P.J. Tucker Signs 10-Day Contract With Knicks
March 10: Tucker’s 10-day deal with the Knicks is now official, per a team press release (Twitter link).
March 8: P.J. Tucker will join the Knicks on a 10-day contract, sources tell Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link). Tucker talked with several teams over the past week before deciding on New York, Charania adds.
The 39-year-old forward will bring defensive toughness and three-point shooting to the Knicks, who are in a tight race for playoff seeding in the Eastern Conference. He also has a wealth of postseason experience — including a championship with Milwaukee in 2021 — that will be valuable if he winds up getting signed for the rest of the season.
New York has been carrying an open 15-man roster spot all season, so no other move will be necessary to add Tucker. The team is roughly $540K below the second apron, and Tucker’s 10-day deal will carry a cap hit of $119,972, according to Bobby Marks of ESPN (Twitter link).
Tucker isn’t expected to sign today, but he will at some point during the current road trip, tweets Steve Popper of Newsday. The Knicks don’t play again until Monday at Sacramento, and they want to get as many games as possible out of Tucker during the 10 days he’ll be active. If he signs on Monday, he’ll be eligible to appear in five games before the contract expires March 19.
Ian Begley of SNY hears that the Knicks view Tucker as an “integral addition” to a locker room that doesn’t have an experienced veteran of his stature (Twitter link). The team was also looking for someone with an “enforcer mentality,” Begley adds.
Tucker, who hasn’t played yet this season, started off with the Clippers after picking up his $11.54MM player option over the summer. An agreement was reached in early October that he would remain away from the team while his agent worked with the front office to find a trade.
Nothing materialized until February 1 when he was sent to Utah as part of a four-player deal. He was traded again five days later, being shipped to Toronto as part of the five-team Jimmy Butler deal. He remained inactive with the Raptors until he was waived February 28.
The Knicks will be the eighth team for Tucker, who made his NBA debut with Toronto during the 2006/07 season. He has appeared in 883 games with career averages of 6.6 points, 5.4 rebounds and 1.4 assists and shooting splits of .425/.366/.750.
Knicks Notes: McBride, Towns, Ewing, Anunoby, Hart
Miles McBride wasn’t happy with his first performance while replacing Jalen Brunson as the Knicks‘ starting point guard, writes Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. McBride, who’s expected to fill that role while Brunson recovers from a sprained right ankle, was limited to seven points while shooting 2-of-13 from the field in Friday’s loss to the Clippers.
“We didn’t win, so any time we don’t win, I don’t think I played well enough. I think anybody can always shoot the ball better. I think defensively there were some plays I could have had, probably could have come up with some more rebounds,” McBride said. “Full complete game, I feel like I could have upped it a lot more.”
The Knicks believe in McBride’s ability to run the offense while Brunson is sidelined, Bondy adds, noting that he did it for five games last season. It was a poor shooting night for the team overall, as New York was thrown off rhythm by L.A.’s switching defense.
“When he’s starting, the ball is in his hands more,” coach Tom Thibodeau said. “With the second unit, he was more off the ball and (Cameron Payne) handled more. But Deuce can do it. I’ve seen him have huge games there. So I have a lot of confidence in his ability.”
There’s more on the Knicks:
- Karl-Anthony Towns is thrilled to be learning about the game from Knicks legend Patrick Ewing, who joined the team as a coaching consultant before the start of the season, Bondy states in another piece. Ewing has attended several games this year, including both contests last week in Los Angeles, and he was at Sunday’s practice. “You always learn a little bit here and then you ask him for that help and he’s been in the situations, especially here in New York,” Towns said. “So his wisdom is priceless and his game is obviously on a Hall of Fame level. So getting a chance to sit with him, talk with him about basketball, about what I can do to be better from my spot, is awesome.”
- Extensive preparation enables OG Anunoby to excel on defense, according to James L. Edwards III of The Athletic. Anunoby spends a lot of time studying players’ tendencies when they have the ball and learning tricks by watching film of other elite defenders. “I like players who play hard on defense, so I’ll watch Alex Caruso and the stuff he’s doing — the active hands and aggressiveness,” Anunoby said. “If he’s doing this, I can do that, too.”
