Pelicans Won’t Re-Sign Isaiah Thomas Immediately
The 10-day contract that Isaiah Thomas signed with the Pelicans has expired, and the team doesn’t plan to re-sign him to another deal right away, tweets Andrew Lopez of ESPN.
No decision has been made on the long-term future for Thomas, Lopez adds, but the team has luxury tax concerns and may use the entire two weeks the league allows to re-add a 14th man (Twitter link). Bobby Marks of ESPN (Twitter link) provides some additional details on how the Pelicans could eventually fill their two open roster spots before the end of the season while avoiding the tax.
Thomas made a positive impression on the Pelicans during his 10 days with the club, bringing veteran leadership and mentoring young players. However, recent injuries to Josh Hart and Nickeil Alexander-Walker could affect what New Orleans decides to do with its roster (Twitter link).
Playing for the first time in more than a year, Thomas appeared in three games, averaging 7.7 points and 1.7 assists in 16 minutes per night. If the Pelicans decide to re-sign him, they can offer one more 10-day contract before having to decide whether to keep him for the rest of the season.
Dennis Schröder On Knicks’ Radar For Offseason
After being linked to a number of point guards leading up to the trade deadline, the Knicks ultimately didn’t address the position. However, they’re expected to revisit the point guard market in the offseason, and Lakers veteran Dennis Schröder is one player on their radar, writes Ian Begley of SNY.tv.
Schröder is in the final year of his current contract and has reportedly turned down a four-year extension offer worth $80MM+ from the Lakers. That’s a strong indication that he’ll be seeking at least $20MM per year in free agency.
As Begley observes, the Knicks should be able to open up in excess of $50MM in cap room this summer, though it remains to be seen how aggressive the team would be with Schröder. The team will be considering other point guard options as well, including Lonzo Ball of the Pelicans, according to both Begley and Marc Berman of The New York Post.
Unlike Ball, who will be a restricted free agent, Schröder will be unrestricted, meaning the Knicks wouldn’t have to worry about their offer being matched if they get a commitment. However, the Lakers will likely be very motivated to re-sign their starting point guard — even if Schröder walks, the Lakers will be over the cap next season, meaning they wouldn’t be able to easily add a comparable replacement.
After a career year in Oklahoma City in 2019/20 (18.9 PPG on .469/.385/.839 shooting), Schröder’s numbers this season are more in line with his career rates. He has averaged 15.3 PPG, 5.3 APG, and 3.5 RPG with a .432/.338/.848 shooting line in 50 games (31.7 MPG) for the Lakers.
Jamal Murray Has Torn Left ACL
Nuggets guard Jamal Murray, who left Monday’s game with a scary non-contact knee injury (video link), has been diagnosed with a torn left ACL, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). The club confirmed the diagnosis, announcing that Murray will be out indefinitely.
As we detailed earlier today, Murray suffered the injury during the fourth quarter of Denver’s loss to Golden State on Monday. 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 his left leg (video link).
Murray had been scheduled to undergo testing today to determine the severity of the injury, and while there was some hope that there would be good news, those tests have instead confirmed the Nuggets’ worst fears.
Based on the typical recovery timeline for ACL tears, the injury will end Murray’s season, putting a serious dent into Denver’s title hopes. It will almost certainly delay his 2021/22 debut as well, since the NBA is looking to get back on its usual schedule, which would mean an October start.
It’s a crushing blow for a Nuggets team that has played some of its best basketball of the season as of late. Before losing its last two games, Denver had won 17 of 20 and appeared to have hit its stride since adding Aaron Gordon at the trade deadline.
At 34-20, the Nuggets rank fourth in the Western Conference and should still earn a playoff spot, but Murray’s absence will significantly reduce the likelihood of a deep postseason run. A year ago, the standout guard 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).
Prior to Murray’s ACL tear, the Nuggets had already been in the market for more backcourt depth, with Austin Rivers, Gerald Green, and Troy Daniels among the players on their radar. That search figures to intensify in the wake of Murray’s injury, as the club may now be able to offer those players a spot higher on the depth chart.
