Domantas Sabonis Enters COVID-19 Protocols
Pacers center Domantas Sabonis has entered the NBA’s health and safety protocols and will miss Monday’s game vs. the Clippers, the team announced today (Twitter link).
If he registered a false positive or inconclusive test result, Sabonis could clear the protocols quickly. But if he tested positive for COVID-19, the big man figures to be sidelined for at least five or six days unless he can return two consecutive negative tests at least 24 hours apart before then.
Sabonis, who recently missed four games due to an ankle sprain, had been terrific since returning, averaging 22.5 PPG, 16.5 RPG, 9.0 APG, and 1.5 BPG on 65.4% shooting in games in Oklahoma City and Dallas on Friday and Saturday.
With Sabonis unavailable, the Pacers could find themselves pretty shorthanded up front. Myles Turner (left foot) is also out, while Goga Bitadze (right foot) is questionable to play. As James Boyd of The Indianapolis Star writes, rookies Isaiah Jackson and Terry Taylor should be in line for larger roles, especially if Bitadze is ruled out.
As our tracker shows, Sabonis one of just seven players currently in the health and safety protocols, with the league’s COVID-19 situation looking a lot better than it did a month ago.
Nuggets Granted Disabled Player Exception
The Nuggets have received a disabled player exception as a result of Michael Porter Jr.‘s back surgery, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). The exception is worth $2,629,368, half of Porter’s $5,258,735 salary.
A salary cap exception designed to give teams extra flexibility when a player suffers a major injury, the disabled player exception can be used to sign a free agent, to claim a player off waivers, or to acquire a player in a trade. The exception can only be used on a single player and can only accommodate a player on a one-year deal. A free agent signee can’t get a multiyear contract, and any trade or waiver target must be in the final year of his contract.
Although the disabled player exception gives a team extra cap flexibility, it doesn’t open up an extra spot on the 15-man roster. The club must have a roster spot available to use the DPE to add a player.
The fact that Denver has been granted a disabled player exception related to Porter’s injury is interesting, since multiple reports this month have suggested the forward could make his return this spring.
The Nuggets receiving a DPE doesn’t mean that Porter can’t return this season. However, it does mean an NBA-designated physician determined he’s more likely than not to be sidelined through June 15. That suggests Denver’s medical staff may be more bullish about Porter’s recovery timeline than an independent doctor is.
The Nuggets will have until March 10 to use their new disabled player exception. It would expire at that point if it hasn’t been used. If Porter returns before March 10 (which seems like a long shot), Denver would lose the disabled player exception. If the team uses the DPE to acquire a player and then MPJ returns later in the season, the player acquired using the exception wouldn’t be affected.
Besides the Nuggets, the Cavaliers ($8.9MM) and Pelicans ($1.9MM) have also been granted disabled player exceptions this season for season-ending injuries to Ricky Rubio and Kira Lewis, respectively.
Chris Paul, Joel Embiid Named Players Of The Week
Suns guard Chris Paul and Sixers center Joel Embiid have been named the Players of the Week for the Western Conference and Eastern Conference, respectively, the NBA announced today (via Twitter).
Paul led the Suns to a 4-0 week from January 24-30, averaging 22.3 PPG, 12.8 APG, and 7.5 RPG on .542/.588/.714 shooting in 38.5 minutes per contest. He posted his second triple-double of the season on Friday vs. Minnesota, with 21 points, 14 assists, and 10 boards.
The 76ers, meanwhile, enjoyed a 3-0 week, with their star center leading the way. Embiid put up 34.7 PPG, 11.7 RPG, and 5.7 APG in victories over over the Pelicans, Lakers, and Kings. He’ll get a breather following his big week, sitting out Monday’s game vs. Memphis for rest purposes. It’ll be the first game he has missed since December 13.
Both Paul and Embiid would likely show up on plenty of MVP ballots if the season ended today, so it’s a little surprising that neither star had won a Player of the Week award yet this season. Embiid was named the East’s Player of the Month for December.
