Atlantic Notes: Noel, Anunoby, Harden, M. Brown
After not playing for nearly a month, Nerlens Noel got a workout in his first game with the Nets on a 10-day contract, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Brooklyn won by a comfortable margin Tuesday night in Houston, allowing Noel to be on the court for nearly 18 minutes.
“I wanted to see could Nerlens play in a basketball game and contribute and be able to pick up what we’re doing as a group. Also see his quickness if he can protect the rim,” coach Jacque Vaughn said. “He’s on a 10-day, so I decided to use one of those 10 days pretty quickly to see what he was going to give us.”
Noel was playing sparingly in Detroit before agreeing to a buyout and hasn’t logged more than 18 minutes since mid-January. Brooklyn brought him in to provide another big man off the bench and ease the workload on starting center Nic Claxton.
“It felt good to get some rust off,” Noel said. “Yeah, a little winded in the first minutes, but it’s normal. Nobody can get away from that. But I’ve been doing a fair share. But at this point I just want to keep building on that, defensive-first mentality, rebounding, just try and make sure I bring a winning mentality to the game.”
There’s more from the Atlantic Division:
- OG Anunoby‘s versatility and defensive prowess made him a popular name heading into the trade deadline, but it appears the Raptors made the right move by keeping him, contends Eric Koreen of The Athletic. Toronto will face some difficult financial decisions this summer, so an Anunoby deal may be revisited, but Koreen is impressed by the defensive potential of lineups with him and newly acquired center Jakob Poeltl.
- James Harden believes he’s playing better this season because he has become more familiar with his teammates, per Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. The Sixers acquired the former MVP at last year’s trade deadline, and he only had a couple of months to get used to his new surroundings before the playoffs started. “Knowing each other on and off the court,” Harden said after handing out 20 assists Monday night. “I think off the court is just as valuable as learning somebody on the court. It helps actually. But just comfortable. When you are comfortable, it makes the game a lot easier.”
- The two-way contract that Moses Brown signed with the Knicks only covers one season, tweets Ian Begley of SNY.tv. Brown plans to report to the team’s G League affiliate in Westchester and play Thursday night.
Northwest Notes: Gordon, Cancar, Thunder, Towns
Aaron Gordon believes mutual sacrifice and team camaraderie are among the reasons the Nuggets have been able to rise to the top spot in the West, writes Mike Singer of The Denver Post. Gordon, who has been with Denver since being acquired in a trade with the Magic two years ago, says it’s rare to find a team where everyone is committed to the same goal.
“I’m not here to win a championship for myself,” he said. “I’m here to win a championship for Joker (Nikola Jokic). Joker’s here to win a championship for Jamal (Murray) and (coach) Michael Malone and Michael Porter. (Kentavious Caldwell-Pope), we’re looking to get him another one. I’m not doing this for myself. I’m doing it for the guys around me.”
Gordon, who’s enjoying one of the best seasons of his nine-year career, had a brief interruption recently due to a rib contusion. He returned last week and helped the Nuggets to four straight victories.
There’s more from the Northwest Division:
- Vlatko Cancar, who signed a new three-year contract last summer, told Harrison Wind of DNVR Sports that he hopes to spend his entire career with the Nuggets. The Slovenian power forward has a rotation role this season for the first time in his four years with the team. “I want to be in Denver because, first of all, I love it here. This is my first team, and I just want to be with the one team that drafted me, that believed in me,” Cancar said. “So I just want to give back to them with being positive, being a true professional, and when the opportunity comes, just play as best as I can.”
- Kevin Durant sees a bright future for his first NBA franchise, per Dana Scott of The Arizona Republic. The Thunder will be the opponent tonight when Durant plays his first home game with the Suns. “You got some potential up and down the lineup, guys that can be impact players in this league, a front office and coaching staff that understands what that’s like developing players,” Durant said of the Thunder. “So the last couple years they’ve been trending in the right direction and I feel like they’re working their way to being a playoff team.”
- The Timberwolves have been saying that Karl-Anthony Towns is in the “final stages” of his recovery from a calf injury for several weeks, and Jim Souhan of The Star Tribune wonders why there’s so much secrecy.
Jusuf Nurkic Returning To Trail Blazers’ Lineup
After being sidelined since February 1 with a strained left calf, Jusuf Nurkic is available for Wednesday’s game in Boston, the Trail Blazers announced (via Twitter).
Coach Chauncey Billups said Nurkic will be in the starting lineup, but he’ll be on a minutes restriction, according to Aaron Fentress of The Oregonian.
