Zion Williamson Recovering From Offseason Foot Surgery
Pelicans star Zion Williamson underwent surgery on his right foot this offseason, executive vice president of basketball operations David Griffin told reporters today (video link).
According to Griffin, Williamson fractured his foot while working out prior to Summer League (Twitter links via Andrew Lopez of ESPN). The former No. 1 overall pick broke the fifth metatarsal in his right foot.
Griffin added that he doesn’t think it’s “terribly likely” that Williamson will play in preseason games, but said the team has been working closely with him during his recovery and believes he’ll be ready for the regular season next month.
While it’s a bit ominous that Williamson – who has dealt with leg injuries in the past – is on the mend again, and that the Pelicans waited until now to announce it, it may not have a major impact on the team if the prognosis presented by Griffin is accurate and Zion doesn’t miss time during the regular season.
Still, that’s a big “if” and it’s probably safe to assume the Pelicans will be cautious with their franchise player — he may not play both games of back-to-back sets right away, for instance, or he may be eased back into action on a minutes limit. His recovery will be worth watching closely in the coming weeks.
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson Signs With Turkish Team
SEPTEMBER 27: Hollis-Jefferson has signed with Besiktas, agent Adie von Gontard confirmed to Jonathan Givony of ESPN (Twitter link). According to Givony, Hollis-Jefferson’s contract with the Turkish club will include an NBA out clause.
SEPTEMBER 23: Veteran NBA free agent forward Rondae Hollis-Jefferson is expected to sign with Besiktas of Turkey, reports Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews.
The 23rd overall pick in the 2015 draft, Hollis-Jefferson had a productive first four seasons with the Nets from 2015-19, showcasing athleticism, energy, defensive versatility, and strong rebounding for a player his size (6’6″). He put up 9.9 PPG, 5.9 RPG, and 2.0 APG in 23.6 MPG over those seasons, with a .444/.223/.739 shooting line. The 22.3% on three sticks out, but it was on just 0.8 attempts per game.
Hollis-Jefferson also had a nice run off the bench for Toronto a couple of years ago, but struggled to catch on with NBA teams last season, playing in just 11 games for the Trail Blazers on a couple of 10-day contracts before finishing out the season with the team.
It’s a little surprising that a player who’s had a solid track record and is still just 26 years old couldn’t find another NBA home this summer. However, the league has trended away from players similar to Hollis-Jefferson in recent years, as his unique skill set isn’t as valued without a reliable outside shot or the size to match up against true centers.
Urbonas notes that Besiktas features several former NBA and G League players, and will be participating in the Basketball Champions League, which begins on October 4.
Bulls Sign Daniel Oturu
The Bulls have signed free agent center Daniel Oturu to their training camp roster, agent Kevin Bradbury of REP1 Basketball tells Malika Andrews of ESPN (Twitter link).
It’s the third team of the offseason for Oturu, who was selected 33rd overall in the 2020 draft and spent his first NBA season with the Clippers, averaging 1.8 PPG and 1.6 RPG in 30 games (5.4 MPG). He was sent to the Grizzlies along with Patrick Beverley and Rajon Rondo in an August trade, then was waived by Memphis last week.
Although Oturu didn’t make a real impact at the NBA level in his rookie season, he’s still just 22 years old and is only two years removed from a standout sophomore season for the Minnesota Gophers. He put up 20.1 PPG, 11.3 RPG, and 2.5 BPG in his final year at college, earning Big Ten All-Defensive honors.
Of course, even if the Bulls see some potential in Oturu, that doesn’t necessarily assure him of a regular season roster spot. The team only has 13 players on fully guaranteed contracts, but competition for the last spot or two on the 15-man roster will be fierce, with NBA veterans Stanley Johnson, Alize Johnson, Tyler Cook, and Matt Thomas also in the mix.
The Bulls now have a full 20-man preseason roster.
Thunder Claim Mamadi Diakite, Waive Charlie Brown Jr.
The Thunder have claimed big man Mamadi Diakite off waivers from the Bucks, the team announced in a press release. Milwaukee waived Diakite on Friday.
Diakite, 24, went unselected in the 2020 draft. He signed a two-way deal with the Bucks shortly thereafter, then signed a multi-year deal at the end of the season. Only $100K of his salary was guaranteed for next season, however, making it easier for Milwaukee to waive him.
Diakite was a force in the G League during his 12 games last season. He averaged 18.5 points, 10.4 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per contest, shooting 58% from the floor. The 6’9″ Virginia product will have the ability to add depth for a young Thunder frontcourt this season.
