Lakers’ Westbrook, Cavs’ Okoro Enter COVID-19 Protocols
Lakers guard Russell Westbrook has entered the NBA’s health and safety protocols, sources tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Dave McMenamin (Twitter link). Lakers guard Avery Bradley has also been placed in the protocols, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).
Westbrook and Bradley are the fourth and fifth Lakers to enter the protocols within the last three days, joining teammates Talen Horton-Tucker, Dwight Howard, and Malik Monk.
It’s unclear if the two Lakers guards have registered confirmed positive tests for COVID-19, but if they have, they’ll be sidelined for at least 10 days or until he returns two consecutive negative tests at least 24 hours apart.
The news of Westbrook and Bradley entering the protocols coincides with reports that the Lakers have agreed to sign Isaiah Thomas to a 10-day contract using a hardship exception. Westbrook’s and Bradley’s absences should open the door for Thomas to get some run at the point guard spot.
Here are a few more COVID-related updates from around the NBA:
- Cavaliers forward Isaac Okoro has entered the health and safety protocols, sources tell Kelsey Russo of The Athletic (Twitter link). No other Cavs players are currently in the protocols, so we’ll have to wait to see if Okoro is a one-off or if any of his teammates join him in the coming days. If Okoro tested positive for COVID-19, he’ll be in the protocols for at least 10 days or until he returns two consecutive negative tests at least 24 hours apart.
- Bulls head coach Billy Donovan told reporters, including Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times, that Coby White and Javonte Green are the only two players on the team who have cleared the health and safety protocols and have been conducting individual workouts. That leaves eight players in the protocols, and many of them – including Zach LaVine, Ayo Dosunmu, Alize Johnson, and Troy Brown Jr. – may not be back until after Christmas, according to Donovan.
- Raptors big man Precious Achiuwa has cleared the health and safety protocols, tweets Eric Koreen of The Athletic. Koreen also provides a few injury updates on Raptors players — Dalano Banton (illness) is good to go, while OG Anunoby (hip) and Khem Birch (knee) will be listed as questionable for the club’s game vs. Golden State on Saturday.
Klay Thompson Expected To Return After Christmas
The Warriors are no longer targeting their home games on December 20 or 23 for Klay Thompson‘s return to action, sources tell Shams Charania and Anthony Slater of The Athletic (Twitter link). Thompson also won’t play in Golden State’s Christmas Day game in Phoenix.
The Warriors and Thompson, who is coming off an Achilles tear, have never projected an exact date for his return, but reports over the last few months had previously cited Christmas as an approximate goal. The club reportedly prefers to have him make his season debut at home rather than on the road, so those Dec. 20 and 23 home games vs. Sacramento and Memphis, respectively, have been considered prime targets for a while.
However, the Warriors also don’t want to put any pressure on Thompson to return before he’s 100% ready, and there’s certainly no rush to get him back in the lineup — the Dubs have an NBA-best 23-5 record and can afford to be patient.
Thompson is currently in the process of ramping up his conditioning, so his return timeline remains somewhat in flux. As Charania and Slater observe, the earliest we could see the veteran sharpshooter back in action would be on December 28, when the Warriors host the Nuggets. After that, Golden State travels to Denver (Dec. 30) and Utah (Jan. 1) before returning home for a Jan. 3 contest vs. the Heat.
Zion Williamson Receives Injection In Foot, Will Be Reevaluated In 4-6 Weeks
After undergoing further evaluation on Wednesday, Pelicans star Zion Williamson received a biologic injection into the fracture site in his right foot in order to stimulate bone healing, the team announced today in a press release.
Williamson, who has experienced a couple setbacks in his rehab process this month, will be limited to “low-impact, partial weight-bearing activites” for the foreseeable future, according to the team. The Pelicans say they’ll have another update on the former No. 1 overall pick in about four-to-six weeks, when further imaging is conducted on his foot.
