DeMarcus Cousins Talks Recovery, Role With Warriors
DeMarcus Cousins remains without an official timetable for his return, Anthony Slater of The Athletic relays. Cousins, who signed a one-year deal with the Warriors this summer, is recovering from a torn left Achilles.
The Warriors will continue to win without him on the court and they can afford to be patient. However, as one team source tells Slater, “the clock’s starting to tick.”
It’s unlikely the Cousins-Warriors pairing lasts beyond this season. Even if Kevin Durant walks, Golden State won’t have the cap space to offer Cousins any sort of lucrative deal. The team doesn’t have the ability to go over the cap to sign him since it doesn’t own his bird rights.
“We made no bones about it when we signed him,” coach Steve Kerr said. “It’s a one-year deal. We’re not going to have money [under CBA rules] to [afford] him next year. He knows that. So we’d like him to help us win a championship. And we’d like to help him get a great contract next year, somewhere else.”
Cousins isn’t worried about what the future may bring. “I honestly don’t think about [free agency],” Cousins said. “I’m focused on becoming healthy. That’s my main focus right now. After that, it’s helping this team make another run. Everything that’s going to happen in the summer, I’ll wait until the summer.”
Slater hears that Cousins’ recovery has had its ups and downs. The big man will show up with great energy some days and chat jovially with his teammates. On other occasions, he’ll show up “gloomy” without much interest or hope in the process.
“Some days he looks like he has a motor,” Livingston said. “Some days he looks like he’s got a limp. That’s the hurdle. … You can tell it’s frustrating. I’ve been there. When you can’t move the way you want to move.”
“It’s a lot of sore days,” Cousins told Slater. “There are days I really ache. I do a lot of lower-body training. So there are days where my legs just feel like cement blocks and I can barely move. Then there are days where I feel like a feather on the floor.”
The Warriors see integrating Cousins into the lineup as a crucial task. Golden State plays at a faster pace than any of Cousins’ previous teams, so that adds another layer of risk on top of potential chemistry and rotation issues. The center knows he has to play differently than he has in the past once he’s healthy enough to see court time
“Just want to be in shape to play at the pace of this team,” Cousins said. “They play faster than most other teams. It’s not even about the rust. That’s going to be part of the process. I’m aware of that. It’s about having my body in the best shape possible for an NBA game.”
Fantasy Hoops: Grab Trevor Ariza; Trade Robert Covington?
Many sports fans are shifting their attention from fantasy football to fantasy basketball this week, with a majority of football leagues concluding. Certainly, those who have been heavily involved in their basketball leagues and have been following our weekly Fantasy Hoops column are in a better position to reach their fantasy basketball playoffs, but there’s still time for all to improve.
Looking out for profitable trades and productive players on the waivers as well as keeping an ear to the ground around the NBA’s hardwood will set fantasy owners up for success. Let’s take dive into a few situations from around the league.
Trevor Ariza In Washington: The Sequel
It feels like the Wizards bring in a veteran every season to supplement the firepower in their backcourt. This year, the team added Trevor Ariza.
Ariza was heavily involved during his first two games back in town, averaging 17.0 points on 16 shots per game. He added 7.0 rebounds and 3.5 assists per contest while grabbing an unsustainable – yet impressive – nine steals over the two games. His 37.2 minutes per game led all Wizards not named Bradley Beal.
Otto Porter remains out with a quad injury and once the 25-year-old returns, he’ll steal some of Ariza’s looks. Still, the new situation is a major positive for Ariza’s fantasy stock. The veteran forward appears engaged and he needs to be owned in all season-long leagues.
Sell Robert Covington?
Robert Covington shifted into a new gear upon arriving in Minnesota but he’s cooled off a bit over the last week.
He put up a nice stat line in the Timberwolves‘ loss to the Pistons on Wednesday (including making 5-of-11 from downtown) but in his previous four, he was averaging just 10.3 points and 4.5 rebounds while shooting 35.1% from the field.
That four-game stretch isn’t likely to resemble what he does over the course of the season, though his fantasy value falls somewhere between the player we saw during that stretch and the hype he’s received since coming to the Wolves.
