Kosta Koufos Signs In Greece
Veteran NBA center Kosta Koufos has signed a deal to suit up for Olympiacos B.C. in Greece, the team announced in a press release. Koufos spent last season with CSKA Moscow in Russia.
Koufos, soon to be 32, has spent 11 seasons in the NBA, last suiting up for the Kings during the 2018/19 campaign. In 42 games during that season, Koufos averaged 3.7 PPG and 4.2 RPG.
In 686 regular-season games, Koufos has posted career marks of 5.7 PPG and 5.0 RPG for the Jazz, Timberwolves, Nuggets, Grizzlies, and Kings.
In 17 games for CSKA Moscow last season, Koufos averaged 3.7 PPG and 2.8 RPG in 9.5 minutes per contest.
Jimmy Butler Talks Heat Struggles, COVID-19 Battle
After a rash of injuries to key players and inconsistent play, the Heat own a 12-17 record, a far cry from last season when the team made the NBA Finals. As Miami prepares for an NBA Finals rematch against the Lakers on Saturday, superstar Jimmy Butler discussed the team’s 2020/21 season.
Speaking to ESPN’s Rachel Nichols on The Jump, Butler discussed the Heat’s “terrible” play thus far, as well as his confidence that the team will things around. At 12-17, Miami occupies the 10th seed in the Eastern Conference but is just 1.5 games from the eighth seed. Butler expressed optimism for the remainder of the season and also covered his battle with COVID-19.
Butler’s assessment on the Heat’s performance this season:
“Terrible. Terrible. Just terrible. Not the way we say we want to play. Not the way we’re supposed to be playing. But it’s OK, because we will turn it around. And like the saying says, better late than never.”
Butler on Miami’s ability to turn things around:
“We know what adversity is. We’re supposed to be better. We’re supposed to get better and bring everybody up with us. Maybe here and there we’ve forgotten that. We will get back to it, though. I promise you that. We will.”
Butler on his fight with COVID-19 earlier this year:
“Yeah, it’s scary. Don’t believe reports of me losing 12 pounds, either, ‘cause that’s not the case. I had a light headache, and I felt like I was ready to go. I wanted to compete. Obviously, you cannot do that. But it didn’t hit me that hard.”
Kyrie Irving To Miss Game Due To Right Finger Sprain
Nets point guard Kyrie Irving will not play in Saturday’s contest against the Sixers in Philadelphia due to a right index finger sprain, the team announced in its injury report.
Irving played in the Nets’ 123-117 loss at home to the Raptors on Friday, notching 15 points, five rebounds, and five assists in 39 minutes. It was Irving’s first game scoring fewer than 20 points since January 25.
Ever since returning from an extended mercurial absence in early January, Irving has played well for the Nets. In total, Irving is averaging a career-high 27.5 PPG along with 5.7 APG and 4.8 RPG in 16 games.
Additionally, Brooklyn listed Kevin Durant as questionable for Saturday’s game despite a report he could miss multiple games and that he would not travel to the team to Philadelphia. Durant is undergoing health and safety protocols after a person he was around returned a positive COVID-19 test.
Nets’ Kevin Durant May Miss ‘Multiple Games’ Amid Contact Tracing
Nets superstar Kevin Durant could miss multiple games as he undergoes contact tracing under the league’s health and safety protocols, ESPN’s Malika Andrews and Adrian Wojnarowski report.
Durant will not travel with the team to Philadelphia for tonight’s matchup against the Sixers and it remains to be seen if he will suit up Tuesday in Detroit.
It was an odd series of events on Friday night as Durant was initially held out of the Nets’ home tilt against the Raptors to undergo contact tracing. Someone Durant had been in contact with returned an inconclusive COVID-19 test but after being given the all-clear, Durant returned to the bench and entered the game late in the first quarter.
The 32-year-old seemed out of rhythm, registering just eight points while also picking up four fouls early into the third quarter. As officials reviewed a foul called on Durant, he was deemed ineligible to remain in the game due to health and safety protocols. The Nets went on to lose 123-117 in one of the more chaotic games of the season.
Durant was visibly frustrated after he was pulled for the rest of the game and tweeted, “Free me” late in the fourth quarter. He also called out the NBA in a separate tweet: “Yo @nba, your fans aren’t dumb!!!! You can’t fool em with your Wack ass PR tactics.. #FREE7.”
