Kawhi Leonard's Timetable Remains Uncertain
Jarell Martin is the player most likely to be waived by the Grizzlies despite a lack of depth at power forward, according to Chris Herrington of the Memphis Commercial Appeal. The Grizzlies need to pare two players to reach the 15-man limit and Martin is an inconsistent player who’s not really a stretch four or a defensive force, Herrington continues. The final roster decision will likely come down to guards Andrew Harrison and Wade Baldwin, since it appears Mario Chalmers has re-emerged as a rotation piece, Herrington notes. Harrison is a useful player at the back end of the roster but it would be difficult to give up on Baldwin, a first-round pick last year, Herrington adds. Memphis will likely explore trades involving those players this weekend to facilitate the decision.
In other developments regarding the Western Conference:
- Marcus Georges-Hunt‘s ability to guard three or four positions makes him the favorite to nab the 14th spot on the Timberwolves’ roster, Jerry Zgoda of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune reports. The 6’5” swingman has the edge over rookies Amile Jefferson and Melo Trimble, who will likely be sent to the team’s G League affiliate in Iowa, while another swingman, Anthony Brown, has already signed a two-way contract. However, Minnesota wants to keep the 15th spot open and could also pursue a player that’s waived or bought out as teams make their final roster cuts, Zgoda adds.
- Omri Casspi has taken a clear lead over Nick Young for a spot in the Warriors’ rotation, Anthony Slater of The Athletic writes. Young got a bigger contract than Casspi when signing with the Warriors this summer but came to camp out of shape while Casspi quickly showed he’s a better fit for coach Steve Kerr’s system, Slater adds.
- There’s still no apparent timetable for Kawhi Leonard‘s return from a right quad injury, Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio Express-News reports. The Spurs All-Star forward has spent the entire preseason rehabbing from an injury he originally suffered last season. “We’ve seen him in the gym and in rehab, but he hasn’t scrimmaged, so it’s hard to tell what stage he is in,” Spurs guard Manu Ginobili told Orsborn.
LaMarcus Aldridge Steps Up As Leader
- Heading into his third year with the Spurs, big man LaMarcus Aldridge is embracing a larger leadership role, Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio Express-News writes. “I’m not the rah-rah guy,” Aldridge said. “I think people know that about me from my Portland days. But just trying to make sure guys are in the right spot, trying to teach guys how to play defense and know the principles and help guys stay positive and things like that.“
Spurs Waive Amida Brimah, London Perrantes
The Spurs have waived guard London Perrantes and big man Amida Brimah, the team announced in a press release. The cuts drop San Antonio’s roster down to 17.
The club had initially signed Perrantes back in August after he went undrafted in June. The University of Virginia product had played and performed well for the Heat during the Orlando and Las Vegas summer leagues.
Brimah, also undrafted this past June, was initially picked up in late September.
Rudy Gay Feels Good After Return To Court
Rudy Gay was back on the court for the first time since January in Friday’s preseason game against the Kings, writes Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News. San Antonio’s top free agent addition of the summer managed just four points in 18 minutes, but was happy that he felt no effects from the left Achilles tendon tear that ended his time with the Kings. “I’ve practiced pretty hard, just knowing I can get up there still, jump and be athletic,” Gay said. “It takes a lot of pressure off me.”
- The Spurs‘ latest rookie project comes to the team with a desire to be a great defender, relays Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News. Brandon Paul went undrafted out of Illinois in 2013 and has spent most of his career in Europe. The 26-year-old shooting guard signed a two-year deal with the Spurs in July with a one-season guarantee of $815,615. “Anybody can put the ball in the basket,” Paul said. “But in order to stick out, you’ve got to be able to play both ends of the floor.”
Texas Notes: Curry, Parker, Anthony, Paul
Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle is leaning toward Seth Curry as his opening-night starter at shooting guard, according to Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News. Curry is competing for the position with Yogi Ferrell, who has been working with the first team in practice alongside rookie point guard Dennis Smith Jr. Regardless, Carlisle says Curry “probably” has the edge for the starting position. “I’ve just been real impressed with him the first week and right now, it makes sense,” the coach said. “I’m not saying it’s 100 percent. But we need a consistent scorer and a guy who can guard that position and he’s continued to make strides.”
Curry started 42 of his 70 games a year ago in his first season with Dallas, averaging 12.8 points and 2.7 assists per game. He led the team on a second-half surge after joining the starting lineup in January. Dirk Nowitzki, Harrison Barnes and Wesley Matthews are expected to join Curry and Smith as the opening-night starting five.
There’s more NBA news out of Texas:
- Spurs coach Gregg Popovich offered a health update on Tony Parker, saying the injured point guard could be ready to return in December, relays Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express-News. Parker received partial medical clearance last week for training camp and expressed hope that he could return in November from the torn quadriceps tendon that knocked him out of the playoffs. Parker has been approved for weight work, running and shooting, but not for any contact drills. “I think he’s going to be ahead of schedule,” Popovich said. “I kept thinking he might be ready in January or something. He might be ready in December. He’s come along really well.”
