Russell Westbrook Set To Arrive At NBA Campus
Rockets guard Russell Westbrook, whose arrival at the NBA’s Walt Disney World campus was delayed due to a positive COVID-19 test, is traveling to Orlando today, head coach Mike D’Antoni told reporters, including Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle.
“He’s been working, and he feels good,” D’Antoni said of the former MVP. “If you look at Russell, his worst day, he’s probably in better shape and stronger than anybody we have. I would think he’ll come here and be ready to go.”
D’Antoni expressed some skepticism that Westbrook will be ready to play on Friday when the Rockets face the Raptors in their first inter-squad scrimmage. Once the star point guard arrives at campus, he’ll have to return two negative coronavirus tests at least 24 hours apart, meaning he’s unlikely to participate in his first practice until later this week.
With the Rockets assured of a playoff spot, the club will likely focus on getting Westbrook back to full speed in time for the start of the postseason.
Meanwhile, D’Antoni added today that he’s unsure when recently-signed forward Luc Mbah a Moute will be able to join the club at Disney. However, a source tells Feigen (Twitter link) that it should happen “soon.”
Bucks’ Connaughton Tested Positive For COVID-19, Not Yet In Orlando
Bucks wing Pat Connaughton revealed today, in a statement to ESPN and The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, that he recently tested positive for the coronavirus and has not yet reported to the NBA’s campus in Orlando (Twitter link via Matt Velazquez of The Journal Sentinel).
“I am healthy and I feel great and I am excited to join my teammates in Orlando once I meet all the NBA protocols,” Connaughton said.
Connaughton, 27, has been a key part of Milwaukee’s rotation in 2019/20, appearing in 61 games and averaging 5.1 PPG and 4.2 RPG in 18.3 minutes per contest. This is his second season with the Bucks after he began his NBA career by spending three years in Portland.
The Bucks are missing two rotation players due to COVID-19 — Eric Bledsoe also hasn’t yet reported to Orlando after testing positive earlier this month. While it remains to be seen whether either player will be ready for the Bucks’ first of eight seeding games on July 31, the club will be more concerned with making sure both players are back to 100% by the time the postseason begins in mid-to-late August.
The 53-12 Bucks have a 6.5-game lead on the Raptors and have essentially already locked in the No. 1 seed in the East, so they’re unlikely to be going all-out during those eight seeding contests.
Tracy McGrady, Jermaine O’Neal Plan To Open Agency
Former NBA stars Tracy McGrady and Jermaine O’Neal intend to open a player representation agency this fall, they tell Marc Stein of The New York Times.
The duo plans to call the new agency Seven1 Sports Group and Entertainment. As Stein notes, the name is a combination of the two players’ jersey numbers as NBA players — O’Neal wore No. 7, while McGrady was No. 1.
According to Stein, McGrady and O’Neal are financially secure but have discussed the agency idea over the last couple years, with those talks intensifying over the last few months during the coronaavirus pandemic. The two former NBA stars view player representation as the best path for them to help young basketball players — especially young Black players.
“We think it’s needed, and we have a passion for it,” McGrady said. “We’re around kids every single day because we have youth programs. It just makes sense. We see the lack of information that these kids are getting, so we would be doing a disservice to our people if we don’t lend our expertise of what we know and help guide them. This is a calling that we have.”
As Stein details, the plan is for O’Neal to take the NBPA test in January to become a registered NBA agent. He would hold partner status in the new agency alongside McGrady, who would likely step away from his current broadcasting role, serving as the agency’s co-owner and as an adviser to players.
Many former NBA players transition into coaching jobs, front offices roles, or broadcasting careers, but the player-to-agent jump is less common. As Stein observes, B.J. Armstrong is perhaps the most notable former NBA player to make that move. McGrady and O’Neal acknowledge that it won’t be easy to break into the business and challenge established agents for current NBA players and/or top incoming prospects, but they’re optimistic their efforts will pay off.
“At the end of the day, they can’t get all the players,” McGrady said of those established agents. “Obviously it’s going to take us some time to get our feet wet and really understand how this thing works. But we’re not intimidated by anybody. We know there’s going to be a lot of people trying to poke holes into this.”
McGrady and O’Neal certainly have the NBA résumés to impress potential clients — while neither player won a championship, McGrady made seven All-Star teams, earned seven All-NBA nods, and won a pair of scoring titles in 15 seasons, en route to a Hall of Fame berth. O’Neal, meanwhile, made six All-Star teams and three All-NBA squads in 18 seasons. The two players also won consecutive Most Improved Player awards — McGrady in 2001 and O’Neal in 2002.