- Josh Hart is trying to find the right balance between taking care of his aching knees and staying sharp on the court, per Steve Popper of Newsday. “It all depends,” Hart said. “I will take a couple of days off, feel good, go out and shoot for 10 minutes and then it swells up again. It’s just a constant process of playing, resting, getting that inflammation out, and then just cut and paste and keep doing it.”
L.A. Notes: Leonard, Lue, Morris, Hayes
The Clippers‘ prospects for an automatic playoff spot — or at least a better position in the play-in tournament — improved dramatically on one Kawhi Leonard shot Sunday night, writes Law Murray of The Athletic. Trailing by a point in overtime, Leonard held the ball for 15 seconds before making a move. He dribbled eight times, then launched his shot over a collapsing Kings defense. It bounced off the back of the rim and fell through the net to give the Clippers a 111-110 victory.
“Read the defense, got to a spot on the floor and was able to get a shot off,” said Leonard, who topped 40 minutes for the first time this season. “I wanted to play. I’m kind of capped on the minutes — 36 is a lot of minutes. But it was just about me just wanting to finish that game. They told me they were going to sit me for a minute and bring me back. So just itching to get back in and didn’t want to sit.”
It was the third straight victory for the Clippers, who are eighth in the West at 35-29, one game back of Golden State for the sixth spot. L.A. has rebounded from a 1-6 stretch immediately after the All-Star break and appears to be surging ahead of four upcoming games against sub-.500 opponents. The Clippers have now clinched the head-to-head tie-breaker against the Kings, who trail their division rivals by a game and a half at 33-30.
Although Norman Powell and Ben Simmons remained out for Sunday’s game, league sources tell Murray that they’re both making progress. Powell, who is sidelined with patellar tendinopathy in his left knee, will be reevaluated following a three-game road trip. Simmons, who is also dealing with a knee issue, may play during the trip.
There’s more on the two Los Angeles teams:
- Clippers coach Tyronn Lue had to miss Sunday’s game due to back pain, according to an Associated Press report. Lue didn’t give any indication during his pregame media session that he wouldn’t be able to coach, and the team didn’t provide any other details. Assistant Brian Shaw replaced Lue for the night.
- Markieff Morris has barely played since rejoining the Lakers last month, but he’s finding other ways to contribute, notes Dan Woike of The Los Angeles Times. The veteran forward has taken on a leadership role and was instrumental in helping Dalton Knecht regain his confidence after his trade to Charlotte was rescinded. “I missed (Morris),” LeBron James said. “… We’ve been in the foxhole together. We’ve been on the floor during big games together. And there’s someone whose opinion I value very much when I come off the floor. He’s watching it. He’s seeing it. I’m just happy to have him back. It’s great to see him.”
- The Lakers will be without their entire starting front line for tonight’s game at Brooklyn. Center Jaxson Hayes has been ruled out on the team’s official injury report due to a contusion on his right knee. He joins James, who’s recovering from a groin injury he suffered Saturday night, and Rui Hachimura, who remains sidelined with patellar tendinopathy in his left knee.
Stephen Curry Becomes Assistant GM At Davidson
Warriors guard Stephen Curry has accepted an offer to become an assistant general manager for Davidson College’s basketball programs, according to Shams Charania of ESPN.
Charania notes that Curry is the first active player in U.S. professional sports to take an administrative job with a college team. He’s expected to provide guidance and advice to athletes at the school based on the experiences of his career, Charania adds.
Curry played for the Wildcats from 2006-09, displaying the unique shooting skills that have made him a star in the NBA. He averaged 25.3 points per game and made 414 three-pointers in his three seasons at Davidson, paving the way for him become the seventh player selected in the 2009 draft.
Charania states that Curry will work closely with Davidson general manger Austin Buntz, who was formerly part of Under Armour’s global sports marketing team. Curry signed with Under Armour in 2013 and has a lifetime shoe contract with the company.
According to Charania, Curry and his wife Ayesha will join with Davidson supporters Don, Matt and Erica Berman to start an eight-figure fund to aid the men’s and women’s athletic programs at the college. Matt Berman, a former Wildcats soccer player, will also serve as an assistant GM.
Charania notes that Curry completed his undergraduate degree at Davidson in 2022 and is considered a member of the Class of 2010.
