Nikola Jokic, Tyrese Maxey Named Players Of The Week
Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (Western Conference) and Sixers guard Tyrese Maxey (East) have been named the NBA’s players of the week, the league announced on Monday (via Twitter).
Jokic, the reigning Finals MVP, averaged 26.3 points, 13.0 rebounds and 7.7 assists in leading Denver to a perfect 3-0 record last week. The two-time regular season MVP posted a .615/.455/.769 shooting line for the 2022/23 NBA champions.
Maxey, who turns 23 on Saturday, is also off to an excellent start in ’23/24. He averaged 30.3 points, 6.7 rebounds and 6.3 assists on .500/.560/.913 shooting as Philadelphia went 2-1 in the opening week of the season.
According to the NBA (Twitter links), the other nominees in the West were Stephen Curry, Anthony Davis, Luka Doncic, Kevin Durant, De’Aaron Fox, Paul George, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Zion Williamson, while Jalen Duren, Maxey’s teammate Joel Embiid, Tyrese Haliburton, Aaron Nesmith, Donovan Mitchell, Kristaps Porzingis and Franz Wagner were nominated in the East.
Pelicans’ Naji Marshall Out At Least Two More Weeks
Pelicans forward Naji Marshall has been sidelined to start 2023/24 after sustaining a bone bruise in his right knee. The 25-year-old has been medically cleared to increase rehab activity and will be reevaluated in about two weeks, the team announced in a press release.
Marshall hyperextended his knee during a preseason game on October 14. An MRI later revealed that the hyperextension caused a bone bruise.
A 6’7″ wing who played college ball at Xavier, Marshall was a rotation regular last season for New Orleans, averaging 9.1 PPG, 3.6 RPG and 2.5 APG on .433/.303/.789 shooting in 77 games (21 starts, 23.3 MPG). He’s mostly known for bringing energy, intensity and defense.
The Pelicans have started the season 2-0 and have eight games over the next two weeks. If Marshall is able to return on Nov. 14 against Dallas, he will have missed 10 games with the injury.
Marshall is set to his unrestricted free agency next summer, as shown on our list of 2024 NBA free agents.
And-Ones: Extensions, Breakouts, B. Smith, Defenders
2023 set a record for rookie scale extensions, with 14 contracts signed before the October 23 deadline. Typically, rookie scale extensions go almost exclusively to stars or at least starters, but that wasn’t the case this year.
John Hollinger of The Athletic classifies it as a “middle-class revolution” with six players signing at or below the projected 2024/25 mid-level exception, and a couple others receiving slightly more than that. Several of those players come off the bench for their respective clubs.
As Hollinger writes, there are several reasons why both teams and players may have been motivated to reach new deals. For players, avoiding restricted free agency was surely a factor — Magic guard Cole Anthony and Hawks center Onyeka Okongwu recently said that was the case for them.
For teams, a salary cap that is projected to rise substantially in the coming years will help “water down” some of the contracts. Mid-sized contracts are also very useful for trade purposes, Hollinger observes, with free agency limitations likely a major consideration for the Celtics (Payton Pritchard) and Nuggets (Zeke Nnaji) due to their payrolls (both project to be over the second apron in ’24/25).
Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- In another article for The Athletic, Hollinger lists 12 players he believes are primed for breakout seasons in 2023/24, with some fairly obvious choices and some under-the-radar picks as well. Nuggets guard Jamal Murray, Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards, Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga, Raptors forward Scottie Barnes and Hornets center Mark Williams are five of the players Hollinger thinks will see “big upticks in production.”
- Former Cavaliers forward Bingo Smith has passed away at age 77, according to Tom Withers of The Associated Press. Smith played 10 season for Cleveland from 1970-80. Smith is still sixth in franchise history in points and fourth in games played, among other statistical marks. His No. 7 jersey hangs in the rafters as one of only seven players to have their number retired, Withers adds. “Bingo was always a giving teammate and one of the most fierce competitors I ever played with,” said former Cavs star and current broadcaster Austin Carr. “This is truly a sad moment in our franchise history and my heart goes out to his family.”
