Bulls Waive Stanley Johnson, Will Retain Alize Johnson
The Bulls have waived forwards Stanley Johnson and Troy Baxter Jr., the team announced on social media today (Twitter link). Johnson previously signed a non-guaranteed deal with the organization, while Baxter signed an Exhibit 10 contract.
Chicago has also rewarded big man Alize Johnson and will keep him on the 15-man roster, Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic tweets. Johnson has impressed during training camp and will stick with the Bulls after a brief stint in Brooklyn last season. He averaged 5.2 points, five rebounds and 10.5 minutes in 18 contests with the Nets.
As for Stanley Johnson, the 25-year-old joined Chicago for training camp and played in all four preseason games. He was the No. 8 overall pick in 2015 and has made past stops with Detroit, New Orleans and Toronto.
At least one more roster move will be required for the Bulls, who are still carrying 16 players on standard contracts, including Matt Thomas and Tyler Cook on non-guaranteed deals. The team could keep both players by converting Cook to a two-way contract, but it remains unclear if that’s the plan. It does sound like Thomas will make the opening-night roster though, per Mayberry (Twitter link).
The Bulls are entering the 2021/22 season with a revamped roster, acquiring Lonzo Ball, DeMar DeRozan and others during the summer. Chicago finished 11th in the Eastern Conference at 31-41 last season.
Northwest Notes: Little, Zeller, Nuggets, Bol
Nassir Little is working to shake off a rough preseason game with the Blazers last Monday, Aaron Fentress of The Oregonian writes. Little finished with just three points in 24 minutes, shooting 1-of-9 from the floor with five turnovers. He also registered a team-worst minus-16 net rating.
“I was a little anxious,” Little admitted. “I was super excited to play.”
Portland next plays on Monday against Sacramento, giving Little and the team a full week to re-focus. The 21-year-old is one of the youngest players on the team’s preseason roster, having been drafted No. 25 overall by the club in 2019.
“There’s a lot of stuff that we’re all learning,” he said. “A lot of new stuff is being put in, so just being able to take advantage of this time to practice is going to be huge for me and the entire team.”
Here are some other notes from the Northwest Division tonight:
- Speaking of the Trail Blazers, center Cody Zeller underwent successful surgery on Friday to repair a broken nose, according to Fentress (Twitter link). The team has yet to offer a timeline for Zeller’s return.
- Mike Singer of The Denver Post examines multiple Nuggets-related topics in his latest mailbag, including a possible extension for PJ Dozier. Dozier, who is set to become an unrestricted free agent next summer, is coming off the best season of his four-year career, having averaged 7.7 points per game in 50 contests.
- In a separate article for the Denver Post, Singer also examined the development of Bol Bol, who was acquired by the Nuggets on the night of the 2019 NBA Draft. Singer notes that Bol appears to be more engaged with the team during the preseason. The big man has only appeared in 39 NBA games to date.
Pacific Notes: Preston, Westbrook, Booker, Mann
Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue expressed confidence that rookie guard Jason Preston will succeed once he gets past his rehab, Mirjam Swanson of The Orange County Register writes.
Preston, 22, was drafted by Los Angeles with the No. 33 pick in July. He recently underwent surgery to repair ligaments in his right foot, a procedure that’s expected to cost him a significant portion of the season.
“He’s always asking questions about the offensive sets, about the defensive coverages, and then moving forward,” Lue explained, praising the Ohio University product. “So everything I’ve told him, he’s retained and repeated right back to you every single time.
“From the start of summer league to where he’s at now, he’s made a huge jump, and that’s because he’s asking questions, he’s watching film, he wants to get better and he wants to be better. So I don’t think it’ll be a problem for him at all, he’s very attentive and very smart and picks things up very well.”
Here are some other notes from the Pacific Division:
- Jovan Buha of The Athletic gave his first impressions of Russell Westbrook‘s preseason debut with the Lakers on Friday. Westbrook mostly struggled in his 17 minutes, recording two points, seven rebounds, four assists and six turnovers on 1-for-7 shooting.
