NBA Considers Setting Minimum Number Of Games To Qualify For Awards
In an effort to discourage load management, the NBA may begin requiring players to appear in a minimum number of regular-season games to become eligible for major awards, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.
Sources tell Charania that the proposal is being considered as the league and its union try to finalize a new collective bargaining agreement before the March 31 deadline for either side to opt out of the existing deal. That deadline has been extended twice already, but both sides are reportedly committed to reaching a new CBA by the end of the month.
Charania states that the minimum-game requirement was discussed during a Competition Committee meeting Friday, as both the league and the players search for incentives to prevent stars from sitting out so often.
Sources with knowledge of both sides of negotiations tell Charania that the figure for the minimum number of games still has to be worked out, but the owners and the union are in agreement on the concept. He notes that the NBA already has a precedent by requiring players to appear in at least 58 games to qualify for the scoring title.
Friday’s meeting, which was led by commissioner Adam Silver and NBPA executive director Tamika Tremaglio, was described as “productive” by Charania’s sources. He states that the union suggested having talks about increased player availability, and the league was happy to address the issue.
Charania adds that speakers at Friday’s meeting included NPBA president CJ McCollum and former union leader Chris Paul, who both said load management is often dictated by teams that want to keep players fresh and manage their schedules. Coaches and executives who took part in the meeting didn’t dispute that point, according to Charania, but both sides agreed that injuries to high-profile players, especially over the last three seasons, have contributed to the load management philosophy.
Eugene Omoruyi Signs Second 10-Day Contract With Pistons
10:47am: The signing is now official, the Pistons announced in a press release.
8:42am: The Pistons will sign Eugene Omoruyi to another 10-day contract, tweets James L. Edwards III of The Athletic.
The deal is expected to be finalized today, Edwards adds, which means it will run through March 22. Detroit would have to sign the 26-year-old forward for the rest of the season to keep him on the roster beyond that date.
Omoruyi appeared in five games during his first 10-day contract, which expired Sunday night. He averaged 8.2 points and 2.6 rebounds in 18.2 minutes per night and impressed the coaching staff on both ends of the court, according to Edwards.
Omoruyi began the season with the Thunder, playing 23 games before being waived last month. He also spent 13 games with the G League’s Oklahoma City Blue.
He will earn $94,136 on his 10-day contract as a second-year player, as our chart shows.
Kemba Walker Awaiting Another NBA Opportunity
Former Celtics guard Kemba Walker was a spectator when the team played Saturday night in Atlanta, but he’s not ready for the end of his NBA career, writes Jared Weiss of The Athletic.
Walker appeared in just nine games this season, all with the Mavericks, who signed him in late November and released him on January 6 before his salary would have become fully guaranteed. He would be playoff-eligible if another team signs him before the season ends, but he says he’s fine if that doesn’t happen.
“There’s really no rush for me. I’m really trying to eat up this time, to be real,” Walker said. “It’s been a long time since I’ve gotten so much time to work on myself, work on my body. So I’m not tripping at all. Honestly, I’d probably rather just sit it out and try to be ready for the next go-around, so we’ll see how it (goes).”
Walker was an All-Star when Boston acquired him from the Hornets in 2019. He posted one more All-Star season with the Celtics, but a knee injury eventually derailed his game. He was dealt to the Thunder in 2021 and had an injury-plagued comeback attempt with the Knicks before the Pistons traded for him and waived him last summer.
Walker averaged 8.0 points and 2.1 assists with Dallas in 16 minutes per night, but the ongoing knee issue robbed him of the explosiveness that used to define his game. It also turned him into a defensive liability and made it difficult for coach Jason Kidd to keep him on the court.
“They said they wanted to go young. That was it,” Walker explained. “They wanted to go young, which I respect. I was happy that I got the opportunity to get out there, be in Dallas, get the chance to play with Luka (Doncic) and watch him up close and personal. After playing with (Jayson Tatum), I’ve played with two of the best young players in the game right now. So that was a pretty cool experience.”
Weiss points out that the Celtics have an open roster spot, but he believes they’re more likely to sign a young prospect than to take a chance on a veteran like Walker. He also notes that it’s been hard to find minutes for Payton Pritchard, so there wouldn’t be a role for Walker to play.
Walker, who has spent the past two months working out at his home in Charlotte, is willing to be patient as he awaits his next opportunity.
“I love basketball. I’m not ready to stop playing yet,” he said. “Wherever the wind takes me.”
Knicks Waive Moses Brown, Re-Sign Trevor Keels
The Knicks are waiving center Moses Brown, Shams Charania of The Athletic tweets. They’ll replace him by bringing back guard Trevor Keels on a two-way contract, Steve Popper of Newsday tweets.
The Knicks have made the moves official, announcing them in a press release, Popper adds in a separate tweet.
Keels appeared in two games with the NBA’s Knicks this season, most recently on March 1. Keels was on a two-way contract with New York, then was signed to a standard 10-day contract on Feb. 23.
