Gerald Green To Undergo Foot Surgery
As initially feared, Rockets swingman Gerald Green is set to undergo surgery on his broken left foot this week, according to Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle.
Green met with several specialists to evaluate his options before opting for the surgery, which is scheduled for Monday, Feigen writes. He suffered the injury during the Rockets’ second preseason game in Tokyo earlier this month.
The surgery could hold different implications on Green’s timetable for a return. There’s a strong possibility he’ll miss the rest of the season, though a specific timetable won’t be determined until the surgery concludes.
Green, a 12-year NBA veteran, has made prior stops with Boston, Minnesota, Houston, Dallas, New Jersey, Indiana, Phoenix and Miami during his professional career. He was a key cog off the Rockets’ bench last season, holding per-game averages of 9.2 points and 2.5 rebounds in 73 contests.
Western Notes: Russell, Wiggins, Gasol, Mann
New Warriors guard D’Angelo Russell is soaking up as much knowledge as possible from Stephen Curry, with the duo expected to form one of the league’s most elite backcourts this season as Klay Thompson continues to rehab from a torn ACL, Mark Medina of USA Today writes.
“I’m doing a lot of spectating,” Russell said, according to Medina. “I’m just seeing what I can learn from him from a distance. Then, I can come up with the correct questions and the correct demeanor on what I’m trying to learn versus nagging him about stuff.”
Russell, an NBA All-Star last season in his own right, has continued to expand his game and improve since being drafted second overall by the Lakers in 2015.
Russell was acquired by the Warriors in a sign-and-trade involving Kevin Durant this offseason, coming off a campaign in which he averaged 21.1 points, seven assists and 1.2 steals in 81 games. That campaign would land him a four-year deal in excess of $117MM.
“He’s always asking the right questions. He’s eager to learn and grow,” Curry said. “It’s nice to see a guy get paid in the summer and is still hungry to get better.”
Here are some other notes from the Western Conference tonight:
- A happier version of Andrew Wiggins could lead to a different player for the Timberwolves this season, Chris Hine of the Star Tribune writes. “I would say I’m enjoying it more than I did last year,” Wiggins said. “Last year it was kind of on the rough side. But the joy has always been there. I’ve never been on the court not wanting to play.”
- Blazers center Pau Gasol (left foot rehab) won’t be ready to play in the team’s season opener, according to Joe Freeman of The Oregonian (Twitter link). Portland will kick off the season by hosting Denver on Wednesday night.
- Clippers rookie Terance Mann has continued to evolve as a point guard, Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times writes. “It’s like a dream come true to learn from a guy like him [Doc Rivers], helping me with this point guard position,” Mann said. “So it’s a lot of fun.”
Central Notes: Oladipo, Bledsoe, Brogdon, Bulls
Pacers star Victor Oladipo scrimmaged with teammates Saturday for the first time since suffering a ruptured quad tendon in his right knee last season, Scott Agness of The Athletic writes.
“I felt good,” Oladipo said, according to Agness. “I ain’t played in nine, nine and a half months, so it felt pretty good. It felt good just being out there and making a pass, shooting a jumper, shooting a floater, layup, something. It feels like I never left at all, honestly, but I’m just taking my time.”
Oladipo, a two-time All-Star, appeared in just 36 games with Indiana last season due to the injury. He was coming off a 2017/18 campaign that saw him average a career-high 23.1 points in 75 games, holding shooting marks of 48% from the floor, 37% from deep and 80% from the charity stripe.
“You can’t really simulate playing,” Oladipo said about finally scrimmaging. “No matter how hard you try, no matter if you imagine it, dream about it, you got to go out there and actually do it — and then your body will adapt. My wind is actually really good. Probably the hardest part is not doing too much. Everything else will come. I’ve been out for nine months, so you’re not going to see any ounce of frustration on my face. S–t, I’m just happy I can play again.”
The Pacers will need a healthy Oladipo to maximize their chances of competing for a playoff berth this season, adding the likes of Malcolm Brogdon, Jeremy Lamb and T.J. McConnell in free agency to a core that already includes Oladipo, Myles Turner, T.J. Warren and others.
