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Blazers Notes: Reath, Williams, Backcourt, Graham, Banton

October 9th, 2024 at 10:40pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Trail Blazers backup center Duop Reath remains a potentially integral part of Portland’s crowded big man rotation, writes Aaron Fentress of The Oregonian.

The 6’11” big man is the only rostered Blazers center who’s a proficient three-point shooter. During his rookie season in 2023/24, the 28-year-old stepped up in the absence of an injured Robert Williams III, assuming primary reserve duties behind starter Deandre Ayton.

Across 68 contests (20 starts), Reath averaged 9.1 points on .461/.359/.742 shooting splits, along with 3.7 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 0.6 blocks and 0.5 steals per night. His 35.9% long range conversion rate arrived on 3.6 attempts, pretty good for a guy playing just 17.9 minutes per game.

Though Williams is injured again, the former All-Defensive Second Teamer will likely still leapfrog Reath when healthy, as Portland no doubt hopes to find a new trade home for him at some point. Former Connecticut standout Donovan Clingan, the Trail Blazers’ prized lottery draft pick this summer, seems likely to earn some run, too.

“That’s the benefit of the team,” Reath said of the Portland centers’ various skill sets. “Everybody’s good at what they’re good at. (Clingan) is huge. Great rim protector. You’ve got me, who can stretch the floor a little bit. Everybody is just different. So, coach can use whatever he needs that game, that day.”

There’s more out of Portland:

Speaking of Williams, the 6’9″ vet recently supplied an update on his Grade 1 left hamstring strain, suffered last week in a practice. As Fentress writes in another Oregonian story, Williams is projected to return in two weeks, meaning he should be available around the start of the Trail Blazers’ season. He suited up for just six games last year, before undergoing a season-ending knee surgery in November. Fentress reports that Williams is taking part in some of the Trail Blazers’ training camp activities, though he is currently avoiding the tougher drills. “I feel good,” Williams said. “Working out a little bit more. Ramping up a little bit more.”
Fourth-year Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups is bullish on the team’s depth at the guard position, too, Fentress adds in a different article. Expected starting shooting guard Shaedon Sharpe sustained a shoulder separation and is set to miss the next four-to-six weeks, but Billups expects backups Scoot Henderson, Dalano Banton and training camp signee Devonte’ Graham to step up admirably. Anfernee Simons will be temporarily moved back to a shooting guard role on the squad while Sharpe recuperates.
According to Fentress, in the absence of Sharpe, both Banton and Graham are expected to start the year with Portland. Banton is on a partially guaranteed deal, while Graham’s contract is non-guaranteed. “He’s just such a hooper,” Billups said of Banton. “He’s just such a good basketball player.” In order to hang onto both Banton and Graham into the regular season, Portland would have to trade or waive a player with a guaranteed contract. Fentress doesn’t specify who might be the odd man out.
In case you missed it, Billups is still wrapping his head around his impending enshrinement into the Hall of Fame this week.

Robert Williams Out At Least Two Weeks With Hamstring Strain

October 4th, 2024 at 2:51pm CST by Rory Maher

Center Robert Williams has been diagnosed with a grade 1 left hamstring strain, the Trail Blazers announced in a press release (Twitter link). The 26-year-old big man will be reevaluated in about two weeks, per the team.

It’s a disappointing development for Williams, who has been plagued by injuries over the course of his NBA career, having played more than 35 regular season games just twice in six years. However, he has made a significant on-court impact when healthy, earning a spot on the All-Defensive Second Team in Boston in 2022.

After undergoing knee surgery last fall that ended his season early and limited him to just six appearances in 2023/24, Williams had been taking part in five-on-five scrimmages in recent weeks and expected to be ready for the start of the ’24/25 season. He was a full practice participant on Tuesday but evidently that’s when the hamstring injury occurred, as he sat out Wednesday’s practice with soreness.

Williams’ latest injury means he will be sidelined for the rest of training camp and will almost certainly miss Portland’s three preseason games as well, with the finale set for Oct. 18, exactly two weeks from today. Ordinarily that wouldn’t be a big story, since the regular season is what really matters, but Williams hasn’t played in a game in 11 months, and soft-tissue injuries can be problematic even in best-case scenarios.

