Booker, Paul Head List Of Western Conference All-Star Reserves
Suns guards Devin Booker and Chris Paul were among seven players named to the Western Conference All-Star reserve pool, the NBA announced today (via Twitter).
The Jazz duo of Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert also made the list, along with the Timberwolves’ Karl-Anthony Towns, the Warriors’ Draymond Green and the Mavericks’ Luka Doncic.
Green announced he will not play in the All-Star game due to back and calf injuries, Shams Charania of The Athletic tweets. NBA commissioner Adam Silver will select his replacement.
The Western Conference starter pool was announced last week.
Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins was chosen along with Lakers forward LeBron James and Nuggets center Nikola Jokic among Western Conference frontcourt candidates. The Grizzlies’ Ja Morant joined the Warriors’ Stephen Curry as the backcourt duo in the starter pool.
Zach Collins Could Make Spurs Debut On Friday
Zach Collins could make his long-awaited Spurs debut on Friday. Head coach Gregg Popovich said there’s a “good chance” that the oft-injured power forward would be active against Houston in the second game of a back-to-back set, Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio Express-News tweets.
As Orsborn notes, Collins hasn’t played in an NBA game since he logged 17 minutes for Portland against Brooklyn in the Orlando bubble on August 13, 2020. The big man has only appeared in 11 NBA games the last two seasons due to shoulder, foot and ankle injuries.
Collins prepped for his return with a stint in the G League. He played four games for the Austin Spurs and averaged 15.3 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 1.8 APG and 1.8 BPG in 25.7 MPG.
Collins was signed to a three-year, $22MM contract last summer, which includes a partial guarantee for next season. The third year is non-guaranteed.
The 10th pick of the 2017 draft, Collins became an unrestricted free agent when the Trail Blazers decided not to extend him a $7MM qualifying offer.
Collins had a major setback in late June when another fracture was discovered in his left foot. He underwent a second revision surgery to repair a left medial malleolus stress fracture.
Jeremiah Robinson-Earl Breaks Right Foot
Thunder center Jeremiah Robinson-Earl has fractured the third metatarsal in his right foot, the team announced today. The Thunder estimate they will reexamine Robinson-Earl in about six weeks.
The 6’9″ rookie big man, selected with the No. 32 pick in the 2021 draft out of Villanova, has appeared in 44 contests for Oklahoma City this season, starting 36. The 21-year-old has posted averages of 7.1 PPG, 5.8 RPG, 1.0 APG and 0.6 SPG in 23.0 MPG. He has emerged as a bright spot on a young, lottery-bound 16-34 club.
Prior to playing an NBA game for the Thunder, Robinson-Earl inked a four-year, $7.9MM contract with the team, a lucrative deal for a second-round draft pick.
Robinson-Earl was active as recently as January 28 with the Thunder, before being sent to the team’s NBAGL affiliate club, the Oklahoma City Blue, ostensibly to see extended minutes beyond his already-respectable averages as a starter at the NBA level. In his lone game with the Blue on Monday, Robinson-Earl scored 25 points on 60% shooting from the floor. He also chipped in 10 rebounds and a block.
Lance Stephenson Signs With Pacers For Rest Of Season
FEBRUARY 3: Stephenson has signed with the Pacers for the rest of the season, according to Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files and Stephenson’s agency, Priority Sports (Twitter links). Agness confirms (via Twitter) that the deal won’t cover multiple seasons, so the veteran swingman will be a free agent this summer.
FEBRUARY 2: The Pacers will sign Lance Stephenson for the remainder of the season, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic. Stephenson’s latest 10-day contract expired on Wednesday night.
Stephenson came to Indiana at the beginning of January on a pair of 10-day hardship deals while the team dealt with a COVID-19 outbreak. When those expired, he signed two standard 10-day contracts. In total, he has appeared in 17 games, averaging 9.4 points and 4.2 assists per night.
Stephenson isn’t eligible to sign another standard 10-day deal with the team this season. Marc Stein of Substack notes that he could have inked another hardship contract as long as Domantas Sabonis remains in the league’s health and safety protocols (Twitter link). However, if Sabonis were to exit before the 10 days are up, Stephenson would be ineligible to play.
The Pacers have known for some time that they were going to sign Stephenson for the rest of the season, Stein tweets. There has been discussion about keeping a roster spot open for added flexibility heading into next Thursday’s trade deadline, so we’ll have to wait to see when Stephenson’s contract becomes official.
Cavaliers Granted Disabled Player Exception
The Cavaliers have received a disabled player exception as a result of Collin Sexton‘s knee injury, tweets Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com. The exception will be worth a little more than $3.17MM, which is half of Sexton’s $6,349,671 salary this season.
Sexton has been out of action since suffering a torn meniscus in early November. He underwent surgery on November 19 and is expected to miss the remainder of the season. This is the second DPE of the season for the Cavaliers, who also received an $8.9MM exception following an injury to Ricky Rubio.
