NBA D-League Assignments/Recalls: 12/31/16
Here are Saturday’s D-League assignments and recalls from around the NBA:
- The Magic assigned center Stephen Zimmerman to the Erie BayHawks, the team tweets. The 7’0” center has appeared in eight games this season with the Magic, averaging 1.3 points and 1.8 rebounds in 4.0 minutes. This is his third assignment to the BayHawks. He’s averaged 17.3 points, 13.5 rebounds 1.5 blocks in 34.2 minutes over six games with them.
- The Suns recalled forward Derrick Jones Jr. from the Northern Arizona Suns, eight days after he was assigned to the D-League for the third time, the team tweets (Twitter link). He has averaged 14.0 points and 6.1 rebounds in 32.1 minutes over 14 games with Northern Arizona.
- The Knicks recalled guard Ron Baker and center Marshall Plumlee and they will rejoin the team in Houston, according to their Twitter feed. They were assigned to the Westchester Knicks on Friday and started their game against Fort Wayne. Baker had nine points, four assists and four steals in 30 minutes, while Plumlee posted 16 points and six rebounds in the same amount of action.
- The Hornets recalled guard Aaron Harrison and forward Christian Wood from the Greensboro Swarm, they announced in a press release. Harrison has appeared in 13 Swarm games over three assignments, recording averages of 20.6 points, 5.2 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.4 steals in 36.5 minutes per game. Wood has appeared in 11 Swarm games during two D-League stints, averaging 17.2 points, 9.3 boards and 2.1 blocks in 29.3 minutes.
- The Lakers recalled Ivica Zubac from the D-Fenders, one day after assigning him to the D-League, Harrison Faigen of SB Nation tweets. The 7’1” center had 17 points and 10 rebounds in 31 minutes against Northern Arizona on Friday.
- The Jazz recalled forward Joel Bolomboy after he appeared in one game with the Salt Lake City Stars during his latest assignment. the team announced in a press release. He recorded 18 points, 12 rebounds and four assists in 38 minutes against Sioux Falls on Friday.
NBA D-League Assignments/Recalls: 12/30/16
Here are Friday’s D-League assignments and recalls from around the NBA:
- After being sent down to the D-League on Thursday, Patrick McCaw and Damian Jones were recalled by the Warriors today, the team announced in a press release. The duo played in Santa Cruz’s win over Northern Arizona last night, though neither player was particularly productive — Jones had just two points and four boards in 23 minutes, while McCaw made only six of his team-high 17 shots.
- The Jazz continue to shuttle Joel Bolomboy back and forth between the NBA and the D-League, announcing today in a press release that he has been re-assigned to Salt Lake City. The rookie forward figures to suit up for Utah’s NBADL affiliate tonight against Sioux Falls.
- Rookie big man Ivica Zubac will rejoin the Los Angeles D-Fenders, having been re-assigned to the D-League by the Lakers, tweets Mark Medina of The Los Angeles Daily News. L.A.’s affiliate will host Northern Arizona tonight, giving Zubac a chance to see some playing time.
- The Knicks assigned Ron Baker and Marshall Plumlee to the D-League earlier today, according to the team (via Twitter). It’s the fifth assignment of the season for Baker, and the eighth for Plumlee.
Lakers Seem Likely To Keep Thomas Robinson
Thomas Robinson‘s recent production and an injury to Larry Nance Jr. are increasing his chances of remaining with the Lakers when all NBA contracts become guaranteed January 10th, writes Mark Medina of The Orange County Register.
Robinson earned a roster spot in L.A. after signing a non-guaranteed contract prior to training camp. His salary for this season is $1,050,961, but he will have to wait 11 days before being assured of getting all that money.
Robinson said he is trying to focus on his role on the court, rather than watching the calendar.
“I just control when my name gets called, and then I go play. That’s all I got to do.” he said. “I’m coming in early, leaving late and being supportive of my team. As far as the decisions the front office makes, I have no control over that.”
The Lakers have been asking Robinson to do more since Nance was sidelined last week by a bone bruise on his left knee. Nance is expected to be out of action for about another month. During the Lakers’ first four games without him, Robinson averaged 7.3 points and 8.8 rebounds and shot 72% from the field.
Coach Luke Walton called Robinson “a beast on the glass” and said he has been impressing team officials since informal workouts over the summer.
