NBA G League Rumors | Hoops Rumors

And Ones: Budenholzer, Payton, D-League

March 15th, 2016 at 10:26pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The Hawks have increased their use of analytics and technology in how they help players recover from injuries and maintain their bodies, David Aldridge of NBA.com notes. The use of new and nontraditional techniques is one change that Mike Budenholzer implemented when he took over as the team’s president of basketball operations, Aldridge adds. “We wanted to have all of the groups, everybody within the organization that had a great synergy and worked well together, and had a passion,” Budenholzer told the scribe. “Keke Lyles, [trainer] Art Horne and [strength and conditioning coach] Mike Roncarati and [Athletic Performance Coach] Chris Chase and [assistant trainer] Scottie Parker have a passion for athletic performance, keeping our guys, pushing the envelope for them being the best they can be. You could feel that when we interviewed them and talked with them.”

Lyles, who is Atlanta’s director of player performance, told Aldridge of the team’s approach, “I think the biggest thing is, [Budenholzer] has a certain vision about the court, and what the players are doing. And he wanted that to carry over into what guys did as prep. Obviously, our field is not his area of expertise, but he knew the value of it, and how important it is. And so I think he saw the opportunity to bring a group in that was kind of on the same page, and thought the same way, and had very specific goals that we wanted to accomplish in treatment.” Budenholzer credits Lyles with helping Kyle Korver and Tim Hardaway Jr. return to form after their respective surgeries, Aldridge also notes.

Here’s more from around the league:

Elfrid Payton has yet to establish himself as the Magic‘s point guard of the future despite making small strides in improving his scoring average and shooting numbers, Brian Schmitz of The Orlando Sentinel writes. “I don’t want to single a spot out. We’re 9-24 since the first of the year. So all of our our spots…we’re not playing well enough in general,” coach Scott Skiles responded when asked about the play of the team’s playmakers. When asked specifically about Payton, the coach said, “Again, I just don’t think it’s fair….I’m not trying to duck the question. If we were having a more consistent season, I’d feel a little bit more comfortable answering that. Again, our troubles are at many spots.“
The Pistons have an available roster spot after not electing to sign Justin Harper for the remainder of the season after his second 10-day deal came to an end, but Detroit has no immediate plans to bring in another player, Keith Langlois of NBA.com tweets.
The Pacers have recalled center Shayne Whittington from their D-League affiliate, the team announced. This was the big man’s fifth stint with the Mad Ants on the season.

And-Ones: Lakers, Kilpatrick, Meeks

March 14th, 2016 at 9:46pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Point guard D’Angelo Russell has star potential, but rival executives have doubts about power forward Julius Randle’s ceiling, Ken Berger of CBSSports.com reports. Polling a dozen front office executives, Berger found that Russell is the more highly regarded of the Lakers’ duo. Randle, their 2014 lottery pick, is viewed more as a piece to the puzzle or an energy guy, Berger continues. It’s conceivable the Lakers deal one or both for a proven star, Berger adds, but a lot of the their decision-making this offseason is contingent on whether they keep their lottery pick. They must convey their pick to the Sixers if they fall out of the top three.

Nets shooting guard Sean Kilpatrick, who has signed two 10-day contracts, hopes he can stick around for the remainder of the season and beyond, Mike Mazzeo of ESPN.com writes. Kilpatrick is averaging 13.6 points in his last five games with the club. “I’ve been living out of a suitcase I would say for the past six months. It’s crazy, man,” Kilpatrick told Mazzeo. “That’s why when you ask, ‘Do I want to be here?’ Like, I’m tired of living out of a suitcase.”
Shooting guard Jodie Meeks is back in uniform but will have a tough time cracking the Pistons rotation, according to David Mayo of MLive. Meeks broke his right foot in the team’s home opener and required a lengthy recovery. Detroit coach Stan Van Gundy prefers to utilize no more than nine players, and swingman Stanley Johnson and power forward Anthony Tolliver have recently returned to the rotation after recovering from injuries. “I can’t control that,” Meeks told Mayo. “So whenever my number’s called, I’ll be ready.”
The Celtics recalled rookie power forward Jordan Mickey from their D-League affiliate, the Maine Red Claws, the team tweets. Mickey has made 11 appearances with Boston this season.
The Thunder assigned small forward Josh Huestis to their D-League team, the Oklahoma City Blue, according to the Thunder’s website. Huestis has already started 19 games for the Blue this season, averaging 12.2 points, 5.6 rebounds in 32.5 minutes per contest.

