Joel Embiid Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Sixers Notes: Hinkie, Embiid, Brown, Landry

October 1st, 2015 at 12:30pm CST by Chuck Myron

Sixers owner Josh Harris admits that it’s difficult to watch his team lose, but he insists that he doesn’t want to sacrifice the franchise’s long-term rebuilding plan, notes Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter link). Harris is still supportive of GM Sam Hinkie, pointing to the work he’s done via trade, and he doesn’t question the team’s decision to draft Joel Embiid third overall last year despite the fact that he’s likely to miss a second season in a row because of his ailing right foot, as Tom Moore of Calkins Media observes (All Twitter links).

‘When we drafted Joel, it was a good risk to take. I was really disappointed [about the news of his second foot surgery],” Harris said. “When you talk to the doctors, they’re quite optimistic. You have to hope for the best and prepare for the worst.”

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Harris and Hinkie didn’t talk about an extension for coach Brett Brown, whose contract expires at the end of the 2016/17 season, but they made it clear they’re fond of him. “I give Brett an A for the job he’s done. He’s an incredible player development person,” Harris said, according to Moore (Twitter links). “I hope and expect Brett to be around the team for a long, long time.” Hinkie believes Brown has also excelled in ways that aren’t readily apparent, as Pompey relays. “I’m proud to see all of you like Brett Brown as much as I like Brett Brown,” Hinkie said to reporters, including Moore, as he pointed to stories about the idea of an extension. “It’s been a real pleasure — and I suspect it’ll continue to be a real pleasure — to work with him. He and I have a great relationship. He’s been a fantastic partner.”
Carl Landry is still about five or six weeks away from a return following June 2nd surgery to repair a torn ligament in his wrist, but Hinkie indicated that the team intends for him to stick around despite his status as a veteran who’s making a relatively sizable amount of money, as Pompey details. His $6.5MM salary is the highest on the team. “We talked a lot about this situation and how it’s different the way people might perceive it [as nothing more than a salary dump], and the importance of his voice and how that might matter,” Hinkie said. “That doesn’t take away from his game. I think he will be able to play fine.”
Nik Stauskas, whom the Sixers acquired along with Landry via trade this summer, regrets approaching his rookie year last season with trepidation, as he tells Pompey for a separate piece. “Coming into last year, I had no clue what to expect,” Stauskas said. “I was a little bit nervous, maybe a little bit scared. Coming into the NBA for me was almost a different ball game. Looking back on it, that was probably one of the biggest mistakes I made. It’s still just basketball. It just happens to be with different players in a different league.”
Undrafted rookie Christian Wood has just a $50K guarantee on his deal with the Sixers, but he’s looked impressive so far, Pompey opines. Brown has praise for the power forward, and particularly for the development of his three-point shot.

Atlantic Notes: Brown, Jack, Sixers

September 2nd, 2015 at 10:30pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Markel Brown picked up an extra $50K in guaranteed salary when he remained on the Nets roster through Tuesday, when his partial guarantee increased from $150K to $200K, as Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders first reported and as is shown on our Schedule of Salary Guarantee Dates. You can view Brooklyn’s full 2015/16 salary cap outlook here.

Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:

Despite being regarded as one of the worst teams in the league for the past two seasons, the Sixers are finally ready to be competitive, Cody Taylor of Basketball Insiders writes. Taylor isn’t predicting that Philly will make the playoffs in 2015/16, but does believe that a 10 win improvement over last season’s total of 18 certainly is within reach, and that the franchise could use that as momentum moving forward. The Basketball Insiders scribe also defends the selection of Joel Embiid with the No. 3 overall pick in 2014, noting the unusually high rate of injury among that draft class, and believes that the center could still end up being regarded as a solid choice by GM Sam Hinkie.
Nets point guard Jarrett Jack isn’t worried about those who doubt his ability to run a team and take over as the starter for Deron Williams, Mitch Abramson of The New York Daily News writes. “I’ve started in New Orleans,” Jack said. “And I’ve had countless other times- I started in Toronto. I’ve started in a few places so we’re just going to have to wait and see. Just answering questions is not going to show or prove anything on my behalf, so I’m just waiting until I can show and prove.” Williams and the franchise reached a buyout arrangement in July.
Jack, who was teammates with Andrea Bargnani in Toronto, believes that the oft-injured forward can have a productive season in Brooklyn if he can remain healthy, Abramson also relays. “Yeah, me and Dre [Bargnani] played together in Toronto,” Jack said. “So I know the type of player he’s capable of being, the talent he possesses. I think just the thing with him man, hopefully his health. Hopefully he can stay healthy throughout the course of the season and be that player that people thought he was when they drafted him No. 1 overall in Toronto.“