“He quickly showed how hard he works and how hard he plays every time he plays basketball,” Walton. “He filled a reputation for himself at least in my eyes right off the bat. Through his hard work and the way he competed on the floor in training camp, he earned a spot on the team.”
Robinson, the No. 5 pick in 2012, is looking for a long-term home after bouncing around the league for the past four years. After being drafted by the Kings, he has spent time with the Rockets, Trail Blazers, Sixers and Nets.
What's Next For The Lakers
Phil Jackson announced via Twitter that he and Lakers team president Jeanie Buss have decided to end their engagement, explaining how the distance between the two has made sustaining a relationship a difficult feat. Jackson is under contract with the Knicks for two more seasons after this one, but his contract contains a mutual option that would allow either side to opt out this upcoming summer. Tim Bontemps of The Washington Post speculates that the decision to part ways with Buss could mean that Jackson is planning on staying on as New York’s team president. The Zen Master will make $12MM if he returns to the Knicks next season.
- Jackson had long been rumored to be a candidate for a role in the Lakers’ front office should Buss decide to make changes, though with the news of their break-up, it appears that door has closed, Bill Oram of the Los Angeles Daily News writes. Oram speculates that Jerry West return to the organization in some capacity should the team make organizational changes.
NBA D-League Assignments/Recalls: 12/28/16
Here are Wednesday’s D-League assignments and recalls from across the NBA:
8:35pm
- The Grizzlies have recalled Wade Baldwin from the Iowa Energy, according to the team’s website. The rookie has appeared in 20 games for the Memphis this season, and he’s seeing 14.5 minutes per contest.
3:41pm
- The Cavaliers have sent rookie point guard Kay Felder to the Canton Charge, according to a press release issued by the team. It’s the first D-League assignment of the season for Felder, who has appeared in 14 games for Cleveland.
- A day after being assigned to the D-League, rookie center Damian Jones was recalled by the Warriors, the team announced today in a press release. Jones contributed to Santa Cruz’ win on Tuesday night, chipping in eight points and four boards before fouling out.
- The Celtics have re-assigned Jordan Mickey to the NBADL, the team announced today (via Twitter). Mickey, who has played sparingly for Boston this season, has averaged 16.0 PPG and 12.0 RPG in his two contests with the Maine Red Claws.
- Ivica Zubac will suit up for the Los Angeles D-Fenders tonight, having been assigned to the Lakers‘ D-League affiliate today (Twitter link via Mark Medina of The Los Angeles Daily News). The 2016 second-rounder has played well in eight D-League games this year, averaging 16.8 PPG and 9.5 RPG.
Lakers Auditioned Donatas Motiejunas
With Larry Nance Jr. expected to be sidelined until late January, the Lakers brought in free agent big man Donatas Motiejunas for an audition, report Ramona Shelburne and Marc Stein of ESPN.com. According to Shelburne and Stein, Los Angeles didn’t immediately strike a deal with Motiejunas after working him out prior to Christmas Day.
It has been an odd year for Motiejunas, who was involved in both a February trade and a December free agent contract that were scuttled. A deadline deal that would have sent the 26-year-old from Houston to Detroit was vetoed due to concerns about his back. In July, D-Mo became a restricted free agent, but was unable to find a deal for about five months due to similar health concerns.
Eventually, the veteran power forward signed a four-year offer sheet with the Nets, which Houston matched. Following a dispute about the incentives in that offer sheet, Motiejunas and the Rockets came to a new agreement, but that deal fell apart as well, resulting in the team renouncing its rights to the former first-round pick and making him an unrestricted free agent. The only team Motiejunas can’t sign with now is the Nets, due to a CBA rule.
The Lakers don’t currently have any real cap room, which makes it a little surprising that Motiejunas’ camp would be seriously considering the club — he was believed to be seeking about $7-8MM per year. Los Angeles, right up against the cap, could offer its $2.898MM room exception, and perhaps Motiejunas would be willing to do a one-year deal at that price to prove that he’s healthy and get back on the market in the summer. There are only a handful of NBA teams with cap space, and one (Brooklyn) is off the table, so his options are limited.
