Tobias Harris Tests Positive For COVID-19
NOVEMBER 3: Harris has tested positive for COVID-19, according to Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter link).
As Wojnarowski notes (via Twitter), in order to return to the court, a player who tests positive has to either wait 10 days after his initial positive test (or the onset of symptoms) or register two consecutive negative PCR tests 24 hours apart. He also has to pass cardiac tests before being cleared.
NOVEMBER 1: Sixers high-scoring forward Tobias Harris is out for their game against Portland on Monday due to the league’s health and safety protocols, Tim Bontemps of ESPN tweets.
A timetable for Harris’ return should be established in the next 12-24 hours, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN tweets. Shams Charania of The Athletic adds (via Twitter) that Harris will likely miss a few games.
The Sixers have already produced plenty of drama early this season due to the ongoing Ben Simmons saga. Simmons has yet to play this season and Joel Embiid is resting a sore knee. Embiid had an MRI on Sunday which revealed no major concerns, per Ramona Shelburne of ESPN (Twitter link), and is expected to return to action on Wednesday.
Harris is averaging 19.8 PPG, 9.0 RPG and 4.2 APG through six games this season. Furkan Korkmaz will start in his place.
Harris is the second prominent player placed under the league’s health and safety protocols on Monday. Cleveland’s Kevin Love is expected to miss several games for that reason.
2021 NBA Offseason In Review: Philadelphia 76ers
Hoops Rumors is breaking down the 2021 offseason for all 30 NBA teams, revisiting the summer’s free agent signings, trades, draft picks, departures, and more. We’ll evaluate each team’s offseason moves and look ahead to what the 2021/22 season holds for all 30 franchises. Today, we’re focusing on the Philadelphia 76ers.
Free agent signings:
Note: Exhibit 9 and 10 deals aren’t included here.
- Danny Green: Two years, $20MM. Second year non-guaranteed. Re-signed using Early Bird rights.
- Furkan Korkmaz: Three years, $15MM. Re-signed using Bird rights.
- Georges Niang: Two years, $6.77MM. Signed using mid-level exception.
- Andre Drummond: One year, minimum salary. Signed using minimum salary exception.
- Aaron Henry: Two-way contract.
- Grant Riller: Two-way contract.
Trades:
- Acquired the No. 53 pick in the 2021 draft from the Pelicans in exchange for cash ($2MM).
Draft picks:
- 1-28: Jaden Springer
- Signed to rookie scale contract (four years, $10,393,483).
- 2-50: Filip Petrusev
- Stashed overseas.
- 2-53: Charles Bassey
- Signed to three-year, minimum-salary contract. Second year partially guaranteed. Third year non-guaranteed. Signed using mid-level exception.
Contract extensions:
- Joel Embiid: Four years, maximum salary. Includes fourth-year player option. Starts in 2023/24.
- Note: Embiid’s starting salary in 2023/24 will be 35% of the ’23/24 salary cap.
Departing players:
Other offseason news:
- Ben Simmons asked to be traded and was a holdout for the first two weeks of training camp. He remains on the roster but has told the team he’s not mentally ready to play.
- Hired Jamie Young as assistant coach; lost assistant coach Popeye Jones.
- Hired Tad Brown as CEO to replace Scott O’Neil.
Salary cap situation:
- Remained over the cap and above the tax line.
- Carrying approximately $142.9MM in salary.
- $1,664,742 of taxpayer mid-level exception still available ($4,225,258 used on Georges Niang and Charles Bassey).
- Would need to shed salary to use more than taxpayer portion of mid-level exception or any part of bi-annual exception ($3,732,000), since doing either would create a $143MM hard cap.
The Sixers’ offseason:
Following some major changes prior to last season – most notably the hiring of Doc Rivers as head coach – Philadelphia wasn’t particularly active this summer. The Sixers didn’t make a noteworthy trade and their free agent moves were mainly window dressing. Under normal circumstances, they would have been under the radar, quietly preparing for another winning season and banking on their recent playoff experiences to prime them for a championship run.