In early March of last year, Durant contracted COVID-19 and just a month ago, missed four games in early January due to health and safety protocols after being exposed to someone with COVID-19. Per ESPN, Durant continued registering COVID-19 antibodies in January.
At 14-10, the Nets and their threesome of Durant, Kyrie Irving and James Harden have played well when all are on the court. However, safety protocols and an extended Irving absence have not given the team ample time to establish consistency.
Lonzo Ball On Trade Rumors: “Stay Away From The Noise”
Fresh off a season-high 27 points and a career-best seven three-pointers, Pelicans guard Lonzo Ball showed a glimpse of the potential that made him a second overall pick and part of the package New Orleans acquired for Anthony Davis.
The performance on Friday comes on the heels of reports that the Pelicans are getting calls on both Ball and J.J. Redick. Per the report, the Pelicans have shown a willingness to move both players, but Ball says he’s not letting the “noise” get to him.
“I just stay the course. I’ve been playing basketball for a long time. I put a lot of work in and just try to play my game,” Ball said after New Orleans defeated the Bucks, per ESPN’s Andrew Lopez. “That’s how I play. I just try to stay away from all the noise and just go out there and try to help my team win games.”
Ball’s performance with the Pelicans since he was acquired prior to last season has been inconsistent. In 63 games last season, the 23-year-old averaged 11.8 PPG and 7.0 APG for the Pelicans and is posting similar numbers this season with a decrease in assists (4.9 APG).
Atlantic Notes: Quickley, Harris, Randle, Free Agency
Immanuel Quickley has quickly emerged as a bright spot for the streaky Knicks, becoming a high-scoring option off the bench in his rookie campaign. He added to his impressive start with a 25-point performance against the Cavaliers on Friday, helping New York end a three-game losing streak.
After a recent 31-point showing in a loss to the Trail Blazers, Quickley was connected with Portland’s perennial MVP candidate Damian Lillard. As Zach Braziller of the New York Post writes, Lillard provided some advice and insight to Quickley in the midst of his standout introduction to the NBA.
“I took everything away, honestly, from the type of person he is first of all, the type of player he is, [the] competitor [he is],” Quickley said. “Then really just giving me advice on obviously the point guard position, but what it takes to win in this league, what it takes to help your team win, how to bounce back from good games, bad games, staying even-keeled throughout the whole season.
“It was good to just have someone like to be able to go to, someone that’s been through a lot, Western Conference finals, the MVP [race], things like that.”
Check out more news and notes from the Atlantic division:
- After his impressive start to the 2020/21 season, Tobias Harris is earning himself serious All-Star consideration, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes. Of note, the Sixers forward has shown defensive improvements while averaging 20.1 PPG with career bests in field-goal percentage (52.5%) and three-point shooting (46.2%).
- Given Julius Randle‘s monstrous performance to begin this season, it’s time to stop viewing the forward as an athletic underachiever and more as an All-Star keeping a streaky team within playoff contention, Marc Berman of the New York Post writes. Randle showed up in great shape and has since been the Knicks‘ key to the offense, as an improved scorer, passer and defender.
- The Nets will have to fill one of their two open roster spots by Sunday and it’s likely the team looks outside the organization to fill it, Brian Lewis of the New York Post writes. “I guess it’s possible to sign one of our two-way guys,” Brooklyn head coach Steve Nash said. “But I think we’re probably looking to sign somebody on a free-agent deal here.”
J.J. Barea Signs With Team In Spain
Former Mavericks guard and NBA champion J.J. Barea has signed a deal to play for Estudiantes in Spain’s Liga ACB, tweets Marc Stein of the New York Times (Twitter link).
Dallas had signed Barea to a veteran’s minimum deal in November before waiving their longtime guard due to a roster crunch. Owner Mark Cuban indicated the offer was extended to Barea as a reward for his 11 years of service to the club.
Last season with the Mavericks, Barea averaged 7.7 PPG and 3.9 APG in 15.5 MPG across 29 regular-season contests. The 2019/20 campaign was Barea’s return from a torn Achilles tendon, which he suffered back in January 2019.
As Stein notes (via Twitter), Barea still hopes to return to the NBA and could use his time in Spain as a showcase to NBA teams ahead of the May 18 start date for the playoffs, since Estudiantes’ season might end before that.
