Joe Johnson, Langston Galloway Among Team USA Players For World Cup Qualifiers
USA Basketball has announced its 12-man roster for the next two qualifying games for the 2023 FIBA World Cup. The team, coached by Jim Boylen, will be made up of G League players and current free agents. Here’s the roster:
- Jordan Bell, C (Fort Wayne Mad Ants)
- Tarik Black, F/C (Grand Rapids Gold)
- Brian Bowen II, F (Iowa Wolves)
- Langston Galloway, G (College Park Skyhawks)
- Jared Harper, G (Birmingham Squadron)
- Joe Johnson, F (free agent)
- Juwan Morgan, F (Maine Celtics)
- Matt Ryan, F (Grand Rapids Gold)
- David Stockton, G (Memphis Hustle)
- Rayjon Tucker, G (Wisconsin Herd)
- Paul Watson, G/F (free agent)
- Justin Wright-Foreman, G (Birmingham Squadron)
With the exception of Ryan, all of the players on Team USA have some NBA experience, though some are certainly more accomplished than others. Johnson has earned seven All-Star berths and has appeared in 1,277 career regular season games. Bell, Black, and Galloway have also each played in more than 160 career regular season contests.
The 2023 World Cup will take place in the Philippines, Japan, and Indonesia next August and September. Teams play 12 qualifying games before then — those contests take place across six windows, with World Cup hopefuls playing twice during each window.
Team USA went 1-1 in its first two qualifying games in November, defeating Cuba but losing to Mexico. Boylen coached that team and Bowen played for it, but the other 11 roster spots have since been turned over, with Isaiah Thomas among the players who aren’t back this time around. The new-look squad will face Puerto Rico on February 24 and Mexico again on February 27.
After this month’s games, the remaining four qualifying windows are scheduled for June, August, November, and next February. While the next two windows fall outside of the NBA season, the expectation is that USA Basketball will continue using G-Leaguers for the qualifiers before recruiting NBA stars for the event itself next summer.
As our JD Shaw reports (via Twitter), forward DaQuan Jeffries had been expected to be part of Team USA’s roster for this month’s qualifiers, but had to de-commit due to an injury.
Daishen Nix Signs Four-Year Deal With Rockets
FEBRUARY 15: Nix’s promotion to the 15-man roster is now official, the Rockets announced today in a press release.
Nix is joining Houston on a four-year, $6MM deal, with only the first two seasons guaranteed, per Michael Scotto of Hoops Hype (via Twitter).
FEBRUARY 14: Point guard Daishen Nix has agreed to a four-year contract with the Rockets, Mark Berman of Fox 26 tweets.
The exact terms of the deal aren’t yet known, but it almost certainly won’t be fully guaranteed across all four years. Houston will use a portion of its mid-level exception to give Nix four years.
Nix was on a two-way contract with the club and will have it converted to a standard contract. The rookie has excelled against G League competition and Rockets GM Rafael Stone said the promotion was well-earned, Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle writes.
“He’s playing great,” Stone said. “He’s really happy, and he’s just developing at an awesome rate. I would imagine that at some point, he will be back (in the NBA). He’s been on the court with the Rockets already, so that’s not a secret, and I would imagine we’ll see that again. But there’s not, like, a firm plan that he needs to do this or that. We’re really, really happy with his development, and so there’s no need to interrupt that right now.”
Nix has played in eight games with the Rockets this season, averaging 3.8 PPG in 8.4 MPG. In 22 games with the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, he is averaging 24.5 PPG, 7.3 APG, 6.4 RPG and 2.6 SPG.
Nix was one of a handful of prospects who opted to forgo college ball in favor of a spot on the G League Ignite last season, but he went undrafted.
Houston won’t have to make another roster move to promote Nix to the 15-man squad, since the team waived Enes Freedom earlier in the day.
Spurs Buy Out Goran Dragic
9:53am: The Spurs have officially waived Dragic (Twitter link via Paul Garcia of Project Spurs). As noted below, he’ll clear waivers and become a free agent on Thursday.
