Trail Blazers Sign Reggie Perry To 10-Day Deal
MARCH 30: Perry’s 10-day contract is now official, the Blazers announced in a press release. It’ll run through April 8, covering six of Portland’s final seven games.
MARCH 28: The Trail Blazers are signing forward Reggie Perry to a 10-day contract under the injury hardship exception, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski tweets. He’ll be the third Blazer on a 10-day hardship deal, joining Drew Eubanks and Kris Dunn.
Perry played two games with Portland earlier this season under the 10-day hardship exception during the league’s COVID outbreak. He had a similar stint with the Pacers in February under the same provision.
The 57th overall pick in the 2020 draft, Perry spent his rookie year in ’20/21 on a two-way contract with the Nets, averaging 3.0 PPG and 2.8 RPG in 26 games (8.1 MPG) at the NBA level and putting up 18.1 PPG and 8.9 RPG in 15 games (28.8 MPG) for the Long Island Nets in the G League.
Perry signed with the Raptors for training camp this fall, then joined Toronto’s G League affiliate after failing to secure a spot on the regular season roster. He has averaged 20.3 PPG and 11.5 RPG in 22 games with the Raptors’ G League team this season.
Portland has been wracked by injuries. The Trail Blazers confirmed today in a press release that center Jusuf Nurkic and guards Anfernee Simons and Eric Bledsoe won’t return this season.
Robert Williams Expected To Return In 4-6 Weeks
9:46am: The Celtics have provided an official update on Williams, announcing that he underwent a successful partial left knee meniscectomy and confirming that he’s expected to return in about four-to-six weeks (Twitter links).
7:41am: Robert Williams underwent surgery this morning on the torn meniscus in his left knee, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, who reports that the Celtics big man is expected to return within about four-to-six weeks. There’s optimism his return could fall on the shorter end of that timeline, Wojnarowski adds (via Twitter).
While Williams will, of course, miss the rest of the regular season, there’s a chance he could play again in the postseason, especially if Boston advances to the second round. The Eastern Conference Semifinals will begin between April 30 and May 3, which is at least a month away.
As we noted when Williams was first diagnosed with a torn meniscus, the recovery timeline for the injury can vary significantly depending on the severity of the tear and how it’s treated. Jaren Jackson Jr. missed most of last season due to the injury, while James Wiseman and Collin Sexton are on similar timetables this year. However, the injury costs some players only weeks rather than months — for instance, Didi Louzada is nearing a return after undergoing meniscus surgery in early February.
A four-to-six week projection is even more aggressive than Louzada’s timeline, but it’s not out of the question. If Williams is able to make it back for the Celtics and play anywhere near the level he was at prior to the injury, it would provide a significant boost to the team’s chances of making a deep playoff run.
The Celtics have the NBA’s best record since the start of February and Williams has played a major role in their recent success, anchoring the league’s top-ranked defense and emerging as a strong candidate for an All-Defensive nod. He has averaged 10.0 PPG, 9.6 RPG, and 2.2 BPG with an impressive .736 FG% in 61 games (29.6 MPG) this season.
Williams is under contract for four more seasons beyond this one, so the Celtics will take his long-term health into account as they determine if and when he’s able to play this spring.
Michael Porter Jr. Suffered Minor Setback In Injury Rehab
Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr. suffered a setback in recent weeks during his rehab process following back surgery, according to Mike Singer of The Denver Post.
A source familiar with the situation told Singer that the setback was the result of overcompensation and overwork, while another source said it was “nothing major.”
However, with time running out on the 2021/22 season, even a minor setback jeopardizes the possibility of Porter returning to action for the Nuggets. According to Singer, the team has yet to make a decision on whether or not to shut down the 23-year-old, who had hoped to make it back in March. Porter went through a shooting routine prior to Monday’s game, Singer notes.
Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports stated during a TNT broadcast last Tuesday that Porter has endured some “ups and downs” during his rehab process, which suggests the setback may have occurred before then. Haynes said at the time that Jamal Murray was closer to a return than Porter, though it remains possible that neither Nugget will play this spring.
Porter, who also missed his entire rookie season in 2018/19 due to back surgery, appeared in just nine games this season before going under the knife again. He hasn’t played since November 6.
Lakers Health Updates: Davis, Nunn, LeBron, Gabriel
Lakers star big man Anthony Davis is aiming to return to action this weekend, according to Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports.
Davis has been shelved since spraining his right foot and MCL on February 16. He has missed 37 games for Los Angeles all told this season, including the past 17. The 6’10” big man has produced at a typically high clip this year when healthy, but his shooting numbers and defense have dipped. He is averaging 23.1 PPG, 9.7 RPG, 2.9 APG, 2.3 BPG and 1.2 SPG through his 37 healthy contests.