Oladipo plans to travel with the team for most road games, according to Agness, though it’s unclear when he’ll make his official return to the court. Indiana opens its season with a home game against Detroit on Wednesday, followed by a three-game road trip against Cleveland, Detroit and Brooklyn.
There’s more from the Central Division tonight:
- Bucks guard Eric Bledsoe (hip) will be re-evaluated this week, Eric Woodyard of ESPN tweets. Bledsoe went through a significant portion of practice for the second time on Saturday, with head coach Mike Budenholzer hopeful that he’ll be available for the season opener against Houston on Thursday.
- Despite agreeing to a lucrative four-year, $85 million contract with the Pacers in free agency, Malcolm Brogdon will have a new level of pressure in Indiana this season, J. Michael of the Indianapolis Star writes. Brogdon is expected to start at point guard for the franchise, coming off a rare 50-40-90 shooting campaign with Milwaukee.
- The Bulls will sign a two-way player in the coming days, but the team’s regular roster is set for now, according to K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports. Chicago announced its decision to waive Simisola Shittu, Justin Simon and Milton Doyle on Saturday.
Southeast Notes: Fultz, Thomas, Waiters, Borrego
Magic guard Markelle Fultz is regaining confidence in his game as the start of the 2019/20 season nears, Roy Parry of the Orlando Sentinel writes.
Fultz, who’s entering his third NBA campaign, has only appeared in 33 regular season games since being drafted No. 1 overall in 2017 due to a well-documented shoulder injury. He was acquired by Orlando in exchange for Jonathon Simmons, a first-round pick and a second-round pick this past February.
“Every day I go back out there I get more and more comfortable. I get used to being back out there,” Fultz said. “It’s been so long for me that I’m just happy to be out there and I’m just trying to learn and play as hard as I can.”
Fultz failed to live up to the high expectations with Philadelphia, but at just 21 years old and finally healthy, he could help propel Orlando in the race for the Eastern Conference playoffs this season.
In six preseason games with Orlando, Fultz averaged 6.7 points, four assists and 1.8 steals per contest off the bench. Despite his exact role being immediately unclear, both Fultz and the Magic recognize that he’s headed in the right direction.
“I mean, we’ll see,” coach Steve Clifford said of Fultz’ role in the rotation. “Markelle needs to do, in my opinion, what Markelle has done since he got here: have good days. Have a good day tomorrow. That’s what the best players do. That’s what the best teams do: is have good days, [and] put good stretches of days together. Be better Friday than he is Tuesday. I think that in my experiences that’s what the best players do, [and] that’s what the best teams do.”
There’s more from the Southeast Division tonight:
- Wizards guard Isaiah Thomas participated in a full practice Saturday and hopes to play in Wednesday’s season opener against Dallas, according to Fred Katz of The Athletic (Twitter link). However, head coach Scott Brooks isn’t ready to commit on a potential Thomas return just yet. “I’d love to have him for the first game,” Brooks said on whether Thomas would play. “We’ll see. Probably not, but we’ll see.”
- Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel provides additional details on Dion Waiters‘ suspension, including his decision to make some rather questionable posts on social media in wake of the announcement. The suspension stems from a heated conversation between Waiters and head coach Erik Spoelstra after Waiters played only 10 minutes in the Heat‘s final preseason game on Friday.
- Hornets coach James Borrego is taking a different approach entering his second season with the team, asserting his authority more while ensuring that he remains a good listener and keeps a positive attitude, Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer writes. “I feel like J.B. probably too much, to an extent, last (season) tried to keep everybody happy,” Marvin Williams said of Borrego. “I think this (season), he’s much more comfortable with people. He understands who we are as people and players. He’s just in a better place because of that.”
Kings Waive Hollis Thompson, Tyler Ulis
The Kings have waived guards Hollis Thompson and Tyler Ulis, the team announced in a press release. This likely finalizes their regular-season roster ahead of Monday’s deadline.
Thompson, a veteran who went undrafted back in 2012, has made previous stops with Philadelphia, New Orleans, and various clubs overseas. He’s coming off summer league stints with the team that saw him average 12.7 points per game in Sacramento and 10.8 points per game in Las Vegas.
