Nets’ Joe Harris May Need Another Ankle Surgery
There’s growing concern that Nets forward Joe Harris may not return this season, ESPN’s Zach Lowe said on the latest episode of The Lowe Post podcast.
“The Joe Harris situation has become really worrisome,” Lowe said (hat tip to Chris Milholen of NetsDaily). “I don’t think it’s a given that he’s coming back this year, and definitely don’t think it’s a given he’s coming back at 100 percent.”
Harris hasn’t played since November 14 and underwent left ankle surgery later that month. The original prognosis was that Harris would miss four-to-eight weeks after the surgery but his recovery has extended well past that point.
Harris may require another surgical procedure, Brian Lewis of the New York Post reports. The forward’s agent told Lewis they’re mulling that option.
“We’re just evaluating. He’s working his way back, he’s rehabbing. But we’re just trying to figure out what’s going to be the best course of action. We have to come to that decision,” Priority Sports’ Mark Bartelstein said. “So I can’t really give you a definitive answer, because we just don’t have it yet of what we’re going to do.
“So it’s possible that there could be one more procedure he could do that would fix the ankle once and for good. But we’re not sure if we need that or not. So the long-term prognosis is great, it’s not going to be a problem; but it’s just, ‘Do we need to do something additional right now or not?’ And we’re just trying to figure that out.”
Harris sustained the injury against Oklahoma City. Heading into that game, the 30-year-old had been averaging 11.9 PPG and 4.1 RPG. Last season, Harris averaged 14.1 PPG, shooting 47.5% from 3-point range in 69 regular season games.
He re-signed with Brooklyn on a four-year, $75MM contract in November 2020.
Garland, VanVleet Make All-Star Team For First Time
Cavaliers guard Darius Garland and Raptors guard Fred VanVleet were chosen for the All-Star Game for the first time in their respective careers. They were named, along with a handful of other players, to the Eastern Conference All-Star reserve pool on Thursday, per the NBA (Twitter link).
Garland is averaging 19.8 PPG and 8.2 APG for the surprising Cavaliers. VanVleet has posted averages of 21.5 PPG and 7.0 APG this season.
The list of Eastern Conference reserves also includes the Nets’ James Harden, the Celtics’ Jayson Tatum, the Bulls’ Zach LaVine, the Bucks’ Khris Middleton and the Heat‘s Jimmy Butler. The reserves were chosen by the league’s coaches.
Garland will be playing in front of his home fans in Cleveland on February 20.
The pool of Eastern Conference starters was announced a week ago. Sixers center Joel Embiid, Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Nets forward Kevin Durant are the frontcourt starters, while the backcourt players in the starter pool are DeMar DeRozan (Bulls) and Trae Young (Hawks).
Booker, Paul Head List Of Western Conference All-Star Reserves
Suns guards Devin Booker and Chris Paul were among seven players named to the Western Conference All-Star reserve pool, the NBA announced today (via Twitter).
The Jazz duo of Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert also made the list, along with the Timberwolves’ Karl-Anthony Towns, the Warriors’ Draymond Green and the Mavericks’ Luka Doncic.
Green announced he will not play in the All-Star game due to back and calf injuries, Shams Charania of The Athletic tweets. NBA commissioner Adam Silver will select his replacement.
The Western Conference starter pool was announced last week.
Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins was chosen along with Lakers forward LeBron James and Nuggets center Nikola Jokic among Western Conference frontcourt candidates. The Grizzlies’ Ja Morant joined the Warriors’ Stephen Curry as the backcourt duo in the starter pool.
Zach Collins Could Make Spurs Debut On Friday
Zach Collins could make his long-awaited Spurs debut on Friday. Head coach Gregg Popovich said there’s a “good chance” that the oft-injured power forward would be active against Houston in the second game of a back-to-back set, Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio Express-News tweets.
As Orsborn notes, Collins hasn’t played in an NBA game since he logged 17 minutes for Portland against Brooklyn in the Orlando bubble on August 13, 2020. The big man has only appeared in 11 NBA games the last two seasons due to shoulder, foot and ankle injuries.