- After listening to Carmelo Anthony trade rumors all summer, the Rockets are ready to move on, writes Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle. Houston was considered the likely landing spot for Anthony right up until he was traded to Oklahoma City. However, Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni, who once coached Anthony in New York, said talks never got far enough that he expected him to join the team. “We’re human. We think about possibilities,” D’Antoni said. “If we can get that guy, look at this. Then reality sets in. I found out if I go play a little bit more golf and quit thinking about it, I’m better off.”
- Chris Paul has no doubt that he and James Harden can be an effective backcourt combination for the Rockets, relays Michael Lee of The Vertical. Paul forced a trade from the Clippers over the summer, telling the team he planned to opt out and sign with Houston if it didn’t deal him. “It was definitely time for a change,” Paul said.
29 Of 30 NBA Teams Made Trades In 2017 Offseason
The 2017 NBA offseason didn’t feature any stars like LeBron James or Kevin Durant signing with new teams in free agency, but it was still one of the most eventful summers in recent memory. Trades played a big part in the offseason excitement, with NBA teams completing a total of 39 swaps since the 2016/17 season ended.
Not all of those deals were blockbusters. The Rockets, for instance, made several moves that saw them pay cash to acquire players on non-guaranteed salaries in the hopes of flipping them in later trades — most of those players were ultimately waived.
Still, there was no shortage of big-name players on the move. Five Eastern Conference All-Stars changed teams in trades, with Kyrie Irving and Isaiah Thomas involved in the same deal, and Paul George, Jimmy Butler, and Carmelo Anthony all being sent to new homes in the West.
With opening night just two weeks away, 29 of 30 NBA teams have completed at least one trade this offseason, leaving the Spurs as the only club not to make a deal. Of those 29 teams that made a trade, most completed more than one — the Cavaliers, Heat, Suns, Warriors, and Wizards each finalized just one deal apiece, while the league’s 24 other teams made multiple trades.
Here’s the breakdown of the teams that made the most trades this offseason:
- Houston Rockets (8): Houston’s total was artificially inflated by those aforementioned deals involving non-guaranteed contracts. Six of their eight trades saw the Rockets trade cash or a draft pick for a player with a non-guaranteed salary. The team did complete one massive deal though, acquiring Chris Paul from the Clippers.
- Los Angeles Clippers (5): The CP3 swap was the Clippers’ biggest move, but it was hardly their only trade. The team also acquired Danilo Gallinari in a sign-and-trade and acquire multiple second-round picks on draft night.
- Philadelphia 76ers (5): Most of the Sixers’ trades were draft-night deals, though the biggest one happened a few days earlier, when Philadelphia acquired the first overall pick from Boston in order to snag Markelle Fultz.
- Atlanta Hawks (4): The rebuilding Hawks made a handful of trades with an eye toward the future, including taking on Jamal Crawford‘s contract to land a first-round pick, and getting rid of Dwight Howard and his $23MM+ annual salary.
- New Orleans Pelicans (4): The Pelicans essentially completed a pair of salary dumps when they traded Tim Frazier to Washington and Quincy Pondexter to Chicago, since the pick acquired for Frazier was later sold. The team’s most notable deal came on draft night, when New Orleans traded up to No. 31 to select Frank Jackson.
The other NBA teams that made the most trades this offseason are as follows
- Boston Celtics (3)
- Brooklyn Nets (3)
- Chicago Bulls (3)
- Dallas Mavericks (3)
- Indiana Pacers (3)
- Memphis Grizzlies (3)
- Orlando Magic (3)
- Portland Trail Blazers (3)
- Toronto Raptors (3)
- Utah Jazz (3)
- Charlotte Hornets (2)
- Denver Nuggets (2)
- Detroit Pistons (2)
- Los Angeles Lakers (2)
- Milwaukee Bucks (2)
- Minnesota Timberwolves (2)
- New York Knicks (2)
- Oklahoma City Thunder (2)
- Sacramento Kings (2)
Note: The Magic sending the Raptors a draft pick for the right to hire Jeff Weltman and the Knicks sending a pick to the Kings for the right to hire Scott Perry are both considered trades for our purposes.
Spurs Notes: Leonard, Popvich, Gay, Lauvergne
The right quadriceps injury that might keep Kawhi Leonard sidelined through the preseason is a carryover from last season, writes Melissa Rohlin of The San Antonio Express-News. The Spurs issued a press release today explaining that Leonard is in a rehab program for quadriceps tendinopathy, with coach Gregg Popovich noting that the All-Star forward’s recovery has gone slower than anticipated. He added that it is not related to the ankle injury Leonard suffered in the playoffs.
