Pacers’ Holiday In COVID-19 Protocols, Out Several Games
Pacers wing Justin Holiday has entered the NBA’s COVID-19 health and safety protocols, per Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files (Twitter link). Agness adds that Holiday will be sidelined for at least 10 days of action with Indiana, which will cover the club’s next four contests.
A player in the league’s health and safety protocols for 10 days or more has typically tested positive for the coronavirus, though no official confirmation of Holiday’s health status has been confirmed. Holiday has been in and out of the starting lineup this season, most recently replaceng rookie Chris Duarte as the club’s starting small forward.
The 6’6″ swingman, 32, is averaging 9.9 PPG, 2.8 RPG, and 1.7 APG for the Pacers. He is boasting a .398/.357/.727 shooting line, relatively comparable to his career numbers of .399/.364/.819, besides the notably lower free-throw percentage.
Holiday is in the second year of a three-season, $18MM contract he signed with the Pacers in the 2020 offseason.
LeBron James Enters COVID-19 Protocols
6:24pm: Shams Charania of The Athletic tweets that James will be sidelined for at least 10 days unless he tests negative for COVID-19 twice within a 24-hour span. Though it’s not confirmed, this timeline generally indicates a positive test.
5:39pm: Lakers All-Star forward LeBron James looks set to miss even more time in this young 2021/22 NBA season. Shams Charania of The Athletic reports (Twitter link) that James has entered the league’s COVID-19 health and safety protocols and will be unavailable for Tuesday’s contest against the Kings.
With this absence tonight (and potentially more to come, depending on his coronavirus testing status over the ensuing days and weeks), James will have now been sidelined for 12 of the Lakers’ 23 contests already this season, and it’s still only November.
The 36-year-old future Hall of Famer has put up gaudy numbers when available this year, his 19th in the league. He is averaging 25.8 PPG, 6.8 APG, and 5.2 RPG on .484/.344/.755 shooting across 11 games this season. The shorthanded Lakers are also without combo guard Avery Bradley and forward Trevor Ariza tonight.
Entering coronavirus protocols does not necessarily mean James, who is vaccinated, has tested positive for COVID-19. It does, however, at least indicate exposure to someone else who registered a positive test. Tim Bontemps of ESPN notes (via Twitter) that, should a player have a confirmed positive test, they will be sidelined for at least 10 days. During that timeline, the Lakers are set to play only four games, though three of those will be against playoff-caliber clubs in the Clippers, Celtics and Grizzlies.
Knicks Have Reportedly Received Trade Inquires On Kemba Walker
After removing Kemba Walker from their rotation on Monday, the Knicks have received inquiries from three teams asking about potential trades for the point guard, sources tell Jordan Schultz of the Pull Up Podcast (Twitter link).
According to Schultz (Twitter link), it’s unclear whether or not Walker is on the trade block after signing a two-year, $18MM deal in the summer. A. Sherrod Blakely of Bleacher Report wrote last night that league sources believe New York will look to trade Walker, but it’s not clear whether those sources have any inside info or are just speculating.
Walker, who was an All-Star as recently as 2020, has been slowed by knee issues in recent years and was off to a slow start in his hometown this season. He averaged 11.7 PPG, 3.1 APG, and 2.6 RPG in 18 games (24.5 MPG) before being removed from the Knicks’ starting lineup and rotation.
Although Walker’s shooting numbers – including a .413 3PT% – remain solid, his defensive shortcomings have been especially glaring in New York. The Knicks have a 116.3 defensive rating and a -13.3 net rating with Walker on the court, compared to a 99.0 defensive rating and +11.2 net rating when he sits.
It remains to be seen how long the Knicks intend to keep Walker out of their rotation and whether he’ll benefit from resting his knees. If the team does consider moving him, it can’t happen yet — as an offseason signee, he doesn’t become trade-eligible until December 15.
Walker is under contract for another year beyond this season, but his $9MM annual cap hits would make him much easier to move than someone like John Wall, who is earning $45MM+ per year.
DeMarcus Cousins Signs Non-Guaranteed Deal With Bucks
November 30: The Bucks have officially signed Cousins, the team announced.
November 28: Former All-Star DeMarcus Cousins is signing a non-guaranteed deal with the Bucks, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).
Cousins, 31, split time with the Rockets and Clippers last season, averaging a combined 8.9 PPG, 6.4 RPG, and 1.9 APG in just 17.4 MPG across 41 games (11 starts).
