Southwest Notes: Cousins, DeRozan, Johnson, McLemore
Rockets center DeMarcus Cousins is excited to be reunited with John Wall this season, a decade after the longtime friends were college teammates at Kentucky, as relayed by Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle.
“Man, that’s incredible,” Cousins said. “That’s something we planned and dreamed about for a long time. I’m pretty sure he’s just as grateful for this moment as I am. I’m super excited. There’s obviously a chemistry between me and him from our college days. Not only were we teammates in college, we’ve known each other since we were 14 years old. He was actually one of the groomsmen in my wedding. That’s my brother for life.
“I believe his game speaks for itself. He’s an incredible talent. That’s a given. The combination of him and James (Harden), that’s tough for any team to match up with.”
Houston acquired Wall, along with a 2023 protected first-round pick, in exchange for Russell Westbrook in a trade with the Wizards last week. The team has reloaded with hopes of contending this season, surrounding Harden with Wall, Cousins, Christian Wood, Eric Gordon, P.J. Tucker and others.
Here are some other notes from the Southwest Division tonight:
- Spurs guard DeMar DeRozan is prepared to buy into the team’s current situation, Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News writes. DeRozan, 31, is set to enter his third season with San Antonio, a team that has a mixture of young players and veterans, after picking up a $27.7MM player option to return to the club last month. “That was one of my main reasons for coming back,” DeRozan said, “The faith and the confidence I had in those young guys and wanting to be a part of what we started in the bubble.”
- Mavericks forward James Johnson has yet to practice due to a strained MCL, coach Rick Carlisle said, as relayed by Callie Caplan of the Dallas Morning News (Twitter link). Johnson is on track to be involved in some activity by Tuesday or Wednesday, Caplan adds.
- Rockets guard Ben McLemore hopes to improve on his best NBA season to date with the team, returning with hopes of establishing himself as a better player in his second campaign, Jonathan Feigen writes in a separate article for the Houston Chronicle. McLemore, 27, averaged 10.1 points in 22.8 minutes per game last season, shooting 44% from the floor and 40% from behind the arc.
Southeast Notes: Dunn, Okeke, Heat, Birch
Hawks guard Kris Dunn is hoping to bring a “dog mentality” with his new team on defense, an area where he’s excelled in his short NBA career, Sarah Spencer of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution writes.
Dunn signed a two-year, $10MM deal to join Atlanta in free agency. The 26-year-old was one of the better perimeter defenders in the league last season, also averaging 7.3 points, 3.4 assists and 25 minutes per contest. He shot a career-best 44% from the floor in those games, but also a career-worst 26% from deep.
“Just bringing the energy, bringing that dog mentality, basically what I did last year with the Bulls, just bring it over here,” Dunn said of what he plans to bring. “I wouldn’t say ‘teach’ but just bring it over and just bring everybody to a whole new level and a whole new standard, and I think we’ve got a couple great defenders already. I think they just need the motivation and someone out there to also help them and push them to be where they can be.”
In addition to Dunn, the Hawks also signed veteran point guard Rajon Rondo in free agency, pairing the duo with new signings Danilo Gallinari and Bogdan Bogdanovic. The team is clearly eyeing a spot in the Eastern Conference playoffs next season after accruing just a 20-47 record last year.
There’s more from the Southeast Division tonight:
- The Magic are eager to see what Chuma Okeke can do this season, but the team is being careful not to put any unnecessary pressure on the 22-year-old, Roy Parry of The Orlando Sentinel writes. Okeke was drafted with the No. 16 pick in 2019 but sat out the entire 2019/20 season to rehab a torn ACL.
- Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald examines how the Heat‘s first practice at American Airlines Arena in nine months went on Sunday. Miami is coming off a run to the NBA Finals, the franchise’s fifth trip in the past decade. The team lost starting forward Jae Crowder in free agency, as well as Derrick Jones Jr. and Solomon Hill, replacing the trio with Precious Achiuwa, Avery Bradley and Maurice Harkless. “I just wanted to use it as a template to really see where guys were, what they were able to retain and how quickly the new players are able to get up to speed with things,” Spoelstra said of the practice.