Players who get traded tend to stick in the mind’s of casual basketball fans and fantasy basketball is no different. Since coming to the Wolves, Covington is flirting with top-35 value in roto leagues but that likely represents his peak value on the season, meaning it’s improbable that he’s going to rise any higher. Sniff around your league to see if you can snatch a player who has the role and ability to break into the next tier.
Victor Oladipo stands out a reasonable trade target. Last year’s second-ranked shooting guard is working his way back from a knee injury and while he doesn’t quite appear 100% yet, he’s producing. He’s averaging 16.8 points, 6.2 assists, 5.2 rebounds and 1.8 steals over five games since returning to the court. Expect him to further improve on those figures and surpass top-20 value, assuming he doesn’t encounter a setback with his knee.
There’s nothing wrong with keeping Covington should the right deal not present itself (John Wall, Tobias Harris, Zach LaVine, and DeAndre Jordan are other players I’d move RoCo for today).
Covington had an ADP of 54 in Yahoo leagues, 133 on ESPN and somewhere in between on all the other major sites. No matter which platform you drafted him on, he’s provided great value on your draft-day investment but savvy owners have an opportunity to squeeze an even greater return out of a draft-day steal.
My Heat Hurt
Goran Dragic will miss approximately two months as he undergoes arthroscopic knee surgery. He wasn’t providing much value on his draft day investment prior to deciding to opt for the procedure and depending on the size of your league (and assuming you don’t have an IR slot), the point guard can safely be dropped.
Tyler Johnson, who is nursing a hip injury, will see an uptick in value if he can stay on the court. Dion Waiters hasn’t played in nearly a year with a foot injury and has recently been cleared for contact. If he returns, I wouldn’t count on him making a huge fantasy impact outside of one of two outlier games. Leave him on the waivers.
Dwyane Wade has an opportunity to dramatically improve his stock, though his outlook is bleak. Wade is dealing with back woes and recently told reporters that he’s having issues getting out of bed in the morning because of it. Yikes.
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.
Clippers Continue To Have Eyes For Kawhi
The Clippers continue to be obsessed with the top of the 2019 free agency class and with a recent report reiterating Kawhi Leonard‘s desire to be in Los Angeles, Steve Ballmer‘s squad isn’t likely to let up anytime soon. The Raptors are not concerned with the Clippers’ efforts, as aggressive as they may be, team sources tell Sam Amick of The Athletic.
Raptors officials have previously claimed that a Clippers’ employee has attended about three-quarters of Toronto’s games this season but a source tells Amick that the figure is closer to 25%. Still, president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank and his team in the front office are doing everything within the league’s rules to up the odds of the franchise landing the former NBA Finals MVP.
NBA squads are allowed to gather as much intel about rival players as possible that might shape their free agency pitch, including both on and off court information. There’s a grey area when it comes to distinguishing the lines between research and recruiting, Amick explains. Teams are not allowed to recruit directly, though they can build relationships with people around a free-agent-to-be.
Up until recently, Leonard was unaware Clippers’ officials had been attending his games nor did he know what Frank even looked like, as Amick details. The scribe was with the head of the Clippers’ front office directly after last week’s game between the two squads. Leonard briefly embraced Amick while ignoring the front office executive and although some may see this as a case of Leonard and Frank consciously creating a ruse in front of a media member, Leonard simply isn’t wired that way, Amick writes.
Many within the league believe that the next six months will play a big part in determining Leonard’s decision. How far Toronto goes in the playoffs and how well he clicks with his coach, teammates, and the city will be factors. One source close to the situation pegs Leonard’s chances of staying up north as “50-50.”
Teammate Kyle Lowry isn’t sure if Leonard will call Toronto home long-term but the point guard is certain that Leonard is enjoying his time on the court.
“We don’t have to read him, because he talks to us,” Lowry said of Leonard. “He’s our teammate. He’s a guy we talk to every day. He’s awesome. He’s enjoying being back on the floor playing basketball at a high level. That’s what he’s really enjoying. I think he missed playing basketball last year, and I think people take that [for granted] When you lose the game for a little while, you’re like, ‘Man, that’s a tough thing.’ But when you get it back, it’s like, ‘Wow.’
