Injury Notes: Allen, Mobley, McDaniels, Powell, Fox, Sabonis
Discussions about Jarrett Allen‘s potential return for the Cavaliers have gravitated toward “if” rather than “when,” according to Joe Vardon of The Athletic. The team has said Allen is making progress in his recovery from a broken finger and hasn’t ruled out the possibility of him returning before the regular season ends on Sunday, but his finger was still in a splint this weekend, says Vardon.
Even if Allen is able to play soon, it’s “highly unlikely” that he’ll be 100% effective, says Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com (Twitter link). In Fedor’s view, Evan Mobley – who has missed four games with a sprained ankle and wasn’t walking with a limp after Sunday’s game – is a better bet to be fully effective, or at least close to it, when he returns.
Here are a few more injury updates from around the NBA:
- Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels, who has been out since March 14 due to a high left ankle sprain, “looks really good” in his scrimmages, head coach Chris Finch said on Sunday (link via Chris Hine of The Star Tribune). The Wolves will formally reevaluate McDaniels on Monday. Finch expects him to be on a minutes limit when he returns, per Hine.
- Clippers forwards Paul George and Marcus Morris hinted after Sunday’s game that Norman Powell could be close to returning from his left foot injury, according to Mirjam Swanson of The Southern California News Group, who notes that the injured swingman took part in an on-court pregame workout. “It’ll be great for Norm if he could get back out there in the next game or two, just to get a good feel back,” Morris said.
- With the Kings officially eliminated from playoff contention, head coach Alvin Gentry acknowledged that shutting down De’Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis will likely be “something we’ll talk about” (Twitter link via Jason Anderson of The Sacramento Bee). Fox has missed Sacramento’s last eight games due to a hand injury, while Sabonis has been out for six games due to a knee issue.
Timberwolves Notes: Russell, McDaniels, Towns
Timberwolves guard D’Angelo Russell admits his confidence is a little shaken due to a shooting slump, Chris Hine of the Minneapolis Star Tribune writes. Russell is shooting just 34% overall during his last 11 games and 26% from three-point range.
“It’s just a confidence thing right now,” he said. “When you see a lot of shot you usually make miss, the confidence isn’t there. So it’s just staying high, staying high with my confidence and knowing they’re good looks and I make these and take these shots.”
We have more on the Timberwolves:
- On the same topic, coach Chris Finch believes Russell can be more effective by running more pick-and-rolls, Hine writes in a separate story. “He’s aggressive in pick-and-roll,” Finch said. “I think we’ve got to get him in more pick-and-roll.”
- Forward Jaden McDaniels, who is recovering from a high left ankle sprain, will be reevaluated in the middle of next week, Hine tweets. McDaniels has been cleared for some basketball activities. He has been out since March 14.
- Minnesota finally has the right pieces to accentuate Karl-Anthony Towns‘ ability, Dan Devine of The Ringer opines. Devine takes a deep dive into Towns’ big season, noting that Finch has given him the green light to attack more off the dribble.
Northwest Notes: Gay, Hart, Towns, McDaniels
Rudy Gay‘s first season with the Jazz has been disappointing, but he believes there’s still time to turn it around, writes Eric Walden of The Salt Lake Tribune. Gay signed as a free agent over the summer, but offseason heel surgery kept him out of action through the first 14 games of the season. He missed four more games because of soreness in the heel and another six in February due to illness and knee pain. Although the season is winding down, Gay feels like there’s still progress to be made before the playoffs.
“I feel pretty good going into the later part of the season,” he said. “This is good. We went through a lot early. That was good for us. The thing about it is, I’m motivated. Just trying to make a long run in these playoffs. That’s what it’s really about. The real season’s coming. This is all trying to get in a rhythm so we can be our best by then.”
Coach Quin Snyder recognizes that because he’s missed so much time, Gay is still adjusting to his role on the team. Snyder has been extending Gay’s minutes lately, even in games that are out of reach.
“I feel about Rudy the way I do about our team: as he plays more, he’ll continue to be able to give us more,” Snyder said. “… Getting him out there is important to us. Rudy’s obviously someone we feel like can really impact the game for us.”