Steve Blake, Larry Greer No Longer On Suns’ Coaching Staff
The Suns will finish their season without assistant coaches Steve Blake and Larry Greer, writes Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. Head coach Monty Williams confirmed that both coaches are no longer with the team, but refused to provide an explanation.
“What they brought (to the team), especially the first 65 games and laying the foundation for our team and our program was invaluable,” Williams said after today’s practice. “We’re thankful for their contributions, (but) at the same time, everybody has to adapt in this league.”
“… The details of it all, I don’t want to get into. Organizations go through change and there are times where guys have to make decisions that are best for them and their families. It’s a tough loss to not have those guys, but those decisions have to be made and as a leader, I have to respect what’s best for the organization and what’s best for the individuals.”
Both coaches were in their first season with Phoenix, joining Williams’ staff shortly after he was hired last year.
Greer served as an assistant at Arizona State before breaking into the NBA as a scout with the Thunder in 2015 and later worked as a scout and assistant coach with Timberwolves. Blake played 13 NBA seasons, then spent two years with the Trail Blazers before joining the Suns.
“I’ve known Stevie since he was, gosh, a really young player,” Williams said. “Not quite a rookie, but I had him in Portland and I’ve watched him progress into a really good NBA player. Seen his family grow up and a lot of other boring stories that you don’t want to hear.”
Exhibitions To Start With 40-Minute Games
Games will be shorter as NBA teams open the exhibition schedule in a few days, writes Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press. Each team’s first game will have 10-minute quarters, giving players a chance to ease back into competition after a four-month break and to avoid putting a strain on teams that don’t have full rosters in Orlando yet.
Exhibitions will start with four games Wednesday and will continue through July 28. Each team plays three games, and the last two will be conducted with normal 12-minute quarters.
“This is a different situation,” Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle said. “In all areas, really. … I do think that there’s some latitude to do some different things.”
Other changes are being considered for the exhibition openers, Reynolds adds. Teams may be given the option of wearing practice gear instead of their uniforms, and the games might feature more than three referees, with the officials operating on a rotating system. Scores and stats will be kept normally.
Heat coach Erik Spoelstra told Reynolds he has talked with the coaches of the teams he will face in the exhibitions to see if there are any in-game situations they want to focus on.
“You have to fast-track so much before you get to that eight-game regular season,” Spoelstra said. … “We’ll approach it that way and play probably everybody available, but definitely work on some things and do a little bit of evaluating as well.”
Nets Sign Justin Anderson As Substitute Player
4:24pm: The signing is official, the team announced on Twitter.
3:42pm: Justin Anderson will sign with the Nets later today, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic.
Rumors of the 27-year-old swingman joining the team began in late June and continued last week when he discussed the possibility on a radio show (YouTube link). However, Brooklyn opted for Lance Thomas instead, making the deal official earlier this week.
Another spot opened up when veteran forward Michael Beasley tested positive for COVID-19 when he arrived in Orlando and failed to clear quarantine. It’s possible the Nets already knew they’d be replacing Beasley when they signed Thomas instead of Anderson last week.
Anderson signed a 10-day contract with the Nets in January and averaged 1.0 PPG in three games before being released by the organization. He also spent part of the season with Brooklyn’s G League affiliate in Long Island. A first-round pick by the Mavericks in 2015, Anderson had brief stops with the Sixers and Hawks as well.
Nets Owner Joe Tsai Not Involved In A-Rod, J-Lo Mets Bid
After Nets owner Joe Tsai was named as one of many high-profile sports figures attached to Alex Rodriguez and Jennifer Lopez’s bid to purchase the Mets, he denied being involved in the process on Saturday.
“Sorry Twitter, it is not true,” Tsai said in a tweet. “I grew up as a Mets fan and I have a lot of respect for Alex and Jennifer. But I’m not involved in bidding for the Mets. Gotta focus on basketball.”
Rodriguez and Lopez have put together a star-studded group as they attempt to acquire the MLB franchise, with multiple NBA names attached to the group. Wizards guard Bradley Beal and Nuggets big man Mason Plumlee — who originally named Tsai as part of the group— are among those involved. Additionally, Pro Football Hall of Famer Brian Urlacher, former Cleveland Browns offensive tackle Joe Thomas, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and former Cowboys running back DeMarco Murray are part of the bid.
Whether or not Rodriguez and Lopez are successful in their Mets venture remains to be seen. However, it appears it will be without the help of Tsai, who assumed full ownership of the Nets and Barclays Center last August.
