NBA G League Assignments/Recalls: 12/8/19
Here are Sunday’s assignments and recalls from around the NBA G League:
- The Hornets have recalled Cody Martin, Caleb Martin, and Jalen McDaniels from the Greensboro Swarm, the team announced today in a press release. Charlotte made these moves in advance of its home game against Atlanta.
- The Nuggets have recalled forward Vlatko Cancar, the team announced on social media today. Cancar, 22, was drafted by the team No. 49 overall in 2017 and signed his rookie contract back in August.
Atlantic Notes: Irving, Silver, Knicks, Brown, Shumpert
Nets coach Kenny Atkinson is hopeful that Kyrie Irving could return to practice within the next week or so, according to Brian Lewis of the New York Post. Irving has missed the past 12 games due to a shoulder impingement.
Over the course of those games, Brooklyn has accrued a 9-3 record, including a 105-102 home victory against the Nuggets on Sunday.
“I think the plan is to continue to ramp up his individual on-court work, and I think from there it’s starting to integrate him in the next week or two into team practices,” Atkinson said, as relayed by Lewis. “Like I always say, that could be a planned practice or us making one up if the game schedule so dictates.”
The Nets have struggled through clear growing pains with Irving this season, owning a 4-7 record when he’s active. Brooklyn is expected to sport a formidable roster when fully healthy, pushing a core that includes Irving, Spencer Dinwiddie, Jarrett Allen, DeAndre Jordan and others, which will only improve with Kevin Durant‘s return next season.
Brooklyn has upcoming games scheduled against Charlotte on Wednesday, Toronto on Saturday and Philadelphia on Sunday. Through a small sample size of 11 games this season, Irving has averaged 28.5 points and 7.2 assists per contest — both of which would be career-high marks if they hold.
Here’s more from around the division:
- NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has no plans of getting involved in the Knicks‘ ongoing internal chaos, a process that’s been stretched over several years, according to Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News. “I wouldn’t. It’s not my role,” Silver said. “Of course, I work for 30 teams. And the 29 other teams want to beat that team. That’s not to say me getting involved (would be good) and that I’m in any better position to know what to do. We set the rules. And then we try to have a level playing field for the teams to compete.”
- Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports Boston examines how Jaylen Brown has won over Celtics fans in the early stages of the season. Brown has put forth his best campaign to date, holding per-game averages of 20.0 points, 6.9 rebounds and 1.2 steals while helping the Celtics obtain a 16-5 record. “When [Brown] has it going, he definitely gives us a lot more options,” teammate Kemba Walker said. “He’s been playing well all year. I’m excited for him. He’s put in a lot of work each and every day, and it’s showing on the court.”
- Iman Shumpert‘s impressive play is leaving the Nets with a difficult roster decision to make, Brian Lewis of the New York Post writes. Brooklyn has to waive or trade a player by next Sunday to clear a roster spot, with Wilson Chandler‘s 25-game suspension set to expire that day. “He’s been a sparkplug,” coach Kenny Atkinson said of Shumpert. “He’s really what we ask for: We ask for a perimeter defender, a guy that can really guard multiple positions. And then he’s got a great spirit in the locker room.”
Northwest Notes: Donovan, Wiggins, Jazz, Nuggets
The NBA implemented a new coach’s challenge for the 2019/20 season, giving head coaches an opportunity to challenge one questionable call per game that requires officials to pause the contest and review a designated play.
The challenge has mostly received poor feedback from the league’s head coaches, who cite that it bogs down what’s already become a slower last few minutes of the game. Among the coaches who believe the challenge should be changed, despite several contesting it should be removed altogether, is Thunder coach Billy Donovan.
“The thing with the challenge, which to me would be a little bit better, would be if you challenge and you’re successful, you keep your challenge,” Donovan said, as relayed by Maddie Lee of The Oklahoman. “Because what ends up happening is you don’t know when to use it. There’s no time to use it because you can look back the next day and go through every play and say, ‘Okay that should have been a time that I used the challenge. But I used it over here.’ You can’t tell.”
Roughly half of the coach’s challenges have come in the fourth quarter to date, showing teams’ tendencies to hold onto the challenge for when they need it most. Donovan’s idea likely won’t sit well with the portion of NBA viewers who wish the game was sped up in the final minutes.
