Bronny James Discharged From Hospital After Cardiac Arrest
After suffering cardiac arrest on Monday during a workout at USC’s Galen Center, incoming Trojan freshman and potential 2024 first-round pick Bronny James has been discharged from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, writes Jeff Borzello of ESPN.
“Thanks to the swift and effective response by the USC athletics’ medical staff, Bronny James was successfully treated for a sudden cardiac arrest,” Merije Chukumerije, the consulting cardiologist for James, said in a statement. “He arrived at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center fully conscious, neurologically intact and stable. Mr. James was cared for promptly by highly-trained staff and has been discharged home, where he is resting.
“Although his workup will be ongoing, we are hopeful for his continued progress and are encouraged by his response, resilience, and his family and community support.”
NBA superstar LeBron James, Bronny’s father, sent out a tweet on Thursday indicating his son was home.
“I want to thank the countless people sending my family love and prayers,” LeBron wrote. “We feel you and I’m so grateful. Everyone doing great. We have our family together, safe and healthy, and we feel your love. Will have more to say when we’re ready but I wanted to tell everyone how much your support has meant to all of us!”
A family spokesperson told Shams Charania of The Athletic (via Twitter) that Bronny was released late Tuesday night, so he was in the hospital for less than 48 hours.
A report from TMZ early Wednesday morning indicated the James family was “relieved” and feeling “optimistic” about Bronny’s prognosis. That said, sources tell TMZ that more tests need to be run before doctors can determine why the young guard suffered the cardiac arrest.
Spurs Re-Sign Sandro Mamukelashvili To One-Year Deal
JULY 27: Mamukelashvili’s new contract is official, the Spurs announced in a press release.
JULY 1: The Spurs are re-signing forward/center Sandro Mamukelashvili, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, who reports (via Twitter) that the Georgian big man will be receiving a one-year, $2MM contract. That means he’ll be receiving the veteran’s minimum.
After spending four college seasons at Seton Hall, Mamukelashvili was selected 54th overall in the 2021 draft. He spent the majority of his first two NBA seasons on a two-way contract with the Bucks, but his playing time was very limited at the NBA level — he averaged 3.2 PPG and 2.1 RPG on .439/.345/.750 shooting in 65 games (9.6 MPG) from 2021-23.
Milwaukee waived the 24-year-old in March, and he was claimed by the Spurs, who converted his two-way deal into a rest-of-season standard contract.
As Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News writes, Mamukelashvili impressed the Spurs down the stretch by averaging 10.8 PPG, 6.8 RPG and 2.4 APG on .453/.343/.692 shooting in 19 games (seven starts, 23.3 MPG). Head coach Gregg Popovich seemed particularly fond of the former second-round pick, Orborn adds.
“He is athletic, he’s got size, he’s European, which makes me love him right off that bat because I think those guys are unbelievably well-coached and overall understand the game better than most of us here,” Popovich said. “He moves without the ball, he shoots it pretty well, he can pass, he’s got good speed. I like everything about him.”
International Notes: Towns, Hollis-Jefferson, Cleveland, Holland
Timberwolves big man Karl-Anthony Towns announced on Instagram that he will compete for the Dominican Republic in next month’s FIBA World Cup, Chris Hine of The Star Tribune relays.
As Hine notes, Towns’ late mother was from the Caribbean country. The national team’s preliminary roster, which includes Towns, features a handful of other players with varying levels of NBA experience, including Al Horford, Chris Duarte, Lester Quinones and Justin Minaya.
Towns last competed for the senior national team in 2013 during the AmeriCup tournament, according to FIBA. The president of the Dominican basketball federation previously expressed optimism that Towns would suit up for the World Cup, which begins August 25.
Here are some more international notes:
- Former NBA forward Rondae Hollis-Jefferson is in the process of obtaining Jordanian citizenship in order to play for Jordan’s national team at the World Cup, according to Cesare Milanti of Eurohoops.net. Hollis-Jefferson, 28, played for the Nets, Raptors and Trail Blazers over the course of his six NBA seasons, holding career averages of 9.0 points and 5.5 rebounds in 22.2 minutes per game.
- Antonius Cleveland has inked a two-year deal with Israel’s Maccabi Tel Aviv, per a team press release (hat tip to Sportando). Cleveland split last season playing for teams in Australia and Israel. The 29-year-old holds 28 games of NBA experience over two seasons with the Mavericks and Hawks.
- John Holland, who spent 14 months and played 25 games with the Cavaliers from 2017-18, has signed with Israel’s Hapoel Tel Aviv, the team announced in a press release. The 34-year-old swingman is a well-traveled veteran, having played for teams in France, Spain, Turkey, Russia and most recently Serbia (Crvena Zvedza) over the course of his career.
Central Notes: Williams, Pistons, Haliburton, Toppin, Mitchell
The inclusion of young Pistons guards Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren on USA Basketball’s Select Team ahead of the August FIBA World Cup is a positive sign for Detroit, writes Keith Langlois of Pistons.com.