Celtics Notes: Walker, Tatum, Williams
Four months after the season was suspended, Celtics guard Kemba Walker is still dealing with a left knee issue that hampered him right up until play stopped. The veteran guard admitted that frustration with the injury is mounting, ESPN’s Tim Bontemps writes.
“It’s definitely pretty frustrating, just because I’m not a guy who misses many games, especially throughout the course of my career,” Walker said. “I’m not really concerned much, honestly, because I’m trending upwards and I’m getting better and I’m getting closer to a return. So, yeah, I’m fine. And I’ll be back better than ever, I think.”
As we relayed last week, Boston head coach Brad Stevens said the team would take it slowly with Walker as teams resumed practice at the NBA campus in Orlando. Despite being limited by the injury, the 30-year-old feels he can help Boston capture a championship once play resumes and knee troubles are behind him.
“I think we can be pretty tough, for sure,” Walker said. “Since (Jayson Tatum)’s been killing it the way he’s been, I haven’t really been able to help out like I really wanted to, so yeah, I’m definitely looking forward to coming back and making an impact on my teammates and just being readier than I was before the season ended.”
Walker has averaged 21.2 PPG, 4.9 APG and 3.4 RPG for Boston in 50 games this season.
Check out more Celtics notes below:
- Tatum was in the midst of his best season to date before the league shuttered play and the Boston guard is not short on confidence, NBC Sports Boston’s Justin Leger writes. “I know what I’m capable of, what I think I’m capable of, what I’m striving for,” Tatum said. “That’s the edge that I have for myself. I step on the floor, I think I’m the best player every night.” In 59 games this season, Tatum averaged 23.6 PPG, 7.1 RPG and 2.9 APG for the Celtics.
- While Grant Williams made a solid impression in Boston during his rookie season, spotty outside shooting was the one detrimental aspect to his game. However, as practices have resumed, Williams has impressed with his apparent improved stroke from beyond the arc, Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports Boston writes.
- For all the latest Celtics updates, be sure to follow our C’s team page.
NBA End-Of-Season Awards To Be Predicated On Pre-Hiatus Play
The 2019/20 NBA season’s year-end awards will be voted on based on player performance up to the league’s coronavirus-necessitated hiatus on March 11, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium (Twitter link).
Those awards include Most Valuable Player, Defensive Player of the Year, Sixth Man of the Year, Rookie of the Year, Coach of the Year, Executive of the Year, and the All-NBA, All-Defensive, and All-Rookie Teams.
[RELATED: Hoops Rumors Reader Poll Results: 2020 All-NBA Teams]
Charania went on to note (via Twitter) that season statistics will incorporate player performance during the NBA’s eight “seeding” games that kick off July 30 for the NBA’s Disney World season restart, so league leaders in certain stat categories could still change.
The league’s decision on awards could have several ramifications for potential recipients of the various accolades. Players like Bradley Beal, who will not participate in the restart, will have a better shot at making one of the three All-NBA teams for the season. Rookie of the Year favorite Ja Morant and MVP frontrunner Giannis Antetokounmpo will no longer need to further cement their arguments for consideration.
According to Charania (Twitter link), the NBA will soon announce the voting process and its plan to announce this year’s award winners. Typically, media members would vote in the spring and the league would reveal the winners during a televised award show in June. However, it seems unlikely that an in-person ceremony will take place this year.
Wizards Sign Jarrod Uthoff As Substitute Player
3:37pm: The Wizards have officially signed Uthoff as a substitute player for the NBA season restart in Orlando, the team announced in a press release.
It’s not entirely clear which player Uthoff is replacing. An earlier tweet from John Hollinger of The Athletic indicated that he would be a substitute player for Bradley Beal. However, Beal’s absence is thought to considered injury-related, which would make him ineligible to be replaced, and Hollinger’s tweet has since been deleted.
Head coach Scott Brooks declined to say today which player Uthoff is replacing, per Ava Wallace of The Washington Post (Twitter link).
11:54am: Free agent forward Jarrod Uthoff will sign with the Wizards, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic.
Uthoff, 27, briefly saw action in the NBA this season after signing a 10-day contract with the Grizzlies in late February. He appeared in four games, averaging 1.0 PPG in limited playing time. He also played nine games for the Mavericks during the 2016/17 season.
Most of Uthoff’s professional career has been spent in the G League, where he has been with various teams since 2016. He was named to the All-NBAGL First Team this season as a member of the Memphis Hustle, averaging 19.0 points and 10.7 rebounds per game.