- Jon Krawczynski and Josh Robbins of The Athletic ran an anonymous poll to see which players coaches identify as the best defenders in the NBA. Celtics guard Jrue Holiday was the only unanimous choice for first-team All-Defense, receiving all 12 votes. The remaining spots were filled by Jaren Jackson Jr. (forward), Brook Lopez (center), Alex Caruso (guard), OG Anunoby, and Draymond Green (the latter two tied for the second forward spot). Holiday was also third in the survey’s Defensive Player of the Year voting behind Jackson and Lopez, who finished first and second for the actual award last season. Evan Mobley, who was third in DPOY media voting last season and named first-team All-Defense, finished sixth in DPOY voting in The Athletic’s coaches poll and was second-team All-Defense.
Northwest Notes: Henderson, Holmgren, Markkanen, Dunn
Scoot Henderson, the third overall pick in the 2023 draft, had an inauspicious regular season debut in Wednesday’s loss at the Clippers, recording just two points and one assist until the fourth quarter, when the Trail Blazers were down 26 points to open the final frame.
As Bill Oram of The Oregonian writes, Henderson grew up emulating Russell Westbrook, who dominated the head-to-head matchup. The rookie point guard ultimately finished with 11 points (5-of-11 shooting), four assists and four turnovers after accumulating some garbage-time stats.
“There’s going to be some nights he’s going to look 19,” Blazers coach Chauncey Billups said. “Tonight was one of those nights.”
Still, the Blazers know they’re going to take their lumps in 2023/24, and it will all be about how Henderson and the rest of the team develop and respond, according to Oram.
Despite his opening night struggles, teammates and coaches said Henderson remained unflappable throughout the game, a testament to to his mentality and maturity, per Aaron Fentress of The Oregonian (subscriber link).
“I didn’t see him get frustrated all,” center Deandre Ayton said. “He was pretty calm and collected. He was talking to me more than anything … Even though he knew he made a couple of mistakes, he just went on to the next play and played harder. He handled it well as a professional, for sure.”
Portland and Henderson will look to bounce back in tonight’s home opener vs. Orlando, though starting backcourt mate Anfernee Simons is out four-to-six weeks after tearing a ligament in his thumb. Second-year guard Shaedon Sharpe will start in Simons’ place, Billups told reporters, including Sean Highkin of Rose Garden Report (Twitter link).
Here’s more from the Northwest:
- Thunder big man Chet Holmgren had to wait a year to make his regular season debut after missing all of last season with a foot injury. Was the second pick in 2022 nervous on Wednesday in Chicago? “More excitement, and I guess a little bit of (anxiety),” he said, per Joe Mussatto of The Oklahoman. “Just the waiting part, knowing that eventually the ball’s gonna tip up. All day you’re just waiting for that moment.” Holmgren finished with 11 points, four rebounds, three assists, a steal and was plus-14 in 25 minutes, Mussatto notes.
- Jazz head coach Will Hardy says Lauri Markkanen will have a difficult year, as the All-Star forward’s breakout season in 2022/23 has made him a “marked man” on opposing teams’ scouting reports, not to mention he’ll face increased scrutiny because of elevated expectations. However, Hardy is confident he’ll handle the extra attention well, writes Eric Walden of The Salt Lake Tribune. “Yeah, I mean, they started making changes obviously during the last year, too. And we kind of knew what was going to come, so no surprises there,” Markkanen said after Wednesday’s loss to Sacramento. “But I think that’s a good challenge for me. I’m not gonna put my head down if I make a mistake or whatever. I’m here to get better every day.”
- Kris Dunn recently had his contract for 2023/24 guaranteed by the Jazz, and he says he’s “super grateful for the opportunity” after dealing with injuries the past handful of seasons and working his way back to the NBA by playing in the G League for most of 2022/23, as Sarah Todd of The Deseret News details. “I fell in love with the game even more,” Dunn said of his time with the Capital City Go-Go. “When you’re down and out, you’ve got to find a way to really battle through and I just really, really worked on my fundamentals and tried to develop my game so that when the shot did come and present itself, I was ready.”