- Magic center Khem Birch is in the process of developing a corner three-point shot, Josh Cohen of NBA.com writes. “I’ve been working on my game so I can play with Vooch [Nikola Vucevic] this season,” Birch said. “Working on the corner threes, so when he gets the ball in the post he can kick out, and also being more aggressive. When I’m on the court, a lot of teams tend to think I’m not a threat. I feel like playing with Vooch, I have to be more of a threat this season and that’s what I’ve been working on this offseason.”
Heat, Lakers Among Teams Likely To Bypass G League Bubble
Several franchises are expected to bypass the option of competing in the proposed NBA G League bubble, which would likely be located in Atlanta next month, league sources told Hoops Rumors.
The Celtics (Maine Red Claws), Heat (Sioux Falls Skyforce), Lakers (South Bay Lakers), and Pistons (Grand Rapids Drive) are among the teams that have indicated plans of not participating in the bubble, sources said, with discussions ongoing about the final structure of a season. The Athletic first reported that Boston planned on bypassing the bubble.
Among the topics still being discussed are player salaries, committed teams, and a precise calendar for the season. Franchises would have an entry fee of $500K. The newly-introduced G League Ignite team is a major consideration in the league’s push to salvage a season.
Teams would be expected to play a minimum of 12 games during the campaign, which could then be followed by a tournament, sources said. As in past years, a G League draft would be held at a date to be later determined.
Despite some teams gradually beginning to reject the idea, other franchises such as the Sixers (Delaware Blue Coats) and Raptors (Raptors 905) have committed to playing this season, sources said. All in all, optimism remains that a G League bubble will commence, with a minimum of double-digit teams participating and an announcement coming in the near future.
Sixers Sign Justin Robinson
The Sixers have signed guard Justin Robinson, who was acquired by the team’s G League affiliate off waivers last January, the team announced today.
As expected, the deal is an Exhibit 10 contract, Derek Bodner of The Athletic tweets.
Robinson appeared in 33 G League games with Delaware and Capital City last season, averaging 14.2 points, 6.2 assists and 31.2 minutes per game. He also played nine brief games with the Wizards, scoring a total of 13 points in 49 minutes.
Robinson, 23, went unselected in the 2019 NBA Draft after spending four seasons at Virginia Tech. He quickly agreed to a deal with Washington, joining the team for summer league and sticking with the franchise until he was waived in January.
The Sixers are now carrying 20 players for training camp. The team has yet to formally announce its trade with the Thunder involving Al Horford, which will reportedly bring back Danny Green and Terrance Ferguson in return.
Kings Sign Glenn Robinson III
DECEMBER 2: The signing is official, tweets Sean Cunningham of KXTV in Sacramento.
NOVEMBER 29: The Kings have reached an agreement with free agent forward Glenn Robinson III, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link). Robinson is signing a one-year, minimum-salary contract with a partial guarantee, reports Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee (Twitter link).
Robinson had attracted interest from a number of clubs before agreeing to terms with Sacramento, holding past experience with the Wolves, Sixers, Pacers, Pistons and Warriors in his career.
He averaged 11.7 points, 4.4 rebounds and 28.8 minutes with Golden State and Philadelphia last season, appearing in 38 games with the Warriors before being dealt to the Sixers. The 26-year-old was drafted with the No. 40 overall pick back in 2014.
The Kings have had a busy offseason to date, signing De’Aaron Fox to a five-year extension and declining to match Bogdan Bogdanovic‘s offer sheet with the Hawks. The team also signed free agent big men Hassan Whiteside and Frank Kaminsky.
And-Ones: Season, Coronavirus, Extensions, G League
The NBA released a 139-page memo to its 30 teams outlining the COVID-19 regulations for the 2020-21 season, listing important rules to follow and explaining the procedure to follow when someone tests positive for the virus, Shams Charania and Sam Amick write for The Athletic.
The league acknowledged it will receive positive tests among its players this season, something that didn’t happen in the controlled Orlando campus last fall.
“It is likely that some staff, players, and other participants in the 2020/21 season nonetheless will test positive or contract COVID-19, particularly as the virus remains prevalent in particular team markets and surrounding communities,” the memo read, according to The Athletic. “The occurrence of independent cases (i.e., cases not spread among players or team staff) or a small or otherwise expected number of COVID-19 cases will not require a decision to suspend or cancel the 2020/21 season.”