The disabled player exception can be used to sign a free agent, to claim a player off waivers or to acquire a player in a trade. It can only be used on a single player and can only accommodate a player on a one-year deal. A free agent signee can’t get a multiyear contract, and any trade or waiver target must be in the final year of his contract.
The exception also doesn’t open up a spot on the 15-man roster, so the Cavs would have to create a roster opening before they could use the DPE. Cleveland also has a DPE worth $8.9MM as a result of Ricky Rubio‘s torn ACL. The team will have a March 10 deadline to use the exceptions before they expire.
Sexton has reported progress with his rehab and has expressed hope that he might be able to return for the playoffs. He will be a restricted free agent this summer if Cleveland makes an $8.56MM qualifying offer.
Nikola Jokic, Joel Embiid Named Players Of The Month
A pair of All-NBA centers have earned Player of the Month honors for January, with Nuggets big man Nikola Jokic winning the Western Conference award, while Joel Embiid of the Sixers was named the winner in the Eastern Conference (Twitter link).
Jokic appeared in all 17 of the Nuggets’ January games and led the team to an 11-6 record. He averaged 26.2 PPG, 13.4 RPG, and 8.9 APG in 33.5 minutes per contest, posting a scorching-hot shooting line of .596/.420/.881. Jokic earned Player of the Week honors on January 24, but this is his first Player of the Month award this season.
Embiid, meanwhile, is the East’s Player of the Month for a second straight time, having also won the award in December. He appeared in 14 games, including 11 Sixers victories, in January and averaged an eye-popping 34.0 PPG to go along with 10.8 RPG, 5.1 APG, and 1.5 BPG in 32.1 minutes per game.
Jokic and Embiid are firmly in contention for this year’s Most Valuable Player award after finishing first and second, respectively, in voting a year ago. Embiid’s Sixers are currently 31-19, just one game out of first place in the East. Jokic’s Nuggets rank sixth in the West at 28-22, but are only 1.5 games out of fourth place.
According to the league (Twitter links), the other Player of the Month nominees were Devin Booker, Luka Doncic, Jaren Jackson, Ja Morant, Dejounte Murray, Anfernee Simons, and Karl-Anthony Towns in the West, and Jimmy Butler, DeMar DeRozan, Darius Garland, Pascal Siakam, Jayson Tatum, and Trae Young in the East.
Wizards Rumors: Beal, Simmons, Avdija, Hachimura, Bertans
We already published one collection of Wizards-related rumors today, examining the team’s interest in Domantas Sabonis and Spencer Dinwiddie‘s availability, among other topics. However, a deep dive into Washington’s deadline plans from David Aldridge and Josh Robbins of The Athletic covers a few additional bases, necessitating another roundup of notes and rumors from out of the nation’s capital.
Aldridge and Robbins, like other reporters, have heard no indications that the Wizards are considering trading star Bradley Beal, but the sources they spoke to were less certain about Beal’s intentions going forward.
Multiple league sources told The Athletic that the veteran guard remains conflicted about his future, torn between wanting to remain loyal to D.C. and being uncertain about whether the Wizards can surround him with championship-caliber talent.
Beal has been frustrated by the team’s gradual slide down the standings this season, and sources close to him suggest he wouldn’t automatically reject the idea of being traded, according to Aldridge and Robbins. However, he hasn’t asked to be dealt and his preference is still to remain with the Wizards, who want to continue building around him.
Here are a few more highlights from The Athletic’s story on the Wizards:
- While Beal is among the Sixers‘ targets in a Ben Simmons trade, Philadelphia isn’t willing to include Tyrese Maxey or Matisse Thybulle along with Simmons in an offer for Beal, sources tell Aldridge and Robbins.
- If the Wizards were to trade Beal, it would likely signal the beginning of a teardown and a restart for the franchise, which owner Ted Leonsis seems adamantly opposed to, per The Athletic’s duo. “I don’t see them doing that because I think the owner would prefer not to go through the pain,” one rival team executive said. “They’ve got the right people in place (in the front office), but (Leonsis) doesn’t have the stomach for it.”
- The consensus around the NBA is that most of the veterans the Wizards have made available, including Dinwiddie, Montrezl Harrell, and Thomas Bryant, don’t have enough value on their own to net significant returns. At least one of Deni Avdija or Rui Hachimura would probably have to be included if Washington wants to take a bigger swing. One league executive who spoke to The Athletic described Avdija and Hachimura as potential “starting-caliber players,” but said talent evaluators generally don’t view them as future All-Stars.
- In order to move Davis Bertans, who is under contract through 2025, the Wizards would likely have to either attach an asset or take back an equally bad contract, per Aldridge and Robbins. “It feels tough (without attaching a pick),” one executive said. “Maybe they can take back a similar contract that doesn’t have the player option year. But, yeah, hard to move.”
Suns, Cavs, Pelicans Among Potential Eric Gordon Suitors?
Although a January report stated that the Rockets are leaning toward keeping Eric Gordon through the trade deadline rather than moving him in the next eight days, the veteran guard’s name continues to pop up in trade rumors.