Northwest Notes: SGA, Thunder, Gobert, Thybulle
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander prevailed over Nikola Jokic in Sunday’s battle of MVP favorites and the Thunder displayed why they’re headed for the No. 1 seed in the West, writes Joel Lorenzi of The Oklahoman. The MVP contest is considered to be a two-man race, and Lorenzi notes that SGA and Jokic were relatively even through three quarters. But Gilgeous-Alexander finished strong, posting nine points in the fourth quarter while making several clutch shots to end up with 40 points, eight rebounds and five assists.
“It’s been very fun,” he said of the season-long competition with Jokic. “Most of the appreciation comes from, honestly, my teammates. No matter how good of a basketball player I am, if we don’t check the win column as much as we do, the conversation wouldn’t be the conversation.”
It was important for the Thunder to be able to prove themselves in a nationally televised game against one of the NBA’s elite teams. The Nuggets are viewed as legitimate title contender after winning a championship two years ago, while there are still questions about Oklahoma City despite its 53-11 record.
“We have greatness among us,” Alex Caruso said. “When we play at our highest level, we’re a great team. It’s just about doing it consistently, and matching the pedigree play-after-play with some of these top teams. From the beginning of the game today, (Denver) came in like they were playing against the top team in the West. We came in like it was a noon game against the Nuggets on Sunday. …. When we play at an elite level we’re, in my opinion, the best team in the world.”
There’s more from the Northwest Division:
- Warriors forward Draymond Green is among those who have expressed doubt about the Thunder as true title contenders, per Zach Kram of ESPN. “There’s a certain seriousness that it takes to win in this league, and there’s a certain fear you have to instill in teams in order to win,” Green said on his podcast earlier this season. “I just don’t know if they’re instilling that fear in teams.” Kram lists 22 reasons why Oklahoma City should have earned the league’s respect by now.
- Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert was able to return Sunday after missing 10 games with a lower back injury. He was a game-time decision and was cleared to play less than an hour before tip-off, according to Kent Youngblood of The Star Tribune. “I always try to work on the root of the problem to make sure it doesn’t happen again,” Gobert said. “Playing with pain is part of the game. But there is pain that keeps you from moving, or that can get worse. Right now, I feel like I’m strong. I feel balanced.”
- Trail Blazers swingman Matisse Thybulle is moving closer to making his season debut, tweets Sean Highkin of Rose Garden Report. Thybulle will practice with Portland’s G League affiliate this week as part of his reconditioning and could be cleared to play on the upcoming homestand.
Sixers Notes: Walker, Maxey, Martin, Reese
Lonnie Walker turned in his best game since joining the Sixers last month, coming off the bench Sunday with 25 points, 11 rebounds and five assists in a win over Utah. After being waived by Boston just before the start of the season, the 26-year-old shooting guard spent time with Zalgiris Kaunas in the EuroLeague while awaiting his next NBA opportunity. After Sunday’s game, he talked about how he benefited from that experience, according to BasketNews.
“There are a lot of factors people don’t consider, like your mental state, your physical state, and how you’re feeling,” Walker said. “There was a seven- or eight-hour time difference to adjust to, but also playing at a completely different level of basketball, with a different style of play. Understanding new plays and learning how the team plays was part of the process.”
Walker has a chance to revive his NBA career in Philadelphia, which is his third team in the last three years after he spent his first four NBA seasons in San Antonio. He played 34 minutes Sunday night and figures to be part of the rotation for the rest of the season.
During his time away from the league, Walker gained an appreciation for the style of basketball being played in Europe.
“Most definitely,” he said. “Don’t get it twisted, the EuroLeague is a beautiful league. The passion and the way the game is played over there is special. But I definitely have a sense of gratitude for the opportunity to return to the best league in the world and showcase my abilities.”
There’s more from Philadelphia:
- Coach Nick Nurse told reporters before the game that he plans to monitor the minutes of Andre Drummond, Guerschon Yabusele and Kelly Oubre, who all saw limited action on Sunday, according to Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Pompey notes that they’re the only three rotation players from the start of the season that were active on Sunday. Nurse also provided an update on Tyrese Maxey, who’s sidelined with a lower back strain, saying the star guard “did some on-court work today,” but remains questionable for Monday’s game against Atlanta.
