Warriors’ Bazemore Expected To Miss One Week Due To Protocols
Already missing Damion Lee due to the NBA’s health and safety protocols, the Warriors have now placed swingman Kent Bazemore in those protocols as well, tweets Anthony Slater of The Athletic.
According to Slater (Twitter link), Bazemore is expected to be out for the next seven days, which suggests he may have been a close contact of someone who tested positive for COVID-19. Bazemore confirmed in a tweet that he didn’t test positive for the virus himself.
It’s possible that the person with whom Bazemore had contact was Lee, since his expected absence of 10-14 days suggests he may have tested positive for the coronavirus. In any case, Golden State will have to get by without both players for the next few games, potentially forcing the team to further shorten a rotation that has already been hit hard by injuries.
In addition to being without Bazemore and Lee, the Warriors are, of course, missing Klay Thompson and James Wiseman, who previously suffered season-ending injuries. Eric Paschall is out with a left hip flexor strain, while Juan Toscano-Anderson has missed Golden State’s last two games due to a concussion — he’s listed as questionable for Friday’s game vs. Denver.
If Toscano-Anderson is unavailable tonight, the Warriors would be down to 10 healthy players. The Warriors figure to lean on Andrew Wiggins and Kelly Oubre for big minutes on the wing, while Mychal Mulder could take on an increased role. Players who have been out of the rotation, such as Gary Payton II and Nico Mannion, could also see some action.
Kentucky’s Terrence Clarke Dies Following Car Accident
Kentucky shooting guard Terrence Clarke passed away on Thursday after sustaining fatal injuries during a car accident in Los Angeles, the University of Kentucky confirmed in a statement. Clarke was 19 years old.
WKYT in Kentucky reported that Clarke, who had declared for the 2021 NBA draft and was a potential second-round pick (ranked 72nd on ESPN’s board), had worked out with Wildcats teammate Brandon Boston Jr. before the accident occurred on Thursday afternoon.
The Valley Traffic Division of Los Angeles Police said that Clarke was the only person in the car at the time of the crash, per WKYT. He ran a red light going “at a very high rate of speed,” collided with another vehicle, then ran into a street pole and a block wall, according to police. Clarke was pronounced dead after being transported to Northridge Hospital.
“I am absolutely gutted and sick tonight,” Kentucky head coach John Calipari said in a statement. “A young person who we all love has just lost his life too soon, one with all of his dreams and hopes ahead of him. Terrence Clarke was a beautiful kid, someone who owned the room with his personality, smile and joy. People gravitated to him, and to hear we have lost him is just hard for all of us to comprehend right now. We are all in shock.”
Clarke only played in eight games for Kentucky as a freshman in 2020/21, as an ankle injury sidelined him for much of the college season. However, he was prepared to go pro, having signed with Rich Paul and Klutch Sports for representation.
“We are saddened and devastated by the tragic loss of Terrence Clarke,” Paul said in a statement, per ESPN. “Terrence was an incredible, hard-working young man. He was excited for what was ahead of him and ready to fulfill his dreams. Our prayers go out to Terrence and his family, who ask for privacy during this difficult time.”
Clarke grew up in Boston and had established with relationships with a handful of NBA players, including Celtics stars Kemba Walker, Jayson Tatum, and Jaylen Brown. They were hit hard on Thursday by the news of the 19-year-old’s passing.
“I did (know him), yes,” Walker said (via ESPN). “Yes, I did. Very well. Very well. Very, very, very tough. Very tough news, man. He’s a very, very good kid. Just always smiling, always energetic. And he was about to get his opportunity, too. My condolences to his family.”
We at Hoops Rumors also send our condolences to Clarke’s family and friends.
Damion Lee Out 10-14 Days Under COVID-19 Protocols
Warriors reserve wing Damion Lee will miss at least 10-14 days of action as he enters the NBA’s coronavirus health and safety protocols, tweets Anthony Slater of The Athletic.
Slater notes that the 28-year-old Lee has been a big help for the Warriors’ depleted backcourt. Across 57 games (one start), Lee is averaging 6.5 PPG and 3.2 RPG across 18.9 MPG this season, while connecting on 39.7% of 3.4 three-point looks per night.
