Austin Rivers Waived By Thunder, Eyeing Bucks
1:01pm: Rivers has officially been waived, the Thunder have announced in a team press release.
12:22pm: After being dealt from the Knicks to the Thunder as part of the three-team trade that sent point guard George Hill to the Sixers, combo guard Austin Rivers has been waived by Oklahoma City, per Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). With the move, the Thunder will now have an available roster spot.
Charania, Eric Nehm and Seth Partnow of The Athletic write that the Bucks appear to be the frontrunners in the quest to add Rivers, should he clear waivers in free agency. Milwaukee is seeking to fortify its point guard depth after sending reserve point guard D.J. Augustin in a deal for veteran forward P.J. Tucker.
ESPN’s Zach Lowe first identified Milwaukee as a potential landing spot for Rivers last Monday, while Eric Nehm of The Athletic highlighted the possibility of Rivers being a target for the Bucks following the trade deadline.
Rivers joined the Knicks in the offseason on a three-year, partially guaranteed $10MM contract in a sign-and-trade. He appeared in 21 games for New York, averaging 7.3 PPG, 2.2 RPG, 2.0 APG and 0.6 SPG in just 21.0 MPG.
The 6’4″ veteran guard lost his rotation spot to Derrick Rose once the Knicks added the former MVP in a trade with the Pistons. Rivers has not suited up since February 13.
Knicks Center Mitchell Robinson Fractures Foot
Knicks center Mitchell Robinson suffered a fracture in his right foot during tonight’s game, the team announced on Twitter. He will be re-evaluated tomorrow.
The injury happened midway through the first quarter in Milwaukee, according to Greg Joyce of The New York Post. Robinson landed awkwardly after jumping and hobbled off the court.
While no timeline for a possible return will be considered until Robinson is examined in New York, a fracture threatens to sideline him for at least the rest of the season and the playoffs. The Knicks hold a $1.8MM team option on Robinson for 2021/22.
Robinson returned to the court this week after missing 15 games with a broken right hand. He had a metal plate inserted into the hand to help stabilize it. The 22-year-old has been limited to 30 games during his third NBA season, averaging 8.5 points, 8.4 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per night.
It may be a long shot, but the Robinson injury could change the Knicks’ perspective on trying to outbid the Lakers for center Andre Drummond, who will clear waivers Sunday afternoon. A report earlier tonight said New York has pulled out of the competition for Drummond, even though the club has about $15MM in cap space to make an offer.
Lakers “Strong Frontrunner” To Sign Andre Drummond
The Lakers are considered a “strong frontrunner” to sign center Andre Drummond when he clears waivers, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. The team’s star players have been trying to convince Drummond to join them and he is close to making a decision, according to sources (Twitter link).
Drummond finalized a buyout with the Cavaliers on Friday and will officially clear waivers on Sunday evening.
The Lakers can’t give Drummond more than the veteran’s minimum, but they have a starting job to offer as well as a chance to compete for a title. He has only been to the playoffs twice in his nine NBA seasons.
Drummond met recently with the Celtics, who are also a contender for his services. Boston is in the market for help at center after trading Daniel Theis on Thursday.
The Knicks pulled out of the Drummond sweepstakes, deciding against getting into a bidding war, according to Marc Berman of The New York Post. With $15MM in cap space, New York is in position to make Drummond the best offer, but the Knicks have decided to use those resources elsewhere.
Berman states that team officials have been watching film on Drummond to determine how he would fit alongside Julius Randle and whether he would be worth the investment if it means taking Mitchell Robinson out of the starting lineup. The Knicks decided they’re set at center with Robinson, Nerlens Noel and Taj Gibson providing a solid defensive presence.
New York could still be active on the buyout market, a source tells Berman. Point guard Jeff Teague, who was waived today by the Magic, played for Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau in Minnesota. Other names to watch are small forward Otto Porter, who was traded to the Magic on Thursday and still remains with the team, and center Gorgui Dieng, who was waived Friday by the Grizzlies.
Thunder To Shut Down Al Horford
The Thunder weren’t able to trade Al Horford before Thursday’s deadline, but it appears the veteran big man has played his final game for the franchise, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
Horford, 34, won’t play any more this season as Oklahoma City focuses on developing its young talent, sources tell Wojnarowski. He will train at the team’s facility and will remain around his teammates, but won’t be active for games.
Horford has been a positive influence on younger players since being acquired from the Sixers in an offseason deal, and the organization wants to keep him as a locker room presence, Woj adds. General manager Sam Presti has promised to work with Horford and his agent, Jason Glushon, to trade him after the season ends. Horford still has two years and $53MM left on his contract.
The Thunder had been planning to eventually make this move with Horford, a source tells Wojnarowski, but the recent loss of star guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who is expected to miss significant time with plantar fasciitis, sped up the timeline.
Horford has appeared in 28 games this season and is averaging 14.2 points and 6.7 rebounds per night.
Celtics’ Evan Fournier In Health And Safety Protocols
The Celtics were hoping Evan Fournier would make his debut with the team tonight, but he is listed on the injury report as being in the league’s health and safety protocols, writes Souichi Terada of MassLive.