Chuck Myron contributed to this post.

Atlantic Notes: Embiid, Johnson, Crawford

August 21st, 2015 at 6:20pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Sixers center Joel Embiid underwent a second surgical procedure on his injured right foot this week, and he is expected to miss the entire 2015/16 campaign as a result. While the news that the 2014 No. 3 overall pick will miss his second consecutive campaign is bad enough, there’s also a strong chance that Embiid will also miss the beginning of the 2016/17 season, according to Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer (video link), with a hat tip to Chris Walder of TheScore.com.

“Talking to my sources, they want to see him return around October – not this October, but the next October, for that season,” Pompey said. “And he may not even return for the start of that season. He may miss a couple games. But that’s their goal.”

Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:

The Raptors will miss Amir Johnson ‘s intangibles and hustle this season, with the forward having signed a two-year, $24MM pact with the Celtics this offseason, writes A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com. “He went from a role player to a very big piece of what we were doing,” Raptors coach Dwane Casey said of his former player. “He became the core of what we were doing in Toronto. We went from a young, up and coming team to grow. We’ll miss his leadership, his toughness. He has a quiet toughness about him that we will miss with our team.”
The Knicks reportedly have interest in acquiring Jamal Crawford from the Clippers, and Lang Greene of Basketball Insiders believes that landing Crawford would take additional pressure off of Carmelo Anthony on the perimeter and also provide good spacing for the entire Knicks offense overall. Greene also notes that trading for the guard wouldn’t have a negative impact on the Knicks’ salary cap since Crawford is in the final season of his current deal.

Eastern Notes: Embiid, D-League, Bulls

August 20th, 2015 at 6:30pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Sixers GM Sam Hinkie noted that while Joel Embiid adhered to the prescribed recovery plan for his injured right foot, the team would have liked the center to be more focused at times regarding his rehab, Tom Moore of Calkins Media writes. “He [Embiid] gets thrown into the NBA and the thing you love the most is taken away from you,” Hinkie said. “I found his diligence to be good. At the same time, I’ve had conversations with him that everybody’s got to step up their focus. The stakes are very high. It’s clear to everyone however high they were, they’re higher [now].” Embiid underwent a second surgical procedure on his injured right foot this week, and he is expected to miss the entire 2015/16 campaign.

Here’s more out of the Eastern Conference:

The Raptors have secured the D-League rights to several players via the expansion draft, and a number of recognizable names are up and down the list, Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca notes (on Twitter). Some of the better known players selected by the team include Earl Clark, Nolan Smith, Dee Bost, Dahntay Jones, and Ricky Ledo, Grange relays.
The Bulls chose to stand pat for the most part this offseason regarding making roster moves, with the team still believing that its core has the capability of reaching the NBA Finals, a plan that center Joakim Noah agrees with, Vincent Goodwill of CSNChicago.com writes. “I think continuity is gonna be great for us,” Noah told Goodwill. “Even though it’s the same group, it’s still gonna be change at the leadership role as far as coaching. So it’s gonna be very different. So having the same team brings stability as well.”
Lamar Patterson, who inked a two-year pact with the Hawks this offseason, hopes that shedding 22 pounds of weight from his 6’5″ frame will help him earn a regular season roster spot, Jake Fischer of SI.com writes. The guard spent last season with Tofas Bursa of Turkey, averaging 11.2 points and 3.6 rebounds in 28.3 minutes per game. Patterson, who turns 24 next month, led the Hawks in scoring at the Las Vegas Summer League with 13.1 PPG to go along with 5.1 RPG in 25.8 MPG.

