And-Ones: I. Thomas, Noah, Spencer, NCAA Prospects
Veteran point guard Isaiah Thomas signed 10-day hardship deals with the Mavericks and Lakers last season before catching on with the Hornets to finish 2021/22. He has yet to play in ’22/23, but has been “staying ready” and hasn’t given up hope of finding a new team.
“I’ve been talking to two teams the last couple of weeks,” Thomas told Steve Bulpett of Heavy.com. “Hopefully they make a decision by the end of this week or early next week. But I’ve been in contact with teams monthly.
“So that’s the thing with me, like, I know it’s close; I just have to find the team that really wants me to be on board and me to help in any situation possible. My agency and my representatives are just trying to figure it out. Obviously there’s a lot of overseas interest, but that’s just not even on my mind right now, so I don’t even want to dip into that. My ultimate goal is to have an NBA jersey. That’s all I want.”
Thomas knows he might not have a significant role going forward like he did earlier in his career, but he still believes he can contribute on and off the court, according to Bulpett.
“I think at this point in my career, that will probably be the role of being a vet presence, teaching guys how to be professional — and also knowing that if my name is ever called, I’m ready to produce,” Thomas said. “I’m only 34 years old, but I haven’t played much the last three years really, so I haven’t had no real pounding on my body. The surgery in 2020 fixed the hip problem, and my body’s really 31, 32; I’ve got years to be able to play at a high level. But that’s not what I’m chasing; I want to be able to play in the NBA and go out on my own. That’s really what I want. I want to be able to play two or three more years, and if my name is called, I know I can produce at a high level. I know that for a fact.”
The two-time All-Star also tells Bulpett he has interest in a coaching or front office role in the future once his playing days are done.
Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:
- Former Defensive Player of the Year Joakim Noah recently spoke to Marc J. Spears of Andscape about retiring from the NBA, his Cameroonian roots, and being an investor and ambassador of the Basketball Africa League, among other topics. “I’m very proud,” Noah said. “I’m very proud in being an investor in NBA Africa. I feel like this is opening up doors that I didn’t know were possible while I was playing. And I think that the future is very, very bright because Africa is not only shining right now, but they are [one of the] the youngest growing youth populations in the world. So. if you look at the numbers themselves, this league is just going to get better and better. It’s just so obvious.”
- Felton Spencer, who played 12 NBA seasons from 1990-2002, has passed away at age 55, the University of Louisville announced (via Twitter). A native of Louisville, Kentucky, Spencer was the No. 6 overall pick in the 1990 draft, holding career averages of 5.2 points and 5.4 rebounds in 640 games with Minnesota, Utah, Orlando, Golden State, San Antonio and New York. Our condolences go out to his friends and family.
- Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report ranks the top 25 2023 NBA draft prospects competing in the NCAA tournament. At the top of the list is Alabama’s Brandon Miller, while Arkansas forward Jordan Walsh, who is known as a defensive difference-maker, rounds out the top 25.
Nets Notes: Simmons, Dinwiddie, Bridges, Chemistry
Ben Simmons has been sidelined since the All-Star break and Nets coach Jacque Vaughn isn’t sure if he’ll play again this season, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Simmons missed his 10th straight game and his 26th of the season on Sunday, and the team doesn’t have a prognosis for when he might return.
“He’s still managing his back and knee soreness,” Vaughn told reporters before the game in Denver. “He’s back home in Brooklyn. We’ll get a chance to kind of see where he’s at when we get back home after this trip.”
During the break, Simmons had fluid in his left knee drained and took a platelet-rich plasma injection. However, when the team put his knee on a strengthening program, Simmons’ back pain started to flare up. He missed all of last season with a herniated disc in his back and had a microdiscectomy in May.
Lewis notes that Simmons is averaging career lows this season at 6.9 points, 6.3 rebounds and 6.1 assists per game, along with a 43.9% success rate on free throws. He’s owed more than $78MM over the next two seasons.
There’s more on the Nets:
- Spencer Dinwiddie set a career high in assists with 16 in Sunday’s win over the Nuggets, which is the most by a Brooklyn player this season, Lewis adds. Dinwiddie has excelled since taking over the lead guard role after being acquired from Dallas in the Kyrie Irving trade. “Every night he’s producing for us, he’s learning how to play with this group,” Vaughn said. “He’s learning when to be aggressive, when to get to the rim, how to manage this group.”