What’s less clear is if Williams’ absence will extend into the ’24/25 regular season. The Blazers’ season opener is on Oct. 23, with six additional games running through Nov. 2, approximately four weeks from now. The team will likely want to err on the side of caution after how much time he’s missed the past couple seasons.

If Williams does miss some regular season games, rookie lottery pick Donovan Clingan is the most obvious candidate to receive backup center minutes behind Deandre Ayton. Big man Duop Reath is also in that mix.

The 27th overall pick of the 2018 draft, Williams is under contract for two more seasons. He’ll make $12.4MM in ’24/25, followed by $13.3MM in ’25/26 before hitting free agency.

Northwest Notes: J. Williams, Hartenstein, Caruso, Jazz, Scoot, R. Williams

October 3rd, 2024 at 10:02pm CST by Tristan Tucker

Thunder big man Jaylin Williams has been ruled out for the remainder of training camp and the preseason due to a right hamstring strain, according to Joel Lorenzi of The Oklahoman.

Upon his return, Williams is poised to back up a crowded frontcourt that is composed of Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein. Coach Mark Daigneault was especially complimentary of what Williams brings to the table.

“Those guys are really, really verbal players,” Daigneault said. “Defensively especially, that position has to be the most vocal on the court. [Williams] is a very bold communicator in his coverages.”

Williams will be reevaluated after the preseason, per Lorenzi.

We have more from the Northwest Division:

Thunder offseason acquisitions Hartenstein and Alex Caruso have been as advertised, Lorenzi writes in a separate story. Both players have been early standouts in training camp. “I think the easiest thing for both of us is that we both play really hard,” Caruso said. “When you have that as your base and your foundation, the rest of the stuff will fall into place.”
Messaging from the Jazz has been clear all offseason regarding their desire to focus on youth. Walker Kessler is among the players the front office considers as part of its young core. However, according to Andy Larsen of The Salt Lake Tribune, John Collins sees and considers himself a starter, which primes the Jazz for a starting center position battle in camp. Head coach Will Hardy threw another name in the ring – that of free agent addition Drew Eubanks – when speaking to media. Larsen notes that the Jazz tried starting Lauri Markkanen, Collins and Kessler together last season, but that supersized lineup wasn’t successful.
Many scouts and fans regarded last year’s No. 3 overall pick Scoot Henderson as a generational prospect when he entered the draft. While Henderson struggled to score efficiently and didn’t garner the headlines that No. 1 pick Victor Wembanyama did, he still showed he could have a long future in the league. Perhaps underrated entering his second season, the Trail Blazers guard averaged 16.6 points and 7.1 assists in his last 19 games last year. Head coach Chauncey Billups indicated he’s seen improvement from Henderson this offseason. “You can tell that his confidence is so much different now,” Billups said, per Sean Highkin of Rose Garden Report (Twitter link). “He plays ferocious, as we all know, but he has a little extra chip on his shoulder now after having struggled his rookie year. So I’ve been happy with where he’s at. I think Scoot’s going to have a good season.”
After playing in just six games last year due to knee surgery that ended his season, Trail Blazers center Robert Williams has been taking steps to return this year. According to Highkin (Twitter link), Williams went through all of practice as a full participant on Tuesday before sitting out Wednesday with soreness. The team is being careful with him in his recovery and his status for the preseason opener is to be determined, per Highkin.

Blazers Notes: Williams, Roster, Billups, Clingan, Ayton, Camara

October 1st, 2024 at 8:11am CST by Luke Adams

After undergoing knee surgery last fall that ended his season early and limited him to just six appearances in 2023/24, Trail Blazers center Robert Williams has been taking part in five-on-five scrimmages in recent weeks and expects to be ready for the start of the season, writes Sean Highkin of Rose Garden Report. While Williams may be held out of some activities during training camp and the preseason, he’s excited about nearing the end of a long recovery process.

“I’m in a great space right now,” Williams said on Monday. “Trying to stay on top of everything physically and mentally. It’s been a long seven months. A long fight back. But I’m just ready to get back on the court, man. You saw me smiling when I came in here. At one point, I couldn’t even walk, you feel what I’m saying? So I’m just ready to get back out there and show what I can do.”

