Kyrie Irving Now Exempt From NYC’s Vaccine Mandate
MARCH 24: In a press conference at Citi Field, Adams officially announced that New York City’s vaccine mandate exemption has been expanded to include local athlete and performers, tweets Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. That clears the path for Irving to begin playing in home games.
MARCH 23: Kyrie Irving has been unable to play home games the entire season for the Nets, but that could change soon.
As ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Jeff Passan relay, there’s cautious optimism that New York City’s private-sector COVID-19 vaccine mandate may be rolled back soon — Irving is unvaccinated, which is why he’s been unable to play in Brooklyn. Sources tell Wojnarowski and Passan that talks are progressing to the point that Irving may be able to return for home games as soon as next week.
Sally Goldenberg of Politco goes a step further than ESPN’s report, writing that NYC mayor Eric Adams plans to reverse the vaccine mandate for performers and athletes on Thursday.
Shams Charania of The Athletic hears the same as Goldenberg, reporting that Irving will be cleared on Thursday. The change will give exemptions to unvaccinated performers and athletes, Charania states, which is the current protocol for visiting players (Twitter links).
Irving, who turned 30 today, is averaging 27.7 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 5.3 APG and 1.4 SPG on .490/.430/.901 shooting through 19 games this season. The seven-time All-Star holds a $36.5MM player option for next season and can become an unrestricted free agent this summer if he declines the option.
With a 38-34 record, Brooklyn is currently the No. 8 seed in the East. The Nets hold a one-game lead on the No. 9 Hornets and trail the No. 7 Raptors by two games. It’s worth noting that if the season ended today, Irving still wouldn’t be able to play at Toronto (for the play-in tournament) due to the vaccine requirements to enter Canada.
Here are a few more notes on the Nets:
- Seth Curry (left ankle sprain) and Goran Dragic (left knee soreness) are out for Wednesday’s game at Memphis, but coach Steve Nash is hopeful both guards will be able to play Saturday at Miami (Twitter link via Nick Friedell of ESPN).
- Unsurprisingly, Nash says he “would welcome” Irving being able to play home games soon, tweets Friedell. Brooklyn’s next home game is Sunday, March 27, against Charlotte.
- Nash also said he’d be comfortable using Ben Simmons in a playoff game for his potential season debut, although that may be in a limited role off the bench, Friedell relays (via Twitter). Simmons still isn’t doing any basketball-related activities as he deals with a herniated disc in his back.
Kings’ Richaun Holmes Accused Of Domestic Violence
Kings big man Richaun Holmes, engaged in a lengthy custody battle with his ex-wife over their six-year-old son, has been accused of domestic violence and of physically abusing his son, reports Robin Epley of The Sacramento Bee.
As Epley details, court documents show that Allexis Holmes – who has been divorced from Richaun Holmes since September 2019 – accused her ex-husband of “taking out his frustration” on their son and causing him to bleed from a blow to the head during a visitation last month.
While The Bee’s report gives no indication that Allexis Holmes has pressed criminal charges, it states that she recently filed a restraining order against Richaun Holmes in Sacramento County on behalf of their son.
Richaun Holmes’ lawyer, Ann Moder, tells The Sacramento Bee that her client, who has been ordered by a judge to remain away from his son until a court date later this month, denies all the allegations. Moder referred to the accusations as “baseless claims” aimed at subverting the court’s custody decision, adding that Richaun Holmes has been an “exemplary parent.”
As Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee relays, Holmes publishes a series of tweets in which he vehemently disputed the allegations and said he “never would” and “never COULD” harm his son. Those tweets were later deleted.
The Kings shut down Holmes for the season last week, citing personal reasons. Presumably, the decision to end his season early was related to these accusations and his custody battle, which has been ongoing in private court for two years, according to The Bee.
The team put out a statement on Wednesday night addressing the allegations, per Anderson (Twitter link):
“The entire Sacramento Kings organization would like to express our strong stance against any form of assault and domestic violence,” the Kings said in their statement. “We respect the legal process and will continue to monitor the situation closely.”
Holmes, whose playing time declined significantly following Sacramento’s deadline acquisition of Domantas Sabonis, is under contract with the club for three more years and $36MM+ after this season.
Ja Morant Undergoing Testing On Sore Knee
Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins says that star Ja Morant is undergoing an MRI and X-ray on his sore right knee, according to Mark Giannotto of The Memphis Commercial Appeal (Twitter link).
“They’re doing that right now. Right now, it’s soreness. That’s what he’s feeling. So they’re diving in … to see what’s actually going on and what course of action needs to be taken,” Jenkins said, per Giannotto.
As Chris Herrington of The Daily Memphian observes (video link), Morant apparently suffered the injury on a drive late in the fourth quarter of Memphis’ loss to Atlanta last Friday. At the very least, he’s out Wednesday against the Nets.
Strangely, this is the second knee injury Morant has had against Atlanta this season. At the end of November, Morant sustained a left knee sprain against the Hawks that sidelined him for 12 games.