“I don’t know [if Toronto fits him]. That’s a question where his individualized personality is going to have to step in [and determine it].”
NBA G League Assignments/Recalls: 12/18/18
Here are Tuesday’s G League assignment and recalls from around the NBA:
- The Lakers have assigned Brandon Ingram to the G League for a rehab assignment and since recalled him, according to the team’s website. The former No.2 overall pick is recovering from an ankle injury.
- The Lakers have recalled Rajon Rondo from the South Bay Lakers, according to team’s website. The assignment was part of Rondo’s rehab from a broken right hand.
- The Sixers have assigned Jonah Bolden to the Delaware Blue Coats, Derek Bodner of The Athletic tweets. This is Bolden’s seventh assignment in the G League this season.
- The Wizards assigned Okaro White to the Capital City Go-Go, according to the team’s website. White scored a season-high 31 points in a game during his last stint in the G League.
Stein’s Latest: Melo, Bazemore, Ross, Davis
The Rockets continue to search for a taker for Carmelo Anthony, Marc Stein of The New York Times reports in his latest newsletter. Moving Anthony’s $2.4MM salary – which has a cap hit of $1.5MM, would afford the team roughly $2.6MM in luxury tax savings.
Stein notes that the Sixers and Lakers—two teams often mentioned as potential landing spots for Melo—appear uninterested in bringing the prolific scorer aboard. The Hornets have also resisted the idea of adding Anthony despite the connection between team owner Michael Jordan and Anthony through the Jordan Brand.
Anthony became trade-eligible on the weekend and perhaps as NBA clubs gather in Las Vegas for the G League showcase, a rival team will strike a deal with Houston.
Here’s more from Stein’s latest newsletter.
- Kent Bazemore is generating interest from contending teams looking for a swingman, Stein reports. Bazemore has one more year and $19.3MM left on his deal with the Hawks after this season and the interest in the wing at that price speaks to how highly he’s regarded in the marketplace, Stein writes.
- Hawks veterans Jeremy Lin and Dewayne Dedmon are also receiving interest from around the league. Both players are on expiring deals.
- Terrence Ross is the Orlando wing who is generating the most interest. However, the Magic would prefer to trade Jonathon Simmons over Ross, who is on an expiring $10.5MM contract.
- It’s unlikely that the Pelicans deal Anthony Davis this season but a critical point is approaching. New Orleans can offer Davis a massive contract extension worth over $200MM in total value this summer and should the big man decline it, the Pelicans will realistically have to trade him.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope Sits Atop Rockets’ Wishlist
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is the Rockets‘ top trade target as they look for wing help, Marc Stein of The New York Times reports in his latest newsletter. KCP can veto any trade as a result of signing a one-year deal with the Lakers, but Stein hears that the shooting guard would agree to a deal that sends him to Houston.
Caldwell-Pope was involved in trade discussions between the Suns and Lakers over the weekend with L.A. looking to deal KCP to Phoenix for Trevor Ariza. Another proposal had the shooting guard going to Houston in a four-way trade that sent Ariza to the Lakers, Jeremy Lin to the Suns and a package of Brandon Knight and first-rounder to Atlanta. Phoenix wasn’t impressed with either deal and Ariza was sent elsewhere.
The Rockets have been on the lookout for wing help for some time, expressing exploratory interest in J.R. Smith earlier this month. Stein adds that Smith is “somewhere further down” on the Rockets’ wishlist.
Warriors Notes: Jerebko, Offense, Durant
Steve Kerr has been impressed with Jonas Jerebko since he watched Jerebko’s pre-draft workouts as the Suns’ GM back in 2009. When Jerebko became available last summer, Kerr knew the forward would fit in alongside Golden State’s core, as Mark Medina of the Bay Area News Group.
“[Kerr] told me, ‘We want to you come here. We need your abilities,’” Jerebko said of his summer conversation with Golden State’s coach. Kerr told him that he was a fan of the big man’s game and wanted him to come the Warriors.
After the conversation, Jerebko told his agent not to take calls from other teams and he ended up signing a one-year, $2.1MM deal with the two-time reigning champs.