Instead, the Sixers were all over the news, thanks to their disgruntled point guard in the early stages of his maximum-salary contract. Ben Simmons‘ subpar performances in last year’s playoffs, punctuated by a reluctance to shoot and woeful free-throw numbers that made it difficult to keep him in at crunch time, had a carryover effect. His offensive issues led to plenty of criticism and contributed mightily to the team’s conference semifinal loss to Atlanta. There were all kinds of detractors who wondered whether the Sixers could ever win a championship with Simmons running the show.
He could have used that as fuel to prove the critics wrong. Instead, he took the opposite approach. With four years left on his max deal, Simmons made it clear during the summer that he had no desire to suit up for the organization again. Team executives, coaches and players couldn’t make Simmons change his mind. The front office and his agent, Rich Paul, looked into potential deals but Philadelphia made it clear from the start it wanted a major haul for the three-time All-Star.
Simmons eventually ended his holdout, but the drama continued into the regular season. He has yet to play this season while top executive Daryl Morey publicly dug in his heels, saying he has four years to get a deal done.
While Simmons pushed to leave Philadelphia, the team’s other big star was happy to commit long-term with a new max extension. Despite some concerns about Joel Embiid‘s health issues, the Sixers made it clear that they’re determined to win a title with their All-Star center leading the way.
Philadelphia also brought back two key perimeter players in free agency, re-signing Danny Green and Furkan Korkmaz. Green has started on the wing since he joined the 76ers prior to last season and brings plenty of championship experience to the table. Korkmaz has been a valuable reserve the last two seasons, providing some size on the wing along with 3-point shooting.
The Sixers did go shopping for upgrades at forward and center on their second unit. They opted for former Jazz backup Georges Niang and former All-Star Andre Drummond. Niang is another player who does most of his offensive damage from beyond the 3-point line.
Drummond’s value has dropped dramatically since his first few seasons with Detroit. He had a chance to reestablish his worth when he signed with the Lakers last season after he was bought out by Cleveland following the trade deadline. Drummond was so ineffective that he wound up getting benched in Game 6 of the conference quarterfinals against Phoenix. He’s capable of putting up big numbers at times, but he’s not used to coming off the bench.
The Sixers’ season:
Rivers admitted that the Simmons drama took some of the fun and excitement out of the start of Philadelphia’s season. The franchise is in a win-now mode and that doesn’t figure to change with Embiid locked up long-term.
It’s difficult to gauge how this season will unfold until there’s more clarity regarding Simmons’ status. It’s hard to imagine him getting back in uniform and winning over Philadelphia’s demanding fans after what has transpired over the last few months. At this point, a trade would seem like the best option, but Morey will have to drop his asking price for that to happen.
The Sixers still have the league’s top big man, a rock-solid scorer and rebounder in Tobias Harris, and a promising young point man in Tyrese Maxey. They also have plenty of shooting, led by Seth Curry. But even if Embiid is healthy for the playoffs, the Sixers will need to add a quality starter via a Simmons trade to make a spirited run this season.
Salary information from Basketball Insiders and Spotrac was used in the creation of this post. Luke Adams contributed to this post.
Nets’ Nash Not Planning To Bench Blake Griffin
Blake Griffin is off to an extremely slow start but Nets coach Steve Nash has no plans to bench the former All-Star, according to Brian Lewis of the New York Post.
Griffin has scored in single digits in every game this season while starting all six games. He has posted averages of 4.8 PPG on 28.6% shooting and 4.8 RPG in 20.0 MPG. Griffin has made just two of 17 3-point attempts while LaMarcus Aldridge has scored 37 points over the last two games.
“There’s no (plan to pull him). We’re not really thinking about changing roles,” Nash said. “BG’s been successful there for us in the past, and LaMarcus is successful coming off the bench right now. So there’s no reason to make any big changes.”
Nicolas Claxton has missed the last three games due to a non-COVID-19 illness. He’s expected to miss at least one more week, which gives Griffin more time to find his offensive game.