Murray, meanwhile, is scheduled to fly back to Denver with the team in the next few hours, according to Mike Singer of The Denver Post, who tweets that the 24-year-old’s surgery hasn’t yet been scheduled.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
NBA Postpones Wolves-Nets Game From Monday To Tuesday
APRIL 13: Monday’s Timberwolves/Nets game has been rescheduled for Tuesday afternoon, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). It will be played at 3:00pm central time without any fans in attendance, sources tell Malika Andrews of ESPN (Twitter link).
APRIL 12: The NBA is postponing the Timberwolves/Nets game that had been scheduled to take place in Minnesota on Monday night, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter links). The NBA has formally confirmed the postponement.
Wojnarowski and Malika Andrews of ESPN first reported (via Twitter) that there were ongoing conversations about a postponement of Monday’s game due to unrest in Minneapolis in the wake of a police shooting. A 20-year-old Black man, Daunte Wright, was fatally shot during a traffic stop on Sunday.
The MLB contest between the Red Sox and Twins that was scheduled to be played on Monday afternoon in Minnesota was also postponed.
While it won’t take place tonight, there’s still a chance that the Wolves/Nets game could be played on Tuesday, sources tell Wojnarowski (Twitter link).
With just over a month left in the regular season, there won’t be a ton of opportunities to make up postponed games, and every win or loss is important for a Brooklyn team currently tied for first in the Eastern Conference. Minnesota’s final record will also be important for draft lottery reasons — the team is a half-game “ahead” of Houston for the top spot in the lottery standings.
Kyrie Irving and Karl-Anthony Towns had been ruled out for Monday due to personal reasons — it’s unclear if either one would be available by Tuesday.
Austin Rivers Receiving Interest From Nuggets
The Nuggets have some interest in free agent guard Austin Rivers, league sources tell Mike Singer of The Denver Post. Rivers is one of a handful of available guards being eyed by the Nuggets, according to Singer, who previously identified Troy Daniels and Gerald Green as a couple other veterans on the team’s radar.
Denver focused on upgrading its frontcourt at the trade deadline, acquiring Aaron Gordon from Orlando and JaVale McGee from Cleveland. However, those deals put a dent in the club’s backcourt depth, as Gary Harris and R.J. Hampton were among the outgoing pieces.
Since then, the Nuggets have signed Shaquille Harrison to a two-way contract, but they still have one opening on their 15-man roster and they intend to fill it sooner or later. A 10-day signing is a possibility, per Singer.
As Singer explains, COVID-19 protocols have complicated the process of bringing in players for workouts and auditions, which is slowing down Denver to some extent. Additionally, the Nuggets would like to find a player who could be relied upon down the stretch and in the postseason if needed, but who would be content with not seeing much – or any – playing time on a typical night. It’s unclear if Rivers fits that bill.
Rivers began the season with the Knicks, averaging 7.3 PPG, 2.2 RPG, and 2.0 APG with a .430/.364/.714 shooting line in 21 games (21.0 MPG). The 28-year-old fell out of the team’s rotation though, and was eventually sent to Oklahoma City at the trade deadline. The Thunder subsequently waived him. While Milwaukee was rumored to be a potential landing spot for Rivers, the Bucks signed Jeff Teague instead and haven’t circled back to Rivers so far.
Thunder Sign Gabriel Deck To Multiyear Contract
APRIL 12: The Thunder’s deal with Deck was officially completed on Saturday, per NBA.com’s transactions log.
According to Schlecht (Twitter link), Deck’s new contract is actually a four-year deal worth a total of $14.5MM. However, the second and third years are non-guaranteed, and the fourth year is a team option. Only this year’s $3.87MM salary is guaranteed.
In addition to being a nice payday for Deck (he now has the third-highest ’20/21 salary among current Thunder players), that $3.87MM rest-of-season commitment helps the Thunder reach the salary floor.
As John Hollinger of The Athletic explains, it remains to be seen whether Deck will actually show enough to be a keeper beyond this season for the Thunder. But even if Oklahoma City decides to move on at season’s end, his 2021/22 salary could be partially or fully guaranteed to help accommodate a trade.
