Southeast Notes: Banchero, Johnson, Nurkic, Niang
The Magic have moved within a half-game of seventh-place Atlanta for the top seed in the Eastern Conference play-in tournament. That’s due in large part to Paolo Banchero‘s resurgence. Their star forward has reached the 30-point mark in four consecutive games, including three victories.
In 16 games following the All-Star break, Banchero is second in the league in scoring (29.6 PPG) behind only MVP favorite Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (34.1).
“I’m playing some good basketball right now,” he told Jason Beede of the Orlando Sentinel. “[I] just want to keep it up.”
We have more from the Southeast Division:
- AJ Johnson, who was part of the Kyle Kuzma/Khris Middleton deal between the Wizards and Bucks, has shown off his athleticism since joining Washington with some high-flying dunks, Varun Shankar of the Washington Post writes. Johnson, a late first-round pick last June, had a season-high 17 points against Toronto on Monday, then showed his passing skills with nine points and six assists against Philadelphia on Wednesday. “Getting better and better every game,” Wizards coach Brian Keefe said.
- Jusuf Nurkic is feeling at home in Charlotte with the Hornets after a tumultuous season-and-a-half with the Suns, he told Roderick Boone of the Charlotte Observer. “It’s obviously a different situation,” Nurkic said. “Sometimes, it’s good for players to change situations, change teams. But just being in a respectful environment, usually the response is good. So we are still learning each other — the coaches, team. The organization is still learning me and I’m learning the organization, getting a feel for each other in our evaluations and stuff. But so far, so good.” Nurkic has one year left on his four-year, $70MM contract.
- Georges Niang has given the Hawks a boost since being traded by Cleveland. He’s averaging 13.3 points in 19 games while making 42.3 percent of his 3-point attempts. He told Grant Afseth of Sportskeeda that the Hawks made the transition easier. “This organization has done everything to help me get comfortable with the city and the team. They’ve made it feel like home — and you don’t get that everywhere. I’m truly thankful to be with a high-class, first-class organization like the Atlanta Hawks,” he said. Niang, playing for his fifth team, is signed through next season.
Nets Notes: Tsai, Johnson, Thomas, Free Agency, Sharpe
While his team is in tank mode this season, Nets owner Joe Tsai says his commitment to winning hasn’t wavered, NetsDaily.com relays.
“For a sports owner, the return season after season is winning. Every season, you’re trying to win the championship, so you want to win games, right?” Tsai said at a CNBC conference in Singapore (hat tip to Sports Illustrated’s Wilko Martinez Cachero). “You’re not looking at the income statement of the team from season-to-season, so I guess the final payoff for me is less financial — even though the financial aspects are important, I have to make sure that the bottom line investment can make sense — but at the end of the day, it’s through the love of sports. I have a passion for sports. That’s why I invested in these teams.”
Tsai holds a 3% interest in the Miami Dolphins, but he’s not looking to become a majority owner in the NFL until he delivers in Brooklyn, according to Brian Lewis of the New York Post.
“No, I still don’t feel like I’m an NFL owner,” Tsai said. “I’ve got to take care of the Brooklyn Nets first, which means you need to win first in the sport that you’re already involved in. So you’ve got to take care of business here.”
We have more on the Nets:
- Cameron Johnson was considered a prime trade candidate before February’s deadline. He remained on the roster and feels responsible for making his younger teammates better, he told Lewis. “It’s not like I’m out there barking at them every day about this, about that. But anytime I can help them, or seen something that I’ve been through that I see they’re going through, I try to help,” Johnson said. “And [we have] a good group of guys willing to listen, willing to compete. Maybe our record isn’t what we want it to be, but we’re in a lot of these games because we compete at a high level, we play hard. And that’s a starting point.”
- The trade rumors regarding Johnson could crop up again in the offseason and the Nets have numerous other decisions to make with the current roster, Lewis writes in a subscriber-only article for The Post. Cam Thomas, who won’t play again this season due to a hamstring injury, is due to become a restricted free agent if the team extends a qualifying offer. Day’Ron Sharpe and Ziaire Williams are also eligible for restricted free agency, while Maxwell Lewis has a partially guaranteed deal and Trendon Watford will be an unrestricted free agent.
- Sharpe won’t play against Toronto on Wednesday due to a right knee sprain, Collin Helwig of NetsDaily.com tweets. Johnson will also sit out as the coaching staff will rest him.
Potential First-Round Pick Alex Toohey Declares For Draft
Potential first-round pick Alex Toohey has declared for this year’s NBA draft, according to SydneyKings.com. Toohey confirmed his decision on social media (Twitter link).
