Auburn’s Walker Kessler Declares For NBA Draft
Auburn sophomore Walker Kessler will declare for the NBA Draft and forgo his remaining college eligibility by hiring an agent, he told ESPN’s Jonathan Givony.
Kessler is ranked No. 24 on ESPN’s big board. As Givony notes, he received Naismith and NABC National Defensive Player of the Year honors this season, averaging 11.4 points, 8.1 rebounds and 4.5 blocks per game.
“This season was a blast for my teammates and I,” Kessler said. “Winning the SEC regular season and being the No. 1 ranked team in the country for the first time in Auburn history was a dream. I really valued all the time I spent with the coaching staff and everyone around the program. It was so much fun.”
Kessler, a 7’1″ center, has impressed scouts with his length and athleticism. He posted the highest shot-blocking percentage in college basketball over the last 15 years, according to Givony.
“I think NBA teams saw the different ways I can impact the game,” Kessler said. “I have good timing as a shot-blocker and can move my feet well switching on ball screens. I’m looking forward to showing the diversity of my game, as well as my mobility.”
The NBA draft will be held on Thursday, June 23 in Brooklyn, New York.
Pistons Sign Carsen Edwards, Give Two-Way Contract To Braxton Key
4:14pm: Detroit has officially signed Key to a two-way contract, the team announced in a press release. Smith’s waiving was also made official.
1:52pm: The Pistons have officially signed Edwards, the team announced in a press release.
11:24am: To make room for Key, Detroit has waived Smith, a rookie power forward who recently underwent ACL surgery, tweets Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press.
9:55am: The Pistons will sign G League guard Carsen Edwards to a two-year contract, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic.
Edwards, 24, has been playing for Salt Lake City this season and is averaging 26.7 points in 31 games. The 33rd pick in the 2019 draft, Edwards spent two years with the Celtics, but has been out of the NBA since the end of last season.
In addition, Braxton Key will get a two-way contract from Detroit, sources tell JD Shaw of HoopsRumors (Twitter link).
The rookie small forward was productive on a 10-day deal he signed on March 24. He averaged 6.8 points and 5.2 rebounds in five games and put up 10 points, nine rebounds and two blocks in Friday’s win over the Thunder.
The 25-year-old also played two games for the Sixers on a 10-day hardship contract in January. He was in training camp with Philadelphia and has spent much of this season with the team’s G League affiliate in Delaware.
The Pistons have a 15-man roster opening with Key’s 10-day contract having expired overnight, but both two-way slots are currently filled, so another move will be necessary before he can be signed. Chris Smith and Jamorko Pickett currently hold those spots.
Blazers Sign Eubanks, Dunn To Rest-Of-Season Hardship Deals
2:45pm: The Blazers have officially signed Eubanks and Dunn for the remainder of the season, the team announced.
11:08am: Drew Eubanks and Kris Dunn will sign hardship contracts with the Trail Blazers that cover the rest of the regular season, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Eubanks has taken over as Portland’s starting center after signing with the team in February. He has inked four 10-day contracts, the last of which expired Saturday night. In 18 games, he’s averaging 14.1 points and 8.7 rebounds while shooting 64.9% from the field. Eubanks became available when the Spurs traded him at the deadline to the Raptors, who immediately waived him.
Dunn hadn’t played at all this season before signing a 10-day deal with the Blazers on March 14. He was given a second 10-day contract on March 24 that expired last night. Dunn has appeared in 11 games, averaging 8.6 points, 3.1 rebounds and 5.4 assists in 23.5 minutes per night.
Portland has a full 15-man roster, but qualifies for several injury-related hardship exceptions due to all the players who are out for the rest of the season. Reggie Perry is also under contract on a 10-day hardship deal.
LeBron To Miss Sunday’s Game Against Nuggets
Lakers forward LeBron James will miss Sunday’s game against the Nuggets as he continues to be hampered by a left ankle sprain, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).
James badly rolled his left ankle last Sunday against the Pelicans, missed two games, returned on Friday vs. New Orleans, and now will miss his third game with the injury. As Bill Oram of The Athletic notes (via Twitter), Sunday’s contest will tip off less than 36 hours after Friday’s ended, not giving James much time to physically recover after playing 40 minutes on Friday.
Coach Frank Vogel confirmed that James is out Sunday due to the sore ankle and is considered day-to-day going forward. He also said Anthony Davis was sore after his first game back in several weeks, but Davis will play against the Nuggets (Twitter links via Mark Medina of NBA.com).
The reeling Lakers have lost five straight games and are a measly 4-15 since the All-Star break. They currently sit with a 31-46 record and are the No. 11 seed in the West. Los Angeles trails the Spurs by one game for the final spot in the play-in tournament, but the Spurs hold the tiebreaker due to a better conference record — in short, the Lakers need to finish with a better record than the Spurs to get the No. 10 seed.
