Southwest Notes: Johnson, Wood, Porter Jr., Augustin, Harrison
Keldon Johnson is open to signing a rookie scale extension with the Spurs, he told The Athletic’s Shams Charania in an interview (video link). Johnson can sign an extension next offseason. “I love being in San Antonio, I love the Spurs, I would definitely love to be there (long-term),” he said. “We’ll cross that road when we get there.” Johnson is averaging 14.9 PPG, 6.4 RPG and 2.1 APG this season.
We have more from the Southwest Division:
- If the Rockets get a solid offer that includes a prospect or two, they should consider trading Christian Wood, Rahat Huq of the Houston Chronicle opines. The club has to look at the big picture and the next two drafts are crucial to the franchise, due to the picks owed in the ill-fated Russell Westbrook trade, Huq notes. A report earlier this week declared the Wood would generate significant trade interest before the deadline.
- Wood is currently dealing with an ankle sprain but it’s not considered serious, Tim MacMahon of ESPN tweets. He’s considered probable to play against Orlando on Friday. However, guard Kevin Porter Jr. could miss a little time after aggravating a thigh contusion, MacMahon adds in another tweet. He’s listed as questionable to play on Friday, according to the Houston Chronicle’s Jonathan Feigen (Twitter link). D.J. Augustin is not on the injury report, an indication he’s cleared the league’s health and safety protocols.
- New Mavericks GM Nico Harrison says he’s not concerned about rival executives trying to take advantage of his inexperience and fleece him in a trade, as he told Dwain Price of the team’s website. “I would imagine that if people can take advantage of me, they will, for sure. But I always tell people this is not the Nico Harrison Show,” he said. “There’s a team of people that’s surrounding me. There’s (Michael) Finley, obviously (owner) Mark (Cuban). There’s Jason Kidd. There are so many people around the team that are going to influence what we do, so it’s not just Nico making decisions.”
Injury Notes: Towns, Butler, Morris, Warren, Wood, KPJ
Timberwolves star Karl-Anthony Towns hopefully avoided a major injury Wednesday night, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (via Twitter).
Towns fell on his lower back after slipping off the rim after a dunk. However, Woj says X-Rays on Towns’ lower back came back clean. We’ll have to wait and see if there’s an update from the team to determine if Towns might be sidelined.
Here are some more injury notes:
- Heat star Jimmy Butler (tailbone) missed his second consecutive game Wednesday night against the Cavs and it sounds like he could miss more time. Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel tweets that he’s likely to miss the back-to-back games Friday and Saturday against the Pacers and Bucks.
- Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra told reporters there’s still no update on Markieff Morris, who has now missed 12 games in a row with whiplash, per Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald (Twitter link).
- Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said that scans on T.J. Warren‘s foot had positive results, but there’s still no timeline for his return, the team announced (via Twitter).
- Rockets starters Christian Wood and Kevin Porter Jr. were both injured in Wednesday night’s game against the Thunder and did not return. Wood suffered a sprained ankle, while KPJ has a left thigh contusion, per Kelly Iko of The Athletic (Twitter link).
Rockets Notes: Wall, Augustin, Sengun, Simmons, Theis, Gordon
As we previously detailed, John Wall met with Rockets management on Sunday, including general manager Rafael Stone and head coach Stephen Silas. Wall informed his bosses he would like to return to the court and be a starter again. Since the Rockets would prefer to have him play a limited role off the bench, the two sides reached an impasse.
However, the situation remains fluid, according to Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle. Silas said the Rockets will continue to have conversations with Wall while he works himself into game shape over the next couple weeks.
“Rafael and I did meet with John (on Sunday) and he had indicated that he wants to play and work towards that so right now we’re in that phase as far as getting him back in game shape,” Silas said. “He’s been doing a lot of one-on-oh type stuff and one-on-one type stuff but nothing up and down, nothing four-on-four, five-on-five.
“Right now is the ramp-up time. That’ll probably take a couple weeks. We’ll continue our conversations and try to determine what it looks like.”
Here’s more from Houston:
- Silas said backup point guard D.J. Augustin is in the health and safety protocols, tweets Mark Berman of Fox 26 Houston. It’s unclear how long Augustin will be sidelined.
- In his latest mailbag, Kelly Iko of The Athletic tackles a number of topics. He believes rookie Alperen Sengun will stay in his current bench role, especially since the Rockets have finally found some success (winning three straight after starting 1-16). He thinks Sengun will eventually get more minutes as the season progresses, but writes that Christian Wood is playing too well right now as the lone big man to disrupt his rhythm.