- Beating the Nuggets was a significant achievement for a team that rebuilt itself by trading Irving and Kevin Durant last month, Lewis notes in another Post story. Mikal Bridges said he and the other players who arrived in those deals quickly formed a bond. “We were all confident when we all came here and we were put together and just kind of had that mentality, ‘OK, a lot of us got traded so you feel some type of way, and you just want to go out there and hoop,’” Bridges said.
- The Nets no longer appear in danger of falling into the play-in tournament after winning five of their last six games, per Alex Schiffer of The Athletic. Brooklyn has moved on from the drama that defined the Irving-Durant era and has now boasts chemistry as one of its strengths, Schiffer observes.
NBA Considers Setting Minimum Number Of Games To Qualify For Awards
In an effort to discourage load management, the NBA may begin requiring players to appear in a minimum number of regular-season games to become eligible for major awards, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.
Sources tell Charania that the proposal is being considered as the league and its union try to finalize a new collective bargaining agreement before the March 31 deadline for either side to opt out of the existing deal. That deadline has been extended twice already, but both sides are reportedly committed to reaching a new CBA by the end of the month.
Charania states that the minimum-game requirement was discussed during a Competition Committee meeting Friday, as both the league and the players search for incentives to prevent stars from sitting out so often.
Sources with knowledge of both sides of negotiations tell Charania that the figure for the minimum number of games still has to be worked out, but the owners and the union are in agreement on the concept. He notes that the NBA already has a precedent by requiring players to appear in at least 58 games to qualify for the scoring title.
Friday’s meeting, which was led by commissioner Adam Silver and NBPA executive director Tamika Tremaglio, was described as “productive” by Charania’s sources. He states that the union suggested having talks about increased player availability, and the league was happy to address the issue.
Charania adds that speakers at Friday’s meeting included NPBA president CJ McCollum and former union leader Chris Paul, who both said load management is often dictated by teams that want to keep players fresh and manage their schedules. Coaches and executives who took part in the meeting didn’t dispute that point, according to Charania, but both sides agreed that injuries to high-profile players, especially over the last three seasons, have contributed to the load management philosophy.
Eugene Omoruyi Signs Second 10-Day Contract With Pistons
10:47am: The signing is now official, the Pistons announced in a press release.
8:42am: The Pistons will sign Eugene Omoruyi to another 10-day contract, tweets James L. Edwards III of The Athletic.
The deal is expected to be finalized today, Edwards adds, which means it will run through March 22. Detroit would have to sign the 26-year-old forward for the rest of the season to keep him on the roster beyond that date.
Omoruyi appeared in five games during his first 10-day contract, which expired Sunday night. He averaged 8.2 points and 2.6 rebounds in 18.2 minutes per night and impressed the coaching staff on both ends of the court, according to Edwards.
Omoruyi began the season with the Thunder, playing 23 games before being waived last month. He also spent 13 games with the G League’s Oklahoma City Blue.
He will earn $94,136 on his 10-day contract as a second-year player, as our chart shows.
Kemba Walker Awaiting Another NBA Opportunity
Former Celtics guard Kemba Walker was a spectator when the team played Saturday night in Atlanta, but he’s not ready for the end of his NBA career, writes Jared Weiss of The Athletic.
Walker appeared in just nine games this season, all with the Mavericks, who signed him in late November and released him on January 6 before his salary would have become fully guaranteed. He would be playoff-eligible if another team signs him before the season ends, but he says he’s fine if that doesn’t happen.
“There’s really no rush for me. I’m really trying to eat up this time, to be real,” Walker said. “It’s been a long time since I’ve gotten so much time to work on myself, work on my body. So I’m not tripping at all. Honestly, I’d probably rather just sit it out and try to be ready for the next go-around, so we’ll see how it (goes).”
Walker was an All-Star when Boston acquired him from the Hornets in 2019. He posted one more All-Star season with the Celtics, but a knee injury eventually derailed his game. He was dealt to the Thunder in 2021 and had an injury-plagued comeback attempt with the Knicks before the Pistons traded for him and waived him last summer.
Walker averaged 8.0 points and 2.1 assists with Dallas in 16 minutes per night, but the ongoing knee issue robbed him of the explosiveness that used to define his game. It also turned him into a defensive liability and made it difficult for coach Jason Kidd to keep him on the court.
“They said they wanted to go young. That was it,” Walker explained. “They wanted to go young, which I respect. I was happy that I got the opportunity to get out there, be in Dallas, get the chance to play with Luka (Doncic) and watch him up close and personal. After playing with (Jayson Tatum), I’ve played with two of the best young players in the game right now. So that was a pretty cool experience.”