In addition to Sunday’s home game against the Nuggets, the Lakers finish out the season with road games against the Suns and Warriors, plus a home meeting against the Thunder and a regular season finale in Denver.
James is the league’s leading scorer with 30.3 points per game, but he needs to play at least two more games to qualify for the scoring title. MVP candidates Giannis Antetokounmpo and Joel Embiid are currently second and third in scoring average with 30.1 and 30.0 points per game, respectively.
Mavericks, Raptors Would Have Interest In Rudy Gobert Trade
The Mavericks and Raptors are among the teams that would be interested in Rudy Gobert if the Jazz make him available this summer, Marc Stein said in his latest podcast (hat tip to RealGM).
ESPN’s Tim MacMahon mentioned Dallas as a possible destination earlier this week. Stein confirms that and adds Toronto to the mix, saying the Raptors have been in the market for a center for a long time.
Utah’s late-season slump has raised speculation that major changes may be coming in the offseason, which could include breaking up the combination of Gobert and Donovan Mitchell, who have a rocky history as teammates. If that happens, Gobert seems more likely to be dealt.
Gobert expressed frustration Saturday night after the Jazz let a 16-point lead slip away in the fourth quarter of a loss to the Warriors, tweets Eric Walden of The Salt Lake Tribune. “It’s tough. It’s tough,” he said. “I don’t know how many times it’s gonna happen.”
Gobert is a two-time All-Star and three-time Defensive Player of the Year who is in contention for his fourth award this season. He has three years and $123MM left on his current contract, plus a $46.65MM player option for the 2025/26 season.
Basketball Hall Of Fame Announces Full Class Of 2022
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame has officially announced its 13 honorees for this year, including former players and coaches from the NBA, WNBA and NCAA, along with figures from different basketball committees.
As we previously relayed, Spurs legend Manu Ginobili and former Heat All-Star Tim Hardaway headline the class. They are joined by longtime NBA coach George Karl, former referee Hugh Evans and two-time NCAA National Coach of the Year Bob Huggins.
On the women’s side, three-time WNBA champion Lindsay Whalen, two-time Olympic gold medalist Swin Cash and former WNBA Coach of the Year Marianne Stanley will be inducted.
“Year after year, we are constantly reminded of the extraordinary and transcendent efforts of the remarkable men and women who have impacted the game of basketball from a global perspective,” Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame President and CEO John L. Doleva said in a statement.
“The Class of 2022 is ripe with individuals who have had a significant historical impact on the game we love. We congratulate and thank them for everything they’ve done to better the sport and look forward to honoring them during Enshrinement this fall.”
Lou Hudson (Veterans Committee), Theresa Shank-Grentz (Women’s Veterans Committee), Radivoj Korac (International Committee), Larry Costello (Contributor Committee) and Del Harris (Contributor Committee) will also be inducted. The full class will be enshrined on September 9 and 10 in Springfield, Massachusetts.
Ben Simmons Files Grievance To Recoup Salary From Sixers
Nets guard Ben Simmons has filed a grievance to recoup nearly $20MM in salary withheld from him by the Sixers this season, the ESPN trio of Adrian Wojnarowski, Ramona Shelburne and Bobby Marks report.
The Players Association is backing Simmons in the grievance, which was shared with the Sixers, the league, and the NBPA late this week and will now be arbitrated, Wojnarowski adds in a separate tweet.
After reluctantly reporting to Philadelphia late in training camp, Simmons did not appear in any games, citing mental health issues. He hasn’t suited up for the Nets since he was traded, mainly due to a back injury.
The arbitration decision could set a precedent on how future matters regarding mental health and contracts might be handled.
Simmons has a cap hit of just over $33MM this season, part of the five-year, $177.24MM extension he signed with Philadelphia.
During the season, Sixers officials claimed that its doctors were given limited access to Simmons to diagnose and confirm those mental health issues.
After Simmons was traded, his representatives had several conversations with the Sixers in an effort to avoid arbitration but those talks ended without a resolution, according to ESPN’s sources.
Beginning on November 15, the Sixers withheld $360K for each game Simmons missed (1/91.6th of his overall salary). Simmons received a $16.5MM advance on his salary during the offseason, thus there wasn’t enough money in each paycheck to cover the per-game deductions.
Along with the amount for escrow that was withheld by the NBA, the Sixers deducted nearly $1.3MM of Simmons’ salary from each paycheck. That hasn’t changed since he was dealt. The Nets must deduct salary from Simmons’ pay and forward it to the Sixers, according to ESPN’s sources.
The CBA holds that a grievance must be initiated within 30 days from the date of the occurrence upon which the grievance is based. However, Simmons’ representatives believe the trade did not trigger that 30-day window because it’s been an ongoing issue.
Anthony Davis, LeBron James Return On Friday
APRIL 1: Coach Frank Vogel said Davis will play on Friday, per Andrew Lopez of ESPN (Twitter link). James will play as well, Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports tweets. The Lakers face the Pelicans at 9:30pm CT.
