Desmond Bane

Grizzlies Notes: Morant, Jackson, Bane, Adams

June 6th, 2023 at 9:02am CST by Arthur Hill

Adam Silver will wait until after the NBA Finals to announce Ja Morant‘s punishment for his latest gun-related incident, but the commissioner dropped some hints about the length of a potential suspension during his press conference last week, writes Mark Giannatto of The Memphis Commercial Appeal.

Giannatto examines five statements from Silver to get an idea of what Morant’s suspension might look like. He suggests that the commissioner seemed more disappointed than angry about Morant’s behavior when he talked about creating “better circumstances going forward” for the Grizzlies star.

Silver mentioned the involvement of the players’ union in the process, which Giannatto believes may be encouraging for Morant. He points out that no player has ever been suspended for more than 30 games without being charged with a crime and theorizes that the NBPA won’t let that happen to Morant without putting up a fight.

There’s more on the Grizzlies:

Appearing on Paul George‘s podcast, Jaren Jackson Jr. expressed support for Morant and said he’s holding up well amid the likelihood of suspension, relays Damichael Cole of The Commercial Appeal. “He’s good,” Jackson said. “That’s my brother, though. No matter what, I stand by my brother, and I think that’s the lesson everybody should take away from this. … Everybody is going to say whatever, but they’re everybody. It never matters at the end of the day. This is your family. This is your brother.”
The absence of Morant will make this an especially important season for Desmond Bane, Cole adds in a separate story. Bane, who will be on the final year of his rookie contract, will have to assume a larger leadership role on the team and Cole states that he might have All-Star potential. Cole also points to Santi Aldama, Ziaire Williams, Kenneth Lofton Jr. and Tyus Jones as players to watch heading into next season.
The Grizzlies never fully recovered after losing Steven Adams to a right knee injury in January, Cole states in another Commercial Appeal piece. The team’s starting center appeared in a career-low 42 games this season and was especially missed in the playoffs when Memphis was outmuscled in a first-round loss to the Lakers. Cole adds that in addition to his rebounding, the Grizzlies also missed Adams’ screen setting and his leadership as the oldest player on the team.

Grizzlies Notes: Morant, Jones, Point Guard, Bane

June 3rd, 2023 at 12:01pm CST by Luke Adams

NBA commissioner Adam Silver told reporters during a press conference on Thursday that the league won’t announce the results of its latest Ja Morant investigation until after the NBA Finals. However, Silver’s comments seemed to hint that a harsh punishment is on the way for the Grizzlies guard, according to Sam Amick of The Athletic, Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports, and Brian Windhorst of ESPN (Twitter video link), among others.

“It was very unusual for him to basically say, ‘I know what I’m going to do but I’m not going to announce it now,'” Windhorst said on ESPN’s Get Up. “The second part is that he brought up that he’s working alongside the Players Association on this. He’s obviously bringing them along side by side. Trust me, typically the Players Association isn’t there as the discipline is being decided on and doled out.

“So this is a situation that is wide-ranging, and quite frankly, the indication here is that this is going to be a significant suspension. The tone and the tenor and the fact that the Players Association is involved does not indicate this is going to be something similar to what we’ve seen before. And I also think that Adam Silver’s expecting for there to be a lot of reaction to what he does. He doesn’t want it to be a story line during the Finals. So take all of that under advisement as you consider what’s headed for Ja Morant.”

Asked during Thursday’s press conference whether the NBA was too lenient in suspending Morant for eight games earlier this year after a similar viral video in which he flashed a gun, Silver admitted he wasn’t sure, as Amick relays.

“If it had been a 12-game suspension instead of an eight-game suspension, would that have mattered?” Silver said. “… It seemed appropriate at the time. That’s all I can say. Maybe by definition, to the extent we’ve all seen the video that it appears he’s done it again, I guess you could say maybe not.

“But I don’t think we yet know what it will take to change his behavior. (It’s the) same thing I said at the time; he seems to be a fine young man. In terms of my dealings with him, I think he’s clearly made some mistakes, but he’s young, and I’m hoping now —once we conclude at the end of our process what the appropriate discipline is, that it’s not just about the discipline, it’s about now what we, the Players Association, his team and he and the people around him are going to do to create better circumstances going forward.”