Ulis, a 5-foot-9 point guard drafted at No. 34 in 2016, holds career experiences with Phoenix and Chicago. He averaged 23.3 points and 8.8 assists in four G League games with the Windy City Bulls last season.
Both players signed deals with modest partial guarantees and are expected to play for the team’s G League affiliate, the Stockton Kings, provided they go unclaimed on waivers.
Power forward Tyler Lydon will likely be awarded with Sacramento’s final roster spot as a result of the transactions.
Atlantic Notes: Simmons, Strus, Thybulle, Siakam
Despite improving his already-impressive arsenal, Sixers star Ben Simmons can’t get caught up in settling for jumpers behind the arc this season, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes.
Simmons shocked the Philadelphia crowd as the first half of the team’s preseason game against the Guangzhou Long-Lions came to a close last week, connecting on a deep shot from three-point territory — much to the delight of his fans and teammates alike.
“I know what I’m good at,” Simmons said, according to Pompey. “I know what I’m great at. There’s things I need to work on, but my game is not going to change in a day.
“I’m not going to come out and be shooting lights-out like [Golden State’s] Klay [Thompson] and Steph [Curry] or guys like them. My game is developing, and I work hard.”
As most fans already know, Simmons played the entire 2017/18 and 2018/19 seasons without making a single three-pointer. He appeared in 160 regular season games during those campaigns and finished 0-for-17 from deep, which doesn’t include his lone three-point miss in 22 postseason games.
At 6’10” and 230 pounds, Simmons is known to be one of the most versatile point guards in the NBA. His game would be much more dangerous for opposing defenses if the 23-year-old manages to develop a consistent stroke from three-point territory.
There’s more out of the Atlantic Division tonight:
- The Celtics moved to sign Max Strus on a two-year deal largely because Strus was willing to add a fully non-guaranteed year in his contract next season, tweets Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe. Strus has impressed Boston officials with his strong efforts in practice, earning a new deal with the organization on Sunday.
- Sixers wing Matisse Thybulle looks ready to work for a spot in the team’s rotation this season, Derek Bodner of The Athletic writes. Thybulle, 22, had his draft rights traded from Boston to Philadelphia after being selected with the No. 20 pick last June.
- The Raptors will need even more production from fourth-year forward and reigning Most Improved Player Pascal Siakam in order to be successful again this year, Doug Smith of the Toronto Star writes. “We’ll give him a lot of freedom and a lot of opportunities to continue to expand his game,” head coach Nick Nurse said, according to Smith. “He should be somebody that has a great season. I think he can expand it and maybe (add) five, six points a game to his scoring average.”
Western Notes: Hield, Kings, Grizzlies, Poole
As the Kings mull over whether to offer fourth-year guard Buddy Hield a contract extension, Hield has received strong praise from a major voice in the organization: De’Aaron Fox.
“Everybody deals with their own, so it’s something I worry about, but obviously I want to continue to play with a guy like that,” Fox said, according to James Ham of NBC Sports California. “For me, just hopefully they get it done.”
Hield has expressed interest in signing an extension with the Kings, and the 26-year-old hasn’t demanded a max-salary offer to this point, according to Jason Anderson of the Sacramento Bee. He averaged a career-high 20.7 points, five rebounds and 2.5 assists per game last season, appearing in all 82 contests.
“As a player, you want to have that trust that the franchise has your back and we’re just waiting for them to make a move and come to an agreement,” Hield said last week. “They’re talking, but nothing is moving yet. Nothing has moved. I’m ready to make things happen, man. I want to make Sacramento my home. I’m ready to get this s— done. I want to be here and if it doesn’t happen, then things can go the other way.”
Hield, who would become a restricted free agent next summer if the two sides fail to reach an extension, is due to make $4.8MM with the Kings this season. The deadline for teams to reach decisions on rookie-scale extensions is October 21.
Here are some other notes from the Western Conference:
- Kings forward Trevor Ariza underwent a successful procedure to remove a lipoma from his back last week, the team announced, as relayed by James Ham (Twitter link). He is expected to miss the remaining two preseason games and be reevaluated after the Oct. 16 game against Melbourne United. Sacramento also announced that Harry Giles (sore left knee) is expected to miss the rest of the preseason after an Sept. 30 MRI revealed no new findings on the injury.
