New York Notes: Durant, Irving, Toppin, Gibson
Star forward Kevin Durant has yet to play both halves of a back-to-back set this season, as the Nets have made an effort to ease him back into the regular season schedule following his year-long absence due to an Achilles tear.
However, after leading the team to a comeback victory over Denver on Tuesday night, Durant is prepared to play the Knicks in New York tonight, as Brian Lewis of The New York Post details.
“I plan on it,” he said.
As of Tuesday night, head coach Steve Nash wasn’t ready to fully commit to having Durant available on Wednesday, cautioning that the Nets have to “judge these things day-to-day and moment-to-moment.” However, the team listed the two-time Finals MVP as available on its latest injury report today.
Here’s more on the NBA’s two New York teams ahead of their game tonight:
- There’s “real concern” around the league from people who know Kyrie Irving about his ongoing absence, says Joe Vardon of The Athletic. The Nets guard, who was spotted on a Zoom call for a Manhattan District Attorney candidate on Tuesday evening, will face a quarantine period when he returns, assuming the NBA finds he violated COVID-19 protocols by attending a large gathering to celebrate a family member’s birthday. Having previously reported that Irving isn’t expected back this week, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (video link) suggests the star guard may not be active next week either.
- The Knicks have unexpectedly upgraded Obi Toppin (calf) to probable for Wednesday’s game (Twitter link). The rookie forward said he was just cleared for contact today and hasn’t yet practiced in full, tweets Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News. It’s unclear whether or not he’ll actually see much – or any – action tonight, says Marc Berman of The New York Post (Twitter link).
- Taj Gibson will be available for the Knicks on Wednesday night, as Berman writes for The New York Post. The recently-signed big man is reportedly in shape, but it remains to be seen whether he’ll play an immediate role.
Wednesday’s Suns/Hawks Game Postponed
Wednesday night’s game in Phoenix between the Suns and Hawks has been postponed, sources tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link).
As of Tuesday night, the Suns only had one player (Jalen Smith) listed as being out due to the NBA’s health and safety protocols. The Hawks are missing several players due to injuries, but had no players in the protocols.
However, Phoenix’s most recent game took place on Monday in Washington, and the Wizards had their Wednesday game postponed as a result of having too many players tied up in a contact tracing investigation. Sources tell Wojnarowski (Twitter link) that the Wizards have positive COVID-19 tests on their roster and that the contact tracing affecting Washington has now extended to the Suns.
The total number of postponed NBA games this week is beginning to add up. After postponing a game between Houston and Oklahoma City back on December 23, the NBA was able to play all of its games as scheduled up until this Sunday, when the Celtics/Heat contest was affected.
Today’s Hawks/Suns postponement represents the sixth time since Sunday that has a game has had to be pushed back, and the seventh time in total this season. Three contests (Hawks/Suns; Celtics/Magic; and Jazz/Wizards) that were initially on the schedule for tonight won’t be played.
Latest On James Harden
James Harden made some late-night headlines on Tuesday, declaring in the wake of a second consecutive blowout loss to the Lakers that he feels the Rockets are “just not good enough” and that he doesn’t believe the situation in Houston can be fixed.
Harden’s comments represent an escalation in his efforts to force his way out of Houston, but the Rockets’ front office has remained determined to have its asking price met, according to Tim MacMahon of ESPN, who reiterates that the team is seeking a young franchise cornerstone, along with a collection of draft picks and/or young talent.
A source close to the situation tells MacMahon that the Rockets have had active trade talks with “more than a half dozen teams” and have kept in touch with Harden about those options. The former MVP has continually received assurances from team owner Tilman Fertitta that he’ll be traded, per ESPN, but it seems those assurances haven’t included a specific timeline — and Harden seems to be losing patience.
Here’s more on the situation:
- Harden’s desire for a trade was reinforced following Sunday’s blowout loss to the Lakers, per Kelly Iko of The Athletic, who says the 31-year-old is eager to maximize his window to contend for a championship and no longer believes that can happen with the Rockets.
- While Harden has expanded his list of preferred landing spots, sources tell Iko that the Nets remain atop that list. The general belief has been that Brooklyn would offer a package headed by Caris LeVert and Jarrett Allen, but one league executive who spoke to Joe Vardon of The Athletic on Tuesday believes that if a trade between the Nets and Rockets happens, it would have to be centered around Kyrie Irving.