Here’s more on the Grizzlies:

Addressing the Morant situation on Friday at an NBA Cares event in Denver, Silver clarified that the league’s biggest concern at this point is about “gun safety” rather than whether or not any state’s laws are being broken. “I feel across the board, regardless of what people’s individual views are on gun rights, everyone feels firearms should be handled in a safe way, and waving them around or displaying them in a certain context is not consistent with gun safety and is not the proper message that an NBA player, particularly one at Ja’s level, should be sending to the tens of millions of followers he has,” Silver said, per Joe Vardon of The Athletic.
While Tyus Jones is capable of stepping into the Grizzlies’ starting lineup if Morant is suspended to start the 2023/24 season, the team will likely target a reliable backup point guard or a play-maker at another position this offseason in order to provide additional depth behind Jones, says Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer.
Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal takes a look at how Desmond Bane continued to evolve and improve in his third NBA season, noting that Bane was solid on defense and made progress toward becoming an “efficient three-level scorer” on offense. Bane will eligible for a rookie scale extension this offseason.
Denver’s run to the NBA Finals can serve as inspiration for the Grizzlies, according to Mark Giannotto of The Memphis Commercial Appeal. Like the Nuggets with Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray, Memphis has a core it wants to build around (Morant, Bane, and Jaren Jackson Jr.) and – barring further off-court setbacks with Morant – can focus on continuing to upgrade its roster around that trio, Giannotto writes.

Grizzlies’ Desmond Bane Undergoes Toe Surgery

May 16th, 2023 at 1:12pm CST by Luke Adams

Grizzlies wing Desmond Bane underwent surgery on Tuesday to address a fracture of the medial sesamoid bone in his right big toe, the team announced in a press release (Twitter link). The expectation is that Bane will be fully recovered before the 2023/24 season begins.

Bane sustained the injury, which was initially diagnosed as a sprain rather than a break, on November 11. He missed Memphis’ next 17 games before returning to action on December 23.

Although Bane played through the injury for most of the year, he acknowledged in January during a podcast appearance that he’d probably have to get it “taken care of” during the offseason. “You never know how much you need to use your big toe until you can’t use it,” the 24-year-old said at the time.

Bane averaged a career-high 21.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game in 58 appearances (31.7 MPG) during his third NBA season in 2022/23, making over 40% of his three-pointers for a third consecutive year. He’ll be eligible for a rookie scale extension this offseason and appears to be in line for a significant payday.

With Ja Morant possibly facing a lengthy suspension to begin the 2023/24 season, Bane will be in position to take on a larger role on the court for the Grizzlies this fall as long as he’s back to full health. He’ll also likely be counted on to assume more leadership responsibilities in the locker room, given that Morant – Memphis’ ostensible franchise player – continues to make negative headlines off the court.

Latest On Ja Morant

May 15th, 2023 at 9:06am CST by Arthur Hill

Ja Morant is facing a “lengthy suspension” after his latest gun incident, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski said Sunday on “NBA Countdown” (video link). A video in which the Grizzlies guard appeared to brandish a firearm showed up on Instagram Sunday morning. The footage could have lasting effects for both Morant and his team.

Wojnarowski notes that commissioner Adam Silver showed “restraint” during a similar incident in early March when Morant posted a video of himself holding a gun at Denver-area strip club. Woj adds that Silver met with Morant before announcing an eight-game suspension and “took him at his word that he would make better decisions.” Silver is expected to handle the situation differently this time, particularly with owners concerned about how Morant’s actions affect the image of the NBA.

“I sense already today that Adam Silver’s going to feel increasing pressure from other teams in the league who see this, as much as it impacts the Grizzlies, that it impacts them and their ability to market their players and their teams,” Wojnarowski said.

The league will investigate the video to make sure it wasn’t “doctored” before taking any action, Wojnarowski adds.

