Pacific Notes: Allen, Ighodaro, Warriors, Bamba
The short-handed Suns are hoping Grayson Allen can return for Sunday’s game at Minnesota, writes Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. Allen is listed as probable after missing the last two contests with soreness in his right hamstring, and coach Mike Budenholzer said he’ll be a “game-time decision.”
“We’ve been day-to-day with it,” Allen said. “I don’t have any serious hamstring strains. We’ve been able to do a lot of stuff, test it out, make sure I’m ready. Been able to do a lot of stuff on the court. It’s just how much I can get through without pain or without making it worse.”
Phoenix won’t have Bradley Beal, who will sit out his third straight game with a strained left calf. He left in the fourth quarter on Tuesday after feeling pain in the area and hasn’t played since. He’s made some progress, according to Rankin, but isn’t ready to return.
The Suns are also missing leading scorer Kevin Durant, who is dealing with a left calf strain as well and won’t be reevaluated until later this month. With much of its rotation sidelined, Phoenix has lost its last two games to Sacramento and Oklahoma City by 39 combined points.
There’s more from the Pacific Division:
- Rookie Oso Ighodaro was used ahead of Mason Plumlee as the Suns‘ backup center Friday night, Rankin adds. Ighodaro put up six points and seven rebounds in a career-high 27 minutes as Budenholzer explained that the decision was based on the opponent. “The athleticism, the way Oklahoma City plays, felt like Oso could help us and I was happy with how Oso impacted the game,” he said. “Some games, some nights, it’s just different matchups and you’ve got to use your roster the best you can. I thought it was a good night for Oso.”
- Among the reasons the Warriors want to win the NBA Cup is so their younger players can collect the bonus money, per Ron Kroichick of The San Francisco Chronicle. Players on the winning team receive $515K each, while the runners-up get $206K. Teams that lose in the semifinals earn more than $50K per player. “It’s a lot of money,” coach Steve Kerr said. “It may not be to Draymond (Green) and (Stephen Curry), but it’s a lot for the guys on the back end.”
- Mohamed Bamba will be available to make his debut with the Clippers on Sunday, a source tells Law Murray of The Athletic (Twitter link). Bamba, who is recovering from a left knee injury, was able to play for the team’s G League affiliate in San Diego on Thursday.
And-Ones: Trade Possibilities, Contract Decisions, Bell, Johnson, Rookies
Several should-be playoff contenders have struggled through the earlier parts of the season, either due to injuries or pieces not fitting together. While in-season moves don’t usually pick up until after the New Year, closer to February’s trade deadline, several teams appear to be scouring the market for help.
The Bucks are chief among those teams, stumbling out to a 4-8 record in the early part of the season. In an Insider-only piece, a group of ESPN writers agree that the Bucks’ most likely course of action is to see if their three-point shooting evens out. Milwaukee doesn’t have much flexibility, but players like Damian Lillard, Brook Lopez and Gary Trent Jr. are shooting below their typical averages. Waiting it out might be the best and only course of action for now, although Jamal Collier notes that they’ve expressed interest in a defensive wing.
The Heat have several questions about their future after not agreeing to an extension with Jimmy Butler. Butler’s ankle injury has complicated matters further, but Tim Bontemps writes that the Heat aren’t in any rush to make moves. They entered the season wanting to see how their team looked in the first half of the season, and according to Bontemps, that thought process hasn’t changed.
While New Orleans has the flexibility to make a trade, its season is hampered by numerous injuries. Michael C. Wright indicates that the Pelicans seem more likely to stand pat this season and not make major moves since they’ve never paid the luxury tax and don’t seem to be in any rush to do so with a team that sits at 3-9. Brandon Ingram could make some sense as a trade piece, since he was unable to agree to an extension with the Pels before the season, but his trade market would be limited given his unrestricted free agent status at the end of the year.
The Knicks and the Sixers haven’t jumped out to the starts they’ve wanted, but they appear likely to approach that situation in different ways. New York needs frontcourt help, but should get Precious Achiuwa and Mitchell Robinson back from injuries at some point this season. After trading for both Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns, a major move doesn’t seem to be in the cards. However, the Sixers – who also need frontcourt size – could dangle KJ Martin‘s $8MM pseudo-expiring deal in any move. They’ve always been aggressive under president Daryl Morey, and that’s not likely to change.
While several teams need help, it seems as though most should-be contenders don’t have many options available to them on the trade market — for now.