Here’s more from Golden State:
- Kerr explained to Medina (same piece) that he doesn’t try to sell players on joining the team. “I’m always honest with players that we are recruiting. I don’t want to mislead anybody,” Kerr said. In the case of Jerebko, Kerr told him that he would play “quite a bit” but cautioned that there would also be games where he would not see the court.
- There have been several pleas within the Warriors for the team to “play the right way,” sources tell Monte Poole of NBC Sports. Poole adds that shot selection was a major topic prior to the team’s loss to the Raptors.
- The Warriors must use Kevin Durant optimally if they want to re-sign him, Poole opines in the same piece. While Durant is committed to playing the “right way,” as in within the offense, Poole believes the team must make sure Durant doesn’t feel underutilized as he approaches free agency.
Western Notes: Oubre, Rivers, Doncic, Young
New addition Kelly Oubre is expected to make his debut for the Suns on Wednesday against the Celtics. It’s unclear what role he’ll play in Phoenix but the 23-year-old appears ready for whatever the team asks of him.
“They’re on a three-game winning streak, man, and I don’t wanna come in and slow them down in any type of way,” Oubre said (via Gina Mizell of The Athletic). “I try to help everybody get better, and in the process be aggressive and find myself in the system…I bring a lot of energy.”
Here’s more from the Pacific Division:
- The Suns officially waived Austin Rivers earlier today and it’s unlikely any team claims Rivers off of waivers, ESPN’s Bobby Marks contends (Twitter link). The Nuggets are the only team with enough cap space to make the claim and it’s unlikely they take a flyer on Rivers at his current $12.65MM salary since doing so would take them across the luxury tax threshold.
- The Mavericks had conducted years of homework on Luka Doncic prior to the 2018 NBA Draft and it wasn’t difficult to convince owner Mark Cuban to trade up and nab the 19-year-old, as Eddie Sefko of Sports Day relays.“Mark saw all the same things we did,” GM Donnie Nelson said. “There were no coconuts necessary on this one.”
- Nick Young, who recently signed with the Nuggets on a non-guaranteed, one-year deal, is fitting in well with his new team, Mike Singer of The Denver Post details. Assistant coach Wes Unseld Jr. applauds Young’s adaptability. “He’s been as kind-hearted as they come. I think a lot of times [Young is] misunderstood, but there’s not a negative bone in his body,” Unseld said. “He is one of the most positive people that I’ve ever met. A little different, a little eclectic, but he’s very positive and it’s good particularly in the situation he’s in. Guys gravitate toward him.”
Sixers Turned Down Multiple Offers For Markelle Fultz
The Sixers have rejected multiple offers for Markelle Fultz, sources tell Candace Buckner of The Washington Post. Buckner writes that it’s not only that Philadelphia hopes it can get Fultz back on track and align him with the team’s stars — it’s also a case of the team not receiving respectable offers for the second-year guard.
The Fultz was recently diagnosed with neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome after seeking out appointments with specialists. Buckner hears from a source that the Sixers didn’t hear about the news of Fultz seeing a specialist until after it hit Twitter and went viral.
The 20-year-old’s situation fluctuates between unique and bizarre on nearly every level. Buckner, in a piece that’s worth reading in full, details how the camp around Fultz has changed since he left college.
Keith Williams, who is a prominent trainer, is no longer working with Fultz as he had been throughout Fultz’s high school and collegiate career. Williams was a friend of the Fultz family and he mentored Markelle from the age of 7-years-old, way before the guard was on the NBA’s radar.
When Williams originally starting working with Fultz, he nicknamed the kid “Bambi” because of his clumsiness and general lack of grace. “Bambi” was Fultz’s name in Williams’ phone until Fultz made the coach change it to something else.
Williams is partially responsible for transforming Fultz from a young kid with poor, funky mechanics to the dynamic player with the smooth jump shot that the Sixers and Washington Huskies coveted. Williams says he noticed a change from that form in Fultz’s jump shot during the summer before Fultz reported to his first NBA camp. According to Williams, he asked Fultz about the change and the point guard told him that “it feels like somebody’s holding my arms down.”
Williams is no longer involved as prominently in Fultz’s life after a falling out with his family. Williams tells Buckner that he believes his separation from Fultz has impacted the former No. 1 overall pick’s game.