There’s more from the Northwest Division:
- Josh Hart is adapting to his new situation with a Trail Blazers team that is currently more focused on developing young players than winning games, notes Jason Quick of The Athletic. Coach Chauncey Billups said Hart is used to being a complementary player on teams with stars, rather than a primary scorer surrounded by youngsters. “I had to have some conversations with him, because Josh is a very, very competitive dude, and sometimes we’ve been in situations where we haven’t been very competitive,” Billups said. “And that’s tough, especially for a vet. So I’m challenging him right now to just control that, and help our guys. But it’s a tough deal.”
- Karl-Anthony Towns‘ 60-point outburst Monday was accompanied by a joy that was missing when he set the previous team record of 56 in 2018, observes Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic. After some difficult years with the Timberwolves, Towns is now the leader of a winning team that enjoys playing together. He could be headed for a spot an All-NBA team, which would make him eligible for a four-year super-max extension this offseason.
- Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels suffered a high ankle sprain, tweets Chris Hine of The Star-Tribune. Josh Okogie is expected to get extra playing time while McDaniels is sidelined (Twitter link).
Jaden McDaniels Out At Least Two Weeks With Sprained Ankle
An MRI has revealed that Timberwolves power forward Jaden McDaniels sprained his left ankle late in last night’s 149-139 victory over the Spurs, the team announced in a press statement.
Minnesota indicated that McDaniels will be shelved indefinitely as he recovers from the injury. The Timberwolves will reevaluate him in two weeks.
Across 67 contests, the 6’8″ forward has been a key role player on both sides of the floor for the upstart Timberwolves, averaging 9.4 PPG, 4.3 RPG and 1.1 APG in 26.1 MPG. McDaniels is connecting on 45.9% of his field goal looks and 80% of his charity stripe attempts.
With a 40-30 record, Minnesota currently occupies the seventh seed of the Western Conference. As the Wolves look to make their first postseason appearance since 2018 (and only their second since 2004), they could look to supplement the loss of McDaniels in the short term.
Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic reports (Twitter link) that Minnesota will explore adding a free agent big man via a 10-day contract, something that had already been considered a possibility.
Timberwolves Eyeing Marcus Smart
The Timberwolves remain interested in Celtics guard Marcus Smart, Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News said during an appearance on the Mackey & Judd podcast on SKOR North (Twitter link). However, Boston’s asking price for Smart may be too high for Minnesota.
“Here’s what I was told, I’m reading this verbatim: ‘Minnesota (is) definitely trying to trade for Marcus Smart,'” Wolfson said, quoting a source. “‘But unless they include a first-round pick or Jaden McDaniels in addition to Malik Beasley, (it) most likely doesn’t get done.'”
Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report said last week that Smart was on the Timberwolves’ radar, especially in the event that they move Patrick Beverley in a separate deal. However, Beverley still seems more likely to stay put than to be moved, in which case the Wolves probably wouldn’t make another defense-first guard like Smart their top priority.
While Boston and Minnesota may not end up making a deal involving Smart, the two teams have apparently been having a variety of trade discussions leading up to the deadline. A previous report stated that the Celtics explored a possible deal that would’ve sent Josh Richardson and either Romeo Langford or Aaron Nesmith to Minnesota in exchange for Beasley. The Wolves reportedly weren’t interested in that concept at the time.
Timberwolves Notes: Finch, Trade Deadline, McDaniels, Towns
Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch believes the team’s depth is “showing itself” over the course of the season, according to Chris Hine of The Star Tribune (via Twitter).
“We thought we had good depth the beginning of the season. At times we were inconsistent with that,” Finch said.
Discussing the team’s roster ahead of the trade deadline, Finch said the Wolves don’t feel the need to make moves, suggesting that the biggest improvement they can make will come from internal growth.
“Mainly we don’t feel any great pressure to do anything with this roster at this point in time. We’re pretty happy with where we are and guys are playing well and being the best versions of themselves we thought they could be.
“I don’t think anyone thinks we’re by any means a finished product. All rosters change from season to season. We don’t feel any great pressure to have to do something right now. Internal growth is always going to be the best accelerant for teams to take the next step,” Finch said, per Hine.
Here’s more on Minnesota:
- Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic breaks down which Wolves players are most likely to be moved by the deadline on February 10. He believes that Patrick Beverley is a wild card, because both sides are interested in an extension, but if that doesn’t come to fruition before the deadline, he might be dealt. Krawczynski views Malik Beasley, Naz Reid and Josh Okogie as the three prime trade candidates worth monitoring, all for different reasons.