Andrew Lopez of ESPN (video link) said during a TV appearance earlier this week that Williamson’s recovery from offseason foot surgery isn’t a “shut him down for the season”-type issue, adding that the Pelicans believe Zion will return at some point in the new year. However, today’s news is the latest in a series of discouraging updates on the forward’s recovery process since he told reporters on Media Day that he hoped to play on opening night.
A four-to-six week timeline means it’ll be mid-to-late January before we get another update on Williamson, and there’s no guarantee he’ll be on the verge of returning at that point.
While I don’t want to jump to any conclusions, Zion’s ongoing absence could result in some difficult decisions for the 9-21 Pelicans at the trade deadline and in the 2022 offseason, when the 21-year-old will become eligible for a rookie scale extension.
Kings Cancel Practice, Concerned About COVID-19 Outbreak
The Kings have canceled Thursday’s practice and shut down their facility amid growing concerns about a COVID-19 outbreak, sources tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link). Shams Charania of The Athletic first reported (via Twitter) that Sacramento was preparing for multiple coaches and players to be placed in the NBA’s health and safety protocols.
Head coach Alvin Gentry, forward Marvin Bagley III, and guard Terence Davis all entered the protocols on Wednesday, and Charania indicates both Gentry and Bagley have tested positive for COVID-19. According to Wojnarowski, the Kings continue to test and retest their players and staffers, and there’s some concern that the team’s game vs. Memphis on Friday could be in jeopardy.
The NBA is currently in the midst of its most challenging week of the fall in terms of COVID-related issues. The league had to postpone games for the first time this season due to a Bulls outbreak, and a handful of other teams have multiple players unavailable due to positive tests. By our count, there are more than 30 NBA players currently in the protocols, plus two head coaches (Gentry and Rick Carlisle).
We’ll have more updates on the Kings’ situation as they become available.
Knicks Notes: Knox, Fournier, Walker, Toppin
Forward Kevin Knox entered the NBA’s health and safety protocols on Thursday, becoming the fourth Knicks player to do so within the last week, per an announcement from the team (via Twitter). Knox joins RJ Barrett, Obi Toppin, and Quentin Grimes in the protocols and will be unavailable for at least 10 days or until he returns two consecutive negative COVID-19 tests at least 24 hours apart.
It’s unfortunate timing for Knox, who played 49 total minutes in the Knicks’ last two games after having logged just 22 minutes across six games in the first seven-plus weeks of the regular season. We’ll see if he gets a chance to earn playing time once he clears the protocols and is available again.
Here’s more on the Knicks:
- As Steve Popper of Newsday writes, determining a starting lineup and rotation with a COVID-depleted roster was already turning a challenge for head coach Tom Thibodeau, who will now be down one more player for at least the team’s Thursday game in Houston.
- Evan Fournier and Kemba Walker became trade-eligible on Wednesday, and while Mark W. Sanchez of The New York Post could imagine the Knicks moving Walker by February 10, he says it’s more difficult to envision a deal involving Fournier, who is in the first season of a four-year contract. For what it’s worth, another report this week indicated there’s very little interest around the league in Walker.
- In his latest mailbag for The Athletic, Fred Katz explores the Knicks’ defensive struggles, what’s next for Kemba, and whether there’s room for Obi Toppin to take on a larger role.
Trade Rumors: Sabonis, Kemba, Celtics, Pelicans, Magic
On an episode of The Ringer’s podcast The Mismatch last week, Kevin O’Connor mentioned that Pacers big man Domantas Sabonis wants out of Indiana. The comment was made in passing and wasn’t expanded upon by O’Connor in any subsequent article or tweet, so it wasn’t clear whether it was something he was reporting or something he’d heard but hadn’t fully confirmed.
Following up on that rumor, Matt Moore of Action Network says he has also heard from multiple sources that Sabonis wants out of Indiana, adding that the big man’s desire for a change of scenery dates back to last season. However, all of Sabonis’ public comments have indicated that he’s happy to stick with the Pacers, and Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files, who is plugged in with the team, called O’Connor’s initial report “false” (Twitter link).