- Tuesday’s performances from Tyler Herro (34 points), Duncan Robinson (26 points), and Precious Achiuwa (17 points and 13 rebounds) helped reaffirm why the Heat are unwilling to send all their talented young players to Houston in a package for Harden, tweets Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. Jackson recently reported that Miami is open to offering “a couple” of their young players and a future first-round pick for Harden, but the Rockets want significantly more than that.
Dzanan Musa Signs With Anadolu Efes
Former NBA first-round pick Dzanan Musa will resume his playing career in Turkey. Anadolu Efes announced (via Twitter) on Wednesday that the team has signed Musa to a contract that will cover the rest of the 2020/21 season, plus two additional years.
Musa, 21, began his professional career in Spain, playing for Cedevita in Croatia from 2015-18 before being selected 29th overall in the ’18 draft by the Nets. In two seasons with Brooklyn, the guard/forward appeared in just 49 games, averaging 4.3 PPG and 1.9 RPG on .376/.227/.726 shooting in 10.7 minutes per contest.
When Musa was traded to the Pistons in a deal involving Bruce Brown in November, it looked like he might get an opportunity in Detroit to get his NBA career on track. However, the Pistons waived him just before the regular season began last month to trim their roster down to 15 players on standard contracts.
Musa initially joined the NBA G League draft pool, but decided to pull out and return to Europe. He’ll join an Anadolu Efes squad that has dominated the Turkish League so far, but has had a tougher go of it in EuroLeague play, currently ranking in the middle of the pack with a 10-9 record.
James Harden: I Don’t Think Rockets Situation “Can Be Fixed”
On the heels of a second consecutive blowout loss to the Lakers on Tuesday night, Rockets star James Harden provided a brief, blunt assessment of the team in his postgame press conference.
“We’re just not good enough. Chemistry, talent-wise. And it was clear these last few games,” Harden said, per Alykhan Bijani of The Athletic (Twitter links). “I love this city. I’ve literally done everything I can. This situation is crazy. I don’t think it can be fixed. Thanks.”
Harden left the podium immediately after delivering those comments. As Tim MacMahon of ESPN tweets, it was about as close to an explicit trade request as a player is likely to get during a media session, given that the Collective Bargaining Agreement calls for a fine for any player who publicly asks to be dealt.
We’ve known since the offseason that Harden has wanted to be traded out of Houston, but the team’s asking price has remained high and has yet to be met. If the Rockets are going to make a move, they want to extract as much value as they can out of their superstar, particularly since he’s not in a contract year. As Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN notes (via Twitter), the club continues to explore potential trade scenarios, as Harden is aware, but no deal is imminent.
Harden’s comments tonight come on the heels of a report earlier this week from Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer that suggested the Rockets were growing more optimistic about the former MVP being comfortable remaining with the team for the rest of the season, given the promising early-season performances from players like John Wall and Christian Wood.
It’s not clear whether Harden’s statements were a direct response to that report, but they certainly constitute a rebuttal. Houston lost by 18 points to the Lakers on Sunday and by 17 points on Tuesday, dropping its record to 3-6.
Harden made it clear after tonight’s game that he doesn’t feel the Rockets have enough talent to compete with the defending champions, and it sounds like he’s growing impatient waiting for the team to find a deal it likes.
Following Harden’s brief presser, his teammates were left to address the Rockets’ situation, including Tuesday’s loss. John Wall told reporters that it’s a challenge when not everyone wants to “buy in,” and acknowledged that developing chemistry with Harden has been “a little rocky,” per Kelly Iko of The Athletic (Twitter links).
Harden’s contract doesn’t include any sort of no-trade protection, so the Rockets can trade him anywhere, but he has reportedly provided the club with a list of preferred destinations that includes Brooklyn, Philadelphia, Miami, Milwaukee, Portland, and Boston. Some of those teams are considered more likely than others to pursue a possible deal.
Mavs Expected To Have Enough Players For Wednesday’s Game
4:43pm: The four Dallas players listed below (Kleber, Richardson, Finney-Smith, and Brunson) and center Dwight Powell, will miss the Hornets game on Wednesday due to the health and safety protocols, according to Marc Stein of the New York Times (via Twitter).
Since reports have suggested that four Mavs players have returned positive COVID-19 tests, it seems safe to assume that all but one of those five players tested positive.