Devin Booker, Jaren Jackson Jr., Ja Morant, Nikola Jokic, and Karl-Anthony Towns were this week’s other nominees in the West, while Jimmy Butler, Darius Garland, Jayson Tatum, Franz Wagner, and Trae Young received consideration in the East, according to the league (Twitter link).
Joe Ingles Out For Season With Torn ACL
Jazz forward Joe Ingles has been diagnosed with a torn left ACL, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, who reports (via Twitter) that Ingles will miss the rest of the 2021/22 season.
The plan is for Ingles to undergo surgery to repair the ACL tear within the next few weeks, once he gets a range of motion back in his knee, sources tell Wojnarowski (Twitter links).
Ingles, the runner-up for the Sixth Man of the Year award to teammate Jordan Clarkson in 2020/21, was having a down year this season, averaging just 7.2 PPG, 3.5 APG, and 2.9 RPG on .404/.347/.773 shooting in 45 games (24.9 MPG). However, he was still a regular rotation player for the Jazz and is viewed as one of the club’s locker-room leaders.
Ingles’ injury is a tough blow to a slumping squad that is already dealing with a series of other injuries. Donovan Mitchell has been in the concussion protocol for two weeks, having last played on January 17, while Rudy Gobert has missed Utah’s last four games due to a calf ailment. After starting the season with a 28-10 record, the Jazz have lost 11 of their last 13 games, including five in a row.
Mitchell’s and Gobert’s injuries, at least, aren’t considered long-term issues, but the Jazz will need to find a way to make up Ingles’ production. In the short term, forwards like Bojan Bogdanovic, Royce O’Neale, and Rudy Gay will be leaned on more heavily.
Because he’s in the last year of his contract and has had an up-and-down season, Ingles had been viewed as a potential trade candidate for a Utah team seeking an upgrade on the wing. The 34-year-old and his $13MM expiring deal seem even more likely to be moved now. Like the Cavs have done with Ricky Rubio since he suffered an ACL tear of his own, the Jazz will probably shop Ingles with a draft pick in the hopes of acquiring a player who can help the club contend this season.
The Jazz won’t be able to apply for a disabled player exception in response to Ingles’ injury, since the deadline to submit a DPE request was January 15.
Mavs Rumors: Brunson, Finney-Smith, Kleber, Powell, Dragic
Although Jalen Brunson and Dorian Finney-Smith have been frequently mentioned in trade rumors within the last few weeks, Marc Stein says in his latest Substack article that the safe money is on both players remaining with the Mavericks through the February 10 trade deadline.
Dallas has rebuffed trade interest in Brunson and Finney-Smith so far, according to Stein, who notes that both players are important parts of the team’s current roster. Discussing Brunson specifically, Stein says the Mavs believe the point guard wants to stick with the team long-term and haven’t considered the idea of sending him to the Knicks in a deal that would allow them to reacquire their 2023 first-round pick.
While the Mavs would ideally like to extend both Brunson and Finney-Smith before they reach unrestricted free agency this summer, it’s unclear if either player will be interested in a four-year, $55.6MM deal, which is the most Dallas can offer at this point. A previous report stated that Finney-Smith may be seeking $15MM+ annually on his next contract, and Stein says Brunson is believed to after $18MM+ per year.
Here’s more on the Mavs:
- As they consider potential deadline moves, the Mavs are looking to upgrade their offense rather than their defense, which is why they backed off pursuing rim-protecting Pacers center Myles Turner, Stein writes.
- Dallas’ ability to make an impact trade may be hindered by the lack of interest in many of their players outside of Brunson and Finney-Smith, according to Stein. Tim Hardaway Jr. was having a down year before he got hurt, and the perceived trade value of Maxi Kleber and Dwight Powell has “waned,” Stein adds.
- Sources tell Stein that using their $10.9MM trade exception to acquire guard Dennis Schröder from the Celtics isn’t in the Mavs’ plans.
