League Bans Media From Locker Rooms Due To Coronavirus
6:15 pm: The Professional Basketball Writers Association issued a statement saying it would temporarily comply with the ban.
“We understand the NBA’s decision to temporarily close locker rooms to everyone but players and essential team personnel with the NBA’s promise that once the coronavirus crisis abates, the league will restore full access to the journalists who cover the league.”
6:06pm: The NBA, NHL, MLB and MLS have jointly announced that locker room access will be limited to players and essential personnel, sports business expert Scott Soshnick tweets.
The APSE and six writers organizations have issued a statement asserting that they are intent on preserving a safe work environment but that “we also must ensure the locker room access — which we have negotiated over decades — to players, coaches and staff is not unnecessarily limited in either the short or long term. We look forward to open communication with the leagues as, together, we deal with this serious health matter.”
5:25pm: The NBA is planning to ban the media from locker rooms due to concerns over the coronavirus, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN tweets.
Only players and essential team personnel would be allowed in locker rooms. Essential personnel would include coaches, front office members, basketball staff and the team’s public relations representatives. Teams have also been instructed to create a 6-to-8 foot distance between players and media members during interviews outside locker rooms.
The locker room ban is among recommendations from experts in the infectious disease and public health fields.
The NHL was the first major pro sports league to shutter the media from its locker rooms due to coronavirus fears. MLB is planning to make the same move, according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan.
The league has scheduled a conference call with team owners and governors to outline the steps that will be taken to fight the spread of the virus. More drastic measures could be on the horizon, including the possibility of teams playing games with only essential personnel in arenas if the virus continues to spread rapidly in the U.S. and Canada.
Grizzlies Expect Jackson, Winslow Back Within Next Week
The Grizzlies will be getting some reinforcements off the injured list soon as they continue their push to secure the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference. The team announced today in a press release that forwards Jaren Jackson Jr. (knee) and Justise Winslow (back) are both likely to return to action within the next week.
Jackson, who is dealing with a sprained left knee, has been on the shelf since suffering that injury on February 21. Before going down, he was one of Memphis’ leading scorers, with 16.9 PPG, 4.7 RPG, and 1.6 BPG in 54 contests (28.0 MPG).
As for Winslow, he has yet to actually appear in a game for the Grizzlies, having been acquired from the Heat in the three-team trade that sent Andre Iguodala and Jae Crowder to Miami at last month’s deadline. The centerpiece of that trade from Memphis’ perspective, Winslow has been limited to just 11 games on the season due to injuries. In 2018/19, he recorded 12.6 PPG, 5.4 RPG, and 4.3 APG in 66 games (29.7 MPG) for the Heat.
The Grizzlies have been holding their own without Jackson and Winslow — their 32-32 record gives them a four-game lead on the Pelicans and Kings for the West’s final playoff spot. Still, Memphis isn’t in the clear yet. New Orleans, in particular, is a candidate to make a run at the No. 8 seed, since the Pels have the league’s easiest schedule for the rest of the season, per Tankathon. The Grizzlies have the second-hardest rest-of-season slate.
Although Jackson and Winslow are close to returning, the same can’t be said for Brandon Clarke, who remains sidelined with a right quad strain. The Grizzlies’ announcement today did offer some optimism on Clarke’s recovery though, indicating that he’s still expected to return before the end of the season.
NBA To Discuss Coronavirus With Team Owners On Wednesday Call
The NBA has scheduled a conference call with its team owners and governors for Wednesday afternoon, sources tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and Zach Lowe (Twitter link). According to ESPN’s duo, the call will focus on the coronavirus outbreak and the next steps for teams and the league as a whole.
A previous report suggested that the NBA wanted its teams to have precautionary measures in place by Tuesday, so it makes sense that the league would follow up on Wednesday. Still, it doesn’t sound as if Wednesday’s call will just be a routine check-in.
As Wojnarowski explains in a follow-up tweet, concerns are increasing among owners and team executives that more drastic measures could be around the corner for the NBA. That includes the possibility of teams playing games with only essential personnel in arenas. A report last week indicated that the league had asked clubs to prepare for that scenario in case the coronavirus outbreak continued to worsen.
A handful of players have expressed reservations about the idea of playing behind closed doors. Goran Dragic suggested it would feel like “a pick-up game or practice,” while Kemba Walker said it would be “terrible,” adding that “they might as well cancel the whole game before that.” LeBron James issued the strongest statement on the subject, telling reporters he wouldn’t play in that scenario.