8:30am: The Spurs and point guard Goran Dragic have reached a buyout agreement, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).
Assuming Dragic is officially released today and clears waivers – which is a near-certainty due to his $19.4MM cap hit – he’ll become an unrestricted free agent on Thursday. At that point, he’d be free to sign with any team except the Raptors — NBA rules prohibit a team from re-signing a player it traded earlier in the league year if that player is cut by his new team.
Charania doesn’t identify any specific suitors for Dragic, but says “a slew” of teams are expected to pursue the playoff-tested veteran.
Previously, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski named the Bucks, Lakers, Warriors, Clippers, Bulls, and Nets as clubs expected to show interest in Dragic. Wojnarowski later said that Milwaukee, in particular, is expected to aggressively pursue the 35-year-old.
The Mavericks were viewed at one point as a potential frontrunner for Dragic, but acquired Spencer Dinwiddie at the trade deadline and are no longer believed to be in the market for a point guard. General manager Nico Harrison said last week that he thinks Dallas’ roster is “set.”
The Heat, meanwhile, are no longer ineligible to reacquire Dragic, since he was traded for a second time after Miami moved him in August. The guard has been working out in Miami for much of the season and the Heat have two open roster spots, so a reunion seems plausible, even though the club wasn’t mentioned by Wojnarowski over the weekend as a likely suitor.
Dragic averaged 13.4 PPG, 4.4 APG, and 3.4 RPG on .432/.373/.828 shooting in 50 games (26.7 MPG) for the Heat in 2020/21. However, he appeared in just five games for the Raptors this season after being sent to Toronto as part of the Kyle Lowry sign-and-trade.
Dragic hasn’t played since November, having taken a personal leave of absence from the Raptors up until he was traded to San Antonio at last week’s deadline.
Pat Connaughton Out At Least Four Weeks After Hand Surgery
FEBRUARY 14: Connaughton had surgery in New York on Monday to repair the fractured fourth metacarpal on his right hand, according to a Bucks press release. He’s expected to be sidelined for approximately four weeks.
FEBRUARY 13: Bucks reserve shooting guard Pat Connaughton is set to treat the fractured fourth metacarpal (ring finger) in his right hand with a surgical procedure, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link). Woj adds that the Bucks expect to have Connaughton back on the court in time for the conclusion of the 2021/22 NBA regular season.
We wrote earlier in the week about the injury, which occurred during Thursday’s loss to Phoenix, just hours after the Bucks relieved themselves of some guard depth. The club shipped out guards Donte DiVincenzo and Rodney Hood, along with forward Semi Ojeleye, in a four-team deal that netted Milwaukee former Clippers center Serge Ibaka.
The 6’5″ Connaughton, a key contributor to the Bucks’ 2021 title team, has enjoyed his best season as a pro with the 35-22 squad in 2021/22. Through 54 games, he’s averaging 10.1 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 1.2 APG and 0.9 SPG, on shooting splits of .467/.407/.811.
Led by All-Star power forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, All-Star wing Khris Middleton, and All-Defensive Team point guard Jrue Holiday, Milwaukee is currently the fourth seed in a crowded Eastern Conference. The Bucks may need to lean on their deep-bench reserves as the regular season’s stretch run kicks into high gear following the All-Star break.
The Bucks also have multiple open roster spots following the trade deadline, so adding another guard to the roster will be an option. Wojnarowski, who previously identified Milwaukee as one of Goran Dragic‘s potential suitors, says the team is expected to aggressively pursue the point guard once he finalizes a buyout agreement with San Antonio (Twitter link).
Tyreke Evans Reinstated By NBA
The NBA has reinstated Tyreke Evans from a lengthy drug ban, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski tweets.