Williams has been slowed by injuries over the course of his NBA career, having played more than 35 regular season games just twice in six years. However, he has made a significant on-court impact when healthy, earning a spot on the All-Defensive Second Team in Boston in 2022. The big man, who will turn 27 this month, expressed confidence in his chances of returning to that level.

“I feel like I’m there,” he told reporters, per Highkin. “I’ve been playing five-on-five a lot over the past month. But it’s been a nonstop grind since I hurt myself last year. Starting then, from the rehab process to getting back out on the court, everything I went through, it’s been a long grind. I feel like I’m ready.”

Here’s more on the Trail Blazers:

After finishing last season with a 21-61 record, the Trail Blazers know they’re unlikely to take a major step toward contention until young cornerstones like Scoot Henderson, Shaedon Sharpe, and Donovan Clingan are ready to contribute at a high level. “Until those guys take steps and start playing winning basketball, we’re not going to win at the level we need to,” general manager Joe Cronin said, according to Aaron Fentress of The Oregonian. “So, part of it’s up to them. When will you guys be ready? When will you take these next steps, and when can you really impact the game instead of just showing flashes or have a good five-game run.”
According to Highkin, Cronin likes the fact that the roster has some continuity heading into the 2024/25 season — the GM acknowledged that the team was somewhat “disjointed” after the front office made a pair of major trades just ahead of training camp last fall. The next step, per Cronin, will be to get a better sense of which players on the current roster are long-term keepers. “One thing we’re really hoping to find this year, throughout this season, and definitely by the end of it, is more clarity,” he said, per Fentress. “Last year, I don’t know how much clarity we walked away with. We saw flashes and capabilities, but we didn’t see sustained production or sustained cohesion. And I think this year, we need to build on that. We need to have a better feel and understanding of what we are, what moves we need to make, what additions we need to have, what’s going really well. We need just more focus on what our long-term outlook is going to look like.”
Head coach Chauncey Billups is entering the final guaranteed year of his current contract (the Blazers hold an option for 2025/26), but he’s not concerned about his “lame duck” status, he said on Monday. “You can be in the first year of your deal, you can be in the last year of your deal. It’s all the same,” Billups said, per Highkin. “You’ve got to go do a good job. And if not, we see it all the time. Coaches get fired and don’t even get to finish their first year. I don’t think about that, I don’t worry about that. What I’m most proud of is, I’m light-years ahead of where I was when I took this microphone three years ago.”
While Portland’s center logjam has been a popular topic of discussion leading up to training camp, there’s no tension between 2024 lottery pick Clingan and former No. 1 overall selection Deandre Ayton, who have been developing a bond ahead of their first season together, Highkin writes. “D.A. is awesome,” Clingan said. “He’s got a lot of energy. He knows the game very well. A lot of skill. To have someone to look up to like that is special. It means a lot to me.”
Second-year Blazers forward Toumani Camara said on Monday that he has fully recovered from the rib and kidney injuries that brought his rookie year to a premature end (Twitter link via Highkin). Camara fractured his left rib and sustained a small laceration in his kidney in March.

Knicks Notes: Shamet, Randle, Backup Center, Trade Targets

September 14th, 2024 at 1:34pm CST by Rory Maher

Veteran guard Landry Shamet has agreed to a one-year deal with the Knicks. The opportunity to be in a “winning environment” was a key factor in his decision to sign with New York, sources tell Ian Begley of SNY.tv (Twitter link).

According to Stefan Bondy of The New York Post (Twitter link), Shamet had two other teams vying for his services. The 27-year-old is expected to make New York’s regular season roster, Bondy adds, which suggests Shamet may have received at least a partially guaranteed contract.

If Bondy’s reporting is accurate, Shamet would be the 15th and final player on the Knicks’ standard roster, with 14 players already on guaranteed contracts. Trades could change that number, but that’s where the roster currently stands.

Both Begley and Bondy point out that Shamet played with Mikal Bridges in Phoenix. The Knicks acquired Bridges this summer in a blockbuster trade with Brooklyn.