Pacific Notes: Griffin, Booker, Looney

March 14th, 2016 at 6:44pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Clippers did not seem to miss power forward Blake Griffin during the initial aftermath of the quadriceps tendon tear he suffered on Christmas, but that has changed, Andrew Han of ESPN.com writes. Point guard Chris Paul told Han and other reporters after the Clippers lost to the Cavs by 24 points on Sunday that Griffin’s extended absence is taking a toll. “[Playing without him] gets real tough,” Paul said. “They have three, four guys out there that [with a] low shot clock can bail you out. Just all that tension that he brings opens it up for all of us.” The Clippers won their first nine games without Griffin but have stumbled recently, losing by double digits in three of their last five games. Griffin’s hand, which he fractured in a January 23rd fight with assistant equipment manager Matias Testi, has healed faster than his quad. Once he is cleared for game action, Griffin still faces a four-game team-imposed suspension for that incident.

In other news around the Pacific Division:

The Clippers are likely to keep their superstar trio of Paul, Griffin and center DeAndre Jordan intact this summer, a panel of ESPN Insider experts opines. As Jeremias Engelmann points out, superstars rarely get dealt unless they request a trade. A majority of the panel also believes the Clippers will be better off when Griffin returns from his injuries and suspension.
Rookie shooting guard Devin Booker is often initiating the Suns’ half-court offense, even with the return of point guard Brandon Knight from a sports hernia, Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic reports. Booker recorded 11 assists against the Warriors on Saturday. “Both of us can bring the ball up the floor, so you get the rest,” Booker told Coro. “If you have to bring it up every time, it’s tough on a team.”
Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge was instrumental in the Warriors hiring Bob Myers as their assistant GM in 2011, as owner Joe Lacob discusses at length in an interview with Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News. Myers was promoted to GM the following year.
The Warriors recalled power forward Kevon Looney from their D-League affiliate in Santa Cruz, according to the team’s website. Looney has appeared in 12 games with Santa Cruz this season, including two games during his latest assignment.

Atlantic Notes: ‘Melo, Porzingis, McConnell, Raptors

March 14th, 2016 at 4:34pm CST by Chuck Myron

Knicks team president Phil Jackson gave Carmelo Anthony some answers he was looking for when they met recently, but the onus is on Jackson to deliver when it counts this summer, Anthony indicated to reporters, including Marc Berman of the New York Post and Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com. Jackson said recently that he wants to sign two players of consequence for the team this summer, Begley notes, but New York won’t necessarily have max-level cap flexibility, according to Berman. Still, the star forward wants to see results.

“It’s in their court. The ball is in their court,” Anthony said. “They have an opportunity, we have an opportunity to do something this offseason. We gotta do something. It’s there.”

See more on the Knicks amid a check on the Atlantic Division:

The willingness Kristaps Porzingis is showing to play closer to the rim under the tutelage of interim coach Kurt Rambis is a plus for the development of the player in line to succeed Anthony as Knicks franchise cornerstone, Begley opines in a separate piece. Rambis, who’s trying to secure the coaching job for the long term, has endured criticism for the way he’s changing Porzingis’ game, according to Begley. “He’s going to get physically stronger and he’s going to be able to brace himself when there is physical contact and nudges,” Rambis said. “And he’s also going to be able to finish with either hand inside. But it only comes from him attacking the basket and being aggressive.”
T.J. McConnell has settled into a backup role after injuries to other Sixers forced the undrafted rookie into a starting role, and while the buzz about him has quieted since his strong performances early this season, he remains a part of the rotation, observes Jessica Camerato of CSN Philly. McConnell’s contract is non-guaranteed beyond this season, so the pressure remains. “I think if I keep the mindset of day by day, fighting for my job every day,” McConnell said, “hopefully it turns out to be a long career for me.”
The Raptors made a whirlwind of D-League moves, recalling Bruno Caboclo from the D-League on Sunday before sending him back this morning, along with Lucas Nogueira and Delon Wright, and finally recalling all three this afternoon, according to the organization (All Twitter links). The trio took part in a midday victory today against the Pacers affiliate.

And-Ones: Cousins, Hinrich, Richardson, Varejao

March 13th, 2016 at 10:02pm CST by Arthur Hill

Kings center DeMarcus Cousins took another verbal swipe at coach George Karl, tweets Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports. After being suspended for Friday’s game following a tirade directed at Karl, Cousins remained combative following tonight’s loss to the Jazz. “That wasn’t a suspension from the organization,” Cousins said. “That was a suspension from the head coach.” Their ongoing battle has led many to speculate that neither will be in Sacramento next season.