“Boogie” is a four-time All-Star and two-time All-NBA member. He spent his prime seasons with the Kings and Pelicans before suffering a series of devastating leg injuries — first a torn Achilles tendon with the Pelicans, then a torn quad with the Warriors, and finally a torn ACL that sidelined him for the entire 2019/20 season.
Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN notes (via Twitter) that Cousins stayed in shape while awaiting an opportunity, and the Bucks were one of a handful of teams to have an open roster spot.
The Bucks have dealt with a series of injuries to open their title defense. Center Brook Lopez (lower back) has played just one game for the team, while Jrue Holiday, Khris Middleton, and Bobby Portis all missed significant time. Donte DiVincenzo has yet to suit up this season after undergoing left ankle surgery in June.
Cousins could see action immediately with the frontcourt depth thin at the moment. He was productive in limited minutes last season and Milwaukee could use his size and toughness off the bench. The Bucks have won six games in a row and sit with a 12-8 record after 20 games.
Magic Rookie Jalen Suggs Suffers Fractured Thumb
Magic guard Jalen Suggs has suffered a fractured right thumb, according to the team’s PR department (Twitter link). He’ll be out for an extended period of time.
Suggs, who was averaging 12.1 PPG, 3.5 APG and 3.4 RPG in his rookie campaign, was the No. 5 pick in the draft. The former Gonzaga All-American suffered the injury at Philadelphia on Monday, a game in which he scored 17 points and handed out five assists in 29 minutes. The injury occurred during the fourth quarter.
Suggs will return to Orlando to be reevaluated before a clear timetable can be determined, but he’s expected to miss several weeks, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski tweets.
Orlando’s other starting guard, Cole Anthony, has been sidelined since November 19 due to an ankle injury, while Markelle Fultz continues to recover from a torn ACL. Michael Carter-Williams has also been dealing with an ankle injury. That leaves R.J. Hampton, Gary Harris and Mychal Mulder as the remaining backcourt options.
Suggs suffered an injury to his left thumb during Summer League action. It’s been a rough start for many of the league’s top rookies, as Cade Cunningham, Jalen Green, Evan Mobley and Jonathan Kuminga have all missed games due to various injuries.
Joe Harris Undergoes Ankle Surgery, Likely Out 4-8 Weeks
6:58pm: Harris had surgery on Monday to remove a loose body in the ankle, the team confirmed in a press release.
12:53pm: Nets sharpshooter Joe Harris will undergo surgery on his left ankle on Monday afternoon, head coach Steve Nash told reporters today (Twitter link via Kristian Winfield of The New York Daily News).
As Nash explained today, there’s a bone particle stuck in Harris’ ankle and the team decided the best course of action is to remove it. The hope is that the surgery will allow Harris to put the issue behind him for good once it has healed (Twitter links via Winfield).
The procedure is expected to sideline Harris for the next four-to-eight weeks, agent Mark Bartelstein tells ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter links). Woj adds that there’s optimism Harris will be able to return on the shorter end of that timeline.
Harris has already missed Brooklyn’s last six games with what the team was calling a left ankle sprain. He sustained the injury on November 14 vs. Oklahoma City. Heading into that game, the 30-year-old had been averaging 11.9 PPG and 4.1 RPG with an impressive .465 3PT% in 13 contests (31.5 MPG).
The Nets are now down two starters, with Kyrie Irving also unavailable until he takes the COVID-19 vaccine or New York City lifts its mandate. The team has held its own despite dealing with absences though and currently leads the East with a 14-6 record.
DeAndre’ Bembry, who has started Brooklyn’s last four games, and rookie Cameron Thomas are among the players who have earned increased roles with Harris on the shelf.
Knicks Pull Kemba Walker From Rotation
The Knicks are removing point guard Kemba Walker from both the starting lineup and their regular rotation, head coach Tom Thibodeau told reporters on Monday (Twitter link via Fred Katz of The Athletic).
It’s unclear whether the change will be a short-term or long-term move, but Thibodeau said Walker is out of the rotation “as of right now.” Alec Burks will take over as the team’s starting point guard for the foreseeable future, according to Thibs (Twitter link via Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News).
The Knicks’ signing of Walker to a two-year, $18MM deal in the offseason after he was bought out by Oklahoma City was viewed as one of the summer’s highest-upside deals. After all, Walker had been a maximum-salary player and wasn’t far removed from making four consecutive All-Star teams.
However, while Walker’s .413 3PT% to date is a career high, he has failed to recapture his All-Star form, averaging a modest 11.7 PPG and 3.1 APG in 18 games (24.5 MPG). The 31-year-old, who has battled knee issues in recent years, has had his minutes managed for health reasons and has been a liability on the defensive end.