Here’s more on the Knicks:

In a mailbag for SNY, Begley states that All-Star power forward Julius Randle is willing to take on “any role” he’s assigned this season “if it leads to winning.” Asked about the possibility of Randle playing some center in 2024/25, Begley said he isn’t sure if that will happen, but he does think a smaller lineup (Jalen Brunson, Donte DiVincenzo or Josh Hart, Bridges, OG Anunoby and Randle) would be very difficult for opposing defenses to stop.
Randle will earn $28.9MM this season and could hit free agency next summer if he declines his $30.9MM player option for ’25/26. He’s also eligible for a veteran extension. According to Begley, Randle wants to remain with the Knicks, but there hasn’t been any traction on an extension before training camp, and that seems unlikely to change before the season begins.
In the same story, Begley addresses the Knicks’ backup center situation, with Precious Achiuwa and Jericho Sims likely behind Mitchell Robinson on the depth chart. Given Robinson’s lengthy injury history (he was limited to 31 games last season and is coming off ankle surgery), the position looks a little shaky. Begley lists Nick Richards, Walker Kessler and Robert Williams as potential trade targets to monitor, and says the Knicks discussed a deal with the Hawks involving Clint Capela this offseason.

Knicks Notes: Center Options, Wing Depth, Brunson, Randle

August 7th, 2024 at 9:44pm CST by Arthur Hill

Even if Mitchell Robinson can manage to avoid serious injury this season, he may not be the center the Knicks want on the court once they reach the playoffs, John Hollinger and Fred Katz of the Athletic write in a discussion about the team. Hollinger notes that while Robinson’s skills as a rim protector and offensive rebounder are valuable, New York was at its best with the pick-and-roll game and switchable defense of Isaiah Hartenstein, who signed with Oklahoma City in free agency.

Although he doesn’t expect the Knicks to add another center before training camp, Hollinger believes trade options will become available as the season wears on. He suggests the Suns‘ Jusuf Nurkic as a possibility if Phoenix gets off to a disappointing start or the Trail Blazers’ Robert Williams III, who may be a third-stringer in Portland behind Deandre Ayton and lottery pick Donovan Clingan. Larry Nance Jr., who was recently traded to the Hawks and has an $11MM expiring salary, could also be considered.

Another option that Hollinger and Katz discuss is experimenting with Julius Randle at center. Katz states that coach Tom Thibodeau has resisted using Randle as a small-ball five, but New York’s strong perimeter defense can make up for the lack of a shot-blocker.

There’s more on the Knicks:

Wing depth has become New York’s best attribute since the trade for Mikal Bridges, Hollinger states in the same piece. He cites Bridges, OG Anunoby, Josh Hart and Donte DiVincenzo as “automatic starters” for most teams, while the Knicks also have Miles McBride to handle minutes at two guard. Hollinger expresses concern about backup point guard, where McBride hasn’t shown an ability to create offense, Cameron Payne is with his fourth team in a little over a year and second-round pick Tyler Kolek isn’t likely to play much as a rookie.
Jalen Brunson has been selected as captain for the upcoming season, the Knicks announced (via Twitter). Brunson, who recently signed a four-year, $156.5MM extension that’s well below his market value, becomes the 36th captain in team history and the first since Lance Thomas during the 2018/19 season. “Jalen is a natural born leader, and I am confident he will continue to represent our organization, fans, city and his teammates with the same heart, grit and class he has displayed each and every day since he came to New York,” team president Leon Rose said.
The Knicks should work out an extension with Randle before the start of the season as a reward for his role in turning around the franchise, David Vertsberger contends in an SNY column. Randle is eligible for a new deal that could be worth up to $181.5MM over four years.

Northwest Notes: Bediako, Westbrook, Blazers’ Centers, Jordan

July 30th, 2024 at 10:05pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Grand Rapids Gold, the Nuggets‘ G League team, acquired the returning rights to center Charles Bediako in a deal with the Austin Spurs, according to OurSportsCentral.com. The Spurs‘ affiliate received the returning player rights of Jamorko Pickett and Reggie Kissoonlal.

Bediako went undrafted last year and had a two-way deal with San Antonio. He was waived by the Spurs in late December after suffering a left meniscus tear. Bediako played 11 games and averaged 7.7 points and 6.9 rebounds per game before the injury. He most recently played for the Magic in the Summer League, where he averaged 3.7 points and 2.3 rebounds per contest.

