Mohamed Bamba To Miss Significant Time With Stress Fracture
FEBRUARY 7: While he didn’t provide details or an updated recovery timeline, Magic coach Steve Clifford said today that Bamba underwent a procedure on his injured left leg after all, per John Denton of OrlandoMagic.com (Twitter link).
FEBRUARY 5: Magic center Mohamed Bamba will miss significant time with a stress fracture in his left tibia, the team announced on Tuesday (Twitter link). The team confirmed a report from ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski that Bamba would not undergo surgery.
“Thankfully, we caught this early and we are able to treat Mo without surgery,” Magic president Jeff Weltman said in a statement. “His return to action will depend on how he responds to treatment.”
Bamba, 20, has averaged 6.2 PPG, 5.0 RPG and 1.4 BPG for Orlando in 47 games (one start). The Magic drafted the New York native with their first-round pick (sixth overall) in the 2018 NBA Draft.
At 22-31, the Magic are currently three games back of the Heat for the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference. With the club’s postseason hopes dwindling, Orlando will likely take a cautious approach with Bamba.
Lakers Acquire Reggie Bullock From Pistons
FEBRUARY 6: The Lakers and Pistons have each issued a press release confirming that the Bullock trade is now official.
FEBRUARY 5: The Lakers have agreed in principle to acquire Reggie Bullock from the Pistons in exchange for Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk and a second-round pick, Frank Isola and Shams Charania of The Athletic report (Twitter links).
Detroit will receive Los Angeles’ 2021 second-round pick, tweets James Edwards III of The Athletic. The deal is expected to be finalized on Wednesday.
We relayed over the weekend that Los Angeles was one of several teams to call Detroit about the swingman. Bullock, 27, has a $2.5MM expiring contract, so he does not impact the Lakers’ cap situation for free agency this summer.
By trading Bullock, the Pistons will create a $2.5MM trade exception, per ESPN’s Bobby Marks. The Lakers will inherit Bullock’s Bird Rights (with a cap hold of $4.75MM) entering free agency his summer.
In his sixth NBA season, Bullock is averaging a career-best 12.0 PPG through 43 games and gives the Lakers some much-needed outside shooting help. He is shooting the ball at a 38.4% clip from three-point range this season, which is slightly below his career average of 39.6%.
As for the Lakers, they are parting with one of their second-round picks (47th overall) from last year’s draft. The Ukraine native has appeared in 39 games this season, averaging a mere 3.2 PPG. Per Marks, the Pistons will have until July 5 to guarantee Mykhailiuk’s $1.4MM salary for the 2019/20 season. His third season is a team option worth $1.6MM.
Assuming the trade is completed, the Pistons will move $1.5MM below the luxury tax for the season.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Hornets, Grizzlies Skeptical Over Completing Gasol Trade
FEBRUARY 6, 9:54am: The trade the Grizzlies and Hornets have discussed would see Gasol head to Charlotte in exchange for Bismack Biyombo, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, and a protected first-round pick, league sources tell Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer. However, the two sides haven’t been able to agree on the protections for the draft pick, according to O’Connor, who confirms that the impasse might be enough to derail the deal entirely.
FEBRUARY 5, 11:06pm: There is “increasing skepticism” that a trade sending Gasol to the Hornets will happen, sources tell Sean Deveney of Sporting News. Deveney notes that a deal has “not progressed” despite Charlotte’s interest in the veteran center.
9:25pm: While the Hornets and Grizzlies have discussed Gasol, no trade has been agreed upon yet, tweets Chris Herrington of The Daily Memphian. Gasol joined his Memphis teammates on the bench for tonight’s game against Minnesota.
5:01pm: The Grizzlies are in “strong talks” to send veteran center Marc Gasol to the Hornets, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). As both sides negotiate the framework of the deal, including Gasol’s $24.1MM salary, the Grizzlies will sit the big man tonight against the Timberwolves, Charania adds.
Gasol, along with longtime Memphis teammate Mike Conley, has been at the forefront of trade rumors since the team put both players on the trade block last month. We relayed earlier today that the Raptors reportedly expressed interest in both Gasol and Conley. The Kings and Pistons have previously expressed interest in Conley.
The 34-year-old has spent his entire 11-year career with the Grizzlies, making three All-Star teams. While injuries have slowed the Spaniard in recent years, he’s still an above average contributor, averaging 15.7 PPG and 8.6 RPG in 53 games this season.
Per Marc Stein of the New York Times (Twitter link), Hornets owner Michael Jordan wants the team to make the playoffs. Therefore, he has let teams know that the team intends to be a buyer approaching Thursday’s trade deadline. At 26-26, Charlotte is currently the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference, trailing the Nets by half a game.