- Despite missing the game against the Lakers on Wednesday, Suns star Devin Booker is starting to ramp his conditioning back up, Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic writes. Booker tested positive for COVID-19 at the end of September. He’ll miss the team’s second game against Los Angeles on Sunday.
- Clippers guard Terance Mann is poised to have a breakout season with the team, Andrew Greif of the Los Angeles Times opines. Mann is coming off a season where he averaged seven points and 18.9 minutes per game, shooting 51% from the floor and 42% from behind-the-arc.
Eastern Notes: Rose, Martin Twins, Ball, Milton
Knicks guard Derrick Rose downplayed the ankle injury he suffered during the team’s preseason win over Washington on Saturday, as relayed by Marc Berman of the New York Post. Rose was dealing with the injury throughout the fourth quarter and left for the locker room with one minute remaining.
“It’s nothing serious at all, but if I kept playing I probably would’ve made it worse,’’ Rose said. “I think I probably did it myself. It’s the second game — all this is new, moving around, Thibs training camps are different. I just have to take my time. I’m getting older. I tweaked it but didn’t twist it all the way. Thibs understood [when I took myself out].’’
Rose is expected to serve as the team’s backup point guard behind Kemba Walker this season. He played a key role in the team’s success last season, averaging 14.9 points, 4.2 assists and 26.8 minutes per game in 35 contests.
There’s more from the Eastern Conference tonight:
- Caleb Martin and Cody Martin are set to collide when the Heat play the Hornets on Monday, Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel notes. The Martin twins spent the first two seasons of their careers with Charlotte, but Caleb inked a two-way deal with Miami last month.
- Bulls guard Lonzo Ball has been the team’s best shooter so far this preseason, Sam Smith of NBA.com writes. Ball shot 7-of-11 (63%) from three-point range in his first two contests, something that could become an important development due to Chicago’s roster. Alongside teammates such as Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan and Nikola Vucevic, Ball may find himself playing more off the ball than usual this season.
- Sixers guard Shake Milton sustained an ankle injury when he stepped on Andre Drummond‘s foot today, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes. According to Kyle Neubeck of PhillyVoice (Twitter link), Milton suffered a sprained ankle and will undergo further testing. He’ll miss tomorrow’s game against Brooklyn.
Nets Sign Bryce Brown, Josh Gray; Waive Edmond Sumner
The Nets have signed guards Bryce Brown and Josh Gray, the team announced, according to Brian Lewis of the New York Post (Twitter link).
Both players seem likely to join the club’s G League affiliate in Long Island, Lewis notes in a separate tweet. If Brown and Gray signed Exhibit 10 contracts, they’ll be eligible to receive up to $50K by spending at least 60 days with Long Island this season.
Brown, 24, went unselected in the 2019 NBA Draft. He’s mostly played in the G League during his short career, averaging 13.8 points, 3.4 rebounds and 26.7 minutes per game in two seasons.
Gray, 28, most recently played with the Fort Wayne Mad Ants in the G League bubble. He scored 13 points, dished out 5.8 assists and recorded 1.6 steals per game in 14 contests.
Brooklyn have also officially waived injured guard Edmond Sumner, who was recently acquired by the club. Sumner is expected to miss the 2021/22 season due to a torn Achilles, so the move had been expected.
Heat Notes: Herro, Okpala, Adebayo, Spoelstra, Olympics
Heat guard Tyler Herro is off to an electric start to the preseason, increasing the hype around the 21-year-old entering his third NBA campaign, Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald writes.
Herro has scored 26, 24 and 26 points in his first three games, respectively, shooting 28-of-50 from the field (56%). Miami will depend on his scoring off the bench as it looks to compete for a title this season.
“He has really improved all across the board,” head coach Erik Spoelstra said. “His skill level is extremely high. He has really worked at it. This is a league that’s becoming a league of skill and he’s developing into one of the most skilled players in this league. You can see he gets where he needs to get. He can get to different levels on the floor. So, it’s a very good start for him.”
