Heat Notes: Adebayo, Jaquez, Love, Jovic
Heat center Bam Adebayo, who is signed through the 2025/26 season, would become eligible to sign a four-year, super-max extension this upcoming offseason if he meets the performance criteria.
But Adebayo has already been unavailable for 10 games and only played 12 minutes in an 11th, which means he can’t miss more than six games the rest of the way if he wants remain eligible for postseason awards that could lead to super-max qualification. That hasn’t escaped Adebayo’s attention.
“You’re definitely aware of that because that’s generational wealth at the end of the day,” he told Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald and other media members. “But we know the number, we know what it is and I know I’ve already missed 10 games. I got [six] left. But you handle those [six] with caution.”
However, Adebayo doesn’t mind the new CBA stipulation with the 65-game requirement for postseason honors.
“I think it’s a good rule because you get the best competition every day and there is no taking nights off,” he said. “You get some days where guys are just banged up, sore and they need one. It’s a long season. But I feel like around a 17-, 18-game [bufffer], that’s more than enough time.”
We have more on the Heat:
- One of the things that impressed the Heat about Jaime Jaquez Jr. as the draft neared was that Jaquez didn’t transfer during his UCLA career, even when his role changed, Kurt Helin of NBC Sports writes. “You just rarely see that anymore,” coach Erik Spoelstra said. “I mentioned the other night, usually if things are not perceived going your way — and the unfortunate thing right now for young kids, there’s so many people in their ears, and it’s a microwave society — so if you’re not a sensation right out of the gate as a number one option, you’re basically transferring, going into the portal, or you are declaring. And you’re not really getting these opportunities to grow, develop some grit, embrace a role, understand what it takes to win in that role, and then earn more opportunities. And that was relevant to us by the time he was a senior, he was really impacting winning as a number one option, but he was impacting winning as a role player.”
- Kevin Love believes Jaquez has moved into the Rookie of the Year discussion alongside Chet Holmgren and Victor Wembanyama. “Jaime has stepped right into a role where we’ve needed him to play heavy minutes. He’s done it exceptionally well,” Love told Mark Medina of Sportskeeda.com.
- Love also remarked to Medina that he’s embracing his bench role. “It starts by leading by example and using my voice because I’ve seen a lot and done a lot in this league,” he said. “Transitioning into that role is a huge part of what you just mentioned – it’s embracing change. A lot of people would say it’s a lesser role. But it’s not less important. Everybody gets to write a verse in this. I’m in here trying to write mine, and have it be an important role.”
- While Jaquez is averaging 13.8 points and 30.0 minutes per game, 2022 first-round pick Nikola Jovic has only appeared in eight contests with the NBA club. Jovic told Sam Yip of HoopsHype that he’s trying to stay patient.” I feel great on the court, I’m just waiting for the opportunity,” he said. “You can’t rush through things. I’m sure it’ll come soon too, so I’m going to see where I’m at, help the team, show the coaches I can play.”
Nets Fined $100K For Violating Participation Policy
The NBA has fined the Nets $100K for violating its player participation policy, the league announced today in a press release (Twitter link).
Brooklyn’s staff held out starters Cameron Johnson, Nic Claxton, and Spencer Dinwiddie against Milwaukee on Dec. 27 in the second game of a back-to-back set after all three played the previous night. Johnson and Claxton were listed as out due to “injury maintenance,” while Dinwiddie was simply listed as out due to “rest.”
Brooklyn also didn’t use Mikal Bridges, Royce O’Neale, or Cam Thomas after the first quarter. The move irked Bridges, who said after the game that he would’ve been fine handling his usual workload and pushing harder for a victory.
The league launched an investigation, including a review by an independent physician, and determined that four Nets rotation players who did not participate in the game could have played under the medical standard of the policy. The league did not specify the four players.
The new player participation policy was adopted prior to this season under the new CBA. It was designed to discourage load management and expanded on previous guidelines related to resting healthy players. This is the first fine levied by the league under the new policy, Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press tweets.
As an interesting side note, half of the fine will go to the NBA Players Association under the terms of the new CBA, Bobby Marks of ESPN tweets.
Southwest Notes: Branham, Spurs, Irving, Doncic
Malaki Branham suffered a right ankle sprain during the first half at Memphis on Tuesday and was ruled out, Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio Express-News tweets.