The Knicks have a 116.3 defensive rating and a -13.3 net rating with Walker on the court, compared to a 99.0 defensive rating and +11.2 net rating when he sits. Kemba isn’t the only New York starter who has struggled and isn’t entirely to blame for those numbers, but given how well Burks has played this season, a change at point guard made sense for the club.
Having signed a new three-year, $30MM contract with the Knicks in the offseason, Burks has averaged 10.5 PPG on .426/.451/.800 shooting in 20 games (22.3 MPG) so far in 2021/22 and has been a more reliable presence on defense. The team has a +5.2 net rating in his minutes.
Christian Wood Expected To Generate Significant Trade Interest
There’s an expectation around the NBA that Rockets big man Christian Wood will generate “significant” trade interest this season, according to Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer, who adds that people around the league believe Houston will consider offers.
Wood, 26, parlayed a strong 2019/20 season in Detroit into a three-year, $41MM deal with the Rockets during the 2020 offseason. He has outperformed that deal so far, averaging 19.5 PPG and 10.2 RPG on .499/.362/.612 shooting in 60 games (32.5 MPG) in Houston. He’ll become an unrestricted free agent in 2023.
As O’Connor notes, one reason Wood chose to sign with the Rockets a year ago was to play with James Harden, which obviously didn’t last long. That doesn’t necessarily mean Wood wants out now, but he’d be more valuable to a playoff team than a rebuilding club. Rival executives have wondered whether Houston will be motivated to trade its veteran bigs – Wood and/or Daniel Theis – in order to open up more minutes for promising rookie Alperen Sengun, O’Connor writes.
I’d be a little surprised if the Rockets look to move Theis this season — the team signed him to a long-term deal in August after having drafted Sengun and fully committed to the rebuild, so he doesn’t fall into the same category as vets like Wood, John Wall, and Eric Gordon, who were on the roster before Harden was dealt. For what it’s worth, O’Connor says Theis will receive “mild” trade interest from teams in need of a reliable backup center.
While it remains to be seen whether either Wood or Theis will be dealt, the 3-16 Rockets should certainly be sellers at the February deadline — Wall, Gordon, D.J. Augustin, and Danuel House are among the other vets who could be shopped.
Hawks’ Bogdanovic Out At Least Two Weeks With Ankle Sprain
After undergoing an MRI on Sunday, Hawks wing Bogdan Bogdanovic has been diagnosed with a sprained right ankle, the team announced (via Twitter). According to the announcement, Bogdanovic will undergo a period of rest and rehabilitation and will be reevaluated in about two weeks.
Bogdanovic, who sustained the injury during the second quarter of Atlanta’s loss to New York on Saturday, has started all 20 games he has played this season, averaging 11.6 PPG, 3.6 RPG, and 2.5 APG on .447/.391/.786 shooting in 28.2 minutes per contest.
Meanwhile, Cam Reddish, who also had to exit Saturday’s game in the second quarter due to a left wrist sprain, hasn’t been given a recovery timeline. According to the Hawks (via Twitter), he’s considered day-to-day for now and his status will be determined by how the injury responds to daily treatment.
With Bogdanovic unavailable, Solomon Hill joined the starting five to begin the second half of Saturday’s loss. Reserves like Hill, Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot, and Lou Williams could take on larger roles with Bogdanovic and Reddish sidelined. The Hawks also may lean more heavily on starting wing Kevin Huerter — his 38 minutes on Saturday represented his second-highest total this season.
Ja Morant To Miss Multiple Weeks
Grizzlies star Ja Morant will be re-evaluated in “a few weeks” after suffering a knee sprain during Friday’s game, head coach Taylor Jenkins said, according to Evan Barnes of The Commerical Appeal (Twitter link).
As previously relayed, Morant avoided a serious injury and is expected to make a full recovery. Memphis will still be without its best player for several more games, meaning guards Tyus Jones and De’Anthony Melton will likely see increased minutes. The team started Jones against Sacramento on Sunday.
After sustaining the injury, Morant was able to return to the club’s bench without crutches. He underwent an MRI later that night to confirm a knee sprain, but an official timetable still hasn’t been issued by the Grizzlies.
Morant was in the midst of an electric season, averaging 24.1 points, 5.6 rebounds and 6.8 assists per game on 48% shooting. Memphis entered Sunday’s game with a 9-10 record, good for the ninth-best in the Western Conference.