Timberwolves Notes: Reid, Beverley, Ryan, Anderson
With Karl-Anthony Towns and Rudy Gobert unavailable on Friday night, Timberwolves center Naz Reid got his first start of the season in Oklahoma City and delivered in a big way. The big man’s 28 points were easily a season high, and he also chipped in nine rebounds, three assists, and three steals. The Wolves outscored the Thunder by 21 points with Reid on the floor in a game they won by just two points.
The performance was a reminder of why the Wolves have been trying to lock up Reid to a contract extension for several months, according to Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News (Twitter links), who says the 23-year-old’s best play might be to wait for unrestricted free agency.
As we noted when news of Reid’s extension negotiations with the team first broke, Minnesota could offer up to about $58MM over four years, and I’m skeptical he’ll do better than that as a free agent. But perhaps it makes sense for him to see what else is available on the open market, especially if the Wolves’ offers have been modest.
Although Reid is in a contract year, Wolfson doesn’t expect Minnesota to seriously consider trading him before the February deadline, arguing that it would be hard to get fair value for him and noting that the Wolves still have “lofty” goals for this season that Reid can help them achieve (Twitter links).
Here are a few more Timberwolves notes:
- Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic discusses a bevy of Timberwolves-related topics in his latest mailbag, addressing the team’s apparent leadership void, D’Angelo Russell‘s trade value, and Anthony Edwards‘ development, among many other topics. Krawczynski also responds to the recent report that said Patrick Beverley would welcome a return to Minnesota if he’s traded and then bought out, suggesting a reunion this season looks like a “long shot.”
- New Timberwolves sharpshooter Matt Ryan, who signed a two-way contract with the team last Thursday, said earlier this week that everyone in Minnesota has made him feel welcome and that he’s hoping to get more of an opportunity to play than he did with the Lakers. “I thought that I was one of the better shooters on the (Lakers), but the opportunity wasn’t there for whatever reasons,” Ryan said, per Chris Hine of The Star Tribune. “Now coming here, from the feedback I’ve gotten, their three-point shooting is struggling and it’s just, ‘Be ready.'”
- Britt Robson of MinnPost.com takes a look at the “near-comprehensive competence” of forward Kyle Anderson and explores what he has brought to the Timberwolves. Minnesota used most of its mid-level exception to bring in Anderson over the summer.
Anthony Davis Expected To Undergo MRI On Injured Foot
Lakers big man Anthony Davis will likely undergo an MRI after leaving Friday’s win over Denver due to a right foot injury, according to Dave McMenamin of ESPN.
As McMenamin writes, the injury appeared to occur when Davis went up for a layup against Nuggets center Nikola Jokic and his lower leg collided with Jokic’s leg in midair. A source told ESPN on Friday night that Davis was experiencing discomfort in his foot, but the team is hoping the injury isn’t severe. Head coach Darvin Ham said that Davis had X-rays performed on the foot before leaving the arena.
“I don’t want to speak on it until I know exactly what’s going on,” Ham said after the game. “I’ll know more (Saturday).”
If Davis has to miss some time, it would be an unfortunate turn of events for the Lakers and for the 29-year-old, who has been one of the NBA’s hottest players in recent weeks. In his last 12 full games, he has averaged an eye-popping 35.0 points, 14.9 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 2.5 blocks, and 1.3 steals on 64.1% shooting.
Lakers center Thomas Bryant would be in line for a larger role if Davis is forced to the sidelines. Bryant started the third quarter in Davis’ place on Friday and finished the night with a season-high 21 points on 9-of-11 shooting.
Heat Fined $25K For Injury Reporting Violation
Like the Nets before them, the Heat received a $25K fine from the NBA on Friday as the league cracks down on injury reporting violations.
According to a statement from the NBA (Twitter link), the Heat “failed to disclose an accurate game availability status for several players” before the team’s Wednesday game vs. Oklahoma City. As Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald explains, citing a source, Miami didn’t formally announce prior to Wednesday’s tip-off whether a handful of players listed as probable and questionable would be available or out.