Toohey played for Australia’s Sydney Kings as part of the NBL’s Next Stars program. He started in 25 of the 29 games he played, averaging 10.6 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.4 steals per contest.
Toohey, a 6’7” wing, is currently ranked No. 31 overall on The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie’s Big Board. ESPN’s Jonathan Givony slots Toohey at No. 37.
Toohey, who turns 21 in May, is an Australian native. He originally committed to play in the U.S. for Gonzaga in 2022 but decided the following year to enter the Next Stars program.
Nine Next Stars have been drafted in the past five years: LaMelo Ball (No. 3, 2020), R.J. Hampton (No. 24, 2020), Josh Giddey (No. six, 2021), Ousmane Dieng (No. 11, 2022), Rayan Rupert (No. 43, 2023), Alex Sarr (No. two, 2024), AJ Johnson (No. 23, 2024), Bobi Klintman (No. 37, 2024) and Ariel Hukporti (No. 58, 2024).
Damian Lillard Has Blood Clot In Calf, Out Indefinitely
8:05pm: A league source tells The Athletic’s Sam Amick and Eric Nehm that there is “a great deal of optimism” that Lillard will return this season.
7:48pm: Bucks star guard Damian Lillard has been diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis in his right calf and is out indefinitely, ESPN’s Shams Charania tweets.
Lillard is on blood-thinning medication, which has stabilized the blood clot, and will continue with regular testing.
Speaking with NBA Insider Chris Haynes (Twitter link), Lillard said, “It’s unfortunate that something outside of my control would come up. Along with the Bucks’ medical staff, our priorities are to protect my health and safety. As much as I love basketball, I need to be there for my kids and my family. I’m grateful the Bucks acted quickly on this. They’ve been supportive and proactive throughout this process. I look forward to moving past this and continuing my career.”
According to Bucks general manager Jon Horst, Lillard is unlikely to experience a reoccurrence of this blood-clotting issue once he recovers, Michael Scotto of Hoops Hype tweets.
“Damian’s health is our No. 1 priority,” Horst said. “We will support him as he moves through this weekly process of strict criteria to ensure that it is safe for him to return to play. Doctors have indicated that his situation is very unlikely to occur again. We are thankful that this was identified and medicated quickly, which helps with the recovery.”
If Lillard can’t return this season, it will be a massive blow to the Bucks’ postseason hopes. They’re currently battling Indiana and Detroit for the fourth spot in the Eastern Conference.
Lillard is averaging 24.9 points, 7.1 assists and 4.9 rebounds per night in 58 games this season. He’ll now be ineligible for any NBA postseason honors. His last appearance was a 16-point outing against Golden State a week ago.
Lillard’s absence will put even more pressure on Giannis Antetokounmpo to put up monster numbers. Ryan Rollins has been starting in Lillard’s place and will likely continue to do so, with Kevin Porter Jr. taking on extra minutes in the second unit and Andre Jackson Jr. also moving up the depth chart.
Chimezie Metu Suffers Ruptured Achilles In EuroLeague Game
Former NBA forward Chimezie Metu suffered a rupture of the Achilles tendon in his right leg during a EuroLeague game, Alessandro Maggi of Sportando relays. The FC Barcelona forward, who turned 28 on Saturday, was playing against Bayern Munich.
Metu signed with Barcelona on a one-year contract in July. In 45 games with Barcelona, Metu was averaging 11.7 points and 4.4 rebounds in 20.2 minutes per contest.
A second-round pick out of USC in 2018, Metu has logged 260 NBA games. He started his career with two seasons in San Antonio, then played the next three seasons with Sacramento. He moved on to Phoenix prior to last season on a one-year, minimum-salary deal.
Metu played a total of 51 games, including 12 starts, with the Suns and Pistons last season. Phoenix traded him to Memphis, which waived him.
Metu finished the season on a two-way contract with Detroit but the Pistons declined their minimum-salary team option on him for 2024/25, making him an unrestricted free agent.
He averaged 5.9 points and 3.5 rebounds in 13.7 minutes per game during his NBA career.
Warriors Notes: Butler, Green, Curry, Wiggins
Jimmy Butler initially wanted to go to Phoenix when he requested a trade from the Heat. Butler said he had nothing against the Warriors organization but was more familiar with the Suns’ core players — Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Tyus Jones, his former teammate.
Butler wasn’t worried about getting an extension — he knew he’d get that once the blockbuster deal was finalized. Butler received a two-year, $111MM extension.
“I wasn’t skeptical of coming here,” Butler told Anthony Slater of The Athletic in a wide-ranging interview. “I just didn’t talk to anybody. … I knew I was going to get this contract no matter what. The people keep talking about it being about the money. How can it be about the money when any team that traded for me, what were they going to do? I just want to win. Where can I go to win?”