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Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups believes Russell Westbrook will be a good fit with the Nuggets, adding toughness and a mentality that will make the team better, he told Sean Keeler of The Denver Post. “Russ does help that (depth),” Billups said. “He helps bring some of those things. Obviously, (he and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope are) totally different players. But, yeah, losing KCP was — I’m happy and proud of him for getting to capitalize (financially) on the great years that he had here — but it’s a substantial loss.”
Deandre Ayton will be the Trail Blazers’ starting center, according to Sean Highkin of Rose Garden Report, but the distribution of minutes for the post reserves is up in the air. Lottery pick Donovan Clingan will definitely soak up some of those minutes but Duop Reath is also deserving of playing time. It’s uncertain where Robert Williams III fits in, even when he finishes rehabbing from his latest knee injury.
DeAndre Jordan‘s one-year contract with the Nuggets is worth the minimum salary, Hoops Rumors has confirmed. Jordan’s deal was originally reported to be worth $3.6MM, which would have been possible if he were re-signed using his Early Bird rights, but it’s simply a veteran’s minimum contract, which will pay the veteran center approximately $3.3MM.

Northwest Notes: Dillingham, Wolves, Blazers, Thunder, Topic

June 27th, 2024 at 4:31pm CST by Luke Adams

Due to team-building restrictions from the second tax apron, the Timberwolves knew they were limited in their ability to acquire impact players this summer. Instead of standing pat, they decided to make another aggressive move, trading an unprotected first-round pick in 2031 and a top-one protected 2030 first-round swap to the Spurs for the rights to Kentucky guard Rob Dillingham, the No. 8 pick.

As Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic writes, Wolves president of basketball operations Tim Connelly views Dillingham as the top shot creator in the draft, a major need for a Minnesota team that struggled to score at times during the 2023/24 regular season and playoffs.

“I don’t know how we can achieve that in the next two or three years via free agency,” Connelly said. “We don’t want to trade our core guys. It’s pretty simplistic. I think we’ve checked a major box that we lacked last year.”

“He’s a guy who, from Day 1, is going to have a role and a responsibility,” Connelly continued, per Chris Hine of The Star Tribune. “Certainly it’s going to be hard for him. But I don’t think you’re that aggressive in the top 10 [of the draft] with a guy you don’t think can play right away.”

Here’s more from around the Northwest:

Somak Sarkar, the former Timberwolves employee who was fired for stealing thousands of files, had a felony third-degree burglary charge dismissed but pled guilty on Wednesday to a misdemeanor charge of unauthorized computer access, reports Baxter Holmes of ESPN. Sarkar is scheduled to be sentenced on July 9.
Asked about using the No. 7 pick on Wednesday to draft Donovan Clingan with centers Deandre Ayton and Robert Williams already on the roster, Trail Blazers general manager Joe Cronin downplayed the idea of a logjam up front, per Bill Oram of The Oregonian. “We’re not good enough to be content at any one position or even just at the starting positions,” Cronin said.
Cronin also made an interesting comment when discussing the rest of the Trail Blazers‘ offseason, telling reporters, “We’re committed to Scoot (Henderson) and Shaedon (Sharpe) being a massive part of what we’re doing, and how do we find ways to give them the support they need and maximize their development?” As Oram points out, there was no mention of guard Anfernee Simons there alongside his backcourt mates, which may be a hint that Portland doesn’t view Simons as part of the team’s young long-term core.
Serbian guard Nikola Topic, whom the Thunder selected 12th overall on Wednesday, said he has never been to Oklahoma and had no clue which team would draft him, writes Joel Lorenzi of The Oklahoman. Head of basketball operations Sam Presti said he doesn’t expect the 18-year-old to play in 2024/25 due to his partially torn ACL, but Topic will spend what could end up being a redshirt season around the team.

Rory Maher contributed to this post.

Northwest Notes: Cancar, Clingan, Edey, Caruso, Jazz, Nuggets

June 24th, 2024 at 7:51pm CST by Dana Gauruder

It appears Vlatko Cancar won’t be testing free agency. The Nuggets and Cancar are negotiating a new contract, The Athletic’s Tony Jones tweets.

