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Atlantic Notes: Leonard, Celtics, Splitter, Korkmaz

November 1st, 2018 at 7:51pm CST by JD Shaw

The Raptors are taking a long view on Kawhi Leonard, ensuring that he remains in good health throughout the rest of the season, Josh Lewenberg of TSN Sports writes. The team rested Leonard against the undefeated Bucks on Monday, the first half of a back-to-back set against Milwaukee and Philadelphia.

Leonard missed most of last season with a quad injury and has spent this season regaining his stamina, working to get back into a consistent game shape. He’s averaged 27.3 PPG, 7.8 RPG and 3.2 APG so far on the year.

“It feels good, [I] just don’t want to overdo it too early since I missed out on a year,” Leonard said about his quad. “It’s just injury prevention, so [I’m] just not playing back-to-backs for right now.”

When healthy, Leonard is a top-tier defender who’s improved vastly on the offensive end. The Raptors acquired him in a trade with the Spurs this past offseason, labeling him as a player who could lead the team to a deep playoff run.

Toronto is scheduled for 12 back-to-backs on the season. It’s unclear how long Leonard will rest for these sets, with the 27-year-old in his eighth NBA season.

There’s more from the Atlantic Division:

  • Several Warriors players have labeled the Celtics as the biggest threat in their quest to a three-peat this season, according to The Athletic’s Sam Amick. Players such as Kevin Durant and Draymond Green recognized the strengths of Boston, including the team’s ability to switch on defense and their depth off the bench.
  • Former NBA center Tiago Splitter has spent this season with the Nets sharing coaching and scouting duties. “Our goal this year is to improve last year’s result when we had 28 wins,” Splitter said, according to Nets Daily. “We want to do more than that, but we also think about the long run.” Splitter retired last February and joined the Nets in a dual role shortly after.
  • Derek Bodner of The Athletic examines the Sixers‘ decision to decline the third-year option in Furkan Korkmaz‘s contract. Philadelphia will have an extra $2MM in cap space next summer as a result, and Korkmaz will reach free agency on July 1.
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Nets Hire Pablo Prigioni, Tiago Splitter

April 24th, 2018 at 2:23pm CST by Luke Adams

A pair of former NBA players have joined the Nets’ organization, the team announced today in a press release. Pablo Prigioni has been hired as an assistant coach on Kenny Atkinson‘s staff, while Tiago Splitter had been named a pro scout with additional duties related to on-court player development.

Prigioni, whose hiring was first reported by Brian Lewis of The New York Post, also received interest from the Knicks, with whom he spent two and a half seasons as a player. However, he ultimately chose to join the city’s other NBA team.

The longtime point guard transitioned to coaching after retiring as a player — he was named the head coach of Spanish team Baskonia last summer, but stepped down after just eight games, reportedly due to family issues. In Brooklyn, Prigioni will have an opportunity to work with promising young guards like D’Angelo Russell, Spencer Dinwiddie, Isaiah Whitehead, and Caris LeVert.

As for Splitter, he announced his retirement as a player due to health issues earlier this year, and had expressed an interest in coaching in the past. While the former Spurs center won’t technically be a member of Atkinson’s staff in Brooklyn, it sounds like he’ll get the opportunity to work with some Nets players in addition to his scouting duties.

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Tiago Splitter Announces Retirement

February 19th, 2018 at 8:55am CST by Luke Adams

Veteran NBA big man Tiago Splitter has decided to retire, he announced in an interview with SporTV (hat tip to HoopsHype).

Splitter, 33, has been slowed by injuries over the last two years, having been particularly bothered by hip issues. He underwent surgery on his right hip approximately two years ago, but says he was recently told by doctors that in order to continue playing, he’d need to undergo a procedure on his other hip as well.

“I am going to stop playing. It’s a decision I’ve made these past few months,” Splitter said (English translation via SporTV). “It’s not something I want, but the hip injury I’ve been having is more troublesome than we thought. It’s a difficult time because you stop doing something you’ve done a lifetime. I remember being on a basketball court as long as I remember my person. I talked to my family, my wife, everyone, and really, it’s time to hang up the sneakers.”

As recently as October, we heard that Splitter was holding out hope of an NBA return, though even at that point he admitted he was still being bothered by his health problems. The Brazilian center last suited up for the Sixers in 2016/17, appearing in eight games for the team.

