Central Notes: Brogdon, Wilson, Bulls, Sexton
Even though Malcolm Brogdon is sidelined for the rest of the regular season and probably at least the first round of the playoffs, he says the plantar fascia tear in his right foot isn’t nearly as problematic as the torn quadriceps tendon he suffered last year, relays Matt Velasquez of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. That injury forced the Bucks guard to miss 30 games before returning just prior to the postseason.
Brogdon said he had been experiencing plantar fasciitis for weeks before suffering the tear March 7. He has already made significant progress toward a comeback, getting rid of crutches and a walking boot last week and doing small exercises to try to rebuild his strength before he starts running again.
“The injury is minor; I’ll come back and be full speed,” Brogdon said. “The team is better this year, so they can hold it down while I’m gone. I just want to get back in time so when we play a tough opponent I can help in the playoffs.”
There’s more from the Central Division:
- A summer of intense workouts transformed Bucks forward D.J. Wilson from an afterthought to a valuable reserve in his second NBA season, writes Lori Nickel of The Journal Sentinel. Wilson is playing 17.6 minutes per night this year after averaging just 3.2 in 22 games as a rookie. “I’ve always kind of been that guy to be the first one out and then the last to leave,” he said. “I think that’s the mentality my mom and my godfather instilled in to me at a young age.”
- Finding a point guard to pair with their young talent should be the Bulls‘ top priority this summer, observes Sean Deveney of Sporting News. The ideal scenario would be to land the No. 2 pick in the draft and add Ja Morant, and the team is likely to turn to the free agent market if that doesn’t happen. Deveney states that Chicago isn’t in position to compete for top-tier players like Kyrie Irving or Kemba Walker, but may pursue Utah’s Ricky Rubio, a pass-first point guard who doesn’t need a lot of shots to be productive.
- After a rough start to his NBA career, Cavaliers point guard Collin Sexton has become a candidate for the All-Rookie Team, according to Joe Gabriele of NBA.com.
Wizards Notes: Grunfeld, Leonsis, GM Search
Wizards owner Ted Leonsis said he alone made the call to relieve Ernie Grunfeld of his duties. “No one made this decision other than me,” Leonsis said (Twitter links via Candace Buckner of the Washington Post).
“My main goal is to right now as fast as I can bring in an outside firm to provide some services for us,” Leonsis said. “I want to do what’s called ‘best practicing.’ What do the best organizations look like? What do they spend?
“Maybe I made the mistake in the way we spent and invested out money. I have to be open-minded.”
Leonsis does not believe the organization will have issues attracting a top candidate for the GM gig, a sentiment echoed by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link). Resources and geography are among the reasons to expect the position to be highly sought after.
Here’s more from Washington:
- Tommy Sheppard, the team’s interim GM, is a strong candidate for the position, per Leonsis. Sheppard is the senior vice president of basketball operations and has been with the organization for 14 years.
- Leonsis called both Bradley Beal and John Wall shortly after making the move to notify them of the change, Chase Hughes of NBC Sports tweets.
- Scott Brooks’ job status will be determined after a general manager is hired, Leonsis added (via Hughes in a separate tweet). The new GM won’t be restricted in terms of the direction the franchise goes in, as Leonsis is open to all ideas.
- Hughes (in a full-length piece) identifies 10 possible candidates for the GM position, including Sheppard and former Cavs GM David Griffin. Hughes also speculated that Bucks assistant GM Milt Newton, who was with the Wizards from 2003 until 2013, could be a candidate for the position.
Malcolm Brogdon Making Progress In Recovery
- Injured Bucks guard Malcolm Brogdon is getting around without the aid of crutches or a walking boot, tweets Matt Velazquez of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. It’s an encouraging sign of progress for Brogdon, who has a minor plantar fascia tear in his right foot and is expected to miss at least the first round of the playoffs.
Hornets, Bucks Will Play In Paris
The NBA will hold its first-ever regular-season game in France, with the Hornets and Bucks squaring off January 24, 2020, in Paris, the league announced this morning.
“Our NBA Paris Game will showcase the continued global growth of basketball in one of the world’s greatest cities,” Commissioner Adam Silver said. “With France leading a record number of players from Europe in the league, we look forward to bringing together basketball fans from across the continent for the NBA’s first regular-season game in Paris.”
This will be the first game in France for the Bucks and the second for the Hornets, who played there during the 1994 preseason. The league has staged 10 preseason games in France and has been televising games in the nation since 1984. The game could be a homecoming for veteran point guard Tony Parker if he remains on Charlotte’s roster, but his $5.25MM salary for next season is non-guaranteed.
Today’s announcement was made on the “NBA Extra” show on beIN SPORTS, the league’s official broadcast partner in France, and included an appearance from former Hornet Muggsy Bogues.
The game will take place at AccorHotels Arena, which has hosted nearly all of the NBA’s games in France. Tickets won’t be available until a later date. It will count as a home game for Charlotte, tweets Matt Velazquez of The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.
