Southeast Notes: Carter, Fultz, Herro, Bam, Hawks
Injured Magic starters Markelle Fultz and Wendell Carter Jr. were partial practice participants on Wednesday, head coach Jamahl Mosley told reporters, including Jason Beede of The Orlando Sentinel (subscription required).
“It was a great day for them,” Mosley said.
Fultz has been sidelined since November 9 with left knee tendinitis, having missed the past 15 games. Carter has been out even longer, as he sustained his injury — a broken left hand — on November 4.
According to Beede, Carter said his left hand isn’t quite full strength yet, calling it “85-90%.”
“It’s like right at the last bit of my recovery. … I just kind of look at each day as an opportunity to allow it get better,” he said.
It’s unclear when Fultz, a guard, and Carter, a center, might return to action, but it’s certainly encouraging that they seem to be getting close. Fultz will be an unrestricted free agent in 2024, while Carter is under contract through 2025/26.
Here’s more from the Southeast:
- No firm timetable was given, but Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel hears the Heat could be getting a couple key contributors back in the next couple weeks. Guard Tyler Herro (ankle sprain) and center Bam Adebayo (hip contusion) are expected to return prior to Miami’s West Coast trip that begins on December 28, according to Winderman. Herro has been out since November 8, while Adebayo has missed the past four games.
- Hawks guard Trae Young was ejected during Monday’s loss against Denver for continually complaining about a non-foul call, which Jeff Schultz of The Athletic views as a sign of his immaturity. Young is the team’s best offensive player, but he doesn’t lead in the locker room or by example on the court, according to Schultz. At 9-13, Atlanta is off to a disappointing start, and Schultz says if things don’t turn around, the “unproven” front office and Young will be under the microscope, as head coach Quin Snyder was just hired at the end of last season.
- At one point in the first quarter on Monday, Atlanta led Denver by 11 points. That lead turned into a 20-point deficit in the third quarter, when Young was ejected. Despite the loss, the Hawks mounted a furious comeback to make it competitive late, led by a huge performance by wing Bogdan Bogdanovic (a career-high 40 points, including 10 three-pointers), who could be trending toward a career year, writes Lauren L. Williams of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (subscriber link). “Insane,” Clint Capela said. “I love it. Especially for Bogi. Because he’s the guy that I always see it in the weight room with me after games. He’s always the guy that I see after practice get more reps than everyone. … He’s doing everything right. And he deserved that.”
Terence Davis Claimed Off Waivers By Blazers’ G League Affiliate
It appears as though free agent wing Terence Davis will attempt to find an NBA job by playing in the G League, as he recently signed an NBAGL contract.
Davis was claimed off waivers by the Rip City Remix, the Trail Blazers‘ new affiliate, tweets Sean Highkin of Rose Garden Report. The move is official, according to the G League’s transactions log.
When a player — like Davis — signs a NBAGL contract for the first time, he’s placed on waivers. If no team claims him, he enters the available player pool. Davis was obviously claimed by the Remix, so he’ll presumably be heading to Portland to pursue his comeback.
Davis, 26, spent the past two-and-a-half seasons with the Kings. He was unable to find a new NBA team in unrestricted free agency over the offseason, despite having several clubs rumored to be interested in his services. The Kings renounced his rights in order to maximize their cap space this summer.
Davis, who went undrafted in 2019 out of Mississippi, spent his first season-and-a-half with Toronto prior to being traded to the Kings. He appeared in 64 regular season games (13.1 MPG) with Sacramento in 2022/23, averaging 6.7 PPG and 2.2 RPG on .423/.366/.791 shooting.
Another rumor over the summer stated that Spanish powerhouse FC Barcelona was keeping tabs on Davis, but a deal never came together.
As was the case with Davon Reed and Lance Stephenson, two other veterans attempting comebacks via the G League, Davis will remain an unrestricted free agent, because NBA contracts have a higher priority than NBAGL deals.
Lance Stephenson Joining Iowa Wolves
Former NBA guard/forward Lance Stephenson is signing an NBA G League contract to play for the Timberwolves‘ affiliate team in Iowa, reports Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link). Iowa confirmed in a press release that it has acquired Stephenson’s returning player rights from the Grand Rapids Gold (Denver’s affiliate) in exchange for the rights to Craig Randall II.
Stephenson hasn’t appeared in an NBA game since April 2022, when he finished out the 2021/22 season with the Pacers. The 33-year-old has played for eight different teams in parts of 10 seasons over the course of his career, primarily with Indiana. He also had a brief stint with Minnesota back in ’16/17.
In 554 regular season games, including 200 starts (22.9 MPG), Stephenson holds career averages of 8.6 PPG, 4.1 RPG and 2.9 APG on .445/.314/.694 shooting. The former second-round pick has also played professionally in China and — most recently — Puerto Rico.