Sporting a 31-44 record, the Lakers currently occupy the Western Conference’s 11th seed. The team owns a record identical to that of the tenth-seeded Spurs, but the Spurs sport a better intra-conference record. Even with Davis back in the fold this weekend, an extended absence for LeBron James could doom the depth-challenged team’s play-in tournament odds.
The rest of L.A.’s schedule will not get much easier down the home stretch of the 2021/22 season. Across five of their final seven games, the Lakers will face off against four Western Conference playoff-bound teams in the Jazz, Nuggets (twice), Suns, and Warriors.
Here are a few more Lakers-related health updates:
- Haynes’ sources have informed him that combo guard Kendrick Nunn, one of just five Lakers players earning more than the minimum this year, is expected to miss the rest of the 2021/22 season. Nunn has not played a single game for Los Angeles since incurring a bone bruise in his knee during the 2021 preseason. He signed a two-year, $10MM contract with L.A. during the 2021 offseason with a player option for 2022/23. Given his health predicament, it seems likely he will pick up that option.
- According to Haynes, All-Star forward LeBron James is expected to miss his second consecutive game on Thursday after rolling his ankle during a 116-108 loss to the Pelicans on Sunday. Thursday would mark the four-time MVP’s 20th missed contest this year.
- Reserve power forward Wenyen Gabriel, who has emerged as an important role player for Los Angeles, has been listed as day-to-day going forward after suffering a left ankle sprain, tweets Brad Turner of the Los Angeles Times.
Iowa Forward Keegan Murray Declaring For Draft
Iowa sophomore forward Keegan Murray, currently the No. 5 player on the ESPN big board, is declaring for the draft, per Jonathan Givony of ESPN.
Murray played a bench role during his freshman season, averaging 7.2 PPG across 18 MPG as the offense focused around reigning 2020 Big Ten Player of the Year Luka Garza, a senior in 2020/21. Garza was eventually selected with the No. 52 pick by the Pistons during the 2021 draft.
As a sophomore, Murray handily established himself as a lottery prospect after gaining 15 pounds and growing an inch. In 35 games in 2021/22, he averaged 23.5 PPG, 8.7 RPG and 1.9 BPG across 32 MPG, posting a stellar shooting line of .554/.398/.747. Murray was voted Big Ten Tourney MVP in leading the Hawkeyes to the 2022 Big Ten tournament title.
Givony notes that the 21-year-old is presently a candidate for 2022 John R. Wooden, Naismith and Lute Olson awards. The 6’9″ forward looks likely to slot in as a versatile addition for whichever NBA club he joins, having operated at a variety of positions for Iowa and in his high school days at Prairie High School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
“Before I came to Iowa I always played on the wing,” Murray said. “This was the first time I played the 4 and 5. We were small in the Big Ten. I’ll do whatever is needed to win because of my skill-set. This year I needed to play the 5. I feel like in the NBA, I can play 2 to 5. I can adapt to any position I’m put in.”
“I’m looking forward to showing NBA teams my versatility on both ends of the court,” the 2022 consensus All-American First Teamer added. “I’m a lot more athletic than people realize. I’m as competitive a player as you’re going to get. It doesn’t show from my facial expressions, but I love the game of basketball and competing every single night was a blessing for me. I’m not worried about what spot I get drafted.”
Paul George To Return On Tuesday
MARCH 29: Barring any setbacks in his pregame workout, George will return to the Clippers’ lineup tonight against the Jazz, per Shams Charania of The Athletic.
MARCH 28: Paul George could be back in action for the first time in more than three months on Tuesday.
The team’s PR department listed the Clippers star forward as questionable to play against Utah, Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN tweets.
George hasn’t suited up since December 22 due to a torn ligament in his shooting elbow. He was averaging 24.7 PPG, 7.1 RPG and 5.5 APG prior to the injury.
George played five-on-five in practice on Sunday as he continued to make steady progress from the injury, Andrew Greif of the Los Angeles Times writes.
Clippers coach Tyronn Lue spoke on Monday about the possibility of George playing this week. The Clippers will head to Chicago on Thursday and Milwaukee on Friday after hosting the Jazz.
“We’ve just got to see how (Monday’s) practice goes and see how he’s feeling and then just go from there,” Lue said. “Whatever the medical staff seems to think is ideal, that’s what we’ll do.”
The Clippers are virtually locked into the eighth spot in the Western Conference. They have lost five straight and George’s return will obviously be a major boost for them heading into the postseason.
“It would be huge,” Lue said of George’s potential return, according to the Orange County Register’s Mirjam Swanson (Twitter link). “Like I always say, hope is stronger than fear. So to have the hope that he could come back would be great for our team… right now we’re dragging a little bit and to get a guy like PG back would definitely help us out.”
Pelicans Sign Jared Harper To Two-Way Deal
10:12am: The signing is official, tweets Christian Clark of NOLA.com.