As Langlois explains, even being named to the group against which Team USA will scrimmage should be seen as a big honor, and being able to rub shoulders with some of the elite young players in the game should help clue the two young Pistons into just what it takes to thrive as a pro.
According to Langlois, Cunningham, the No. 1 pick in the 2021 draft, actually received an invitation to join Team USA’s World Cup roster, but opted for a “more measured approach” as he continues to rehabilitate his surgically repaired shin.
There’s more out of the Central Division:
- New Pistons head coach Monty Williams will have numerous options as he susses out Detroit’s rotation, writes Langlois in a separate piece. Langlois notes that, while the starting roles of Cunningham, Jaden Ivey, and power forward Bojan Bogdanovic are secure, it will be up to Williams to configure the rest of the club’s rotation.
- Pacers All-Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton and newly acquired power forward Obi Toppin gave fans a tantalizing look at their on-court fit during Kyle Guy‘s Dizzy Runs Pro Am in Noblesville, Indiana, per The Indianapolis Star (subscriber-only link). Toppin discussed his offseason program. “It’s been mostly making shots and working on some of the actions that are different than New York’s,” Toppin said. “It’s just learning the new lingo and the offense that they run. I’ve been working with Ty with that and he’s been teaching me a little bit.”
- The Cavaliers’ priority is holding onto All-Star shooting guard Donovan Mitchell long-term with a team that he enjoys, not trading him, writes Sean Deveney of Heavy.com. Mitchell has a player option for 2025/26, meaning he could reach free agency in just two seasons. “They’re doing their best to reconfigure things around him and just keep rolling out the red carpet, making sure he knows he is taking care of, all of that,” a source told Deveney. “No one is hitting the eject button on this… Make him happy, make him comfortable, that is the job.”
Bulls Notes: Luxury Tax, Rotation, Williams, Dosunmu
The Bulls will likely be close to the luxury tax threshold all season, but K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago doesn’t expect them to be willing to end the year in tax territory. Executive vice president Arturas Karnisovas said on draft night that he would lobby ownership to pay the tax for a contender, but Johnson states that it’s hard to see him getting approval for a team that finished 10th in the East last season.
Johnson estimates that the Bulls are about $2.4MM away from tax territory with two open roster spots. He expects the team to unload point guard Carlik Jones, whose non-guaranteed $1.9MM salary is roughly the same as a veteran’s minimum contract, and try to get frontcourt help instead.
Johnson adds that filling both roster openings with minimum contracts would put Chicago slightly over the tax line. He expects management to keep one spot open heading into the season and see what opportunities become available to add players. The Bulls have about half of their $12.4MM non-taxpayer mid-level exception remaining, along with a $4.5MM bi-annual exception and a $10.2MM disabled player exception that was granted for Lonzo Ball‘s injury.
There’s more from Chicago:
- Billy Donovan‘s 10-man rotation appears set with training camp two months away, and the biggest questions seem to be who will start at point guard and power forward, Johnson adds in the same piece. If Donovan continues his emphasis on defense, Johnson expects newly acquired Torrey Craig to get the nod at power forward, with either Alex Caruso or free agent addition Jevon Carter running the point. The return of Derrick Jones Jr. or a free agent signing such as Rudy Gay could upend the current rotation, Johnson adds, possibly pushing out Andre Drummond.
- Bulls officials want Patrick Williams to become more aggressive as he enters his fourth NBA season, according to Johnson. Williams returned from an injury to play all 82 games last season, and Johnson believes the organization should be patient with a player who won’t turn 22 until next month.
- The Bulls may have slightly overpaid for Ayo Dosunmu, but keeping him on the roster was still a good move, contends Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic. The restricted free agent received $21MM over three years and now has to make a case for consistent playing time in a crowded backcourt.
New York Notes: Randle, Knicks, Long Island Nets, Simmons
Knicks All-Star power forward Julius Randle seems to be on the mend following his offseason arthroscopic surgery on his left ankle last month. As Belle Fraser of The New York Post writes, Randle shared a new workout video to his personal Instagram account.
Randle sat out the final five contests of the 2022/23 regular season after spraining his ankle in a late March bout with the Heat. He then re-aggravated the ailment during the closeout bout of New York’s five-game first-round series win over the Cavaliers.
In the regular season, the 28-year-old averaged 25.1 PPG, 10.0 RPG, and 4.1 APG during his second All-NBA season with the Knicks, who finished with a 47-35 record and the No. 5 seed in the East last year. His numbers regressed mightily in the playoffs, in part due to the ankle ailment. Randle averaged 16.6 PPG on 37.4% shooting from the field, along with 8.3 RPG, and 3.6 APG.
There’s more out of New York:
- The Knicks have shored up their wing depth this offseason, but will still face an uphill battle in a stacked Eastern Conference. Zach Braziller of The New York Post (subscriber link) predicts how the Knicks will fare this season, speculating that five Eastern teams will finish ahead of them.