The veteran center played 45 games before the injury, averaging 13.8 points, 9.4 rebounds and 2.9 assists per night. He returns in the middle of a tight playoff race, with Portland currently in a three-way tie for 10th place in the West at 31-34.
Nurkic was reportedly made available prior to the trade deadline, but his contract made it difficult for the Blazers to find any takers. The 28-year-old has three fully guaranteed seasons remaining at $54.375MM.
Anfernee Simons and Justise Winslow, who are both recovering from sprained ankles, continue to be listed as out on the Blazers’ latest injury report. Simons will miss his fourth straight game tonight, while Winslow hasn’t played since December 21.
Moses Brown Signs Two-Way Deal With Knicks
6:00pm: The signing is official, the team announced (via Twitter).
5:08pm: The Knicks will sign Moses Brown to a two-way contract, tweets Shams Charania of The Athletic.
The 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.
New York will be the sixth team for Brown, who 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 on Sunday.
Zion Williamson To Be Reevaluated In Two Weeks
Zion Williamson‘s strained right hamstring continues to heal and his condition will be reevaluated in about two weeks, the Pelicans announced in a press release.
The team recently conducted medical imaging on Williamson, who hasn’t played since January 2. ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reported earlier today that Williamson is expected to be out for a while longer, and this statement from the Pelicans confirms he won’t be back until late March, at the soonest.
New Orleans coach Willie Green said the team remains optimistic that Williamson will be available before the regular season ends, tweets Andrew Lopez of ESPN. Green told reporters that the former No. 1 overall pick has been able to do some shooting work, but the team is being especially careful after his last setback.
Williamson has appeared in just 29 games this season, but he was dominant enough during that time to earn a starting spot in the All-Star Game. He’s averaging 26.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game, while shooting better than 60% from the field.
The Pelicans were among the top teams in the West before Williamson’s injury, but they’ve been in a prolonged slump since losing him and are now in danger of missing the play-in tournament. New Orleans is currently in a three-way tie for the 10th seed at 31-34.
Ja Morant To Miss At Least Four More Games
The Grizzlies have released a statement (via Twitter) announcing that Ja Morant will continue to be away from the team for at least four more games.
In the wake of an Instagram Live video over the weekend showing Morant with a gun at a strip club, the Grizzlies issued a statement on Saturday saying that he wouldn’t be with the team for its next two games. Those games took place Sunday and Tuesday in Los Angeles, with Memphis falling to both the Clippers and Lakers.
On Monday, head coach Taylor Jenkins said the situation should be viewed as “an ongoing healing process” and there’s no timetable in place for Morant to return. Grizzlies players also expressed their support for Morant to get whatever help he needs.
Police in Glendale, Colorado, announced earlier today that Morant won’t be charged with a crime for his actions at the club. A press release cited a lack of available evidence to show that anyone was threatened or menaced, adding that the firearm in the video hasn’t been located.
The Grizzlies’ statement means Morant will miss home games Thursday against the Warriors and Saturday against the Mavericks, along with Monday’s game at Dallas and next Wednesday’s contest at Miami.
Nets GM Sean Marks Expected To Continue Running Front Office
Nets general manager Sean Marks is expected to remain in charge of Brooklyn’s front office in 2023/24, multiple sources tell Brian Lewis of The New York Post.
As Lewis writes, the past couple seasons have been nothing if not turbulent for both Marks and the Nets, mainly due to off-court controversies.
To open 2021/22, Kyrie Irving refused to get vaccinated against COVID-19, which reportedly played a role in James Harden requesting a trade ahead of last year’s deadline. The primary piece the Nets received in return, Ben Simmons, didn’t end up playing last season and underwent back surgery — he hasn’t looked like his old self for the majority of this season.
Last offseason, Kevin Durant requested his own trade and reportedly tried to have former head coach Steve Nash and Marks fired. Brooklyn eventually worked things out with Durant and he remained with the team heading into this season.
The Nets had a rough start to ’22/23, going 2-5 before parting ways with Nash. Things started to turn in a positive direction after Jacque Vaughn was promoted to interim head coach, then Irving was suspended by Brooklyn promoting an antisemitic film on social media. He wound up missing eight games, with the team going 5-3 in his absence.
The team was firing on all cylinders once Irving returned, with Durant playing at an MVP level. At one point the Nets won 18 of 20 games, but then Durant went down with a knee injury. Irving was reportedly unhappy with the team’s contract extension offer in early February and requested — and was granted — a trade. Durant then quietly requested his own trade to Phoenix, and was sent to the Suns on February 9.