Atlantic Notes: Embiid, Valanciunas, Mickey

August 19th, 2015 at 7:21pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The Sixers have officially announced that center Joel Embiid is expected to miss the entire 2015/16 campaign while he recovers from surgery on his right foot, the second such procedure the big man has undergone on that appendage. Embiid’s recovery is expected to take five to eight months, which was the exact same timeframe the center was given following his surgery last season, according to the announcement. Philly GM Sam Hinkie also noted that Embiid did not suffer another broken foot, but instead, there was simply less healing than medical personnel anticipated.

Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:

Hinkie also said that the Sixers were still actively looking to make another trade this offseason, but would not disclose what position the team is looking to upgrade at, Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer tweets. The GM also said regarding potential deals, “We’re still active, heavily engaged in trade conversations, [and also] with free agents still. I don’t have anything to announce,” Tom Moore of Calkins Media relays (on Twitter). Philly could stand to add some depth at point guard, with the team’s current rotation at the one consisting of Tony Wroten, Isaiah Canaan, and Scottie Wilbekin.
Even if the Raptors need to offer Jonas Valanciunas an extension above market value in order to entice him to sign, Doug Smith of The Toronto Star thinks locking him up before the salary cap spikes next summer would be a wise move for Toronto. Members of the Raptors front office are adamant that JV will be a key part of the club’s success in 2015/16, according to Smith, who thinks an agreement between the two sides is inevitable.
Celtics coach Brad Stevens is excited by what he’s seen from draftees Jordan Mickey, Terry Rozier, and R.J. Hunter, with Mickey making an especially strong impression courtesy of his length and athleticism, Judy Cohen of WEEI 93.7 FM writes. “Those guys are workers,” Stevens said. “They’ll come in, they’ll work, they’ll add to that environment of work that I like the rest of our guys are doing, and so time will tell, but we’re anxious to see.”

Charlie Adams contributed to this post.

Atlantic Notes: Valanciunas, Embiid, Richardson

August 18th, 2015 at 7:16pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The Raptors and Jonas Valanciunas are reportedly working toward a four-year contract extension that would be worth more than $60MM, and the two sides could finalize the deal as early as this week. While inking the young big man to such a lucrative pact may be a big risk for a player with career averages of 10.9 points and 8.0 rebounds, TSN.ca’s Josh Lewenberg notes that Valanciunas is just 23 years old, and the Raptors still believe in him and his potential (Twitter links). Lewenberg also adds that the center needs to improve his passing, mobility, and perimeter defense to justify receiving that vote of confidence from the organization, but with the salary cap expected to increase markedly next season, Valanciunas wouldn’t have much difficulty securing that size of an offer in the free agent marketplace from another team.

Here’s more out of the Atlantic Division:

While some may have doubts that Valanciunas is worth an annual salary in the $15MM range, Michael Grange of Sportsnet.ca believes signing the big man to a four-year, $60MM extension would be a steal for the Raptors organization. Grange cites Valancinuas’ improved numbers last season, as well as durability, with the center having missed just seven contests in three NBA seasons, as reasons why Toronto is making a wise move in extending the player.
Sixers center Joel Embiid underwent successful surgery today on his right foot, Mike Sielski of The Philadelphia Inquirer reports (Twitter link). Embiid is expected to miss the entire 2015/16 campaign, his second straight after being selected with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft.
Jason Richardson took to his personal Twitter account to thank the Sixers for their support of him the last three seasons. The 34-year-old only appeared in a total of 52 contests during his tenure in Philadelphia, and the unrestricted free agent has inked a non-guaranteed pact with the Hawks for the 2015/16 campaign.