As JD Shaw of Hoops Rumors reported in early December, Evans had been seeking reinstatement and was hopeful the suspension would be dropped. He has been training in preparation for a return, working out in Miami with John Wall and Michael Beasley, according to Marc Stein (Twitter link).
Evans is an unrestricted free agent and can sign a contract as soon as noon ET on Friday, the NBA announced (via Twitter).
Evans played in the league from 2009-19. He was dismissed and disqualified by the NBA in May 2019 for violating the league’s anti-drug program. At the time, the league declared Evans would be eligible to apply for reinstatement after two years.
Evans, 32, was the fourth overall pick in the 2009 draft and played for the Kings, Pelicans, Grizzlies, and Pacers. He had a down year in 2018/19 after signing a one-year, $12.4MM contract with Indiana, averaging 10.2 PPG, 2.9 RPG, and 2.4 APG with a career-worst .389 FG% in 69 games (20.3 MPG).
He has averaged 15.7 PPG, 4.6 RPG and 4.8 APG in 594 career games.
Rockets Waive Enes Freedom
The Rockets have officially waived center Enes Freedom, the team announced today (Twitter link via Marc Stein). The move had been expected.
Freedom was one of three players Houston acquired in its deadline-day deal that sent Daniel Theis to Boston. The other two, Dennis Schröder and Bruno Fernando, remain under contract with the Rockets. Like Freedom though, they’re on expiring deals, so it’s unclear if they’ll be part of the Rockets’ plans going forward.
Freedom, formerly known as Enes Kanter, signed a one-year, minimum-salary contract to return to the Celtics in the 2021 offseason, but didn’t play a major role with the club, averaging 3.7 PPG and 4.6 RPG in 35 games (11.7 MPG). The big man has always been a talented scorer and rebounder, but is a defensive liability, particularly in a scheme like Ime Udoka‘s that employed frequent switching.
Because he was on a minimum-salary contract, Freedom could be claimed off waivers by any team using the minimum salary exception. If he goes unclaimed, he’ll become an unrestricted free agent on Wednesday and would be eligible to sign with any team except Boston. NBA rules prohibit teams from re-signing a player they just traded away in the event he’s cut by his new club.
Jarrett Allen To Replace James Harden In All-Star Game
Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen has been named an All-Star replacement, the league announced today in a press release. Allen will sub in for Sixers guard James Harden, who will miss Sunday’s All-Star Game due to a left hamstring injury.
It’s a deserving honor for Allen, who is enjoying a career year in his first full season as a Cavalier after signing a new five-year contract with the team in the offseason. In addition to anchoring the Cavs’ defense, which ranks third in the NBA, the 23-year-old is averaging 16.2 points and 11.1 rebounds per game in 49 appearances (32.6 MPG). His 66.5% shooting percentage is the league’s second-best mark.
Allen is the second All-Star representative for a Cavaliers squad that ranks third in the Eastern Conference with a 35-22 record, joining teammate Darius Garland. Allen and Garland will play in their home arena on Sunday, as this year’s All-Star Game will take place in Cleveland.
Harden, the final player selected in last Thursday’s All-Star draft, was part of Team LeBron, so Allen will join LeBron James‘ roster for Sunday’s game.
Allen beat out other All-Star candidates such as Pascal Siakam, Jrue Holiday, and Jaylen Brown to take Harden’s place. It’s possible another replacement player will be necessary if Zach LaVine is forced to miss Sunday’s game due to his knee injury. If LaVine bows out, the replacement would again come from the Eastern Conference and would join Team Durant.
James Harden Won’t Make Sixers Debut Until After All-Star Break
James Harden won’t make his debut with the Sixers until after the All-Star break, the team announced today.
As Kyle Neubeck of PhillyVoice.com relays (via Twitter), Harden will continue to rehab a minor left hamstring injury, receiving treatment and participating in on-court training. The 76ers will provide an update on the star guard’s status following the break.