Injury Notes: Garland, Allen, Claxton, Johnson, Martin
Cavaliers point guard Darius Garland will miss Friday’s home opener against Oklahoma City with a left hamstring strain, per Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. Head coach J.B. Bickerstaff previously called Garland “very questionable,” tweets Thunder sideline reporter Nick Gallo.
According to Fedor, Garland didn’t participate in the team’s shootaround on Friday morning, and the Cavs decided to take a cautious approach with the 2021/22 All-Star.
Garland will be Cleveland’s second starter sitting out, as Jarrett Allen continues to deal with a left ankle bone bruise. The 25-year-old center is expected to miss Saturday’s back-to-back against Indiana as well, Fedor writes.
The Cavs are hopeful that Allen will make his 2023/24 season debut on Tuesday against the Knicks, sources tell Fedor. Isaac Okoro and Dean Wade, who missed Cleveland’s first game with an illness, will start in place of Garland and Allen.
Here are a few more injury notes:
- Nets big man Nic Claxton has a left ankle sprain and is out for Friday’s game at Dallas, tweets Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Brooklyn’s starting center will be a free agent next summer — he’s on an expiring $9.6MM contract. According to Lewis (Twitter link), head coach Jacque Vaughn said Claxton is day-to-day.
- Nets forward Cameron Johnson will also be in street clothes on Friday, having been downgraded from questionable to out with a left calf contusion (Twitter links via Lewis). Vaughn said the team is just being cautious with Johnson, who re-signed with Brooklyn on a four-year, $90MM+ contract this summer. It’s worth noting that Johnson missed all of training camp and preseason with a mild left hamstring strain, though he did start and play 26 minutes in Wednesday’s opener vs. Cleveland.
- The Heat will be shorthanded again on Friday at Boston, with Caleb Martin (knee) the latest wing player sidelined (Twitter link via the team). Josh Richardson (foot) and Haywood Highsmith (knee) didn’t travel with Miami on its three-game road trip, as we previously relayed. On Tuesday, Martin said his knee still wasn’t 100%, calling the injury “a work in progress.” He played 20 minutes in Wednesday’s opener vs. Detroit.
Wolves Exercise 2024/25 Team Option On Wendell Moore Jr.
The Timberwolves have picked up their third-year team option on second-year wing Wendell Moore Jr., the team announced in a press release.
Moore, the 26th overall pick in the 2022 draft out of Duke, will now have a guaranteed $2,537,040 salary in 2024/25. The Wolves will have until the end of October 2024 to decide if they want to pick up their fourth-year team option on Moore’s rookie scale contract for ’25/26.
The 22-year-old only appeared in 153 regular season minutes over 29 NBA games (5.3 MPG) as a rookie in ’22/23. He was not in Minnesota’s rotation for the team’s season opener on Wednesday.
Moore did receive some run in the G League for the Iowa Wolves last season, appearing in 13 total games (31.1 MPG) during the Showcase Cup and regular season. He averaged 18.8 PPG, 4.7 APG and 4.6 RPG on .451/.370/.793 shooting in those appearances.
Many teams have already made decisions on 2024/25 rookie scale team options this fall, with the deadline set for next Tuesday, October 31. However, some decisions are still outstanding. The full list can be found right here.
Southwest Notes: Ryan, Murphy, Wembanyama, Lively, Bane
Matt Ryan, whose two-way contract was claimed off waivers by New Orleans after being released by Minnesota, had a strong debut with the Pelicans, writes Christian Clark of NOLA.com (subscriber link).
The 26-year-old forward converted a trio of three-pointers in under three minutes during the second quarter, shifting the momentum of the game. While he only played 14 minutes, Ryan was a game-high plus-20 in the Pelicans’ 111-104 victory over Memphis, Clark notes.