Stephenson was born in Brooklyn and he said over the summer he was hoping to make an NBA comeback with the Knicks or Nets, but a contract never came to fruition. As Scotto notes, the Timberwolves have an open roster spot, and evidently Stephenson is hoping to make a strong impression on the franchise by playing with Iowa.
Stephenson will remain an unrestricted free agent even after he joins the Iowa Wolves, as NBA contracts take precedence over NBAGL deals.
NBA Announces All-Tournament Team
The All-Tournament Team of the NBA’s inaugural in-season tournament features Giannis Antetokounmpo (Bucks), Kevin Durant (Suns), Tyrese Haliburton (Pacers), LeBron James and Anthony Davis (both of the Lakers), the league announced on Monday (via Twitter).
According to the NBA (Twitter link), the All-Tournament Team was selected by the media based on performance in both group play and the knockout rounds, with players chosen without regard to position. The full list of players receiving votes and the voters themselves can be found right here.
Antetokounmpo, Haliburton, James and Davis were all unanimous selections, which isn’t surprising considering their excellent play and how far they advanced in the tournament. The Lakers beat the Pacers in the final, with James claiming tournament MVP, Davis finishing second, and Haliburton third.
The Bucks fell in the semifinals to the Pacers, but Antetokounmpo put up his typical stellar numbers throughout the tournament, including averaging 36.0 points, 9.0 rebounds, 6.0 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.0 block while shooting 68.3% from the field in his two knockout appearances (37.2 minutes).
The final spot went to Durant, whose Suns narrowly lost in the quarterfinals to L.A. He received seven votes, with Brandon Ingram (four), Nikola Jokic (three), De’Aaron Fox (two), Damian Lillard (two), Jayson Tatum (one) and Myles Turner (one) also receiving consideration from the media panel.
Jontay Porter Signs Two-Way Deal With Raptors
DECEMBER 9: The Raptors have officially signed Porter, the team announced today in a press release.
DECEMBER 8: Free agent big man Jontay Porter is signing a two-way deal with the Raptors, his agents Andy Shiffman and Mark Bartelstein tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link).
Toronto has a two-way opening after waiving Ron Harper Jr., who will undergo season-ending shoulder surgery, so no corresponding move will be necessary to sign Porter.
Porter, 24, is the younger brother of Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. Like his brother, Jontay dealt with injury issues early in his career, including a pair of ACL tears. However, he appeared in 32 G League games last season for the Wisconsin Herd, averaging 12.4 PPG, 10.1 RPG, 3.1 APG, and 2.2 BPG in 28.2 MPG, with a shooting line of .390/.341/.667.
The 6’11” forward/center signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Pistons in September in a move designed to give him a bonus for playing for their G League affiliate, the Motor City Cruise. He was waived in October, before the ’23/24 season began.
In 10 Showcase Cup games (33.7 MPG) with the Cruise this fall, Porter has averaged 16.8 PPG, 10.7 RPG, 2.7 APG and 2.9 BPG on .456/.273/.667 shooting. He seems likely to spend most of his time with the Raptors 905, Toronto’s NBAGL affiliate.
Porter’s only previous NBA experience came in 2020/21, when he saw limited action in 11 games for the Grizzlies.
Injury Notes: Mobley, Embiid, Brunson, Little, O. Porter
Cavaliers big man Evan Mobley missed his first game of the 2023/24 season on Friday due to left knee soreness. The third-year forward/center also didn’t participate in the team’s shootaround, according to Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (subscriber link), who reports that Mobley could miss multiple games with the injury, though that depends on how he responds to treatment.
The Cavs’ next game is Monday in Orlando, so Mobley will have a couple more days to determine how he’s feeling, Fedor notes. Forward Dean Wade started in Mobley’s place during Friday’s victory in Miami.
Here are some more injury notes from around the NBA:
- Reigning MVP Joel Embiid will be reevaluated on Saturday after sustaining a left leg injury in the Sixers‘ victory over Atlanta on Friday, tweets Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic. Embiid grabbed at his knee after falling on a drive, Vorkunov adds, but he was able to play through it while favoring his left leg.
- Knicks guard Jalen Brunson sustained an injury to his lower left leg after stepping on Payton Pritchard‘s foot with 21 seconds remaining and the Knicks down 12 to Boston, per New York Basketball (Twitter video link). The team’s leading scorer was able to head to the locker room under his own power, but had a noticeable limp. Head coach Tom Thibodeau said he didn’t regret having Brunson in the game, despite the loss being all but guaranteed (Twitter link via Stefan Bondy of The New York Post). Brunson didn’t speak to the media afterward, tweets Steve Popper of Newsday.