There’s more tonight from around the basketball world:

Veteran guard Kirk Hinrich is probably looking at a short stay with the Hawks, tweets Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Coach Mike Budenholzer said Dennis Schröder will be the backup point guard, and it’s not in the “plans” to use Hinrich in that role any more. The 35-year-old soon-to-be free agent to be has appeared in just three games since coming to Atlanta from the Bulls in a deadline-day trade.
Josh Richardson is shaping up as a major bargain for the Heat, writes Ethan Skolnick of The Miami Herald. He has settled into Miami’s rotation and now trails only the Sixers‘ Richaun Holmes in minutes played among 2015 second-round picks. Richardson is signed through 2017/18 and will make a little less than $875K next season.
Anderson Varejao is still adjusting to the idea of not being with the Cavaliers, writes Jason Lloyd of The Akron Beacon-Journal. After 12 years in Cleveland, Varejao was shipped to the Blazers in a deadline-day trade, and he signed with the Warriors after Portland released him. “If you told me at the start of the season I’d be here, I never would’ve believed it,” he said. “With my contract, how could anyone have predicted this?”
The Warriors were honored as the“Best Analytics Organization” at this year’s MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference. The Chicago Blackhawks, Houston Astros and FC Midtjylland, a Danish soccer team, were the other finalists for the award.
The Hornets have assigned rookie guard Aaron Harrison to Erie of the D-League. Harrison is averaging just 4.3 minutes in 16 games with Charlotte, along with 0.8 points and 0.6 rebounds.

Atlantic Notes: Clarke, Turner, Kilpatrick, D-League

March 13th, 2016 at 12:58pm CST by Arthur Hill

Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge stayed away from the buyout market, grabbing D-League star Coty Clarke over some of the bigger names that were available, writes Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe. Boston, after waiving little-used David Lee, hardly made any pursuit of Joe Johnson, Kevin Martin, Ty Lawson or any of the other veterans who hit the open market. Instead, Ainge opted for Clarke, who has yet to play after signing a 10-day contract Monday. “We thought Coty was the best guy available,” Ainge said. “He’s had a terrific year in Maine. He’s been with our organization all year. He knows our stuff and there’s a little bit of continuity there. There’s some carryover to what our players do in [Maine] and what our players do in Boston. So we thought it was the easiest transition. And we didn’t desperately need someone that was out there. Like, for example, David Lee was a terrific player, but we had too many guys at that position. So Coty is a little bit different in that he can shoot the 3-ball and switch and guard multiple positions.”

There’s more on the Celtics and the rest of the Atlantic Division:

Ainge is hoping the team can reach a long-term deal to keep Evan Turner in Boston, Washburn writes in the same story. The impending free agent swingman has developed into a reliable reserve, averaging 10 points, 4.9 rebounds and 4.5 assists while playing about 27 minutes per game. “As you know, I’m a fan of Evan, and I think he’s had a really good year,” Ainge said. “I think he’s had a good two years [with the Celtics]. He won a lot of games for us. Down the stretch of games, he’s a good guy to have on your team. He’s a versatile player. He plays multiple positions.”
The Nets are happy with the production they’ve gotten from Sean Kilpatrick, who signed a second 10-day contract with the team Wednesday, according to NetsDaily. Part of the youth movement new GM Sean Marks has instituted, the 26-year-old shooting guard has averaged 9.4 points per game while shooting 50% from 3-point range during his time with Brooklyn.
The Celtics recalled James Young from their D-League affiliate in Maine and sent Jordan Mickey to the Red Claws, the team tweeted today.
The Raptors recalled Bruno Caboclo from Raptors 905 in the D-League, according to a tweet from the organization.

And-Ones: Noah, Pressey, D-League

March 12th, 2016 at 10:00pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Bulls coach Fred Hoiberg confirmed that Joakim Noah will not return to the court this season as he recovers from surgery that that repaired his dislocated left shoulder, Chris Kuc of the Chicago Tribune tweets. Noah has not played since the middle of January.

Here’s more from around the league:

Phil Pressey will head to the Idaho Stampede of the D-League after the Suns declined to bring the point guard back after consecutive 10-day contracts, Chris Reichert of Upside Motor tweets.
The Thunder have recalled Josh Huestis from their D-League affiliate, the Oklahoma City Blue, according to the team’s website. Huestis averaged 12.2 points and 1.32 blocks in 19 D-League games this season.
The Warriors have assigned Kevon Looney to their D-League affiliate, the Santa Cruz Warriors, according to Golden State’s website.
The Clippers have recalled Branden Dawson from the D-League, per a team press release. Dawson was on assignment with the Erie BayHawks.

Atlantic Notes: Hollis-Jefferson, Turner, D-League

March 12th, 2016 at 2:37pm CST by Eddie Scarito

One bright spot during the Nets‘ dismal 2015/16 campaign was the early season play of rookie Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, who has been sidelined since December after undergoing surgery to repair his fractured right ankle. The initial estimate was that Hollis-Jefferson would miss three months of action and the player appears to be on schedule to make that prognosis a reality, though no firm date has been established for the swingman to return to game action yet, Brian Lewis of The New York Post writes. “Not [a rush] at all. Not at all. Whenever I’m ready and they call my name, that’s how it’ll go,” Hollis-Jefferson told reporters on Friday.

