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Injury Notes: F. Jackson, Butler, Harris, Barea

April 4th, 2018 at 8:46pm CST by Arthur Hill

Pelicans rookie Frank Jackson is making progress after having his third surgical procedure in 11 months, relays Christian Boutwell of The Advocate. The most recent operation, performed March 19, was follow-up surgery on his right foot to take out scar tissue left over from previous surgeries. Jackson was in New Orleans for tonight’s game and offered an update on his condition.

“Feels great. I’m already walking,” he said. “I’m like two weeks out of surgery. I’m walking. I’m in a boot for another week and then I’ll be out of that. My pain’s completely gone. That’s why I did it. Just taking care of it now.”

A second-round pick out of Duke, Jackson had a stress reaction in his foot that caused him to miss the summer league, then fractured it in late August. Jackson said he is hoping to be ready for summer league this year.

There’s more injury news from around the league:

  • It appears the Timberwolves and Nuggets will both be missing key players for tomorrow night’s showdown in Denver. Jimmy Butler is listed as doubtful for Minnesota as he tries to come back after surgery to fix a torn meniscus, tweets Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic. Derrick Rose and Jeff Teague are both questionable. Denver guard Gary Harris will miss the game as he continues to rehab a right knee injury, according to Jerry Zgoda of The Star Tribune (Twitter link).
  • Mavericks guard J.J. Barea left tonight’s game after suffering a left oblique strain, writes Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News. With just three games remaining, it’s possible that Barea’s season is over.
  • Nets forward DeMarre Carroll has a strained left hip and will be day-to-day for the rest of the season, tweets Michael Scotto of The Athletic.
  • Magic forward Jonathon Simmons may miss the rest of the season with a badly bruised right wrist, according to John Denton of NBA.com. Simmons sat out his eighth straight game tonight and is upset about not being able to play after signing a three-year, $18MM contract last summer. “My disappointment is about my love for the game and not wanting to let these guys down under the circumstances,” he said. “I’d love to be out there fighting with these guys, and the most disappointing part is not being able to be out there with my teammates.’’
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Atlantic Notes: Fultz, Carroll, Russell, Horford, Noah

March 20th, 2018 at 9:44pm CST by clarkcrum

In an opinion piece for The Philadelphia Inquirer, David Murphy writes that the Sixers should play Markelle Fultz this season if and when he is healthy enough to return, even though there is an argument to be made for shutting Fultz down for the remainder of the 2017/18 campaign.

Murphy opines that the Sixers often struggle to find an offensive dimension that allows opportunities for guys to create their own shots, the need for which increases during playoff time as defenses more readily prepare for the opposition. As veteran Ersan Ilyasova put it, “In the playoffs, when you play a seven-game series, you have to execute and kind of always bring something unique, because everybody’s studied each other.”

The Sixers had scored just 251 points on isolation plays this season, the fewest in the NBA, and they also rate poorly in pick-and-roll efficiency, scoring on drives, and getting fouled on drives.

Enter Fultz, who could be the type of player to possibly add this needed dimension to the Sixers’ rotation. “He can make us better,” head coach Brett Brown said. “… Just what he does in open court, what he does with a live ball. I think he can be different from any player that we already have. What I see in practice sometimes, you understand completely why he was the first player chosen in the NBA draft.”

There’s more from the Atlantic Division:

