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Southwest Notes: Pelicans, Knight, House, Doncic

December 23rd, 2018 at 7:07pm CST by Eric Spyropoulos

Despite all of the attention on Anthony Davis and the speculation about his long-term future, Scott Kushner writes for The Journal Times that the Pelicans have more pressing issues to solve, most notably their inability to close out games.

As Kushner points out, the Pelicans are the worst clutch team in the NBA, as they are 5-11 in games that are within five points in the final five minutes. In fact, during those situations the Pelicans are outscored by 28.6 points per 100 possessions, the worst net rating.

This is a stark contrast to last season, when the Pelicans led the league in clutch wins with 30. Before they have to deal with Davis’ future, the Pelicans have to figure out how to win this season, which will often come down to their ability to close out games in crunch time.

There’s more from the Southwest division:

With Chris Paul out for the next couple of weeks, Brandon Knight is ready to step up and contribute if given the playing time. As Jonathan Feigen writes for The Houston Chronicle, Knight has struggled to find his shot since returning from injury, and with the Rockets adding Austin Rivers earlier today, Knight may find himself short on minutes in the rotation.
Danuel House has provided an unexpected lift for the Rockets off the bench in recent weeks, and he even started against the Spurs this weekend due to Paul’s injury. As Feigen reveals for The Houston Chronicle, starting in his hometown was a meaningful experience for House.
When asked about his comments regarding his desire to play with Anthony Davis, LeBron James mentioned several other great players in the league that he would love to play alongside. As SportsDay Dallas points out, James included Mavericks rookie Luka Doncic in that list, highlighting his respect for the rookie’s strong start to the season.

Lakers Notes: McGee, Zubac, LeBron, Davis

December 23rd, 2018 at 2:20pm CST by JD Shaw

Lakers center JaVale McGee was discharged from the hospital on Saturday after dealing with pneumonia, according to Yahoo’s Chris Haynes. McGee spent three days at the UCLA Medical Center beginning on Thursday, around the time he produced a 104-degree fever, Haynes wrote.

McGee has missed the Lakers’ past three games with what the team called “flu-like symptoms,” beginning on December 16 against the Wizards. He’ll miss his fourth straight game with the respiratory infection on Sunday against Memphis, and it’s unclear if he’ll be able to play in Golden State for their Christmas Day showdown on Tuesday.

“I feel a little better,” McGee told Haynes. “Surprisingly, I didn’t lose any weight. All I can do is get healthy and get back in shape as soon as possible so that I can contribute towards making us a playoff-contending team. This is such a great organization, and the way we’re battling and the way our young fellas are holding it down with the injuries we’ve endured is incredible. I’m proud of how we pulled off that game against New Orleans [on Friday]. I just can’t wait to get back.”

McGee was severely dehydrated prior to the Dec. 16 game against Washington, and several attempts to administer an IV were unsuccessful due to complications of finding a vein, Haynes reported. He remains intent on getting better in time to receive his second championship ring this Tuesday, won this past season as a member of the Warriors.

“Of course, that’s the only thing, the only game I’ve been thinking about while being bedridden is the Christmas Day game,” McGee said, according to Haynes. “No offense to the other teams, but that’s really important to me. I’ve got to get better for that game. That’s the homecoming, the ring ceremony. It’s really important.”

McGee has played an important role for the Lakers this season, starting in all 29 of his games while holding per-game averages of 11.8 points and 6.7 rebounds. His scoring mark of 11.8 points is the highest of his 11-year career, and his average playing time of 23.5 minutes per contest is the most since the 2011/12 season.