A $25K penalty is a drop in the bucket for an NBA franchise, so it’s not as if the league is coming down hard on teams for improper injury reporting. Still, fines for two separate teams this week suggest the NBA may be making it a point of emphasis to encourage more transparency.
As Danny Marang of 1080 The Fan in Portland tweets, the Heat appear to be going the “petty” route in response to the fine. They’ve listed all 16 of their players on the official injury report for Saturday’s game in San Antonio, with seven designated as probable, six as questionable, and three as out.
Community Shootaround: Memphis Grizzlies
The Grizzlies won 56 games last season, the second-highest total in the NBA, but were still viewed as something of an underdog entering the postseason. Their limited track record as a contender and their overall lack of playoff experience meant that most league observers considered them a long shot to make a run to the NBA Finals.
Memphis did win one playoff series, a six-game battle with the Timberwolves, then fell in the second round to the eventual champions, losing to Golden State in six games.
Rather than aggressively scouring free agency or the trade market for a potential missing piece in the offseason, the Grizzlies had a pretty quiet summer. In fact, they parted ways with two reliable rotation players, trading De’Anthony Melton to Philadelphia and letting Kyle Anderson walk in free agency, replacing them with a pair of first-round rookies, Jake LaRavia and David Roddy.
Given the Grizzlies’ lack of offseason upgrades – along with an expectation that they might be impacted by regression – enthusiasm for the team was somewhat muted entering the season. The Grizzlies were still expected to be a good team, but their preseason over/under projection of 49.5 wins only put them in a tie for fifth among Western Conference clubs.
Despite having dealt with injuries to multiple top players during the first third of the season, the Grizzlies have outperformed those preseason expectations so far, posting a 19-9 record that has them sitting atop the West, one game up on the 18-10 Pelicans.
Their beatdown of Milwaukee on Thursday was the Grizzlies’ most impressive victory yet, as Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal writes. Memphis built an eye-popping 50-point lead at one point against a Bucks team with championship aspirations, ultimately winning by 41 points.
The Grizzlies have played as well as they have even though Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr. have only been available for 12 games apiece (none of which overlapped). Ja Morant, who has missed five games himself, has led the charge with another All-NBA caliber season, but he’s getting help from all over the roster.
Dillon Brooks is averaging nearly 18 points per game while handling the toughest perimeter defensive assignments; Steven Adams is dominating the offensive boards and defending opposing bigs; Tyus Jones has been his usual reliable self backing up Morant and occasionally stepping into the starting lineup to replace him; Santi Aldama and John Konchar are enjoying the best years of their respective careers, emerging as reliable role players; Roddy and Brandon Clarke have also played rotation roles, and the team has recently been reincorporating Ziaire Williams following an injury absence; finally, they still have Danny Green recovering from an ACL tear and hoping to contribute by the spring.
Now the question is whether there’s enough talent and experience on the roster to make Memphis a legitimate title contender in 2023.
ESPN’s Zach Lowe explored this question today in an Insider-only story, arguing that the emergence of Jackson as dominant two-way force gives the Grizzlies a real chance to come out of the West. The big man, whom Lowe describes as Memphis’ “wild card,” is averaging 3.3 blocks per game and can switch across all five positions on defense. He has also significantly improved his shooting percentages on offense and has posted a team-best +14.9 net rating.
Bane, meanwhile, was off to a scorching start to the season before injuring his toe, averaging career highs with 24.7 points, 4.9 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game. If the Grizzlies eventually get him healthy while keeping Morant, Jackson, and Brooks on the floor, their upside is scary.
Memphis has the ability to fortify its roster with a trade deadline move — the team has some extra draft assets, including Golden State’s lightly protected 2024 first-rounder. Lowe believes the Grizzlies should at least consider a “minor” deal to improve the back of their rotation, but we want to know what you think.