Collins prepped for his return with a stint in the G League. He played four games for the Austin Spurs and averaged 15.3 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 1.8 APG and 1.8 BPG in 25.7 MPG.
Collins was signed to a three-year, $22MM contract last summer, which includes a partial guarantee for next season. The third year is non-guaranteed.
The 10th pick of the 2017 draft, Collins became an unrestricted free agent when the Trail Blazers decided not to extend him a $7MM qualifying offer.
Collins had a major setback in late June when another fracture was discovered in his left foot. He underwent a second revision surgery to repair a left medial malleolus stress fracture.
Hoops Rumors Chat Transcript: 2/3/2022
Our weekly Thursday chat took place this afternoon. Click here for the transcript.
Our next live chat, with Luke Adams, will take place on Tuesday at noon Central time.
Jerami Grant Will Return On Tuesday
FEBRUARY 1: Pistons head coach Dwane Casey revealed that Jerami Grant will return to the court for Detroit tonight for the first time in nearly two months, Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press tweets.
JANUARY 31: Pistons forward Jerami Grant, who has been sidelined since December 10 due to a thumb injury, could be back in action on Tuesday against New Orleans, Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press tweets.
Grant is not listed on the injury report. He averaged 20.1 PPG, 4.8 RPG and 2.6 APG in 24 starts this season before suffering a torn UCL ligament in his right thumb that required surgery.
Grant’s return was delayed when he was placed in the league’s health and safety protocols. He was cleared on January 27, then spent the past few days reconditioning.
Despite the injury, Grant has been one of the hottest names on the trade rumor mill this winter. He has been linked to a variety of teams, including the Hawks, Kings, Lakers, Trail Blazers, Knicks, Jazz, Wizards, Celtics, Pacers and Timberwolves.
However, the Pistons’ brass is reportedly split over the possibility of dealing the combo forward, who is in the second year of a three-year, $60MM contract. If Grant plays well over the next 10 days, it could drive up his price tag as the trade deadline approaches.
Nets Notes: Aldridge, Harden, Durant, Harris, Crawford
The Nets are awaiting the results of an MRI on LaMarcus Aldridge‘s left ankle, according to Brian Lewis of the New York Post. Aldridge sprained the ankle during the fourth quarter of Saturday’s loss at Golden State. He left the arena in a walking boot and had the MRI in Arizona. Aldridge is averaging 13.4 PPG and 5.6 RPG in 22.9 MPG.
We have more news on the Nets:
- James Harden is questionable to play against Phoenix on Tuesday due to a strained right hand, ESPN’s Nick Friedell writes. Harden, who was able to practice Monday, was a late scratch on Saturday after waking up with discomfort in the hand and had an MRI in San Francisco.
- There’s still no timetable for the returns of Kevin Durant or Joe Harris, Friedell tweets. Durant (knee) hasn’t played since January 15 while Harris (ankle) has been sidelined since November 14.
- Brooklyn’s G League affiliate, the Long Island Nets, has requested waivers on Jordan Crawford, Marc Spears of The Undefeated tweets. His contract only ran through January. It’s possible he could return to the Long Island club but he could also be claimed by another G League team or even go overseas. Crawford hasn’t appeared in an NBA game since the 2017/18 season.
Western Notes: Williams, James, Robinson-Earl, Murray
Suns coach Monty Williams and his staff will coach Team LeBron (James) at the All-Star Game in Cleveland, according to an ESPN report. Phoenix is guaranteed to have the best record in the conference before the cutoff date of February 6. Williams will coach in the All-Star Game for the first time, and he’ll be the first Phoenix head coach to do so since Mike D’Antoni in 2007.
We have more from the Western Conference:
- An MRI on James’ left knee revealed only general swelling and he might return to action as soon as Wednesday, Lakers coach Frank Vogel told ESPN’s Dave McMenamin and other media members. James has missed the last three games. “Just going to keep an eye on it day to day,” Vogel said.
