Tony Allen Suffers Setback, Expected To Miss 2-4 More Weeks
- Pelicans guard Tony Allen suffered a setback in his recovery from a fibula fracture, per Jennifer Hale of FOX Sports New Orleans (Twitter link). Allen, originally expected to be back around this time, will likely miss another two to four weeks, says Hale.
Mavs Claim Jalen Jones, Waive Kyle Collinsworth
The Mavericks have claimed two-way player Jalen Jones, waiving two-way player Kyle Collinsworth in a corresponding move, reports Shams Charania of Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter). The Jones transaction earns a place in NBA history as the first time that a player on a two-way contract has been claimed off waivers.
Jones, 24, had been on a two-way contract with the Pelicans before being cut on Monday. Since New Orleans doesn’t have a G League affiliate of its own, the young forward split time between the Greensboro Swarm and Texas Legends this season, giving Dallas’ brass a first-hand look at him. Jones, who also briefly appeared in four NBA games for the Pelicans, averaged 19.1 PPG in 17 G League games, but saw his three-point percentage slip to just 27.5%.
As for Collinsworth, his two-way stint with the Mavericks lasted less than a month after he signed his deal on December 19. The 26-year-old swingman had been playing for the Legends prior to earning that two-way contract, and may very well return to the Mavs’ affiliate if and when he clears waivers. He could also be back in Dallas on a 10-day contract at some point, head coach Rick Carlisle said today (Twitter link via Earl K. Sneed of Mavs.com).
Because Jones was claimed off waivers, the Mavs will assume the terms of his two-way deal with the Pelicans, as they would for a standard NBA waiver claim. That means that Jones’ days of NBA service won’t reset, and his contract – a two-year pact – will continue to run through 2018/19, as ESPN’s Bobby Marks tweets.
Pelicans Sign DeAndre Liggins To 10-Day Deal
JANUARY 10, 12:01pm: The Pelicans have officially signed Liggins to a 10-day contract, the team announced today in a press release. The deal will run through next Friday.
JANUARY 9, 8:48pm: The Pelicans are signing guard DeAndre Liggins to a 10-day deal, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. Liggins was waived by the Bucks last Sunday to open a roster spot.
Liggins, 29, appeared in 31 games for Milwaukee, providing a jolt on the defensive end, per Wojnarowski. He averaged 1.8 points and 1.6 rebounds in 15.5 minutes per game.
New Orleans currently has a full 15-man roster, but the team has four players – Alexis Ajinca, Frank Jackson, Tony Allen, and Solomon Hill – sidelined with long-term injuries. That makes the Pelicans eligible for a hardship exception, so they’ll temporarily add Liggins as a 16th man.
Liggins is expected to be available for New Orleans’ Wednesday night tilt against the Grizzlies. This marks Liggins’ seventh NBA stop as he has also suited up for the Magic, Thunder, Heat, Cavaliers and Mavericks since he was drafted out of Kentucky in 2011.
As Wojnarowski writes, Liggins joins a Pelicans team that features two former Kentucky teammates in DeMarcus Cousins and Darius Miller.
Two Cavaliers Trade Exceptions Expire
Two traded player exceptions created by the Cavaliers in last January’s acquisition of Kyle Korver expired this week, as expected. One of those two trade exceptions was already utilized by the Cavs in the offseason, and the amount left on it made it virtually impossible to use again. However, the other one, worth about $4.84MM, wasn’t used at all.
[RELATED: Outstanding NBA Trade Exceptions]
Despite letting those two trade exceptions expire, the Cavs remain well-stocked with TPEs in the event that they need one to make a deal at next month’s deadline. Most notably, they hold one worth approximately $5.81MM, which will be available until late August.
The following trade exceptions around the NBA will also expire if they’re not used by the February 8 trade deadline:
- Milwaukee Bucks: $5,000,000
- New Orleans Pelicans: $3,517,200
- Chicago Bulls: $1,589,480
- Dallas Mavericks: $1,514,160
- Milwaukee Bucks: $1,151,241 (expires on February 2)
- Cleveland Cavaliers: $980,431
- Dallas Mavericks: $621,362
- Washington Wizards: $425,973
- Portland Trail Blazers: $407,210
- Toronto Raptors: $328,000
While they won’t expire until sometime in the offseason, the Trail Blazers ($12.97MM), Raptors ($11.8MM), and Clippers ($7.27MM) also have sizable trade exceptions worth keeping an eye on. Still, all three of those clubs have potential luxury tax concerns, so they’re unlikely to take on big salaries at the deadline without sending out any money.
For more information on how trade exceptions work, be sure to check out our glossary entry on the subject.
Pelicans Waive Jalen Jones
The Pelicans have waived small forward Jalen Jones, a source tells William Guillory of The New Orleans Times-Picayune. Jones had been on a two-way contract with New Orleans, so the move – officially confirmed by the Pelicans – opens up a two-way slot, but doesn’t create an opening on the club’s 15-man NBA roster.
Jones, 24, was with the Celtics in training camp back in 2016, but was cut before the regular season began and spent the year in the G League. A solid showing in 46 games for the Maine Red Claws last season (21.0 PPG, 9.0 RPG) earned Jones a two-way contract with the Pelicans this season.
Since New Orleans doesn’t have a G League affiliate of its own, Jones split time between the Greensboro Swarm and Texas Legends this season, and also briefly appeared in four NBA games for the Pelicans. While his scoring average (19.1 PPG) remained strong in the G League this season, Jones’ 3PT% slipped from .345 last year to .275 this year.