The Suns, who are believed to be seeking an upgrade on the wing, have been mentioned by league personnel as a possible suitor for Gordon, according to Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report, who notes that Phoenix continues to shop injured forward Dario Saric.
Gordon has played in the past with Suns point guard Chris Paul and his ability to stretch the floor and make three-pointers would appeal to a Phoenix team that currently ranks 22nd in the NBA with 11.6 threes made per game.
The Cavaliers have placed calls on Gordon and Pacers swingman Caris LeVert, says Fischer, but the asking prices on those players have been higher than Cleveland is comfortable paying at the moment.
According to Fischer, Cleveland is hoping to acquire a player like Gordon or LeVert using Ricky Rubio‘s expiring contract and a pair of second-round picks, but Houston believes it can get a first-round selection for Gordon and Indiana is seeking at least one first-rounder, if not more, for LeVert.
Gordon is also drawing interest from the Pelicans, according to both Fischer and Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. Fischer suggests New Orleans has been “repeatedly linked” to the Rockets guard in conversations he has had with league sources, though the Pels are believed to have their eye on a handful of other wings too.
Any team interested in acquiring Gordon will have to be able to take on his $18.2MM salary for 2021/22. He’s also owed a guaranteed $19.6MM salary in 2022/23 and is on the books for $20.9MM in 2023/24, though that figure is non-guaranteed.
That ’23/24 cap hit can become fully guaranteed if Gordon’s team wins a championship in either of the next two seasons and he plays at least 500 minutes, which is a factor that a serious contender like the Suns would have to consider if they pursue the 33-year-old.
Donovan Mitchell Visits Specialist For Concussion Symptoms
All-Star Jazz guard Donovan Mitchell visited with a specialist today as to address continuing concussion symptoms, reports Tony Jones of The Athletic (Twitter link).
Jones notes that Mitchell has been sidelined for two weeks and counting due to his concussion symptoms, and was held out of today’s practice with Utah.
Mitchell, 25, seems set to make his third straight All-Star appearance this season when NBA head coaches’ picks for 14 All-Star reserve spots are announced this Thursday. Through 40 games with Utah, the 6’1″ shooting guard is averaging 25.5 PPG, 5.2 APG, 4.0 RPG, and 1.6 SPG, with shooting splits of .450/.339/.876.
The fifth-year vet out of Louisville is not the only crucial Utah player currently sidelined. The 30-21 Jazz are also without All-Star center Rudy Gobert, who has missed the past four games with a calf injury, and key reserve forward Joe Ingles, out for the season due to an ACL tear.
NBA Announces 2021/22 Rising Stars Rosters
The NBA has revealed the 28 players (12 rookies, 12 sophomores, and four G League Ignite players) who will suit up for the 2022 Clorox Rising Stars Game in Cleveland this year, per its official PR account (Twitter links). There are a few intriguing surprises among the first-year NBA players.
Here are the players who made the cut:
Rookies:
- Scottie Barnes (Raptors)
- Cade Cunningham (Pistons)
- Ayo Dosunmu (Bulls)
- Chris Duarte (Pacers)
- Josh Giddey (Thunder)
- Jalen Green (Rockets)
- Herbert Jones (Pelicans)
- Davion Mitchell (Kings)
- Evan Mobley (Cavaliers)
- Alperen Sengun (Rockets)
- Jalen Suggs (Magic)
- Franz Wagner (Magic)
Sophomores:
- Precious Achiuwa (Raptors)
- Cole Anthony (Magic)
- LaMelo Ball (Hornets)
- Desmond Bane (Grizzlies)
- Saddiq Bey (Pistons)
- Anthony Edwards (Timberwolves)
- Tyrese Haliburton (Kings)
- Tyrese Maxey (Sixers)
- Jaden McDaniels (Timberwolves)
- Isaac Okoro (Cavaliers)
- Isaiah Stewart (Pistons)
- Jae’Sean Tate (Rockets)
Additionally, four players from the G League Ignite will participate in the Rising Stars Game based on voting from NBA G League head coaches. The NBAGL has announced (Twitter link) that MarJon Beauchamp, Dyson Daniels, Jaden Hardy and Scoot Henderson will partake in the action. Players will be separated into four teams, and each G League player will be drafted to join one of the teams later this week.
Among the rookie NBA players, the additions who would be most surprising ahead of the 2021/22 season would be Dosunmu and Jones, both of whom were second-round draft selections. 2021 lottery picks Jonathan Kuminga, Ziaire Williams, James Bouknight, Joshua Primo and Moses Moody were all omitted from inclusion this year.
Among the second-year players, Ball could be appearing on multiple nights during All-Star Weekend this season, as he appears to be a very possible first-time All-Star this year thanks to his outstanding work with the upstart Hornets.
The lottery-bound Magic, Pistons, and Rockets can boast having the most inclusions here, with three players apiece.
As we detailed last week, this year’s Rising Stars event will look a little different, with the four teams taking part in a mini-tournament and playing to a target score in each game: 50 points in the semifinals and 25 points in the final, in honor of the league’s 75th anniversary season.