Lee’s absence could spell trouble for a team already battling serious rotational absences. Starting center James Wiseman is out for the year after suffering a meniscus tear earlier this month. Juan Toscano-Anderson remains in the league’s concussion protocols, and, of course, maximum-salaried starting swingman Klay Thompson is missing his second straight full season as he recuperates from an Achilles tear.
Every win counts at this point in the season for the scrappy Warriors. At 29-30, Golden State is currently the ninth seed in the crowded Western Conference, mere percentage points ahead of the tenth-seeded Spurs.
“And for those wondering, I did get the (coronavirus) vaccine and continued to practice the property safety protocols,” Lee mentioned in a tweet soon after the news of his absence was announced.
Whether or not Lee himself contracted COVID-19 or has entered protocols after coming into contact with someone who later tested positive is unclear.
Deni Avdija Suffers Fracture In Right Ankle
APRIL 22: An MRI has indicated that Avdija has suffered a right fibular hairline fracture, and will require 12 weeks — but no surgery — to recover, reports Ava Wallace of the Washington Post.
APRIL 21: Wizards rookie forward Deni Avdija suffered a hairline fracture in his right ankle, a source told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
X-rays revealed the injury. Avdija will have an MRI on Thursday, but his season is over, Wojnarowski adds. He’s not expected to require surgery.
Avdija went up for a shot and landed on a Golden State defender in Wednesday’s game. He was averaging 6.3 PPG and 4.9 RPG after being selected with the No. 9 overall pick last fall. He started 31 of 53 games in his rookie campaign.
The Israeli native’s injury is a serious blow to a team making a playoff push. Washington entered the game on a five-game winning streak.
Avdija had been starting a power forward and the Wizards will now look for bigs such as Daniel Gafford, Davis Bertans and Jordan Bell to pick up the slack.
MRI Reveals Grade 2 Lateral Ankle Sprain For Trae Young
5:59pm: Young has suffered a Grade 2 lateral left ankle sprain, per Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link). The Hawks anticipate that the point guard will be able to return to the floor after the swelling ceases.
Chris Kirschner of The Athletic speculates that Young could return in as little as one or two weeks with proper treatment (via Twitter).
9:11am: Hawks star Trae Young left Wednesday’s loss to the Knicks in the third quarter after suffering a sprained left ankle and didn’t return to the game.
As Sarah K. Spencer of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution writes, Young appeared to be in a lot of pain when he initially went down, but X-rays on the ankle were negative, and teammate Clint Capela said Young told him the sprain “wasn’t as bad as he thought.”
Still, Young is set to undergo an MRI on his injured left ankle on Thursday, according to Spencer. Even if that MRI doesn’t show any structural damage, Young could miss a little time as he gets healthy.
Although the Hawks have been hit pretty hard by injuries this season, Young has managed to stay relatively healthy, appearing in 54 of the team’s 59 games. He has been Atlanta’s leading scorer and play-maker, averaging 25.3 points and 9.6 assists per contest.
If Young is ruled out for the Hawks’ next game (or longer than that), Lou Williams and Bogdan Bogdanovic would be in line for increased ball-handling responsibilities, with backup point guard Brandon Goodwin also moving up the depth chart.
Taurean Prince Expected To Undergo Season-Ending Ankle Surgery
Cavaliers forward Taurean Prince is expected to undergo surgery on his ankle that would bring his 2020/21 season to an end, reports Kelsey Russo of The Athletic (Twitter link).
While Prince has been a regular rotation player off Cleveland’s bench for most of the last month, there was always an expectation that he’d address his ankle by undergoing a procedure in the offseason, as we relayed earlier in April. It now appears he’ll get a jump on his rehab process by going under the knife before the season ends. A timeline for his recovery is not yet known.
Prince, who started the season in Brooklyn, was sent to the Cavaliers in the four-team James Harden trade in January. He has appeared in a total of 41 games for the two teams this season, averaging 9.5 PPG and 3.5 RPG with a very solid .400 3PT% in 22.1 minutes per contest.
Prince will be on an expiring $13MM contract in 2021/22, making him a potential trade candidate if he’s not in the Cavs’ plans beyond next season.
Knicks Sign Norvel Pelle To Multiyear Contract
APRIL 22, 1:55pm: Pelle’s new deal with the Knicks is now official, the team announced in a press release.
APRIL 22, 6:36am: The Knicks are signing Pelle to a multiyear deal now that his second 10-day has expired, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic.