- Second-year forward Jaden McDaniels is starting to get noticed after being selected to the Rising Stars game at All-Star weekend, Hine writes for The Star Tribune. McDaniels, the 28th overall pick of the 2020 draft, has proven to be a versatile, impactful defender. McDaniels was passed over by the media for All-Rookie teams last season, but Finch says people across the NBA know how good he is. “He has a lot of fans around the league, I do know that,” Finch said. “A lot of coaches or opposing players know he’s a tough matchup, and he’s really playing well and, at the right time, caught the eye of the league.”
- In a column for The Star Tribune, Patrick Reusse opines that Karl-Anthony Towns has shown improvement this season, even if his individual numbers may not reflect that. Towns was recently named an All-Star reserve for the Western Conference, his third selection to the game.
2021/22 Rising Stars Team Rosters
As we previously relayed, the NBA announced a new format for its Rising Stars event at All-Star weekend, which will take place on Friday, February 18. The event will feature four seven-player teams competing in a three-game tournament (two semifinals and a final).
The player pool is comprised of 12 NBA rookies, 12 sophomores, and four players from the G League Ignite, while the games will be played to a target score: 50 points in the semifinals and 25 points in the final, in honor of the league’s 75th anniversary season.
The rosters were announced on February 1, but now the four honorary coaches (75th anniversary team members Rick Barry, Isiah Thomas, Gary Payton and James Worthy) have selected their seven-man teams, per our JD Shaw (Twitter link). Here are the rosters:
Team Barry:
- Cade Cunningham (Pistons)
- Dyson Daniels (GLI)
- Evan Mobley (Cavaliers)
- Isaac Okoro (Cavaliers)
- Alperen Sengun (Rockets)
- Jae’Sean Tate (Rockets)
- Franz Wagner (Magic)
Team Isiah:
- Precious Achiuwa (Raptors)
- Desmond Bane (Grizzlies)
- Saddiq Bey (Pistons)
- Anthony Edwards (Timberwolves)
- Tyrese Haliburton (Kings)
- Jaden Hardy (GLI)
- Isaiah Stewart (Pistons)
Team Payton:
- LaMelo Ball (Hornets)
- Scottie Barnes (Raptors)
- Ayo Dosunmu (Bulls)
- Chris Duarte (Pacers)
- Scoot Henderson (GLI)
- Jaden McDaniels (Timberwolves)
- Davion Mitchell (Kings)
Team Worthy:
- Cole Anthony (Magic)
- MarJon Beauchamp (GLI)
- Josh Giddey (Thunder)
- Jalen Green (Rockets)
- Herbert Jones (Pelicans)
- Tyrese Maxey (Sixers)
- Jalen Suggs (Magic)
James Ham of ESPN 1320 and The Kings Beat provides (via Twitter) the full draft results.
The top 10, in order, were: Edwards, Mobley, Ball, Anthony, Giddey, Barnes, Cunningham, Bey, Bane, and Wagner. It’s worth noting that Worthy and Anthony both went to the University of North Carolina, so Anthony’s selection at No. 4 is less surprising given that context.
What do you think of the teams? Who do you think will come out on top? Head to the comments section and let us know your thoughts!
NBA Announces 2021/22 Rising Stars Rosters
The NBA has revealed the 28 players (12 rookies, 12 sophomores, and four G League Ignite players) who will suit up for the 2022 Clorox Rising Stars Game in Cleveland this year, per its official PR account (Twitter links). There are a few intriguing surprises among the first-year NBA players.
