NBA D-League Assignments/Recalls: 12/31/16
Here are Saturday’s D-League assignments and recalls from around the NBA:
- The Magic assigned center Stephen Zimmerman to the Erie BayHawks, the team tweets. The 7’0” center has appeared in eight games this season with the Magic, averaging 1.3 points and 1.8 rebounds in 4.0 minutes. This is his third assignment to the BayHawks. He’s averaged 17.3 points, 13.5 rebounds 1.5 blocks in 34.2 minutes over six games with them.
- The Suns recalled forward Derrick Jones Jr. from the Northern Arizona Suns, eight days after he was assigned to the D-League for the third time, the team tweets (Twitter link). He has averaged 14.0 points and 6.1 rebounds in 32.1 minutes over 14 games with Northern Arizona.
- The Knicks recalled guard Ron Baker and center Marshall Plumlee and they will rejoin the team in Houston, according to their Twitter feed. They were assigned to the Westchester Knicks on Friday and started their game against Fort Wayne. Baker had nine points, four assists and four steals in 30 minutes, while Plumlee posted 16 points and six rebounds in the same amount of action.
- The Hornets recalled guard Aaron Harrison and forward Christian Wood from the Greensboro Swarm, they announced in a press release. Harrison has appeared in 13 Swarm games over three assignments, recording averages of 20.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.4 steals in 36.5 minutes per game. Wood has appeared in 11 Swarm games during two D-League stints, averaging 17.2 points, 9.3 boards and 2.1 blocks in 29.3 minutes.
- The Lakers recalled Ivica Zubac from the D-Fenders, one day after assigning him to the D-League, Harrison Faigen of SB Nation tweets. The 7’1” center had 17 points and 10 rebounds in 31 minutes against Northern Arizona on Friday.
- The Jazz recalled forward Joel Bolomboy after he appeared in one game with the Salt Lake City Stars during his latest assignment. the team announced in a press release. He recorded 18 points, 12 rebounds and four assists in 38 minutes against Sioux Falls on Friday.
Hoops Rumors Originals: 12/25/16 – 12/31/16
As we head into 2017, let’s take a look back at this week’s original content published by the Hoops Rumors staff:
- Luke Adams broke down the roster counts for every team with the non-guaranteed salary deadline of January 10 looming.
- Teams can start signing free agents to 10-day contracts in January, and 21 players on NBA rosters become trade-eligible on January 15. Luke Adams provides the details on all important January dates.
- We let you know how you can track all of your favorite players on our Trade Rumors app.
- Chris Crouse gave out his latest tips on fantasy basketball, including insights on Magic point man Elfrid Payton.
- Luke Adams explored potential suitors for Kings forward Rudy Gay in our Trade Candidate series.
- We gave you info on our Reverse Standings tool, which gives you a better idea of the June draft order.
- Arthur Hill wrote his second installment of the 2017 Free Agent Power Rankings, with Kevin Durant topping the list.
- We asked readers to weigh in on a couple of topics in our Community Shootaround series.
- There were a number of big stories in 2016, including the Warriors’ 73-win regular season, the Cavs’ first championship and Durant ditching the Thunder for Golden State. What do you think was the biggest story of the year?
- Following up the Rudy Gay Trade Candidate piece as rumors continue to swirl, we sought out your opinion on this question: What team would be the best fit for Gay?
Week in Review: 12/24/16 – 12/31/16
Here’s a look back at all the notable news and events from around the NBA this past seven days:
Signings/Agreements
- The Heat confirmed they extended the contract of coach Erik Spoelstra during the offseason.
- PG Bryce Cotton signed with the Perth Wildcats in Australia.
- The Mavericks signed PG Pierre Jackson.
- PF Ante Zizic, a Celtics draft-and-stash prospect, is making the jump to the Euroleague after playing in Croatia.
Waivers
- The Spurs released PG Nicolas Laprovittola.
- The Bulls released SG R.J. Hunter.
- The Mavericks released PG Jonathan Gibson.
News
- Heat PF Josh McRoberts is out indefinitely with a foot injury.
- Celtics training camp invitee Damion Lee has a torn ACL and will miss the rest of the season.
- Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy declared that “everything is on the table” regarding changes for his slumping team.
- Timberwolves C Nikola Pekovic could be headed for retirement because of persistent injury issues.
- The Lakers brought in free agent PF Donatas Motiejunas for an audition but didn’t sign him.