There’s more on Morant and the reaction to the latest video:

Morant’s “transcendent talent and the seemingly endless marketing possibilities” affected the judgment of everyone involved in handling the first case, writes Sam Amick of The Athletic. He adds that the Grizzlies approached the situation with “a classic small-market culture” of a team that was concerned about upsetting its star player. Amick states that Morant has wasted the opportunity to learn from his mistakes by not changing his inner circle, getting away from the gun culture and accepting the responsibility that’s part of being an admired public figure.
Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated points out that the eight-game suspension likely cost Morant an All-NBA designation, which would have guaranteed an extra $40MM in salary through a super-max contract. Despite the financial implications, the meeting with Silver, a visit to a counseling center in Florida and a contrite interview with Jalen Rose, Morant doesn’t seem to have been moved to change his behavior, Mannix adds.
Morant’s expected suspension will change the Grizzlies’ offseason in several ways, per Damichael Cole of The Commercial Appeal. Memphis likely won’t try to trade Tyus Jones, who has an expiring contract and has become one of the league’s best backup point guards, Cole states, because he’ll be needed while Morant is inactive. That limits the team’s options for an upgrade at small forward. Cole also contends that Desmond Bane needs to become the Grizzlies’ leader now that Morant has shown he’s not able to handle the role.

Southwest Notes: Grizzlies, Brooks, Bane, Pelicans, Daniels

May 8th, 2023 at 4:26pm CST by Rory Maher

The Grizzlies weren’t thrilled with the framing or leaking of the story about Dillon Brooks not being brought back “under any circumstances,” ESPN’s Tim MacMahon said on his Howdy Partners podcast (YouTube link).

“The Grizzlies did not want the messaging out there of, basically, ‘Dillon Brooks is a scapegoat. We’re dumping Dillon Brooks and everything is going to be fine.’ They were fine with the way (GM) Zach Kleiman left it at the exit interviews with the media,” MacMahon said.

Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal has the quotes from Kleiman.

“I’ll hit on (Brooks) another day,” Kleiman said. “Nothing I can comment on for now with him going into free agency.”

Multiple members of the team, including Kleiman, talked about toning down the trash-talking, while Brooks said it was part of who he is, according to Cole.

“We’re going to take a different approach as it pertains to (trash talk) next season,” Kleiman said. “You’ll see a different approach from this team, but at the same time, confidence is important. .. There’s a line there, certainly.”

As MacMahon observes, it was pretty easy to read between the lines and realize that Brooks was highly unlikely to be re-signed, but the Grizzlies didn’t want to throw him under the bus, either.

Here’s more from the Southwest:

Shams Charania of The Athletic broke the story on Brooks. Brooks’ agent, Mike George of OneLegacy Sports Management, lit into Charania for his report. “@ShamsCharania the leader of spreading false news and attacking players. Why any player in the league talks to this guy blows my mind. #weirdo,” George tweeted.
In an appearance on Stephen A.’s World with Stephen A. Smith of ESPN (YouTube link), Grizzlies guard Desmond Bane praised Brooks. “Things like this happen,” Bane said. “You know, it’s part of the business. There ain’t no telling whether he’s gonna be back with us or with another team in the future. … Whatever happens for him I’m gonna be cheering, hopefully it’s with us, but if not, I’ll be rooting for him — as long as it’s not in the Western Conference.”
Yossi Gozlan of HoopsHype takes a look at what’s next for Brooks and the Grizzlies following the news of his impending departure, noting that a sign-and-trade might be the best chance for Memphis to replace his salary slot.
Pelicans guard Dyson Daniels had a strong rookie season on the defensive end, but he knows he has a lot of work to do on offense to make the impact he wants going forward, writes Christian Clark of NOLA.com. “For me, I was disappointed how it went this year,” said Daniels, who plans to play in Summer League. “I think I could have made more of an impact. But for me, it’s about learning now and getting the work in this summer and being ready for next year.”
In a mailbag for The Athletic, William Guillory thinks it would be “extreme” for the Pelicans to explore trading Zion Williamson this summer, viewing it as a total non-starter. Williamson is too talented to deal away so early in his career despite his significant injury troubles, according to Guillory. Adding a shooter in free agency will likely be a priority for New Orleans this offseason, Guillory adds.

Southwest Notes: Kidd, Kyrie, Mavs, Bates, Pelicans, Grizzlies

May 5th, 2023 at 9:25pm CST by Rory Maher

Head coach Jason Kidd hopes Kyrie Irving — an impending free agent — spends the rest of his career with the Mavericks, he told Rachel Nichols of Showtime (Twitter video link).