Marks did the best he could to recoup value for the now-departed star trio, but the championship window certainly appears to be closed in the short term. That led some to wonder whether his job might be in jeopardy, according to Lewis.
However, one source tells Lewis that “ownership has full confidence” in Marks and the rest of the front office’s ability, while another tells Lewis that Marks and owner Joe Tsai are “in lockstep.”
As Lewis notes, the Nets decided to give Vaughn a multiyear contract extension after the trade deadline, with Marks quoted in the press release. That signaled that he might remain the club’s lead decision-maker for the basketball operations department.
A former NBA player, Marks has been GM of the Nets since February 2016.
Lewis writes that “Marks’ current contractual status is unclear.” A report (subscriber link) last summer from Kristian Winfield of The New York Daily News indicated that Marks had signed a contract extension, but both Lewis and Alex Schiffer of The Athletic (Twitter links) heard differently.
Ja Morant Will Not Be Charged With A Crime
The Glendale, Colorado Police Department announced in a press release (via Twitter) that it has concluded its investigation and will not charge Ja Morant with a crime due to a lack of “available evidence.”
“GPD was not able to determine that probable cause existed for the filing of any charges. … The investigation also concluded that no one was threatened or menaced with the firearm and in fact no firearm was ever located. Although the video was concerning enough to prompt an investigation, there was not enough available evidence to charge anyone with a crime,” per the statement.
Police were investigating the Grizzlies star for an incident that took place over the weekend in which Morant appeared to waive a gun during an Instagram Live stream at a strip club in Glendale early Saturday morning. It was the latest in a string of incidents that have caused many to question Morant’s off-the-court behavior.
While it’s certainly good news for Morant that he will not be criminally charged, the NBA is still investigating the incident and it has been reported that the league is “concerned” and has been monitoring his actions for months. The 23-year-old apologized after the Grizzlies announced that he would be away from the team for at least two games, which have now been played.
However, head coach Taylor Jenkins said there’s no timetable for Morant to return to the team and it doesn’t sound like he’s planning on having him back tomorrow versus Golden State.
Free Agent Stock Watch: Southwest Division
For the rest of the regular season and postseason, Hoops Rumors is taking a closer look at players who will be free agents or could become free agents during the 2023 offseason. We consider whether their stock is rising or falling due to their performance and other factors. Today, we’re focusing on a handful of Southwest players.
Christian Wood, F/C, Mavericks
- 2022/23: $14.32MM
- 2023/24: UFA
- Stock: Neutral
2022/23 has been a roller coaster season for Wood, whom the Mavs acquired in the offseason for their 2022 first-round pick and expiring contracts. He started the season coming off the bench and was providing quality offensive production, averaging 17.2 PPG and 7.8 RPG on .550/.402/.688 shooting through 26 games (26.3 MPG).
A handful of days after Maxi Kleber tore his hamstring, Wood was inserted into the starting lineup, averaging 20.3 PPG, 9.4 RPG and 2.4 BPG on .516/.367/.814 shooting in 16 games (33.4 MPG). The team went 9-7 during that span, but unfortunately Wood sustained a fractured left thumb that sidelined him for eight games.
In 12 games since he returned from injury, Wood has seen his role cut back significantly, averaging 13.1 PPG and 5.2 RPG on .457/.298/.860 shooting in 18.9 minutes per contest. Defensive concerns could be the main culprit, though I haven’t seen that publicly stated as of late.
The 27-year-old heard his name pop up in both extension and trade rumors leading up to the February 9 deadline, but neither came to fruition. He remains eligible for a four-year, $77MM extension until June 30, though that appears increasingly unlikely unless he plays a major role in a deep postseason run.
Kenyon Martin Jr., F, Rockets
- 2022/23: $1.78MM
- 2023/24: $1.93MM team option
- Stock: Up
The No. 52 overall pick of the 2020 draft, Martin is averaging career highs with 12.0 PPG and 5.6 RPG while shooting a career-best 56.2% from the field through 65 games (26.9 MPG). The high flier is another player who saw his name mentioned in trade rumors early in the season, but obviously Houston decided to keep him.
Considering his team option for next season is only $1.93MM, it seems unlikely that the 22-year-old would enter free agency. So why is he on this list?
As our Luke Adams detailed last month, if the Rockets exercise their option for ‘23/24, Martin would become an unrestricted free agent in 2024. However, if they decline it, he would be a restricted free agent this summer, giving Houston more control. That’s what happened last summer with Martin’s teammate, Jae’Sean Tate.
