otto Porter Jr. entered into a new chapter of his basketball career when he was dealt to the Bulls earlier this month. The 25-year-old small forward is happy with his new home, telling Hoops Rumors that he believes Chicago has a bright future.
“We have a lot of young guys, young pieces. The team is definitely headed in the right direction, trying to get back to winning basketball here,” Porter told Hoops Rumors before last Friday’s game against the Magic.
Porter, who grew up in Missouri, added that the transition to Chicago has been a smooth one.
“Going from D.C. to Chicago, I’m actually closer to home,” he said. “So [right away], I was able to see a lot of my family in my first home game with the Bulls.”
When he signed his four-year, $106MM with the Wizards during the summer of 2017, the small forward planned on living out his contract in the city where he attended college and made his NBA debut.
“When I signed the deal [with the Wizards], I didn’t think I was going to get traded,” Porter explained to Hoops Rumors.
Leading up to the trade deadline, management reportedly reiterated to Porter that they weren’t going to trade him away. The former No. 3 overall pick previously said he felt that the team lied to him.
Wizards owner Ted Leonsis addressed the response, telling multi-media reporter Mike Wise (Twitter link) that understands Porter’s stance and he feels “terrible” about it.
“We did tell him we weren’t going to trade him. We were going to keep our core together,” Leonsis said, before adding that the team was preparing to make another deal that kept Porter, Bradley Beal, and John Wall together on the team.
“We actually had some other things that we were going to do, and another trade that would have kept the core together and given us flexibility,” Leonsis said, admitting that the hypothetical deal didn’t pan out.
Porter developed into an ultra-efficient scorer over the past few years in Washington, someone who’s capable of excelling as a primary ball-handler or alongside other play-makers. The 2017/18 season was his apex with the Wizards, as he made 44.1% of his 4.1 attempts from behind the arc, a figure that was bested by just two players leaguewide. Porter finished the campaign eighth overall in turnover percentage and sixth among all wing players in effective field goal percentage.
While his numbers dipped slightly to begin the 2018/19 campaign, peak Porter has arrived in Chicago. During his six games to date with his new club, Porter has a true shooting percentage of 65.4%, making over half of his 27 attempts behind the arc. His player efficiency rate over the first 191 minutes of his Bulls career is an electric 19.4.
The Bulls are 4-2 with Porter in the starting lineup, though the wing left halfway through his sixth contest with the team after suffering a lower leg strain. Porter remains out with the ailment as of this writing.
The Wizards have gone 2-6 since making the trade. When asked what direction his former franchise was heading in, Porter replied, “I have no idea to be honest. I’m not focusing on them.”
From an on-court perspective, Porter’s role with the Bulls isn’t expected to be dissimilar to the one he had in Washington. Off the court, he moves from a situation in which many of his teammates were his elders to one in which his NBA experience trumps that of many fellow Bulls. He’s embracing the change.
“I’m one of the oldest on the team, so I have to [play a different role],” Porter told Hoops Rumors. “It’s pretty cool to be one of the vets here.”
Porter’s contract has two years left beyond this season, though his deal contains a player option on the final year, which comes in at approximately $28.5MM. He’ll get to see Chicago make one offseason of moves and play a season-and-a-half worth of games with his new club before making his decision on that option for 2020/21.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
NBA G League Assignments/Recalls: 2/26/19
Here are Tuesday’s assignments and recalls from around the NBA G League:
- The Jazz have recalled Grayson Allen from the Salt Lake City Stars, according to the team’s Twitter feed. The stint was Allen’s ninth assignment this season.
- The Clippers have assigned Jerome Robinson to the Agua Caliente Clippers of Ontario, according to the team’s Twitter feed.
- The Pacers have assigned Edmond Sumner to the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, according to the team’s transaction log. Sumner recently signed a two-year contract with Indiana.
- The Wizards assigned Troy Brown Jr. to the Capital City Go-Go, according to the team’s Twitter feed.
- The Heat have assigned Emanuel Terry to the Sioux Falls Skyforce, according to the team’s Twitter feed. Terry has seen action in just one game for Miami this season, playing just three minutes.
- The Grizzlies have assigned Jevon Carter to the Memphis Hustle, per the team’s Twitter feed.
Markieff Morris Doesn’t Want To “Force Things” With Thunder
Markieff Morris, who recently signed with the Thunder, is still learning Oklahoma City’s playbook and he’s trying to make an impact while fitting in with his new squad.