Fultz’s mother, Ebony, has always been known as an involved parent and sources tell Buckner that she remains an imposing figure in his life. Buckner chronicles how Ebony has made efforts to protect her son in unorthodox ways.
Ebony has previously confronted coaches and staff at the AAU level. According to Buckner, Ebony cursed out Fultz’s former coach Corey McCrae when he chastised her son after he had to drag Fultz out of bed on the day of an AAU tournament game. Multiple people tell Buckner that they believe the incident forced McCrae to leave the program.
Ebony still goes to great lengths to shield her son, sources tell Buckner. She had cameras installed inside his New Jersey home (the cameras have since been removed). Several people familiar with the setup described it as unusual. His mother has also asked some who have dealt with Fultz to sign nondisclosure agreements for “reasons that are unclear to them,” Buckner writes.
“There’s definitely crazy [expletive] going on with the mom and how involved she is and how overprotective she is,” said a person with a close connection to Fultz tells Buckner. “The best possible situation is if the mom just backs off for a period of time and gives him a chance to breathe.”
Ebony was asked about these claims and didn’t wish to address the allegations of her over-involvement. “I’m not concerned about what other people are saying. I’m concerned about my son’s health right now. That’s my No. 1 priority,” she said. “At this time, I don’t have a comment. We just found out what’s going on with my son and I want to put all of my energy on him and what he needs, the support he needs right now to get healthy.”
No one on the Sixers is blatantly calling the Fultz’s situation a distraction. His teammates are saying the right things as they wait to see him on the court again.
“This is hard,” teammate Wilson Chandler said. “We’ve seen this a few times when players have injuries and you can’t find out what it is and you’ve got people saying it’s not an injury, it’s mental and it’s all these other things. But you know, everybody knows their own body. I’m glad he finally found something. Now he can be at peace with that at least and work to get back on the court.”
Joel Embiid understands what it feels like to miss significant time due to injury. “I can see myself [in Fultz’s situation] and I know he’s going to put in the work and come back and prove them wrong — just like I did,” Embiid said while maintaining that he didn’t want to comment on Fultz’s personal life.
“That’s none of my business,” he said. “I just know that he’s a great person. He comes in every day, does his job and tries to make the team better. He’s a great guy. Everybody around loves him. I love him personally but that’s his business. I don’t want to get into the whole family thing.”
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Fantasy Hoops: It’s Time To Trade For Myles Turner
The Pacers were a surprise contender last season, making the playoffs after trading away franchise star Paul George. After an offseason of adding reinforcements, the team looks to be in even better shape, entering the day fourth in the Eastern Conference standings.
Indiana lost its new franchise star Victor Oladipo for 11 games, but was able to perform well in his absence, going 7-4 over that stretch. The team was able to find success by relying on its defense, as only the Thunder had a better defensive rating during the time that Oladipo was out — Indiana actually performed slightly better on the defensive end during the 11-game Oladipo-less stretch than they have on the season, per NBA.com.
Myles Turner is the anchor of the team’s stifling defense, providing elite rim protection for the club. He also stepped up his game on the offensive end this season, particularly of late. He’s averaging 16.7 points, 10.2 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 3.5 blocks over his last six contests and he’s starting to look like he will have top-50 value in season-long roto leagues.
Oladipo reentered the lineup on Wednesday against the Bucks, accumulating 12 points, 10 rebounds, and six assists in 29 minutes of action. The return of Indy’s high-usage guard didn’t dramatically decrease Turner’s role, as the big man scored 23 points on 22 shots (including 4-for-6 from 3-point land) while adding seven rebounds, four assists, and three blocks.
While it may seem like he’s at a high-point in value, I’d expect him to, at a minimum, maintain this value going forward. Ben Simmons, Jusuf Nurkic, Andre Drummond, Aaron Gordon, C.J. McCollum, and Devin Booker are all players I’d trade for Turner in a player-for-player fantasy deal.
The big man recently signed a four-year, $72MM extension with the Pacers and so far this season, it appears as if he’ll provide good value for the franchise. Now’s the time to acquire him in fantasy before his value in that space rises even further.