9:54am: Free agent point guard Jared Harper will sign a two-way contract with the Pelicans, league sources tell JD Shaw of Hoops Rumors (Twitter link).
The 24-year-old played briefly for New Orleans on a two-way deal earlier this season, getting into two games and logging 10 total minutes before being waived January 9. Since then, he has been with the Pelicans’ G League affiliate in Birmingham, averaging 21.0 points, 3.6 rebounds and 7.2 assists in 20 games.
Undrafted out of Auburn in 2019, Harper signed a two-way contract with the Suns and appeared in three games as a rookie. He also played eight games for the Knicks last season.
New Orleans has a two-way opening after converting Jose Alvarado‘s contract on Monday. Once Harper’s signing becomes official, the Pelicans will have a full roster with both two-way slots filled.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Will Miss Remainder Of Season
The Thunder have shut down Shai Gilgeous-Alexander for the remainder of the season, head coach Mark Daigneault told The Oklahoman’s Joe Mussatto (Twitter link) and other media members on Monday.
Gilgeous-Alexander has been bothered by right ankle soreness during portions of the season and hasn’t played since last Monday. The team’s star guard signed off on the decision to let the ankle heal.
He had another strong season statistically, though his 3-point shooting dropped dramatically (down from 41.8% last season to 30% this year). He averaged 24.5 PPG, 5.9 APG, 5.0 RPG and 1.3 SPG in 34.7 MPG while appearing in 56 games.
Forward Darius Bazley was also ruled out for the remainder of the season on Monday due to a knee injury.
Gilgeous-Alexander remains a major piece in Oklahoma City’s rebuild. His five-year, maximum-salary extension that he signed last summer will kick in next season.
Celtics’ Robert Williams Has Torn Meniscus, Will Have Surgery
5:10pm: Williams will undergo surgery on his injured knee, coach Ime Ukoda told Jared Weiss of The Athletic (Twitter link) and other media members. Williams will explore surgical options this week.
12:19pm: The Celtics have officially confirmed that Williams has a torn lateral meniscus in his left knee, announcing in a press release that they’ll provide an update later this week on his treatment and recovery.
10:51am: Celtics big man Robert Williams, who underwent further testing on his injured left knee today, has suffered a meniscus tear and will miss, at minimum, several weeks, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (via Twitter).
Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link) was the first to report the team’s fear that Williams had torn the meniscus in his left knee. The 24-year-old sustained the injury on Sunday.
The treatment plan and recovery timeline for a meniscus tear varies from player to player, since the injury can be treated both surgically and non-surgically, depending on the severity — some players who suffer the injury are only sidelined for weeks, while others miss months. According to Wojnarowski, further evaluation on Williams today will help determine how long he’ll be sidelined.
With just two weeks left in the regular season, it’s possible we won’t see Williams again in 2021/22, especially if Boston doesn’t win a playoff series or two.
It’s a brutal turn of events for Williams and for the Celtics, who have looked like the Eastern Conference’s best team over the last couple months, winning 24 of their last 28 games.
The Celtics currently hold the No. 1 seed in the East and Williams has played a major role in their recent success, anchoring the NBA’s top-ranked defense and nearly averaging a double-double, with 10.0 PPG and 9.6 RPG on the season. He has shot an eye-popping 73.6% from the floor and emerged as a strong candidate for an All-Defensive nod.
With Williams sidelined, Boston will lean more heavily on Al Horford, Daniel Theis, and Grant Williams in the frontcourt. The team is signing forward Juwan Morgan to a 10-day contract using its open roster spot, but that deal will expire before the season ends, so that 15th spot could be used next week on a big man, if necessary.
Williams, who signed a rookie scale extension with the Celtics last fall, will be under contract for four years and $48MM (with another $6MM in incentives), beginning in 2022/23.
Thunder’s Bazley Out For Rest Of Season
Thunder forward Darius Bazley has sustained a non-displaced tibial plateau fracture in his right knee and will miss the team’s remaining eight games, the team’s PR department tweets.
Bazley has appeared in 69 games this season, averaging 10.8 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 1.4 APG and 1.0 BPG in 27.9 MPG. He was injured during the first half of the Thunder’s game against Denver on Saturday.
Bazley had been on a scoring tear prior to the injury, scoring 22 or more points in four of the previous seven games.
Back in October, the Thunder exercised their fourth-year option on Bazley, who is on his rookie contract. He’ll make $4.26MM next season.
Bazley is eligible for a rookie scale extension this offseason and it will be interesting to see if the knee injury impacts Oklahoma City’s desire to extend him or the offer they’ll present. His scoring, rebounding and minutes totals dropped this season — he averaged 13.7 PPG and 7.2 RPG in 31.2 MPG last season. However, Bazley displayed greater defensive versatility this season by effectively guarding multiple positions, Joe Mussatto of The Oklahoman tweets.