“For me, you just want to be a help to the team,” Morris tells Maddie Lee of The Oklahoman. “You don’t want to come in and force things. You want everything to go smooth, how they went before you got here. So for me just getting acclimated to the offense and defense, playing with the guys.”
Morris has switched teams during the season once before. The Suns sent him to the Wizards during the 2015/16 campaign. The forward said he watches film on his new teammates in order to acclimate himself with his new squad.
Morris spent the first half of this season with the Wizards before suffering a neck injury. He was sent to the Pelicans in a trade for Wesley Johnson prior to the trade deadline.
Pacific Notes: Cousins, Crawford, Johnson
The NBA has rescinded DeMarcus Cousins‘ technical foul for tossing Jeremy Lamb‘s shoe during Monday’s game against the Hornets, a source tells Nick Friedell of ESPN.com. Cousins tossed the shoe out of bounds and was upset with the referee calling the technical.
“Next time I’ll just step on the shoe and roll my ankle, break it, tear an Achilles,” Cousins said after the game. “Just leave it out there next time. I guess that’s what they want. I’ll keep that in mind.”
Cousins missed nearly a year while rehabbing from an Achilles injury. He’s appeared in 14 games for the Warriors so far this year and he’s been called for five technical fouls outside of the shoe-tossing experience. In his career, Cousins has received 123 technical fouls and has been ejected on 13 of those occasions.
Here’s more from the Pacific Division:
- Jamal Crawford doesn’t necessarily feel like this will be his final season in the league, as he tells Sekou Smith of NBA.com. “I can keep going and going. And I will, as long as someone feels like I can bring something to the table, I’ll be here. No limits,” Crawford said.
- Crawford added (in the same piece) that he is enjoying his role as a veteran on the Suns despite not receiving the same type of opportunity that he’s been accustomed to. “I know I can still play at a high level, and can do much more then I am on the court,” he said. “But this particular role at this time has turned into me trying to help others grow their game, and not about my own personal whatever … and there is a beauty in that as well.”
- Tyler Johnson is still getting adjusted to life on the Suns, but he’s embracing the challenges of learning a new system, Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel writes. “Just like any big transition in your life, it’s going to take a minute to get settled,” Johnson said. “But I think it’s just how you approach it. You can look at things as a negative…or you know, you can embrace it. And that’s what I’ve chosen to do, is just embrace it and I know good things will come from it.”
Latest Updates On Marjanovic, Embiid, Korkmaz
Boban Marjanovic fell to the floor with what appeared to be a serious knee injury during the Sixers‘ win over the Pelicans on Monday. However, testing today came back better than expected with the team announcing that Marjanovic suffered a bone bruise and a mild sprain on his right knee.
Brett Brown hopes that the 7’3″ big man won’t miss significant time, though the 76ers’ head coach won’t be relieved until Marjanovic goes closer to a return.
“You still don’t know,” Brown told Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter link). “The new information could reveal something, but [based on] the initial sort of examination there [was] a sigh of relief given what my gut feel was.”
Marjanovic, who was acquired along with Tobias Harris prior to the trade deadline, will be reevaluated about a week. He was playing a more critical role for the Sixers because of Joel Embiid‘s absence from the court. Embiid was experiencing knee soreness coming out of the All-Star break and the team is opting to be extra cautious with their franchise center.
The Cameroon native has missed all three games since the break and he’s not expected to play in the team’s clash against the Thunder on Thursday. Jonah Bolden started at the five on Monday and will likely continue in that role with both big men sidelined.
Justin Patton was acquired in the Jimmy Butler deal earlier this season and has shuffled back and forth between the NBA club and its G League affiliate in Delaware. Patton and Amir Johnson, who did not play on Monday, are candidates to see minutes while the frontcourt gets healthy
In the press release, the team also announced that Furkan Korkmaz underwent successful surgery on his right knee, repairing a torn meniscus. The swingman will be reevaluated in approximately four weeks.
Mo Bamba Continues To Progress On The Sidelines
Mohamed Bamba’s rookie season took a rough turn when tests revealed that he suffered a stress fracture in his left leg. However, the 7’0″ center sees a silver lining in the injury. Bamba tells Hoops Rumors that he believes his time off the court has given him a perspective that he may not have gotten otherwise.
[RELATED: Mohamed Bamba to miss significant time with stress fracture]
“It gives you kind of a third eye,” Bamba explained. “Being out and having to watch your teammates perform and you see things that you wouldn’t see [if you were on the court].”