Here are some other notes from the Northwest Division tonight:
- Timberwolves guard Andrew Wiggins remains committed to staying aggressive and attacking the basket this season, Chris Hine of the Star Tribune writes. Wiggins has averaged a career-best 24.9 points on 45% shooting through 17 games. He’s seen his numbers slightly regress in the past couple of weeks, but that won’t deter the 24-year-old from continuing to do what he does best. “I feel like that’s how it goes,” Wiggins said. “I just haven’t been hitting. It’s not just shots. It’s layups. It’s stuff around the rim. I’m right there to drop it in, and they’re just going in and out. I’m just going to keep doing the same thing and I know it’s going to drop.”
- Eric Walden of The Salt Lake Tribune examines the easier December schedule for the Jazz, pondering whether the franchise will be able to take advantage of their upcoming games. Utah is just 13-10 through 23 games, good for the sixth-best record in the Western Conference.
- The Nuggets’ success in recent seasons has hinged on players’ ability to sacrifice, Sean Keeler of the Denver Post writes. Denver has a roster loaded with offensive talent, making it imperative that everyone shares the ball and remains patient when it comes to scoring. “It’s definitely unique,” said Jerami Grant, who’s in his first season with the team. “We’ve definitely got a deep team. We’ve got a lot of players that would play a lot more minutes with other teams. But I think everybody who’s come here is willing to sacrifice to be one of the best teams in the league.”
Atlantic Notes: McConnell, Hayward, Nets, Embiid
Former Sixers guard T.J. McConnell returned to Philadelphia when the Pacers took on the team Saturday night, marking his first time playing in Wells Fargo Center since changing teams in free agency this past summer.
“It’s good being back, seeing all of the faces and all of the people you build a relationship with,” McConnell said, according to Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer. “It’s a lot of great people here, and I miss them.”
McConnell, 27, joined the Pacers on a two-year deal last summer after spending four seasons with the Sixers. He quickly earned the respect of his coaches and fans during his stint with Philadelphia, appearing in at least 75 games in each of his four campaigns.
“Starting here, winning 10 games,” he said of the team going 10-72 his rookie season. “Then, at the end of my tenure here, you are one shot away from going to the Eastern Conference Finals. That’s a pretty incredible journey that we went on.”
McConnell has provided consistency and professionalism for the Pacers during the 2019/20 season, averaging seven points, 4.7 assists and 17.4 minutes in 17 games thus far.
There’s more out of the Atlantic Division today:
- Celtics forward Gordon Hayward will have another meeting with his doctor on Monday to determine the next steps in his recovery process, according to A. Sherrod Blakely of NBC Sports Boston (Twitter link). Hayward has missed the past three weeks due to a fractured hand, with his meeting on Monday set to take place over FaceTime, coach Brad Stevens said.
- Sopan Deb of the New York Times examines how the Nets keep winning without three of their best players, detailing the strong teamwork, camaraderie and togetherness the group has shown in the wake of adversity. Brooklyn is currently without Kevin Durant (Achilles), Kyrie Irving (shoulder) and Caris LeVert (thumb).
- Sixers center Joel Embiid was fueled by his first-ever scoreless game against the Raptors last week, Erin McCarthy of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes. Embiid finished that game with zero points on 0-for-11 shooting, but bounced back in the contests that followed. He scored 33 points on Wednesday, 27 points on Friday and 32 points on Saturday.
Kyrie Irving Resumes On-Court Exercises, Still No Contact
Nets guard Kyrie Irving has started to do some on-court exercises as he continues to rehab from a right shoulder impingement, head coach Kenny Atkinson said, as relayed by Colin Martin of SNY.
Irving has missed the past eight games and will sit when the team hosts Miami on Sunday, with the Nets accruing a 6-2 record over that stretch.
“First thing about Kyrie, he started on-court work, which is a real positive sign for us,” Atkinson said. “He will be out for Miami. And then we’ll see how it progresses. The fact that he started the on-court work is good news for us. Out for Miami and then we’ll see going forward.”