Having spent seven years in the NBA, Splitter appeared in 355 regular season contests, averaging 7.9 PPG and 5.0 RPG. Although he played in Atlanta and Philadelphia, the bulk of Splitter’s NBA career came in San Antonio, where he appeared in 65 postseason games for the Spurs and won a championship in 2014.

While Splitter told SporTV that he’s not sure exactly what his next step will be, he has previously expressed an interest in coaching, and reportedly received an invitation from Gregg Popovich to work with the Spurs. Splitter, who hopes to remain involved in basketball, has also done some television work, appearing on TV Globo during the 2016 Olympics.

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Tiago Splitter Hopes To Land NBA Contract

October 16th, 2017 at 9:20pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Veteran center Tiago Splitter is shopping around for an NBA contract, he told Jorge Sierra of HoopsHype in a Q&A session.

Splitter revealed that he had discussions with the Cavaliers, Jazz and Clippers but nothing came to fruition. He worked out for the Clippers in July.

He also received numerous training camp invites but didn’t get a formal contract offer, he told Sierra. However, the Brazilian native has no desire to explore opportunities overseas.

Injuries have sidetracked his career and Splitter admits he’s still not 100 percent. Splitter, 32, appeared in just eight games with the Sixers last season as he battled hip and calf injuries. He played 36 games with the Hawks the previous season, which was marred by a hamstring issue. Splitter spent his first five seasons with the Spurs.

If he can’t land a player contract, Splitter has decided to pursue a coaching career. He has visited with the Spurs, Hawks and Warriors during camp with that purpose.

“It’s a learning experience with focus on my career once my playing days are over,” he told Sierra. “My plan is to remain involved in basketball. This is a good way to network, meet new people and get to see basketball from a different perspective.”

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Western Rumors: Simmons, T. Chandler, Clippers

July 13th, 2017 at 2:18pm CST by Luke Adams

Before they renounced Jonathon Simmons‘ rights and made him an unrestricted free agent, the Spurs discussed a sign-and-trade scenario that would have sent Simmons to the Suns in a deal for center Tyson Chandler, writes Jabari Young of The San Antonio Express-News. It’s not clear if the proposed deal would have been Simmons for Chandler straight up or if other parts would have been involved, but either way, San Antonio backed out of the deal, reluctant to take on Chandler’s contract, per Young.

With Simmons now a UFA, it will be interesting to see if the Suns make a move to land him outright. According to David Aldridge of TNT (Twitter link), there’s “strong” interest in Simmons around the league, with a couple teams apparently in the lead for him. The free agent guard could make a decision by the weekend, says Aldridge.

Here’s more from around the Western Conference:

  • The Timberwolves are essentially limited to minimum salary contracts at this point, making them an unlikely destination for Jonathon Simmons or any of the other top free agents remaining on the market, says Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News (Twitter link).
  • Thunder GM Sam Presti acknowledged that extension discussions with Russell Westbrook aren’t really “a negotiation,” since a maximum salary offer is on the table for the reigning MVP. Erik Horne and Brett Dawson of The Oklahoman have the details on the story, suggesting that Oklahoma City won’t pressure Westbrook, who may accept the offer on his own timeline.
  • The Clippers worked out a pair of veteran free agent this week, according to Brad Turner of The Los Angeles Times, who tweets that the club took a look at Tiago Splitter and Martell Webster. While no deal is imminent, the Clips remain in the market for depth at small forward and center.
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NBA D-League Assignments/Recalls: 3/27/17

March 27th, 2017 at 8:51pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Here are Monday’s D-League assignment and recalls from around the league:

  • The Sixers recalled Tiago Splitter from the Delaware 87ers, according to the team’s website. Splitter was acquired by Philadelphia in the Ersan Ilyasova trade at this year’s trade deadline.
  • The Raptors have recalled Bruno Caboclo from their D-League affiliate, the Raptors 905, per the team’s Twitter feed. Caboclo has played a total of 89 NBA minutes since being selected with the 20th pick in the 2014 draft.
  • The Spurs have recalled Davis Bertans and Bryn Forbes from the Austin Spurs, according to the team’s website. Both players were sent down to the D-League on Sunday.
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NBA D-League Assignments/Recalls: 3/21/17

March 21st, 2017 at 5:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Here are Tuesday’s D-League assignments and recalls from around the NBA:

  • Veteran big man Tiago Splitter has been assigned to the D-League as part of his rehab process, the Sixers announced today in a press release. Hip and calf injuries have sidelined Splitter for the entire 2016/17 campaign so far, but there’s a chance he’ll get back on the court by season’s end.
  • The Grizzlies have assigned rookie big man Deyonta Davis to the Iowa Energy, the team announced today in a press release. With just a few weeks left in the 2016/17 season, Davis will be one of the last Grizzlies ever assigned to the Energy, since Memphis is poised to take control of a new NBADL affiliate next season.
  • The Celtics have sent Jordan Mickey and Demetrius Jackson to the D-League, according to the club (Twitter link). The Maine Red Claws don’t play until Thursday, so it’s possible the assignment is just for practice purposes.
  • Rookie forward Cheick Diallo is headed back to the Greensboro Swarm, the Pelicans announced today (via Twitter). With no NBADL affiliate of their own, the Pelicans are sending Diallo to Charlotte’s affiliate using the flexible assignment rule.
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Sixers Notes: Long, Brown, TLC, Anderson, Embiid

March 14th, 2017 at 3:35pm CST by Milo Taibi

Shawn Long is likely to stick with the Sixers after his 10-day contract expires, Jessica Camerato of CSN reports. Long, whose contract expires Wednesday, has earned the respect of coach Brett Brown.

“I think we’re going through that,” Brown said of making a decision on Long’s contract. “It wouldn’t surprise me. I have no desire, personally, to look elsewhere. He’s a part of what we’ve been doing.”

“We feel like he’s ours. His ability to step out and make a three, his ability to have a finesse move at a post, he does have length, he does play hard, he is fluid in his movements. All those things give you hope that maybe there is a place for him. He’s young, he’s a good young man, he works. There’s really nothing but positives that come to my mind when you mention his name.”

As Camerato mentions, the health of Tiago Splitter may influence the team’s decision to tender Long another contract. As Keith Pompey of Philly.com recently reported, the team was considering working Splitter out with the Delaware 87ers.

More from the City of Brotherly Love…

  • While injuries have decimated the Sixers’ lineup, Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot has impressed in his rookie season, Bob Cooney of Philly.com writes. “Luwawu-Cabarrot isn’t all the way there yet, but he has turned his game into something that could be very complementary next season,” Cooney writes. “He uses his athleticism very well on both ends of the court, and for a team that is always going to be in need of perimeter defense, that is a huge asset. His floor vision has improved to the point where he is a legitimate triple threat when the ball is in his hands. He hasn’t even really had the chance to play with Embiid yet, which could be so helpful in opening lanes and giving more time for jumpers.”
  • Deadline acquisition Justin Anderson held a Q&A with Ed Barkowitz of Philly.com. Anderson claimed to have “gotten over” the shock of being traded, and now embraces a “great opportunity” in Philadelphia. “Here, they have high expectations for me. I’m willing to grind and work. It’s a young team that’s going to play hard and fast.”
  • Anderson also relayed a funny tidbit about Joel Embiid, who he tried to recruit for the University of Virginia: “I tried to recruit him to come to Virginia. I was his host when he came on his official visit. Downstairs (from the dorm), there was big glass windows and he didn’t see the glass and he just walked right into it. It was hilarious. But the cool thing came when I asked him what he wanted to do. Do you want to go out? Do you want to get food? Movies? He said, “I’m just trying to go to the gym.” So it was like 12 o’clock at night and we went back to the gym to get some work in. It was impressive.”
  • Coach Brown has proven himself as the leader of this team, Keith Pompey of Philly.com writes. While there are still questions about Brown’s long-term future within the organization, some coaches around the league are “amazed” he’s managed a 23-42 record. “I think he should be coach of the year,” Bucks coach Jason Kidd said. “You talk about all the players that are out with injuries, but every day, he is upbeat, he’s teaching, he’s coaching, and he’s trying to put his team in a position to win. I am a big fan of coach Brown.”
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Sixers Notes: Okafor, Splitter, Brown, Silver

March 9th, 2017 at 10:49pm CST by Milo Taibi

Despite a lingering knee injury, Jahlil Okafor hasn’t considered shutting down his season, Jessica Camerato of CSN reports (Twitter link). Okafor’s been experiencing soreness ever since a March 2016 surgery, but the former No. 3 overall pick will be relied upon in Nerlens Noel‘s and Joel Embiid‘s absence.