After the game, Ryan reflected on his experience as a DoorDash driver once his college career ended, which coincided with the NBA shutting down the season due to the pandemic in March 2020.
“I was kind of getting bored going from home to the gym,” Ryan said. “I wanted to do something that was easy to drop and go play right away. I had a car. Was capable of delivering food. I did that for a little bit. But I stayed in the gym. Stayed focused on my goals. When the opportunity came, I was ready.”
Ryan is now on his fourth team, having made previous stops with the Celtics, Lakers and Wolves. He remains steadfast in his belief that he’s an NBA player, and he should have more opportunities to showcase his long-range shooting with Trey Murphy sidelined, Clark adds.
“I truly believed I could play at this level,” Ryan said. “It would have been easy to stop or take a mid-level job in Europe. I wanted to play in the NBA. I always did. I believe that I can. I’m going to continue to try to show it.”
Here’s more from the Southwest:
- Murphy’s return timeline is up in the air due to a torn meniscus in his left knee, which required surgery, but he already feels like an essential piece for the Pelicans, Clark writes in another subscriber-only story for NOLA.com. Murphy, who was the 17th pick of the 2021 draft, is now in his third season. In 2022/23, he averaged 14.5 PPG and 3.6 RPG in 31.0 MPG across 79 appearances (65 starts), posting an impressive shooting line of .484/.406/.905. The Pelicans exercised their ’24/25 team option on Murphy, making him eligible for a rookie scale extension next summer. Clark suggests the 6’9″ sharpshooter could land a nine-figure payday on his next contract.
- While Spurs No. 1 overall pick Victor Wembanyama had some moments of brilliance against Dallas in his regular season debut, recording 15 points (on 6-of-9 shooting), five rebounds, two assists, two steals and a block, he also committed five turnovers was limited to just 23 minutes in the loss due to foul trouble, notes Jonathan Givony of ESPN.
- In the same story, ESPN’s Tim MacMahon says Mavericks center Dereck Lively II, who was the No. 12 overall pick, was the more impactful big man, notching 16 points (7-of-8 shooting), 10 rebounds, a steal, a block and a game-high plus-20 in 31 minutes off the bench. “He played f—ing amazing,” Mavs superstar Luka Doncic said.
- Desmond Bane is finding his voice as a leader of the Grizzlies, particularly with Ja Morant suspended and Steven Adams out for the year with a knee injury, as Kelly Iko of The Athletic relays. Not only has the fourth-year guard become more vocal, he leads by example as well — he has an “obsessive work ethic,” according to Iko. “He’s the one on the team who I call ‘Cap’ for captain,” said rookie GG Jackson. “You can tell from his vibe in practice or even around the facility that he’s the lead dog, the most mature professional on the team. I still try to act a little goofy to add positivity, but he always has his head on the straight and narrow. He’s very serious about his craft. When it’s time to get to it he’s locked in.”
Suns’ Devin Booker, Bradley Beal Out Thursday Vs. Lakers
Suns guards Devin Booker (left foot soreness) and Bradley Beal (lower back tightness) have been downgraded to out for Thursday’s matchup vs. the Lakers in Los Angeles, per Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. Both players were listed as doubtful on Wednesday evening.
After initially being listed as questionable on Tuesday, Booker suited up and led Phoenix to a victory in the team’s season opener at Golden State, notching 32 points (on 13-of-21 shooting), eight assists and six rebounds. Beal, who was also questionable against the Warriors, ultimately missed the contest.
Grayson Allen started in Beal’s place on Tuesday, Rankin notes. Eric Gordon may start at the other guard spot — he started in place of Booker in the Suns’ preseason finale against the Lakers.
Beal suffered a “little tweak” in his back during practice last week, while Booker sustained a contact injury that also occurred in practice, as Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports relays (all Twitter links). Obviously it’s disappointing that two of their three stars will be out, but it’s better to be safe early in the season rather than potentially exacerbating the injuries, Bourguet adds.