Brown was signed to a two-way contract on Wednesday. Brown appeared in one game for the G League’s Westchester Knicks, where he enjoyed an 18-point, 17-rebound game.
Keels has spent most of the season with the Westchester club. The second-round pick out of Duke has averaged 15 points and 3.4 assists in 22 games with the NBAGL squad.
Brown, a 23-year-old center, began this season on a two-way contract with the Clippers. He appeared in 34 games, averaging 4.6 points and 4.1 rebounds in 8.5 minutes per night, before being waived on February 17.
Brown began his NBA career with the Trail Blazers in 2019 after going undrafted out of UCLA. He also had short stays with the Thunder, Mavericks and Cavaliers.
The Knicks had a two-way slot open after promoting DaQuan Jeffries to a 10-day contract a week ago.
Warriors Still Uncertain About Andrew Wiggins’ Return
The Warriors haven’t received any indication on whether Andrew Wiggins will return to the team before the end of the season, tweets Anthony Slater of The Athletic.
Coach Steve Kerr addressed the situation in his meeting with reporters before Saturday’s game, responding, “That’s the hope,” when asked if Wiggins is expected back at some point this season.
“We’re giving him his space, as we’ve talked about, as he deals with something that’s way more important than a game,” Kerr said. “If he’s able to come back, that would be great. And if not, then that’s the case. Whatever happens, we’ll handle it accordingly.”
Wiggins, who hasn’t played since February 13, missed the final game before the All-Star break due to a family matter and hasn’t returned. The Warriors have expressed their support, but have otherwise kept the issue private. General manager Bob Myers said in a radio interview last week that he expects Wiggins back before the playoffs.
The 28-year-old forward played a vital role in Golden State’s run to an NBA championship last season, averaging 16.5 points and 7.5 rebounds in 22 playoff games. He missed 15 games in December and January due to an adductor strain and an illness and has played just 37 contests overall.
In Wiggins’ absence, Donte DiVincenzo has been inserted into the starting lineup with Klay Thompson moving to small forward. The team’s bench is shorthanded at the wing with Gary Payton II still not ready to play after being acquired at the trade deadline and two-way player Anthony Lamb ineligible after reaching his 50-game limit.
Madeline Kenney of The San Jose Mercury News talked to Warriors players about Wiggins earlier this week and found they are trying to strike a balance between being supportive and respecting his privacy.
“Wiggs is my brother,” Jordan Poole said. “We’re giving him strength and all of the support that he needs and whenever he’s ready to come back, whenever he’s ready to join the team, he will. … He knows that we all have his back and he can take as much time as he needs and we’re all really good support system and wish him nothing but the best.”
Kyle Lowry Expected To Return On Saturday
Heat point guard Kyle Lowry is traveling with the team and is expected to return to action on Saturday in Orlando, tweets Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel.
Lowry has been battling left knee soreness, having last played on February 2. He has missed the past 15 games as a result of the injury, with Miami going 7-8 over that span.
The Heat reportedly dangled Lowry in trade talks ahead of last month’s deadline, but were unable to find any takers due to the combination of his age (he turns 37 in a couple weeks), large contract ($28.33MM this season, $29.68MM in 2023/24), and health problems.
A six-time All-Star and 2019 NBA champion with the Raptors, Lowry has seen his production drop off in ’22/23, likely in part due to his knee issue. He’s averaging 12.0 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 5.3 APG and 1.1 SPG on .396/.333/.855 shooting through 44 games (33.3 MPG).
It’s unclear if Lowry will immediately reclaim his spot in the starting lineup; Gabe Vincent had been starting in his place. The 17-year veteran has started every game in his first two years with the Heat and hasn’t come off the bench since the ’12/13 season, but it’s reasonable to assume he might be on a minutes restriction after a lengthy absence.
Lowry’s return comes at a critical time for the Heat, as they’re fighting for a top-six seed and a guaranteed spot in the playoffs. After beating Cleveland on Friday, they’re currently 36-32, the No. 7 seed in the East.
NBA To Implement Hawk-Eye Tracking System Beginning In 2023/24
The NBA will begin using Sony’s Hawk-Eye tracking system during the 2023/24 season, the league announced on Thursday in a press release. The technology, which can capture movement in three dimensions, will be used to track both the players and the ball.
While the league’s announcement doesn’t specify exactly how that tracking data will be used during the ’23/24 season, one stated goal is to improve the on-court basketball analytics available to teams.
Perhaps more notably, another one of the NBA’s goals is to use the technology to “enhance officiating by increasing the accuracy of calls and the speed of gameplay.” According to the release, Hawk-Eye may eventually be used to automate the calls for goaltending and out-of-bounds plays, among others.
The Hawk-Eye system is already employed by a number of other sports, including soccer and tennis. Soccer’s most recent World Cup in Qatar used Hawk-Eye to review offside calls, while many tennis tournaments have replaced line judges with automated line calls by Hawk-Eye.
According to Thursday’s announcement, the league has been testing Hawk-Eye at Summer League and at a handful of NBA arenas since 2019. Based on that data collection, the league is satisfied that the system “meets the accuracy and latency needed to provide best-in-class ball and pose tracking to the NBA.”