Irving, who signed a four-year, $141MM contract to join the Nets in free agency, has averaged 28.5 points and 7.2 assists through 11 games this season. Brooklyn guard Spencer Dinwiddie has helped carry the load in his absence, keeping the team afloat with a 10-9 record.
Despite resuming some on-court work, Irving hasn’t been cleared to begin any work that involves contact, according to ESPN’s Malika Andrews (Twitter link).
The Nets are playing without Irving, Kevin Durant (torn Achilles’ rehab), Caris LeVert (thumb) and Wilson Chandler (suspension). The team has sported a starting group of Dinwiddie, Garrett Temple, Joe Harris, Taurean Prince and Jarrett Allen in Irving’s absence.
Dion Waiters’ 10-Game Suspension Ends
The 10-game suspension for Heat guard Dion Waiters has officially come to an end, with the final game of his punishment coming on Friday in a 122-105 home win against the Warriors.
Waiters, who’s in his fourth season with the Heat organization, was suspended by the team earlier this month after consuming an edible laced with THC and suffering a panic attack on a team flight, according to an report from ESPN.com.
Heat president Pat Riley never confirmed the specifics of the reported situation, with this being Waiters’ second suspension of the young season (he also received a one-game suspension in October after getting into a verbal exchange with coach Erik Spoelstra).
“His conditioning is at least at a level where we can work with him and get him to the next step,” Spoelstra said of Waiters, as relayed by Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel (Twitter links). “And we just want to put this all behind us, get him with the team and move on from here.
“We’ve had enough time around each other, we understand that a lot of things happen over the course of an NBA season. What we discussed in the sanctuary of our locker room, I just want to keep between us. But we want to move on from this.”
Waiters, 27, originally signed a deal with Miami in July of 2016. He quickly impressed the franchise with averages of 15.8 points and 3.8 assists per game, leading him to sign a four-year, $52MM contract in the summer of 2017.
Various injuries have kept the Syracuse product from playing more than 50 games in his three seasons with the organization. He has yet to appear in a contest with the team during the 2019/20 campaign.
“I would like to apologize to my teammates, coaches, basketball staff, the fans and the entire organization for the incident that happened on the team plane,” Waiters said in a statement released Saturday. “I was wrong and take responsibility for what happened and am sorry for what it put everyone through. I am happy to be back with my teammates and am looking forward to getting back on the court playing basketball.”
The Heat have upcoming road games against Brooklyn on Sunday, Toronto on Tuesday and Boston on Wednesday, followed by a four-game homestand that takes the team into mid-December. Waiters is under contract for this season ($12.1MM) and next season ($12.65MM), with the veteran guard set to reach free agency in the summer of 2021.
Miami has opened the 2019/20 season with a red-hot 13-5 start. The Heat have been led by a combination of young talent, veteran play and strong camaraderie, leading some to wonder how Spoelstra can incorporate Waiters into a crowded rotation that already consists of established guards such as Justise Winslow, Goran Dragic, Kendrick Nunn and Tyler Herro.
Western Notes: Crowder, Lakers, Holiday, Bates-Diop
Former Jazz forward Jae Crowder took time this week to discuss his time with the team, detailing the close friendships he made and the impact head coach Quin Snyder had on him.
Crowder, who was acquired by the Grizzlies last July, also discussed Memphis’ slow start to the 2019/20 season in an interview with Aaron Falk of Jazz.com.
“We’ve come out on the losing end, so obviously we’re not where we want to be but we’re figuring it out,” Crowder said. “We’re competing at a high level and trying to do what it takes to win games. At this level, with a young team, it’s just hard to win games. We’re learning from our losses and wins and trying to build every day.”
The Jazz traded for Crowder in February of 2018, giving the 29-year-old roughly one-and-a-half seasons with the franchise. He averaged 11.9 points in 80 games for the team last season, quickly gaining respect from the fans and confidence from the coaching staff.
“He just gave me a mindset that added on to fueling my fire,” Crowder said of Snyder. “To always compete at a high level and always embrace wherever you’re at in life. He gave me a role on that team and I’m appreciative of him. I’ve told him that personally. I appreciate him believing in me, believing in my effort and coaching me the way that he coached me.”