- If Goran Dragic is bought out, either by the Raptors or by a team that acquires him as a salary-matching piece, Dallas would be among the frontrunners to sign him, but multiple clubs would be in the running, according to Stein.
Thunder Re-Sign Mamadi Diakite To 10-Day Deal
The Thunder have brought back forward Mamadi Diakite on another 10-day contract, the team announced today in a press release. Diakite’s previous 10-day deal expired on Sunday night.
Diakite, 25, has averaged 3.0 PPG and 3.3 RPG in eight games (11.6 MPG) with the Thunder over the course of a pair of 10-day contracts. This will be Diakite’s third 10-day pact with Oklahoma City — the first was a hardship deal and the second was a standard agreement.
The Thunder don’t currently have any players in the health and safety protocols, so this new deal will be a standard contract too. Assuming they aren’t eligible for a hardship exception when Diakite’s 10-day deal expires, the Thunder will have to either sign him to a rest-of-season contract or let him go at that point.
Diakite was in training camp with Oklahoma City in the fall, but fractured his hip and was waived at the end of the preseason. He spent his rookie year in 2020/21 with the Bucks after going undrafted out of Virginia, appearing in 14 regular season games and seven postseason contests for the NBA champions.
The 6’9″ forward will earn another $85,578 over the course of his 10 days with Oklahoma City. That figure will count against team salary for cap and tax purposes, which won’t be a problem for a Thunder club that remains significantly below the league’s minimum salary floor.
Diakite’s contract will run through February 9, covering OKC’s next six games.
Bradley Beal To Miss Multiple Games Due To Wrist Injury
Star guard Bradley Beal will miss the Wizards‘ games in Milwaukee on Tuesday and in Philadelphia on Wednesday, the team announced today in a press release.
Beal sustained a sprained left wrist during the third quarter of Saturday’s loss to Memphis, according to the Wizards. While he was able to finish that game, he’ll undergo further evaluation on that wrist injury before being cleared to return to action, the team said in today’s announcement.
While it’s possible Beal will only be sidelined for two games, his absence could extend beyond Wednesday. And any time he misses is a problem for the Wizards, who have struggled this season following a 10-3 start. At 23-26, Washington is currently 11th in the East, a game out of a play-in spot.
Beal is eligible to reach unrestricted free agency this summer, so the Wizards’ moves at the trade deadline and their performance in the second half will be worth monitoring closely. The 28-year-old has spoken about his desire to remain in D.C. long-term, but he also wants to see the club making consistent forward progress. The Wizards earned the No. 8 seed in the East in 2021’s play-in tournament, so falling short of a playoff spot this season would represent a step back.
With Beal out, Corey Kispert will likely return to the starting lineup, while the team leans more heavily on point guards Spencer Dinwiddie and Raul Neto for scoring and play-making.
Northwest Notes: Ingles, Thunder, Beasley, Hyland
If Joe Ingles‘ left knee injury sidelines him for an extended period, it won’t be easy for the Jazz to replace his presence on the court and in the locker room, writes Tony Jones of The Athletic. While Ingles still has to undergo an MRI to confirm the severity of the injury, team doctors – who conducted an initial examination on Sunday – fear that it’s significant, according to Jones.
“It’s not even about the basketball at this point,” Jazz forward Rudy Gay said. “Just having him in the locker room is good for us. That’s our guy.”
“Seeing Joe at halftime, that took a lot out of guys,” Jazz point guard Mike Conley said. “Seeing him in pain. Seeing him in tears that was tough. We knew how much this meant to him. All we could do was tell him that we loved him and tell him to keep his head up.”
Ingles, who is on an expiring contract, was already considered a potential trade candidate for a Jazz team seeking a defensive upgrade on the wing. If the 34-year-old is ruled out for several months – or possibly the rest of the season – as a result of his knee injury, the Jazz will be under even more pressure to acquire another forward or wing if they want to have a chance to seriously contend for a title this season.
