Kyrie Irving Seeks Contract Extension In Brooklyn
Kyrie Irving is ready to talk to the Nets about a contract extension, but no discussions have taken place yet, writes Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report.
Irving is eligible for a veteran extension that would pay him up to about $200MM over four years. A report last week indicated that a shorter deal with Brooklyn might be more realistic.
“Around Kyrie and staying with the Nets? I have reached out to the Nets regarding this,” said his agent, Shetellia Irving. “We have had no significant conversations to date. The desire is to make Brooklyn home, with the right type of extension, which means the ball is in the Nets’ court to communicate now if their desire is the same.”
Irving will be an unrestricted free agent this summer if the two sides can’t agree on an extension. He had the opportunity to enter free agency last offseason by turning down his $36.5MM player option, but there was said to be little interest in him around the league following a season in which his playing time was limited because of his refusal to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
The situation may be different if Irving hits the free agent market this year. He has been on his best behavior since an early-season suspension for promoting an antisemitic film and has helped the Nets climb into contention for the top seed in the East.
Irving is averaging 26.7 points, 5.1 rebounds and 5.0 assists through 35 games and is the leader among Eastern Conference guards in the latest round of All-Star voting.
Wizards Notes: Avdija, Porzingis, Kuzma, Dinwiddie
The Wizards‘ decision to trade Rui Hachimura this week was partly motivated by a desire to create a larger role for Deni Avdija, writes Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington. Avdija was a lottery pick in 2020, and Hughes notes that his importance to the team is greater than ever now that Hachimura is gone.
“When we really looked at what we needed was to get Deni more responsibility, more opportunity to play,” general manager Tommy Sheppard explained in an interview with NBC (Twitter link).
Avdija has started 30 of the 45 games he has played this season, but his numbers aren’t spectacular at 8.1 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.6 assists per night. Hughes suggests that Avdija may handle the ball more often with Hachimura gone, and he might see more time at power forward than small forward, which could be beneficial given his 27.5% shooting percentage from three-point range. Hughes notes that Avdija attempted just one three-pointer in Tuesday’s win at Dallas, but attacked the basket more frequently and shot a career-high 11 free throws.
There’s more on the Wizards:
- The ankle injury that has Kristaps Porzingis out of action for at least the next two weeks comes at a crucial point of the season for the Wizards, Hughes states in a separate story. Porzingis is unlikely to play again before the February 9 trade deadline, and the team is running out of time to determine whether the current roster is good enough to earn a spot in the play-in tournament.
- With free agency and the trade deadline both looming, Kyle Kuzma‘s future in Washington is uncertain, but he says in an interview with Josh Robbins of The Athletic that he’d gladly re-sign with the team this summer if he gets the right offer. “They showed me love,” Kuzma said of the Wizards. “They have allowed me to have a platform to show my game and show the league I’m not just a role player. I’m someone that’s arriving right now. That’s the biggest thing for me.”
- Mavericks guard Spencer Dinwiddie, who was notably unhappy with the locker room chemistry during his time with the Wizards, took a shot at his former team after Wednesday’s game. “For them, it’s a showcase,” Dinwiddie told Callie Caplan of The Dallas Morning News (Twitter link). “They’re over there trying to get paid, not trying to play winning basketball. For a team that has real aspirations and has an MVP, went to the conference finals last year, we have to be better to a man.” Kuzma took to social media to answer Dinwiddie’s claim after the Wizards narrowly beat the Mavs, tweeting, “The funny thing is they don’t play winning basketball.”
Pacific Notes: Moneke, Barnes, Wiseman, Suns
After spending four professional seasons playing for teams in France and Spain, forward Chima Moneke got his first opportunity with an NBA team this past fall when he received a partially guaranteed contract from the Kings and made their regular season roster.
Although he was on Sacramento’s roster until early January, Moneke logged just eight total minutes in two games at the NBA level. The 27-year-old – who spent most of his time in the G League, appearing in 18 total contests for the Stockton Kings – admitted in a conversation with Cesare Milanti of Eurohoops that his NBA experience was a bit of a letdown.
“It wasn’t what I expected and it was disappointing, because I feel like up until the training camp started, at the end of September, I was there for two months and I was playing open gym with them, working out. I felt like I was really gonna be given an opportunity,” Moneke said. “But when the whole team got there and the training camp started, I felt like I wasn’t.
“… Getting sent to the G League… I tried to be positive about it, but in my heart, I knew that I just didn’t want to be there. I just wasn’t having fun playing in a big cold hockey arena with 20 people watching the game when I could have been playing in Europe with fans who care about the sport. Every time I was there it really hurt me. I tried to be positive but I knew in November that I didn’t want to be there.”
Waived by the Kings about three weeks ago before his 2022/23 salary became fully guaranteed, Moneke has since returned to Europe, completing a deal last week with AS Monaco.
