New York Notes: Claxton, Irving, Noel, Walker
An undisclosed illness has sidelined Nets center Nicolas Claxton for about three weeks, and he tells Brian Lewis of The New York Post that he hopes to return soon. Claxton missed more than two weeks with COVID-19 late last season, but was asymptomatic and said he’s not dealing with any long-term effects. He said he lost a lot of weight from the most recent ailment, but is now in the “ramp-up stage” and is preparing to play again.
“I was sick. That’s the extent I want to go with,” Claxton said. “I was sick. But I’m feeling better now. I’m getting back to where I need to be so I can get out there and play. I’m excited to get back out there with my teammates.”
Claxton was one of Brooklyn’s best defenders last season, Lewis notes, and would be a welcome addition for a team that needs help in the middle. The Nets are starting Blake Griffin as an undersized center with LaMarcus Aldridge as the backup.
There’s more from New York City:
- The Nets‘ offense has stagnated and Kevin Durant admitted this week that the absence of Kyrie Irving is part of the problem, Lewis adds in a separate story. Brooklyn set an NBA record for offensive rating last season at 117.3, but currently ranks 25th in the league at 101.0. “Yeah, we do miss Kyrie. We do,” Durant said. “He’s a part of our team. But for the most part, we’ve been generating great shots, we’ve been getting into the paint. It’s just a matter of us knocking them down. I think they’ll come.”
- Knicks center Nerlens Noel was thrilled to be back on the court this afternoon following a 12-day absence, per Barbara Barker of Newsday. Noel, who has been dealing with a knee injury, had played only four games and taken just nine shots from the field before today. “Just having the rim protection that Nerlens provides is a big asset for us,” coach Tom Thibodeau said. “… Taj (Gibson) did a good job when he was in there. But it’s good to have Nerlens back.”
- Kemba Walker sat out the first game of the Knicks‘ last back-to-back, but he played today and may be in the lineup again tomorrow, tweets Fred Katz of The Athletic. The coaching staff plans to see how Walker feels Sunday morning before making a decision. “If he feels good, he’ll go,” Thibodeau said. “…You trust Kemba.”
Nash Trying Not To Overplay Stars
- Kevin Durant missed his first game of the season on Friday due to a shoulder ailment. The Nets are trying to figure out how much to play Durant and James Harden during the regular season without wearing them out prior to the postseason, according to Brian Lewis of the New York Post. “I think that we definitely are going to look for our spots to protect them,” Brooklyn coach Steve Nash said. “We just have to be very strategic. We’re a new team trying to find itself and trying to form that identity. Those guys are super-competitive, so they want to play. It’s a tricky balance.”
- The league’s crackdown on offensive moves in which players move into defender’s bodies to draw fouls has affected Harden. He’s going to the line less and committing more turnovers, Sanchez notes. The Nets star says he’s still getting used to the new parameters. “We’re in a little bit of a funk right now in a sense of just everything,” Harden said.
Kevin Durant Out Friday Due To Shoulder Sprain
Nets star Kevin Durant has been ruled out of Friday’s game vs. Orlando due to a right shoulder sprain, the team announced this afternoon (Twitter link via Alex Schiffer of The Athletic).
Durant admitted earlier this week that he has been getting some treatment on that shoulder, but he had been able to play through the ailment up until this point. With a pair of off-days coming up after Friday’s game, the Nets will take this opportunity to get their leading scorer some rest over the weekend. I wouldn’t be surprised if Durant is back in action on Monday in Cleveland, though we’ll have to wait for further updates from the team.
Jerami Grant On Sixers’ List Of Potential Targets For Simmons
Pistons forward Jerami Grant is one of the players on the Sixers‘ list of targets for a potential Ben Simmons trade, according to Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Pompey also confirms Sam Amick’s report that James Harden is on Philadelphia’s list.
Amick reported on Thursday that the 76ers have a list of about 30 impact players whom they view as possible targets in a Simmons trade. Philadelphia believes several of those players could become available via trade within the next year or two, which is why the front office remains in no rush to resolve the Simmons situation. Damian Lillard and Bradley Beal are among the other stars on the club’s radar.