Hopefully the injury is nothing serious, as Morant is in the midst of a breakout campaign for the Grizzlies, who currently hold a 49-23 record, good for the No. 2 seed in the West. Morant, who was named an All-Star for the first time this season, will be in the conversation for a few other awards, including MVP, All-NBA and Most Improved Player.
Through 56 games, Morant is averaging 27.6 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 6.7 APG and 1.2 SPG on .493/.340/.762 shooting. With the star point guard sidelined, backups Tyus Jones and De’Anthony Melton should see an uptick in minutes.
Nuggets, Michael Malone Agree To Contract Extension
2:45pm: The Nuggets have put out a press release officially confirming Malone’s extension.
“This extension is well deserved for Coach Malone and one we are very excited to announce,” team owner Stan Kroenke said in a statement. “You can easily point to the on-court success that Michael has brought and the improvements the team has made each year under his watch, and you can also point to the selfless, hard-working culture that has developed and grown during his tenure. We look forward to Coach Malone continuing on the sidelines as we all work toward our goal of bringing an NBA Championship to the city of Denver.”
2:06pm: The Nuggets have agreed to a contract extension with head coach Michael Malone, sources tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
The exact terms of the extension aren’t known, but Wojnarowski classifies it as a multiyear agreement. Malone’s previous deal had been set to expire after the 2022/23 season, so it sounds like the team locked him up through at least 2025.
Malone, who coached the Kings before arriving in Denver, has been on the Nuggets’ bench since 2015, making him the NBA’s fifth longest-tenured head coach.
During that time, he has led the club to a 309-237 (.566) record and earned three playoff berths. Denver has won three postseason series under Malone, getting as far as the Western Conference Finals in 2020.
Despite missing Michael Porter Jr. and Jamal Murray – two of their three top scorers from last season – for much of 2021/22, the Nuggets are on pace to finish at least 10 games over .500 for the fifth consecutive season.
Malone’s 309 wins with the Nuggets places him third in team history, behind only Doug Moe (432) and George Karl (423), Wojnarowski notes.
Rockets Sign Anthony Lamb To Two-Way Deal
2:43pm: The Rockets have officially signed Lamb to a two-way contract, the team announced today (via Twitter).
7:32am: The Rockets are signing forward Anthony Lamb to a two-way contract, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). It’ll be the second time in two seasons that Houston has signed Lamb to a two-way deal.
Lamb, 24, played in the G League bubble with the Canton Charge and Rio Grande Valley Vipers in 2020/21 after going undrafted out of Vermont in 2020. His solid showing for Houston’s G League affiliate (the Vipers) earned him a two-way contract with the Rockets last March.
He averaged 5.5 PPG and 2.9 RPG in 24 games (17.3 MPG) for Houston, then accepted his two-way qualifying offer during the offseason. However, he was waived in October so the Rockets could claim Garrison Mathews.
Lamb subsequently returned to the Vipers for the 2021/22 season, earning a 10-day call-up with the Spurs in January before rejoining Houston’s G League team. In 26 regular season games (33.9 MPG) for Rio Grande Valley, he has averaged 16.9 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 4.4 APG, and 1.3 BPG on .467/.398/.764 shooting.
The Rockets have had a two-way opening since promoting Daishen Nix to their 15-man roster last month, so no corresponding move will be necessary to create room for Lamb.
Many of the players who have signed late-season two-way deals have agreed to tack on a second year to their new contracts. It’s unclear at this point if Lamb’s deal will include a second year or if he’ll be eligible for restricted free agency this offseason.
Larry Nance Jr. Could Make Pelicans Debut On Thursday
It’s “looking good” for Pelicans forward/center Larry Nance Jr. to return from knee surgery and be available for Thursday’s game against Chicago, head coach Willie Green said today (Twitter link via William Guillory of The Athletic).
For his part, Nance told reporters, including Christian Clark of NOLA.com (Twitter link), that he’ll be playing “soon.”
Nance was part of the blockbuster trade that sent CJ McCollum from Portland to New Orleans, but underwent a procedure to address a right knee injury just three days after that deal was completed and has yet to suit up for the Pelicans. Getting him back will give New Orleans another option in a frontcourt that’s currently missing Brandon Ingram (hamstring) and Zion Williamson (foot).
A report earlier this week stated that Williamson is unlikely to play this season. However, the former No. 1 overall pick has been telling people around him that his right foot feels good and that he wants to return before the end of the season, sources tell Christian Clark of NOLA.com. Williamson posted a video on Instagram on Tuesday that showed him throwing down a between-the-legs dunk, as Clark relays (via Twitter).
Still, according to Clark, there’s doubt within the organization that Williamson has enough time to make it back this spring. Green said today that Zion has been cleared to participate in 1-on-1 drills, but there are still several more steps to go in his rehab process before he’ll be able to play in a game, so he remains out indefinitely (Twitter link via Clark).
“We’re still working toward being fully healthy, which he’s not,” Green said. “But he’s getting there. We’ll update you guys at that point, if we get to that point.”
Ingram, meanwhile, was a limited participant in Wednesday’s practice and Green sounded uncertain that he’d be ready to go on Thursday vs. the Bulls, tweets Clark. Ingram hasn’t played since March 6 due to a hamstring issue and a non-COVID illness.
