NBA In Talks To Alter Seeding, Schedule And Playoff Play-In
Serious discussions between the NBA, National Basketball Players Association and broadcast partners could see an altered league with changes to the league’s schedule, reseeding of four conference finalists, a postseason play-in and a 30-team in-season tournament, ESPN’s Zach Lowe and Adrian Wojnarowski report.
As the discussions progress, the hope is to bring a vote to the annual April meeting of the NBA’s Board of Governors which could include most, if not all, of the proposals, per ESPN’s report. The goal would be for these changes to take effect for the 2021/22 season, the NBA’s 75th anniversary.
For starters, the proposal would include a reduction in the schedule from 82 games to a minimum of 78 games, Lowe and Wojnarowski report. There would exist a remote possibility of teams possibly playing a maximum of 83 games given various tournament and play-in scenarios, sources told ESPN.
In regards to the in-season tournament, the league is looking at 30-team participation that begins with a divisional group stage of already scheduled regular-season contests. Coming out of the tournament would be six divisional winners based on the best home and away records in the group stage, according the report. Teams with the next best two records advance to a single-elimination knockout round under the current proposal.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver has been a major proponent of the in-season tournament, modeling it after European soccer. Silver explained to the New York Times’ Marc Stein in late May that he was examining various scenarios to alter the league.
“It’s incumbent on me to constantly be looking at other organizations and seeing what it is we can do better and learn from them,” Silver told Stein. “In the case of European soccer, I think there is something we can learn from them.
“I also recognize I’m up against some of the traditionalists who say no one will care about that other competition, that other trophy, you create. And my response to that is, ‘Organizations have the ability to create new traditions.’ It won’t happen overnight.”
As far as the postseason play-in, Wojnarowski and Lowe write that two four-team tournaments would transpire with the seventh, eighth, ninth and 10th seeds in each respective conference. The seventh would host the eighth seed with the victor taking seventh seed honors. The same would apply for the ninth and 10th seed, with the winner in each respective conference earning the final playoff spots.
While the baseline ideas are being discussed, other things that will need to be ironed out. How players and coaches are compensated for the changed schedule, how television partners would be impacted with changed schedules and more. However, there’s some traction to potentially change the landscape of the NBA for the 2021/22 campaign.
Kyrie Irving To Miss Nets’ Upcoming Road Trip
Nets point guard Kyrie Irving will miss Brooklyn’s upcoming three-game road trip that will include matchups against the Knicks, Cavaliers and Celtics, the team announced on Friday (via ESPN). Brooklyn noted that Irving will be reassessed once the trip concludes.
Irving, 27, has already missed the Nets’ past four contests due to a shoulder impingement. Before the injury, the six-time All-Star had been a force, averaging career-highs with 28.5 PPG and 7.2 APG across 11 games. The upcoming absence will force Irving to miss his first matchup against his former team, the Celtics, after departing from Boston in free agency over the summer.
“I don’t think it’s something he can play through right now,” Nets head coach Kenny Atkinson said after practice Thursday. “The shoulder is a sensitive spot, especially for a point guard — you’re like a quarterback.”
The recent absence of Irving, Caris LeVert being sidelined due to thumb surgery, and Kevin Durant likely out for 2019/20 due to a torn Achilles has contributed to Brooklyn’s 7-8 record. The Nets occupy the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference.
Charges Dropped Against DeMarcus Cousins
Lakers center DeMarcus Cousins had charges of third-degree harassing communications against him dropped and a misdemeanor case dismissed, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports.
The case involved a misdemeanor domestic violence charge involving an alleged threat made by Cousins against an ex-girlfriend in Alabama over the summer. An arrest warrant was issued by the Mobile police department at that time.
The allegations were made by Christy West, the mother of their seven-year-old child. Cousins allegedly threatened to shoot her during an argument in which West refused to allow the son to attend Cousins’ wedding.
Cousins isn’t completely out of the woods in terms of potential NBA punishment over the incident. The league could still fine or suspend him as part of the league’s domestic violence policy.