Lakers Have ‘Fondness’ For Possible Trevor Ariza Reunion
If the Wizards make Trevor Ariza available in trades ahead of Thursday’s deadline, the Lakers would be interested in his services, tweets ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne.
Before the Suns traded Ariza to the Wizards in mid-December, the Lakers had explored a three-team deal that would have brought swingman to Hollywood. Ariza, 33, has previously suited up for the Lakers as he was a key member of the organization’s run to the 2009 NBA championship.
The Lakers agreed in principle to acquire Pistons‘ swingman Reggie Bullock on Wednesday. It’s unclear how, or if, the addition of Bullock would impact the Lakers’ interest in Ariza.
In 49 games this season, Ariza has averaged 12.4 PPG, 5.6 RPG and 3.7 APG between Washington and Phoenix. However, he has played much better since being traded, evidenced by his 15.2 PPG average and .390% field goal percentage. At 22-31, the Wizards occupy 10th place in the Eastern Conference, three games back of the Heat for the eighth seed. However, a rash of injuries has essentially halted Washington’s postseason hopes.
The Lakers’ primary target in trades this week has been Pelicans’ superstar Anthony Davis. However, after several days of negotiations, Los Angeles reportedly pulled out of sweepstakes due to the Pelicans’ demands. If the Lakers do not acquire Davis, it’s possible they shift their focus to other targets as they fight for the eighth seed in the Western Conference.
Three-Point, Skills And Dunk Contest Participants Announced
The NBA has announced the participants for the Three-Point Shootout, Skills Challenge, and Slam Dunk Contest set to take place the night before the 2019 NBA All-Star Game in Charlotte on Feb. 16.
The Three-Point Shootout will include defending champion Devin Booker (Suns), Khris Middleton (Bucks), Stephen Curry (Warriors), Kemba Walker (Hornets), Damian Lillard (Trail Blazers), Dirk Nowitzki (Mavericks), Danny Green (Raptors), Seth Curry (Trail Blazers), Joe Harris (Nets) and Buddy Hield (Kings).
Nowitzki, in what may be his final season, will be a key participant to watch, as will the brother duo of Seth and Steph and the local favorite Walker.
In the Skills Challenge, the contestants include Mike Conley (Grizzlies), Luka Doncic (Mavericks), Jayson Tatum (Celtics), Trae Young (Hawks), De’Aaron Fox (Kings), Nikola Jokic (Nuggets), Kyle Kuzma (Lakers) and Nikola Vucevic (Magic).
Finally, the Dunk Contest features Dennis Smith Jr. (Knicks), Miles Bridges (Hornets), John Collins (Hawks) and Hamidou Diallo (Thunder). Smith, fresh off a trade to New York, is the lone returning contestant as he was eliminated in the first round of the 2018 Dunk Contest. Diallo replaced the injured Derrick Jones.
NBA G League Assignments/Recalls: 2/5/19
Here are Tuesday’s assignments and recalls from the G League:
- The Nets assigned oft-injured guards Allen Crabbe and Caris LeVert to their affiliate in Long Island for practice, the team announced (Twitter link). Brooklyn recalled both men after practice, per Brian Lewis of the New York Post (Twitter link). LeVert has not played since Nov. 12 when he suffered a right foot dislocation and Crabbe has been sidelined with a sore knee since Dec. 12. Crabbe will be available Wednesday against the Nuggets while Brooklyn is hopeful LeVert can return shortly thereafter.
- The Wizards assigned John Jenkins to their G League affiliate, the Capital City Go-Go, the team announced (Twitter link). Jenkins has yet to play in a game with Washington and has appeared in just one game with the Go-Go.
- The Bulls assigned Antonio Blakeney to their G League affiliate, the Windy City Bulls, the team announced (Twitter link). Blakeney has appeared in 40 games with Chicago this season, averaging 7.8 PPG and 1.6 RPG.
- The Lakers assigned rookie Isaac Bonga to their G League affiliate, the South Bay Lakers, the team announced (Twitter link). The 19-year-old has averaged 12.3 PPG, 6.1 RPG and 2.6 APG with South Bay.
Michael Beasley Addresses Confrontation With Luke Walton
Following a loss to the Warriors last Saturday, a pair of Lakers veterans were reportedly involved in a heated altercation with head coach Luke Walton. The veterans in question were Michael Beasley and JaVale McGee.
Reports of the altercation varied from “stopping short of physical” to being “overhyped.” Beasley, in a statement released to Yahoo Sports’ Chris Haynes, confirmed that a postgame conversation with Walton occurred but never escalated beyond that.
“This past Saturday after the Warriors game, Coach Walton and our team had a conversation after a tough loss. Despite reports to the contrary, there was nothing physical between Coach Walton, me, or any other teammate,” Beasley said. “I’ve sat back in the past when stories have been twisted and misreported, but I won’t do that this time. I respect Luke and I respect this team. We are trying to win a championship together.”