- Michael Wallace of NBA.com evaluates where every Grizzlies player stands as the team crosses the halfway mark of the preseason. Wallace examines the likes of No. 2 overall pick Ja Morant, veteran forward Jae Crowder, third-year guard Dillon Brooks and more.
- The Warriors’ overall confidence in rookie guard Jordan Poole is gradually beginning to grow, Monte Poole of NBC Sports writes. “He’s really advanced,” Draymond Green said of his teammate on Thursday, moments after Poole scored 19 points in 21 minutes against the Timberwolves. “He’s very good with the basketball and he can shoot it, which is obviously at a premium in this league today. But he can really create shots for himself and can really stretch and space the floor out.”
Southwest Notes: Ball, Powell, Van Exel, Guduric
Pelicans guard Lonzo Ball is happy to get a fresh start in New Orleans, leaving his up-and-down history with Los Angeles in the rear view mirror, he explained in an interview with Shams Charania of The Athletic.
Ball, 21, was traded to New Orleans along with Josh Hart, Brandon Ingram and three first-round draft picks in exchange for All-Star forward Anthony Davis this past June.
“It was only a matter of time before a trade happened,” Ball said. “I pretty much knew a trade would happen. Any time you have a player like Anthony Davis available, I knew it was going to be my time. I was looking forward to it and I was excited for a new start. Getting out of L.A. for the first time in my life. I’m happy about it.
“It was just time for a change. I got hurt both years and didn’t do what I wanted to do. I was blessed to stay home and play in front of everybody, but it wasn’t working over there.”
New Orleans sports an impressive young nucleus of Ball, Ingram, Hart, Zion Williamson, Jaxson Hayes, Nickeil Alexander-Walker and others entering the 2019/20 season. The team also managed to add veteran players such as J.J. Redick and Derrick Favors during the offseason.
“Our core could be even better here,” Ball said. “B.I., J. Hart were already part of the young core with me in L.A., and now we have Zion, Nickeil (Alexander-Walker), Jaxson (Hayes), and other guys that want to work and get better. The sky’s the limit.”
There’s more out of the Southwest Division tonight:
- Dwight Powell‘s absence from the Mavericks is preventing the team from getting a look at him alongside Kristaps Porzingis, writes Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News. Powell, who suffered a left hamstring strain on the fifth day of training camp, is expected to miss the rest of the preseason. “There are no excuses,” head coach Rick Carlisle said after the team’s loss against Milwaukee on Friday. The Bucks finished the game shooting 50% from the field. “We would be doing better, certainly, if Powell was out there, but that isn’t how this game works. You have to concentrate on the guys that you have available.”
- The Mavericks have brought back Nick Van Exel to the organization as a pro personnel scout, according to Marc Stein of the New York Times (Twitter link). Van Exel holds coaching experience with the Texas Legends, G League affiliate of the Mavericks, from 2014-16, also suiting up for Dallas as a player during the 2002/03 season.
- David Cobb of the Memphis Commercial Appeal examines how a difficult childhood helped shape Grizzlies wing Marko Guduric, who signed a multiyear contract with the team back in July. “Innocent people died because of politics and whatever,” Guduric, who lived in Yugoslavia, explained. “That was my childhood. It was a difficult time, but I survived it.”
Knicks Notes: Free Agency, Fizdale, Ntilikina, Morris, Injuries
After an underwhelming offseason finally came to an end on Monday, a long-standing silence was broken when president Steve Mills, general manager Scott Perry and head coach David Fizdale took the podium at Knicks media day to discuss the franchise’s outlook.
The Knicks, who entered last summer with hopes of pursuing Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant after finishing with the league’s worst record at 17-65, lost both superstars to the rival Nets and were forced to execute Plan B as free agency began.
“Free agency is a process,” Mills said, as relayed by Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic (Twitter link). “There are certain parts of it you can’t control. We had a plan in place… It played out in a way we were prepared for it to go.”
New York opted to sign nine new players to its roster, including seven directly from free agency and two from the NBA Draft. When asked why the team once again failed to securing meetings with superstar free agents, Mills rejected the notion.
“There were a lot of max-type players that we could have met with, that were interested in coming here,” Mills said, according to Vorkunov (Twitter link). “We had a certain way that we wanted to build this team. This is how we chose to build it.”