- The Thunder assigned Jeremiah Robinson-Earl to their G League affiliate, the Oklahoma City Blue, for a Monday afternoon game, according to a team press release. It was somewhat surprising, since Robinson-Earl has started 36 games for the Thunder and has averaged 24.7 MPG this month. Head coach Mark Daigneault said it was part of the development process, Joe Mussatto of The Oklahoman tweets. “Obviously on the surface it looks a little peculiar,” he said. “What I’d say is, one thing that we’ve learned and that we’re trying to apply is that changing environments, changing circumstances, changing roles is good for development.”
- Klay Thompson, Victor Oladipo and Zach LaVine are among the opposing players who have reached out to Nuggets guard Jamal Murray during his recovery from a serious knee injury, Mike Singer of the Denver Post writes. Those players have also gone through the process of a long rehab.
Central Notes: DiVincenzo, McConnell, Brogdon, White, Sexton
Bucks swingman Donte DiVincenzo has heard his name in trade rumors but he’s not fretting over it, as he told Eric Nehm of The Athletic. DiVincenzo hopes to remain in Milwaukee this season.
“What can you focus on? What can you control? I can control my attitude and my effort every day,” DiVincenzo said. “And those are two things that no matter what, the business side is going to handle itself, I can control the attitude and effort. And if a trade happens? I went through a trade! I experienced that. I’m cool. I want to be here.”
DiVincenzo wasn’t signed to a rookie scale extension during the offseason. He’ll be a restricted free agent this summer.
“I’m not one to focus on what’s four or five months ahead of me,” he said. “If you sit down and focus on coming in every day and focus on what do I have to do today and get better today? Everything else takes care of itself.”
We have more from the Central Division:
- T.J. McConnell had the pin taken out of surgically repaired right wrist but the Pacers guard is “weeks, not days” away from returning, coach Rick Carlisle told James Boyd of the Indianapolis Star (Twitter link). When McConnell underwent hand surgery in early December, the prognosis was that he could be out the rest of the season. There’s still no timetable for Malcolm Brogdon‘s return, Boyd adds in a separate tweet. Brogdon was shut down 10 days ago due to right Achilles soreness.
- Coby White has been showing versatility as the Bulls try to figure out what role he’s best suited for with the current roster, Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun Times writes. White isn’t upset about having to switch gears on the fly. “Whatever the team needs me to do,” he said. “My role changes all the time. I’ve just got to adapt and continue to adjust. It’s nothing new for me. I’ve been doing it for awhile. Whatever the team needs I’m down to do whatever.”
- The Cavaliers are not expecting Collin Sexton to return from meniscus surgery this season even though the young guard is optimistic about his recovery, Chris Fedor of the Cleveland Plain Dealer said on the Wine and Gold Podcast (hat tip to HoopsHype). “Everybody that I’ve talked to in the organization, there is nobody that even in their mind once considered the possibility of Collin Sexton returning for the postseason,” Fedor said. Sexton indicated recently he hadn’t ruled out a potential return during the playoffs.
Southwest Notes: Bates-Diop, Jones, Collins, Ingram
Keita Bates-Diop is out of the league’s health and safety protocols, Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio Express News tweets. The Spurs forward, who has missed four games, is no longer on the team’s injury report. San Antonio plays Golden State on Tuesday.
We have more from the Southwest Division:
- Grizzlies guard Tyus Jones is out of the league’s health and safety protocols, according to the team’ PR department (Twitter link). Jones was available to play against Philadelphia on Monday.
- The Spurs have recalled forward Zach Collins from their G League affiliate, the Austin Spurs, Marc Spears of The Undefeated tweets. Collins played four games and averaged 15.3 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 1.8 APG and 1.8 BPG in 25.7 MPG. Collins, who has only appeared in 11 NBA games the past two seasons due to shoulder, foot and ankle injuries, has yet to make his San Antonio debut after undergoing foot surgery last summer.
- Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram didn’t suit up against Cleveland on Monday but he should return soon, Jim Eichenhofer tweets. Ingram has been out since January 20th with an ankle injury. “He’s getting better and better,” coach Willie Green said. “We expect him back soon.”