  • In his first season with the Nets, veteran forward DeMarre Carroll has done everything asked of him and more, writes Brian Lewis of the New York Post. Carroll has started at power forward and even played center, all while keeping an upbeat attitude through the team’s rebuilding. “I’m feeling good,” said Carroll. “This is the best I’ve felt in my career. I feel like playing with these young guys is rejuvenating me and making me feel even younger. I’ve just got to keep trying to show these guys by example, rather than doing the talking.”
  • In another article for the New York Post, Lewis reports that Nets guard D’Angelo Russell is finally learning to work on his defense. Always a gifted scorer, Russell will continue to improve defensively as he gets older, bigger, and stronger, per head coach Kenny Atkinson.
  • Current Thunder head coach Billy Donovan still speaks highly of his former player at Florida – Celtics big man Al Horford, reports Taylor Snow of Celtics.com. “What I’ve always respected about (Al) is that it’s always about winning; he’ll do whatever he has to do to win and sacrifice whatever he has to to win.”
  • Knicks head coach Jeff Hornacek doesn’t have much news to report on the Joakim Noah front, tweets Ian Begley of ESPN. Asked how the whole situation would resolve, Hornacek punted to general manager Scott Perry and team president Steve Mills.
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Atlantic Rumors: Miller, Sixers, Dinwiddie, Irving

March 5th, 2018 at 8:45pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The small forward spot continues to be a nagging problem for the Raptors, as Michael Grange of SportsNet details. Two-way player Malcolm Miller got a chance to start on Sunday with OG Anunoby sidelined by a sprained ankle, though he only played 14 minutes. Norman Powell has struggled for most of the season, Grange adds. “That position is probably going to be fluid,” coach Dwane Casey told Grange and other media members. “We’ll keep looking at different people. It’s a situation where we’ve got to get a lot of people ready and this is an opportunity to do that.”

In other news around the Atlantic Division:

  • The owner of the Sixers’ Wells Fargo Center will pump $250MM into the building for renovations, Bob Fernandez of the Philadelphia Inquirer reports. Comcast Spectacor will make those upgrades over the next three summers, with about 21,500 seats being replaced without affecting any Sixers games. The company chose that plan over tearing it down and building a new facility on the same lot, Fernandez adds.
  • Nets forward DeMarre Carroll has challenged point guard Spencer Dinwiddie to figure out how to coexist with D’Angelo Russell, he revealed to Brian Lewis of the New York Post. Dinwiddie hasn’t come close to matching the numbers he put up with Russell sidelined by a knee injury and Carroll is trying to shake Dinwiddie out of his funk. “What toes are you going to step on if you’re helping the team?” Carroll told Lewis. “That Spence was helping our team win a lot of games, so it’s not stepping on toes. … That’s why all of y’all have grown to love Spence, because of the way he’s been playing, attacking the goal, playing with a chip on his shoulder. He’s just got to get back to that Spence, playing like he’s got a chip on his shoulder.”
  • Kyrie Irving has emerged as a stable, consistent leader since he was traded to the Celtics, A. Sherrod Blakely of NBCSports.com opines. Irving has embraced the concept of doing whatever coach Brad Stevens asks of him even if it adversely affects his statistics, Blakely concludes.
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Trade Deadline Rumors: Carroll, Kings, Lakers, C’s

February 8th, 2018 at 1:12pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Nets and Pacers have considered a deal that would send DeMarre Carroll to Indiana in exchange for Al Jefferson, tweets Sam Amick of USA Today. The deal would be a way for Brooklyn to clear money for next season, as Carroll is owed $15.4MM, while Jefferson has a $10MM salary that’s only partially guaranteed.

Carroll, who was traded to the Nets over the summer, is averaging career highs in scoring (13.2), rebounds (6.4) and assists (1.9). Jefferson has settled into a reserve role since coming to Indiana two years ago and is averaging 6.7 points and 3.9 assists in 26 games.