The Pacers are reportedly open to the idea of moving Sabonis, so whether or not he wants to be dealt may ultimately be a moot point — Indiana could trade him either way.
Here are a few more trade rumors from around the league:
- Knicks guard Kemba Walker hasn’t generated much – if any – trade interest from rival teams, since his knees are viewed as too much of a risk, Moore reports.
- Two sources who spoke to Moore suggested the Celtics are more likely to pursue a third impact player to add to their core of Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, rather than breaking up the duo.
- The Bulls are in the market for a wing defender who could come off the bench, says Moore.
- Some executives were surprised by Jake Fischer’s report that the Pelicans could be buyers this season, since they’d gotten the impression New Orleans is more interested in long-term assets, Moore writes. Josh Hart is viewed as possibly the most likely trade candidate on the Pels’ roster, Moore adds.
- Despite Mohamed Bamba‘s strong season, the Magic are considered unlikely to discuss center Wendell Carter Jr. in trades, per Moore, who notes that the team also hasn’t yet indicated that Bamba is available.
- According to Moore, the Thunder are a good candidate to be a third team in a Ben Simmons trade, since Sam Presti and Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey have had multiple past dealings and Oklahoma City is well positioned to take on unwanted contracts.
And-Ones: Franchise Valuations, Maker, Ferrell, J. Smith
Kurt Badenhausen of Sportico has released his annual NBA franchise valuations, with the Knicks ($6.12 billion), Warriors ($6.03 billion), and Lakers ($5.63 billion) leading the way. Those three clubs are far and away the NBA’s most valuable, in Sportico’s view — no other team is valued above $3.61 billion, which is where the fourth-place Nets land, and the average league-wide valuation is about $2.6 billion.
Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- Former NBA lottery pick Thon Maker and Hapoel Jerusalem have parted ways, the Israeli team announced earlier this week (via Twitter). Maker, who spent part of last season with the Cavaliers, is once again a free agent.
- Veteran guard Yogi Ferrell recently signed with a team in Slovenia, but he remains focused on playing his way back to the NBA, he said this week on Eurohoops’ EurohooPOD podcast. “I definitely want to get back over there and still show I belong in the league,” Ferrell said.
- While Paolo Banchero and Chet Holmgren have long been viewed as the consensus top two prospects in the 2022 draft class, John Hollinger of The Athletic says that Auburn’s Jabari Smith is making a legitimate case to be considered at No. 1.
- The Bulls‘ organization is being impacted by COVID-19 at multiple levels. Like the NBA squad, the G League’s Windy City Bulls have had their schedule affected by the health and safety protocols and won’t take part in the upcoming NBAGL Winter Showcase, the league announced in a press release.
Nets Sign Langston Galloway Via Hardship Exception
DECEMBER 16: The Nets have made it official, announcing in a press release that they’ve signed Galloway to a 10-day contract.
DECEMBER 15: The Nets have agreed to sign veteran guard Langston Galloway via a hardship exception, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (via Twitter). Galloway will receive a 10-day contract.
Brooklyn is eligible to sign multiple players due to the hardship provision, since the team currently has seven players in the NBA’s health and safety protocols, with Joe Harris (ankle) also on the shelf. It’s unclear how many more free agents – if any – the team will sign besides Galloway.
Galloway had decided within the last week to play in the G League and joined the College Park Skyhawks, Atlanta’s NBAGL affiliate. It appears his stint with College Park will be brief. He appeared in his first game for the Skyhawks on Tuesday night, and while he struggled with his scoring efficiency, putting up 12 points on just 5-of-18 shooting, he had seven assists and was a team-best plus-15 in a victory over the Raptors 905.
A former St. Joseph’s standout, Galloway played a role off the bench for Phoenix last season, averaging 4.8 points in 40 games while shooting 44.9% from the field and 42.4% from three-point range. He signed a non-guaranteed training camp contract with the Warriors in late September, but was waived before the season started.