Do you view the Grizzlies as a serious contender to win the West, as currently constructed? Do you think they’re still another trade – or another year – away from making a deep playoff run? If you feel like they need to make a deal, what sort of piece should they be looking to add?
Head to the comment section below to weigh in with your thoughts!
Kyle Kuzma Plans To Become Free Agent In 2023
Based on the terms of Kyle Kuzma‘s contract with the Wizards, he could sign a veteran extension at any time this season or could pick up his player option for the 2023/24 season to delay his free agency until 2024. However, he’s currently not planning to take either of those paths.
According to Ava Wallace of The Washington Post, Kuzma said in an interview that he doesn’t expect to sign an in-season extension and that he intends to turn down his ’23/24 player option in order to become an unrestricted free agent this coming summer.
Kuzma’s plans don’t come as a major surprise. He’s in the midst of a career year, averaging 21.4 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game in his first 28 contests (35.0 MPG) with a shooting line of .462/.343/.692. At age 27, he’s still very much in his prime, and his value has never been higher — he could be one of the best players to reach the UFA market in 2023.
Kuzma is currently earning $13MM, which is also what his 2023/24 option is worth. It’s safe to assume he’ll be able to exceed that figure on a new contract. An extension with the Wizards could max out at approximately $70MM over four years, but based on the way he has performed so far this season, it certainly seems possible that Kuzma can top that deal as a free agent too. In other words, it’s in his best interest financially to become a free agent next offseason even if he’s interested in remaining in D.C. long-term.
“Those are just business decisions,” Kuzma said, according to Wallace.
Although Kuzma’s intention to become a free agent doesn’t mean he wants to leave the Wizards, the club will have to proceed cautiously to avoid losing the former first-round pick for nothing when his contract is up.
If president of basketball operations Tommy Sheppard and his front office aren’t confident in their ability to retain Kuzma beyond this season, it makes sense to gauge his value on the trade market. Kuzma’s name has already popped up in some trade rumors and will certainly do so again as the February 9 deadline approaches.
Pacific Notes: Wiggins, Curry, Warriors, Lakers, M. Brown, Clippers
Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins, who has missed the last five games due to a right adductor strain, was cleared on Thursday to resume participating in practices and shootarounds, according to the team (Twitter link).
However, Wiggins will be unavailable for a sixth consecutive game when the Warriors visit Philadelphia on Friday and Draymond Green (right quad contusion) will be out as well, per the NBA’s latest official injury report. Klay Thompson is listed as questionable due to left knee soreness, so Golden State is at risk of being without four starters — Stephen Curry, of course, is expected to miss multiple weeks as a result of a shoulder injury.
As Anthony Slater of The Athletic (Twitter video link) relays, Curry spoke to reporters today about his shoulder and expressed relief that he won’t have to undergo surgery, which might’ve forced him to miss several months. Asked if surgery is a possibility after the season, the Warriors star didn’t rule it out, but said that’s not the plan for now (Twitter links via Slater).
Here’s more from around the Pacific:
- With several regulars battling injuries, the Warriors recalled center James Wiseman and rookie guard Ryan Rollins from the G League, the team announced on Thursday in a press release. Neither player has seen much action at the NBA level so far this season, with Wiseman appearing in just one game over the last month while Rollins has played only 43 total minutes since opening night.
- The Lakers are unlikely to make a trade during the next two-to-four weeks, Jovan Buha of The Athletic reports within his look at the team’s approach to the deadline. Although the club would like to get a deal done sooner rather than later, it makes sense for Los Angeles to wait out the market in case more sellers emerge.
- Kings head coach Mike Brown has been fined $25K by the NBA for “aggressively pursuing and directing profane language” toward a referee, the league announced in a press release. The incident, which resulted in Brown’s ejection, occurred during the third quarter of Sacramento’s win in Toronto on Wednesday.
- Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, Reggie Jackson, and Luke Kennard were among the Clippers who missed Thursday’s game, but the team is optimistic they’ll all be back soon, according to Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN (Twitter link), who says their absences on Thursday were more about managing prior injuries than dealing with new ones.