Atlantic Notes: Embiid, Afflalo, Hollis-Jefferson

August 15th, 2015 at 10:41pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Joel Embiid will undergo a second surgery on his right foot is expected to miss the entire 2015/16 season. The center will make slightly more than $9.05MM over his first two seasons, presumably without ever playing an NBA game, and Darren Rovell of ESPN.com reports that the Sixers will not be reimbursed for any of Embiid’s salary via the league’s insurance plan.

Every team has the contracts of its five highest salaried players included on the policy, so Embiid’s contract is insured. However, the big man’s right foot was excluded from the policy because it was a pre-existing injury. The Cameroon native originally injured his foot prior to being drafted by the Sixers. Embiid’s contract contains a team option after each of the next two seasons. It’ll be interesting to see if Philadelphia is willing to shell out over $4.8MM during the 2016/17 season and then $6.1MM during the 2017/18 season to see if Embiid can get onto the court.

Here’s more out of the Atlantic Division:

Arron Afflalo, who signed a two-year, $16MM deal with the Knicks last month, believes he can be a great oncourt complement to Carmelo Anthony, Marc Berman of the New York Post writes. “Just being able to shoot, ready to shoot, creating space for him,’’ Afflalo said of the ways he wants to complement Anthony. “I want to be a guy who can draw some attention and the guy has to leave him and make the game easy for him. More importantly, helping him with leadership, mentoring the younger guys, keeping everyone consistent and hungry and focused. Now he’s got another guy who will be on board with him for leadership. I think it will help him.’’
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson believes he can be a leader on the Nets, Robert Windrem of NetsDaily writes. “Basketball, you got to show that you can be out there,” this year’s No. 23 overall pick said. “Show that you can do those things. If you show those things, no matter who you are, no matter how old you are, people follow good things and I feel with that, on top of that, I got a good smile. and I got a good personality. that they will follow and I’m willing to do what it takes to help, make it easier for everybody. So it should be a smooth transition, I believe.”

Sixers’ Embiid To Miss Another Season

August 15th, 2015 at 10:10am CST by Arthur Hill

Apr 8, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) dunks the ball before a game against the Washington Wizards at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

AUGUST 15TH, 10:10am: Embiid will have a second surgery on his right foot this Tuesday and he is expected to miss the entire 2015/16 season, Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports reports.

8:01pm: GM Sam Hinkie confirmed that Embiid will have a bone graft on the fracture site in “seven to 10 days” and will probably miss the 2015/16 season. “We are still in the process of determining the doctor who will perform the procedure, which should be finalized in the coming days,” Hinkie said in a press release. “Sixers Director of Performance Research and Development Dr. David T. Martin will outline and lead Joel’s rehab and recovery plan, in collaboration with a worldwide network of experts and specialists.”

JULY 11TH, 12:23pm: Sixers center Joel Embiid will have a second surgery on his right foot and is expected to miss his second consecutive season, according to Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. The reporter said the news has been confirmed by several unidentified sources, one of whom says the injury could be career-threatening.

“I would say there’s a great possibility that Embiid won’t play next year,” the source said. “Just think how long they sat him when they thought he was healthy.”

The Sixers aren’t counting on Embiid as they plan for next season, according to another source. The team is expected to release an official statement on the 7-footer, possibly by next week.

Embiid sat out his entire rookie season with a stress fracture in the foot after being drafted third overall out of Kansas in 2014. The Sixers had hoped he would be ready for summer league action, but a recent exam showed the injury was healing more slowly than the team expected. Team officials have reportedly committed to the surgical procedure and are deciding whether it will be performed in North Carolina or at the New York Hospital of Special Surgery.

Embiid is scheduled to make nearly $4.627MM this coming season on year two of his four-year rookie scale contract. The Sixers wouldn’t be able to apply for an Disabled Player Exception because they’re under the cap.

Atlantic Rumors: Sixers, Nets, Mickey

August 10th, 2015 at 8:55pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Sixers were hoping to take D’Angelo Russell with the third overall pick in June when the Lakers snagged him at No. 2, as TNT’s David Aldridge writes in his Morning Tip column for NBA.com. Grantland’s Zach Lowe heard the same, but not from people within the Sixers organization, who insisted to Lowe that they weren’t targeting the Ohio State guard (Twitter link). Philadelphia, which had the 21st-best offseason according to Aldridge, wound up drafting center Jahlil Okafor.