Here’s more from around the Pacific:
- Having been the subject of trade rumors while playing for losing Kings teams over the last few seasons, veteran forward Harrison Barnes tells Anthony Slater of The Athletic that it has been especially rewarding to see the team turn the corner this year. “A lot of these guys — Malik (Monk), Kevin (Huerter), Keegan (Murray) — just walk in here and all (they) know with Kings basketball is us winning a bunch of games, playing winning basketball,” Barnes said. “… But at the same time, you know how fragile that is. You have to continue to work to not get back to the other side.”
- After missing the Warriors‘ last 11 games due to a left ankle sprain, center James Wiseman should be available on Wednesday. He’s listed as probable vs. Memphis, tweets Anthony Slater of The Athletic.
- In the wake of the news that incoming Suns owner Mat Ishbia is expected to officially purchase the team in early February, Yossi Gozlan of HoopsHype explores what that could mean for the team at the trade deadline. Gozlan argues that Phoenix is in position to be one of the NBA’s biggest in-season buyers, since the club hasn’t traded away any of its future first-round picks.
Devin Booker To Be Reevaluated In One Week
Suns guard Devin Booker is still at least a little ways off from returning to action. The team announced today that he’s making progress in his recovery from a left groin strain and will be reevaluated in about one week, as Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports relays (via Twitter).
When the Suns made their initial announcement on Booker’s injury on December 28, they said he would be reevaluated in four weeks. Today represents the four-week mark, so we got our update, but the club didn’t provide any concrete info on the star guard’s status or potential return timeline — he’ll miss at least one more week, but we don’t know much beyond that.
The Suns were 19-14 entering the Christmas Day game in which Booker returned from a groin injury and almost immediately aggravated it. They lost that game and nine of their next 11 to slip to 21-24 on the season, though they’ve rebounded nicely as of late. Since Cameron Johnson made his return from meniscus surgery last Thursday, the team has won four straight contests and is back over .500 (25-24).
Although they’re on a hot streak and got Chris Paul back this week from a hip issue, the Suns remain awfully shorthanded in the backcourt, with Booker, Cameron Payne (foot), and Landry Shamet (foot) all on the shelf. Payne hasn’t played since January 4, while Shamet has missed the team’s last four games.
Six teams are currently within one game of the seventh-seeded Suns in the Western Conference standings (in one direction or the other), so the sooner Booker is able to get back onto the court, the better.
Jazz’s Micah Potter Undergoing Elbow Surgery
Second-year forward/center Micah Potter has appeared in just three NBA games while on a two-way contract with the Jazz and won’t be playing in his fourth anytime soon.
According to a press release from the team, an MRI on Potter’s injured right elbow revealed loose body fragments in the elbow. He will undergo surgery on Friday to remove those loose body fragments and will be reevaluated in approximately four-to-six weeks.
Although he has played sparingly for the Jazz in 2022/23, Potter has seen more action at the G League level, appearing in 12 games for the Salt Lake City Stars between the Showcase Cup and the regular season. He has registered averages of 14.8 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 2.9 assists in 29.3 minutes per contest.
Potter’s two-way deal with Utah covers the 2023/24 season as well as this one. Rookie guard Johnny Juzang currently occupies the team’s other two-way slot.
Central Notes: Mitchell, Rubio, Bucks, Bogdanovic
Cavaliers guard Donovan Mitchell returned from a three-game absence on Tuesday after dealing with a left groin strain, but unfortunately he aggravated the injury on the final play of the loss to New York, writes Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com.
“I went up to try and dunk it, both my legs cramped and my groin just tightened up and locked up on me,” Mitchell explained. “Those three things happened at the same time.”
The 26-year-old – who didn’t practice on Wednesday, per Kelsey Russo of The Athletic (Twitter link) – was unsure of his status going forward.
“I felt it a little (earlier in the game) but nothing to the extent at the end,” he continued. “We’ll figure it out and see what happens. It felt the same as before. I don’t know what comes next. I am just upset that it … I felt good enough to come back, and for that to be the last five seconds of the game really pisses me off. … I’m praying that I’m all right.”
Here’s more from around the Central:
- While Ricky Rubio admits that he’s still readjusting to the speed of the NBA game following his year-long rehab from an ACL tear, the Cavaliers point guard said he feels “the best I’ve felt in my career,” according to Russo at The Athletic.
- Eric Nehm of The Athletic takes stock of how Bobby Portis‘ knee injury will impact the Bucks, exploring whether the team has enough depth on its roster to get by without the big man for a few weeks. If Serge Ibaka remains away from the Bucks, they’ll likely have to lean more on small-ball lineups when Brook Lopez is off the floor, Nehm observes.