Southwest Notes: Brooks, Mavs, Wesley, Bassey
The Grizzlies blew out the Bucks by 41 points on Thursday night, holding stars Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton to 22 total points on a combined 6-of-25 shooting. After guarding Middleton for much of the night, Grizzlies wing Dillon Brooks was asked if he ought to be in the conversation for Defensive Player of the Year and replied that he “100%” should be, according to Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal (Twitter link).
“I don’t get the steals or the big-time blocks, but I’m going to give fits to whoever I got that night,” Brooks said.
Defensive Player of the Year voting typically favors big men, so if a Grizzlies player receives serious consideration for the award, it might end up being Jaren Jackson Jr., who is averaging 3.3 blocks per game. Still, Jackson has missed some time and it’s Brooks who is tied for third in the league in NBA.com’s defensive win shares stat at 3.8.
Let’s round up a few more Southwest notes…
- Mavericks owner Mark Cuban has grand ambitions for a new arena in Dallas if the state of Texas legalizes gambling and sports betting, writes Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News (subscription required). “My goal, and we’d partner with Las Vegas Sands, is when we build a new arena it’ll be in the middle of a resort and casino,” Cuban told Townsend. “That’s the mission.”
- Spurs rookie guard Blake Wesley will be available on Friday for the Austin Spurs’ game in Mexico City, tweets Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News. A knee injury has sidelined Wesley since October 30 and limited him to just two NBA appearances so far this season, but it sounds like he has been cleared to return.
- Waived by Philadelphia during the preseason, Charles Bassey made his first career start on Wednesday for the Spurs and admitted after the game that he was “a little bit” nervous. As Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News (subscription required) details, Bassey got into early foul trouble and mishandled a couple passes from Doug McDermott in the pick-and-roll. “He just flat-out dropped a few of them; he told me that,” McDermott said. “I told him, ‘I am going to continue to throw it to you, because you are setting great screens. You are either going to have a shot or you are going to have a dunk. So don’t overthink it.'”
Central Notes: Hayes, Stewart, Mathurin, Mitchell, Bulls
After Killian Hayes put up a season-high 25 points on Wednesday, James L. Edwards III of The Athletic says it’s no longer surprising when the Pistons guard has a big night, adding that it’s time to consider him “a good, solid NBA player.”
Hayes had a couple up-and-down seasons after being selected seventh overall in the 2020 draft, but is still just 21 years old and has been playing the best basketball of his NBA career this fall. Since entering the Pistons’ starting lineup on November 12, Hayes has averaged 11.8 PPG, 6.7 APG, and 3.2 RPG on .424/.400/.733 shooting in 17 games (28.6 MPG).
“He’s not growing on anyone else’s watch. He’s going at his pace, his speed,” Pistons head coach Dwane Casey recently said. “That’s what young players do. Everyone wants him to be that 10-year vet, but, what, he’s in year three? That’s why it’s not surprising me. We just have to be patient. Unfortunately, this league isn’t full of patience. It’s about winning games. But he is growing right before our eyes.”
Here’s more from around the Central:
- Isaiah Stewart‘s willingness to shift from center to power forward has put him in position to be part of the Pistons‘ frontcourt of the future alongside center Jalen Duren, writes Keith Langlois of Pistons.com. “They’re going to grow together,” Casey said of the duo on Wednesday. “They’re going to be together for a long time, so they better like each other. If they don’t, they’re going to be in big trouble because they’re going to be with the organization a long time.”
- Bob Kravitz of The Athletic profiles Pacers rookie Bennedict Mathurin, who says he feels like he has “no choice but to be great” due to his desire to provide for his family and influence kids in his hometown of Montreal. The No. 6 overall pick is off to a good start in his quest to become a star, having averaged 17.8 points in his first 29 NBA games.