Here’s more from around the Northwest:
- Joe Mussatto of The Oklahoman considers what Shai Gilgeous-Alexander‘s right ankle injury means for the Thunder in both the short- and long-term. The team will get an extended look at rookie Josh Giddey as the primary creator on offense, with Ty Jerome, Theo Maledon, and Tre Mann playing increased roles. Oklahoma City also could see its lottery odds increase, given how poorly the club has played without Gilgeous-Alexander this season.
- Malik Beasley‘s last five games have been a microcosm of his season as a whole — the Timberwolves wing scored 26 points on 9-of-18 shooting in Phoenix on Friday, but put up a total of 17 points on 7-of-31 shooting in the other four contests. As Chris Hine of The Star Tribune writes, Minnesota badly needs to see Friday’s version of Beasley more often. “It’s on him now,” head coach Chris Finch said. “He’s got to have the right approach. He’s got to stay confident and it’s on him. Opportunity is never going to be the issue. Never going to be the issue.”
- The Nuggets have been impressed with the growth they’ve seen from rookie Bones Hyland, who has been given more ball-handling responsibilities on the team’s second unit, writes Mike Singer of The Denver Post. “I’m proud of Bones,” head coach Michael Malone said. “Going out there, playing with great pace, making plays for his teammates, taking the open shot, guarding, competing, and that’s what you want to see from a young player like that who’s got so much potential in front of him.” Hyland’s play has helped Denver remain in contention while Jamal Murray recovers from ACL surgery.
Heat Sign Chris Silva To Fourth 10-Day Contract
The Heat have signed forward Chris Silva to a fourth 10-day contract, according to Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel (Twitter link). Silva’s third 10-day deal with the team expired on Sunday night.
Silva, 25, has appeared in a total of seven games for Miami since first signing with the club back on December 31. He has averaged 3.4 PPG and 3.7 RPG in 9.0 minutes per contest while providing depth in the frontcourt.
A player is typically limited to no more than two 10-day contracts with the same team in a single season, but that restriction doesn’t apply to 10-day deals completed using a COVID-related hardship exception. All four of Silva’s contracts have been hardship deals, since the Heat have had players in and out of the health and safety protocols for over a month.
Omer Yurtseven entered the protocols over the weekend and is currently the only Heat player affected. If he exits the protocols before Silva’s new 10-day deal expires and no one new enters, Silva will be ineligible to play at that point.
Silva has earned $95,930 on each of his 10-day contracts this season, including one with Minnesota in December. By the time his new deal expires (on the night of February 9), he’ll have received nearly $480K in total, which exceeds the minimum salary for a player on a two-way contract in 2021/22.
Silva is the second player to sign four 10-day contracts with the same club this season, joining Lance Stephenson (Pacers).
COVID-19 Updates: Anderson, Murphy, Porter, Murray
Kyle Anderson returned to action for the Grizzlies on Saturday night after missing five games in the NBA’s health and safety protocols. While Anderson only scored four points in 23 minutes, he chipped in nine rebounds and four assists in Memphis’ 20-point win over Washington.
After dealing with a mini-outbreak of COVID-19 this month, the Grizzlies now have just one player still in the protocols. Tyus Jones, the team’s lone affected player, is listed as questionable for Monday’s game in Philadelphia, suggesting that he could be on the verge of being cleared.
Here are a few more protocol-related updates from around the NBA:
- The Pelicans are no longer listing rookie Trey Murphy III on their injury report, signaling that he has exited the health and safety protocols and should be available on Monday vs. Cleveland. Murphy was out of New Orleans’ rotation even before he entered the protocols, having not played more than three minutes since December 28, so his return shouldn’t have a major impact on the team’s game plan.
- Rockets guard Kevin Porter Jr. has been upgraded to questionable for Monday’s game vs. Golden State and is no longer listed in the protocols, tweets Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle. Porter is dealing with an illness, but it doesn’t appear to be COVID-19.
- Nuggets guard Jamal Murray continues to recover from left ACL surgery, but isn’t in the COVID-19 protocols anymore, per the NBA’s injury report.