Here are the players who made the cut:
Rookies:
- Scottie Barnes (Raptors)
- Cade Cunningham (Pistons)
- Ayo Dosunmu (Bulls)
- Chris Duarte (Pacers)
- Josh Giddey (Thunder)
- Jalen Green (Rockets)
- Herbert Jones (Pelicans)
- Davion Mitchell (Kings)
- Evan Mobley (Cavaliers)
- Alperen Sengun (Rockets)
- Jalen Suggs (Magic)
- Franz Wagner (Magic)
Sophomores:
- Precious Achiuwa (Raptors)
- Cole Anthony (Magic)
- LaMelo Ball (Hornets)
- Desmond Bane (Grizzlies)
- Saddiq Bey (Pistons)
- Anthony Edwards (Timberwolves)
- Tyrese Haliburton (Kings)
- Tyrese Maxey (Sixers)
- Jaden McDaniels (Timberwolves)
- Isaac Okoro (Cavaliers)
- Isaiah Stewart (Pistons)
- Jae’Sean Tate (Rockets)
Additionally, four players from the G League Ignite will participate in the Rising Stars Game based on voting from NBA G League head coaches. The NBAGL has announced (Twitter link) that MarJon Beauchamp, Dyson Daniels, Jaden Hardy and Scoot Henderson will partake in the action. Players will be separated into four teams, and each G League player will be drafted to join one of the teams later this week.
Among the rookie NBA players, the additions who would be most surprising ahead of the 2021/22 season would be Dosunmu and Jones, both of whom were second-round draft selections. 2021 lottery picks Jonathan Kuminga, Ziaire Williams, James Bouknight, Joshua Primo and Moses Moody were all omitted from inclusion this year.
Among the second-year players, Ball could be appearing on multiple nights during All-Star Weekend this season, as he appears to be a very possible first-time All-Star this year thanks to his outstanding work with the upstart Hornets.
The lottery-bound Magic, Pistons, and Rockets can boast having the most inclusions here, with three players apiece.
As we detailed last week, this year’s Rising Stars event will look a little different, with the four teams taking part in a mini-tournament and playing to a target score in each game: 50 points in the semifinals and 25 points in the final, in honor of the league’s 75th anniversary season.
Timberwolves Notes: Prince, McDaniels, Vanderbilt, Beasley
After spending some time out of the Timberwolves‘ rotation, Taurean Prince delivered his best game of the season on Thursday with 13 points and three rebounds in 15 minutes, writes Chris Hine of The Star-Tribune.
Prince, who was acquired from the Cavaliers in an offseason trade, has been putting up the worst numbers of his career since coming to Minnesota. He’s been particularly bad as a three-point shooter, connecting at just 19% before Thursday’s game. After sinking three of his five shots from long distance vs. San Antonio, Prince hopes the worst is over.
“Maybe a couple years ago I would’ve felt some type of way or acted a certain way,” he said of the reduced playing time. “But now I’m to the point where I just want to hoop. I’m with a great organization. We got something going here. … For me to feel any type of way about playing time right now would be — it’d be a little bit selfish on my behalf. Just try to stick together, see it all through and things will come together.”
There’s more from Minnesota:
- Jaden McDaniels has struggled with foul trouble in his second NBA season, but apart from that he has been tremendous on defense, Hine adds in the same story. Coach Chris Finch rates him as an “A or A-minus” defender and says opponents are starting to take notice. “Every game pretty much we have some opponent coming over saying to our bench he can really guard,” Finch said. “(Suns guard) Chris Paul said it the other day: ‘Who is this guy? He can really guard.'”
- Since moving into the starting lineup five games ago, Jarred Vanderbilt has provided an edge to the first unit, notes Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic. Minnesota doesn’t have a traditional power forward, so the undersized Vanderbilt tries to fill the role by outworking opponents. “Very aware, very self-aware. Mature,” Finch said of Vanderbilt. “Understands who he is as a basketball player. That’s 90% of the battle of getting better in this league.”
- Malik Beasley‘s shot has been off this season, but he has been able to hold onto his rotation spot by improving on defense, Krawczynski adds. Beasley credits studying film with helping him to better understand what opposing players are trying to do.
Timberwolves Pick Up Options On Edwards, McDaniels
The Timberwolves have picked up their third-year options on Anthony Edwards and Jaden McDaniels, Shams Charania of The Athletic tweets. Both options are for the 2022/23 season.
The moves were a mere formality as Minnesota guaranteed the contracts of two of the team’s key players from last year’s draft.
Edwards, the No. 1 overall pick, averaged 19.3 PPG, 4.7 RPG and 2.9 APG in his stellar rookie season. He pumped in 23.8 PPG after the All-Star break.
McDaniels, the No. 28 pick, averaged 6.8 PPG and 3.7 RPG. He also ramped up his production after the All-Star break and is expected to start at power forward this season.
Edwards’ salary for 2022/23 will be $10.73MM, while McDaniels will get $2.16MM.