There’s more to report as the trade deadline draws closer:

  • The Kings are willing to move second-year center Georgios Papagiannis if they need to open a roster spot to complete a larger trade, according to Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer (Twitter link). However, Sacramento has since agreed to trade Malachi Richardson in a deal that seems designed to open up a roster spot.
  • With Devin Booker and Tyler Ulis both battling injuries, the Suns may be interested in a minor deal for point guard help, tweets Scott Bordow of The Arizona Republic. Josh Gray is the only healthy option currently on the roster.
  • The Lakers appear to be done with major deals after acquiring Isaiah Thomas and Channing Frye from the Cavaliers, relays Bill Oram of the SoCalNewsGroup (Twitter link). Oram adds that a minor trade could still be in the works.
  • The Celtics remain engaged on several trade fronts, but continue to be reluctant to include a first-round pick in a deal, sources tell Chris Mannix of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link).
  • The Cavaliers weren’t able to gain any traction with the Hornets on a Kemba Walker trade before pulling the trigger on a series of separate deals, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. Hornets Michael Jordan places a high value on Walker and won’t move him cheaply, Woj adds. Jordan said in a recent interview that he wouldn’t part with Walker “for anything but an All-Star player.”

Luke Adams contributed to this post.

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Heat Exploring Deals For Wing Help

February 7th, 2018 at 2:44pm CST by Luke Adams

The Heat are exploring the trade market for help on the wing, and they’re among the teams that have expressed interest in Hawks swingman Marco Belinelli, according to Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. While Miami has interest in Belinelli, he’s one of several wings that the team has done due diligence on, Jackson notes.

Here’s more on the Heat, as they consider their trade options:

  • Although the Heat want to add a wing player, they’re not desperate to make a deal before Thursday’s trade deadline, according to Jackson, who says he’d be surprised if the team parts with Justise Winslow for a rental.
  • Despite having signed Joe Johnson when he was bought out by Brooklyn two years ago, the Heat wouldn’t be the favorites to land the veteran forward if he’s waived by the Jazz this month, says Jackson.
  • The Heat were identified this week as a team that has expressed interest in DeMarre Carroll, prompting Jackson to explore whether Miami might be interested in trading Winslow and Tyler Johnson to the Nets in exchange for Carroll. It’s an interesting idea, since the Nets originally signed Johnson to his current contract, which will get much more expensive in 2018/19. Such a deal would allow the Heat to save some long-term money and would net Brooklyn another former lottery pick. However, Brian Lewis of The New York Post says the Nets have no plans to make that swap.
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Atlantic Notes: Sixers, Embiid, Carroll, Raptors

February 4th, 2018 at 9:59am CST by Arthur Hill

The Sixers need to decide whether they’re willing to part with an asset to speed up the rebuilding process, writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. The physical and shot-related problems affecting first-round pick Markelle Fultz have left Philadelphia without a guard who can provide a scoring boost off the bench. There are two obvious targets in the Grizzlies’ Tyreke Evans and the Clippers’ Lou Williams, but neither will come cheap.

A league source tells Pompey the Sixers are interested in Evans, while reports have also linked them to Williams, who started his career in Philadelphia. The Celtics and other teams are targeting the same players, which may increase the asking price. The Hawks’ Marco Belinelli is a lower-cost option who could also provide bench scoring, and all three have expiring contracts, so they won’t affect future cap space.

Pompey says the Sixers shouldn’t be willing to give up a first-rounder for any of the three players because of their position in the standings. Stuck at .500 through the first 50 games of the season, Philadelphia is unlikely to be a title contender, and Evans, Williams or Belinelli won’t change that. He suggests holding onto first-rounders in case they’re needed for a larger trade in the future.

There’s more from the Atlantic Division:

  • Sixers center Joel Embiid is showing no ill effects after playing in back-to-back games for the first time in his career, according to an ESPN report. Embiid played 34 minutes Saturday after logging 31 minutes Friday, marking a significant milestone in a career defined by injuries. “I felt great,” Embiid said. “My legs weren’t tired. My body was fine. I could feel it just a little bit. But I was fine.” Embiid has already played 39 games, surpassing the total of 31 from last year in what was technically his rookie season.
  • Nets forward DeMarre Carroll has been mentioned as a trade target, but he wants to stay in Brooklyn, relays Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Carroll’s agent, Mark Bartelstein, told him several teams have expressed interest in a deal, but nothing is definite. “He talked to [GM] Sean [Marks] and they value me a lot here,” Carroll said. “You really don’t know what’ll happen. He just told me stay focused and continue to keep on doing well. I’m old enough I understand rumors are rumors. Until somebody calls and I’m shipping up out of here, continue to keep playing great basketball for the Brooklyn Nets.”
  • The Raptors should wait until after the trade deadline to upgrade their roster, writes Doug Smith of The Toronto Star. Toronto has been carrying an open roster spot all season and has the chance to do well in the buyout market without giving up an asset.
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New York Notes: Trade Chips, Marks, Baker