[RELATED: Salary Cap Snapshot: Los Angeles Lakers]
Still, it’s not clear yet how serious the Lakers’ interest is. Shelburne tweets that Motiejunas looked good in his workout, so the team’s decision is based more on how he would fit in the rotation, rather than his health. According to Shelburne (via Twitter), Los Angeles is weighing whether adding D-Mo would take too many minutes away from its young players like Julius Randle and Tarik Black.
The Lakers also have a full 15-man roster, so they’d need to waive a player to create an opening for Motiejunas.
Pincus: How New CBA Will Impact Lakers
- Cap expert Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report takes a closer look at how the league’s new Collective Bargaining Agreement will affect the Lakers. As Pincus notes, the lack of an amnesty clause this time around means that the team will have no easy out down the road if the four-year contracts for Luol Deng or Timofey Mozgov become cumbersome.
Larry Nance Jr. Expected To Miss Four Weeks
An offseason hand injury didn’t cost Larry Nance Jr. any regular season games, but the Lakers forward has suffered a new injury that will keep him out of action for about a month. The Lakers announced late last night in a press release that Nance has been diagnosed with a left knee bone bruise, and is expected to miss approximately four weeks.
Nance first suffered the injury last Tuesday in Charlotte, and underwent an MRI a day later to confirm the diagnosis. However, at that point the Lakers were unable to conduct a full evaluation due to the swelling in the knee. The team completed that re-evaluation on Sunday.
Nance, who turns 24 on New Year’s Day, has been one of the Lakers’ key rotation pieces off the bench this season, averaging 7.0 PPG, 5.5 RPG, and 1.2 SPG in 28 games for the team. The 2015 first-round pick has also increased his shooting percentage to an impressive 58.4% in the early going this season.
With Nance unavailable, big men like Timofey Mozgov and Thomas Robinson appear poised to take on larger roles in the Lakers’ rotation.
Blocked Paul Trade Changed Clippers, Lakers
The Lakers and Clippers began to reverse fortunes in 2011 when then-Commissioner David Stern blocked a trade for Chris Paul, writes Mark Heisler of The Los Angeles Daily News. New Orleans had worked out a three-team deal that would have sent Paul to the Lakers, but because the franchise was being run by the league at the time, Stern had the power as a representative of ownership to stop it. The Clippers stepped in with an offer of Eric Gordon, Al-Farouq Aminu, Chris Kaman and Minnesota’s unprotected draft pick, which landed them a franchise point guard.
- Changes in the new collective bargaining agreement will force the Lakers to alter the way they have historically operated, Heisler contends in the same piece. Star players have more incentive than ever to stay with their current teams, meaning that any advantages that L.A. once had in free agency will be further neutralized. Heisler lists the top players expected to be on the free agent market in 2017 and contends that every one will remain where they are.
Lowe’s Latest: Lakers, Cousins, Ingram
The Lakers have the pieces to trade for a superstar, but the team isn’t rushing to make any moves, Zach Lowe of ESPN.com writes. “If you grow from within, you control your own destiny,” coach Luke Walton said. “That’s the game plan. We want to see what this group can do. We don’t want to rely on anything else — on free agency, or trades.”
Lowe passes along more in his latest piece. Here are the highlights:
- DeMarcus Cousins doesn’t appear to be available in trade talks because the Kings are in contention for a playoff spot, Lowe relays in the same piece. Sacramento is just one game behind Portland in the win column for the eight seed in the Western Conference
- Rival executives are split on the value of the Lakers‘ young core, according to Lowe. Some would trade D’Angelo Russell and Brandon Ingram for Cousins without hesitation, while others consider such a deal to be outlandish.
- If the Lakers could steal Cousins for a package of Julius Randle, Jordan Clarkson and a future first-rounder, they should pull the trigger, Lowe opines. Though he adds that should the Kings deal the big man, it will likely be for a better package.
- Kobe Bryant‘s farewell tour wasted a year of player development and the Lakers can’t properly gauge the team’s young talent because of it, Lowe contends. Rather than playing and learning in a balanced offense, the team watched Bryant run an inefficient offense. “It was definitely a strange year,” Larry Nance said. “Playing with Kobe was awesome. I wouldn’t trade it for anything. But it was a weird season.”
- Ingram will take time to develop, but he’s already comfortable making plays for the Lakers and the team maintains high hopes for the 2016 No.2 overall pick, Lowe adds. “You can’t teach [his] feel,” Walton said. “We feel very confidently about the player he is going to become.”