According to Pompey, the Sixers have engaged in discussions with the Pistons about the possibility of trading Simmons for a package that would include Grant, another forward, a young player, and a draft pick. One source told Pompey that Kelly Olynyk and Saddiq Bey are players that could be included in a possible deal between Philadelphia and Detroit, but another source said the Pistons would be unlikely to include either Olynyk or Bey.
Although one source told Pompey that the Sixers haven’t spoken to Detroit lately and would likely want a higher-profile player than Grant as the centerpiece of a Simmons deal, multiple sources said the two teams have had recent conversations centered around Grant.
A former Sixer, Grant has taken huge strides since last playing for the team in 2016. In 67 games (33.6 MPG) since joining the Pistons a year ago, the 27-year-old has averaged 21.5 PPG and 4.6 RPG on .425/.343/.841 shooting.
Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report first reported last month that there was a belief the Pistons would entertain the idea of moving Grant in a deal for Simmons.
As for Harden, Pompey explains that the Sixers view the former Rocket as a possible sign-and-trade option in free agency next summer if they still haven’t dealt Simmons by that point. Harden didn’t sign an extension with the Nets prior to opening night last month and can opt out of his contract in 2022.
Harden has spoken about wanting to remain in Brooklyn for the rest of his career, so his decision to forgo an extension may have been more about trying to maximize his future earnings than about keeping his options open to jump ship. Still, it’s not inconceivable that he could consider other suitors as a free agent next summer if the Nets underachieve this season. Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey is obviously very familiar with Harden due to their time spent together in Houston.
Harden is off to a slower-than-expected start this season, but is still putting up 20.3 PPG, 8.8 APG, and 7.6 RPG with a .395 3PT% through 16 games (34.4 MPG).
Millsap Absent For Personal Reasons
- A lopsided loss to Golden State and Stephen Curry this week showed how much the Nets miss Kyrie Irving, Mike Vaccaro of the New York Post opines. Curry had 37 points, including nine 3-pointers, on just 19 shots as Brooklyn couldn’t keep up with the red-hot Warriors.
- Nets forward Paul Millsap has been away from the team but it’s not related to his limited playing time this season, Brian Lewis of the New York Post tweets. “Paul’s away for personal reasons and that’s totally separate from basketball,” coach Steve Nash said. Millsap joined the Nets on a one-year, veteran’s minimum deal.
Atlantic Notes: Griffin, Flynn, VanVleet, McBride, Sixers
Blake Griffin has struggled mightily for the Nets so far this season, and it’s having a detrimental impact on the team, according to Mark W. Sanchez of the New York Post.
Sanchez notes that Griffin has gone 0-for-18 from deep over his last 5 games. Head coach Steve Nash says Griffin has had open shots, but hasn’t been able to convert.
“He’s just having a funk. I think he’s got good looks, but I think he just hasn’t been in a good rhythm,” Nash said of Griffin’s shooting before the Nets met the Cavaliers at Barclays Center. “People go through stretches like that.”
Through 14 games, Griffin has a shooting line of .312/.173/.696 while averaging 5.9 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 2.0 assists in 22.6 minutes per game. Last season in 26 games with the Nets, Griffin averaged 10.0 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.4 assists in 21.6 minutes per game, with a shooting slash line of .492/.383/.782.
Sanchez opines that Griffin has had mixed results on the defensive end, but hasn’t done enough to make up for the poor shooting. He’s excellent at drawing charges (league-leading 11 prior to Wednesday’s games), but lacks the foot speed to consistently switch, and after a series of knee injuries, isn’t a great rim protector.
Griffin will be an unrestricted free agent in 2022.
Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:
- Second-year guard Malachi Flynn has mostly been out of the Raptors‘ rotation this season, and whether he should get more minutes is a complicated question, writes Doug Smith of The Toronto Star. Smith notes that the Raptors have struggled with shooting and on defense recently, and he thinks Flynn is better at those two areas than backup rookie point guard Dalano Banton. However, Smith opines that another change to the rotation might be rough for a team struggling with consistency. Flynn says he’s putting the onus on himself to show the team he’s worthy of more playing time. “I’m not pointing the finger at anybody. I’m taking it upon myself. What can I do to help myself? That’s the only thing I can control. It’s definitely easier said than done, but that’s what I’m trying to do,” Flynn said.