Martin has appeared in every game this season for the Rockets, including 24 consecutive starts (32 total). If he starts nine of Houston’s 17 remaining games, he would reach the starter criteria and increase his qualifying offer to $5,216,324.
Dillon Brooks, G/F, Grizzlies
- 2022/23: $11.4MM
- 2023/24: UFA
- Stock: Down
Brooks has always faced criticism for his poor shot selection. However, he has never been this inefficient — his 48.3% true shooting percentage is the second-worst mark in the NBA among 197 qualifying players, only ahead of Detroit’s Killian Hayes (44.7%).
There isn’t one particular area to point to, because he’s struggling from everywhere: 51.6% at the rim (ninth percentile), 38.3% from mid-range (26th percentile), and 31.9% from three-point range (24th percentile), per DunksAndThrees.com.
On the other hand, Brooks is an outstanding defensive player who is tasked with guarding the league’s best perimeter scorers. The Grizzlies have been better with him on the court in each of the past three seasons.
For better or worse, a big part of the team’s identity is tied to Brooks’ brash attitude and confidence. At 27 years old, he’s theoretically in the middle of his prime. He will get a raise on his current deal, but he hasn’t helped himself on the offensive end of the court.
Tre Jones, G, Spurs
- 2022/23: $1.78MM
- 2023/24: RFA ($5.22MM qualifying offer)
- Stock: Up
The No. 41 overall pick of the 2020 draft, Jones rarely saw the court in his first season, appearing in 37 games with an average of 7.3 MPG. He saw more action last season, but he was still limited to a reserve role, appearing in 69 games with averages of 6.0 PPG and 3.4 APG in 16.6 MPG.
After trading away Dejounte Murray in the offseason, San Antonio had a glaring hole at point guard. Jones has filled that void, averaging career highs in points (12.5), rebounds (3.6), assists (6.2), steals (1.3) and minutes (29.1) per game.
While he has struggled with scoring efficiency (51.2% TS, ninth-worst in the league among qualifying players), Jones does a very good job of taking care of the ball (3.67-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio), he’s only 23 years old, and he’s on a minimum contract. He has certainly outplayed that deal.
Jones has already met the starter criteria, which increased the value of his qualifying offer to $5,216,324. There’s an excellent chance the Spurs extend that offer to him and make him a restricted free agent.
Jaxson Hayes, F/C, Pelicans
- 2022/23: $6.8MM
- 2023/24: RFA ($7.74MM qualifying offer)
- Stock: Down
A former lottery pick (No. 8 overall in 2019), Hayes has yet to live up to his draft status. He has only appeared in 38 games this season with a career-low 13.6 minutes per night, a strong sign that the Pelicans don’t view him as a long-term fit on the roster.
Hayes won’t turn 23 until May, so he has time to possibly turn his career around. He is 6’11” and is a strong run-and-jump athlete. His shot isn’t broken by any means – he’s at 72.0% from the line for his career, a solid mark for a big man.
He just looks lost on the court way too often, frequently making careless, head-scratching mistakes at inopportune times, things that drive coaches crazy. The odds of New Orleans extending Hayes a $7,744,600 qualifying offer to make him a restricted free agent are very low, so he will likely hit unrestricted free agency this summer.
Eric Paschall Signs With Puerto Rican Team
Former NBA forward Eric Paschall will resume his playing career in Puerto Rico, having signed with Leones de Ponce, according to an announcement from the club (Twitter link).
The No. 41 pick in the 2019 draft, Paschall began his NBA career with the Warriors and had an impressive rookie season in Golden State in 2019/20, averaging 14.0 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 2.1 assists in 60 games (27.6 MPG). His role declined in his second season and he was traded in the 2021 offseason to Utah, where his minutes dipped further.
In 58 appearances last season for the Jazz, the 26-year-old averaged 5.8 PPG and 1.8 RPG on .485/.370/.767 shooting in 12.7 MPG. He was eligible for restricted free agency at season’s end, but didn’t receive a qualifying offer from Utah and became unrestricted.
Paschall contemplated retirement last summer before signing a two-way contract with the Timberwolves. He was waived by Minnesota during the first week of the regular season, with lingering Achilles issues possibly factoring into that decision.
Paschall’s new team, Leones de Ponce, competes in Puerto Rico’s top basketball league, Baloncesto Superior Nacional. The 2023 BSN season will tip off on March 22.