“I think he truly is happy here, but that doesn’t guarantee us that he’s going to stay,” Kidd said (hat tip to NJ.com contributor Adam Zagoria). ” … We’re going to do everything to keep him. At the end of the day it’s his decision, we’ll see what that is. But at the end, we hope that we’ve done everything to make him comfortable, and want to be a Mav for life.”

A five-year, maximum-salary offer for Irving is projected to be worth $272MM. It seems unlikely that the Mavs would actually go that high, but you never know — they gave up real assets to acquire him, and losing him for nothing would be a disaster.

Here’s more from the Southwest:

Emoni Bates, who worked out for Charlotte on Friday, also worked out for the Mavericks earlier this week, Zagoria tweets. A former five-star recruit, Bates is currently ranked No. 56 on ESPN’s big board after a relatively disappointing first two college seasons at Memphis and Eastern Michigan.
Hiring an assistant coach with head coaching experience is a priority for the Pelicans, according to Christian Clark of NOLA.com, who notes (via Twitter) that head coach Willie Green has a good relationship with advisor Mike D’Antoni.
The Grizzlies will need to rely on the leadership of Ja Morant, Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr. going forward with Dillon Brooks likely to depart in free agency, writes Damichael Cole of The Memphis Commercial Appeal. “Des is a cornerstone, very significant piece of this group,” GM Zach Kleiman said. “I think he has an opportunity going forward to really establish himself as a key driver, key leader in this group. … I think he’ll have an even bigger opportunity to be a heart-and-soul-of-the-group kind of guy going forward.”

Grizzlies Notes: Adams, Brooks, Bane, Offseason

April 30th, 2023 at 5:27pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Grizzlies center Steven Adams didn’t play after January 22 due to a knee injury, but the team is hopeful he’ll be ready to go in October, Damichael Cole of the Memphis Commercial Appeal tweets.

“The target for Steven Adams is to return at the beginning of next season,” Grizzlies general manager Zach Kleiman said. Adams signed a two-year, $25.2MM extension last offseason that kicks in next season.

We have more on the Grizzlies:

Dillon Brooks didn’t have any trouble talking to LeBron James during the first-round series but he got fined by the league for not talking. He was docked $25K for violating league rules governing media interview access, the league’s communications department tweets. The fine stemmed from Brooks’ failure to participate in team postgame media availability during the first round.
Brooks did meet with the local media on Sunday and expressed no regrets for trash talking, including called James “old,” Cole reports. “No, that’s who I am,” Brooks said. “I don’t regret it. I’m a competitor. I compete.” Kleiman was noncommittal on Sunday when asked about Brooks’ future with the franchise. The veteran forward is an unrestricted free agent this summer.
Regarding that issue, Mark Giannotto and Cole believe it’s best if the Grizzlies let Brooks walk. Both Commercial Appeal reporters feel the club should re-sign Brooks only as a last resort after exploring many other options to upgrade the wing spot.
What should the Grizzlies do this offseason after their first-round flameout? Yossi Gozlan of Hoops Hype and Bobby Marks of ESPN both explore that topic, including how much Desmond Bane could receive in an extension.

Grizzlies Notes: Kennard, Bane, Jenkins, Game 5 Win

April 27th, 2023 at 5:47pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Luke Kennard‘s health could be a key element in the Grizzlies’ aim to win their series against the Lakers after trailing 3-1. Kennard injured his left shoulder in the second half of Game 5 but he provided an optimistic update after Memphis’ win. Game 6 is scheduled for Friday night, according to Damichael Cole of the Memphis Commercial Appeal.

“I just got a stinger out there,” Kennard said. “Getting it looked at (Thursday), trying to find out a little more, but it’s all good right now.”

With Dillon Brooks struggling with his shot and the Lakers sagging off him, Kennard has proved to be a better offensive option, Joe Vardon of The Athletic notes. He’s shooting 50 percent on 3-pointers and 52 percent overall in this series.

“Luke is one of the best shooters in the league,” Ja Morant said. “Obviously that opens up a lot of space on the floor and we just play off that.”