The memo described the procedure for a positive test in length, specifying that the individual would miss a minimum of 12 days. It also outlawed miscellaneous activities for team traveling parties, including using hotel amenities such as spas or gift shops.
Here are some other odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- The Celtics and Jazz would’ve benefited from declining to give Jayson Tatum and Donovan Mitchell fifth-year player options, John Hollinger of The Athletic writes. Hollinger believes the clubs had leverage to push for straight five-year deals with no options, given that they were willing to include favorable Rose Rule language and 15% trade kickers.
- NBA G League writer Adam Johnson provided further clarity (via Twitter) on the G League’s potential bubble idea this season, adding that the idea of a January campus in Atlanta (similar to Orlando) is being discussed. A minimum of 12 games would be played, with daily testing and quarantine periods required for each of the participants. Teams would likely have a $500K entry fee in the proposed idea, with the league hopeful of adding more games over time, Johnson tweets.
Southwest Notes: Doncic, Pelicans, Lewis Jr., Mavericks
Mavericks owner Mark Cuban recently compared Luka Doncic‘s style of play and charisma to that of one the most entertaining and successful point guards in league history — Magic Johnson.
Doncic, 21, is coming off a breakout season that saw him average 28.8 points, 9.4 rebounds and 8.8 assists on 46% shooting. He also led his team to the seventh-best record in the West at 43-32, losing to the Clippers 4-2 in the first round of the playoffs.
“He [Doncic] can pass the ball, see from the top, get where he wants from the court. Knows how to pass to guys on time and on target,” Cuban said in an appearance on the Danger Show (as relayed by Dan Cancian of Newsweek.com).
“Clutch player in crunch time. [He] will take on responsibility against anybody, anytime. Great teammate. Fun Kid. Magic will light things up with a smile, Luka’s the same way for the Mavs. He’s got that charisma that Magic has.”
Here are some other notes from the Southwest Division tonight:
- William Guillory of The Athletic explores how much spacing could be a concern for the Pelicans this year. New Orleans has transformed its roster ahead of the 2020/21 season, hiring head coach Stan Van Gundy and his staff, inking Brandon Ingram to a multi-year extension and acquiring Steven Adams to bolster the frontcourt. The team possesses the talent needed to reach the playoffs next season, though it remains unclear whether it has enough shooting to be a legitimate contender.
- Pelicans rookie Kira Lewis Jr. is a student of the game at just 19 years old, Christian Clark of Nola.com writes. Lewis was drafted by the team with the No. 13 pick this month, having spent the past two seasons at Alabama. “He’s a student of the game,” former AAU coach Cory Underwood said. “That’s why he’s going to find a way to succeed in the NBA somehow, someway. He’s been doing things like that since he was young. A lot of guys now, you’ll find NBA guys. The Anthony Edwards thing was a big thing. He said he doesn’t watch basketball. A lot of kids don’t watch basketball. Kira Lewis watches basketball.”
- Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News examines the five biggest issues the Mavericks will face entering training camp, beginning with a pair of questions related to Kristaps Porzingis. The team still doesn’t have a concrete timetable for Porzingis’ return from injury, with team president Donnie Nelson recently giving an early-January target range for the 25-year-old. The club must also determine whether he’ll primarily play power forward or center this season.
Western Notes: Clippers, Lakers, Cook, Thunder, Nuggets
The Clippers would’ve benefited more from adding a new floor general this offseason instead of a new coach, LZ Granderson of the Los Angeles Times writes.
While multiple veteran guards remain unrestricted free agents, Los Angeles has yet to upgrade the position with training camps set to begin this week. The team promoted Tyronn Lue last month after firing longtime coach Doc Rivers, who first joined the franchise in 2013.
The Clippers lost a grueling seven-game series to the Nuggets in the playoffs last fall, failing to make the Western Conference Finals despite having two All-Stars and an impressive supporting cast. The team’s biggest free-agent acquisition was Serge Ibaka; L.A. also reached a deal with Nicolas Batum on Sunday.