APRIL 8: Argentinian forward Gabriel Deck is expected to join the Thunder on a three-year contract, a source tells Emiliano Carchia of Sportando. Chema de Lucas first reported (via Twitter) that Deck was finalizing an agreement with Oklahoma City.
Deck, who went undrafted in 2017, would be departing top EuroLeague squad Real Madrid two weeks before the EuroLeague’s playoffs are scheduled to kick off. Oklahoma City would be his first NBA club.
Deck played for a string of Argentinian clubs before suiting up for Real Madrid in 2018. He was voted the Argentine League MVP and was named a two-time Argentine League Finals MVP.
He averaged 8.5 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 1.0 APG and 0.7 SPG in 30 games for Real Madrid this season, with a shooting line of .481/.412/.846.
Deck could help shore up an injury-ravaged Oklahoma City club. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Josh Hall, Luguentz Dort, Darius Miller, Isaiah Roby, Darius Bazley, and Mike Muscala have all been listed as absent ahead of the team’s latest contest against the Hornets.
The Thunder don’t currently have an opening on their roster, but 15th man Justin Robinson is on a 10-day deal, and it’s possible one or two other players on the roster may be expendable.
Sixers Sign Anthony Tolliver To 10-Day Contract
APRIL 12: The Sixers have officially signed Tolliver to a 10-day contract, the team announced today in a press release.
APRIL 10: The Sixers are planning to sign veteran forward Anthony Tolliver to a 10-day contract, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Tolliver worked out for the 76ers last week, Wojnarowski adds.
Philadelphia waived Ignas Brazdeikis earlier this week to open up a spot on its 15-man roster.
Tolliver, 35, will join the 11th team of his well-traveled career which began in 2007 after he went undrafted. The Missouri native last played for Memphis during the bubble in Orlando last season.
Tolliver split the 2019/20 campaign between the Grizzlies, Kings and Blazers, appearing in 55 total games while averaging 3.6 PPG and 2.8 RPG. He’s a career 37.3% shooter from beyond the arc.
While Tolliver will not be relied on to make a major impact, he will be expected to give Philadelphia some quality minutes off the bench.
Kevin Ollie Hired As Head Coach Of Overtime Elite
Former NBA player and UConn head coach Kevin Ollie has been hired as the head coach and director of player development for the Overtime Elite basketball league, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
As we relayed last month, Overtime Elite is a newly-former basketball league that will feature up to 30 players who are between 16 and 18 years old. These high-school-age prospects will lose their college basketball eligibility, but will be offered salaries worth at least $100K and will have the opportunity to compete against prep school and international teams, writes Wojnarowski.
The Overtime Elite league will also offer an academic tutoring component, as well as scholarship money for any player who opts not to ultimately pursue a professional basketball career.
Ollie, who appeared in a total of 662 regular season NBA games and 42 playoff contests for 11 teams during his 13-year NBA career, joined UConn as an assistant in 2010 following his retirement as a player. He was promoted to the head coaching job in 2012 and held it until 2018, when he was let go due to a handful of NCAA violations. He won a national title with the Huskies in 2014.
Ollie has penned an article for The Athletic discussing his time at UConn and explaining why the Overtime Elite role appeals to him.
According to Wojnarowski, Ollie will work with Brandon Williams – a former Kings executive who is Overtime Elite’s new executive VP and head of basketball operations – to assemble a staff of approximately 40 individuals, including coaches, trainers, counselors, and sports science and performance staffers.
Veteran college assistant Tim Fuller has also been hired by Overtime Elite as its director of scouting and recruiting, tweets Jeff Goodman of Stadium.
It remains to be seen how successful the Overtime Elite league will be in siphoning off talent that would otherwise be headed to major college programs, but hiring leaders who have plenty of NBA and NCAA experience represents a promising start.
James Wiseman May Miss Rest Of Season With Meniscus Injury
2:50pm: The Warriors have tweeted that Wiseman suffered a “right meniscal injury,” while noting that the team is continuing to evaluate his most recent MRI results.