- Within a look at Khris Middleton‘s return and the Bucks‘ championship aspirations, Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports confirms that the team remains “very much in play” for Suns forward Jae Crowder. However, Goodwill says he gets the sense that Milwaukee’s offer is its offer and that the Bucks will be prepared to pivot if Phoenix moves Crowder elsewhere.
- James L. Edwards III of The Athletic reacts to hypothetical Bojan Bogdanovic trade offers from a handful of his fellow writers at The Athletic, evaluating whether or not the Pistons would view them as viable. Edwards ultimately passes on all five offers he receives in the exercise, since none include a first-round pick that isn’t at least lottery-protected, and Detroit wants an unprotected pick.
Rory Maher contributed to this post.
Bucks’ Bobby Portis To Miss Time Due To MCL Sprain
1:06pm: The expectation is that Portis will be out for at least two weeks before being reevaluated, according to Wojnarowski (Twitter link).
11:28am: The Bucks will be without one of their key frontcourt players for the foreseeable future, according to reports from Shams Charania of The Athletic and ESPN Adrian Wojnarowski, who both say that Bobby Portis has been diagnosed with an MCL sprain in his right knee.
It’s still unclear how long Portis will be unavailable. Charania’s report simply says Portis will “miss time,” while Wojnarowski hears from sources that the Bucks are working on determining a potential recovery timeline.
The recovery period for an MCL injury can vary depending on the severity of the sprain, but it typically keeps players sidelined for a matter of weeks, not days. As Wojnarowski observes, Portis missed seven weeks due to an MCL sprain during the 2018/19 season when he was a Bull. It’s also the injury that’s currently keeping Kevin Durant on the shelf — he’s expected to miss at least a month.
Portis, who suffered the injury during Monday’s win over Detroit, has enjoyed the best run of his eight-year career since joining the Bucks in 2020/21. This season, he’s averaging a double-double for the first time as a pro, registering 14.4 points and 10.1 rebounds per night through his first 47 games (26.8 MPG).
The Bucks got Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton back from injuries earlier this week and will continue to rely on Brook Lopez as their primary center, but suddenly find themselves short on depth in the middle. Veteran big man Serge Ibaka, who would typically move up the depth chart with Portis out, is away from the team as he and the Bucks look to find him a new home via trade.
Lowe’s Latest: Hart, Hachimura, Crowder, D. Green, T. Davis, More
Trail Blazers forward Josh Hart “is a name that is very, very hot right now,” ESPN’s Zach Lowe said in the latest episode of his Lowe Post podcast.
In a conversation with ESPN colleague Bobby Marks about Portland’s possible approach to this season’s trade deadline, Lowe stated that there are “a lot” of teams around the NBA who would like Hart, specifically citing Miami as a possible suitor since the 27-year-old is a “Heat kind of guy.”
Hart is playing a crucial role this season for the Blazers. In addition to starting all 45 games he has played, he’s averaging 34.0 minutes per contest and ranks third on the team in total minutes played (1,530). However, his contract situation has made him the subject of trade speculation — he holds a player option on his contract for 2023/24, so he could become an unrestricted free agent this summer.
Here’s more from Lowe and Marks:
- Both Marks and Lowe have heard rumblings that the Wizards and Rui Hachimura had discussions prior to the season about a rookie scale extension worth in the neighborhood of $12MM annually, but Hachimura opted to play out his contract year. The forward was traded to Los Angeles on Monday, so the Lakers will have to find common ground with him in free agency if they intend to keep him beyond this season.
- A source from a team with interest in Jae Crowder told Lowe that the Suns are seeking two of the following three things in exchange for the veteran forward: A first-round pick, a good young player, and a solid rotation player. Both Marks and Lowe are skeptical about Phoenix’s chances to get that sort of return, with Lowe remarking that the asking price is why Crowder is still a Sun.
- Lowe keeps hearing that the Grizzlies love Danny Green‘s locker room presence and don’t want to trade him. Green is on track to make his season debut next Wednesday.
- In a discussion about possible deadline moves for the Kings, Lowe said that he’s not sure guard Terence Davis is “loving his playing time” this season and suggested that Davis could be a trade chip. The fourth-year guard is averaging a career-low 12.7 minutes per contest.
- Echoing a recent report from Marc Stein, Lowe indicated that the Hornets appear motivated to hang onto forward P.J. Washington and re-sign him as a restricted free agent this offseason rather than moving him at the deadline.
- Lowe believes the Clippers are a good bet to make a deadline move, but suggests it might be more around the edges than anything major, since the team is reluctant to move Terance Mann and doesn’t have many movable first-round picks left.
Rory Maher contributed to this post.
Bob Myers’ Future With Warriors Remains Uncertain
With Bob Myers‘ contract as the Warriors‘ president of basketball operations set to expire later this year, people around Myers are wondering whether – or even predicting that – his time in Golden State could be coming to an end, according to Anthony Slater, Marcus Thompson II, and Sam Amick of The Athletic.