NBA Fines Fred VanVleet $30K
The NBA announced (Twitter link) that it has fined Raptors point guard Fred VanVleet after he took umbrage with the work of referee Ben Taylor following a loss to the Clippers on Wednesday.
VanVleet will be docked to the tune of $30K for his criticisms, per the NBA statement.
During the 108-100 defeat, Los Angeles shot 17 more free throws than Toronto. Taylor whistled VanVleet for a technical foul during the contest’s third quarter.
In his postgame remarks, VanVleet acknowledged that he would most likely incur a fine before launching into his criticisms of Taylor’s officiating and that of the other attendant referees in general. VanVleet observed that several of his technical fouls this season (five of eight, to be precise), transpired during games Taylor was officiating.
VanVleet alternately called the fouls “bulls—” and “personal” during his remarks, and singled out Taylor as being “f—ing terrible” on Wednesday.
The 6’1″ vet, 29, has been enjoying a solid year for the 32-34 Raptors, technical fouls aside. He’s averaging 19.3 PPG on .391/.341/.899 shooting splits, 6.9 APG, 4.3 RPG and 1.6 SPG in 55 games this season, all starts.
Suns’ Durant Sprains Ankle, Out At Least Three Weeks
6:26pm: Durant will have his sprained left ankle reassessed in three weeks, the team has announced (Twitter link).
Durant’s return timeline will be determined by how he recuperates, says Shams Charania of The Athletic (via Twitter). Swelling in the ankle has already improved, sources tell Charania.
7:03am: After Suns star Kevin Durant suffered an ankle injury during pregame warmups on Wednesday and exited Footprint Center in a walking boot, there’s concern within the organization that he’ll be diagnosed with a Grade 2 sprain, according to Greg Moore of The Arizona Republic.
Durant is expected to undergo more testing on his ankle on Thursday to determine the severity of the sprain. However, because the team isn’t scheduled to practice until Friday, we may have to wait another day for an official update, tweets Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports.
If it’s deemed to be a Grade 2 sprain, it would likely sideline Durant for four-to-six weeks, jeopardizing his ability to play another regular season game, writes Moore. The Suns’ regular season finale is exactly one month from today.
Durant’s injury occurred when he was driving to the basket during warmups prior to what would have been his first home game as a Sun. He slipped and went to the floor as he attempted to jump for a layup attempt (Twitter video link via Kellan Olson of ArizonaSports.com).
Hopefully Durant’s injury is less serious than a Grade 2 sprain, but if that’s the diagnosis, he and the Suns can certainly count on a multi-week absence.
LaMelo Ball, Chris Duarte, and Justise Winslow are among the players who have suffered Grade 2 ankle sprains so far this season — Ball missed nearly five weeks, Duarte was out for a little over six weeks, and Winslow remains on the shelf nearly two-and-a-half months after injuring his ankle (though that recovery process seems abnormally long).
More recently, Anfernee Simons was diagnosed with a Grade 2 sprain last month and returned in just over two weeks, but aggravated the injury in his first game back; Hamidou Diallo was ruled out for at least three-to-four weeks after sustaining a Grade 2 sprain on Monday.
Durant, who was still recovering from an MCL sprain when he was acquired a month ago at the trade deadline, has only appeared in three games for his new club. However, teammate Chris Paul said after Wednesday’s win over Oklahoma City that he’s not worried about the Suns not having enough time to jell due to KD’s injury (Twitter link via Bourguet). For what it’s worth, Phoenix won all three of its games with Durant – all on the road – by an average margin of 13 points.
Isaiah Stewart Likely Out For Season With Shoulder Injury
An MRI on Tuesday revealed that Pistons big man Isaiah Stewart has a left shoulder impingement, Detroit announced. He will continue to rehabilitate the injury and will be reevaluated in three-to-four weeks, per the team.
Stewart initially injured the shoulder in January, causing him to miss a handful of games. He has been sidelined since February 25 due to a separate injury (right hip soreness).
With the worst record in the NBA (15-51) and only 16 games remaining on their schedule, there’s little reason to believe the Pistons will rush Stewart back to play again this season. He joins Hamidou Diallo and Bojan Bogdanovic as Pistons who might miss the rest of the season.
Through 50 games, including 47 starts, Stewart averaged a career-high 11.3 PPG, 8.1 RPG, and 1.4 APG on .442/.327/.738 shooting. The primary reason his FG% is down compared to the previous two seasons is that he expanded his offensive repertoire, as he attempted nearly as many threes as twos in ’22/23.
Stewart also slid down to power forward for a significant chunk of his playing time this season, which was a big change. He had played center almost exclusively in his first two seasons.
Still just 21 years old, the former 16th overall pick will be eligible for a rookie scale extension in the offseason. While Stewart is sidelined, Marvin Bagley III and James Wiseman should continue to see plenty of playing time, at least until rookie center Jalen Duren returns from his own injury (bilateral ankle soreness).