- Within the same column, Iko says he doesn’t think the Rockets have any interest in Ben Simmons, but they could potentially help facilitate a deal involving multiple teams. He says Houston is committed to Kevin Porter Jr. and Jalen Green as its backcourt of the future.
- Iko also believes that offseason addition Daniel Theis and shooting guard Eric Gordon will be available if the price is right. Theis has fallen out of the rotation recently, but he’s a veteran with a proven defensive presence, and his contract (four years, $35MM, with $26MM guaranteed) will likely be easier to move than Gordon’s (two years, $37MM guaranteed).
Southwest Notes: Kevin Porter Jr., Spurs, Hart, Ingram
Rockets guard Kevin Porter Jr. has developed a unique sensibility in his new role this season as Houston’s starting point guard, writes Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle. Porter calls his own style “Scoot ball.”
“Basketball today is hardly traditional,” said Porter of his role with the Rockets. “I tried to become a traditional (point guard), but that’s not me at all. I’m ‘Scoot.’ I get a bucket or set my guy up.”
The 6’4″ guard, who was a small forward during his rookie season with the Cavaliers and a shooting guard last year with the Rockets, is averaging 13.3 PPG, 5.2 APG, 4.2 RPG and 1.2 SPG for a tanking Houston club in the second season of a rebuild.
There’s more out of the Southwest Division:
- Spurs forward Doug McDermott was well aware of teen rookie shooting guard Joshua Primo years before they were teammates, as Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio Express-News details. “I’ve been impressed with him for a long time,” McDermott said. “My dad [Creighton head coach Greg McDermott] recruited him really hard at Creighton. I think it came down to Creighton and Alabama. So I’ve been watching Josh for a long time. I’ve always known he was going to be a hell of a player.” The 18-year-old Primo is currently logging significant minutes with San Antonio’s G League affiliate, the Austin Spurs. “[My college decision] came down to [Creighton] and Alabama,” Primo confirmed. “I went to Alabama, but we still kept in touch.”
- Pelicans guard Josh Hart appreciates new head coach Willie Green‘s confidence in his shot creation, per Christian Clark of NOLA.com. “Willie has all the trust in me to go out there and play my game and play with confidence,” Hart said. “I think that’s the biggest thing that we talked about. It wasn’t just standing in the corner and hoping and praying for the ball.”
- Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram returned to action following a seven-game absence due to a hip contusion, and his activity helped fuel just the second New Orleans victory of the year, a 112-101 defeat of the Grizzlies. William Guillory of The Athletic examines how Ingram’s 19 points helped the Pelicans end their nine-game losing streak. Ingram addressed the calming influence of new head coach Willie Green through a tumultuous start to the club’s 2021/22 season. “(He’s) just keeping guys positive — making sure their heads (are) up, making sure they’re staying confident in everything that they’re doing,” Ingram said. “Our guys have put in the work. He sees that, and he just wants everybody to be successful on the basketball floor.”
Southwest Notes: Porter Jr., Ingram, Vassell, Martin Jr.
The Rockets are showing patience and a commitment to third-year player Kevin Porter Jr., Rahat Huq of the Houston Chronicle writes. Although it was an expected move, Houston recently exercised Porter’s fourth-year option for the 2022/23 season, further cementing the team’s commitment to the guard.
The Rockets, whose young nucleus consists of Porter, Jalen Green, and Alperen Sengun, among others, has opened the season with just a 1-8 record. For his part, Porter has averaged 12.4 points and five assists through nine contests, shooting only 37% from the floor.
Porter’s best performance last season was a 50-point, 11-assist outing against the NBA champion Bucks, which showed his potential as a scorer. The 21-year-old has dealt with some off-the-court issues in the past, however, including a 2020 weapons charge and a well-documented locker-room outburst with the Cavaliers.
There’s more from the Southwest Division tonight:
- The Pelicans are listing star forward Brandon Ingram (right hip contusion) as questionable for Monday’s contest against Dallas, the team relayed. Ingram has missed four straight games due to the injury. New Orleans is also listing Herb Jones (ankle soreness) as questionable.
- Spurs guard Devin Vassell is on a “good track” to start the season, head coach Gregg Popovich said, as relayed by Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News. Vassell is averaging 11.9 points on 46% shooting and is showing an increased level of confidence to start the season. San Antonio drafted him with the No. 11 pick in 2020.
- Rockets second-year player Kenyon Martin Jr. is continuing to earn playing time with the team, Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle writes. Martin, 20, is part of the club’s young core. He was traded to Houston on the night of the 2020 draft after being selected No. 52 overall by Sacramento.
Rockets Exercise 2022/23 Option On Kevin Porter Jr.