Because Diakite is on a three-year contract, the Thunder couldn’t use the minimum salary exception to claim him and had to instead use part of a traded player exception, as Bobby Marks of ESPN notes (via Twitter). The team likely used a portion of its $9.59MM TPE from last season’s George Hill deal.
Oklahoma City also waived guard Charlie Brown Jr. in a separate transaction, the team said. Assuming he goes unclaimed, Brown will reach free agency this week after spending part of last season with the Thunder. The 24-year-old appeared in nine games, averaging 4.4 points, 1.9 rebounds and 16.9 minutes per contest.
Bucks Waive Elijah Bryant
The Bucks have waived guard Elijah Bryant, according to Eric Nehm of The Athletic (Twitter link). The move brings Milwaukee’s roster count down to 18 players, including a pair of two-way players.
Bryant, 26, signed with the team in May and was part of the club’s championship roster. Despite only appearing in one regular-season game, he saw action in 11 postseason contests, totaling 14 points across 50 minutes.
Before signing with Milwaukee, Bryant played summer league with the team in 2019 and spent time in Israel. He went unselected in the 2018 NBA Draft.
The Bucks also recently waived big man Mamadi Diakite, who was claimed off waivers by the Thunder on Sunday.
Warriors Sign Avery Bradley
SEPTEMBER 26: Bradley’s one-year, non-guaranteed contract with Golden State is now official, according to RealGM’s transactions log.
SEPTEMBER 24: The Warriors and free agent guard Avery Bradley have reached an agreement on a contract, according to Shams Charania and Anthony Slater of The Athletic (Twitter link).
While the exact terms of Bradley’s deal aren’t specified, it sounds like it’ll be a non-guaranteed training camp contract. Slater suggests in a follow-up tweet that Bradley will get the opportunity to compete for the 15th spot on Golden State’s regular season roster.
Bradley, who will turn 31 in November, spent the first seven years of his NBA career in Boston, but has bounced around for the last four seasons, spending time with the Pistons, Clippers, Grizzlies, Lakers, Heat, and Rockets. The 6’3″ guard has long been considered a solid three-and-D wing, but his three-point shot has been inconsistent as of late. In 2020/21, he averaged 6.4 PPG and 2.1 RPG on .374/.327/.800 shooting in 27 games (22.3 MPG) for Miami and Houston.
The Warriors had been auditioning guards this month in the hopes of giving Gary Payton II and Mychal Mulder some competition for the final spot on their regular season roster. Bradley and Langston Galloway, who also agreed to a deal with Golden State, are expected to push for that spot.
Once Bradley and Galloway are officially signed, the Warriors will have 19 players on their camp roster. The team still has a two-way slot open.
Warriors Sign Langston Galloway To Training Camp Deal
SEPTEMBER 25: Galloway’s deal with Golden State is now official, according to the transactions log at RealGM.
SEPTEMBER 24: Free agent guard Langston Galloway will sign a training camp contract with the Warriors, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic.
Galloway, 29, went to the NBA Finals with the Suns last season after signing with the team in free agency. However, he was unhappy with his role, playing just 11.0 minutes per night in 40 games, and expressed a desire to join a new team after the season ended.
Galloway broke into the league with the Knicks after going undrafted out of St. Joseph’s in 2014. He also spent time with the Pelicans, Kings and Pistons, averaging 8.2 PPG in 445 career games while shooting 37% from three-point range.
Once the signing is official, Golden State will have 18 players heading into camp with 13 fully guaranteed contracts. The Warriors have been in touch with several other guards, including Avery Bradley, Isaiah Thomas and Darren Collison, and it’s not clear how the addition of Galloway will affect the team’s interest in them.
Rui Hachimura To Miss Start Of Training Camp
Wizards third-year forward Rui Hachimura will miss the start of training camp due to personal reasons, the team announced on social media today. Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link) notes that it’s an excused absence and says Hachimura will be out indefinitely.
Washington is set to open its camp on Tuesday, making Hachimura’s status beyond that unclear. The 23-year-old is expected to have a significant role on the team this year.
In 57 games last season, Hachimura averaged 13.8 points and 5.5 rebounds in 31.5 minutes per contest. He also shot 48% from the floor and 33% from deep.
Hachimura will be competing for minutes in a revamped Wizards frontcourt that includes Kyle Kuzma, Montrezl Harrell, Deni Avdija and Davis Bertans. Washington finished 34-38 after a late-season push in 2020/21, ultimately losing to the Sixers 4-1 in the first round of the playoffs.