We have more from around the basketball world:
- In the new CBA landscape, managing finances has been more crucial for NBA teams than ever before. Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report breaks down every team’s most pressing upcoming contract decision, including calls the Hawks, Mavericks and Magic must make on stars Trae Young, Luka Doncic and Paolo Banchero, respectively. According to Pincus’s sources, the Suns and Kevin Durant will add two seasons at $123.8MM to his contract next summer. Brooklyn’s Cam Thomas, Miami’s Butler, Cleveland’s Caris LeVert and Minnesota’s Julius Randle will be at the center of some of the more interesting decisions explored by Pincus.
- The Indiana Mad Ants – the Pacers‘ G League affiliate – added Jordan Bell to their roster and waived Tyler Polley, according to a team release (Twitter link). Bell has spent part of the last two seasons with the Mad Ants, averaging 12.1 points in 60 games played. Bell was the 38th overall pick in the 2017 draft, playing the first two seasons of his career with the Warriors and winning a championship with them in 2018. Polley signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Pacers this offseason.
- Former NBAer Stanley Johnson may be on his way out of Turkish club Anadolu Efes, according to BasketNews’ Donatas Urbonas. Anadolu Efes was Johnson’s first European team, but he’s been exploring other options amid a potential departure and interest from other European clubs. Johnson, the eighth overall pick in 2015, has 449 games of NBA experience, making 104 starts. He holds career averages of 6.2 points and 3.1 rebounds per game in the NBA and has made just six EuroLeague appearances so far, ranking just 11th on his team in minutes played.
- A pair of Grizzlies first-year players sit atop The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie’s first edition of this season’s rookie player rankings. Zach Edey, who is averaging 11.3 points and 6.8 rebounds per game, and Jaylen Wells, who’s averaging 11.2 PPG on 37.0% three-point shooting, rank first and second in Vecenie’s rankings. The Wizards also have reason for excitement, with three rookies ranking in the top 11. Jared McCain ranks third while No. 1 overall pick Zaccharie Risacher is No. 6 in the rankings. Undrafted rookie Ajay Mitchell is eighth.
Kevin Durant To Miss At Least Two Weeks With Strained Calf
Suns star Kevin Durant will be reevaluated in two weeks after straining his left calf in Friday’s game, sources tell Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).
As Charania points out, Durant has been playing at an MVP level as Phoenix is tied for the top spot in the West with an 8-1 record. Through nine games, he’s averaging 27.6 points, 6.6 rebounds and 3.4 assists while shooting 55.3% from the field and 43% from three-point range.
After several years of persistent injuries, Durant managed to play 75 games last season, which was his highest total since 2018/19. At age 36, he has seemed as healthy and productive as he’s been at any point during his 18-year NBA career.
Durant also suffered a calf strain while training for the Summer Olympics. He missed Team USA’s entire exhibition schedule, but was available once the games in France began.
Devin Booker and Bradley Beal will be counted on to carry more of the Suns’ scoring load while Durant is sidelined.
Booker is off to a rough start, shooting just 42.9% from the field and 32.4% from three-point range in nine games while averaging 23.1 PPG, his lowest figure in eight years. In seven games, Beal is scoring 15.4 PPG, his lowest mark in a decade, while shooting 46.1% from the field and 37.2% from beyond the arc.
Phoenix has seven games over the next two weeks, including a four-game road trip that starts Tuesday. Based on the timeline reported by Charania, the earliest Durant could return is November 26 for an in-season tournament matchup with the Lakers.
Pacific Notes: Powell, Russell, Lakers, Durant, Huerter
The Clippers‘ replacement for Paul George appears to be Norman Powell through the early part of the 2024/25 season, The Athletic’s Law Murray writes. In a recent win over George’s Sixers, Powell hit six threes en route to 26 points.
Having never averaged more than 19.0 points per game in a season entering 2024/25, Powell is putting up 25.7 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.3 assists on a scorching .516/.494/.861 shooting line so far.
“I’ve always envisioned myself being in this position and wanting the opportunity,” Powell said Wednesday night. “Learning from when I was in Toronto with Kyle (Lowry) and DeMar (DeRozan), learning from Dame (Lillard) and CJ (McCollum), learning from PG and Kawhi (Leonard). Being around those top guys and just getting game and knowledge from them in the summer. Going up against them, battling, and just wanting that.”
Powell was acquired by the Clippers from the Trail Blazers at the 2022 trade deadline and he’s in the fourth year of a five-year, $90MM contract he signed with Portland. He’s on the books for $19.2MM this season and $20.5MM next year.