Weiss points out that the Celtics have an open roster spot, but he believes they’re more likely to sign a young prospect than to take a chance on a veteran like Walker. He also notes that it’s been hard to find minutes for Payton Pritchard, so there wouldn’t be a role for Walker to play.
Walker, who has spent the past two months working out at his home in Charlotte, is willing to be patient as he awaits his next opportunity.
“I love basketball. I’m not ready to stop playing yet,” he said. “Wherever the wind takes me.”
Central Notes: Allen, Antetokounmpo, Matthews, Bagley
Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen didn’t suffer any structural damage to his right eye after getting hit in the face by Miami’s Bam Adebayo on Friday, Chris Fedor of the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports. Allen’s eye is bloodshot and puffy but he shouldn’t miss significant time.
“We’re extremely fortunate and he’s extremely fortunate,” Cavs coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “Any time you take a shot to the eye like that, there are so many different things that can happen. There’s the other guy’s fingernail and the placement of the hit and all those things that come to mind that it could have been. … It’s something we believe he will recover from pretty quickly.”
We have more from the Central Division:
- The right hand soreness that caused Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo to miss Saturday’s game against Golden State is a byproduct of an earlier ailment, Eric Nehm of The Athletic tweets. Antetokounmpo’s current injury stems from the right wrist injury he suffered against the Bulls before the All-Star Game, coach Mike Budenholzer told the media.
- Bucks guard Wesley Matthews appears close to returning from a calf strain, according to Budenholzer, Jim Owczarski of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel tweets. Matthews hasn’t played since Feb. 16.
- Add Marvin Bagley III to the list of sidelined Pistons players. He’ll miss the rematch with the Pacers on Monday after departing early in Detroit’s loss to Indiana on Saturday due to right ankle soreness, Omari Sankofa II of the Detroit Free Press tweets. Jaden Ivey will miss the game due to health and safety protocols, while Bojan Bogdanovic and Alec Burks are nursing injuries. Isaiah Stewart, Hamidou Diallo and Cade Cunningham are not expected to play the remainder of the season.
Pacific Notes: Lakers’ Surge, Davis, Edwards, Curry
The Lakers have a chance to reach the .500 mark with a win over the Knicks on Sunday night and excitement within the organization is building, Kyle Goon of the Orange County Register writes.
The Lakers have won seven of their last nine games despite the absence of LeBron James. They beat Toronto on Friday even though Anthony Davis was held to eight points.
“It’s a good thing to see, man,” Davis said. “You sit back and, as I’m watching it, these guys are getting very comfortable. They were playing at a high level last night. And for me, seven shots, five shots, no shots, 20 shots – like, as long as we win, I’m fine, I’m happy.”
We have more from the Pacific Division:
- Davis averaged 33 points in his previous five games but when the Raptors overloaded to him, the upgraded Lakers roster took advantage, Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times notes. That’s the sign of a “smart basketball player,” according to coach Darvin Ham. “He understands what’s working, what’s not working, what’s being given and what’s being taken away. And the way he’s been playing, teams are perked up,” Ham said. “They’re on high, extra alert towards him and his capabilities and what he’s been doing. So, they’re going to put one, two, three guys around him at all times. … And the way he’s able to navigate all of that and accept what the defense is doing and look for other options… And now, we have a plethora of other options we can go to.”
- In a subscriber-only story, The Sacramento Bee’s Jason Anderson describes how little-used Kessler Edwards boosted the Kings to the 40th win this season. Edwards had 12 points and seven rebounds against Phoenix on Saturday as Sacramento reached the 40-win mark for the first time since the 2005/06 season. The club holds a $1.9MM option on Edwards’ contract for next season.
- Giannis Antetokounmpo was out with a hand injury but Warriors coach Steve Kerr was still impressed by his team’s overtime win over Milwaukee on Saturday, particularly the performance of his biggest star, according to Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area. Stephen Curry scored a game-high 36 points, 29 after halftime. “Steph was incredible, and he did against one of the great defenders in the league in Jrue Holiday,” Kerr said. “Jrue is an amazing player, so strong and quick and just never quits on any possession. It’s amazing watching those two guys battle. But Steph is fearless. It doesn’t matter if there’s a slow start or if he hasn’t had much going. He can ignite at any time.”