- KJ Martin returned to Philadelphia on Sunday for the first time since being traded last month in a cost-cutting move, per Adam Aaronson of The Philly Voice. Martin said he enjoyed his time with the Sixers and regrets that a stress reaction in his foot interrupted what could have been a productive season. “I had a great time this year,” he said. “Philly will always have a place in my heart for sure.”
- Alex Reese had six points and nine rebounds in 15 minutes in his first significant playing time of the season, Aaronson adds. The two-way forward said he’s been able to develop his game during his time with the Sixers and the team’s G League affiliate in Delaware. “It’s been good in both places,” Reese said. “Here and in Delaware, both teams have welcomed me. They’ve taught me a lot so far, pointed me in the right directions… I’m enjoying it and grateful to be here.”
Rockets’ Amen Thompson Out At Least 10 Days
Rockets second-year forward Amen Thompson is expected to be sidelined for 10-to-14 days due to a left ankle sprain, ESPN’s Shams Charania tweets.
An MRI showed no structural damage, so Thompson will rehab and receive treatment for swelling in the ankle with the hope of returning sometime this month. It’s relatively good news for Houston, as a major sprain would have sidelined him for a much longer period of time.
Thompson injured his left ankle during the fourth quarter of the team’s blowout win over New Orleans on Saturday. The injury occurred as Thompson drove into the lane and attempted a pull-up jumper. His left foot came down on Pelicans center Karlo Matkovic‘s foot when he landed, and he reportedly was seen wearing a walking boot and using crutches as he left the arena.
The fourth overall pick in the 2023 draft, Thompson has been enjoying a breakout year for the Rockets. In 60 games (33 starts), the 22-year-old has averaged 14.0 points, 8.3 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.3 steals, and 1.3 blocks in 32.5 minutes per game, with a .553 FG% and strong, versatile defense.
Cam Whitmore and Aaron Holiday are among the players who could see an uptick in playing time while Thompson mends.
Mavs Notes: Edwards, Powell, Williams, Thompson, Durant, Irving
The Mavericks’ injury woes grew to almost laughable proportions on Sunday. During the fourth quarter of their loss to the Suns, coach Jason Kidd literally had no options on the bench, according to Eddie Sefko of Mavs.com.
Dwight Powell and Kessler Edwards banged heads during the third quarter and both required stitches. Edwards was able to return with 6:05 left in the fourth quarter. Point guard Brandon Williams pulled up just before the third-quarter buzzer and did not return due to left hamstring soreness. With Dante Exum on a minutes restriction, Kidd had to go with what he had left.
“Never seen this,” Kidd said. “Never been in a game that we could not take someone out to rest them because we had no one to put in. They were either in clothes or in the back getting stitches. It is what it is. We got to keep pushing forward.”
The Mavs had eight players ruled out prior to the game and they won’t be available on Monday when Dallas faces San Antonio. They’re not in a position to add anyone else due to financial restrictions, so they will be severely shorthanded.
“We’ll try to figure it out as we go. We can’t sign anybody and Duds (assistant coach Jared Dudley) costs too much,” Kidd quipped. “You got to laugh because if you don’t, this will drive you crazy.”
We have more on the Mavericks:
- Due to the depleted roster, Klay Thompson is receiving extra attention on the defensive end, Sefko notes. Thompson managed to score 20 points in the nine-point loss to Phoenix and has averaged 23 PPG over the last three games. “They’re going to take away Klay anyway,” Kidd said. “So just for the sake of the team, hopefully they don’t take away Klay and we can get some easy looks for him. But it’s a team game. We got to generate shots. Someone has to be able to touch the paint with the ball . . . and we got to be able to knock down open shots.”
- Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving‘s teammate with Brooklyn, expects the high-scoring guard to play at an All-Star level again after he recovers from his season-ending ACL injury. “Any human would be upset, pissed off. Curious as to why this happened. You go through those emotions. Then the faster you get over that, the faster your recovery will be,” Durant said, per Christian Clark of The Athletic (Twitter link). “Kyrie is a hard worker. He’s disciplined every single day — his regimen, his routine. That’s why he’s so great. He’s so great, I’m expecting him to come back and be the same Kyrie. Expecting him to come back and lead Dallas and be the same team they’ve always been. We all can’t wait to see him back on the floor.”