Isaiah Thomas Signs With Hornets For Rest Of Season
MARCH 22: The Hornets have officially signed Thomas for the rest of the season, the team announced today in a press release.
MARCH 21: Veteran guard Isaiah Thomas will sign with the Hornets for the remainder of the season, Shams Charania of The Athletic tweets.
Charlotte signed Thomas to a pair of 10-day contracts, the second of which was set to expire after Monday’s victory over New Orleans. He’ll now receive a standard contract, likely for the prorated veteran’s minimum.
Thomas had 15 points in 14 minutes off the bench on Monday. That was Thomas’ fifth double-digit scoring outing in seven games with the Hornets.
Overall, he’s averaging 9.9 PPG for his latest team. He has also made a strong impression as a locker room voice and mentor to the team’s young guards. Charlotte has a 7-2 record since Thomas’ arrival.
The 33-year-old also played for the Lakers and Mavericks this season under the hardship exception. The Hornets have an open 15-man roster spot and won’t need to make another roster move to retain Thomas.
Magic’s Isaac Suffers Setback, Undergoes Minor Procedure
When the Magic announced last Tuesday that forward Jonathan Isaac would miss the remainder of the season as he continues to recover from a left ACL tear, both the team and Isaac himself said there had been no setbacks in his rehab process.
However, according to Khobi Price of The Orlando Sentinel, Isaac suffered a setback hours after that announcement, sustaining an injury to his right hamstring. Isaac subsequently underwent a minor surgical procedure, the team announced in a press release.
“Obviously, this was unexpected,” president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman said in a statement. “No one will work harder than Jonathan in the goal to return for the start of next season.”
Neither Price’s report nor the team’s official announcement offers many details on the new injury. The statement from the Magic – who are always cagey about injuries and recovery timelines – doesn’t even explicitly confirm that the minor surgery addressed the hamstring issue, though that’s strongly implied.
According to Price, Isaac is still expected to be ready for the start of the 2022/23 season. But it’s another discouraging development for a player who will have been off the court for more than two full calendar years by the time he suits up again. The 24-year-old forward hasn’t played since he tore his ACL in August 2020,
It’s perhaps a silver lining that the setback didn’t affect Isaac’s left knee. A player recovering from a major leg injury sometimes overcompensates by leaning too heavily on another part of one leg or the other, which may be what happened with Isaac.
Nets’ Joe Harris Undergoes Ankle Surgery
Nets forward Joe Harris underwent left ankle ligament reconstruction surgery on Monday, according to a team press release. It’s the second time this season that Harris has undergone surgery on the ankle.
The procedure was performed by Dr. Robert Anderson in Green Bay, Wisc. Harris is expected to make a full recovery prior to next season’s training camp.
Harris appeared in just 14 games this season, averaging 11.3 PPG and 4.0 RPG in 30.2 MPG.
The team’s general manager, Sean Marks, announced early this month Harris would require season-ending surgery. The veteran sharpshooter hasn’t played since November 14 and underwent left ankle surgery later that month. The original prognosis was that Harris would miss approximately four-to-eight weeks. However, he had setbacks during the rehab process.
Harris, who re-signed with Brooklyn on a four-year, $75MM contract in November 2020, will have two years remaining on the contract and could attract attention on the trade market this offseason. The Nets had trade discussions with several teams regarding Harris prior to last month’s trade deadline.
Domantas Sabonis Has Bruised Left Knee, No Structural Damage
6:57pm: Sabonis has a bruised left knee and will be reevaluated when the Kings return from their upcoming five-game trip, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski tweets. Imaging shows no structural damage but the Kings will only have four games left after the re-evaluation on April 2.
12:53pm: The Kings are awaiting the results of an MRI on Domantas Sabonis‘ knee after the big man left Sunday’s game in the fourth quarter due to an injury, writes Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee.
Sabonis hit the floor following a collision with Suns forward Mikal Bridges, clutching his left knee in “obvious pain,” writes Anderson (video link). Sabonis was able to walk to the bench under his own power and stayed in the game for another 28 seconds, but headed to the locker room at the next stoppage and didn’t return.
Head coach Alvin Gentry, who confirmed that Sabonis would undergo an MRI, told reporters there would be an update on Monday or Tuesday, adding that the Kings would have to “wait and see” whether the injury is anything serious.
“We don’t know anything other than that,” Gentry said. “But, obviously, he’s a key to what we’re doing, and, if nothing else, we’re trying to have growth with the chemistry and everything on this team and learning to play with each other, so obviously when he goes down like that, there’s always concern.”
Even if the injury turns out to be a minor one, the Kings likely won’t be in a rush to get Sabonis back on the court. The team is six games out of a play-in spot with just nine games remaining on its schedule, so a lottery finish is a near certainty. The priority would be making sure Sabonis – Sacramento’s big in-season acquisition – is 100% healthy for next season.
The Kings announced last week that Richaun Holmes will be out for the rest of the season for personal reasons, so if Sabonis has to miss time too, the club will be without its top two centers. That would result in more playing time for Chimezie Metu, Damian Jones, and possibly Alex Len down the stretch.