As noted below, New York could offer Pelle up to four years. His new deal is expected to include a small guarantee beyond this season, tweets Marc Berman of The New York Post.
APRIL 21: Norvel Pelle‘s second 10-day contract with the Knicks will expire tonight, but the team isn’t expected to let him get away. Sources tell Ian Begley of SNY.tv (Twitter link) that the Knicks and Pelle will likely agree to a new contract.
Because teams aren’t permitted to sign a player to more than two 10-day contracts in a season, a new deal for Pelle would have to cover at least the rest of this season. New York has plenty of cap room available and could offer him up to a four-year deal with a 2020/21 salary above the minimum. If the Knicks do go that route, their offer likely wouldn’t include guaranteed money beyond this season.
Pelle, who spent some time with the Nets and Kings earlier in the year, hasn’t played much during his 20 days with the Knicks, but has been effective in his limited minutes. In three appearances (16 minutes), he has scored five points, grabbed six rebounds, and blocked three shots.
As Begley notes, head coach Tom Thibodeau has complimented Pelle’s performance and his attitude during his time with the team.
Assuming they work out a rest-of-season agreement with Pelle, the Knicks will still have one more open spot on their 15-man roster.
Sixers Sign Anthony Tolliver To Second 10-Day Deal
The Sixers have signed veteran power forward Anthony Tolliver to a second 10-day contract, the team announced (via Twitter). Tolliver’s first 10-day deal expired on Wednesday night.
Tolliver, who is currently occupying the 15th spot on Philadelphia’s standard roster, appeared in just one game during his first 10 days with the team, going scoreless with a pair of rebounds in 14 minutes in last Friday’s win over the Clippers. We’ll have to see if the 13-year veteran gets a longer look during his new 10-day contract, which will cover the 76ers’ next five games, starting tonight in Milwaukee.
Tolliver’s new 10-day deal will expire on the night of May 1, at which point the Sixers could either sign him to a rest-of-season contract or let him walk.
The Sixers will carry a $110,998 cap hit for Tolliver’s deal, which will pay him $175,668.
Be sure to check out our tracker to keep tabs on all of the currently active 10-day contracts around the NBA.
Jamal Murray Undergoes Reconstructive ACL Surgery
Nuggets guard Jamal Murray underwent surgical reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, the team announced in a press release.
The Nuggets did not release a timetable for his recovery, though the nature of the surgery suggests he’ll miss time next season as well.
Murray suffered the non-contact injury during the fourth quarter of Denver’s loss to Golden State on April 12. His knee buckled as he attempted to take off for a layup and he immediately fell to the floor in obvious pain, pounding the court with his hand. He eventually refused the wheelchair that had been brought onto the floor and hopped to the locker room without putting any weight on the leg.
The injury is a devastating blow to Denver’s championship aspirations. A year ago, Murray was Denver’s leading scorer in the playoffs, with 26.5 PPG on a scorching .505/.453/.897 shooting line in 19 games (39.6 MPG). He was averaging 21.2 PPG, 4.8 APG and 4.0 RPG this season.
The Nuggets will rely on Facundo Campazzo and Monte Morris in Murray’s absence. They’ve won their first three games since Murray’s season-ending injury.
Dylan Windler Undergoes Knee Surgery, Out Indefinitely
It appears that Dylan Windler‘s season will come to an early end, as the Cavaliers announced today in a press release that the young swingman has undergone surgery on his left knee to address “ongoing patella tendinopathy concerns.”
The Cavs’ announcement doesn’t explicitly state that Windler’s season is over. However, there are less than four weeks left until the regular season ends and he has been ruled out indefinitely, so it seems pretty unlikely that we’ll see him again before 2021/22.
It’s an unfortunate turn of events for Windler, who was also sidelined for his entire rookie year in 2019/20 due to a left leg injury and missed time earlier this season after suffering a fractured hand.
When he did play this year, Windler showed some promise. The 24-year-old, a first-round pick out of Belmont in 2019, averaged 5.2 points and 3.5 rebounds in 31 games (16.5 MPG), knocking down 33.8% of his three-point attempts.
After being limited to just 31 contests through his first two NBA seasons, Windler will look to have a healthier ’21/22 campaign. He’ll earn $2.24MM next season, with a decision on his $4.04MM team option for 2022/23 due this fall.