- In case you missed it, second-year forward Olivier-Maxence Prosper has a significant right wrist injury and is expected to require season-ending surgery. Get the details here.
Lakers Notes: James’ Injury, Road Trip, Doncic, Hayes
The Lakers know that LeBron James won’t be able to play for at least a week, and probably longer than that, due to a groin strain. How will they survive the upcoming stretch of games without him?
“I think we just have to continue to play hard and play defense,” coach JJ Redick said, per Jovan Buha of The Athletic.
The Lakers have been the No. 1 ranked defense in the league since mid-January. They’re confident they can collects wins despite the future Hall of Famer’s absence.
“We’ve had many situations where a player deals with some type of injury or a trade or whatever it is, and we’ve done a really good job of bouncing back,” guard Austin Reaves said. “And I don’t expect anything else. It’s a next-man-up mentality. Not one person’s gonna do what LeBron does for us. But you can do it as a collective. And … hopefully, he gets back out on the court soon.”
As Buha notes, the Lakers have a rugged stretch of games upcoming. They’ll play in Brooklyn on Monday, then finish their road trip by playing in Milwaukee on Thursday and Denver on Friday. They also have a pair of home back-to-backs (four games in five days) against Phoenix/San Antonio and Denver and Milwaukee within the next two weeks.
We have more on the Lakers:
- James believes that being at full strength for the postseason supersedes anything else at this point, Buha relays. “We can compete versus anyone in this league,” James said. “So, we’ll be fine. We got to continue to build our habits. … We made an acquisition late in the season, and we’re still trying to build. And we want to get full. That’s the No. 1 objective for us: How we can get full and get all our guys together and see exactly what we look like.”
- James and Rui Hachimura (knee) are among the players listed as out for the matchup with the Nets, Khobi Price of the Orange County Register tweets. Luka Doncic (back soreness) and Jaxson Hayes (right knee contusion} are listed as questionable.
- Hachimura, who has missed five consecutive games, is making progress from the patellar tendinopathy affecting his left knee. Get the details here.
And-Ones: Ellis, Butler Jr., Stretch-Run Goals, Harper, Bailey
The Indiana Mad Ants, the Pacers’ NBA G League affiliate, acquired the rights to Boogie Ellis from the Stockton Kings in a three-team trade, Sacramento radio reporter Sean Cunningham tweets.
The rookie guard out of USC has made 19 G League appearances this season, including three starts. Ellis averaged 10.3 points, 3.5 rebounds and 3.2 assists in 21.7 minutes per game for Stockton. He participated in Sacramento’s training camp after going undrafted but was waived before the start of the season.
The Mad Ants traded Kyle Mangas to the Austin Spurs, who dealt the returning player rights of Matt Lewis and their 2026 first-round pick to the Stockton Kings.
We have more from around the basketball world:
- In more G League news, the Wisconsin Herd (Bucks) acquired the rights to John Butler Jr. from the Capital City Go-Go (Wizards), Milwaukee’s affiliate tweets. The Go-Go received a 2026 first round and 2026 second round pick and the rights to Darryl Morsell. Butler, who started his NBA career with Portland, had a two-way contract with Washington for part of last season. He also participated in Washington’s camp this season but was waived prior to the opener. Butler made 34 appearances, including 10 starts, with the Go-Go this season. He scored 12 points in his first outing with Washington’s affiliate.
- What are the stretch-run goals for each NBA team the remainder of this season? The Athletic received input from its various beat writers on that topic. For Cleveland, it’s going for 70 wins. For the Knicks, it’s integrating Mitchell Robinson into the lineup. For Milwaukee, it’s getting home court advantage in the first round of the playoffs.
- While Rutgers had a mediocre season, the Scarlet Knights have two of the premier lottery picks in Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey. ESPN’s Jeremy Woo polled NBA executives on the duo. Harper drew comparisons to All-Star Cade Cunningham, while Bailey was likened to Brandon Miller. Bailey might be the top offensive prospect in the draft and have the highest ceiling of any prospect, according to one executive.