Ben Simmons Rejects Meeting With Teammates
Sixers star Ben Simmons recently rejected the opportunity to meet with his teammates in Los Angeles, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic. Charania reports that players such as Joel Embiid, Tobias Harris, and Matisse Thybulle planned on traveling to meet with Simmons and change his mind about requesting a trade.
Simmons communicated that he didn’t want his teammates to make the trip, as he has no interest in playing for the Sixers this season. The 25-year-old has held firm on his stance and appears to be mentally checked out from Philadelphia, Charania writes.
Along with various players, Sixers head coach Doc Rivers also recently expressed some hope that Simmons would change his mind and return.
“There’s been so many times this has happened (in sports) that hasn’t been reported…and the guy comes back,” Rivers said last week, as relayed by Kyle Neubeck of PhillyVoice.com. “So listen, we’re going to go through it. We’re gonna always do what’s best for the team, but I can tell you up front, we would love to get Ben back, and if we can, we’re gonna try to do that. Ben has a long contract, so it’s in our hands and we want him back.”
The Sixers have received interest for Simmons, but no trade is imminent, according to Charania. The team will host its media day on Monday and begin training camp on Tuesday. With Simmons, the club finished 49-23 last season — good for the best record in the Eastern Conference.
Simmons is coming off a season where he averaged 14.3 points, 7.2 rebounds and 6.9 assists per game. The defensive-minded point forward struggled in the Sixers’ second-round series against the Hawks, however, harming his trade value among rival teams.
Assuming Simmons doesn’t show up for training camp next week, Philadelphia can fine him or withhold game payments. He’s currently in the second season of a five-year, maximum-salary extension signed during the summer of 2019.
Andrew Wiggins’ Vaccination Status May Jeopardize Availability
SEPTEMBER 24: The city of San Francisco will not permit Wiggins – or any other Warrior – to play home games this season without being vaccinated, reports Eric Ting of SFGate. The Department of Public Health stated on Friday that it wouldn’t matter if the NBA grants Wiggins a religious or medical exemption. For what it’s worth, Wiggins’ request for a religious exemption was denied by the league.
“At large and mega indoor events, all patrons 12 and older must be vaccinated at this time,” the department said in its statement to SFGate. “Under the current order, if unvaccinated, they cannot enter indoor areas regardless of the reason they are unvaccinated and cannot test out of this requirement even if they have a medical or religious exemption. This same rule applies to performers and players employed by the host at large and mega indoor events who are covered by the vaccination requirements of the Health Order.”
When Wiggins first commented on the vaccine in March, he said he didn’t envision himself getting it anytime soon unless he was “forced” to. He may have reached that point, since he’d risk missing the Warriors’ entire 41-game home schedule if he remains unvaccinated.
SEPTEMBER 23: Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins, who spoke last season about preferring not to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, hasn’t changed his stance and remains unvaccinated, sources tell Rusty Simmons of The San Francisco Chronicle.
Although the NBA doesn’t intend to mandate the vaccine for its players, the league will abide by local vaccination policies in municipalities where it’s required for indoor events. San Francisco is one of those cities that requires individuals to be vaccinated in order to enter indoor venues such as basketball arenas.
[RELATED: Nets, Knicks, Warriors Affected By Local Vaccination Policies]
Assuming Wiggins remains unvaccinated and San Francisco’s regulations remain unchanged, the veteran forward would require a medical or religious exemption in order to play in the Warriors’ home games in 2021/22.
According to Simmons, league sources believe the NBA will grant Wiggins a religious exemption, but that would just be one step toward making sure he can play. The city of San Francisco would have the power to override any exemption granted by the league. Asked for a statement on the issue, the city’s Department of Public Health told The Chronicle it would provide more clarity if and when Wiggins receives an exemption from the NBA.
“We are actively addressing the matter of requests for religious exemption from vaccinations across many industries and will work with our business and entertainment community on next steps,” the statement read. “We will provide further clarification on this topic.”
It seems likely that the Warriors and Wiggins will be able to resolve the issue somehow – whether that means his exemption is approved and upheld or he agrees to be vaccinated – since it’s hard to imagine him missing half of the team’s ’21/22 games. Still, his situation is an example of the challenges certain teams may face with vaccine-hesitant players.
The two New York teams – the Nets and Knicks – are among the other clubs affected by local restrictions on unvaccinated individuals. Nets GM Sean Marks said this week that he still has “a couple” players who need to be fully vaccinated, but he’s confident it will happen before the regular season begins.