Interim coach Tony Brown was pleased with the rookie’s progress and was impressed with Hollis-Jefferson’s work ethic, Lewis relays. “Whenever that is. I’m not sure when that’s going to be, but he’s putting in the work and he’s obviously trying to get himself in better conditioning so that we can put him out there on the floor,” Brown said. “But he’s doing all the necessary work. Even though he hasn’t played in the games, he’s doing all the work to get himself ready. He’s doing what’s been asked of him. He’s come in and worked on his shot, he’s getting extra work in practice on the days that we do practice, and on the days that we don’t, he’s coming in.”

Here’s the latest regarding the teams of the Atlantic Division:

Celtics coach Brad Stevens is a fan of Evan Turner and the versatility he brings to the team’s roster, Mike Petraglia of WEEI 93.7 FM relays. “I think Evan Turner’s been really good since he’s been here,” Stevens said. “The thing I’ve said all along is he’s a jack of all trades. He does a lot of good things for our team. The other thing is he just loves the game, and I really appreciate that about him. I appreciate a guy that every single day practice or game is really into it, really into improving, really into watching it, really into talking about it. It’s just important to him. He’s done a great job. I’m really happy for him. We really value what he brings to the table.” It remains to be seen whether the high praise from Stevens indicates that Boston plans to make a push to re-sign Turner, who’s set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer after earning $3,425,510 in 2015/16.
The Raptors have recalled center Lucas Nogueira and combo guard Delon Wright from their D-League affiliate, the team announced. Bruno Caboclo remains on assignment with the Raptors 905.

D-League Boots Robert Upshaw For Drug Violation

March 11th, 2016 at 3:13pm CST by Chuck Myron

The D-League has tossed Lakers affiliate player Robert Upshaw from the league for violating its anti-drug program, according to Chris Reichert of Upside & Motor (Twitter link). The big man was a highly touted college prospect, but his checkered past caused NBA teams to pass on him in last year’s draft. He was with the Lakers for the preseason and joined their D-League team shortly thereafter. It’s unclear what the terms of Upshaw’s punishment are, with the D-League saying merely that his playing services had been terminated for the drug violation.

Upshaw, 22, didn’t see the court much in the D-League this season, as he averaged only 15.6 minutes per game over 28 appearances, but he was impressive on the boards, snagging 4.5 per outing in that limited playing time. The 7-footer remains a work in progress on the offensive end, averaging 7.3 points to accompany a slash line of .477/.200/.610.

The center failed to impress the Lakers during the preseason, nabbing just 3.0 rebounds while scoring 2.5 points in 14.1 minutes per contest in four appearances this past fall. Upshaw pocketed a $35K partial guarantee from that contract, one that took several weeks to finalize. The team had set “offseason off-court goals” for him to meet before officially signing him, according to Eric Pincus of the Los Angeles Times.

Atlantic Notes: Rambis, ‘Melo, Carroll, Ainge

March 11th, 2016 at 3:02pm CST by Chuck Myron

Knicks president Phil Jackson acknowledges he has a close relationship with Kurt Rambis and that he talks more frequently with the interim coach than with former coach Derek Fisher, as Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com relays from the Zen Master’s chat with reporters today (Twitter link). Jackson wouldn’t commit to keeping Rambis beyond the season but hinted that he’d like to see him earn the removal of his interim tag, observes Frank Isola of the New York Daily News (on Twitter), which jibes with an earlier report that Jackson was pulling for Rambis to win the permanent job when he named him interim boss. Jackson didn’t appear eager to move on from Carmelo Anthony either, saying he still feels as though ‘Melo is a franchise cornerstone, Begley relays (Twitter link). Jackson cited the team’s system when he said he’s not going to obsess over chasing an elite point guard in free agency this summer, according to Begley (via Twitter), so the triangle remains at the heart of all things Knicks. See more from the Atlantic Division:

DeMarre Carroll is likely to return later this month, according to Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca, though the Raptors didn’t give a timeline today after he visited his surgeon, Sportsnet’s Michael Grange notes (Twitter link). Some questions existed about whether Carroll would return to play at all this season after he underwent right knee surgery in January, but it appears that dire outcome won’t come to pass.
Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge is the best negotiator Rockets GM Daryl Morey says he’s come across, tweets Jake Fischer of SI Now, relaying Morey’s comment from the MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference today. Ainge and Morey have only pulled off one trade, a three-teamer with the Trail Blazers in 2012 that sent Courtney Lee to Boston.
The Celtics have recalled Coty Clarke and Jordan Mickey from the D-League, the team announced (Twitter link). The pair, along with James Young, went to D-League Maine on Thursday for what turned out to be a one-game stay. Clarke, a 10-day signee, had a team-high 18 points on 6-of-7 shooting while Mickey scored 14.