Powell, who finished fourth in Sixth Man of the Year voting in each of his two full seasons in Los Angeles, averaged 15.3 points on 10.9 shot attempts per game during that stretch. Through the early portion of this season, he’s taking 17.4 field goal attempts per game in the wake of George’s departure.
“I saw it as addition by subtraction,” Powell said at Clippers media day about George’s exit. “I was excited. I think what I’ve said in this media day every single year since being here is, I want to be the starting two guard, and the opportunity is in front of me. I prepared myself. I’ve always seen myself as a starter in this league. I feel like I put the work in. I feel like the numbers show for itself when I am starting and what the output is. So I’m excited to take on that role and the pressures that come with it. The good, bad and ugly.”
In a similar piece, Janis Carr of The Orange County Register details Powell’s quest for perfection. Powell recorded his first career double-double on Friday with 31 points and 12 rebounds.
“I have my own mentality and approach to the game, like nothing really changes no matter what role I’m in. I’ve said it multiple times,” Powell said. “I’ve got high expectations for myself. I always see myself as a starter, as a top guy in the league that can come out and help any team win no matter where I’m at.”
We have more from the Pacific Division:
- As we relayed Friday, Cam Reddish took D’Angelo Russell‘s spot in the Lakers‘ starting five. Russell was moved to the bench last season when the team began to lose too, but his connection with then-coach Darvin Ham suffered, Dave McMenamin writes of ESPN. This time with JJ Redick coaching the team, Russell is approaching the situation with a different mentality. “I left all that, all my baggage at the door this summer once we changed coaches and new staff came in,” Russell said. “I was committed to whatever it takes. That’s what y’all see now.”
- The Lakers are expected to be active on the trade market after a 5-4 start with a 24th-ranked defense, Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report relays. Fischer names Milwaukee’s Brook Lopez and Washington’s Jonas Valanciunas as two targets on L.A.’s “internal board,” with Russell potentially being available as outgoing salary.
- The Suns are unleashing Kevin Durant by allowing him to embrace coach Mike Budenholzer‘s three-point heavy approach, Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports writes. Durant has helped lead the Suns to an 8-1 record to begin the year by averaging 27.6 PPG on .553/.429/.836 shooting. He’s also averaging 5.0 points per game in clutch minutes, making 63.2% of his field goals in those situations.
- While Durant’s star power is propelling the Suns, they’re getting another boost in Royce O’Neale‘s play, The Arizona Republic’s Duane Rankin writes. O’Neale is shooting 52.6% on three-pointers so far this season and is first off the bench, and Rankin writes he’s looking like an early Sixth Man of the Year candidate. O’Neale signed a four-year contract this past offseason.
- Kings guard Kevin Huerter missed two games due to an illness last week and FOX40’s Sean Cunningham tweets that he’s still feeling the effects after returning. Huerter is averaging 10.4 PPG for the Kings and has played two games since returning to the team.
Pacific Notes: Warriors, Redick, Lakers, Durant, Beal
Warriors head coach Steve Kerr entered training camp with “a level of demand and rigor” people in the organization hadn’t witnessed the past couple seasons, and that commitment to accountability has carried over into the start of the 2024/25 season, per Anthony Slater of The Athletic.
On Wednesday night, Golden State improved to 7-1 after an impressive six-point victory over the defending champion Celtics in Boston. With about five minutes left the second quarter, Stephen Curry attempted a full-court pass to Kyle Anderson that was stolen, leading to a five-point swing after Jayson Tatum converted a three-pointer. Kerr, who has been focused on reducing the team’s turnovers, was very unhappy with the play.
“This is a theme with our team,” Kerr said. “We can’t be the same team we were five or six years ago and give away five or six possessions in the name of creating chaos. Everyone else is playing fast and shooting threes, too, these days.
“Boston shot 20 more threes than we did in the second half. So it’s tough to win if you are giving away possessions. I’ve been all over Steph and Draymond (Green). It’s incumbent upon them because they are our leaders and they’re the guys who handle the ball most. They gotta cut back on their bad decisions like that.”
As Slater writes, Kerr’s reaction — and Curry accepting and learning from the critique — are emblematic of the strong start to the season. Notably, the two-time MVP did not commit another turnover for the remainder of the contest.
“The beauty with Steph is he lets me yell at him, which sets the tone,” Kerr said. “He accepted it. He knew it.”