There’s more out of Los Angeles today:

The Lakers started Ivica Zubac in place of McGee on Friday, and the 21-year-old made the most of his opportunity to help seal a team win, Joey Ramirez of Lakers.com writes. Zubac recorded 16 points, 11 rebounds, two steals and two blocks in 32 minutes of action. “Zu got the game ball tonight for sure,” teammate LeBron James said of Zubac. “His impact both offensively and defensively was huge for us tonight.”
James once again showed the power of his voice this past week, passionately discussing his desire to play with other NBA All-Stars and his displeasure with the mindsets of some NFL owners, Kyle Goon of the Orange County Register writes. “People get caught up in bunches sometimes when they wish they could control what you say, and they can’t control me,” James said. “At all.”
The Lakers will likely have outside competition for Anthony Davis if they express interest in trading for him, writes Mark Heisler of the OC Register. Several league observers believe the Celtics possess enough long-term assets to make a serious run at Davis, a player whom the franchise has eyed in past seasons. Other wild card teams could join the fray if New Orleans opts to explore moving Davis in the coming months. Pelicans head coach Alvin Gentry was adamant this past week that the team wouldn’t trade Davis, explaining that it’s “not an option” for the club.

LeBron James, Anthony Davis Meet For Post-Game Dinner

December 22nd, 2018 at 6:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

LeBron James shrugged off accusations of tampering involving Pelicans star Anthony Davis last night, then emphasized the point by meeting Davis for a post-game meal, reports Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports.

James led the Lakers to a win in his first meeting with Davis since saying earlier this week that he would be “amazing” to have as a teammate. Some small-market GMs objected to James’ comments and a league-wide trend of players in big cities openly recruiting other stars, but James dismissed their concerns after Friday’s game.

“They can’t control me at all,” he told reporters. “And I play by the rules.”

Rumors that Davis might eventually join the Lakers began to grow this summer as LeBron signed in L.A. and Davis abandoned his former agency in favor of Klutch Sports, which also represents James.

Davis is eligible for a potential record-setting contract next summer through the Designated Player Veteran Extension that could be worth up to as much as $239.54MM over five seasons. The Pelicans will surely make the offer, but there’s no guarantee Davis will accept. He has a player option in 2020, so New Orleans could be in the position of having to make a trade to avoid the risk of losing him with no return.

Davis hasn’t given an indication of which way he’s leaning on the DPVE, but said the ability to compete for a title will have a greater impact on his decision than cash.

“I’d take legacy over money,” Davis said after Friday’s game. “I want to have a legacy. All my people that look up to me, the younger kids, I want them to know about AD’s legacy. Championships, the things I do in the community, being a good teammate, playing hard. All that stuff matters the most to me. Don’t get me wrong, money is amazing. But I think in that sense, money or legacy, I think my legacy will win that battle every time.”

Davis has only reached the playoffs twice since the Pelicans drafted him in 2012. They were swept in the first round in 2015 and knocked out in the second round last season. With a 15-18 record this year, there’s no guarantee of another postseason trip.

In public comments, Davis has remained very supportive of the Pelicans, frequently mentioning his ties to the New Orleans community. However, sources tell Haynes that he has received advice to eventually move on from players on other teams and even a few of his teammates.

Haynes describes Davis as “intrigued” at the thought of playing in Los Angeles, where he bought a $7.5MM house over the summer.

Lakers fans did their best to encourage Davis by giving him a standing ovation during pre-game introductions. He recently got a similar welcome from Boston, which appears to be L.A.’s main competition if the Pelicans ever decide to trade Davis.

Southwest Notes: Davis, Paul, Parsons, Brooks, Smith

December 21st, 2018 at 7:56pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry believes LeBron James‘ comment that it would be “amazing” to play with Anthony Davis constitutes tampering, William Guillory of The Athletic tweets. An NBA statement on Friday indicated the James’ statement did not rise to the level of tampering. Gentry vehemently disagreed. “It’s tampering,” Gentry said. “Should we have AD say, ‘Why don’t we trade for LeBron?'” Gentry went on further to say, “I thought if you talked about a player under contract, it’s tampering. That’s just me. I’ve only been in the league for 31 years, so what would I know?”