We have more on the Grizzlies:

Desmond Bane racked up 33 points, 10 rebounds and five assists in Game 5 and made a de facto guarantee that the Grizzlies will win Game 6 on the Lakers’ home floor, Tim MacMahon of ESPN relays. “We got to come with the right edge and the right road mentality, but I said it out there and I’ll say it again,” Bane said. “We’re going to be back for a Game 7 in front of the best fans in the NBA.”
While there’s no indication he’ll be replaced if the team flops in the first round, coach Taylor Jenkins is under pressure to show he can be successful in the postseason. Cole and Mark Giann0tto of the Commercial Appeal examine that topic.
In a subscriber-only story, Chris Herrinigton of the Daily Memphian examines how the Game 5 victory could propel Memphis the rest of the series, including the fact that Morant and Bane are hot offensively at the same time.

Players Likely To Get Rookie Scale Max Extensions In 2023

April 19th, 2023 at 11:06am CST by Rory Maher

The 2020 NBA draft was a strange one for a number of reasons. It wasn’t viewed as the strongest class by scouts and analysts, and there was no consensus top overall pick. The COVID-19 pandemic also (understandably) made it much more difficult for teams to scout and interview players due to travel restrictions.

Rookies from the class were also negatively impacted, as they were drafted in November and the 2020/21 season started one month later, with shortened training camps. Normally rookies have up to four months to spend with their new teams, including summer league and full training camps. The truncated offseason put all players behind the curve, but the ones without NBA experience were hit hardest.

It’s fair to say the 2020 class has been relatively disappointing overall to this point, especially some of the players drafted in the top 10.

However, there are still some excellent players who were selected in the first round, and I believe three of them are basically locks to receive maximum-salary rookie scale extensions at the beginning of July (the new contracts will kick in starting in ‘24/25). They all have areas they need to improve on, but the potential and production are there.

The top candidates

Anthony Edwards, G/F, Timberwolves

After spending much of his first two seasons playing small forward, Edwards primarily played shooting guard in 2022/23 and had a career year, averaging 24.6 points, 5.8 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 1.6 steals on .459/.369/.756 shooting in 79 regular season games (36.0 MPG). The top overall pick of 2020 was named an All-Star for the first time this season.

Edwards has been durable, has improved nearly across the board in each of his three seasons, is arguably the best athlete in the class, and is only 21 years old. The fact that the Wolves were able to stay afloat with Karl-Anthony Towns missing most of the season is a testament to Edwards’ growth, and there’s still plenty of room for improvement.

LaMelo Ball, G, Hornets

The 2020/21 Rookie of the Year was an All-Star in year two after averaging 20.1 points, 6.7 rebounds, 7.6 assists and 1.6 steals on .429/.389/.872 shooting in 75 games (32.3 MPG). Ball, the third overall pick in 2020, followed that up by averaging 23.3 points, 6.4 rebounds, 8.4 assists and 1.3 steals on .411/.376/.836 shooting in ’22/23.

The problem was, Ball sustained multiple left ankle sprains and then fractured his right ankle on a non-contact play at the end of February, which limited him to 36 games this season.

I highly doubt those ankle injuries will impact his next contract, though they are a little worrisome. It’s possible the Hornets might push for some type of protections on the deal, but I’d be a little surprised — Ball played 75 games in ‘21/22.

Tyrese Haliburton, G, Pacers

Several draft analysts had Haliburton high on their boards, but he wound up falling to the Kings at No. 12 overall. He played very well in his stint with Sacramento, but his fit with fellow point guard De’Aaron Fox was less than perfect, particularly defensively, and the Kings memorably traded him in February 2022 for a package headlined by big man Domantas Sabonis.

The deal has worked out well for both teams. Haliburton thrived as a full-time point guard for the Pacers to end last season, and he was outstanding in 2022/23, making his first All-Star appearance while averaging 20.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, 10.4 assists and 1.6 steals on a sparkling .490/.400/.871 shooting line in 56 games (33.6 MPG).

Advanced stats nearly universally say Haliburton has been the top player from his class through three seasons. His efficiency and excellent decision-making stand out.

The 23-year-old only averaged 2.5 turnovers per game this season, good for a 4.15-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio – an excellent mark. Indiana went 28-28 with him in the lineup, versus 7-19 without him.

The borderline candidates

Two other first-round picks from 2020 are likely to receive massive extension offers this summer, but I’m not sure if they’ll get the full max – I could see it going either way.