Here’s more from the Pacific:
- While Lakers head coach JJ Redick praised LeBron James‘ performance following Wednesday’s 131-114 loss in Memphis, he was critical of the rest of the team’s effort, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPN. James scored a game-high 39 points on 15-of-24 shooting, to go along with seven rebounds and six assists. Starting point guard D’Angelo Russell, who has opened the season in a shooting slump, only played six minutes in the second half and 22 overall, marking a season low. “Just level of compete, attention to detail, some of the things we’ve talked with him about for a couple of weeks,” Redick said when asked why he limited Russell’s role. “And at times, he’s been really good with that stuff. And other times, it’s just reverting back to certain habits. But it wasn’t like a punishment. It just felt for us to have a chance to win this game, that was the route we wanted to take.” After starting the season 3-0, the Lakers have gone 1-4 over their past five games.
- It’s only been eight games, but Kevin Durant has been playing at an MVP level for the 7-1 Suns, according to Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports (subscription required). In addition to being the fulcrum of Phoenix’s crunch-time offense, the 14-time All-Star is also filling up the stat sheet, averaging 27.8 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 3.4 APG and 1.4 BPG on .551/.420/.813 shooting in 39.0 MPG.
- Suns guard Bradley Beal has been hampered by a nagging right elbow injury, and his current usage rate (18.1%) would mark a career low. But Beal has been efficient offensively and is finding other ways to contribute, particularly taking on challenging defensive assignments, per Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic, who notes that Devin Booker recently called Beal the “heart” of the team.
Pacific Notes: Draymond, Fox, Okogie, Durant
Warriors star forward Draymond Green, an eight-time All-Defensive Teamer, is hoping to get back into All-Defensive and Defensive Player of the Year consideration this season, he said in a conversation with former Warriors point guard Baron Davis on Green’s podcast, “The Draymond Green Show” (YouTube video link). Green, considered one of the best defenders of his generation, has only won the Defensive Player of the Year once, in 2017.
“That’s my goal, you know, just going through this offseason and then seeing my name not on an All-Defensive team last year,” Green said. “I know I wasn’t eligible because of the games I missed, but it still pissed me off. I want to keep building on what I hope ultimately becomes a Hall of Fame career. The more accolades, the better.”
The 34-year-old has been available for all six of the 5-1 Warriors’ games this season. He’s averaging 7.3 points on .438/.467/.643 shooting splits, along with 5.2 rebounds and 4.2 assists per night.
“I’m not seven feet, so I have to use positioning and my brain to be great,” Green added. “This year, that’s one of my goals: to get back in the Defensive Player of the Year race, get back on All-Defense First Team, and just keep running that up.”
There’s more out of the Pacific Division:
- Kings All-Star point guard De’Aaron Fox has played all of his regular season games this year with a dislocated pinkie finger on his left (shooting) hand, reports Chris Biderman of The Sacramento Bee. For now, his pinkie has been taped to his ring finger. Fox revealed that he suffered the injury in training camp. Imaging indicated that there’s no break, but it has yet to fully heal. “(It’s) probably a ligament,” Fox told Biderman. He plans to play through it rather than undergo a surgery, which he said would sideline him for about a month.
- Suns reserve wing Josh Okogie has been on the shelf for the first five games of Phoenix’s season with a strained hamstring. He revealed to reporters on Saturday that he has been cleared to return, per Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic (Twitter link). “I run very hard and I run very fast,” Okogie said of his playing style being a potential impediment to a quicker return. “So just being able to make sure my hamstring could take that. Not only to take it but sustain it.”
- After being criticized for his leadership by ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith on the network’s “First Take” program, Suns All-Star forward Kevin Durant took umbrage with the assessment, per Doug Haller of The Athletic. “Yeah, Stephen A., I don’t understand how people even listen to Stephen A.,” Durant told Haller. “I’ve been in the league for 18 years. I’ve never seen Stephen A. at a practice, or a film session, or a shootaround. I’ve never seen him anywhere but on TV talking s–t about players and holding them to standards that he don’t even hold himself to or other people to. He’s a clown to me. He’s always been a clown. You can write that, too.” Phoenix seems to be responding well to Durant’s leadership this year. The club is off to an encouraging 5-1 start.
Jayson Tatum, Anthony Davis Named Players Of The Week
Celtics star forward Jayson Tatum and Lakers star forward/center Anthony Davis were named the NBA’s Players of the Week for the stretch of Oct. 22-27, the league announced (Twitter link). Tatum was the Eastern Conference’s winner, while Davis claimed the Western Conference award.