Wizards Sign Jordan Bell To 10-Day Contract
10:55am: The Wizards have officially signed Bell, the team announced today in a press release.
9:30am: The Wizards plan to sign forward Jordan Bell to a 10-day contract using the hardship provision, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link).
Bell, 26, began his career with the Warriors during the 2017/18 season. Golden State won the NBA championship that season with Bell as a key reserve, averaging 4.6 PPG and 3.6 RPG in 57 games (13 starts).
The Los Angeles native appeared in 68 games for the Warriors the following season but has since bounced around the league. After signing with the Timberwolves in 2019, Bell was traded as part of the four-team, 12-player trade in February and was subsequently released.
Washington signed and waived Bell back in mid-December with the intention of having him suit up in the upcoming G League bubble. The Capital City Go-Go (the Wizards’ NBAGL affiliate) claimed Bell off waivers last March, so the team held his returning rights for the upcoming season. He may still be ticketed for the Go-Go after his stint with the Wizards.
As we’ve noted, the NBA adjusted the hardship provision this season to give teams flexibility to sign players to 10-day contracts if hit hard not just by injuries but by a series of positive COVID-19 tests.
The Wizards have not played since January 11 as a COVID-19 outbreak among the team and safety and health protocols have forced postponements. Bell joins Alex Len as another big man who will reportedly sign with Washington.
Bell’s 10-day contract will pay him about $115K, while the Wizards take on a cap hit of approximately $111K, tweets ESPN’s Bobby Marks.
Sixers, Nuggets Will Play Saturday Amid Contact Tracing
12:32pm: Embiid and fellow All-Star Ben Simmons will miss tonight’s game because of injuries, per Shams Charania of The Athletic (via Twitter). The Sixers will now only have eight eligible players, which is the technical threshold for fielding a team.
When asked whether or not he believed Philadelphia should take the floor, coach Doc Rivers said, “I don’t think we should,” according to Tim Bontemps of ESPN.
“An hour ago we were told we were playing,” Rivers said to reporters, per Mike Singer of the Denver Post (Twitter link). “We have eight active players. One is Mike Scott, and I can tell you right now there’s no way I’m going to play him.”
Scott is currently listed as day-to-day with a knee injury. The power forward has appeared in five games this season for the Sixers, averaging 16.0 MPG.
11:25am: Amid the Sixers‘ rash of contract tracing due to a positive COVID-19 test, the team will play its Saturday afternoon game against the Nuggets, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Philadelphia had expected to be without several players, as Joel Embiid, Tobias Harris, Danny Green, Shake Milton, Matisse Thybulle, Vincent Poirier and Paul Reed were listed as questionable for today’s game. Embiid, Green and Reed were cleared from the protocol, Wojnarowski tweeted Saturday afternoon.
Harris, Milton, Thybulle and Poirier are all out and still in the protocol, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic.
Wojnarowski adds that the Sixers have nine eligible players for today’s game, one more than the required total of eight. However, that does not guarantee that Embiid will play — clearance from the protocol simply allows him to be counted as an eligible player toward the requirement of eight players to avoid a postponement, Wojnarowski noted.
Durant ‘On Track’ For Sunday Return, Irving’s Status Unknown
The Nets are anticipating getting All-Star Kevin Durant back for Sunday’s home tilt against the Thunder, according to head coach Steve Nash.
“Kevin, I believe, is still on track for Sunday,” Nash said, per Nets Daily. “So we just have to hope his tests continue to be negative and everything stays as is, and it appears everything will be good to go Sunday.”
It was reported earlier this week that Durant would miss multiple games due to COVID-19 health and safety protocols. Durant was exposed to someone with COVID-19 and therefore faced a seven-day quarantine and a string of negative tests before he could return.
Durant tested positive for coronavirus in March in the early stages of the pandemic. The Nets’ prime acquisition from the 2019 offseason told Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated he did not experience symptoms.
As for his All-Star teammate, Kyrie Irving, it’s unclear when he will return to the court. Anthony Puccio of The Association reported that Irving’s recent two-game absence is due to frustration with the recent riots in Washington, DC as well as the ruling in the Breonna Taylor case.
Nash said he has spoken to the point guard but that his status moving forward is unclear.
“I messaged with Kai [yesterday] but I want to keep all that stuff private,” Nash said. “We do not have any decision on Sunday yet but we will deal with that and figure it out before we go on Sunday.”