Butler has been impressed by the Warriors’ player-friendly approach.
“It’s all about whatever you need,” Butler said. “You would think that every organization is like that: Whatever you need to make you happy, to make you healthy and to make you go out there and compete at an extremely high level. You need your days off. You need the chef. You need the driver. You need to work out. You need the rest. You need your family to travel. How can we keep you happy? How can we get you everything you possibly need to be successful and help us get a banner and a trophy?”
We have more on the Warriors:
- Butler and Draymond Green have quickly forged a bond, Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN reports. While they’re two of the more volatile players in the league, Butler says there’s no concerns about them pulling the team apart. “Two winners that would do anything to win,” Butler said. “He could care less about personal success. He’s just trying to win a championship. I just want to win. I don’t give a (bleep) about nothing else. We ain’t going to never butt no (bleeping) heads. … That’s what people keep overlooking. They think like we going to get in fist fights. No we not. Because all we want to do is win.”
- Stephen Curry won’t play tonight in Miami, Slater tweets. Curry worked out on Monday and didn’t quite feel ready to return from his pelvic injury. He suffered a contusion while taking a hard fall against Toronto on Thursday. The Warriors will have two days off prior to Friday’s game in New Orleans.
- While Butler going to back to Miami is the big storyline tonight, Andrew Wiggins will also be facing his former teammates after winning a title with Golden State. His former coach is eager to see him. “We’re all thrilled to see Wiggs,” Steve Kerr said, per Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald. “Wiggs is one of my favorite guys. I wish we still had [to play] Miami in the Bay. So that will have to wait until next year. But Wiggs will get an enormous standing ovation when he returns to the Bay in front of our fans, both for his contributions and just for his humanity, who he is, what kind of person he is. He’s beloved in our locker room and throughout the Bay.”
And-Ones: Gores, WNBA, Micic, Bibby, Williams, NIL
A new development plan for the Detroit riverfront includes building a multi-sports complex that would support the city’s bid to gain a WNBA franchise, JC Reindl of the Detroit Free Press reports. Pistons owner Tom Gores and a team of local investors plan to use the site to host the team’s practice facility and headquarters. The Pistons and their G League affiliate, the Motor City Cruise, play their games in downtown Detroit.
Reports surfaced in late January that Detroit was one of the cities bidding for a new WNBA franchise.
We have more from around the international basketball world:
- Anadolu Efes guard and former NBA player Shane Larkin said that Suns guard Vasilije Micic could wind up in the EuroLeague next season, as Eurohoops.net relays. “Me and Vasa talk all the time. He’s one of my good friends,” Larkin said, per Meridian Sports. “Obviously we have a lot of history together. And, you know, he’s happy where he’s at, but he’s definitely open to opportunities.” Micic has appeared in just two games with Phoenix since he was traded by Charlotte. Phoenix holds an $8.1MM option on Micic’s contract for next season, which is a virtual lock to be declined.
- Mike Bibby, a 14-year NBA veteran, has agreed to become the head coach at Sacramento State, ESPN’s Shams Charania reports. Bibby played the prime of his career with the Kings.
- Kam Williams of Tulane will test the NBA draft waters, Jonathan Givony of ESPN tweets. The 6’8” wing was named to the American Athletic Conference All-Freshman Team after averaging 9.3 points per game and shooting 41% on 3-point tries in his first college season.
- Writing for The Stein Line (Substack link), Jake Fischer interviews agent Daniel Poneman regarding the NIL and how it impacts the NBA draft and college basketball.
Heat Notes: Butler, Jaquez, Adebayo, Herro, Wiggins, Ware
The Heat plan to have a tribute video for Jimmy Butler when he returns to the Miami for the first time since he was traded to the Warriors on Tuesday. Butler says he’ll watch it but that “it makes no difference.”
Butler’s ugly exit from Miami included a trade demand and three team-imposed suspensions and he’s still unhappy about the way the front office handled it, according to the Miami Herald’s Anthony Chiang.
“You can talk about it whenever we talk about it later on,” he said. “But I think the suspensions are more because they just didn’t want me to be around the team. It wasn’t anything I actually did because I didn’t do anything too drastic to deserve X amount of games being suspended. But it is what it is. Yeah, I got some bills. So what, it’s all taken care of.”
Butler added that he’s used to being portrayed as the villain.
“I’m always painted as the bad guy. Everywhere I’ve been, I’ve always been the problem,” he said. “So we’ll take it. I don’t got nothing to say. I’m not mad at being the bad guy. It’s all the way that everything is portrayed. Some people talk to the media, some people don’t. I’ve never been one to tell my side of the story to almost anybody. Let everybody think that this is what happened and we’ll ride with it.”