We have more from around the Southwest Division:

Rockets All-Star guard Chris Paul has a Grade 2 hamstring strain and will be reevaluated in two weeks, according to a team press release. Paul suffered the injury against Miami on Thursday.
The Grizzlies are hopeful that forwards Chandler Parsons and Dillon Brooks will return to action soon, David Cobb of the Memphis Commercial Appeal reports. Parsons hasn’t played since the third game this season due to knee and back soreness but has ramped up his workouts lately. Brooks, who has not played since November 10th due to a Grade II MCL sprain, should return before the New Year. They could boost an offense that has reached 100 points just once the past 10 games, Cobb adds.
On that same topic, Michael Wallace of the team’s website notes that rookie forward Jaren Jackson Jr. and veteran combo guard Shelvin Mack have slumped recently. Coach J.B. Bickerstaff believes confidence is a factor for the team in general. “We can come up with schemes and tricks and all that, but on the offensive end of the floor, we’ve got to take the shots that are available to us,” he said. “We’ve got to believe the shots are going in. Guys are working their tails off, taking their reps. We’ve got to get them those shots, and when they get them, they’ve got to take them and knock them down.”
Mavericks guard Dennis Smith Jr. probably won’t play again until after Christmas, Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News reports. Smith has missed six of the last seven games due to a wrist injury. He’s unlikely to return until after the team’s road trip, which concludes Sunday. Their next home game is Wednesday against the Pelicans.
Davis’ decision whether to sign a Designated Veteran extension with the Pelicans looms as one of this summer’s biggest stories, as Danny Leroux of The Athletic notes. Davis has no financial incentive to wait until potential free agency the following summer, so if he doesn’t sign it, that probably means he wants out of New Orleans, as Leroux details.

Small-Market GMs Upset NBA Won’t Enforce Tampering Rules

December 21st, 2018 at 11:02am CST by Luke Adams

11:02am: An NBA spokesperson has issued the following tampering-related statement to Wojnarowski (Twitter link): “Each case is assessed on its own facts. In general, absent evidence of team coordination or other aggravating factors, it is not tampering when a player makes a comment about his interest in playing with another team’s player.”

10:26am: After LeBron James said this week that it would be “amazing” to team up with Anthony Davis in Los Angeles, general managers of smaller-market teams are “privately expressing outrage” over what they perceive as the NBA’s unwillingness to enforce its own tampering rules, writes ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

Tampering penalties are typically levied on executives who discuss other teams’ players, with the Lakers having been on the receiving end of a pair of fines from the NBA in recent years for Magic Johnson‘s and Rob Pelinka‘s comments and actions. Players have generally been permitted to freely discuss other teams’ players without fear of reprisal from the league. However, as Wojnarowski notes, the NBA’s bylaws suggest players can be hit with tampering penalties as well. Those bylaws include the following section:

“Any Player who, directly or indirectly, entices, induces, persuades or attempts to entice, induce or persuade any Player, Coach, Trainer, General Manager, or any other person who is under contract to any other Member of the Association to enter into negotiations for or relating to his services shall, on being charged with such tampering, should be given an opportunity to answer to such charges after due notice and the Commissioner shall have the power to decide whether or not the charges have been sustained.”

According to Wojnarowski, multiple GMs reached out to Pelicans GM Dell Demps this week to “express dismay,” since they believe the NBA tacitly endorses comments like the ones James made, as they help generate drama, headlines, and discussion for the league.

“It’s New Orleans’ problem today, and a problem with a different player tomorrow for the rest of us,” one Eastern Conference GM told ESPN. “It’s open season on small markets and our players.”

“If these are the rules, enforce them,” one Western Conference GM said. “If you want to push Anthony Davis in L.A., if you allow LeBron to interfere with teams, then just do it. Change the rules, and say ‘It’s the wild, wild west and anything goes.’ But give us a list of the rules that you’re enforcing, and give us a list of the rules that you’re going to ignore.”

While it would be one thing if Davis was on the verge of reaching free agency, small-market GMs are also dismayed at the fact that these sort of public comments are being made about a player who can’t even become a free agent until 2020, per Wojnarowski.

“Interference is as bad as tampering — maybe worse in this case,” an Eastern GM said. “This becomes a campaign meant to destabilize another organization, install chaos and unrest that make it harder to keep an environment that the player would want to stay in. There’s no use in complaining to the league about it. We all get that it’s a players’ league, but there are rules on the books that they need to follow too.”

For his part, Demps didn’t offer any comment to Wojnarowski, but told Jennifer Hale of Fox Sports (Twitter link) earlier this week that the Pelicans were “leaving it up to the league” to determine whether James’ comments qualified as tampering.