“We all go through different periods where we won’t have our rhythm, our confidence; and that’s what he’s going through right now. So it’s normal. We just don’t expect it from him because he’s shot the ball well for us,” Nash said.
Griffin re-signed with the Nets on a one-year, veteran’s minimum contract. He reached a buyout agreement last year with the Pistons, who have the remaining $29.7MM from that contract on their cap this season.
Eastern Notes: Cunningham, Livers, Gafford, Strus
Top pick Cade Cunningham made his belated NBA debut on Saturday against Orlando, then sat out Sunday’s loss to Brooklyn. The Pistons’ prized rookie won’t play in back-to-backs in the short term, coach Dwane Casey told The Detroit News’ Rod Beard and other media members (Twitter link). Cunningham missed the first four regular season games due to an ankle sprain. Cunningham is expected to suit up against Milwaukee on Tuesday.
We have more from the Eastern Conference:
- Another Pistons rookie, forward Isaiah Livers, has been assigned to the team’s G League team, the Motor City Cruise, the team’s PR department tweets. Livers has been rehabbing from foot surgery, so that’s an indication he’s been medically cleared to at least practice. He was one of three second-round picks made by Detroit. Fellow rookie, center Luka Garza, and second-year guard Saben Lee have also been assigned to the Cruise.
- Wizards big man Daniel Gafford returned to action on Monday, according to Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington. He suffered a right quad contusion against the Celtics on Wednesday. He underwent an MRI to ensure the injury was not more serious. He’s averaging 8.0 PPG, 4.0 RPG and 2.0 BPG.
- Heat wing Max Strus has been diagnosed with a sprained left knee, Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald reports. An MRI on the knee returned negative results. Strus is expected to miss at least two weeks, but is relieved it wasn’t more serious after tearing his ACL in the same knee in December 2019. “There was a lot of anxiety. It was tough to sleep the night before,” he said. “But the training staff did a great job of getting me in as soon as they could to get the MRI. As soon as I heard those results, it was just a breath of fresh air.”
Nets’ Claxton Out At Least One Week
Nets big man Nicolas Claxton is expected to miss at least another week of action, according to Chris Milholen of NetsDaily.com.
Claxton has a non-COVID-related illness which has sidelined him for the last three games.
“Nic is going to be out a little bit. He’s not feeling well,” coach Steve Nash said. “Nothing to be concerned with but I don’t think he’s going to be back in the next week or 10 days. Just an illness, but it’s nothing major or nothing we’re overly concerned with. It’s just a little more severe illness than we thought initially and I think he’ll miss a little more time.”
Claxton, who will be a restricted free agent next summer, has struggled with his conditioning throughout the preseason and during the early portion of the regular season, Milholen notes. Claxton has appeared in four games, including three starts, averaging 6.5 PPG, 5.5 RPG and 1.0 BPG in 19.0 MPG. He provides some youthful legs, energy and shot-blocking to Brooklyn’s frontcourt.
And-Ones: Team USA, Koufos, Ignite, Noah
An announcement on Gregg Popovich’s replacement regarding Team USA’s head coaching vacancy probably won’t come until closer to the end of the calendar year, Marc Stein of Substack reports. Previously, the opening was expected to be filled by the start of the NBA season. The timeline for completing the search has been pushed back for procedural reasons, according to Stein, who previously reported that Steve Kerr is the most likely successor.
We have more from around the basketball world:
- In the same post from Stein, he notes that former NBA center Kosta Koufos will still play for the G League’s Ignite team but his arrival has been delayed due to the birth of his first child. Koufos is joining the Ignite after playing two seasons in the EuroLeague. Amir Johnson and Pooh Jeter are among the other veterans on the team, which allows top prospects to get a taste of professional basketball to prepare for next year’s draft.
- The Ignite team – which trains in Walnut Creek, California – will play eight home games in Las Vegas, JD Shaw of Hoops Rumors tweets. The first two of those games will be a back-to-back next month against the Clippers’ Agua Caliente squad.