On the plus side, Mavericks center Kristaps Porzingis has been listed as probable for tomorrow’s contest in Charlotte, per Stein.
4:00pm: The Mavericks‘ Monday game vs. New Orleans had to be postponed by the NBA because the league was conducting a contact tracing investigation following a positive coronavirus test and wouldn’t be able to clear enough Dallas players in time for tip-off.
However, despite the fact that four Mavericks players have reportedly registered positive COVID-19 tests, it sounds like there’s a good chance Wednesday’s game with the Hornets will be able to take place as scheduled.
Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press reports (via Twitter) that the Mavs’ team plane took off for Charlotte this afternoon, while Marc Stein of The New York Times says (via Twitter) that Dallas is expected to have 12 players available for tomorrow’s game.
The Mavs have a full 17-man roster, so if they anticipate having 12 players available, that would suggest that only one additional player – besides the four who reportedly tested positive for the coronavirus – will remain tied up in the league’s contact tracing protocols.
We should get more clarity on the availability of Mavs players when the team releases its injury report for Wednesday’s game. While we don’t know exactly which four players tested positive for the coronavirus, reports have suggested that Maxi Kleber was among them. Josh Richardson, Dorian Finney-Smith and Jalen Brunson were all self-isolating as of Friday, so it’s possible that one or more players from that trio also tested positive.
Kyrie Irving Not Expected To Play This Week
4:27pm: If the Nets determine that Irving has ultimately violated NBA COVID-19 protocols, he will lose approximately $410K for each night missed, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN tweets.
3:45pm: Nets general manager Sean Marks issued a statement on the Irving situation, confirming that the team and the league are “reviewing the circumstances” of the video showing the point guard at a family gathering. Irving’s return date has yet to be finalized, per Marks.
“Kyrie will have the opportunity to address his absence when he is ready to do so,” Marks said.
10:32am: The Nets announced on Monday that star point guard Kyrie Irving has been ruled out for Tuesday’s contest against Denver, making it the fourth consecutive game he will miss for personal reasons (Twitter link via Tim Bontemps of ESPN).
Asked about Irving’s status on Monday, head coach Steve Nash said he didn’t have any updates, per Brian Lewis of The New York Post.
Multiple reports – from Lewis and others – have suggested Irving’s personal leave has been related to his frustration over social issues, including last Wednesday’s riot at the U.S. Capitol. However, as NetsDaily details, his absence has become further complicated by new videos that appears to show him celebrating a birthday (believed to be his sister’s) amid a large gathering of people, without wearing a mask.
Sources tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Malika Andrews (Twitter link) that the NBA is examining those videos. If they’re found to be recent and constitute a violation of the league’s health and safety protocols, Irving would presumably be subject to a quarantine period when he returns to the Nets, like James Harden was last month when similar video emerged of him maskless in a nightclub.
Still, it remains to be seen when exactly the 28-year-old will report back to the team. In a separate tweet, Wojnarowski says sources expect Irving to remain sidelined for Brooklyn’s games against the Knicks on Wednesday and the Magic on Saturday — it’s unclear if his personal leave will extend through those games or if he’ll miss them due to an anticipated quarantine period.
Wizards Cancel Practice As Two Players Enter Health And Safety Protocols
3:33pm: Rui Hachimura and Moritz Wagner are the two Wizards affected by the NBA’s health and safety protocols and are currently listed as questionable for Wednesday’s game vs. Utah, as Fred Katz of The Athletic relays (via Twitter).
9:35am: The Wizards have had two players enter the NBA’s health and safety protocols related to COVID-19, according to the team, which announced this morning (via Twitter) that it has canceled today’s scheduled practice due to “an abundance of caution.”
It’s not clear which two Wizards players are affected or whether they’ll require a quarantine period. The NBA has been cagey about providing many specifics related to its health and safety protocols, but those protocols apply to players who return a positive or inconclusive COVID-19 test, as well as those who may have had close contact with someone who tested positive.
This marks the fifth straight day that a Wizards player or a player on their previous opponent entered the health and safety protocols, notes Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington (Twitter link). The Wizards’ opponents from Friday (Boston) and Saturday (Miami) are each missing several players due to the coronavirus protocols. Washington played the Suns on Monday night.