As expected, the Rockets have picked up the fourth-year option on Kevin Porter Jr.‘s rookie scale contract, according to Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle. The option covers the 2022/23 NBA season.
The 30th overall pick in the 2019 draft, Porter spent his rookie year in Cleveland, then was traded to Houston early in the 2020/21 season due to the Cavs’ concerns about his attitude, stemming in part from a locker room incident.
Porter has been a nice fit with the Rockets, averaging 15.8 PPG, 6.1 APG, and 3.9 RPG in 32 games (31.7 MPG) so far with his new team. The franchise envisions Porter and Jalen Green as its backcourt of the future, as well as its present — both players are currently starters in Houston.
Porter’s 2022/23 option will pay him $3,217,631. He’ll now be eligible to sign a rookie scale extension during the 2022 offseason. If he and the Rockets don’t work out a new deal at that time, the next step would be restricted free agency in 2023.
It appears all the decisions on 2022/23 rookie scale options are now in, ahead of today’s deadline. We’ll be publishing a recap later tonight of all those decisions, but you can also view them here.
Southwest Notes: Doncic, Porzingis, Spurs, Grizzlies, Rockets
Asked by ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith during an appearance on First Take about rumors that there has been some friction between Mavericks teammates Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis, head coach Jason Kidd dismissed the idea that there are any issues between the team’s two leading scorers (video link).
“I think we all heard in the NBA circle that there was tension between the two, but I would have to say that’s fake news,” Kidd told Smith. “… There were some other issues that I thought they did a great job of keeping in-house that had nothing to do with those two.
“I’m excited, I think the relationship between the two of them is at a high level. They’re basketball players who want to compete and who want to win. For a coach, I have to put them in that position to be successful. But I think their relationship is great.”
Smith didn’t press Kidd on what those “other issues” in Dallas were that didn’t involve Doncic or Porzingis, but it’s possible the Mavs’ new head coach is referring to some of the conflicts that were outlined in a report from The Athletic back in June. Presumably, given the way the front office and coaching staff were overhauled this summer, the franchise believes those issues are in the rear-view now.
Here’s more from around the Southwest:
- Mavericks president of basketball operations Nico Harrison spoke to Callie Caplan of The Dallas Morning News about how Mark Cuban first approached him about taking a front office job with the team, his view of the Doncic/Porzingis tandem, and how he’ll pitch players on coming to Dallas.
- Some people around the NBA believe the 2021/22 season could be Gregg Popovich‘s last as the Spurs‘ head coach, but others say he has been revitalized by the team’s influx of young talent, according to Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report. In his look at potential contenders to succeed Popovich in San Antonio, Fischer mentions former Spurs assistants Brett Brown and Jacque Vaughn, along with several of the same candidates identified last week by ESPN’s Zach Lowe.
- Evan Barnes of The Memphis Commercial Appeal evaluates whether Kyle Anderson or Desmond Bane makes more sense as a fifth starter for the Grizzlies, assuming Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson, Dillon Brooks, and Steven Adams occupy the other four spots.
- In a pair of stories for The Houston Chronicle, Jonathan Feigen examines the positive steps Kevin Porter Jr. is taking as a play-making point guard and notes that Kenyon Martin Jr.‘s versatility could help him carve out a rotation role.
Southwest Notes: Spurs Roster, Pelicans, Sengun, Porter
Though the 2021/22 Spurs roster may confuse some outsiders, head coach Gregg Popovich indicates that the team was constructed with plenty of intentionality, Mike Finger of the San Antonio Express News writes. Finger notes that the club’s front office appears to be open-minded about the potential of the team this season.
“This was purposeful, what you are seeing,” Popovich said. “It was put together with a lot of foresight and a lot of discussion.”
Finger notes that the keys to the franchise have now been handed to intriguing young players like Dejounte Murray, Derrick White, Lonnie Walker, Keldon Johnson, and rookie lottery selection Joshua Primo.
There’s more out of the Southwest Division:
- With the first week of Pelicans training camp in the books, Christian Clark, Scott Kushner and Rod Walker of NOLA.com assess the latest news out of New Orleans. The team discussed the unified front presented by injured Pelicans All-Star forward Zion Williamson and head of basketball operations David Griffin, the apparent increased strength of 2020 All-Star forward Brandon Ingram, new head coach Willie Green, and more.
- The rebuilding Rockets appear ready to use the 2021/22 season to develop their youth. Rookie forward Alperen Sengun, the No. 16 pick in this year’s draft, is already leaving his mark with the club, writes Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle. “He showed he can play in the high post and make plays for other guys, no look passes, all kinds of stuff, which is really good,” head coach Stephen Silas noted after an early practice. “Then, when he catches it in the paint, he has pivots and fakes, and all that. He’s going to be exciting for people to see.”