2:18pm: Warriors rookie center James Wiseman, the No. 2 pick out of Memphis in the 2020 draft, has been ruled out indefinitely with a right meniscus injury. There is concern that Wiseman may miss the rest of the 2020/21 season.
Multiple reporters indicate that the injury is a meniscus tear. Shams Charania of The Athletic tweets that Wiseman has a torn meniscus. Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN echoes that statement, though he notes that the Warriors intend to consult with more doctors during the next few days.
Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area tweets that two league sources informed him it was indeed a torn meniscus. Poole adds that the team has called it a meniscus injury while stopping short of confirming that it’s a tear (Twitter link).
After a strong start, Wiseman has had an up-and-down rookie season. Though at one point he had lost his starting role to veteran center Kevon Looney following a February injury absence, he had gotten the starting nod long-term once again beginning on March 23. Head coach Steve Kerr noted last week that Wiseman’s play would dictate his exact minutes load.
Across just 39 games (including 27 starts), the athletic 20-year-old is averaging 11.5 PPG, 5.8 RPG and 0.9 BPG in 21.4 MPG.
Latest On The Sale Of The Timberwolves
Any agreement to sell the Timberwolves will include a provision that the team must be kept in Minnesota, owner Glen Taylor tells Chris Hine of The Star Tribune.
News broke Saturday night that Taylor was in the late stages of a deal to sell the team to former MLB star Alex Rodriguez and billionaire investor Marc Lore. The Minnesota Lynx of the WNBA would also be included, according to Hine.
“They will keep the team here, yes. We will put it in the agreement,” Taylor said. “At this point we have a letter of intent, but when we make up the contract we’ll put that in there. That’s no problem. That won’t be a problem.”
Hine checked with legal experts last summer who said it might be difficult to enforce contract provisions that the team can’t be moved. The franchise has a lease for use of the Target Center with the city of Minneapolis that runs through 2035 and includes a $50MM penalty for leaving early.
However, the potential new owners haven’t indicated that they plan to take the Wolves anywhere else. Taylor said they bonded quickly during a meeting this week at his home in Naples, Florida, and signed a letter of intent Saturday afternoon that gives Rodriguez and Lore exclusive negotiating rights for 30 days.
“Just in the last week or so did I make contact with these guys,” Taylor said. “They had indicated they had some interest in being involved in the ownership. I had not known them personally, so contacted them, talked to them on the phone, did all that, really liked how it went.”
Taylor said they agreed on “everything” once negotiations began, including his vision of mentoring a new ownership group for two seasons before the transfer becomes complete. Under the reported agreement, Rodriguez and Lore will become partial owners before taking over completely in 2023.
“When I met them and talked to them and just in the conversation what they were after — they’re bright people, very bright people, very competitive,” Taylor said. “I could see them challenging me which I liked to have. … They said, ‘We got to learn about basketball. We’d like you to stay around and help us run it for a while.’ Then we’ll switch over. Those meet all of my goals.”
Rodriguez and Lore will be in Minneapolis on Monday to meet with Timberwolves and Lynx employees, tweets Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News. Taylor told Wolfson he met with four other groups that were interested in buying the team, but Rodriguez and Lore made the best impression.
Taylor has put the team on the market before without finding a buyer, leading to questions about how serious he was in his desire to sell. A group led by Arron Afflalo was interested, and Kevin Garnett was reportedly preparing a bid for the team last summer. However, Taylor said he never heard from Garnett or any group that was affiliated with him.
Taylor has owned the team since 1994, when he bought it to prevent a move to New Orleans. As he nears his 80th birthday, he wants to be sure the franchise will be in good hands.
“It gives me peace of mind,” Taylor said. “At my age, going ahead, if something happens to me, I know what’s going to happen to the Timberwolves. It’s all kind of set. I don’t have to worry about that. I don’t have to have my family worry about it. In the next couple years, if everything goes as I hope, I still can participate. So it gives me the best of both worlds.”