- Euro F Rade Zagorac will likely join the Grizzlies next season.
- Lakers PF Larry Nance Jr. is expected to miss four weeks because of a bone bruise to his left knee.
Rumors
- The Cavs could deal draft-and-stash prospect Cedi Osman in the near future.
- The Suns would like to move PG Brandon Knight before the February trade deadline.
- The Bulls are mulling a coaching change as the team continues to flounder under Fred Hoiberg.
- The Rockets are interested in acquiring Kings big man Kosta Koufos.
- The Magic could be in the mix for Kings C DeMarcus Cousins if he goes on the trading block.
- The Bucks are still trying to trade C Greg Monroe.
Cavs Notes: Osman, Luxury Tax, James
Cavaliers draft-and-stash prospect Cedi Osman could be dealt in the near future, according to Joe Vardon of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Vardon hears there is “interest in some corners” for the 6’8” forward, who reportedly wants to play in the NBA next season. Osman, 21, is averaging 8.9 points and shooting 45% from the field for Anadolu Efes Istanbul. What makes him attractive, as Terry Pluto of the Cleveland Plain Dealer points out, is his 41% shooting from 3-point range. Osman was selected in 2015 with the No. 31 overall pick by the Timberwolves. His draft rights, along with those of forward Rakeem Christmas and a future draft pick, were then shipped to the Cavs in exchange for the draft rights of point guard Tyus Jones.
In other musings involving the club:
- The Cavs’ ability to make moves is hamstrung by their luxury-tax and draft pick issues, as Pluto details. Chris Andersen and Mo Williams are out for the season and J.R. Smith is out 12-14 weeks after thumb surgery, leaving them with just 12 players. But if they cut Williams to sign a minimum salary player, he would cost about $10MM because of the luxury tax implications, according to Pluto, while cutting Andersen for a minimum player would cost them $7MM.
- Cleveland cannot move any first-round picks prior to the 2020 draft in a trade, according to Pluto. That’s because it dealt its 2018 pick in the Channing Frye acquisition last season and teams aren’t allowed to deal picks in consecutive years.
- LeBron James, who turned 32 on Friday, feels strong heading into the New Year and the stats bear that out, Vardon writes in a piece comparing James to Michael Jordan when Jordan was 32. He’s averaging 8.6 assists, equaling his career high, and his 25.4 point average is in line with his output over the last two seasons. His 7.9 rebounding average is his highest since the 2012/13 season with the Heat. “I’ve told you guys, I feel great,” he told Vardon and other reporters. “I’ve conditioned myself and I’m having one of the best statistical categories seasons of my career so far and I just want to try to continue to keep it going.”
Could It Be Magic If Cousins Goes On Block?
The Magic could emerge as the best trading partner if the Kings ever get serious about moving DeMarcus Cousins, Chris Mannix of The Vertical speculates in his latest column.
The Kings have shown no inclination to trading Cousins, particularly since they’re in the running for a playoff spot, as Mannix emphasizes. If that dynamic changes, Orlando has enough young pieces and expendables bigs to make an attractive offer for Cousins, Mannix continues. A package that includes Aaron Gordon and Nikola Vucevic would hold some appeal to Sacramento and give the Magic a clearcut franchise player to build around, in Mannix’s view.
Orlando’s glut of power forwards and centers has left Mario Hezonja, the fifth overall pick in 2015, scrounging for minutes despite a lack of floor spacers, Mannix adds. Hezonja would benefit from Orlando paring some frontcourt players.
Naturally, we’ve heard all kinds of rumors and proposals regarding Cousins. The Celtics have been prominently mentioned as another logical trading partner, given their glut of guards and extra draft picks, including the Nets’ first-rounder in June. The Magic are loaded with former lottery picks, so it’s fair to put them in that group of teams with enough assets to entice the Kings.
Cousins recently said he expects to remain put and there’s no rush for the Kings to cash in their biggest asset. He doesn’t become an unrestricted free agent until after the 2017/18 season.
Western Rumors: Bogut, Blazers, Lawson
Mavs center Andrew Bogut is willing to come off the bench, Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News reports. That would allow coach Rick Carlisle to start Dirk Nowitzki at center. “He offered to come off the bench, if that’s a better situation for us,” Carlisle told Sefko. “You don’t often get a player of his stature offering to come off the bench for the betterment of the team. But because of his suggestion and this situation, we have that as an option.” Nowitzki faces difficult defense challenges playing power forward against more mobile players and is not used to coming off the bench. The downside is that Bogut is generally considered one of the league’s premier defensive big men.