- Suns wing Nassir Little took a hard fall in the first quarter of Friday’s contest vs. Sacramento and appeared to be woozy after the incident, according to Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic (Twitter link). Little was later ruled out of the remainder of the contest, as he’s being evaluated for a concussion. He could be sidelined for multiple games if he did indeed sustain a concussion.
- Raptors forward Otto Porter Jr. exited Friday’s game with a left foot contusion. As Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca observes (via Twitter), that’s the same foot that caused Porter to miss most of last season after he had surgery. This injury hopefully isn’t serious, however, as X-rays were negative, per Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca (Twitter link).
Clippers Notes: Brown, Harden, Powell, Consistency, Primo
Clippers forward Kobe Brown has usurped P.J. Tucker in the team’s rotation of late, per Andrew Greif of The Los Angeles Times. Brown, who was the final first-round pick of this year’s draft (30th overall), is receiving a rare opportunity for a Clippers rookie, Greif writes, as L.A. has been focused on contending in recent years — its young players typically receive playing time in the G League instead of the NBA.
That was also the case for Brown prior to the trade for James Harden, which saw the Clippers send out four forwards and only receive one in return (Tucker), creating a void at the position. The 23-year-old said his time with the Ontario Clippers was beneficial, Greif notes.
“The G League definitely helped, a lot,” he said. “It’s the same stuff we do with the big team but the games are a lot slower, at least in my opinion, so you’re able to grasp onto stuff we’re doing a lot easier so when you come back up it’s like, everything slows down a little bit for me. That’s been the biggest thing for me, really.”
Brown’s statistics have been modest to this point, which is to be expected with so many ball-dominant players on the roster. But the team likes his versatility, and head coach Tyronn Lue has been encouraging him to remain confident even when he makes mistakes, according to Greif.
Here’s more on the Clippers:
- L.A. reeled off six straight losses after acquiring Harden, but the Clippers have gone 7-3 over their past 10 games and are back at .500 with a 10-10 record. What has led to the turnaround? Law Murray of The Athletic explores that topic, writing that Harden is regaining his form, Norman Powell continues to provide a lift off the bench, and players growing more comfortable in their roles have all played factors in the team’s improved play.
- Despite recent comeback wins over Golden State and Denver, the Clippers are still searching for consistency, Greif writes for The Los Angeles Times (subscription required). Evaluating the team through 20 games is nearly impossible because of all the changes to the roster and rotation, says Greif, but one thing seems certain — avoiding playing Harden and Russell Westbrook together is a must, with Lue saying the team plans to stagger their minutes late in games.
- Guard Joshua Primo won’t face charges after being accused of “exposing himself to one individual” five different times over the course of several months, Greif tweets. The Bexar County District Attorney’s office cited a lack of evidence as the reason why Primo won’t be charged with a crime. The 20-year-old was given a second chance this fall by the Clippers after being waived by San Antonio last year for engaging in “inappropriate and offensive behavior by exposing himself to women.” The NBA imposed a four-game suspension and Primo has been undergoing therapy for his behavior, which allegedly included multiple incidents with Dr. Hillary Cauthen, a sports psychologist who worked for the Spurs during his time with the organization.
DiVincenzo Replacing Grimes In Knicks’ Starting Lineup
Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau played coy ahead of Friday’s matchup in Boston, saying there “could be” lineup changes in store (Twitter link via Steve Popper of Newsday).
However, Fred Katz of The Athletic reports (via Twitter) that Donte DiVincenzo will start at shooting guard in place of Quentin Grimes. Stefan Bondy of The New York Post confirms the news (Twitter link).
It’s a noteworthy development for multiple reasons. Grimes has been struggling lately, scoring just 16 points on 5-of-28 shooting over his last seven games, and he expressed frustration with his limited role in the team’s offense following Tuesday’s in-season tournament quarterfinal loss to Milwaukee.
“It’s just hard when you go the whole quarter without touching the ball, the whole second quarter without touching the ball, and then you get one shot and you got to make it,” Grimes said. “So it’s tough going out there and just standing in the corner the whole game. Then you got to make the shot when you shoot the ball one or two times per game. It is what it is.”
DiVincenzo, on the other hand, has been on a heater of late, averaging 11.4 points while shooting 51.8% from three-point range over his past nine contests, including a pair of starts when Grimes was injured. DiVincenzo was New York’s primary offseason addition, signing a four-year, $47MM contract to join the Knicks in free agency.
Grimes, 23, was the 25th pick of the 2021 draft. Known as a solid defender, he averaged 11.3 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists on .468/.386/.796 shooting in 71 games last season (66 starts, 29.9 minutes). In ’23/24, his numbers are down across the board — he has posted 5.8 PPG, 1.3 RPG and 1.2 APG on .359/.345/.667 shooting in 18 games, all starts (22.9 MPG).