The Spurs’ staff has been willing to allow Branham to work through his mistakes at the point, according to Orsborn.
“It’s a whole new world for him and he’s absorbing it every game, basically trying to figure out the role,” coach Gregg Popovich said. “It’s a tough role. It’s the most difficult on the court really in some ways. So, he’s been very successful in taking steps each time to understand how he can help the team, with being aggressive, decision-making, all those sorts of things. He’s dealing with all that, been doing well.”
Here’s more from the Southwest Division:
- Discussing the right ankle sprain that is expected to sideline teammate Zach Collins for two-to-four weeks, Spurs sharpshooter Doug McDermott said he appreciates the franchise’s conservative approach to injury management. “They look after your body,” McDermott told Orsborn. “They are very player-friendly in that regard. Pop is one of the best I have been around with that stuff. They care about your career. We all appreciate how they go about that.”
- Kyrie Irving returned on Monday from a heel contusion that had sidelined him since Dec. 8. As Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News details, the Mavericks guard admitted he was very concerned when the injury occurred, as teammate Dwight Powell fell on his leg. “Oh, yeah, I was scared, man. I was very scared,” Irving said. “My daughter was at the game. I was trying to make sure she was good first, so I went into daddy mode right after. But once I got home, man it was a struggle, just even going to sleep. You could feel the throbbing. I wasn’t sure of the significance of the injury and how long I was going to be out.”
- Luka Doncic is grateful the Mavericks signed Dante Exum, who is currently dealing with a heel injury, as a free agent last summer, Grant Afseth of Sports Illustrated writes. Exum has made an unexpected impact since returning to the NBA from the EuroLeague, starting 14 games and making contributions across the board. “Honestly, he’s been amazing so far,” Doncic said of Exum. “Not just really good, but amazing. His IQ is insane. He’s driving to the basket. His layups, he’s been hitting threes. I’m really happy that he’s on the team because he’s been a great addition to our team.”
Pacific Notes: Green, Leonard, Durant, James, Russell
There isn’t much of an update regarding Draymond Green‘s indefinite league suspension, according to Warriors coach Steve Kerr, Anthony Slater of The Athletic tweets. Green “hasn’t been in the (practice) facility, at least not with us,” Kerr said, adding “We’ve been giving him his space, he’s been giving us ours.”
Green missed his 10th game on Tuesday since the suspension was handed down. Around Christmas, league speculation pegged the suspension for the Warriors forward at 11-to-13 games but that now seems optimistic, given he’ll have to get in some practice time before he returns to the court.
We have more from the Pacific Division:
- Kawhi Leonard came back strong from a four-game absence on Monday, contributing 24 points, six rebounds, five assists and four steals in a Clippers win over Miami. Leonard had been sidelined with a left hip contusion. “It’s great to have 2 back in the lineup,” Paul George said, per ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk. “He does all the little intangible stuff. It’s just so reliable.” The Clippers have no injuries to report for their matchup with Phoenix on Wednesday, Andrew Greif of the Los Angeles Times tweets.
- Suns star forward Kevin Durant didn’t play in the team’s victory over Portland on Monday and he’ll miss his second straight game on Wednesday. He’s listed as out due to a hamstring injury, Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic tweets.
- LeBron James is dealing with a non-COVID illness and the Lakers superstar is listed as questionable to play against the Heat on Wednesday, Dave McMenamin of ESPN tweets. D’Angelo Russell is listed as doubtful due to a tailbone contusion, while a left calf strain will keep Rui Hachimura on the sidelines.
Northwest Notes: Smith, Conley, Blazers, Hendricks
Journeyman guard Ish Smith nearly remained with the defending champion Nuggets before he signed with the Hornets but not as a player, Bennett Durando of the Denver Post reports. He was offered a front office role that he described as an apprenticeship. He would have been based out of Charlotte while making trips to Denver to learn the ropes of being a front office exec from various people in basketball operations.
“I was gonna do some consulting, and start learning the business a little bit more,” said Smith, who appeared in 43 regular season and four postseason games with the Nuggets last season. “Start transitioning to some front office. Some coaching.”