Orlando cannot afford to waste any time with Bamba’s development. Starting center Nikola Vucevic is a free agent at the end of the season and while the team wants to bring him back, the 28-year-old center will likely have many suitors. A Vucevic departure would thrust 2018’s No. 6 overall pick into a critical role.
Bamba, who remains in a walking boot, is optimistic that he will be able to play again this season. However, Orlando is taking a cautious, patient approach to managing his injury. Despite his inability to suit up, Bamba continues to stay engaged with the team in preparation for the next time he’s able to play.
Bamba’s rookie year hasn’t been a typical NBA freshman season. While he’s progressed on the court through his first 47 games in the league, he also saw off-court opportunities that most rookies don’t get to experience, including his appearance on HBO’s The Shop alongside LeBron James, rapper Drake, and other sports stars.
“It was a once in a lifetime opportunity that not many people get to do. When I got word that they were thinking about me being there, I couldn’t believe it,” Bamba said of the chance to appear on the show. “…We talked about a lot [during the episode]. We talked about the game, the evolution of it and what we all attribute to that.”
The big man is also the subject of the successful rap anthem “Mo Bamba” by his childhood friend Sheck Wes. Wes, who only needed about 20 minutes to make the Bamba-inspired song, sent the audio track to the big man once his final version was complete, the 20-year-old tells Hoops Rumors. Despite the unique exposure, Bamba remains humble. Bamba added that he doesn’t feel any resentment from his teammates concerning his rap fame.
“I’m pretty sure if all the veterans on the team wanted their own song, they could do it,” Bamba said. “It’s nice to have something that a lot of people my age enjoy listening to.”
Fantasy Hoops: Winning With Enes Kanter
Enes Kanter made his debut with the Trail Blazers on Thursday and asserted himself as the focal point on the team’s second unit. Kanter saw just 20 minutes of action, but he was able to get up nine shots and score 18 points. His usage rate ranked fifth on the team and he seemed happy in his new environment.
“Last time I got a win I think it was like almost two months (ago),” Kanter said after the game (via Andy Clayton of The New York Daily News). The quote, along with his post-game tweet that read “Wow! That’s how winning feels,” were indirect shots at his former team — the Knicks have only won two games since mid-December.
Thursday’s performance came against the Nets—a team that’s giving up the third most fantasy points (FanDuel) to opposing centers this season—and Kanter is in line for another favorable matchup on Saturday against the Sixers, who will be without Joel Embiid as the big man nurses a sore knee.
Kanter didn’t spend any court time in his debut next to Jusuf Nurkic, as Portland chose to split the 48 center minutes between the two. Nurkic saw 28 minutes, which is on par with his season average. Zach Collins and Meyers Leonard both appear to be out of the rotation with Kanter in the mix, as the pair drew DNPs. Portland seems comfortable with employing the Kanter-Jake Layman tandem in its second unit, as Layman was on the floor for all but two of Kanter’s 20 minutes.
Expect Kanter to once again see around 20 minutes in the team’s matinee in Philadelphia, but with his high usage rate and low price tag, he makes for a great daily fantasy play. In season-long leagues, he’s borderline roster-worthy if you need points, rebounds or a solid field goal percentage.
Fantasy questions? Take to the comment section below or tweet me at @CW_Crouse.
Missed an earlier edition of Fantasy Hoops? Check out the entire series here.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Raptors Sign Jodie Meeks To 10-Day Deal
FEBRUARY 20: The signing is official, tweets Doug Smith of The Toronto Star.
FEBRUARY 19: The Raptors will sign Jodie Meeks to a 10-day deal, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.com.
Meeks has not played in the NBA since serving a 25-game suspension for violating the league’s drug policy. Per the ESPN scribe, Meeks insists that he never knowingly ingested any substances that would be considered performance enhancing.
The Wizards sent the 31-year-old to the Bucks along with a second-rounder and additional cash earlier this year. Milwaukee waived Meeks prior to him seeing any court time with the team.
Toronto’s depth was depleted after sending Delon Wright to the Grizzlies in the Marc Gasol deal and watching Fred VanVleet undergo surgery on his injured hand. Meeks worked out for Toronto earlier in the week and the franchise feels the former Kentucky Wildcat could contribute off the bench because of his shooting ability, Woj notes.
By signing Meeks, the Raptors will officially get back up to the NBA-mandated minimum of 14 players. Toronto dipped to just 10 players at the trade deadline, but has since signed Malcolm Miller, Chris Boucher, and Jeremy Lin. Meeks will be the club’s 14th man.