In other news around the Western Conference:
- The Trail Blazers need to find improvement from within rather than seeking a solution on the open market, Kevin Pelton of ESPN.com argues. Portland’s defensive issues stem from its conservative approach, which forces the second fewest turnovers in the league, Pelton continues. He also points out that the Blazers have to cut down on their penchant for fouling and improve their defensive rebounding. Injuries to forward Al-Farouq Aminu have also contributed to their defensive decline, Pelton adds.
- There will be no suspensions or fines regarding the altercation on Tuesday between Rockets forward Trevor Ariza and Mavs center Salah Mejri, according to Mark Berman of Fox 26. Ariza was ejected after taking exception to something that Mejri said. After the game, Ariza and some of his teammates tried unsuccessfully to confront Mejri outside the Dallas locker room. The game was also marred by eight technical fouls and two flagrant fouls.
- Backup point guard Ty Lawson is reviving his career with the Kings, as Ailene Voisin of the Sacramento Bee examines in a column. Lawson has tenuous job security because of his non-guaranteed contract, Voisin notes, but he has become a big part of the Kings’ rotation. He averaged 15.5 points and 4.3 assists during a four-game winning streak that ended on Wednesday night. “He makes the game really easy for people and gets up and down the floor, and gets in the paint,” coach Dave Joerger told Voisin. “He’s playing really well. It’s been a successful week because of Ty Lawson.” Lawson’s $1,315,448 salary becomes guaranteed if he’s on the roster beyond January 10.
Officiating Report Adds Another Critic
Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy is the latest NBA figure to criticize the Last Two Minute Report regarding officiating in close games, according to Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press.
Warriors forward Kevin Durant and Cavaliers forward LeBron James were both critical this week of the NBA’s practice of publicly reviewing officiating calls in the last two minutes of close games. Van Gundy has now joined the chorus.
In Cleveland’s one-point win over Golden State on Christmas Day, Durant felt he was tripped up on the final play of the game. But when the officiating report confirmed that, Durant felt it was unfair for the officials to be subject to additional scrutiny, claiming it makes them more tentative to do their jobs.
“The refs didn’t lose us that game,” Durant said. “We lost that game. I think it’s (terrible) the NBA throws the refs under the bus like that.”
Van Gundy agrees with that assessment, as he told Ellis and other reporters on Thursday.
“I understand Kevin Durant’s comments because the referee could have had a great game and, when they grade them out, he could have been great, but he makes one crucial bad call at the end of the game, and that’s all the public knows about,” Van Gundy said.
The report on the Cavs’ win also indicated that a technical should have been called against James for hanging on the rim. That prompted him to say the NBA should cut the officials some slack.
“I think it discredits what the referees are doing for 48 minutes,” he told the assembled media. “If that’s the case, you might as well do a 48-minute report.”
During the offseason, the referees’ union called on the league to stop releasing the report publicly. At the time, commisssioner Adam Silver defended the practice, saying transparency was the best policy.
“It’s our hope that you take the Last Two Minute Reports together with using a certain amount of replay that we’re building to build trust and integrity in the league,” he said. “People are going to recognize that we are going to make mistakes, the officials are going to make mistakes. Human error is going to be part of this game, just as it is with players. … I’d say largely what these Last Two Minute Reports are showing is that the referees get it right about 90 percent of the time.”
How do you feel in this hot button issue? Should the Two Minute Report stay or go? Weigh in on the comments section below.
Atlantic Notes: Raptors, Lin, Sixers, Anthony
The Raptors have two very difficult decisions looming in their pursuit of the top spot in the Eastern Conference, Tim Bontemps of the Washington Post opines. They must decide whether to go all-in this season in their quest to knock off the Cavs, which would mean trading off some young pieces for another impact player, preferable a power forward, Bontemps continues. The Magic’s Serge Ibaka and Hawks’ Paul Millsap — forwards that the Raptors have pursued in the past and will become free agents this summer — would be logical targets, in Bontemps’ view. This summer, they’ll have to decide whether to offer point guard and impending free agent Kyle Lowry a max five-year deal worth over $200MM or risk seeing him walk. Lowry will attract numerous suitors but his age — he turns 31 this spring — could make a long-term commitment a risky investment, Bontemps adds.