- The Bulls have named Joakim Noah as a team ambassador and the 36-yard-old Noah has no regrets about retiring, he told Sam Smith of the team’s website. “Obviously, I miss the competition and I miss the locker room,” Noah said. “But when your body tells you it’s time to go, it’s time to go. So you have to be honest with yourself. I shot every bullet in my gun and I have no regrets. I gave it everything I got.”
Western Notes: Conley, Valanciunas, Ayton, Mann
The Knicks, Bulls, Mavericks and Pelicans showed interest in Mike Conley during free agency but re-signing with the Jazz was an “easy” choice, as he told Sam Amick of The Athletic.
“It was an easy decision (based) on what we had built here and what I was able to be a part of last year and in the last few seasons,” he said. “Just wanted to be a part of that journey with these guys. Trying to bring a championship to a place that, you know, it’s not easy to do. I think that seeing Milwaukee win was awesome.”
Conley signed a three-year, $68MM contract that includes some incentives.
We have more from the Western Conference:
- Jonas Valanciunas has quickly emerged as a crucial player for the Pelicans, William Guillory of The Athletic writes. Valanciunas is averaging 18.2 PPG and 14.7 RPG while logging a career-high 34.3 MPG through six games. Coach Willie Green said the starters would continue to play big minutes until Zion Williamson returns. “Right now, those guys are going to play high minutes. That’s why we’re not doing much at practice,” Green said. After being acquired from Memphia, Valanciunas signed a two-year, $30.1MM extension this fall.
- Suns coach Monty Williams isn’t worried about Deandre Ayton‘s focus even though the team didn’t reach an extension agreement with their center, Amick writes in a separate story. In fact, Williams hopes Ayton plays more selfishly as he heads toward restricted free agency. “He probably doesn’t get enough credit for how unselfish he is. We want him to be more selfish,” Williams said. “We want him to be more aggressive, but I don’t foresee that happening. The young man wants to win, and that’s what I’ve seen since I’ve been with him from Day 1.”
- The Thunder have assigned Tre Mann, the 18th overall pick, to the G League’s Oklahoma City Blue. Head coach Mark Daigneault believes that will accelerate his development more than having him play spotty minutes with the Thunder, Joe Mussatto of The Oklahoman writes. “His ability to go there, play more minutes, take on a heavier load defensively, find a little bit of rhythm offensively, settle into games a little bit more, settle into practices a little bit more is a great opportunity for him to grow,” Daigneault said. Oklahoma City also has a logjam of young guards, Mussatto notes.
Central Notes: LaVine, Williams, Jackson, Duarte
Bulls guard Zach LaVine says that playing with a ligament tear in his left thumb is difficult but he’ll make it work, K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago writes.
“It will be like this for a little bit,” LaVine said. “Knock on wood that nothing happens in the game to where it re-aggravates it. But it has to play its course. They were telling me it’s almost like a Grade 2 ankle sprain but in my thumb. So it’s going to take some time.”
LaVine has shot 20-for-51 from the field over the last three games after exceeding 30 points in his first two outings this season.
We have more from the Central Division:
- Bulls forward Patrick Williams is expected to miss the rest of the regular season after tearing ligaments in his left wrist. In response, the Bulls will likely go with a smaller lineup, Johnson writes in a separate piece. Individually, Williams loses a year of growth and the ability to establish himself as a two-way force. “When you lose a guy like that who can physically guard a lot of different positions and who has the strength and size to deal with post-up players, it definitely hurts,” coach Billy Donovan said.
- The Pistons are still seeking their first win and reserve guard Frank Jackson has struggled with his shooting this season, but he’s holding onto his rotation spot, James Edwards III of The Athletic notes. Jackson was waived by the Thunder last December and Detroit took a flyer on him. He was re-signed to a two-year, $6.2MM deal this summer with a team option. “What got my attention as much as his shooting last year was his defense,” coach Dwane Casey said. “He pursues, he competes defensively. Very athletic with speed and quickness. Then you add shooting on top of that.”