We have more on the Heat:
- How do the Heat players feel about the showdown with Butler and the Warriors? Chiang relays some of their reactions. “It’s going to be exciting,” second-year forward Jaime Jaquez said. “I’m sure this place is going to be jumping. We’re excited, I’m sure he’s going to be. It’s going to be an epic battle, for sure.” Bam Adebayo said, “I feel like it’s going to be high intensity, it’s going to be a great game for both teams and we’ll see who walks out with the W.” Tyler Herro, who’s become the top offensive threat after the Butler trade, says he’s just focused on the team finishing strong. “It will be fun,” he said. “I think it’s another game for us, honestly. We just came off a 10-game losing streak. We got bigger things to worry about. At this point, we just need to win games. Obviously, Jimmy is coming back here. But it’s a regular game.”
- Andrew Wiggins — one of the players acquired in the Butler deal — carried the Heat out of the darkness of their lengthy losing streak. He poured in a season-high 42 points in a 122-105 win over Charlotte on Sunday to snap a 10-game skid. “We all played connected,” Wiggins told Chiang. “I feel like my team helped me get in great spots to be successful and make some shots on the court.”
- With Friday night’s 16 points and 14 rebounds in a loss to the Rockets, Kel’el Ware became only the fifth rookie over the Heat’s 37 seasons to record at least 10 double-doubles, Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel notes. Udonis Haslem was the most recent rookie to achieve that prior to Ware. “He’s being fed through a firehose,” coach Erik Spoelstra said of Ware.
Southwest Notes: Edwards, Nunez, McCollum, Sheppard, Morant
Two-way Mavericks player Kessler Edwards is expected to be active for the 50th time this season on Tuesday against the Knicks, NBA insider Marc Stein tweets.
That will make Edwards ineligible to be activated again this season under a two-way deal. The hard-capped Mavs can sign him to a standard contract on April 10. The team can’t do it any sooner because it’s only about $51K away from its first-apron hard cap.
Edwards has appeared in 39 games (17 starts), averaging 4.3 points and 2.8 rebounds in 15.1 minutes per contest.
We have more from the Southwest Division:
- The Spurs have been keeping close tabs on stash-and-draft prospect Juan Nunez, Eurohoops.net relays. “I know we’ve had a lot of people visiting him in Spain and interacting with the Barcelona organization,” interim head coach Mitch Johnson told Mundo Deportivo. “We have a great relationship from everything I’ve heard, that’s what I know about it. I know we’re very aligned in terms of his development and experience there, and we want to continue helping him grow as a young player.” The 36th pick of last year’s draft, Nunez recorded 25 EuroLeague appearances for Barcelona, averaging 5.0 points, 3.4 assists, and 2.5 rebounds per game. The point guard’s season was cut short by a knee injury.
- Following a 40-point outing against the Pistons, Pelicans guard CJ McCollum was rested in the second game of a back-to-back on Monday, according to a team press release. Bruce Brown (return to play reconditioning) and Zion Williamson (low back contusion) were also listed among the players who were ruled out against injury-riddled Philadelphia.
- Rockets lottery pick Reed Sheppard did some shooting at practice without a brace on his fractured thumb, Danielle Lerner of the Houston Chronicle tweets. He was injured on March 7 and was expected to miss at least four weeks. He’ll still be out for at least another week, Lerner adds.
- Ja Morant will miss his fifth straight game due to a hamstring strain when the Grizzlies face Utah on Tuesday, the team’s PR department tweets.
Domantas Sabonis Makes Quick Return From Ankle Injury
Kings big man Domantas Sabonis will return to action on Monday against Boston, Sam Amick of The Athletic tweets.
Less than a week ago, the team announced Sabonis would be out at least 10 days due to a moderate right ankle sprain. That timetable came after Sabonis underwent an MRI.
After missing the last three games, Sabonis was surprisingly listed as questionable to play against the Celtics after fully participating in practice on Sunday.
He’ll now suit up for the Kings, who currently hold the ninth spot in the Western Conference standings with a 35-35 record. Sabonis is averaging 19.2 points, an NBA-leading 13.9 rebounds and 6.2 assists per game in 58 outings.
If Sabonis appears in seven more games, he’ll be eligible for postseason awards. Whether that provided any additional motivation for him to return quickly is unknown, but the club has lost its last two games to the Bulls and Bucks without his inside presence, so the team’s tenuous hold on a play-in spot is probably the more pressing concern. The Kings also have a home game against Oklahoma City on Tuesday.