In other news around the Atlantic Division:
- The Nets are taking a committee approach with point guard Jeremy Lin sidelined again by a hamstring injury, Brian Lewis of the New York Post reports. Coach Kenny Atkinson is rotating Randy Foye, rookie Isaiah Whitehead and Spencer Dinwiddie in Lin’s absence, while shooting guard Sean Kilpatrick is also taking a bigger role in the playmaking duties, Lewis continues. “I think it was ensemble,” Atkinson told Lewis and other media members. “That’s how we’re going to do it.”
- The Sixers’ frontcourt pairing of Joel Embiid and Jahlil Okafor has been a colossal failure defensively thus far, as Derek Bodner of Phillymag.com details. In six games since coach Brett Brown paired the two big men in the starting lineup, the Sixers have given up an average of 122.3 points per 100 possessions when they’re on the court. What’s more troubling, as Bodner notes, is that the poor defensive performances have come against sub-par offensive teams.
- Knicks coach Jeff Hornacek doesn’t believe Carmelo Anthony should have been ejected on Tuesday for swinging his forearm at the head of Hawks swingman Thabo Sefolosha, Marc Berman of the New York Post reports. Hornacek asserted that Sefolosha grabbed Anthony around the neck before the forearm swing, though Berman notes that was not apparent on replays while labeling Hornacek’s stance as bizarre. “I don’t blame [Anthony] for what happened, honestly,” Hornacek told Berman. “Watch the replay, watch the action. The guy had his arms wrapped around his neck. … What are you going to do? Just stand there or you going to get the guy off you? It’s a natural reaction.”
Laprovittola Clears Waivers, Eyes Europe
Nicolas Laprovittola has cleared waivers and will mull his options in Europe, international journalist David Pick tweets. The former Spurs point guard, who is now an unrestricted free agent, will pursue a 10-day contract with an NBA team if he doesn’t hook on to a European team, Pick adds.
Pick labels Laprovittola the best available point man in Europe and that could certainly be the case, given that he was good enough to start three games for San Antonio this season.
The Spurs waived him on Tuesday, dropping their current roster count to 14 players. San Antonio still has three point guards on the roster — Tony Parker, Patty Mills and rookie Dejounte Murray. That left no role for Laprovittola, who benefited earlier in the season from injuries to Parker, who has missed nine games.
Laprovittola, who will turn 27 next month, signed with the Spurs in September and appeared in 18 regular-season games. In 9.7 minutes per contest, the Argentinian averaged 3.3 PPG and 1.6 APG, shooting 37.0% on three-pointers.
Last season, Laprovittola averaged 10.3 PPG and a team-high 3.8 APG for Lietuvos Rytas in Lithuania. He was also a member of the Argentinian national team in Rio this past summer, averaging 8.2 PPG, 2.7 APG, and 2.2 RPG in the Olympic tournament.
Laprovittola’s full $543K salary won’t count against the Spurs’ cap because he had a non-guaranteed contract. That salary would have become fully guaranteed if he had remained under contract through January 10.
Northwest Rumors: Mudiay, Thunder, Dieng, Jazz
- Thunder swingman Alex Abrines has made a strong impression on franchise player Russell Westbrook, Brett Dawson of The Oklahoman reports. The Euro import scored 18 points, including five 3-pointers, against the Pelicans on Wednesday. Westbrook has taken note of Abrines’ shooting ability and work ethic, Dawson relays. “He works out every day, works on his game, and that’s the best part about him,” Westbrook told Dawson. “And it’s his first year, man. He’s gonna learn the ups and downs. There’s gonna be ups and downs throughout the whole season.”
- Gorgui Dieng has become the defensive stopper for the Timberwolves, according to Kent Youngblood of the Minneapolis Star Tribune. Coach Tom Thibodeau assigns Dieng to the opponent’s top frontcourt scoring threat. “I think he’s getting better with his team and individual defense. And he has the right mentality for it. He’s a defense-first guy,” Thibodeau told Youngblood. “And, a lot of times, he’s giving up size. He’s small for a center, and he ends up banging with those guys quite a bit. But he’s good fronting the post. He’s a multiple-effort guy. Very good at pick-and-rolls. So he sort of anchors our defense right now.”
- Jazz center Rudy Gobert‘s four-year, $102MM extension kicks in next season and he’s playing like an All-Star, as Jody Genessy of the Deseret News notes. Although head coach Quin Snyder has been reserved in his praise for Gobert, the fourth-year center has recorded nine straight double-doubles.