The Pelicans are still carrying Charles Cooke on a two-way deal, but now have one of two slots open, becoming the latest NBA club to create a two-way opening. Teams have until January 15 to sign a player to a two-way contract, so I imagine those teams with open slots will be keeping a close eye on potential targets at this week’s G League showcase event in Mississauga, Ontario.
Woj’s Latest: Pistons, Fournier, Lakers, Hawks
Shooting guards and small forwards are in high demand as the trade deadline approaches, and there simply aren’t that many quality wings expected to be available, Adrian Wojnarowski writes in his latest report for ESPN.com. As Wojnarowski details, the Pistons, Knicks, Pelicans, and Trail Blazers are just a few of the many teams looking for upgrades on the wing.
DeMarre Carroll (Nets), Alec Burks (Jazz), Kent Bazemore (Hawks), and Evan Fournier (Magic) are among the veterans attracting some interest on the trade market, according to Wojnarowski, who notes that the Pistons pursued a deal for Fournier. Such a trade would be hard to pull off without including Reggie Jackson‘s contract, so nothing’s imminent at this point, but the Pistons continue to be aggressive on the trade market, a reflection of Stan Van Gundy‘s desire to win now, says Wojnarowski.
As for the Pelicans, they also remain active in trade talks despite their limited assets, according to Wojnarowski, who notes that Omer Asik and Alexis Ajinca have negative value and won’t be movable without New Orleans attaching a draft pick or two. If the Pelicans can’t trade for a wing, they’ll have to count on getting Solomon Hill back healthy for the home stretch of the season.
Here’s more from Woj:
- The Lakers have “made it clear” that Jordan Clarkson, Julius Randle, and Larry Nance Jr. are available in trades, reports Wojnarowski. The club had been planning on waiting until after the season to try to move Clarkson, but there may be a mutual desire to get something done on that front sooner rather than later.
- Bazemore, Ersan Ilyasova, and Marco Belinelli are expendable in Atlanta, where the Hawks are focused on unloading veterans and stockpiling more young players and draft picks, per Wojnarowski.
- The Bulls still plan to trade Nikola Mirotic after January 15, assuming he OK’s a deal. According to Wojnarowski, Mirotic is somewhat intrigued by the Jazz and their head coach Quin Snyder, who has a reputation for maximizing offensive talent.
- It’s possible their outlooks could change by the trade deadline, but the Thunder and Pelicans currently have no plans to trade Paul George or DeMarcus Cousins, respectively. Both players can become unrestricted free agents this July.
- We passed along more rumors from Woj in full stories earlier today, providing the latest on DeAndre Jordan and examining the Grizzlies‘ asking price for Tyreke Evans.
E'Twaun Moore Makes Most Of Perimeter Opportunities
- The Pelicans can attribute much of their success this season to the hot hand of seven-year veteran E’Twaun Moore, John Coon of the New Orleans Advocate writes. “He’s a good shooter and he’s had more opportunities than he normally would have during a season,” head coach Alvin Gentry said. “We’ve got two really good big guys in there and they create double-team situations and they’re very unselfish players, so they’re willing passers.“
Pelicans Deserve Better From Organization
- The Pelicans are a win-now team that is struggling to win games, including back-to-back losses to the Mavericks and Knicks in recent days. Scott Kushner of The New Orleans Advocate opines that Pelicans fans deserve better from the organization.
Rondo's Benching Won't Be A Trend
- Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry told reporters not to read too much into his decision to leave Rajon Rondo on the bench during the fourth quarter of Friday’s loss to Dallas, relays Christian Boutwell of The Journal Times. Gentry opted for veteran backup Jameer Nelson, but that probably won’t be the start of a trend. “It had nothing to do with Rondo, or the way he was playing or anything like that,” Gentry said. “It was just coach’s instinct.”
Injury Updates: Curry, Griffin, Paul, Hill
Two-time MVP Stephen Curry is expected to return on Saturday during a home game against the Grizzlies, Chris Haynes of ESPN.com reports. Curry will miss his 11th straight game on Friday because of a right ankle sprain but he participated in drills and a 3-on-3 scrimmage during practice on Thursday. “If all goes well, I expect him to play Saturday, but even if it goes well, I’m not expecting him to play (Friday),” Warriors coach Steve Kerr told the assembled media.
In other injury-related news around the league:
- Blake Griffin practiced on Thursday after practicing with the Clippers’ G-League team on Wednesday, but it’s still uncertain whether he’ll play on Friday against the Lakers, according to Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times. Griffin has missed 14 games due to a sprained left MCL. Griffin said he would defer to the team’s medical staff. “That’s why we have the team doctors,” he said. “That’s why we have the training staff that we do. They have done a great job so far putting together … a rehab plan and pushing me and getting to this point.”
- Rockets point guard Chris Paul is expected to play either Friday against the Wizards or Sunday against the Lakers, coach Mike D’Antoni told Jeff Goodman of ESPN (Twitter link). Paul missed his third consecutive game on Thursday due to an adductor strain.
- Pelicans forward Solomon Hill rejoined the team to watch their victory over the Nets on Wednesday, but he’s not close to returning from the torn hamstring he suffered in August, William Guillory of the New Orleans Times-Picayune reports. Hill was expected to miss 6-8 months and that hasn’t changed. “It’s not going to get any quicker or anything like that.,” coach Alvin Gentry said. “We’re just going to have to let it play out. He’s still got a ways to go before he’s able to get back on the court and actually play.”