Tatum helped the Celtics to a 3-0 start to the season, which included blowout wins over the Knicks and Wizards. In his first three games, Tatum averaged 33.0 points, 6.3 rebounds and 6.0 assists while shooting a blistering 54.7% from the field and 48.6% from beyond the arc.
Davis has also shot the ball extremely well to open the year, connecting on a .571/.400/.800 line. He has helped the Lakers win against three playoff hopefuls this year, defeating the Timberwolves, Suns and Kings to remain undefeated. Davis is averaging 34.0 points, 11.0 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 2.3 blocks and 1.7 steals per game to open the year.
According to the league (Twitter link), the other nominees in the East were Cleveland’s Jarrett Allen, Charlotte’s LaMelo Ball, Philadelphia’s Tyrese Maxey, Orlando’s Franz Wagner and Atlanta’s Trae Young. Phoenix’s Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren, the Clippers’ James Harden and Ivica Zubac, and the Lakers’ LeBron James were nominated in the West.
Suns Notes: Nurkic, Durant, Dunn, Allen
Jusuf Nurkic could be the most important variable for the Suns this season, according to Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports. With so many reliable pieces in place, the veteran center’s performance on a night-to-night basis might determine how successful Phoenix can be.
Bourguet notes that Nurkic had trouble staying on the court in the first two games, scoring 15 combined points with six assists and eight turnovers. But the big man was much better Saturday against Dallas, posting 18 points and 14 rebounds while shooting 7-of-12 from the field.
“He was great,” coach Mike Budenholzer said. “His physicality in the paint, his rebounding, defense, everything. So it was good, I think. He’s a great teammate, he’s a competitor. I think he wanted to come back tonight and have that kind of positive impact for us, and he did it in a big way.”
Saturday’s game included a stretch where Nurkic scored 12 straight points in the second quarter. He was more determined to carve out space for post-ups and took advantage of opportunities around the basket.
“I felt like they was disrespecting me in a way because I was last game just not as aggressive,” Nurkic said. “I know I can score the ball, especially in the post, and they wanna just let me play. I think that [Devin Booker] and Tyus [Jones] and coach just let me play, so I was taking advantage of my size and try to be just aggressive as I could.”
There’s more from Phoenix:
- Also Saturday, Kevin Durant became the eighth player in league history to reach 29,000 career points, notes David Brandt of The Associated Press. At age 36, Durant is off to another hot start, averaging 28.7 PPG through three games. “I’ve got to give credit to the people who have helped me since I was a kid,” he said. “Teammates who passed me the ball, set screens for me, coaches who drew up plays for me.”
- Through the first week of the season, Ryan Dunn has been the biggest surprise in this year’s rookie class, writes John Hollinger of The Athletic. Dunn fell to the 28th pick because of concerns about his outside shot, but he leads all rookies in made threes and is connecting at 46.2% from beyond the arc. That’s a bonus for the Suns, who drafted Dunn because of his elite defensive skills.
- After missing two straight games, Grayson Allen isn’t listed on the injury report for tonight’s contest with the Lakers, Bourguet tweets.
Western Notes: Rockets, KD, Butler, LeBron, Nuggets, Kings
Confirming recent reporting from ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, Marc Stein writes in his latest Substack story that the messaging out of Houston suggests the Rockets are unlikely to make a major in-season trade in 2024/25.
Still, Stein has spoken to multiple rival teams who are “hesitant to dismiss Houston’s trade ambitions so readily.” Those clubs believe the Rockets’ front office will continue to keep an eye out for possible deals for impact players, since they’re eager to return to the upper tier of the Western Conference.
Although the Suns aggressively shot down Kevin Durant trade speculation over the summer, Stein writes that there’s still a “strong belief” around the league that the Rockets remain interested in the star forward and would be ready to pounce if he becomes available within the next year or two.
According to Stein, rival teams also “increasingly” mention Houston as a potential suitor to watch if the Heat ever consider trading Jimmy Butler, who was identified multiple times during the offseason as a potential target of interest for the Rockets.
We have more from around the West:
- The Lakers‘ hot start continued on Saturday as they pushed their record to 3-0 with an impressive comeback win over Sacramento. Four-time MVP LeBron James keyed the fourth quarter surge by becoming the first player since play-by-play tracking began in 1996 to record at least 15 points, five rebounds, and five assists on 100% shooting in a quarter (Twitter link via ESPN’s Matt Williams). “Just when you think he’s slowing down, man, he continues to show the world why he’s the greatest,” Anthony Davis said, per ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. “To go on that stretch, he actually looked to the bench and was trying to come out the game. We told him, ‘You’re not coming out.’ He comes out and hits another three. He never ceases to amaze any of us because we just know what he’s capable of and what he’s able to do.”