There’s more from the Western Conference today:
- The Lakers tied a team record on Friday for the best start in franchise history, extending their current record to 17-2. The team recorded their 10th straight win with a victory over Washington, led by the likes of Anthony Davis (26 points, 13 rebounds) and LeBron James (23 points, 11 assists). “Obviously, this is a historic franchise; they have done so many great things,” Davis said, as relayed by Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN.com. “To be a part of a franchise like this is definitely amazing. I just want to leave my mark here and just keep it going. Obviously, our goal is to add another banner here. It’s something we feel like we can do, and if we do that, to be a part of that would be nothing but great.”
- Andre Iguodala, one of the league’s all-time great defenders, has tabbed Pelicans guard Jrue Holiday as the best defensive player in the NBA today. “Best defender in the league… @Jrue_Holiday11”, Iguodala wrote on social media. Holiday is consistently mentioned as one of the toughest defenders in the NBA, with the 29-year-old making the All-Defensive Second Team in 2019 and All-Defensive First Team in 2018.
- Timberwolves forward Keita Bates-Diop is slowly but surely forcing his way into the team’s rotation, Chris Hine writes for the Star Tribune. Bates-Diop, 23, was drafted 48th overall in 2018 by the Wolves after spending four seasons at Ohio State. He’s averaged 8.9 points in seven games (17.9 MPG) this season.
Pacific Notes: Davis, Looney, Suns
Lakers All-Star Anthony Davis will return to New Orleans on Wednesday in a nationally-televised game, marking his first time playing in the city since being traded to the team in June.
Davis, who spent the first seven seasons of his career with the franchise, understands that he’ll likely receive a chorus of boos upon his return. His trade request last season hit the organization like a ton of bricks, catching an already-upset fanbase by surprise.
Davis admitted on Saturday it’s been challenging not to think about the team’s upcoming game and the personal importance it holds.
“It’s hard not to think about,” Davis said. “You’re just waiting for it to happen. It’s going to be different, obviously. Going through a different entrance, being in a different locker room, all those types of things. We’ll get to it man, when it’s time to play them.
“It’s definitely something that’s kind of in the back of my mind, but I’m trying to keep everything else in front of me. Right now it’s San Antonio (on Monday). So we’ll get there, get out of San Antonio and head back there (to New Orleans). It’ll feel weird staying at a hotel, taking buses to the arena and stuff like that. It’s going to be different, but my job is just to go in there and play and just get the win.”
Through 15 games with the Lakers, Davis has averaged 25.5 points, 8.8 rebounds and three blocks per contest on 48% shooting from the floor and 36% from deep. He received overwhelming boos from fans in his first home game after requesting a trade last season, and he expects much of the same on Wednesday.
“I got a little bit of it after the trade (request), that first game against Minnesota,” Davis said. “It felt like I was on the other side. I got a little taste of it, but I know it’s going to be even worse (this time around). I don’t really know what to prepare for, but I’m happy with the win.”
There’s more from the Pacific Division tonight:
- Warriors big man Kevon Looney revealed he’s been dealing with a nerve injury for the past two-to-three years, according to Nick Friedell of ESPN (Twitter link). Looney, who’s missed the past 16 games with the injury, expects to return this coming week. He’s served as a key cog in Golden State’s rotation during his career, averaging 6.3 points, 5.2 rebounds and 18.5 minutes in 80 games last season.
- The Suns have revealed plans for a makeover of Talking Stick Resort Arena, Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic writes. The arena is set to undergo a renovation worth $230MM, with 60% of the upgrades scheduled to be finished by the start of next season. “I think the community is going to be really happy about what we’ve done,” Suns managing partner Robert Sarver said. “I know the city is happy about it. We’re happy about it. They get a chance to see the design pictures. They get a chance to see what it’s going to looks like. It brings a lot of excitement.”
NBA G League Assignments/Recalls: 11/24/19
Here are Sunday’s assignments and recalls from around the NBA:
- The Hornets have assigned Caleb Martin, Cody Martin and Jalen McDaniels to the Greensboro Swarm, G League affiliate of the team, general manager Mitch Kupchak announced. It marks Caleb Martin’s fourth assignment, Cody Martin’s second assignment and McDaniels’ third assignment to the G League this season.