Tyrese Maxey, G, Sixers

Given his relatively modest numbers as a rookie, Maxey’s enormous leap in ‘21/22 was pretty surprising (and impressive). He averaged 17.5 points, 3.2 rebounds and 4.3 assists on .485/.427/.866 shooting in 75 games (35.3 MPG) in his second NBA season. The former 21st overall pick had a strong playoff showing as well, averaging 20.8 points, 3.5 rebounds and 3.9 assists on .484/.377/.940 shooting in 12 games (40.4 MPG).

Maxey maintained his great outside shooting this season, averaging 20.3 points, 2.9 rebounds and 3.5 assists on .481/.434/.845 shooting in 60 games (33.6 MPG).

Still just 22 years old, Maxey is electric with the ball in his hands and is one of the fastest players in the league, making him a terror in transition. While he rarely turns the ball over, he’s more of a shooting guard than a point guard at this time, frequently looking to score instead of distribute.

However, he’s only 6’2″, so he can realistically only defend point guards, and he doesn’t have great instincts on that end. Most of the players listed here need to work on becoming more consistent defenders, but the other players have size advantages and are better at making plays both on and off the ball defensively.

The new CBA allows players eligible for rookie scale extensions to sign five-year deals – they were previously limited to four-year contracts. With that in mind, I think Maxey is highly likely to receive an offer in the range of $160-170MM over five years, but I’d be mildly surprised if he gets the full projected $200MM+ due to his limitations as a play-maker and defender (whether he accepts less than a max deal is another story).

Desmond Bane, G/F, Grizzlies

A four-year college player out of TCU, Bane was the last pick of the first round in 2020. He had a quality rookie season, mostly off the bench, averaging 9.2 points and 3.1 rebounds on .469/.432/.816 shooting in 68 games (17 starts, 22.3 MPG).

Like Maxey, Bane emerged as one of the most improved players in the league last season, averaging 18.2 points, 4.4 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.2 steals on .461/.436/.903 shooting in 76 games (29.8 MPG). He was even better in ‘22/23, putting up 21.5 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 4.4 APG and 1.0 SPG on .479/.408/.883 shooting in 58 games (31.7 MPG).

From a statistical standpoint, the 24-year-old has a legitimate argument for getting a max deal. He’s an elite shooter and is a solid play-maker and defender.

My only real questions as far as a max deal are: Can Bane be one of the best players on a championship-level team? Is he good enough at creating his own shot? I did view Memphis as a legitimate contender this year until Steven Adams and Brandon Clarke went down with injuries.

Bane is already an excellent player who has shown consistent improvement year over year. Every team in the league would love to have him. I’m just not totally sold on a full max, though I wouldn’t be surprised if he gets it, and it’s hard to say he hasn’t earned it.

Southwest Notes: Bane, Spurs, Rockets, Ingram

April 6th, 2023 at 10:49pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Following a review, the NBA has rescinded a technical foul that attendant referees had previously assessed Grizzlies shooting guard Desmond Bane, the league has announced (Twitter link).

Bane was whistled for the infraction midway through the third quarter of Memphis’ eventual 138-131 overtime loss to the Pelicans Wednesday. He punched the air after he failed to snare an offensive rebound (Twitter video link), hardly tech-worthy behavior.

There’s more out of the Southwest Division:

Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich has revealed that San Antonio intends to play in Austin every year moving forward to help grow its brand, per Tom Orsbron of The San Antonio Express News. “The bottom line is the Spurs organization just wants to expand the territory,” Popovich said. “We live here in this region, all the way from Mexico all the way to up here, and we’d like to spread that experience we’ve had with the Spurs to another area, and to do that we have to make the effort to be seen and to get up here and to play some games. And I think we will do that every year now. I don’t think, I know, and this is the start of it.” San Antonio is playing twice at the Moody Center in Austin this season, against the Trail Blazers today and Timberwolves Saturday.
The rebuilding Rockets are hoping to improve enough to take the next step in their evolution in 2023/24, writes Andrew Lopez of ESPN. “We’re definitely on the right track and we’re beating some teams that are trying to make a playoff run,” forward Jae’Sean Tate said. “Our record might not say it, but things around here are definitely different and trending in the right direction.” The team is 20-60 this year.
Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram is evolving as a star and team leader, opines William Guillory of The Athletic. Across his past 10 games, during which New Orleans has gone 8-2, Ingram has been averaging 28.8 PPG, 8.7 APG, 6.3 RPG, and 0.6 SPG.

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