A league spokesman said “We are reviewing the outcome of today’s proceedings,” Tania Ganguli of the Los Angeles Times tweets.
Counsins is expected to miss this season after suffering a torn ACL in August. The Lakers were granted a disabled player exception, though head coach Frank Vogel said late last month that they haven’t ruled out the possibility that Cousins – who is on a one-year contract – could suit up for the club during the postseason.
Players Association Appeals Waiters’ Suspension
The NBA Players Association has filed an appeal of Dion Waiters‘ 10-game team suspension, Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel tweets.
Waiters is trying recoup $834K in lost wages but the appeal won’t allow him to suit up any sooner. The appeal includes 30-day notice and the disputed amount will be held in escrow, Winderman continues. Waiters’ initial one-game suspension and the wages lost has also been appealed, Winderman adds.
The 10-game suspension imposed by the Heat for conduct detrimental to the team was announced on November 10th after a bizarre incident on the team plane.
Waiters experienced a medical episode on a team flight after consuming a “gummy,” an edible form of marijuana.
“We are very disappointed in Dion’s actions this season that include the very scary situation on Thursday night, and grateful that the outcome wasn’t worse,” the Heat said in a statement at that time. “There have been a number of instances this season in which Dion has engaged in conduct detrimental to the team.
“… We expect all of our players, including Dion, to conduct themselves in accordance with the highest standards, and to show professionalism and respect for their teammates, the team, the fans and the NBA community.”
Waiters will be eligible to return on December 1 in Brooklyn. However, the shooting guard had already lost his rotation spot prior to the suspension.
The first suspension, also for conduct detrimental to the team, banned him for the first game of the season. He has yet to play a single regular-season minute. Waiters also irritated the front office when he took to social media following his first suspension and took shots at head coach Erik Spoeltra.
Waiters is making $12.1MM this season and has another year and $12.65MM remaining on his contract.
Hornets To Pursue Andre Drummond
Andre Drummond is expected to be one of the best available players in a weak 2020 free agent class and the Pistons will have competition for his services. Sean Deveney of Heavy.com hears that the Hornets will pursue the big man this offseason.
Charlotte has had interest in Drummond for over a year and the franchise is expected to have significant cap space this summer for the first time in years. Bismack Biyombo ($17MM), Marvin Williams ($15MM), and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist ($13MM) will all see their deals expire, setting the Hornets up for a chance to add new talent in free agency.
“He’ll be a priority there,” one league executive told Deveney. “It’s just a matter of whether they make him a priority now and give up something to get him or try to make the move later. It’s a very cautious group, Mitch Kupchak and those guys. But they might want to get this guy into the fold sooner rather than later, there’s just a lot of incentive there on both sides.”
The Hornets have interest in securing Drummond via trade before this year’s deadline, though the Pistons have shown no indication that they are willing to move the center. However, Detroit has had talks with other teams about the big man in previous years and a rough start to the season has to make the franchise take a hard look in the mirror.
An offer for Drummond likely would not include one of their young, promising players (Devonte’ Graham, Miles Bridges, Malik Monk, or PJ Washington), though Deveney writes that if Charlotte includes one of the group, it’s likely to be Monk. The Hornets can keep all of those players if it waits until free agent to pursue the big man, though there are advantages to acquiring Drummond sooner, such as acquiring the center’s Bird Rights and having him on the roster to help the Hornets (6-9 as of this writing) make a playoff push in the Eastern Conference.
Nikola Vucevic To Miss At Least Four Weeks With Ankle Injury
Magic center Nikola Vucevic is expected to be sidelined for at least the next four weeks due to a right ankle injury, league sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).
Vucevic turned his ankle during an awkward fall in the second quarter of Wednesday’s loss to the Raptors and was wearing a walking boot after the game. Although initial X-rays were negative, the Magic had their All-Star big man undergo an MRI today to determine the extent of the injury.
It’s a tough blow for an Orlando team that is off to a slow start on offense this season and will now be missing one of its top two scorers for at least the next month or so. In Vucevic’s absence, Khem Birch and Mo Bamba should see increased roles in the middle.