Part of the reason Grimes is playing fewer minutes is due to the team’s crowded wing rotation, with RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley and Josh Hart also in the mix. And he’s not the only player who has shown a level of frustration with a reduced role — Hart made similar comments last week, though he made a point to say he wasn’t a “disgruntled player.”
It will be interesting to see how the situation unfolds. Perhaps Grimes will have more on-ball opportunities with the second unit, with Katz recently suggesting the third-year guard could look to be more active off the ball too.
Wizards Waive John Butler Jr.
DECEMBER 8: Butler has officially been waived, the Wizards confirmed today. As we outlined in a separate story, Jules Bernard has filled the two-way opening created by Butler’s release.
DECEMBER 7: The Wizards are waiving forward/center John Butler Jr., a league source tells Josh Robbins of The Athletic (Twitter link). Butler is on a two-way deal with Washington.
According to Robbins, if Butler clears waivers, the plan is for him to sign a NBA G League contract with the Wizards’ affiliate, the Capital City Go-Go. He would remain an unrestricted free agent if that comes to fruition, as NBA deals take precedence over G League contracts.
Butler went undrafted last year after one college season at Florida State. He signed a two-way deal with New Orleans, but was waived after 10 days, and caught on with Portland shortly thereafter. He spent all of 2022/23 — his rookie season — on a two-way contract with the Trail Blazers, appearing in 19 games while averaging 2.4 points in 11.6 minutes per contest.
The 21-year-old re-signed with Portland on a two-way deal in July, but was waived on October 20, just before the ’23/24 season began. He caught on with Washington a few days later, but didn’t appear in any NBA games for the Wizards this fall.
Butler has appeared in nine Showcase Cup games with the Go-Go this season, averaging 7.2 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.0 blocks in 22.7 minutes.
The Wizards have 15 players on standard contracts, but they’ll have a two-way opening once the move is official.
Pacers Notes: Haliburton, Turner, Trade Options, J. Smith
One of the highlights of the NBA’s new in-season tournament has been the emergence of Pacers point guard Tyrese Haliburton, who has taken his game to new heights under the bright glare of the national spotlight. After defeating the favored Celtics in the quarterfinals on Monday, Indiana dispatched the Bucks — another Eastern contender — in the semifinals on Thursday to earn a spot in Saturday’s final, writes Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star.
“Tyrese is just one of those transcendent players that with him on the court, anything is possible,” head coach Rick Carlisle said.
Haliburton’s impact on the franchise has been “rejuvenating,” according to Myles Turner, who was dissatisfied with his role in Indiana prior to the six-player February 2022 trade that sent Domantas Sabonis to Kings and Haliburton to the Pacers. Nearly two years later, Turner says that blockbuster deal with Sacramento was a win-win for the two franchises, though he gives the edge to Indiana, per Sam Amick of The Athletic.
“I think we won the trade personally, but I’m biased of course,” Turner told Amick. “I think it was mutually beneficial. (Kings guard De’Aaron) Fox got something that he needed, and I got the point guard that I needed.”
Here’s more on the Pacers:
- Trading for Haliburton in February 2022 convinced Indiana to cater to his strengths by playing at an extremely fast pace, per Wes Goldberg of RealGM. “Coach allows my personality and who I am as a player to flow into our offense,” Haliburton said. “We lead the league in assists and that starts with me, but I think it’s everybody sharing the ball and wanting to see others succeed.” The Pacers currently have the top offense in the league, Goldberg notes.
- Haliburton hopes to emulate Giannis Antetokounmpo, whose presence in Milwaukee put the Bucks in a better position to attract stars to a non-marquee market, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski said on Thursday’s broadcast (Twitter video link). “As Haliburton said to me, ‘I’m going to get you shots, I’m going to make life easy for you, and we are going to win,'” Wojnarowski said. “And that is really Haliburton’s mission right now, is to use this tournament – use this season – to start making the case to star players around the league, ‘Come play with me in Indiana.'”
- According to Wojnarowski, Pacers president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard has shown interest in players like Raptors forwards Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby within the last year. Indiana has the NBA’s lowest payroll this season, with plenty of moveable draft assets, and could have maximum-salary cap room in 2024, notes ESPN’s Bobby Marks (Twitter link), so roster upgrades are possible. Still, one Pacers staffer who spoke to Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports wondered if “this experiment is too fresh and too positive to mess with its current chemistry,” Fischer writes.
- Jalen Smith, who has been battling a left knee bone bruise, will remain sidelined through Saturday’s final, Dopirak tweets. Carlisle said Smith has been limited to light running to this point. The 23-year-old backup center is having a strong season, averaging 10.0 points and 5.5 rebounds while shooting 70.7% from the field through 14 games (15.4 MPG), and he could hit free agency in 2024 if he declines his $5.4MM player option for next season.
Luke Adams contributed to this post.