LeBron James Talks Carmelo, AD

December 19th, 2018 at 8:41am CST by Luke Adams

The Lakers fell to the Nets in Brooklyn on Tuesday night, completing a 1-3 road trip, and LeBron James showed visible signs of frustration during the loss, as Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports and ESPN’s Dave McMenamin note.

After a few Lakers flaws were exposed on that road trip, Goodwill wonders if James may be getting a little antsy for the team to upgrade its roster in preparation for a second-half playoff run. While there’s no indication that LeBron is pushing the front office to make moves, he was willing to discuss a couple specific players – Carmelo Anthony and Anthony Davis – on Tuesday.

“I don’t run the team and obviously there’s some things that need to be worked out on both sides,” James said when asked about the possibility of the Lakers adding Anthony, according to McMenamin. “But I’ve always wanted to play along Melo and if the opportunity presents itself, it would be great. So we’ll see what happens.”

LeBron was less equivocal when McMenamin inquired about the idea of the Lakers trading for Davis: “That would be amazing, like, duh. That would be incredible.”

As Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com writes, the Pelicans have shown no willingness to move Davis, and the star big man still appears very committed to New Orleans for now, so any trade scenarios involving AD are unlikely to become viable until at least the 2019 offseason. Carmelo, on the other hand, is a more realistic target, though reports have indicated that the Lakers’ front office doesn’t share LeBron’s enthusiasm for adding the 10-time All-Star.

According to Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News, James’ comments about Anthony came after the two friends dined at a Manhattan steakhouse earlier in the day. Carmelo is still technically under contract with the Rockets, but has been away from the club for more than a month as Houston’s front office decides whether to trade or release the veteran forward.

The Lakers have been exploring the trade market in search of an upgrade on the wing, having discussed Trevor Ariza with the Suns before he was sent to Washington. However, if they decide to go the free agent route, the Lakers would have to trade or release a player — they have a full 15-man roster, with all 15 players on guaranteed contracts.

Community Shootaround: Second-Best Team In The West?

December 16th, 2018 at 9:22pm CST by Eric Spyropoulos

The 2018/19 NBA season is now over a quarter of the way through, with many teams having played at least 30 games. At this point, the Western Conference is still extremely crowded, with 12 teams that are .500 or better fighting for playoff spots. Even the top of the conference is tough to figure out, with teams like the Nuggets, Thunder and Lakers battling to distinguish themselves as the second-best team in the conference (behind a healthy and engaged Warriors team).

The Nuggets have continued to impress after a fast start, as they have withstood several injuries to key players such as Paul Millsap, Will Barton and Gary Harris. They currently own the league’s 8th ranked offense and 5th ranked defense while posting a 19-9 record, good for first in the conference.

The Thunder have used the league’s best defense to carry them to a 20-10 start. Paul George is having the best season of his career as the Thunder continue to stifle opposing offenses. The addition of Dennis Schroder has stabilized the team’s bench units, something previous Thunder teams couldn’t rely on.

Finally, the Lakers have rebounded from their slow 0-4 start to find themselves at 18-12. LeBron James has been his usual terrific self while several of the team’s young players have continued to settle in around him. Of course, it’s also possible that the Lakers make a trade to further improve their team as a result of the crowded playoff picture in the West.

When fully healthy and engaged, the Warriors are still regarded as the clear favorites in the Western Conference. However, the battle for second-best in the conference will likely continue throughout the season and early rounds of the playoffs.

With all that being said, who do you think is the second-best team in the Western Conference? Perhaps you believe that it could be a team that hasn’t been mentioned here. Share your thoughts in the comments section!

Pacific Notes: Ingram, Cousins, Bjelica

December 16th, 2018 at 5:58pm CST by Eric Spyropoulos

As the Lakers‘ young players continue to adjust to playing alongside LeBron James, Brandon Ingram has struggled to take the next step in his development. While others such as Josh Hart and Kyle Kuzma have thrived this season, Ingram has taken a step back, averaging fewer points, rebounds and assists per game than last season — his efficiency has also taken a dip.