“The Charlotte Hornets are proud to have the opportunity to participate in the first NBA regular-season game in Paris,” team chairman Michael Jordan said. “Having played in the preseason in France during my career, I witnessed first-hand the passion the French fans have for NBA basketball. We are excited to bring our team to Paris for this history-making event.”
Eastern Notes: Knight, Sixers, Bucks
Brandon Knight, who was sent to the Cavaliers at this season’s trade deadline, is embracing his role as a mentor to Collin Sexton, Joe Vardon of The Athletic writes.
“I don’t know what the process was before I got here … I do know since I’ve gotten here I try to talk to [Sexton] as much as I can,” Knight said. “I see myself a lot in him as a young guard having vets around me, having to learn when to score and when not to score, trying to use my speed but also trying to slow down. There’s a lot of things I had to deal with. So when I see him do certain things I’m like, ‘Man, I used to do that.’ ”
Knight and Sexton were each selected eighth overall in their respective drafts. Knight started for most of his career and he knows what it’s like to feel the pressure of being a top selection.
“It took me a couple years,” Knight said. “If we can get him to do that — what I learned year four — by year two, how much better will our team be? I just try to tell him those little things.”
Here’s more from around the Eastern Conference:
- Sixers assistant coach Billy Lange has interviewed for the St. Joe’s head coaching job, Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer reports. Lange has been with the team for six seasons.
- The Wisconsin Herd, the Bucks‘ G League affiliate, has fired coach Jordan Brady, according to the team’s Twitter feed. “We greatly appreciate Coach Brady and his staff for their efforts the past 2 seasons,” GM Dave Dean said. “While they have played a significant role in the organization’s growth on the court and in the community, we feel it’s in the best interest of the Herd to explore other options.”
- Something needs to change in Boston, Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports contends. Inconsistency has plagued the Celtics all season, prompting Forsberg takes a look at some potential lineup changes that coach Brad Stevens could make.
Bucks’ DiVincenzo To Miss Rest Of Season
The injuries continue to pile up for the Bucks, who will be without rookie sharpshooter Donte DiVincenzo for the rest of the 2018/19 season, according to Malika Andrews and Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.com.
League sources tell Andrews and Wojnarowski that DiVincenzo is suffering from bilateral heel bursitis in his right foot. Per the ESPN duo, the former Final Four MVP met with Bucks doctors and specialists, and a determination was made that rest and rehabilitation is the best course of action. The team expects DiVincenzo to make a complete recovery in the offseason.
The 17th overall pick out of Villanova, DiVincenzo will finish his rookie season having averaged 4.9 PPG on .403/.265/.750 shooting in just 27 games (15.2 MPG).
The injury is the fourth one to hit the Bucks since Malcolm Brogdon was diagnosed with a minor plantar fascia tear in his right foot on March 16. Nikola Mirotic (thumb) and Pau Gasol (ankle) have also been knocked out of action within the last week.
While Brogdon and Mirotic are noteworthy losses for the Bucks, Gasol and DiVincenzo were unlikely to play much – if at all – for Milwaukee in the postseason. The club hopes to have both Brogdon and Mirotic back in its lineup by the second round.
Stein’s Latest: Lakers, GM Openings, Sixers
Marc Stein of the New York Times released his latest newsletter today (subscribe here) and it’s filled with a handful of nuggets on coaching and front office movement. We passed along the latest on the Timberwolves’ management earlier today. Here’s the rest of the highlights from Stein’s latest newsletter:
- The Lakers have interest in nabbing Mavs head coach Rick Carlisle to the same position, Stein writes. Los Angeles is widely expected to let Luke Walton go at the end of the season.
- Tyronn Lue is believed to be a top candidate for the Lakers‘ job, Stein hears from coaches within the league, citing Lue’s “presumed acceptance” from LeBron James. Lue coached James for two-and-a-half seasons in Cleveland, helping to bring the franchise its lone NBA championship.
- Mike Zarren of the Celtics and Bucks executive Milt Newton are two names to watch out for with GM positions opening up, Stein hears. Zarren figures to be considered by the Pelicans (currently being run by interim GM Danny Ferry), and could also be a candidate for the Wizards, should owner Ted Leonsis decided to dismiss longtime executive Ernie Grunfeld.
- The Sixers would be smart to keep the core of Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons, Jimmy Butler, and Tobias Harris together if they win the Eastern Conference, though Stein believes the chatter to break them up will intensify if they fail to reach that goal. Both Butler and Harris will be free agents this summer.
Five Eastern FAs Who Have Significantly Boosted Their Value In 2018/19
For a star like Kevin Durant, the results of the 2018/19 season haven’t had much of an impact on his projected earnings in free agency. Heading into the season, the expectation was that Durant would land a maximum-salary contract; that hasn’t changed. In fact, barring a catastrophic injury, it’s hard to imagine what KD could have done this season that would’ve significantly impacted his stock as his free agency nears.