- After his Cavaliers got a win in Dallas on Wednesday, Donovan Mitchell reflected on the role the Mavericks played in his current circumstances, writes Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (subscription required). The Mavs’ first-round elimination of the Jazz in last season’s postseason taught Mitchell some important lessons and hastened his Utah exit. “At the end of the day, they’re kind of the reason why I’m in Cleveland,” Mitchell said. “They did a great job in the playoff series. So, I’m thankful. I’m here. I’m glad to be here. Last year made me a better player. You take those lessons, you learn, and you implement them.”
- With Lonzo Ball‘s availability for this season still up in the air, the Bulls should be trying to find a way to add a proven point guard to their roster, argues Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times.
Southeast Notes: Wright, Hachimura, Collins, Oladipo
The Wizards may get some reinforcements in their backcourt within the next week. As Josh Robbins of The Athletic (Twitter link) relays, head coach Wes Unseld Jr. said on Wednesday that he’s “hopeful” Delon Wright will be able to return at some point during the team’s current six-game road trip, which runs through December 23.
Sidelined since October 25 due to a hamstring strain, Wright is trending in the right direction, according to Unseld. The veteran guard is perhaps Washington’s strongest perimeter defender, so the hope is that he can help improve a unit that has ranked 28th in the NBA in defensive rating during the club’s current eight-game losing streak.
Meanwhile, injured Wizards forward Rui Hachimura is also making progress, though he doesn’t appear quite as close to returning to action. According to Robbins (Twitter link), Unseld said on Wednesday that Hachimura has progressed to doing one-on-one contact work as he makes his way back from a bone bruise in his ankle. The former lottery pick last played on November 18.
Here’s more from around the Southeast:
- Although the Wizards entered the season hoping to be a playoff team, Robbins could envision them becoming sellers at the trade deadline if things continue to go south, he writes in his latest mailbag for The Athletic. As Robbins observes, the team will have to go 30-23 the rest of the way to even finish at .500, so the front office should “at least reconsider” its original plan.
- John Collins‘ name continues to pop up in trade rumors, but it sounds like the Hawks big man will remain on the shelf for the foreseeable future. Speaking on Wednesday to reporters, including Lauren L. Williams of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (Twitter link), head coach Nate McMillan said Collins hasn’t done much running or cutting and has mostly been limited to spot shooting as he recovers from a left ankle sprain.
- The Heat‘s current road trip, which opened with stops in Indiana, Oklahoma City, and Houston, has been something of a “nostalgia tour” for guard Victor Oladipo, who previously played in all three of those cities, writes Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel. Reflecting on the twists and turns his career has taken so far, Oladipo said he’s focused on forging a new path in Miami. “My journey, my purpose is not done,” he said.
Sixers’ Rivers Expects Maxey To Miss At Least Two More Weeks
When word first broke that Tyrese Maxey had broken a bone in his left foot, reports indicated that he was expected to miss about three or four weeks. However, with the four-week mark arriving on Saturday, the Sixers guard still isn’t close to returning, head coach Doc Rivers said on Thursday.
“Whatever he has to do, he’s nowhere near it,” Rivers said, per Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. “So I would say he’s out at least, I don’t know, for at least a couple more weeks.”
Rivers had previously told reporters that he hoped Maxey would be able to practice this week, but the 22-year-old hasn’t been able to do any real on-court work yet.
“Nothing is the answer,” Rivers said on Thursday when asked what Maxey was able to do. “I mean, he can shoot. He can run a straight line, but that’s it.
“… He can sprint straight; he just can’t cut or he can’t stop. So it may get better in three days or five or six days. But I don’t see that happening. This is an uneducated guess, but I just can’t imagine him playing any time soon.”
Maxey, who has been sidelined since November 18, played in Philadelphia’s first 15 games of the season before missing the last 12. The team has held its own without him, going 7-5 in his absence despite also being without Joel Embiid and/or James Harden for some of those games.
Maxey appeared to be taking another step toward stardom prior to the injury, averaging a career-best 22.9 PPG, 4.4 APG, and 3.5 RPG on .462/.422/.738 shooting in 36.4 minutes per contest.