- The Nets’ NBAGL team, the Long Island Nets, have traded the returning player rights for swingman Alondes Williams to the Heat’s NBA G League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce, in exchange for the returning player rights of shooting guard D.J. Stewart to the Nets, the Skyforce announced in a press release.
- Oft-injured Nets guard Ben Simmons is now completely healthy after rehabbing from the back nerve impingement that caused him to miss the last six weeks of the 2022/23 regular season, sources inform Ian Begley of SNY.tv. The 27-year-old anticipates that he will be able to fully partake in Brooklyn’s training camp in September.
Spurs Sign Sidy Cissoko To Three-Year Deal
Second-round pick Sidy Cissoko has agreed to a three-year contract with the Spurs, tweets Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. His signing is confirmed in the NBA.com transactions log.
Although a source confirms to Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express News (Twitter link) that it’s a standard contract, no details are provided on how many years are guaranteed. The signing will add to a crowded roster, as the Spurs already have 17 players with standard deals.
The French forward was selected with the 44th pick in last month’s draft after playing one year with the G League Ignite. He was the first European player to sign with the G League team. Cissoko played for San Antonio during Summer League and impressed team officials with his aggressiveness on offense.
Dominick Barlow Returns To Spurs On Two-Way Deal
JULY 27: Barlow’s signing is official, the Spurs confirmed (via Twitter).
JULY 26: Power forward Dominick Barlow will remain with the Spurs on a two-way contract, tweets ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. The news was confirmed by his agent, Todd Ramasar of Life Sports Agency, Wojnarowski adds.
Barlow, 20, was a restricted free agent after receiving a qualifying offer from San Antonio last month. His new deal amounts to another two-way contract with a small guarantee for the upcoming season.
Barlow inked a two-way deal with the Spurs last summer after going undrafted following a year with Overtime Elite. He spent much of the season in the G League, but he appeared in 28 NBA games and averaged 3.9 points and 3.6 rebounds in 14.6 minutes per night. He put up some impressive numbers in April, including 21 points and 19 rebounds on the final day of the NBA’s regular season.
Once Barlow’s signing becomes official, the Spurs will have one open two-way slot on their roster. Sir’Jabari Rice is also signed to a two-way deal.
Hoops Rumors Chat Transcript: 7/27/2023
Hoops Rumors hosted a live chat today at 10:30 am Central time (11:30 am Eastern).
Click here to view the transcript, and join us on Tuesday for our next live chat, hosted by Dana Gauruder.
Wizards Notes: Vukcevic, Dawkins, Coulibaly, Poole
Second-round pick Tristan Vukcevic is hoping to join the Wizards right away rather than spending more time overseas, according to Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington. Team officials haven’t decided how to handle Vukcevic yet, but the main roster is already crowded with 16 standard contracts. There’s a two-way opening if the Wizards opt to go that route.
The seven-footer out of Serbia played for Partizan Belgrade last season after spending the previous two years with Real Madrid. He doesn’t believe he needs any more international basketball to be ready for the NBA, and he expressed that to teams during the pre-draft process, according to Hughes.
Vukcevic was impressive during his brief Summer League appearance, posting 21 points in 17 minutes in the only game he played. He acknowledges that the NBA is played at a faster pace than what he’s used to and says he needs to make quicker decisions and become more aggressive in seeking his own offense.
After being drafted, Vukcevic got some tips from Marc Gasol about how to prepare for the NBA.
“He just called me, he said he loves my game and wanted to give me advice,” Vukcevic said. “He just told me the differences in the NBA and how life is in the NBA, like how to get adjusted. Whenever I’m wondering or have any specific questions, to feel free to always call him. I feel grateful for that. He’s a legend.”
There’s more on the Wizards:
- In an interview posted on the NBC Sports Washington website (video link), general manager Will Dawkins explains why the organization opted not to pursue a full rebuild after trading Bradley Beal and Kristaps Porzingis last month. Instead, the Wizards re-signed free agent forward Kyle Kuzma and used Chris Paul, who was acquired in the Beal trade, to get Jordan Poole from the Warriors. “There were a lot of good players on the roster,” Dawkins said. “… For us, it’s about building habits. It’s about building a day-to-day mentality that you come in the gym, you compete and you do things the right way.”
- The Wizards were “super happy” with what they saw from lottery pick Bilal Coulibaly, says Summer League coach Landon Tatum (video link). “We told him the first thing he got here to be a defensive type of guy first,” Tatum said. “And he’s taken that on, trying to defend everyone we put him on, whether it’s a guard, a big or a wing.”
- In a separate story, Hughes takes an analytical look at the impact Poole can make during his first season in Washington. He notes that Poole was 34th in ESPN’s offensive real plus-minus ratings last season, which is higher than anyone who was on the Wizards’ roster.