There’s more out of Miami today:
- The clock is ticking on forward KZ Okpala, who’s also entering his third season with the organization, Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel writes. The Heat traded three second-round picks to acquire Okpala on the night of the 2019 NBA Draft, but the 22-year-old has played just 42 games in the last two seasons. Okpala is expected to play behind Max Strus and Markieff Morris as a third-string player to start the season.
- The team’s game against San Antonio on Friday served as a reunion for Bam Adebayo, Erik Spoelstra and Gregg Popovich, Chiang writes in a different piece for the Miami Herald. Adebayo played for Popovich last summer on Team USA, while Spoelstra served as head coach of the select team. “It was an amazing basketball and life experience,” Spoelstra said. “I’ve admired Pop, like everybody in this business, for years. To be able to see him behind the scenes in that setting was like a Master’s class in coaching and also human being relations. It’s amazing how he makes everybody feel like they have a role, that they matter and he has a great way of making the entire room feel inclusive.”
- Ira Winderman examines whether Tyler Herro has already cemented his role this season in his latest mailbag for the Sun Sentinel. In addition to using Herro as a sixth man, Miami has also given him some minutes at point guard when Kyle Lowry sits during the preseason.
Pacific Notes: Lakers, Ayton, Moody, Curry, LeBron
The Lakers are expected to rely on their size with Trevor Ariza set to miss time due to an ankle injury, Kyle Goon of the Orange County Register writes.
Ariza’s absence could lead to Los Angeles playing more lineups with LeBron James at small forward and Anthony Davis at power forward, meaning centers such as Dwight Howard and DeAndre Jordan need to be ready to play. Ariza is expected to miss eight weeks and make a full recovery.
“I don’t think you really put together your plan on how much A.D.’s gonna play the four or five until your team is whole,” head coach Frank Vogel acknowledged, according to Goon. “And once you figure that out, then you make those decisions.”
Ariza’s absence could also lead to more playing time for veteran forwards Kent Bazemore and Carmelo Anthony depending on the lineups Vogel uses.
There’s more from the Pacific Division today:
- The Suns‘ decision not to reward Deandre Ayton with a maximum-salary rookie-scale extension sends a bad message to other players, Evan Sidery of BasketballNews.com opines. Sidery notes that Ayton did a good job of buying into his role last season, playing a key role in the Suns’ trip to the NBA Finals. In 22 playoff games, the 23-year-old averaged 15.8 points, 11.8 rebounds and 36.4 minutes per contest, shooting 66% from the floor. As we previously relayed, the Suns remain reluctant to offer Ayton a max extension and negotiations are at an impasse.
- Warriors rookie Moses Moody is starting to settle in with the team, Anthony Slater notes for The Athletic. Moody showed flashes of potential against the Lakers on Friday night, playing against veterans such as Dwight Howard and Rajon Rondo. “We’ve seen the last few days — we’ve seen him start to pick up on things,” coach Steve Kerr said. “The first few days were kind of a whirlwind for him, but it’s a testament to his basketball instinct how quickly he’s picking things up.”
- Stephen Curry recently praised Lakers superstar LeBron James, explaining that the four-time MVP has ‘set the standard’ for longevity in the NBA. “Let’s keep it real — what is he, in his 18th year? Nine straight Finals, all the things that he’s accomplished,” Curry said, according to Nick Friedell of ESPN.com. “You have a vision of sustaining your prime for as long as you can, kind of reimagining what that looks like. So you know the work that goes into it, the intentionality, especially in the offseasons, especially how you take care of your body, your mind. Balance on court, off court.” James has played 1,310 regular-season games, logging 50,055 minutes.
Kenneth Faried Signs In Russia
Veteran NBA big man Kenneth Faried has signed a deal in Russia with CSKA Moscow, the team announced today. This marks the third overseas contract for Faried during his career, along with the second one signed in just the past two weeks.
Faried previously agreed to play with Leones de Ponce in Puerto Rico on October 1, but the contract included an out for the EuroLeague, according to Emiliano Carchia of Sportando (Twitter link).