For most other NBA players in contract years though, their performance on the court this season will go a long way toward determining what sort of offers they’ll get this summer. There are several players around the league who have increased their value significantly with their on-court showings in 2018/19 and figure to do better than originally expected in free agency this year as a result.
Today, we’ll shine a spotlight on some of these players from the Eastern Conference, identifying five 2019 free-agents-to-be who have improved their stock with their play this season.
Let’s dive in…
D’Angelo Russell, G, Nets (RFA): We’ve written repeatedly about Russell’s ascension this season, but it’s still worth reiterating how impressive it has been. It’s easy to forget now, but before Caris LeVert dislocated his foot in November, it was LeVert that looked like the Nets guard headed for a breakout year. Instead, Russell has emerged as The Man in Brooklyn, averaging 21.8 PPG, 7.4 APG, and 3.7 RPG on .436/.366/.792 shooting in the 60 games since that LeVert injury. Assuming the Nets can hold onto a playoff spot, D-Lo will have the opportunity to turn a few more heads in the postseason, positioning himself for an annual salary between $20MM and the max.- Nikola Vucevic, C, Magic: To thrive in the modern NBA, a center generally needs to be able to shoot from outside or protect the rim — or both. Neither skill had ever been a huge part of Vucevic’s game, but he has proven he’s adaptable in recent years. In 72 games this season, the Magic center is putting up career highs in 3PT% (.366), total 3-pointers (74), and BPG (1.2). His 20.7 PPG and 12.1 RPG are also career bests, buoying him to his first career All-Star Game. At age 28, Vucevic may not be in line for a massive payday, but he appears set to get a nice raise on his current $12.75MM salary, which was hardly a lock heading into the season.
- Bojan Bogdanovic, G/F, Pacers: A sharpshooting role player prior to joining the Pacers, Bogdanovic has taken his game to another level this season — especially since Victor Oladipo suffered a season-ending quad injury in January. Having never averaged more than 14.3 PPG in a season, the 29-year-old has posted a blistering .509/.403/.794 shooting line in the 27 games since Oladipo went down, averaging a team-high 21.3 PPG in that stretch. Bogdanovic isn’t an elite defender, but any wing who can knock down threes at the rate he can will do well for himself in free agency.
- Danny Green, G, Raptors: While All-Stars Kawhi Leonard and Kyle Lowry and Most Improved Player candidate Pascal Siakam have – deservedly – received much of the credit for the Raptors‘ success this year, Green shouldn’t be overlooked. Viewed as almost a throw-in in the deal that sent Kawhi to Toronto, Green has had a terrific bounce-back season, knocking down a scorching 44.3% of his 3-point attempts. His on/off-court numbers exhibit his importance — the Raptors have a +12.2 net rating when he plays, compared to a -5.0 mark when he sits. An ideal three-and-D wing, Green should be in line for another lucrative multiyear deal this summer.
- Brook Lopez, C, Bucks: Like Vucevic, Lopez has avoided becoming an NBA relic by modernizing his game. Once a fixture in the low post, the 30-year-old can now frequently be found a few steps behind the arc, having earned the nickname Splash Mountain by knocking down threes and helping to space the Bucks‘ offense. Lopez is more of a role player than the core piece he was in Brooklyn, but his shooting (2.4 3PG, .371 3PT%) and rim protection (2.2 BPG) make him a valuable contributor. Milwaukee almost certainly won’t be able to bring him back at the same bargain-basement rate he agreed to in 2018 ($3.4MM).
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Bucks Waive Trevon Duval
The Bucks have waived rookie guard Trevon Duval, who spent the season on a two-way contract, the team announced on Twitter.
Duval played most of the year in the G League, averaging 12.5 points, 3.6 assists and 2.8 rebounds in 38 games with the Wisconsin Herd. He got into three games for Milwaukee, playing six total minutes and averaging 1.7 PPG.
Duval went undrafted last summer after one season at Duke. He played for the Rockets’ summer league team before catching on with the Bucks.
Because he was a two-way player, the move won’t affect Milwaukee’s roster. All 15 slots are filled by players with guaranteed contracts.
Pau Gasol To Miss About A Month With Ankle Injury
The injury news keeps getting worse for the Bucks, who will be without center Pau Gasol for roughly a month because of an injured left ankle, tweets ESPN’s Malika Andrews.
With the playoffs set to start in three weeks, Gasol should be considered questionable for the entire first round. The 38-year-old center has played just three games — and 10 total minutes — for Milwaukee after reaching a buyout agreement with the Spurs three weeks ago.
Gasol told Matt Velasquez of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel yesterday that the ankle had been bothering him, but he was getting it treated and was following the team’s recovery plan (Twitter link).
The news caps off a nightmarish week of injuries for the Bucks, who lost Malcolm Brogdon probably through at least the first round of the playoffs with a minor plantar fascia tear in his right foot and then saw Nikola Mirotic sidelined for 2-4 weeks with a fractured thumb.