As for why Durant and Irving chose Brooklyn over New York, with both teams having enough salary-cap space to acquire the duo in free agency, Mills’ response was blunt.
“You’ll have to talk to those players about why they made the decisions that they made,” he said, according to Adam Zagoria of Forbes.
On the plus side, the Knicks sport a promising young core that consists of Dennis Smith Jr., RJ Barrett, Julius Randle and Mitchell Robinson, one that stands out from the team’s group around this time last season.
Perry defended his decision to sign a glut of power forwards in free agency (Randle, Bobby Portis, Taj Gibson and Marcus Morris), noting the importance of maximizing his team’s chances at being successful this season.
“We only had one player in the frontcourt under contract [entering the summer] and that was Mitchell Robinson,” Perry said, according to Zagoria. “We were going to have to go out and stock our frontcourt and each and every one of those players plays multiple positions. These guys can move around. We’re in the era of positionless basketball. This really fits into how we want to play the game.”
There’s more out of New York on media day:
- The Knicks’ young players will have to work hard in order to earn playing time in a rotation that includes several NBA veterans, Fizdale explained, as relayed by Vorkunov. “We’re in that next phase of development where guys will have to earn it,” said Fizdale.
- Scott Perry wouldn’t commit to a decision on Frank Ntilikina’s fourth-year contract option for next season, tweets Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News. The team has until October 31 to make a final decision on whether to pick it up, with the option valued at roughly $6.17MM.
- Marcus Morris decided to sign with the Knicks over the Spurs partially because he’d be closer to his hometown in Philadelphia, Vorkunov tweets. Morris originally committed to a deal with the Spurs but reneged on the agreement, choosing to join the Knicks and spurning those in San Antonio.
- The team issued a medical update on Monday, stating that Damyean Dotson (right shoulder) likely won’t play in the preseason, though he could be ready for the start of the regular season. Reggie Bullock (cervical disc herniation) is making progress from his surgery and will be re-evaluated in early November.
L.A. Notes: Leonard, George, Davis, West, LeBron
Clippers superstars Kawhi Leonard and Paul George hope to play for Team USA in the Olympics next summer, both players declared at the team’s Media Day on Sunday.
“I would love to. Hopefully, God willing, I can get through a season healthy,” George said, according to USA Today’s Mark Medina (Twitter link). “When that times comes, I’d love to be a part of the Olympics and represent. But this comes first obviously and getting through this year.”
Leonard, who’s coming off a historic championship run that saw him average 30.5 points per game in the playoffs with Toronto, shared the same sentiment as his new teammate.
“I do want to play. But I’m taking it one step at a time,” Leonard said, as relayed by Medina (Twitter link). “Right now, it’s about taking the Clippers to the Finals.”
Leonard and George join several superstars who have already expressed interest in playing for Team USA after a disappointing run in the FIBA World Cup, including Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant and Anthony Davis.
There’s more out of Los Angeles tonight:
- The Lakers are doing their best to keep Anthony Davis from breaking their hearts by leaving next summer in free agency, Bill Oram of The Athletic writes. Davis, who holds a $28.7MM player option for the 2020/21 season, will almost certainly opt out and seek a maximum salary contract. “I just want to focus on this year,” Davis said. “Coming here, the Lakers definitely welcomed me with open arms and made me feel like this was home, but at the same time, it’s about what we can do this year. We have a special team, special unit, special coaching staff, and we’re going to do whatever we can to focus on this year and try to come out victorious.”
- Ryan West, son of Hall-of-Famer and current Clippers advisor Jerry West, will work with the franchise in a scouting role this season, according to Brad Turner of the Los Angeles Times. West recently left the Lakers after spending a decade with the organization, also holding eight years of prior scouting experience with Grizzlies.
- LeBron James appears to be more engaging with his second stint on the Lakers right around the corner, Bill Plaschke of the Los Angeles Times writes. James, who turns 35 in December, is entering his 17th NBA season. “I’m very motivated, but I’m right now not in the talking-about-it mode,” James said. “I’ve been very quiet this summer for a reason. My mother always told me, don’t talk about it, be about it, so that’s where I’m at.”