February 2nd, 2018 at 8:02pm CST by Austin Kent

The Knicks are sellers ahead of the February 8 trade deadline, Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News writes, with their eyes set on the 2019 free agent class rather than anything short-term. He broke down several players who could be shed in the team’s pursuit of draft assets and cap flexibility.

Bondy writes that the Knicks would love to deal Joakim Noah but, as has been discussed ad nauseam, such a deal isn’t likely to come to fruition. Neither, Bondy says, is a trade involving Enes Kanter, the 25-year-old whose comeback season and $18MM contract make him likely to remain in the Big Apple.

A more realistic bet to be traded is Willy Hernangomez, whose age, contract and potential would be more appealing than, say, Noah.

Other players like Courtney Lee and Michael Beasley are likely to remain with the Knicks, Bondy says — the former because he’s a consistent producer on the young squad and the latter because there hasn’t been much interest outside of the Knicks organization itself.

There’s more out of Brooklyn and New York this evening:

  • The Nets won’t rule out dealing some of their veteran players, Brian Lewis of The New York Post writes, but general manager Sean Marks isn’t rushing out to unload them either. “At the end of the day, if we’ve invested a lot of sweat equity in guys, I’d like that to be fruitful for the Nets organization,” he said. Wings DeMarre Carroll and Joe Harris have been said to be viable assets as the deadline approaches.
  • Injured Knicks guard Ron Baker will have to choose whether or not to undergo surgery on his shoulder, says Marc Berman of The New York Post. One specialist recommended such a procedure that would sideline Baker for three-to-six months.
  • In case you hadn’t guessed by now, Joakim Noah and Knicks head coach Jeff Hornacek “pretty much hate each other,” Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News tweets.
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Nets Notes: Dinwiddie, Harris, Carroll

January 25th, 2018 at 9:00pm CST by marksuleymanov

Spencer Dinwiddie has gone from afterthought to the Nets‘ most impactful player over the course of a calendar year. The 24-year-old was toiling in the G League last year until a phone call from Nets changed the course of his career, Dan Feldman of NBC Sports writes.

The Nets’ offer was not significant financially, but Dinwiddie recognized that he may not see another opportunity in the NBA for a long time, if ever.

“It’s very easy to be forgotten about in this league. There’s a lot of good players all over the world that, whatever reason, didn’t hit off right off the bat, and their careers paid the price for it,” Dinwiddie said. “I was told that there was no other opportunity. There was no other option. So, obviously I wanted to be in the NBA. So, I signed.”

Dinwiddie is averaging 13.4 PPG and 6.4 APG in 47 games (37 games) with Brooklyn; an opportunity that arose after injuries depleted the roster. With the trade deadline approaching, Dinwiddie’s play makes him an intriguing trade candidate. However, Dinwiddie said to WFAN’s Evan Roberts that he wants to stay in Brooklyn long term, Anthony Puccio and Net Income of Nets Daily relay.