There’s more from the Western Conference tonight:
- The Lakers ultimately decided against stretching Quinn Cook‘s salary, according to Keith Smith of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link). Los Angeles will take a cap hit of $1MM for 2020/21 as a result of waiving the 27-year-old, who remains a free agent after playing just 44 games with the team last season.
- Joe Mussatto of The Oklahoman lists five questions for the Thunder ahead of training camp and the 2020-21 season, with the team recently completing a full rebuild after clinching a playoff berth in Orlando. Chris Paul (Suns), Danilo Gallinari (Hawks), Dennis Schroder (Lakers) and Steven Adams (Pelicans) all departed the franchise this month, with Gallinari being the only player to leave as a free agent.
- Mike Singer of the Denver Post also examines a list of questions related to the Nuggets, a team with its sights set on contending this season. The franchise lost Jerami Grant, Mason Plumlee and Torrey Craig from last season, signing veteran JaMychal Green and bringing back Paul Millsap for frontcourt depth. The team also converted the two-way contract of Bol Bol and signed forward Greg Whittington to a two-way deal.
Southeast Notes: Heat, Beal, Wizards, Magic, Hayward
If Giannis Antetokounmpo opts to sign a five-year, $228MM super-max contract extension with the Bucks over these next few weeks, Wizards All-Star Bradley Beal will likely become the No. 1 target for the Heat, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald writes.
Miami has diligently preserved cap space for the summer of 2021, when superstars such as Antetokoumnpo could reach free agency and ultimately meet with the team. The Heat did choose to sign centerpiece Bam Adebayo to a five-year extension and limit their cap space last week, with Adebayo and Antetokounmpo sharing the same agent.
Beal, 27, averaged a career-high 30.5 points per game this past season, shooting 46% from the floor and 35% from downtown. The Heat have several trade assets that could be used in a deal, including Tyler Herro, Kendrick Nunn and Kelly Olynyk. Antetokounmpo has yet to make a decision thus far.
There’s more from the Southeast Division tonight:
- Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington lists five questions for the Wizards entering training camp this week. John Wall reportedly requested a trade earlier this month, with general manager Tommy Sheppard recently downplaying the report and insisting their relationship remains intact. Besides Wall, the team must also decide who to start at small forward next season, with Rui Hachimura, Deni Avdija and Troy Brown Jr. being the most likely candidates.
- Josh Robbins of The Athletic examines whether the Magic tend to overvalue their own players. Orlando finished with the eight-best record in the Eastern Conference at 33-40 last season, losing point guard D.J. Augustin to Milwaukee in free agency. The team retained Evan Fournier after he exercised his $17.15MM player option, however, with the 28-year-old averaging a career-high 18.5 points per game last season.
- Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer explores the implications from the Hornets agreeing to a four-year, $120MM deal with Gordon Hayward, breaking it down from a cap and roster perspective. Charlotte officially acquired the former NBA All-Star in a sign-and-trade with the Celtics on Sunday.
Heat Re-Sign Udonis Haslem
NOVEMBER 28: The new contract is official, the Heat announced on Twitter.
“It’s great to have UD back,” team president Pat Riley said. “His role is so critical for our team. Besides being able to still play, UD keeps everyone together in the locker room and on the road, teaching and mentoring.” (Twitter link from Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald)
NOVEMBER 20: The Heat have agreed to a new deal with veteran big man Udonis Haslem, Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press tweets. Haslem will officially return for an 18th consecutive season with the team.
Haslem, 40, committed to re-signing with the Heat earlier this month, bypassing potential retirement. He’s won three championships during his time with Miami (2005-06, 2011-12 and 2012-13), transitioning into a veteran role with the club this the past decade.
Several Heat players have raved about Haslem’s impact in the locker room as the team’s captain, particularly during the club’s impressive postseason run in Orlando. Miami was expected to explore its options and keep Haslem around in some capacity — even if he did choose to retire. On the court, he’s only appeared in 44 regular-season games since the 2016-17 campaign.
In addition to Haslem, the Heat also managed to strike deals with free agents Goran Dragic and Meyers Leonard early in free agency. The team still has Jae Crowder, Derrick Jones Jr. and Solomon Hill on the open market, with Crowder starting in the playoffs and the latter two seeing inconsistent time.