MARCH 31: Lakers star Anthony Davis intends to return Friday against the Pelicans as long as there are no setbacks, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium (Twitter link).
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski also reports (via Twitter) that LeBron James is going to test his sprained left ankle in an effort to return to action with Davis. Wojnarowski listed Davis as a game-time decision, but he apparently plans to play. Both players are out Thursday versus Utah, Wojnarowski tweets.
Davis last played on February 16, when he suffered a right mid-foot sprain. A report earlier this week indicated he was hoping to return this weekend. Through 37 games this season (35.1 MPG), Davis is averaging 23.1 PPG, 9.7 RPG, 2.9 APG, 1.2 SPG and 2.3 BPG on .537/.182/.709 shooting.
It has been a strange season for Davis in a number of ways, as he hasn’t made his usual impact defensively, and his marks from three-point range (since he started attempting them semi-regularly in 2015/16) and the free throw line are both career-lows. However, he’s shooting a career-best .578 on two-pointers.
After appearing in 36 of 72 contests last season, he’s had another injury-played season in 2021/22, appearing in 37 of 75 games.
James, meanwhile, injured his ankle Sunday in the team’s loss at New Orleans, saying it felt “horrible” at the time. He was subsequently granted permission to leave the team’s road trip and return to Los Angeles for treatment and evaluation of the injury.
At 37 years old, James is averaging 30.1 PPG, 8.2 RPG, 6.3 APG, 1.3 SPG and 1.1 BPG on .523/.359/.756 shooting through 55 games (37.2 MPG). He currently leads the league in scoring, but needs to play at least three more games to qualify for the scoring title.
Friday’s matchup with the Pelicans will be crucial for the Lakers as they attempt to make the play-in tournament. The Pelicans (33-43) are the current No. 9 seed in the West, while the Lakers (31-44) trail by one-and-a-half games. Both teams are trying to fend off the Spurs (31-45) to secure a chance to make the playoffs.
If the Lakers and Spurs finish the season with an identical record, the Spurs would hold the tiebreaker and advance to the play-in tournament due to a better conference record (21-25 for the Spurs, compared to 16-29 for the Lakers).
Hornets’ Gordon Hayward Set To Return On Saturday
With the Hornets in the midst of a battle for play-in positioning, veteran forward Gordon Hayward is poised to make his return from an ankle injury that has sidelined him for nearly two months, writes Rod Boone of The Charlotte Observer.
According to Boone, Hayward has been listed as probable for Saturday’s game in Philadelphia vs. the 76ers and will be available for the Hornets.
Hayward, who last played on February 7, has missed Charlotte’s last 22 games after spraining ligaments in his left ankle. Prior to the injury, he has been his usual productive self, averaging 16.1 PPG, 4.6 RPG, and 3.6 APG on .460/.390/.846 shooting in 48 appearances (32.2 MPG).
The Hornets have held their own without Hayward and have been particularly hot as of late, winning eight of their last 10 games to pull in a three-way tie with Brooklyn and Atlanta for the East’s No. 8 seed. Claiming that spot in the standings would put Charlotte in a stronger position to a earn a playoff spot in the play-in tournament, but it won’t be easy — both the Nets and Hawks have more favorable schedules over the next 10 days, per Tankathon.
After playing in Philadelphia on Saturday, the Hornets will head to Miami to face the Heat on Tuesday. Their regular season schedule will conclude with a a visit to Chicago on April 8, sandwiched by a pair of favorable home matchups vs. Orlando (April 7) and Washington (April 10).
Latest On Stephen Curry’s Recovery
Warriors guard Stephen Curry is progressing well in his recovery from a left foot sprain and will begin individual on-court activities next week, the team announced today (via Twitter). Curry has spent the last two weeks “performing various rehabilitation exercises in the training and weight rooms under the guidance of the team’s performance staff.”
Prior to the Warriors’ announcement, Adrian Wojnarowski and Kendra Andrews of ESPN (via Twitter) reported that the possibility of Curry playing in a single regular season game hadn’t been ruled out, but the team’s statement said the next update on the former MVP will be issued on April 11, a day after the regular season ends.
In other words, it sounds like the Warriors expect Curry to miss the remainder of the regular season.
The expectation remains that Curry will be ready for the start of the playoffs, according to Wojnarowski and Andrews. For teams not involved in the play-in tournament, the postseason will begin on April 16 or 17, so Curry would have nearly a full week of extra recovery time between the Warriors’ regular season finale and first-round opener.
Golden State is in a battle with the Mavericks for the No. 3 seed in the West — the two teams are currently tied with matching 48-29 records. Barring a major change in the standings during the next 10 days, the Warriors will likely face either Denver or Utah in the first round, as those two clubs are tied for the No. 5 seed at 46-31.