After being acquired from Brooklyn last Thursday in the biggest trade of the NBA season, Harden sat out the Sixers’ home games vs. Oklahoma City on Friday and Cleveland on Saturday. He’ll also miss Tuesday’s game vs. Boston and Thursday’s contest in Milwaukee. The earliest he could suit up for the 76ers would be February 25 in Minnesota.
Harden’s ongoing absence means he’ll also miss this Sunday’s All-Star Game in Cleveland, so commissioner Adam Silver will have to name a second Eastern Conference replacement. Previously, LaMelo Ball was selected to replace Kevin Durant.
There are a number of good candidates to take Harden’s spot, including Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen, Raptors forward Pascal Siakam, Bucks guard Jrue Holiday, and Celtics forward Jaylen Brown. I think Allen is the favorite to get the nod, but it’s possible an additional replacement will be required for Zach LaVine, who is seeing a specialist about his knee injury.
The Nets haven’t issued an update on Ben Simmons‘ status, but he also appears unlikely to play this week. That means we probably won’t see either of the two stars involved in last Thursday’s blockbuster between Philadelphia and Brooklyn suit up with their new teams until at least late February.
Norman Powell Fractures Bone In Foot
Clippers guard Norman Powell has suffered a fractured medial sesamoid bone in his left foot, the team announced. The treatment is non-surgical at this time and no timetable was issued for his return.
Powell, 28, missed the team’s game against Dallas on Saturday due to the injury. He last played against the Mavericks on Thursday, finishing with 19 points, six rebounds and six assists in 34 minutes of action.
As Jeff Stotts of In Street Clothes tweets, sesamoid fractures aren’t a common injury for NBA players, but since 2005/06, the average time lost for a player with that diagnosis is about 19 games. If Powell’s return timeline is in that neighborhood, he could be back before the end of the regular season — Los Angeles currently has 24 games left.
Powell was acquired by the Clippers in a trade before last Thursday’s deadline. Los Angeles gave up Eric Bledsoe, Justise Winslow, Keon Johnson and a 2025 second-round pick in the deal, also getting back Robert Covington.
With Powell out, Terance Mann, Amir Coffey and Luke Kennard will likely see more action. Head coach Tyronn Lue started Mann in place of Powell on Saturday.
Powell joins star players Paul George (elbow) and Kawhi Leonard (ACL) as players who are sidelined, but the Clippers still rank eighth in the West at 28-30.
Zach LaVine Will See Knee Specialist
Bulls guard Zach LaVine will visit a knee specialist in Los Angeles this week, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. LaVine wants to get a more in-depth evaluation of his left knee, which has been causing him recurring pain. He still expects to take part in All-Star Weekend, Wojnarowski adds.
LaVine underwent an MRI last month that showed no structural damage in the knee, according to K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago (Twitter link). However, he has been dealing with soreness in the knee since early January. LaVine will miss Chicago’s final two games before the All-Star break, Johnson states.
LaVine sat out Saturday’s contest against the Thunder after playing nearly 37 minutes Friday night. He was in obvious discomfort during that game, observes Rob Schaefer of NBC Sports Chicago, and has been dealing with back spasms as well as pain in the knee.
“I’m sure he’s not quite where he wants to be physically,” coach Billy Donovan said Friday. “I give him a lot of credit. He’s going out there and competing and trying to do what he can to help the team.”
LaVine, who missed five games in January because of the knee, is scheduled to take part in both the three-point contest on Saturday and the All-Star Game next Sunday. Donovan said the team will trust his judgment about participating in both events, writes Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times.
Donovan added that he has talked to LaVine about resting him in back-to-back situations for the remainder of the regular season.
‘‘More often than not, he wants to play,’’ Donovan said. ‘‘But if it’s a situation that he’s dealing with something that will cause longer-term issues or problems, I would say that he’s very smart and knows his body well. At the heart of him? Yeah, he wants to play. [But] he understands where his knee is at, he understands the plan, he understands what we’ve got to do to manage him and he’s part of that. He obviously signed off on it and agrees with it.’’