We’re still waiting to hear whether Aaron Gordon, who also suffered a right ankle injury in Toronto on Wednesday, will miss time too. Gordon’s injury didn’t appear to be as serious as Vucevic’s, but the forward was expected to be re-evaluated today.
Early Results Reduce Market For Chris Paul
If the Thunder are hoping to trade Chris Paul soon, the first month of the NBA season hasn’t done them any favors, writes Berry Tramel of The Oklahoman, who notes that the teams most likely to be interested have all gotten off to strong starts.
The Heat were the focus of trade rumors after Oklahoma City acquired Paul from the Rockets in July, but Miami sits at 10-3 after winning tonight. Offseason addition Jimmy Butler is the team’s assist leader at 7.2 per game as they are succeeding without a traditional point guard. The Heat have already made it clear that their interest in Paul is tied to a return of the draft picks they owe OKC, and they may be even more reluctant now to break up a winning combination.
The Lakers have also been mentioned as a possibility because of Paul’s friendship with LeBron James. However, they hold the NBA’s best record at 12-2 and James leads the league in assists at 11.1 per game as he has developed an instant chemistry with Anthony Davis.
The Timberwolves, who chased D’Angelo Russell in the offseason, are off to a better-than-expected 8-7 start, Tramel notes, while the Bucks, who have incentive to gamble for a title before Giannis Antetokounmpo can become a free agent in 2021, are 11-3 and are reluctant to become a taxpaying team.
Paul’s contract remains an impediment to any deal, as he is signed for $41.3MM next season with a $44.2MM player option for 2021/22. He has played well for OKC, averaging 15.8 points and 5.6 assists through 14 games, but the Thunder appear to need at least one prospective trade partner to stumble before any progress can be made on a deal.
Carmelo Anthony Talks About NBA Return
Carmelo Anthony‘s first NBA game in 12 months wasn’t remarkable, but being back on the court was satisfying enough for the future Hall of Famer. Anthony scored 10 points and made just four of 14 shots in a loss at New Orleans, but he showed he can still contribute to an NBA team after a year in exile.
Anthony’s long wait to return to the league ended last week when he got an offer to sign a non-guaranteed deal with Portland. It gave Anthony a shot at redemption after brief, disappointing stays with the Thunder and Rockets.
“The greatest feeling of all was to feel wanted by a group of guys who believe in me and my talent and what I can bring to the game,” Anthony said after Tuesday’s contest. “It wasn’t just the players. It was the coaching staff. They really showed a strong level of belief in me and what I can still do.” (Twitter link from Joe Freeman of The Oregonian).
Anthony’s return wasn’t just an important moment for him, notes Jason Quick of The Athletic. Many of his peers also wanted to be part of the experience. Pelicans guard Josh Hart took a picture as Anthony warmed up. Ex-players Nick Van Exel and Antonio Daniels captured it on video. Social media was filled with comments from players and celebrities welcoming Anthony back to the league.
“I think the expression is ‘game recognizes game,’” Blazers coach Terry Stotts said of the attention.
Quick adds that many players are dismayed about the way Anthony’s career has fizzled in his later years. While other stars get farewell tours, Anthony was scapegoated for a bad situation in New York, seemed to be a poor fit in Oklahoma City, then was told to leave the team after 10 games in Houston. Some believe he was blackballed around the league, and they want him to enjoy a more gracious farewell from the game.
“I feel like it’s been an unfair shake towards him,” new teammate Rodney Hood said. “Everybody knows how talented he is. But you know how it is in this league; once there is a narrative about a guy, it sticks with you and follows you. The fact that he got waived was crazy to me, and that nobody picked him up earlier than now is crazy as well. I’ve always advocated for his return.”
Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni insists Anthony doesn’t deserve to be blamed for what happened in Houston. He said last year’s team, which stumbled out of the gate, wasn’t “structurally ready” to play and had problems that extended far beyond Anthony.