We have more from the Northwest Division:
- Timberwolves guard Mike Conley will enter unrestricted free agency following this season. Conley has been a key figure in Minnesota’s blazing start, averaging 11.5 points and 6.2 assists, and there’s early optimism among league figures that he’ll re-sign with Minnesota, according to Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports. Conley, who entered the league in 2007, will turn 37 prior to next season.
- The Trail Blazers were late to the party but they finally have their own G League team in the Rip City Remix. Sean Highkin of Rose Garden Report details how two-way player Ibou Badji and 2023 draft picks Kris Murray and Rayan Rupert have benefited from the experience they’ve gained with the G League club. “It’s so much easier to have them in the same building and have them around,” Remix coach Jim Moran said.
- Jazz lottery pick Taylor Hendricks is also getting additional experience in the G League after appearing in 11 NBA games. Coach Will Hardy believes that will beneficial to his development, Andy Larsen of the Salt Lake Tribune tweets. “He’s gonna get way more minutes than he was when he was with us and continue to improve,” Hardy said. “The road is long for Taylor. I’m not overreacting to anything that goes on with him right now.”
Central Notes: Allen, LaVine, Taylor, Ivey
With frontcourt sidekick Evan Mobley sidelined, Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen has pumped up his offensive production, notes Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (subscription required). He was challenged by coach J.B. Bickerstaff to make it happen.
“He knows everything that I can do,” Allen said. “He just wanted me to do it at a higher level.”
Allen is averaging 22.2 points, 15.8 rebounds and 5.8 assists over the last four games and has scored in double digits in each of the past eight games after doing so in just two of his first six contests in December.
“Jarrett’s one of those guys who just goes about his business that sometimes people forget how impactful and how good he is,” Bickerstaff said. “He doesn’t beat his chest, he doesn’t draw attention to himself, but we know how valuable he is to us, and I just wanted to make sure that he understood that if he wins his battle, we win the game. That’s the challenge for him.”
We have more from the Central Division:
- Zach LaVine practiced once again with the Bulls’ G League team, the Windy City Bulls, on Tuesday with positive results, according to coach Billy Donovan (Twitter link via K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago). It’s possible that LaVine will return to action with the NBA club as early as Friday but it’s too early to tell, Donovan added. LaVine, a potential major trade piece, hasn’t played since Nov. 28 due to a foot injury.
- With Bulls center Nikola Vucevic also out with an injury, 6’4” Terry Taylor has seen some time at center in Donovan’s small-ball lineups. Taylor says he doesn’t mind banging with much bigger opponents, Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times writes. ‘‘I’ve actually played it my whole life, so I’m kind of used to it,’’ Taylor said. ‘‘I’m used to people not being sure about me playing center just because of my size. But I’ve got the heart and the will to go out there and compete against anybody. They’re gonna be hunting me and trying to get me to foul and make mistakes and just trying to get me off my rocker.’’ Taylor’s $2MM contract will become fully guaranteed if he’s still on the roster beyond January 7.
- The Pistons finally snapped their record breaking 28-game losing streak against the depleted Raptors on Saturday night. They followed that up with an embarrassing outing in Houston on Monday in which they allowed 47 points in the third quarter and lost by 23. Second-year guard Jaden Ivey was perplexed by the team’s effort, James Edwards III of The Athletic relays. “This is painful to go through. We’re in a season where we’re losing a ton of games, and it’s like … it comes down to pride at the end of the day,” he said. “The moment you step out there on the floor, ‘What can you do to help the team?’ both defensively and offensively. “In the third quarter, they were coming down and scoring. We need to wall up and chest the ball. It comes down to pride. We didn’t have that (Monday).”
Heat Notes: Road Trip, LeBron, Highsmith, Smith
The Heat were missing four rotation players in their 121-104 loss to the Clippers on Monday, including Jimmy Butler, who is dealing with right foot irritation. Miami now faces the Lakers on Wednesday and the Suns on Friday to close out the five-game road swing.
Coach Erik Spoelstra said the Heat can’t use injuries as a crutch as the club tries to avert a third consecutive loss, Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald writes.
“We’ll do whatever we have to do. Everybody is ready,” Spoelstra said. “Nobody cares if we have guys out and we’re not making any excuses for it.”