- The sample size is minuscule, but in 21 minutes together so far, lineups featuring both Nuggets point guards – Jamal Murray and Russell Westbrook – have an 82.2 offensive rating and a minus-28.9 overall net rating. Head coach Michael Malone remains confident those units can work, writes Bennett Durando of The Denver Post. “Jamal’s a guard. He’s been a one. He’s been a two,” Malone said prior to Denver’s second game. “In college, he was a two. It’s just that, for his Nuggets tenure, Jamal has been a guy that can be a starting one, and he can play with a point guard in the second unit. I think Russ and Jamal have a lot of potential to be really good together.”
- The Stockton Kings (Sacramento’s G League affiliate) have officially announced their training camp roster for the 2024/25 season. Veteran forward Terry Taylor, former first-round pick Skal Labissiere, NBA camp invitee Boogie Ellis, and Shaquille O’Neal‘s son Shareef O’Neal are among the notable names on the squad.
Pacific Notes: Tucker, Clippers, Kuminga, Durant
Following reports earlier this month that P.J. Tucker would remain away from the team, the Clippers granted permission for Tucker’s agent Andre Buck to speak with other clubs in order to facilitate a trade, according to NBA insider Chris B. Haynes (Twitter link). The two sides will continue to work together to find a new home for Tucker as he remains away from the Clippers.
As we noted in early October, it may be difficult to find a trade that is palatable for all sides involved considering Tucker is due $11.54MM this season and played sparingly last season. Tucker was originally traded to the Clippers early last season as part of the deal that sent James Harden to Los Angeles. However, he was unhappy with his limited new role, spending some time away from the team last season and even publicly discussing his desire to be traded.
Tucker and his expiring contract could hold appeal for a team looking to shed long-term salary or a contending team looking for defensive depth. However, he may very well need to be bought out in order to switch teams, something he’s seemingly been unwilling to do to this point.
We have more from the Pacific Division:
- A former Clippers strength and conditioning coach, Randy Shelton, is suing the team and president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank for wrongful termination, among other things, according to NBA insider Chris B. Haynes (Twitter link). The staffer claims he was fired for complaining that Kawhi Leonard was being subject to unsafe and illegal treatments for his injuries over the years. The Clippers issued a statement refuting the claim. “Mr. Shelton’s claims were investigated and found to be without merit,” the statement reads (Twitter link via Haynes). “We honored Mr. Shelton’s employment contract and paid him in full. This lawsuit is a belated attempt to shake down the Clippers based on accusations that Mr. Shelton should know are false.” In a separate statement to Haynes, Shelton’s team responded. “We hope that our client’s lawsuit will serve as a wakeup call to the Clippers organization that their players are not just dollar values, but are humans requiring proper – and not hastened – health and recovery treatment for the careers and lives afterwards,” John David, one of Shelton’s representatives, said (Twitter link).
- Shelton previously worked alongside Leonard at San Diego State and the Spurs, and he alleges that he was part of a multi-year effort to recruit the six-time All-Star to the Clippers that “leapt well beyond the bounds of the NBA constitution.” According to an ESPN story from Ramona Shelburne and Baxter Holmes, he is seeking “significant” but unspecified damages.
- Because he didn’t agree to an extension before the regular season, Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga enters the final year of his contract with some variability in terms of what his next contract looks like, Anthony Slater of The Athletic writes. Kuminga recently addressed the lack of an extension: “I’m not really concerned about it. I’m just concerned about coming out here and performing every other day. I ain’t really thinking about that. The time came and nothing happened. So I’m not very concerned about it much anymore. I can just be me and not think about it. I’ve been through so much. A lot of people don’t know me, don’t know what I’ve been through. There’s not too many things that can break me.”
- In an interview with Mark Medina of Sportskeeda, Suns star forward Kevin Durant said he doesn’t think about the hypothetical records he could have broken or added to if he hadn’t miss a season-and-a-half from 2019-21 due to an Achilles injury. “Nah, I never looked at it as, ‘Man, what if I had gotten this many points?’ It’s all part of the journey,” Durant said. “Getting hurt is a part of the journey. Getting hurt is a part of basketball. It’s something that I can [understand]. There’s some adversity that you need to go through in order for you to understand what this really means. I think those injuries were one of those things for me.“