“I am excited to be a part of the NBA team of EuroLeague and such a big organization such as CSKA Moscow,” Faried said, as relayed by EuroHoops. “I am excited to be able to contribute with my presence to help achieve many mutual goals together and I am appreciative for the opportunity to play.”
Faried most recently played with Portland during Summer League in Las Vegas, joining other veterans such as Michael Beasley and Emmanuel Mudiay. He holds eight years of NBA experience, making past stops with Denver, Brooklyn and Houston.
Faried was also drafted No. 22 overall in 2011 after spending four seasons at Morehead State. In 478 NBA games, the 31-year-old holds career averages of 11.4 points, 8.1 rebounds and 24.5 minutes per game.
Western Notes: Jazz, Payton II, Prince, Forrest
Some newcomers on the Jazz made a strong impression during the team’s open practice on Saturday, as relayed by NBA.com. Utah welcomed thousands of fans to partake in a Q&A with head coach Quin Snyder and watch the final part of a team scrimmage via Zoom.
Players such as Hassan Whiteside, Eric Paschall and Jared Butler all played well. Whiteside joined the Jazz on a one-year, minimum deal this summer after spending last season with the Kings. He made the NBA’s All-Defensive Second Team in 2016 and led the league in rebounding in 2017.
“His half roll, his short roll, obviously his floater,” Jazz star Donovan Mitchell said of Whiteside, specifically noting his game on the offensive end as well. “He’s done it against us, he’s done it for his whole career, I think that’s one thing that he brings.”
There’s more out of the Western Conference:
- Warriors guard Gary Payton II has been limited in training camp as he recovers from an offseason hernia issue, Anthony Slater of The Athletic tweets. Slater notes in a separate tweet that Payton will be re-evaluated in one week, which could impact his chances of making the regular-season roster. As of now, veteran Avery Bradley appears most likely to receive the team’s final roster spot, according to Slater.
- Timberwolves forward Taurean Prince is ready to get a fresh start in his first campaign with the team, Chris Hine of The Star Tribune writes. Prince underwent arthroscopic surgery on his ankle last April, and the 27-year-old now has a prime opportunity to compete for playing time in Minnesota’s frontcourt this season.
- Sarah Todd of The Deseret News examines whether guard Trent Forrest could expand his role with the Jazz this year. Forrest, who’s on a two-way contract, appeared in 30 games (10.1 minutes per contest) with the club last season.
Eastern Notes: Watanabe, Boucher, Bassey, Cavaliers, Simmons
The Raptors are expecting more out of 26-year-old forward Yuta Watanabe this fall, Doug Smith of the Toronto Star writes. Watanabe recently competed in the Olympics with Japan, learning to become more aggressive on the offensive end during his time in Tokyo.
“With the international team, I had to be that aggressive every time I touched the ball … so that was a lot different,” he explained. “I understand that my role is not going to be like that with the Raptors, but still … I need to be more aggressive because it makes it a lot easier for my teammates to score. Or I can draw attention, I can pass the ball and they can make shots.
“So definitely, I need to be more aggressive to help my teammates and help my team.”
Watanabe saw his two-way contract converted into a standard deal last April. He’ll be competing for a roster spot during Toronto’s preseason with Freddie Gillespie, Sam Dekker and others this month.
There’s more out of the Eastern Conference tonight:
- Speaking of the Raptors, big man Chris Boucher recently sustained a dislocated finger, the team announced. Boucher will miss the club’s first preseason game against the Sixers on Monday. He’s coming off the best season of his four-year career, averaging 13.6 points and 6.7 rebounds in 24.2 minutes per contest.
- Sixers rookie Charles Bassey won’t travel with the team for its game against Toronto, Gina Mizell of the Philadelphia Inquirer tweets. Bassey signed a contract last week with the organization but still needs to finalize his work visa, Mizell notes.
- The Cavaliers will be interested in acquiring disgruntled Sixers star Ben Simmons for as long as he’s available, Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com tweets. Cleveland could theoretically offload one of Collin Sexton or Darius Garland in any deal, combining that player with Kevin Love‘s contract to match salaries. The club could also try to entice a third team to join any proposal.