The Athletic’s trio cites team and league sources who say that Myers believes he should be among the NBA’s highest-paid front office executives, if not the highest, after having built a roster that has won four titles since 2015.
Warriors owner Joe Lacob, who previously stated that the team has made two contract extension offers to Myers, has referred to the executive’s last deal as one that made him one of the NBA’s top three highest-paid general managers, but Slater, Thompson, and Amick suggest that’s not the case.
According to The Athletic, Myers is among the top six or top eight highest-paid basketball executives, but Daryl Morey (Sixers), Masai Ujiri (Raptors), Pat Riley (Heat), Tim Connelly (Timberwolves), R.C. Buford (Spurs), and Leon Rose (Knicks) are believed by industry experts to be paid more.
Myers is well-liked by the Warriors’ stars, including Stephen Curry and Draymond Green, and Lacob and the team’s ownership group have shown a propensity over the years to spend to retain talent wherever possible, so the two sides could certainly still work out a new deal that keeps Myers atop Golden State’s front office for years to come.
If that doesn’t happen, the Wizards, Suns, and Knicks are worth watching as possible suitors for Myers, according to The Athletic’s trio, who also name the Clippers as a possibility being discussed in front office circles. A source with knowledge of the Clippers’ situation pushed back on that idea, however.
Slater, Thompson, and Amick have heard that Lacob has become more involved than ever in the Warriors’ personnel moves in recent years, including scouting draft prospects and creating big boards.
The Athletic’s report doesn’t indicate that Myers has chafed at Lacob’s involvement, but suggests Myers has essentially had to play the role of mediator between the Warriors’ ownership group – which has encouraged the development of young prospects and pushed a “two-timeline” plan – and his veteran stars and head coach Steve Kerr, who may favor more experience on the club’s bench.
Sources close to Myers who spoke to The Athletic wouldn’t rule out the possibility of the veteran executive leaving the NBA altogether and pursuing other opportunities, especially if burnout is a factor.
With several months left until Myers’ contract expires, it’s too early to say how the situation will play out. Two years ago, Ujiri and the Raptors didn’t agree to a new deal until well into the summer, just as his contract was about to expire — it’s possible the Myers situation in Golden State could follow a similar trajectory. For now, it’s worth monitoring as an under-the-radar storyline that could be resolved without further drama or could result in a major shake-up for the defending champs.
Bulls Notes: LaVine, Team Meeting, Green, Williams
Bulls guard Zach LaVine has been playing through a right hand contusion, and it has been affecting his performance. Including Tuesday’s loss to Indiana, in which Chicago blew a 21-point lead, LaVine has gone 6-of-36 (16.7%) from three-point range over his past five games.
K.C. Johnson of NBC Sports Chicago asked him about his struggles after the game.
“I’m playing with a messed-up finger obviously on my shooting hand,” LaVine said. “You can see by the numbers I’m not shooting the ball well from three. I can still get to the cup and shoot free throws, shoot mid-range. Obviously, you can see by the numbers it’s affecting my shot. But it’s not going to keep me from trying to go out there and help and contribute.”
As Johnson notes, LaVine wasn’t on the injury report prior to the game and was previously only listed as probable after suffering the injury on January 11. The 27-year-old is getting regular treatment and is playing with a brace, and while he says it’s painful at times, he’s not using it as an excuse.
“If I’m out there, I’m healthy enough to play,” he said, per Johnson.
Here’s more out of Chicago:
- The Bulls held a team meeting after their three-game win streak came to an end in disappointing fashion against Indiana on Tuesday night, but it remains to be seen whether it will help get the team out of a cycle of inconsistency and mediocrity, writes Darnell Mayberry of The Athletic. “Honestly, there’s not much to be said,” Nikola Vucevic said after the Bulls were outscored by 22 points in the second half of a six-point loss. “There’s nothing you can say. It’s just a lot of frustration. We did all the talking. So we’ve just got to do it or this is where we’re going to be.”
- There’s still some uncertainty surrounding Javonte Green‘s recovery following knee surgery, as Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times relays. The Bulls forward has yet to resume running or jumping, according to head coach Billy Donovan. “I’ll probably get a better idea of where he’s at physically once they say he can get on the court and start moving around a little bit, but he has not been able to do any of that,” Donovan said.
- Former fourth overall pick Patrick Williams hasn’t necessarily developed at the rate the Bulls had hoped, but the team views performances like Monday’s 18-point, 10-rebound showing as a sign that he’s continuing to move forward, even if the progress is slow, Cowley writes for The Sun-Times. “One of the most versatile players on this team,” DeMar DeRozan said of Williams. “Once he gets comfortable and realizes what he’s doing now it’s going to help us even more.”
Rory Maher contributed to this post.