Jonathan Tjarks of The Ringer explores the issues plaguing Ingram and the troubling fit he has with James. While Hart and Kuzma have more complementary skill sets, Ingram doesn’t have such a game as a result of his limited shooting and the fact that he thrives with the ball in his hands.

Tjarks explores the notion of the Lakers trading Ingram if they sense that they can make a run in a crowded Western Conference. It will be interesting to follow how Ingram continues to adapt his game alongside James or if it eventually spells the end of his Lakers tenure.

There’s more from the Pacific division:

DeMarcus Cousins has starting practicing with the Warriors‘ G League affiliate, which has prompted speculation regarding his return. However, Connor Letourneau of The San Francisco Chronicle reveals that it may take until February for the big man to make his Warriors debut.
Nemanja Bjelica is enjoying the best season of his career with the Kings, and recently expressed his excitement and happiness surrounding his role, especially compared to how he was used by the Timberwolves last season. Jon Krawczynski had the story for The Athletic.
Count Kevin Durant as one of the many that have been excited by the Kings‘ strong start to the season. As James Ham writes for NBC Sports Sacramento, Durant views the Kings as a team on the rise and one that can attract free agents moving forward.

Rockets Notes: House, Ariza, LeBron

December 16th, 2018 at 5:00pm CST by Eric Spyropoulos

As the Rockets got off to a rough start, a big issue plaguing the team was a lack of depth, especially on the wing. With Trevor Ariza and Luc Mbah a Moute departing in the offseason and Carmelo Anthony deemed too much of a negative to be part of the rotation, the Rockets were left with James Ennis and not much else.

That is where the emergence of Danuel House comes into play. As Jonathan Feigen writes for The Houston Chronicle, House has stepped up in recent games and provided a much-needed lift for the Rockets. House insists he is focused on hitting shots, playing solid defense and providing energy off the bench, especially as Ennis recently went down with an injury and Eric Gordon has been inserted into the starting lineup.

The Rockets have started to turn things around in recent games, with House providing an unexpected jolt off the bench just when the team needed one.

There’s more from the Rockets:

The Rockets have surely missed Ariza’s presence and leadership, which Tania Ganguli details for The Los Angeles Times. Gerald Green and P.J. Tucker are quoted on the value that Ariza can bring to a locker room, especially on the Rockets team that had high aspirations last season.
A brief but flashy storyline in the offseason was the potential that LeBron James would join his friend Chris Paul and defending MVP James Harden in Houston to form a new super team. Of course, that never happened and Dave McMenamin of ESPN reveals (via Twitter) that James didn’t give much thought to actually joining the Rockets.
The Rockets recently emerged as a potential suitor for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, the 25-year-old shooting guard from the Lakers. Caldwell-Pope can provide defense and 3-point shooting, which the Rockets could use more of moving forward.

LeBron Never Considered Joining Knicks

December 11th, 2018 at 8:35am CST by Arthur Hill

There was plenty of drama as LeBron James and Dwyane Wade faced each other for the final time last night, but James’ postgame comments led to speculation that his summer decision came down to the Lakers and Knicks.

As the longtime friends hugged after the game, Wade said “I appreciate you for letting it end here,” meaning at the Staples Center, and James responded, “It was either here or at (Madison Square) Garden, that’s it.”

Although many are taking that as an indication that James was considering signing with New York, multiple sources close to him tell Joe Vardon of The Athletic that isn’t true. The statement referred to the magnitude of their final game and how LeBron felt it deserved a special setting.

Vardon adds that apart from the Lakers, James gave serious consideration to staying with the Cavaliers or going to the Sixers, who were the only other team he met with before signing in L.A.

Although James heading to New York would have shaken up the NBA landscape just as much as joining the Lakers, the Knicks didn’t have the cap room available to offer anything close to a max contract. The team’s only significant free agent additions of the offseason were Mario Hezonja, who received a one-year, $6.5MM contract that came out of the Knicks’ mid-level exception, and Noah Vonleh, who got a partially guaranteed one-year deal.

On top of that, tweets ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, James wouldn’t have considered New York because of how the front office, especially former team president Phil Jackson, treated his friend, Carmelo Anthony in his final seasons with the team.