Privacy regulations prevent the Celtics and the NBA from releasing any more information on Fournier, who was acquired from the Magic at Thursday’s trade deadline. Coach Brad Stevens told reporters Friday that Fournier was in Boston to take his physical.
There’s no way to know how long Fournier will be required to stay in the protocols, but players who are undergoing contact tracing typically return within seven days if they continue to test negative for COVID-19. Terada points out that the Celtics only have 27 games remaining and would face a limited time to get Fournier accustomed to his new teammates if he’s out for an extended period.
Boston is also listing Romeo Langford and Tristan Thompson out due to health and safety protocols, Terada adds. Langford has been in the protocols since the All-Star break, but there’s hope he can return next week. Thompson has missed the past seven games, and there’s no timetable for him to come back.
Anthony Davis Cleared To Advance On-Court Work
Lakers superstar Anthony Davis has been cleared to advance his on-court activities after undergoing an evaluation on Friday, according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. Davis hasn’t played in nearly six weeks due to a calf strain and tendinosis in his right leg.
“I mean, the truth is he gets evaluated every day,” head coach Frank Vogel said of Davis, as relayed by McMenamin. “You know what I mean? He does work, they treat him, they evaluate him. We’re in the middle of a ramp-up. But he’s still a ways away, so nothing concrete from a days [until return] standpoint right now.”
The advancements for Davis include “increased volume and intensity in shooting, dribbling, and position-specific drills,” a team spokesperson said. On the season, he’s averaging 22.5 points, 8.4 rebounds and 32.8 minutes per game, shooting 53% from the floor and 29% from three-point range.
The Lakers are also dealing with the loss of LeBron James, who’s expected to miss another three-to-five weeks due to a high ankle sprain. The team is 5-5 in its last 10 games and currently holds the fourth-best record in the Western Conference at 29-17.
Celtics Meet With Andre Drummond
The Celtics have emerged as a contender to watch in the pursuit of center Andre Drummond, according to Marc Stein of the New York Times (Twitter link).
Drummond reached a buyout agreement with the Cavaliers on Friday, which allows him to officially become a free agent on Sunday once he clears waivers. Boston met with the 27-year-old following his release, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (as relayed by Keith Smith of Yahoo Sports).
The Celtics traded away starting center Daniel Theis on deadline day and could pitch a strong role to Drummond, though teams such as the Lakers are expected to provide competition for his services. Boston started third-year player Robert Williams III at center in its game against Milwaukee on Friday.
Drummond averaged 17.5 points, 13.5 rebounds and 28.9 minutes in 25 games with the Cavaliers this season. Other teams such as the Clippers, Nets, Knicks and Hornets could also entice the veteran as he looks to set himself up for free agency this year.
Magic Waive Jeff Teague
The Magic have waived veteran point guard Jeff Teague, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic. Orlando acquired Teague as part of the Evan Fournier trade at the trade deadline and had reportedly informed the veteran he would be let go.
Teague, 32, signed with Boston as a free agent over the summer but did not play well during his brief stint in Beantown. In 34 games (five starts), Teague averaged just 6.9 PPG and 2.1 APG while shooting 41.5% from the field, his lowest single-season total since his rookie campaign.
A former All-Star, Teague was at one time a reliable scorer and playmaker for the Hawks but he has failed to replicate his prior success since leaving Atlanta following the 2015/16 season.
Teague is still a veteran presence with postseason experience so he figures to draw interest from at least a few teams as a depth piece for the remainder of the season.
For his career, Teague has averaged 12.3 PPG, 5.6 APG and 2.3 RPG in 805 games for the Hawks, Pacers, Timberwolves and Celtics.
Sixers Convert Paul Reed’s Contract, Sign Mason Jones To Two-Way Deal
The Sixers have signed G League Most Valuable Player Paul Reed to a standard contract and Mason Jones to a two-way contract, according to a team press release.
Reed signed a two-way contract with Philadelphia in late November. Playing for the Delaware Blue Coats, Reed was the only player to average at least 22 PPG and 11 RPG during the G League season as he racked up 15 double-doubles.
Drafted in the second round in 2020, Reed has seen action in eight games with Philadelphia.
Jones, a rookie from Arkansas, appeared in 26 games for the Rockets earlier this season on a two-way contract. He was waived earlier this month, then signed a 10-day deal with Houston but the Rockets didn’t retain him.
With the Rockets, he averaged 5.8 PPG, 2.0 RPG and 1.5 APG in 11.8 MPG.
Philadelphia had an open roster spot and didn’t need to make a cut to accommodate its moves.
Bruno Caboclo Signs With French Team
Forward Bruno Caboclo, who played six games with the Rockets this season, has signed with France’s Limoges CSP, JD Shaw of Hoops Rumors tweets.
Caboclo has appeared in 105 NBA games since he was drafted in the first round by the Raptors in 2014. He’s also played for Sacramento and Memphis.
Caboclo was waived in mid-January in order to clear a roster spot after the James Harden multi-team blockbuster. He also played eight games for Houston at the end of last season after being acquired from the Grizzlies at the trade deadline.
Caboclo signed a two-year contract with the Rockets in November that included a team option, but the first year wasn’t fully guaranteed.