- In a separate article, Smith writes that Fred VanVleet has become the vocal leader of the Raptors after Kyle Lowry‘s departure. VanVleet says he always comes from a place of respect and winning. “I’m not always right, but my heart’s in the right place and I can usually live with myself knowing that I try to respect the guys as men first. We’re all equal in the locker room. We all say: We want to win, and any conversation after that we’ll figure it out,” VanVleet said.
- Head coach Tom Thibodeau was effusive in his praise of Knicks rookie Miles McBride, tweets Marc Berman of the New York Post. McBride was recently assigned to the G League to get minutes. “I love him, I love him. I think it’s important for him to be with us but every opportunity we get where we can have him play some, we want to try to take advantage of that as well. But he’s got a great future, great kid, hard worker,” Thibodeau said.
- Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer writes that Sixers coach Doc Rivers isn’t panicking about the team’s five game losing streak. “There’s nobody here worried,” Rivers said. “It’s just a long season. When you have the injuries that we have and the games that we’ve played … listen, I want to win every game. But I do understand what we’re under right now, too.”
Claxton Still Working On Conditioning
- It doesn’t sound like Nicolas Claxton will be returning to the Nets‘ lineup anytime soon, tweets Brian Lewis of the New York Post. According to Lewis, coach Steve Nash said that, “Nic (Claxton) has a ways to go. He’s really got to work on his conditioning.” Claxton had been dealing with a non-COVID illness.
Cameron Thomas Changes Agents
- Nets rookie guard Cameron Thomas has new representation, according to Jorge Sierra of HoopsHype, who tweets that Thomas has signed with Jim Tanner and Terrence Felder of Tandem Sports + Entertainment/You Sports. Thomas is in the first year of his rookie scale contract, so it will likely be a while before his new agents have to negotiate a new deal.
Durant Getting Treatment On Shoulder; Harris Sprains Ankle
Nets forward Kevin Durant, named the Eastern Conference Player of the Week earlier today, is putting up MVP-type numbers while playing through a sore right shoulder, writes Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN. Durant admitted on Sunday that he’s been getting some treatment on the shoulder.
“He’s got a little tweak,” Nets head coach Steve Nash said. “But the ball still goes in the hole, so I think he’s hanging in there. I don’t think it’s the type of thing that we expect to get worse so he’s kind of playing through it, so it’s not terrible.”
Meanwhile, Durant’s teammate Joe Harris is dealing with a left ankle sprain, Youngmisuk says in the same story. Harris left Sunday’s game due to the injury, but Nash didn’t have an update on it after the game, so the severity remains unclear. Harris has, at least, been ruled out of the Nets’ Tuesday contest vs. Golden State, tweets Youngmisuk.
Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant Named Players Of The Week
Two of the NBA’s biggest stars – and former teammates – have been named the Players of the Week for November 8-14, with Warriors guard Stephen Curry earning the Western Conference honor and Nets forward Kevin Durant taking it home in the East (Twitter link).
Curry’s Warriors lost in Charlotte on Sunday, but they still have the NBA’s best overall record at 11-2 after going 3-1 in the last week. Curry averaged 34.8 PPG, 7.8 APG, and 2.3 SPG on .489/.414/.931 shooting in those four games, including a 50-point, 10-assist outburst vs. Atlanta last Monday.
Curry beat out Anthony Davis, Luka Doncic, Luguentz Dort, Paul George, Nikola Jokic, and Chris Paul, the West’s other nominees, for the Player of the Week award (Twitter link).
Durant’s Nets also won three of four games in the last week and now rank second in the Eastern Conference at 10-4. Durant averaged 32.3 PPG, 7.8 RPG, and 4.5 APG in Brooklyn’s last four games, with an otherworldly shooting line of .629/.526/.912.
The other nominees for the Eastern Conference’s Player of the Week award were LaMelo Ball, Montrezl Harrell, and three pairs of teammates — Malcolm Brogdon and Myles Turner (Pacers), Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan (Bulls), and Darius Garland and Evan Mobley (Cavaliers) (Twitter link).