In other news around the Atlantic Division:

Sixers center Joel Embiid has not yet undergone a second surgery on his right foot, sources told John Gonzalez of CSNPhilly.com. The procedure is still scheduled to take place and Embiid is expected to miss the upcoming season, Gonzalez continues. The Sixers said on July 11th that he would have a bone graft surgery within seven to 10 days. Embiid and his advisors wanted more time to review the matter and select a doctor, Gonzalez adds.
The Nets went back over the luxury tax threshold with the signing of Donald Sloan on Monday, former NBA executive Bobby Marks tweets. The club now has 12 guaranteed contracts and five partial or non-guaranteed contracts for the upcoming season, including Sloan’s deal, Marks adds. Marks notes in a separate tweet that tax numbers are not finalized until the end of the regular season. He also speculates that Sloan will be battling rookie Ryan Boatright for the third point guard spot.
Jordan Mickey thought the Celtics might take him with one of its two first-round picks after working out for them twice, Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe reports. Mickey also felt that way shortly before the draft when he spoke to Hoops Rumors’ Zach Links. Mickey wound up being an early second-rounder for Boston at No. 33. An impressive summer league stint convinced the Celtics to sign Mickey to a four-year, $5MM deal, including two guaranteed years. “He’s a great shot blocker when you look at his numbers for a smaller guy in height,” Celtics coach Brad Stevens told Himmelsbach. “But then you look at his length and his reach and he’s really, really long and gets off the floor extremely quickly.”

Atlantic Notes: Porzingis, Jackson, Embiid

August 3rd, 2015 at 11:47am CST by Chuck Myron

Knicks team president Phil Jackson mentioned six draft prospects that he liked in a late-March interview with confidant Charlie Rosen, posted today on ESPN.com, but none of them were Kristaps Porzingis, the Latvian power forward whom the Knicks selected No. 4 overall. Scout Clarence Gaines was perhaps the most influential advocate for Porzingis within the organization, though dropping to the fourth spot in the order because of poor lottery luck no doubt played a major role in New York’s choice. Jackson signaled to Rosen that he preferred the more NBA-ready Jahlil Okafor to Karl-Anthony Towns, but both were off the board by the time the Knicks picked. See more from Jackson amid the latest Atlantic Division news here:

Jackson had praise for Alexey Shved, Lance Thomas and Andrea Bargnani but lost affection for Quincy Acy‘s play, as Rosen details. The Knicks boss also had criticism for Jason Smith‘s reaction to coming off the bench. All five were free agents this summer, but only Thomas re-signed with the Knicks.
The Zen Master indicated that he saw Marc Gasol and DeAndre Jordan as the prime movers of free agency this summer as far as the Knicks were concerned, but he didn’t mention LaMarcus Aldridge. Of course, Aldridge at that point seemed like a safe bet to re-sign with the Trail Blazers. He instead signed with the Spurs after he and the Knicks mutually decided to cancel a meeting. Jordan met with the Knicks but re-signed with the Clippers, and Gasol didn’t meet with any other teams before signing his new deal with the Grizzlies.
The Sixers said on July 11th that Joel Embiid would have a bone graft surgery within seven to 10 days, but the Philadelphia organization has since made no mention of any surgery for the big man and a team source tells Jake Fischer of SI Now that the Sixers don’t plan any statement this week (Twitter link). The No. 3 pick from 2014 is likely to miss a second consecutive season this year, and an October 31st deadline looms for a decision on his team option of more than $4.826MM for 2016/17.
Amin Elhassan and Kevin Pelton of ESPN.com, in an Insider-only piece, debate the paths by which the Celtics can acquire championship-level talent. Boston will have cap flexibility to go after a maximum-salary free agent next summer, but even though the trade market for stars isn’t hot now, that can change and offer the C’s an easier route than free agency would.