Denver is declining the $2,346,606 option on Cancar’s current contract due to luxury tax concerns, but it appears that move is the first step in getting the forward back on a deal that would benefit both sides. If Cancar re-signs with the Nuggets on a minimum-salary deal, he would project to make $2,432,511 in ’24/25, while the team would carry a cap hit of $2,093,637.

We have more from the Northwest Division:

The Trail Blazers have worked out Donovan Clingan and Zach Edey and seem to be leaning toward drafting a center, The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor reports. The Blazers own the No. 7 and 14 picks. Clingan is expected to be off the board by the No. 7 pick but the Blazers are high enough on Edey that they may grab him with the first of those picks, according to O’Connor, who suggests that if they wind up with a center on draft day, they could look to move Deandre Ayton and/or Robert Williams.
While the Thunder have ample cap space this summer, they will be hard-capped at the first tax apron in 2024/25 due to the Alex Caruso trade, Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report tweets. That’s because they took on a higher salary than they’re sending out (Josh Giddey).
The Jazz hold the No. 10, 29 and 32 picks in the draft. How valuable are those latter two picks and should they try to deal them? Kevin Reynolds of the Salt Lake Tribune explores that topic.
Due to a lack of contracts they could package with their first-round pick at No. 28 to obtain another impact player, the Nuggets are likely to retain the pick and seek out another late-round gem, Bennett Durando of the Denver Post writes.

Southwest Notes: Rockets, Clingan, Castle, Grizzlies

June 10th, 2024 at 9:23am CST by Arthur Hill

A wing player with size would be the perfect addition to the Rockets‘ current roster, Kelly Iko of The Athletic states in a mailbag column. He adds that the ideal player would be someone who can drive to the basket and create offense for himself and his teammates, pointing to San Antonio’s Keldon Johnson and Chicago’s DeMar DeRozan as examples, although they may not be obtainable.

Among realistic free agent targets, Iko names Nuggets shooting guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Raptors swingman Bruce Brown. Both are veterans who can space the floor and fit into coach Ime Udoka’s defensive system, Iko writes. Brown dropped to 32.3% from three-point range this season after shooting 40.4% and 35.8% the previous two years, but Iko notes that Houston assistant coaches Royal Ivey and Tiago Splitter both worked with Brown in Brooklyn and may be able to help him regain his form. Iko contends Caldwell-Pope was worthy of an All-Defense nod this year.

Toronto holds a $23MM team option on Brown that has to be picked up by June 28, so there’s no guarantee he’ll be available in free agency. Caldwell-Pope has a $15.4MM player option with a June 29 deadline, and even if he tests the market, Denver figures to make a strong effort to retain one of the key members of its 2022/23 title team.

There’s more from the Southwest Division, all from Iko:

UConn center Donovan Clingan has been listed as the Rockets‘ pick at No. 3 in several mock drafts, but Iko isn’t convinced that he’s the best choice. Even though Clingan is a potential defensive anchor with a soft touch around the basket, Iko questions his fit alongside Alperen Sengun because neither is a proven three-point shooter. Iko notes that Houston had a top-10 defense this season without a reliable shot blocker, and Udoka likes having defensive versatility so he can adapt to the opponent. Even with the addition of Steven Adams, Iko expects the Rockets to employ smaller lineups next season with Jabari Smith seeing time at center.
According to Iko, the Spurs‘ perfect draft would include UConn guard Stephon Castle as No. 4 and a larger wing at No. 8, providing two more young talents to develop alongside Victor Wembanyama. Iko is concerned about Nikola Topic‘s latest ACL injury and says G League forward Matas Buzelis would be a much safer choice if he’s still on the board. Iko also likes Kentucky guard Reed Sheppard for San Antonio, but adds that an ideal situation would involve using the eighth and 35th picks to acquire a veteran guard like Dejounte Murray.
Iko advises the Grizzlies to trade down rather than trying to solve their need for a center by taking a project like Indiana’s Kel’el Ware at No. 9. Iko compares Ware to Christian Wood and suggests that Duke’s Kyle Filipowski could be a better fit later in the draft. Iko also considers a pair of potential trade scenarios with the Trail Blazers to land Robert Williams or Malcolm Brogdon.