“We just rest and do treatment whenever we think is necessary, and just go from there.” Okafor told Keith Pompey of Philly.com.

More from Philadelphia…

  • Tiago Splitter could spend part of his rehabilitation process with the Delaware 87ers, as Keith Pompey relayed in the article linked above. Splitter, who has been sidelined with a calf injury all season, was acquired in exchange for Ersan Ilyasova at the trade deadline. “We are discussing his return to play. Some of it could look like involvement with D-League stuff, practicing, maybe playing,” coach Brett Brown said. “It’s a vehicle to return to play. He hasn’t played basketball for a year. I think the path to return to play can take different looks. That’s one of them that I just suggested.”
  • Commissioner Adam Silver told Brian Seltzer of NBA.com that he is excited about the Sixers’ progress this season. “It’s fun coming to games here. Just as I was walking through the tunnel pre-game, I ran into Allen Iverson and Julius Erving. [It’s] nice to see that they’re back, they’re believers, and I am, too,” Silver said. “This is a great sports town. Understandably, the fans are very demanding here. They expect to see a great product on the floor. I know the ownership is committed to that. It takes time to build a great franchise.”
  • The Sixers have shifted their focus toward acquiring a top lottery draft pick, Keith Pompey of Philly.com writes. After shipping out Ilyasova and Noel at the deadline, they’ve recently given playing opportunities to Justin Harper and Shawn Long. “The realities of our roster are very clear to everybody. There’s no mystery to what our roster is right now,” coach Brown said. “It’s going to take some extra effort and extra luck in finding ways to compete.”
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Sixers Notes: Anderson, Okafor, Bogut, Splitter

February 24th, 2017 at 12:59pm CST by Luke Adams

When word broke that the 76ers would likely end up receiving a pair of second-round picks from the Mavericks in the Nerlens Noel trade, rather than a first-rounder, critics were quick to rule the deal a misstep for GM Bryan Colangelo and the Sixers. However, in the view of Mavs GM Donnie Nelson, the draft compensation isn’t even the most important part of the package heading to Philadelphia — Nelson thinks Justin Anderson is that centerpiece.

“Look, they had an extremely difficult situation,” Nelson said of the Sixers, per Tim MacMahon of ESPN.com. “They were overstocked at the center position. You’re looking at basically the possibility of a couple-month rental, and so I think they did the best that they could with the situation they had. It was really a need position for us, and it was taking the best possible deal they could get. They like Justin Anderson a lot. He is the critical piece, and it was hard for us to give them that piece.”

David Murphy of The Philadelphia Daily News agrees with Nelson’s sentiment, writing – even before the Mavs GM spoke to reporters – that the success of the deal from the Sixers’ perspective figures to hinge on the development of Anderson.

Here’s more on the Sixers, who announced earlier today that Ben Simmons will be out for the rest of the season:

  • The trade market for Jahlil Okafor leading up to the deadline was “much more broad” than the market for Noel, but the right deal didn’t present itself, per Colangelo (Twitter links via Jake Fischer of SI.com). The Sixers GM hinted that the team will probably revisit trade talks involving Okafor at a later date.
  • Andrew Bogut won’t be with the Sixers for at least a week while dealing with personal issues, but that doesn’t preclude the two sides from negotiating a buyout during that time, says Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter links). A buyout is considered likely, so Bogut may never end up reporting to Philadelphia.
  • Colangelo said today that Tiago Splitter is hoping to get back onto the court this season and the Sixers will help him rehab, but the big man – acquired from the Hawks this week – isn’t part of the club’s long term plans (Twitter links via Fischer and Pompey). Splitter will be an unrestricted free agent this summer.
  • Colangelo said today that Ersan Ilyasova will be seeking a long-term deal in free agency this summer, but wasn’t part of the Sixers’ long-term plans, which was why the club felt compelled to move him this week (Twitter link via Jessica Camerato of CSNPhilly.com).
  • Joel Embiid wasn’t thrilled with the cagey way in which the Sixers handled updates on his knee injury, as Tom Moore of The Burlington County Times writes. “I was told I was going to kind of miss two or three weeks, so I wasn’t happy with the way it was handled,” said Embiid, who was announced as day-to-day when he first went down. “I thought keeping my name out there was going to literally have people think about me all the time instead of just saying when I was going to be back.”
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