Galloway, who turned 30 this month, has put together a seven-year career with the Knicks, Pelicans, Kings, Pistons and Suns since going undrafted in 2014. He has appeared in 445 NBA games with career averages of 8.2 points, 2.4 rebounds and 1.6 assists.
The Nets will assume a cap hit of $95,930 for Galloway’s 10-day contract, while he earns a $128,709 salary, tweets ESPN’s Bobby Marks. Brooklyn will also take on approximately $504K in additional tax penalties as a result of the deal, Marks adds.
Trade Rumors: Simmons, Pelicans, Lakers, Harris, Magic
In the latest episode of the HoopsHype Podcast, Michael Scotto said he’s heard the Pelicans discussed a deal with the Sixers that would’ve seen New Orleans give up a series of first-round picks and swaps in exchange for Ben Simmons. The 76ers have been seeking an All-Star caliber player in any Simmons deal, but Scotto says Brandon Ingram wasn’t included in those discussions.
The Pelicans do have an excess of first-rounders as a result of their Anthony Davis and Jrue Holiday trades. However, I imagine Philadelphia would want to turn those picks into players who could make an immediate impact, rather than simply loading up for the future. So perhaps a third team would be necessary in order for the Pelicans and Sixers to make real progress.
Scotto and his guest, Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report, talked about a handful of other trade rumors from around the NBA during the podcast. Here are some of the highlights:
- Following up on his report about the Lakers internally discussing the possibility of trading Russell Westbrook, Fischer says the team’s only outgoing call in which Westbrook’s name may have come up was to the Sixers about Simmons. “The conversation pretty much was, ‘We’re interested in Ben. How would we get there?'” Fischer explained. “The obvious solution is Russell Westbrook. He’s not a player on that Sixers list that they have.”
- Fischer also said he received some push-back from Brooklyn about his report that the Nets may be open to moving sharpshooter Joe Harris. “Perhaps, teams who had early conversations with Brooklyn about Joe and they didn’t categorically shut them down, maybe that’s all this was,” Fischer said.
- Addressing Shams Charania’s recent report that the Magic want a first-round pick for Terrence Ross, Scotto says some executives have talked about being open to giving up two second-rounders for the veteran swingman. However, Scotto’s not sure that would “move the needle” for Orlando. As I noted on Monday, Ross is under contract through 2022/23, so there’s no urgency for the Magic to move him.
- Fischer has heard that before the Nuggets agreed to send R.J. Hampton the Magic as part of the Aaron Gordon trade in March, they were trying to include Bol Bol in Hampton’s place.
Chasson Randle Signs With NBL Team
Veteran guard Chasson Randle has signed with the New Zealand Breakers, the team announced in a press release. The Breakers play in Australia’s National Basketball League (NBL).
Randle has been added to the Breakers’ roster as an injury replacement for former NBA guard Peyton Siva, who reportedly suffered a hamstring tear. Another one of the team’s guards, Jeremiah Martin, is dealing with a rolled ankle.
“It’s been a very difficult start with COVID, with two of our imports injured, and we wanted to get the best import on the market available,” said team owner Matt Walsh, whose team has an 0-3 record. “… Randle is a legit NBA player who has started games and played significant minutes, and we believe he’s going to come in and be one of the best imports in our league. We anticipate him coming in and putting us back in the hunt.”
Randle, 28, appeared in 41 games with the Magic in 2020/21, averaging 6.5 PPG, 2.0 RPG, and 1.8 APG on .388/.338/.792 shooting in 20.4 minutes per contest. He even made five starts with Orlando in games where both Markelle Fultz and Cole Anthony were unavailable.
The Suns signed Randle for training camp this fall, but he didn’t earn a spot on the team’s 15-man regular season roster. He was later part of the U.S. team that played a pair of qualifying games for the 2023 World Cup against Mexico and Cuba last month.