Knicks Waive Moses Brown, Re-Sign Trevor Keels
The Knicks are waiving center Moses Brown, Shams Charania of The Athletic tweets. They’ll replace him by bringing back guard Trevor Keels on a two-way contract, Steve Popper of Newsday tweets.
The Knicks have made the moves official, announcing them in a press release, Popper adds in a separate tweet.
Keels appeared in two games with the NBA’s Knicks this season, most recently on March 1. Keels was on a two-way contract with New York, then was signed to a standard 10-day contract on Feb. 23.
Brown was signed to a two-way contract on Wednesday. Brown appeared in one game for the G League’s Westchester Knicks, where he enjoyed an 18-point, 17-rebound game.
Keels has spent most of the season with the Westchester club. The second-round pick out of Duke has averaged 15 points and 3.4 assists in 22 games with the NBAGL squad.
Brown, a 23-year-old center, began this season on a two-way contract with the Clippers. He appeared in 34 games, averaging 4.6 points and 4.1 rebounds in 8.5 minutes per night, before being waived on February 17.
Brown began his NBA career with the Trail Blazers in 2019 after going undrafted out of UCLA. He also had short stays with the Thunder, Mavericks and Cavaliers.
The Knicks had a two-way slot open after promoting DaQuan Jeffries to a 10-day contract a week ago.
Western Notes: Gilgeous-Alexander, Jones, Cancar, Nuggets’ Bench
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander pumped in 35 points against New Orleans on Saturday but the Thunder are still playing it cautious with his recent injury. He sat out the second game of a back-to-back against San Antonio on Sunday due to what the team described as abdominal strain injury management, Joe Mussatto of The Oklahoman tweets. The Thunder star guard has exceeded the 30-point mark in his last four outings.
We have more from the Western Conference:
- Tre Jones missed the Spurs‘ game against Oklahoma City on Sunday with a non-COVID illness, Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio Express News tweets. Jones averaged 13 points and six assists in his last two appearances.
- Nuggets forward Vlatko Cancar was available to play against Brooklyn on Sunday, coach Michael Malone told Mike Singer of the Denver Post (Twitter link). Cancar missed three games with a wrist sprain and also didn’t play against San Antonio on Friday.
- The Nuggets’ second unit has been unsettled after changes were made during and after the trade deadline, Singer writes. Reggie Jackson has struggled with his shooting (29%) since becoming the backup point guard and Thomas Bryant has been relatively quiet since he was brought in to back up Nikola Jokic. “We’re still trying to figure stuff out,” swingman Bruce Brown said.
Southeast Notes: Richards, Carter, Lowry, Yurtseven
Hornets center Nick Richards has enjoyed a career year in Charlotte, writes Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer.
Boone wonders if Richards, who is eligible for restricted free agency this summer, has carved out enough of a role to warrant consideration as a long-term member of the rebuilding club’s roster. Richards is averaging a career-best 7.8 PPG, 5.7 RPG, and 1.0 BPG this season.
“I’m just trying to be more consistent,” Richards said of his improvement this season. “I’m just getting as many blocks as possible, getting as many rebounds as possible. That’s my job, that’s what I’m here for. So, I’ve just got to do it to the best of my ability.”
Boone tweets that Richards will most likely earn another start tonight, as nominal starter Mark Williams is considered doubtful to play through a right thumb sprain.
There’s more out of the Southeast Division:
- In his first contest back with the Magic following a three-game absence, a big overtime victory over the Heat, starting center Wendell Carter Jr. helped galvanize his team, writes Khobi Price of The Orlando Sentinel. The 6’10” big man scored 27 points and pulled down 11 rebounds in Orlando’s 126-114 win. Price notes that the Magic’s defensive efficiency suffered mightily with Carter sidelined.
- After being sidelined for 15 straight games with a sore knee, Heat point guard Kyle Lowry played off the bench for the first time since January 2013 in Saturday’s loss to Orlando, writes Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald (subscriber link). Gabe Vincent drew the start. Lowry is adjusting to the change, having started for 677 consecutive games. “At this point, I know in my heart I’m a starter,” Lowry said. “(Head coach Erik Spoelstra) and I talked and he wants to make sure I’m healthy and not have to change the lineup again and change the rotation. Great communicator he is, great coach he is, I respect (that).”
- Heat reserve center Omer Yurtseven made his first appearance this season after Cody Zeller broke his nose and had to depart the Magic game, Jackson adds. Yurtseven, a restricted free agent this summer, had just one rebound, one missed shot, and a foul in seven minutes.