“It wasn’t his fault,” D’Antoni said. “It was everybody. We just got off to a slow start and wanted to go a little different route. He did everything we asked, and he was good when he was here. I hope it works (in Portland). He’s a leader. There was nothing at all, not even a hint of him not doing what we asked or trying, or all of that. It just, for us, for whatever reason, it just wasn’t a good fit at that time.”
Anthony got a few calls from interested teams after the Rockets cut ties with him last November, but no one ever came close to an offer, according to Quick. He eventually told agent Leon Rose not to contact him unless a deal was near completion.
Anthony remained on the Rockets’ roster, although inactive, for two months. In a move to clear cap room, Houston sent him to the Bulls in January, along with enough cash to cover his salary. Ten days later, Chicago placed him on waivers.
Blazers star Damian Lillard, who tried to recruit Anthony to Portland in the summer of 2017, was shocked that he spent a whole year out of the NBA.
“It wasn’t like Melo did something crazy to get kicked out of the league,” Lillard said. “A player of his caliber, without a reputation for doing wild stuff, and there’s not a real reason for him not to get an opportunity? It was weird. And I think that’s why so many people are in support of him, because they respect him, they are a fan of him, and they know he can still play.”
Trail Blazers Waive Pau Gasol
6:12pm: The move is official, the Trail Blazers announced on Twitter.
3:50pm: The Trail Blazers have released veteran big man Pau Gasol, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Gasol himself announced the news on Instagram, suggesting he’ll now be able to “focus all my energy on my rehabilitation.”
As Wojnarowski notes, Gasol underwent surgery on his left foot in the spring and has remained sidelined this fall as he attempts to rehab that injury. According to Woj, Gasol and the Blazers are working on a potential coaching role for the 39-year-old as he remains in Portland for rehab purposes.
Hopefully Gasol can get back to 100%, since it would be unfortunate to see him forced into retirement for health reasons. At age 39, the odds may be against a comeback, but even if he doesn’t play in another NBA game, he has a Hall of Fame résumé, including four All-NBA nods, two championships, and three Olympic medals.
Portland is now back down to 14 players after signing Carmelo Anthony as its 15th man on Tuesday. The Blazers may keep that final roster spot open for now in order to avoid tacking more money onto their projected tax bill. However, the opening could come in handy if the team wants to add more frontcourt depth as Jusuf Nurkic and Zach Collins continue to recover from injuries of their own.
Interestingly, while Gasol was believed to be on a guaranteed minimum-salary contract, Wojnarowski says the Blazers “had protections” on that one-year deal. ESPN’s Bobby Marks tweets that the agreement included an Exhibit 3 clause for a “prior injury exclusion.” That clause protected the Blazers in the event that Gasol’s left ankle and foot continued to cause problems, though it’s unclear exactly how much the team will save.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
James Wiseman Suspended 11 More Games
NBA teams will get about half a season to watch James Wiseman in college before deciding if he’s worthy of the No. 1 pick. The NCAA has announced that the Memphis center will be suspended for 11 additional games, making him eligible to return for a January 12 contest at South Florida.
Memphis plans to appeal the suspension, tweets Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports.
The punishment, which brings his suspension to 12 total games, was imposed “based on recruiting inducements his family received before he enrolled at Memphis and for competing in three games while he was ineligible,” the NCAA stated in its release.
Wiseman will also be required to make an $11,500 donation “to a charity of his choice,” tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic. That’s the amount that Wiseman’s family received in moving expenses from Tigers coach Penny Hardaway to relocate to Memphis in 2017.
Jonathan Givony of ESPN notes that Wiseman will still have 16 regular season games – plus the AAC Tournament and probably the NCAA Tournament – to show scouts what he can do (Twitter link). Givony listed Wiseman as the top pick in ESPN’s mock draft earlier this month.
Wiseman was ruled ineligible on November 8, but was granted an “emergency temporary restraining order” and played that night against UIC. He has appeared in three games, averaging 19.7 points, 10.7 rebounds and 3.0 blocks per night.