Beasley, 30, has been among several Lakers mentioned in trade talks amid the organization’s pursuit of Anthony Davis. One year removed from averaging 13.2 PPG for the Knicks, Beasley has been relegated to just 25 games (two starts), averaging 7.2 PPG for Los Angeles.
As for McGee, who reportedly had a heated verbal joust with Walton, he described reports as “fake news” in a statement to Yahoo Sports. McGee, 31, has averaged 10.8 PPG for the Lakers as the team’s primary center.
The Lakers entered play on Tuesday with a 27-26 record, 1.5 games back of the Clippers for the eighth seed in the Western Conference.
Pelicans’ Anthony Davis Medically Cleared To Return
With a flurry of trade rumors surrounding his future, Pelicans superstar Anthony Davis has been medically cleared to play from his left index finger fracture, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic. However, New Orleans does not plan on playing Davis before Thursday’s trade deadline and will re-evaluate his status if he’s not dealt, per Charania (Twitter link).
Charania’s report comes after Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports wrote earlier today that Davis had hoped to play in Monday’s game against Indiana, but was held out of action by the Pelicans.
Davis, 25, has not played since January 18 when he suffered the injury to his left index finger. He was initially expected to miss one to two weeks until he was diagnosed with a fracture.
Prior to the injury, Davis was in the midst of another MVP-caliber season. In 41 games, the five-time All-Star is averaging career-highs with 29.3 PPG, 13.3 RPG and 2.6 BPG.
The five-time All-Star’s named has been mired in rumors since his demand to be traded went public. The Lakers have been the most active team in pursuit of Davis but reportedly “pulled out” of trade talks – at least for now – due to New Orleans’ high demands.
As we have previously relayed, Davis’ agent Rich Paul notified Pelicans’ brass that Davis would entertain signing long-term deals with the Knicks, Bucks and Clippers. The Celtics also maintain a strong interest but it does not appear to be mutual.
Knicks Notes: Fizdale, Porzingis, DSJ, Matthews, Free Agency
In his first season as Knicks head coach, David Fizdale spoke glowingly of a future in which he would coach the team’s now-former star Kristaps Porzingis. After Thursday’s trade that sent the Latvian to the Mavericks, Fizdale will not get that opportunity.
Speaking to reporters, including Marc Berman of the New York Post, about the organization’s decision to trade Porzingis, Fizdale praised their personal relationship but was on board with management’s decision.
“This is what the situation called for,’’ Fizdale said. “I never got to coach him. I was excited to coach him. We had a really good relationship, but he had to make a decision and he felt that it was best that he get a fresh start. You never want to see a player go. But where we are I’m excited about our future.
“I wouldn’t say [things were] not right. I never felt that. But like Scott [Perry] and Steve [Mills] said [Thursday] night, we felt like over a short amount of time we started to feel some distance and some indicators that we felt like we had to clear up some things to get clarity and that’s why they met.”
In dealing Porzingis, the Knicks acquired an asset in Dennis Smith Jr., two future first-round picks and cap space that could net them two max free agents this summer.
Check out more notes surrounding the Knicks:
- With Smith in New York, The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor looked back at the 2017 NBA Draft in which the point guard was drafted. Some members of the Knicks’ front office were said to be infatuated with Smith, but New York ultimately drafted teenage Frenchman Frank Ntilikina one spot earlier. However, now the organization has both players and can look to see if Smith’s upside supersedes Ntilikina’s — which was the consensus in 2017.
- In addition to Smith, draft picks and cap space, the Knicks acquired the expiring contracts of DeAndre Jordan and Wesley Matthews. New York has heard from at least one team interested in trading for Matthews, ESPN’s Ian Begley tweets. However, if no trade is found, both Matthews and Jordan — impending free agents — are buyout candidates.
- The widespread coverage of the Porzingis trade has yielded varying opinions on the Knicks’ future. Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated writes that the deal comes with a huge risk but a potentially huge reward if the team can land two elite free agents. Michael Powell of the New York Times opines that Thursday’s trade was the latest sign of organizational incompetence.
Wilson Chandler To Miss 2-3 Weeks With Right Quad Strain
The Sixers will be without Wilson Chandler for two-to-three weeks due to a right quadriceps strain, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic. Chandler is expected to return sometime after the All-Star break.
Chandler left Philadelphia’s win over the Warriors on Thursday due to the right quad strain. He tallied eight points, three assists and two rebounds in 21 minutes before the injury. In 36 games (32 starts) this season, Chandler has averaged 6.7 PPG, 4.7 RPG and 2.0 APG while shooting 39% from three for the Sixers.
The 31-year-old was acquired by Philadelphia from the Nuggets during the offseason. Chandler missed the Sixers’ first nine games of the season due to a hamstring injury.