For now, there’s no indication that the Wizards’ Wednesday game against Utah is in jeopardy, but we’ll have to wait for additional updates on the two players in the protocols and see if any other players join them.
COVID-19 Notes: Ferguson, Arcidiacono, Markkanen, More
The Sixers have been hit hard recently by absences related to the NBA’s COVID-19 health and safety protocols. As of this afternoon, they’ve added a sixth player to their list of those who are out due to the league’s COVID-19 protocols.
Terrance Ferguson, who was previously sidelined for personal reasons, has apparently returned to the 76ers, but will need to undergo a quarantine period before he’s cleared to play, as Tim Bontemps of ESPN notes (Twitter links).
Despite the team finding itself shorthanded, Sixers head coach Doc Rivers isn’t sure that expanding rosters for this season is the answer, telling reporters on Monday that he “probably would not be” in favor of that solution (Twitter link via Bontemps). While having more players available might help teams reach the eight-player minimum, adding back-of-the-roster guys won’t necessarily make a shorthanded club more competitive, Rivers observed.
Here are a few more items from around the NBA related to COVID-19:
- Ryan Arcidiacono and Lauri Markkanen, who have been out since December due to the NBA’s health and safety protocols, are back with the Bulls, per Eric Woodyard of ESPN (Twitter links). Both players tested negative for the coronavirus during their respective contract-tracing quarantines.
- After Shams Charania of The Athletic reported earlier this week that one player tested positive for COVID-19 for a second time in the last year, Brian Windhorst and Zach Lowe of ESPN say that multiple players have now registered repeat positive tests. Although the CDC has said it expects some coronavirus reinfections, there’s uncertainty about whether that’s the case here, according to ESPN’s duo — there were higher rates of false positives early in the pandemic, meaning some players who were believed to have the virus back in the spring could have been false positives.
- Jabari Young of CNBC takes a look at the financial impact of postponed NBA games and the problems that pausing the season may cause for the league’s advertisers and partners.
- In case you missed it, the NBA and NBPA announced this afternoon that they’ve tightened a number of COVID-19 protocols that apply to players and staffers. NBPA executive director Michele Roberts told Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press (Twitter links) that imposing more restrictions on players isn’t ideal, but was deemed necessary. “Our experts have concluded that these new procedures will add to our arsenal of weapons against the virus,” she said. “It would be irresponsible and unacceptable to not employ new measures aimed at better promoting and protecting our players’ safety.”
NBA, NBPA Tighten COVID-19 Protocols For Players, Staffers
The NBA and the National Basketball Players Association have agreed to tighten several of the health and safety protocols related to COVID-19 for at least the next two weeks, they announced today in a joint press release.
The new, more restrictive measures are being introduced in the wake of a handful of game postponements since Sunday. Several teams around the NBA have had players test positive for the coronavirus within the last week and/or are missing several players due to the league’s contact tracing program.
The following changes will be implemented for at least the next two weeks, per the league and the union:
- While in their home markets, players and staffers must remain at home except to attend team-related activities, to exercise outside, or to perform essential activities.
- Players can no longer interact with non-team guests while at hotels on the road.
- Pregame meetings in the locker room will be limited to no more than 10 minutes, with all attendees wearing face masks. All other meetings involving players and staffers must occur on the court, in a league-approved space, or at the arena in a room large enough to social-distance.
- For team flights, teams must creating a seating plan to ensure that players who are closest to one another on the bench are also closest to one another on the plane.
- Players will be prohibited from arriving at the arena more than three hours before tip-off.
- Before and after games, physical interactions between players will be limited to elbow bumps or fist bumps (ie. no hugs or hand shakes). They also must avoid “extended socializing” and must attempt to maintain six feet of distance.
- Players must wear face masks on the bench at all times, except immediately after they come out of a game. Players checking out of a game can sit in “cool down chairs” at least 12 feet from the bench and at least six feet from other chairs. When they return to the bench area, they must put on a mask.
- Players will be required to wear face masks at all times in the locker room, during strength and conditioning activities, and when traveling with anyone besides a member of their household.
- Coaches and other staffers must wear face masks at all times during games.
- Any individual who regularly visits a player’s or staffer’s home for a professional purpose must undergo COVID-19 testing at least twice per week.
While all of these rules will be in place for at least two weeks, one source tells Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press (Twitter link) that “that’s probably the minimum.” Some of the changes figure to remain in effect for the rest of the season.