- Pacers lottery pick Chris Duarte heard a lot from scouts and executives about his age at the pre-draft camp. The 24-year-old Duarte put a different twist on that concern, Steve Aschburner of NBA.com writes. Duarte responded, “If you want to win games, get me. If you want to win in four years, go ahead and draft a 19-year-old kid. Then you can develop him and make him a superstar in three, four or five years. But you don’t know if he’s going to be a superstar — you don’t know, who knows? So you know what you’re getting now.” Duarte is averaging 18.7 PPG and 4.5 RPG through six games.
Los Angeles Notes: Hartenstein, Clippers Bench, Anthony, James
Isaiah Hartenstein won a training camp battle with Harry Giles for the last spot on the Clippers roster and has emerged as a solid reserve, Mirjam Swanson of The Orange County Register writes.
Hartenstein has averaged 7.3 PPG and 4.3 RPG in 15.3 MPG through three appearances and has developed chemistry with Clippers wing Luke Kennard. “I think we just really know how to play with each other,” said Hartenstein, who is on a one-year, minimum-salary contract.
We have more from the Los Angeles teams:
- Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said that Hartenstein, Kennard and Terance Mann learned how to blend their talents during training camp, Andrew Greif of The Los Angeles Times writes. “They understand their unit, how they play,” Lue said. “Move bodies, move the basketball.” Kennard is averaging 11.5 PPG and Mann is averaging 8.5 PPG, 6.0 RPG and 3.5 APG.
- LeBron James said the league missed the boat on new Lakers teammate Carmelo Anthony, Dave McMenamin of ESPN writes. Anthony struggled to find another NBA opportunity until he hooked on with Portland during the 2019/20 season. “He’s been doing it for quite a while, and it’s just beautiful to continue to see, especially when, you know, they gave up on him,” James said. Anthony, who signed a veteran’s minimum contract this summer, had a 28-point game on Sunday and is averaging 14.0 PPG so far with his new team.
- James is questionable to play on Friday due to right ankle soreness, McMenamin tweets. He has missed the last two games after playing 40 minutes on Sunday. Rajon Rondo has also been listed as questionable due to a similar injury, McMenamin adds.
Northwest Notes: Porter Jr., Mitchell, Lillard, Wolves Offense
Nikola Jokic has a sore knee, but Nuggets coach Michael Malone is equally concerned about Michael Porter Jr.‘s slow start, according to Mike Singer of The Denver Post. Signed to a five-year max extension in late September, Porter is averaging just 11.5 PPG while shooting 34.6% from the field.
“We’ve got to get Michael Porter going,” Malone said. “He’s four games in, and I know that he’s capable of playing at a much higher level — from a shooting standpoint, his efficiency, his rebounding, his defense — so we’ve got to get more from Michael Porter.”
Jokic is questionable to play on Friday.
We have more from the Northwest Division:
- The Jazz, particularly new owner Ryan Smith, are going out of their way to keep Donovan Mitchell happy, Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report writes. Mitchell has voiced to Jazz officials his desire to see more Black men in the organization and it has added a number of them in recent hires. Mitchell is in the first year of a five-year, $163MM contract.
- There was a lot of speculation regarding Damian Lillard‘s future with the Trail Blazers during the offseason but he appears content now, Mark Medina of NBA.com writes. Lillard has become a strong believer in first-year coach Chauncey Billups, who led the Pistons to the 2004 championship. “I think it’ll just continue to get better,” Lillard said. “I think it’s a great opportunity for me to see something different and to learn. (Billups) knows the way to help myself and him, as a coach, to become a champion.”
- The Timberwolves are off to a 3-1 start despite shooting 42.6% from the field and averaging 16.3 turnovers per game. They’re still trying to strike the perfect balance, led by their Big Three of Karl-Anthony Towns, D’Angelo Russell and Anthony Edwards, according to Chris Hine of The Star Tribune. “That is the balance when you give everybody as much freedom as we do,” coach Chris Finch said. “Kat, Ant, D-Lo, they have the license to break the offense, if you will, or be aggressive within it is probably a better way to put it. They can’t just always live off doing it with the first pass or first action and I think that’s where we’re living right now.”