We have more on the Heat:
- Spoelstra believes that former Miami superstar LeBron James doesn’t get enough credit for the hard work he puts in to maintain his level of excellence, Chiang relays in the same story. “Most people don’t see it and they assume that he doesn’t. They just assume that he’s the best athlete in this game, which he was for so many years,” Spoelstra said of the current Lakers forward. “But he’s been able to maintain this level because of all that other stuff. “There will be a day where he can still dominate even without the physical tools, he can do it with his size and his brain. But he’s nowhere near that. He can still do it physically, as well.”
- Haywood Highsmith is currently in the NBA’s concussion protocol. He left the team Monday to return to Miami and will likely miss the rest of the West Coast trip, according to Chiang. It’s been a rough season physically for Highsmith. He previously sat out four games with a sprained left knee, six games with a lower back contusion and one game because of a non-COVID illness. Highsmith has appeared in 21 games, including 15 starts.
- Dru Smith underwent successful right ACL reconstruction surgery on Dec. 29, Chiang tweets. Per a Heat statement, Smith will miss the remainder of the season but can begin rehabilitation immediately. There is no timetable for his return. The Heat announced on Nov. 24 that Smith had suffered a season-ending injury against Cleveland two nights earlier.
Hoops Rumors Chat Transcript: 1/2/2024
The transcript to Tuesday’s chat can be accessed by clicking this link.
Luke Adams will hold our next live chat on Thursday.
Hornets’ Mark Williams Still Struggling With Back Injury
Hornets starting center Mark Williams isn’t close to returning, Roderick Boone of the Charlotte Observer reports.
The 2022 first-round pick hasn’t played since Dec. 8 due to a lower back contusion.
“Yeah, I can’t move like how I want to move,” Williams said. “It’s still tough for me to jump, (have) quick reaction and stuff. I’ve just started to get back into practice. I’m just trying to get back. That’s probably the biggest thing.”
Williams was averaging 12.7 points and 9.7 rebounds per game before he was sidelined. He initially suffered the injury on Nov. 30 and played 29 minutes against Minnesota two nights later. He missed the next game, then struggled through 20 minutes of action against Toronto before the pain became too much to bear.
“I went to the locker room, got an MRI, got a CT (scan), dealing with that strain or whatever again,” he said. “I’ve been just trying to get back. But yeah, it sucks just to be watching. I’m trying to do everything I can treatment-wise.”
The Hornets haven’t been the same without Williams’ defensive presence. They’ve lost 11 straight, including Monday’s 111-93 defeat at the hands of the defending champion Nuggets. Nick Richards has moved into the lineup with Williams out and the team lacks depth behind him.
“I feel like I have a pretty good pain tolerance. But right now I just can’t. I can’t go right now,” Williams said.
The Hornets have already exercised their option on Williams’ contract for the 2024/25 season.
Nets Notes: Claxton, Thomas, Slump, Finney-Smith
The Nets suffered a 16-point loss to Oklahoma City on Sunday and big man Nic Claxton admits frustration is setting in, Brian Lewis of the New York Post reports. Brooklyn has lost three straight and eight of its last 10, with the two victories coming against the East’s worst team, Detroit.
“We’re definitely frustrated. Nobody wants to lose. I hate losing, everybody hates losing,” Claxton said. “We just got to figure it out. We just can’t get used to losing. Need to figure out solutions and figure out ways to fix it.”
We have more on the Nets:
- Cam Thomas‘ defensive shortcomings have cost him a spot in the starting lineup. Thomas was moved to the second unit and produced 20 points against the Thunder. The high-scoring guard is trying to take a positive approach. “At the end of the day, I want to start. But for what the team needs, I’ve got to come off the bench, whether it’s sixth or seventh man, come in and bring energy,” Thomas told Lewis. “So just not getting down, just staying positive and keep my energy high.”
- Head coach Jacque Vaughn said that togetherness will help the team break out of its slump, Lewis tweets. “We need each other. I’m not a Hall of Fame coach and we have no All-Stars on our team,” he said. “And so this is a collective group that has to play together on every single night and we’ll continue to grasp that ideal. But that’s the challenge for this group.”
- Dorian Finney-Smith (left knee soreness) is listed as probable to play on Tuesday at New Orleans but Lonnie Walker (left hamstring strain) remains out, Lewis tweets.
- In case you missed it, the team is being investigated by the NBA for possible load management violations after several key players sat out against Milwaukee on Wednesday.