There’s no indication yet that the NBA is leaning toward going that route — we should find out more about the league’s plans following Wednesday’s conference call.
Clippers Sign Joakim Noah To 10-Day Contract
MARCH 9: The Clippers have officially signed Noah to his 10-day contract, sources tell Jovan Buha of The Athletic (Twitter link). The deal will run through March 18, covering the club’s next five games.
MARCH 6: The Clippers have reached an agreement to sign free agent center Joakim Noah, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (via Twitter).
According to Wojnarowski, Noah is expected to officially join the team next week. No corresponding roster move will be required, since L.A. has an opening on its 15-man roster.
Noah’s deal with the Clippers will start as a 10-day contract, a source tells Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link). That will give the club a chance to audition Noah and potentially change course if things don’t go well. Presumably, if it’s a good fit, a rest-of-season agreement will follow.
Noah, 35, last played in the NBA for the Grizzlies, appearing in 42 games during the 2018/19 season and averaging 7.1 PPG, 5.7 RPG, and 2.1 APG in 16.5 minutes per contest. The big man reportedly had a workout lined up with the Clippers last September, but was forced to cancel it after suffering an injury.
Noah published an Instagram video in late January showing him training and confirming that he had been recovering from an Achilles injury. He stated at the time that he was looking to make a return to the NBA, with a post-deadline report suggesting that he was “fully healthy” and remained an option for the Clippers. The Nuggets were also said to be considering the veteran free agent.
In Los Angeles, Noah will provide frontcourt depth for a Clippers team that had been on the lookout for a true center with size. Montrezl Harrell and Ivica Zubac have done an admirable job handling the five for L.A. this season, but neither player is necessarily an ideal matchup for the NBA’s standout traditional centers.
The Clippers’ potential path to the Finals may require them to get past big men like Anthony Davis, Nikola Jokic, Rudy Gobert, and/or Steven Adams, so it makes sense that the team wants one more defensive-minded option up front, just in case.
Noah will earn $144,901 on a 10-day contract, with the Clippers carrying a cap charge of $91,557.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Grizzlies Sign Jontay Porter To Multi-Year Deal
The Grizzlies have signed rookie forward/center Jontay Porter to a multi-year contract, the team announced in a press release on Sunday.
The deal is guaranteed through this season and contains a team option for the 2020/21 season, Omari Sankofa II of The Athletic tweets. Chris Herrington of The Daily Memphian adds (via Twitter) that Porter will earn a league-minimum salary.
Porter, the younger brother of Nuggets forward Michael Porter Jr., has progressed well in his rehab from two separate knee injuries and is projected to be ready by training camp in the fall, the release states. Memphis will use Jarrod Uthoff‘s roster spot to sign Porter, with Uthoff’s 10-day deal recently expiring.
Porter, 20, went undrafted last June after spending multiple seasons at Missouri. Despite the fact that he tore his ACL multiple times during his college career, he was still viewed by ESPN as a top-50 prospect when he declared for the draft last April.
Giannis Antetokounmpo Has Minor Knee Sprain
The leading 2019/20 MVP candidate, Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo, suffered a minor left knee joint capsule sprain in Friday’s 113-103 loss to the Lakers, per a team press release (hat tip to Malika Andrews of ESPN).
Andrews relays that the Greek Freak will not be available for at least the final two contests of the Bucks’ current road trip, bouts against the bottom-feeding Suns and the Western Conference’s No. 3 seed, the Nuggets.
Antetokounmpo may miss more time than just the next two games. The Bucks’ next home game is Thursday, when they host the East’s No. 3 seeded Celtics. The Bucks will have an update on Giannis’ availability for what could be a pivotal intra-conference contest within the week.
The Bucks are the No. 1 seed in the East with an impressive 53-10 record. They are 8.5 games clear of the No. 2 seed, the 44-18 Raptors. A terrific two-way player, Antetokounmpo’s stellar individual season has been a huge part of that equation: in 57 games, he is averaging 29.6 PPG, 13.7 RPG, and 5.8 APG during just 30.9 MPG.
Pacers, Lance Stephenson Talking Possible Reunion
Two-time Pacers guard Lance Stephenson is reportedly in “strong talks” for his third tour of duty with the franchise that drafted him with the No. 40 pick in 2010, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium (Twitter link). Charania notes that nothing is finalized yet.
Stephenson could be a helpful addition to a Pacers team that has been depleted at the wing due to a season-ending knee injuries to Jeremy Lamb and a quadriceps injury suffered by Malcolm Brogdon, who is now week-to-week.