Nets Exercise 2024/25 Team Options On Cam Thomas, Day’Ron Sharpe
The Nets have exercised their 2024/25 team options on guard Cam Thomas and center Day’Ron Sharpe, the team announced on Thursday (Twitter link via Brian Lewis of The New York Post). Since their fourth-year options have been picked up, both players will now be eligible for rookie scale extensions next offseason.
Thomas, the 27th overall pick in the 2021 draft, will earn $4,041,249 in ’24/25. Sharpe, the 29th pick of the same draft, will make $3,989,122.
As Dan Martin of The New York Post writes, Thomas had an excellent offensive performance in Brooklyn’s season opener vs. Cleveland, getting the Nets back in the game by pouring in 36 points (on 13-of-21 shooting) in just 25 minutes off the bench. He missed his final attempt at the end of the game, however, and the Nets lost by one point.
“It felt good, obviously,” Thomas said of his performance. “Obviously, you want to win, but it’s good to always reflect on what you do well.”
Sharpe, meanwhile, played 12 minutes in his 2023/24 debut, notching four points, two rebounds and two blocks. He appeared in 80 games for Brooklyn over the past two seasons, averaging 5.3 points and 4.5 rebounds in 11.8 minutes per contest.
The full list of decisions on 2024/25 rookie scale team options can be found right here.
Central Notes: DeRozan, Bulls, Giannis, Allen, Garrett, Cavs
Appearing on FanDuel TV’s Run It Back Show (Twitter video link), Shams Charania of The Athletic said the Bulls made some “poignant remarks” during last night’s players-only meeting, expressing frustration about the stagnant offense and lack of passing in the team’s season-opening loss to Oklahoma City.
One point of contention was that Chicago’s players “feel like they need a true point guard,” Charania said. Lonzo Ball, unfortunately, will miss his second consecutive season following a third knee surgery. Coby White started during preseason and in the opener, but had an uneven game one. While he finished with 15 points, four rebounds, four assists and zero turnovers, he shot just 4-of-14 from the field.
According to Charania, though the Bulls want to retain DeMar DeRozan, who is on an expiring $28.6MM contract, extension talks haven’t been fruitful thus far.
“They’ve been talking about an extension, but I’m told that the sides are apart right now on multiple fronts — years, salary,” Charania said. “And also, DeMar DeRozan wants to see where this Bulls team goes. They’re 0-1 to start the year. They had a players meeting after game one of the season, and so that’s not the way to start the year.”
Here’s more from the Central Division:
- In an article that was published prior to the Bulls‘ season opener, center Nikola Vucevic, who was at the forefront of the players-only meeting, said he knows that unless the team makes a playoff run, management might break up the “Big Three” of Vucevic, DeRozan and Zach LaVine. “This is probably our last shot to make something happen, and we’re aware of that,” Vucevic said, per Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. “It’s on us to deliver.”
- Why did Giannis Antetokounmpo decide to sign an extension with the Bucks now instead of waiting for more money next summer? As ESPN’s Bobby Marks explains (via Twitter), Antetokounmpo’s deal contains a player option for 2027/28, making him eligible for another short-term extension in 2026. That would allow the two-time MVP to sign a four-year extension in 2028, when he’ll be 33. He would not have been eligible for that same deal down the line had he waited for a more lucrative extension in 2024 due to the Over-38 rule.
- Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen missed Wednesday’s season opener in Brooklyn as he’s still hampered with an ankle bone bruise. As Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com tweets, Allen went through individual drills with assistant coaches prior to the game and he continues to make progress while ramping up his activity.
- Myles Garrett, a star defensive end for the NFL’s Browns, has purchased a minority stake in the Cavaliers and will serve as an “official brand ambassador” for the team, per Jake Trotter of ESPN. “As a leader on and off the field, Myles has become a Cleveland icon and shares in our organization’s commitment to being a transformative force for good across the region,” Cavs owner Dan Gilbert said in a statement. “We are honored to welcome this long-time friend of the team as our new partner and investor.”