- Talented swingman Kevin Porter Jr. is ready to grow with the Rockets, his second NBA team so far, writes Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle. “I want to be able to do everything great,” Porter said. During his first season in Houston, Porter averaged 16.6 PPG, 6.3 APG, 3.8 RPG and 0.7 SPG across 26 games.
Rockets Notes: Porter, Silas, Theis, Wood, Tate, Gordon
Third-year guard Kevin Porter Jr., who dealt with off-court issues early in his NBA career, said earlier this week that the Rockets “saved my life” and “picked me up when I was down.” Head coach Stephen Silas isn’t taking those words lightly, telling reporters on Tuesday that it means a lot to him to develop such important relationships with players, according to Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle.
“It means everything,” Silas said. “That’s why you coach. For the stories, for the guys who maybe aren’t given a shot or feel like they are not able to have the opportunity they deserve. Hopefully, I can put … him in a position where he can be as successful as he can possibly be, whatever it is.”
Silas only has one year of experience as a head coach under his belt, but showed during his years as an assistant coach that he was capable of making those connections with his players, according to Rockets guard D.J. Augustin.
“Steve’s always been like that,” Augustin said, per Feigen. “I was with Steve in Charlotte when he was an assistant. He’s always been a great people person. Some coaches, they’re not good with communicating with players off the court. Steve is that guy who has the ability to kind of connect with players, especially with younger guys.”
Here’s more on the Rockets:
- In a conversation with Kelly Iko of The Athletic, new Rockets center Daniel Theis discussed a wide range of topics, including his first impressions of Houston – and of Silas – and his desire to be a mentor to Houston’s young players. Theis said Al Horford and Aron Baynes, his former teammates in Boston helped him understand what it takes to be a leader on a young team.
- With Theis in the mix, Christian Wood is expecting to play more at the power forward position this season, he said on Thursday (Twitter link via Iko).
- With Theis and Wood expected to start together in the frontcourt and Jalen Green and Kevin Porter Jr. penciled in as the backcourt starters, Houston’s small forward spot is up for grabs, Iko writes for The Athletic. While Danuel House, Kenyon Martin Jr., and David Nwaba will all be in the mix for minutes at that spot, Iko suggests either Jae’Sean Tate or Eric Gordon figures to be the fifth starter. Tate may have the leg up because Gordon is a more natural fit as a sixth man.
Rockets Notes: Wall, Wood, Porter, Theis, Vaccines
The Rockets and John Wall mutually agreed earlier this month to hold him out of games and work together on finding a trade, but the veteran point guard believes he still has a role to play with the team off the court.
Wall reiterated several times during his Media Day availability today that his main priority is to serve as a veteran mentor to Houston’s young players, and also stated that he’s 100 percent healthy entering the new season (Twitter link via Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle).
Wall, who isn’t sure which team he’d like to be traded to, told reporters on Monday, “My job is to be here with this team, stay healthy, and see what the future holds” (Twitter link via Kelly Iko of The Athletic).
General manager Rafael Stone and the Rockets’ front office are in lock-step with Wall, a stark contrast to the situation in Philadelphia. Stone says that the communication between the two sides has been great, stating, “In terms of our communication it’s been easy. The challenge was what works for everyone long term. It’s not like our communication ends today” (Twitter link via Iko).
When asked about the possibility of a buyout with Wall, Stone said he doesn’t expect that to happen anytime soon, if at all.
“Organizationally we don’t have any interest in this at this time,” Stone said (Twitter link via Mark Berman of Fox 26 Houston). “I don’t think that makes sense for John and I don’t think that makes sense for us. We’re gonna find things that make sense to both parties.”
There’s more from Houston:
- Forward/center Christian Wood, who was a borderline All-Star last season prior to injuring his ankle, says he’s fully recovered from the injury and is 100 percent healthy entering the season (Twitter via Kelly Iko).
- Kevin Porter Jr., whom the Rockets acquired from the Cavaliers last season, is beyond grateful to the Rockets. “This organization saved my life,” Porter told reporters today (Twitter link via Iko). “I needed a new change of scenery and they picked me up when I was down.” Porter went on to add that basketball wasn’t an escape outlet in Cleveland because he was depressed at the time, but coming to Houston represented a total 180 for the young player (Twitter link via Iko).
- Free agent addition Daniel Theis appears optimistic about partnering with Wood in the Rockets’ frontcourt, expressing optimism that the two big men can play alongside one another and telling reporters that he wants to be the anchor of the team’s defense (Twitter link via Iko).
- The Rockets are 100 percent vaccinated, Stone told reporters today (Twitter link via Iko).