Indiana needs all the help it can get. The Pacers are currently the No. 5 seed in the East, but their 38-25 record puts them just 0.5 games ahead of the No. 6 seed Sixers.
Stephenson is currently signed to the Liaoning Flying Leopards of the Chinese Basketball Association, which has postponed all its games amidst the developing coronavirus outbreak. Charania notes that Stephenson will need permission from FIBA and the CBA to leave the Flying Leopards and return to the Pacers.
Stephenson has been working out in the U.S. since January, splitting his time between his hometown of New York City and Indiana in the hopes making an NBA comeback, per Scott Agness of The Athletic (Twitter link).
Along with Paul George, David West, George Hill and Roy Hibbert, the pesky 6’6″ off-guard Stephenson was a core cog on some exciting Pacers teams that pushed the Heat in the playoffs during 2011/12, 2012/13 and 2013/14. The latter two teams battled the Heat in two close Eastern Conference Finals finals contests in 2013 and 2014.
After his initial tenure with the Pacers, Stephenson inked a three-year, $27MM contract with the Hornets instead of a five-year, $44MM deal with Indiana. He then bounced around for stints with the Clippers, Grizzlies, Timberwolves and Pelicans before returning to Bankers Life Fieldhouse in 2017.
Stephenson last played for the Lakers in a disappointing 2018/19 season, in which he averaged just 16.5 MPG and put up 7.2 PPG, 3.2 RPG and 2.1 APG.
Warriors Plan Second 10-Day Contract For Mychal Mulder
Rookie guard Mychal Mulder made a strong impression on his first 10-day contract with the Warriors and appears to have earned another one, writes Anthony Slater of The Athletic. Mulder’s contract expired after last night’s game, but he went out with a flourish, scoring 18 points in a win over the Sixers.
He has gotten into six games since signing with the team on February 27 and is averaging 12.3 PPG in 29.5 minutes per night. He has made 16 total 3-pointers and is shooting 35.6% from long distance. Slater notes that among 22 players who have been on Golden State’s roster this season, Mulder is the only one with a positive plus-minus rating.
“Mike is fantastic,” coach Steve Kerr told reporters after Saturday’s game. “A really good player. Good defensively. We are lucky to have him. I know this is his final day of 10-day, but we are anxious to get him back in some way, so I’m sure that’s going to happen.”
This is Mulder’s first NBA opportunity after three seasons and 134 games in the G League. He spent training camp and the preseason with the Heat after signing an Exhibit 10 contract, but was waived before the season began.
The Warriors don’t play again until Tuesday, so they may hold off on the signing for a couple of days to get maximum value out of Mulder’s next 10-day deal. Once that expires, they will have to sign him for the rest of the season if they want to keep him on the roster.
NBA Sets Tuesday Deadline For Coronavirus Plans
The NBA wants all its teams to have precautionary measures in place by Tuesday to handle an outbreak of the coronavirus, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
A memo from the league office instructs the teams to make plans to reduce the size of their traveling parties and calls for mandatory distribution of hand sanitizer to players and staff. Players have already been advised to change the way they deal with fans, with autographs and handshakes being discouraged.
A conference call will be held Monday with doctors and trainers from all 30 teams, Wojnarowski adds. Teams are being instructed to have an infectious disease specialist on call as well as a nearby facility that can test for the virus. Teams are also asked to designate a limited number of employees who will be permitted to have close contact with the players.
Earlier today, we passed along a report that media members may be barred from locker rooms over coronavirus fears. A memo from the league office yesterday ordered teams to make plans to play in empty arenas if the virus outbreak becomes severe.
Kevon Looney Out At Least 3 Weeks; Stephen Curry Diagnosed With Flu
Warriors center/power forward Kevon Looney is experiencing left hip soreness and will be re-evaluated in three weeks, the team announced on Twitter. Looney has missed the past three games because of pain in the hip area and has played only 20 times all season.
It has been a tough fifth season for Looney, who signed a three-year, $15MM extension last summer. He dealt with a a neuropathic condition early in the campaign, then an abdominal strain caused him to miss 18 games in December and January.
With five and a half weeks remaining, Golden State may decide to keep Looney out of action and get him ready for next season. However, coach Steve Kerr says the organization hasn’t considered that yet (Twitter link from Nick Friedell of ESPN)
In a separate tweet, the Warriors announced that Stephen Curry has been diagnosed with the flu. Team doctor Robert Nied is calling it a “seasonal flu,” adding that Curry has “no specific risk factors” for the coronavirus. Curry returned to action Thursday for the first time since breaking his left hand in late October.