“Honestly, my very first impression of Brooklyn was the culture of development. I thought they were very invested in the guys they chose to be a part of that,” Dinwiddie said

Check out other Nets news below:

  • Joe Harris, a free agent after this season, has turned his three-point shooting and scoring ability into a valuable commodity as the deadline approaches, Brian Lewis of the New York Post writes. Harris has been a poster child for the Nets’ development strategy, but the team runs the risk of losing him for nothing after the season. Brooklyn will have to make a tough decision on Harris, who said he is not worried about his future.
  • After joining the Nets in the offseason as a salary dump from the Raptors, DeMarre Carroll has enjoyed a career season in Brooklyn, averaging 13.0 PPG, and a team-high 6.7 RPG and 1.9 APG. As the deadline nears, the Nets could turn a profit on a player who they took from Toronto just to acquire a first-round pick, Lewis writes.
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New York Notes: Hernangomez, Carroll, Okafor

January 9th, 2018 at 9:47am CST by Luke Adams

Willy Hernangomez got back on the court for the Knicks in Sunday’s win over Dallas, with Jeff Hornacek opting to get all three of his active centers into the game. However, Hernangomez still only played six minutes. As Marc Berman of The New York Post details, the young big man was happy to get back into the rotation, but also told The Post for the second time in two weeks that he wouldn’t mind being traded if it means he’d get to play more.

“I feel great to know other teams are interested about me, right?,” Hernangomez said, referring to a weekend report that he’s receiving trade interest. “My situation is like this right now, not playing much. But I’m ready. I like to be with my teammates. I like to be a part of this team. But I don’t want to [sound] selfish, but I want to play. I’m ready for everything.”

According to Berman, the Knicks still hope to make a deal to clear their center logjam before next month’s trade deadline, but would prefer to move Kyle O’Quinn rather than Hernangomez. Sources tell Berman that a couple “playoff-bound teams” have inquired about O’Quinn as a rental.

Here’s more from out of New York:

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Woj’s Latest: Pistons, Fournier, Lakers, Hawks

January 8th, 2018 at 12:50pm CST by Luke Adams

Shooting guards and small forwards are in high demand as the trade deadline approaches, and there simply aren’t that many quality wings expected to be available, Adrian Wojnarowski writes in his latest report for ESPN.com. As Wojnarowski details, the Pistons, Knicks, Pelicans, and Trail Blazers are just a few of the many teams looking for upgrades on the wing.

DeMarre Carroll (Nets), Alec Burks (Jazz), Kent Bazemore (Hawks), and Evan Fournier (Magic) are among the veterans attracting some interest on the trade market, according to Wojnarowski, who notes that the Pistons pursued a deal for Fournier. Such a trade would be hard to pull off without including Reggie Jackson‘s contract, so nothing’s imminent at this point, but the Pistons continue to be aggressive on the trade market, a reflection of Stan Van Gundy‘s desire to win now, says Wojnarowski.

As for the Pelicans, they also remain active in trade talks despite their limited assets, according to Wojnarowski, who notes that Omer Asik and Alexis Ajinca have negative value and won’t be movable without New Orleans attaching a draft pick or two. If the Pelicans can’t trade for a wing, they’ll have to count on getting Solomon Hill back healthy for the home stretch of the season.

Here’s more from Woj:

  • The Lakers have “made it clear” that Jordan Clarkson, Julius Randle, and Larry Nance Jr. are available in trades, reports Wojnarowski. The club had been planning on waiting until after the season to try to move Clarkson, but there may be a mutual desire to get something done on that front sooner rather than later.
  • Bazemore, Ersan Ilyasova, and Marco Belinelli are expendable in Atlanta, where the Hawks are focused on unloading veterans and stockpiling more young players and draft picks, per Wojnarowski.
  • The Bulls still plan to trade Nikola Mirotic after January 15, assuming he OK’s a deal. According to Wojnarowski, Mirotic is somewhat intrigued by the Jazz and their head coach Quin Snyder, who has a reputation for maximizing offensive talent.
  • It’s possible their outlooks could change by the trade deadline, but the Thunder and Pelicans currently have no plans to trade Paul George or DeMarcus Cousins, respectively. Both players can become unrestricted free agents this July.
  • We passed along more rumors from Woj in full stories earlier today, providing the latest on DeAndre Jordan and examining the Grizzlies‘ asking price for Tyreke Evans.
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