- The Pacers have assigned forward Alize Johnson to their G League team in Fort Wayne, announcing the news in a press release. Johnson has averaged 2.6 points and 2.4 rebounds in five games with the Pacers this season.
- The Wizards have recalled forward Admiral Schofield and guard Justin Robinson from the Capital City Go-Go, announcing the news on social media. Washington holds a 5-9 record through the campaign’s first 14 games.
- The Hawks assigned Bruno Fernando and Tyrone Wallace to the College Park Skyhawks, their public relations department tweets. Fernando has appeared in 16 games with Atlanta this season, while Wallace has appeared in 11 games.
- The Sixers have recalled Jonah Bolden and Zhaire Smith from the Delaware Blue Coats, according to Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter link). The duo will join the team in Toronto for their game on Monday, and Pompey notes the plan is for both players to work with the team in the coming days.
- The Spurs assigned Chimezie Metu and Keldon Johnson to the Austin Spurs, the team announced on Twitter. Both players started in Austin’s game against Salt Lake City on Sunday.
- The Thunder announced that they have recalled center Justin Patton from their G League affiliate. Patton has averaged 9.5 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.3 blocks in six games with the Oklahoma City Blue this season.
Southeast Notes: Spoelstra, Magic, Thomas, McRae
The NBA implemented a new coach’s challenge for the 2019/20 season, an addition that’s received mixed reviews among the league’s players, coaches and fans just one month into the campaign.
The feature is simple: To initiate the one-time, challenge, a head coach must call timeout and pursue review of a foul, out-of-bounds, goaltending or offensive interference call. While reviewing the play, the referees must see clear and conclusive visual evidence in order to overturn the ruling.
However, not all of the league’s 30 head coaches enjoy the new addition to the game.
“I don’t like it,” longtime Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said of the challenge, according to Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel. “I’m an NBA basketball coach. I’m not an official, and I’m not trying to be an official.
“There are too many things to focus on. It doesn’t work like the NFL one. And I’m not bashing it to say I won’t be a part of it. We’ve challenged and won one. I’ll use it, but it’s distracting.”
Despite giving teams the option to challenge a potentially incorrect call, the addition of the coach’s challenge presents one clear problem: Slowing down a game that’s already been slowed enough by officiating in recent seasons, particularly toward the end of contests.
“I don’t know how that helps the flow,” Spoelstra said. “To me, it hurts the flow. It’s just another thing to focus on that’s distracting that has nothing to do with the game.
“For example, we had a game in Miami the other night and there was a bang-bang play, and it could have been called or not. I didn’t have a timeout to burn in that instance; I didn’t want to, like, gamble. And I see two fans going like this [motioning with a twirling finger]. That’s where we’re going? It’s like, I don’t know.”
There’s more out of the Southeast Division tonight:
- Josh Robbins of The Athletic provides injury updates on Magic players Aaron Gordon, Nikola Vucevic and Michael Carter-Williams. Gordon has a combination of a right ankle contusion and right ankle sprain, Robbins notes, though his injury is improving and he’s receiving around-the-clock treatment. Vucevic is also rehabbing from an ankle injury, though the 29-year-old is no longer in a walking boot. Carter-Williams did some stationary bike work on Saturday to continue rehab on a left hip injury.
- Wizards guard Isaiah Thomas is confident that he’ll return to his old All-Star form, as relayed by Kevin Brown of NBC Sports Washington. “A lot of people have counted me out, especially the last couple of years,” Thomas said. “But I know what I’ve been through, I know what my body’s been through. I know how good I feel I know I’m ready and I know given the opportunity, I can play at an All-Star level again. And that’s what I’m gonna showcase…I promise you I’m gonna be an All-Star, I’m gonna be an All-NBA basketball player again.”
- Jordan McRae is finally having his special moment with the Wizards, Fred Katz of The Athletic details. McRae missed the entire 2017/18 season due to a shoulder injury and is coming off an up-and-down campaign with Washington, but he’s starting to solidify his role on the team this year. “There’s not a better feeling in the world — unless you sign a max contract. That might be a little bit better,” head coach Scott Brooks said. “It’s a great opportunity for Jordan. … But he still can’t relax. They always say the easiest thing is to make it. The hardest thing is to keep it. And he’s doing everything we ask. It’s good to have him back.”