Although the team isn’t sure when Leonard might be ready, Popovich offered hope that he might be back before the regular season starts. “They are still rehabbing his thigh,” the coach said. “He will probably miss the beginning of preseason or a good deal of preseason. We are not going to put a timetable on it. But he is working on it, and we will get him back as soon as we can.”
There’s more tonight from San Antonio:
- Popovich, who was one of the pioneers in resting healthy players, supports the NBA Board of Governors’ move to allow commissioner Adam Silver to fine teams who take similar action, relays Tom Orsborn of The San Antonio Express-News. Teams can be docked up to $100K if they hold players out of nationally televised games. “The NBA is trying to make the game great for players, for fans and they’ve been very fair,” Popovich said. “Owners, coaches, general managers, the league have all been great about sharing information and trying to figure out ways to take care of the players and, at the same time, make sure it’s a great experience for everybody. So we are all on the same page.”
- Free agent addition Rudy Gay was among the most impressive players in this week’s scrimmage, Orsborn writes in a separate piece. Gay delighted the coaching staff with his ability to take the ball strong to the basket after having surgery for a torn left Achilles tendon in January. “He has surprised all of us by being ready so quickly, so that’s great,” Popovich said. “He will have to get a little bit of rust off. But you can tell this guy is a basketball player. At both ends of the floor, he’s got a great basketball mind.”
- The Spurs have also been impressed by Joffrey Lauvergne, who signed a two-year deal in July, Osborn adds in the same story. The French center, who spent time with the Thunder and Bulls last season, is expected to be a primary backup to Pau Gasol and LaMarcus Aldridge. “His offensive awareness has been really good as far as choosing when to try to score, when to kick the ball, play with his teammates on defense,” Popovich said. “Rebounding-wise, he’s very willing. He’s got a good aggressiveness to him.”
Kawhi Leonard Expected To Miss Preseason
Kawhi Leonard is in a rehabilitation program for right quadriceps tendinopathy and is expected to miss the 2017 preseason, the Spurs announced in a press release on Saturday.
Leonard battled a troublesome right quad toward the end of last season and was hampered by a right ankle injury in the playoffs. Despite the injuries, the defensive specialist played in a career-high 74 regular season games averaging 25.5 PPG, 5.8 RPG, and 1.8 SPG.
The 26-year-old came in third place for the NBA Most Valuable Player award, behind winner Russell Westbrook and James Harden.
Southwest Notes: Gay, Smith, Mavericks, Pelicans, Grizzlies
Rudy Gay‘s season in Sacramento ended abruptly last season due to a torn left Achilles tendon. After declining his $14.2MM option for 2017/18, Gay signed a two-year pact with the Spurs looking to reestablish himself. Early indicators for the 31-year-old are positive, Tom Osborn of San Antonio-Express News writes.
“I think he’s going to be great,” guard Danny Green said to Osborn. “He’s going to give us that versatility of playing four smalls (because) he can play inside and out and guard bigs. Once he gets into shape and gets comfortable with that Achilles, I think he’ll be great for us.”
Gay has a career average of 18.4 PPG in 11 NBA seasons. If he can regain his pre-injury form for the Spurs, San Antonio will have another productive scorer in their lineup. A scorer that Green compared to Kevin Durant due to his ability to quickly shoot the ball.
Below are additional news tidbits around the Southwest Division:
- The Mavericks view their first-round pick, Dennis Smith Jr., as their guard of the future but taking on the lead in the backcourt may be too much in his rookie season. Eddie Sefko of Dallas Morning News writes that coach Rick Carlisle will rotate Seth Curry, Yogi Ferrell, and J.J. Barea alongside Smith in the backcourt.
- Earl K. Sneed of NBA.com writes a similar story, noting that Carlisle is considering having two point guards in the backcourt at times to play at a quicker pace.
- NOLA.com’s William Guillory hosted his latest mailbag, most notably answering one question about the Pelicans’ end of the game lineup will include Anthony Davis, DeMarcus Cousins, Rajon Rondo and Jrue Holiday.
- Ronald Tillery of The Commercial Appeal writes that Grizzlies coach David Fizdale was unhappy with the team after a recent practice. Fizdale now wants to implement a style where the team plays at an increased pace.
Southwest Notes: Gasol, Nowitzki, Mills, Pelicans
Despite an injury to his left ankle at Eurobasket, Grizzlies center Marc Gasol says he is healthy and prepared to start the season, Ronald Tillery of The Commercial Appeal writes.
“My body feels really good,” Gasol said. “It was a freak accident. A guy dived for the ball and landed on my leg. It was kind of a sprain on my left ankle but it’s fine. For 15-20 minutes, I wasn’t sure if I would continue to play but it worked out great.”
In the same story, Tillery writes that Brandan Wright is in good standing with the Grizzlies after seemingly being displeased with the team following an early playoff exit last season. The team created playing time for Wright by not re-signing veteran Zach Randolph. Now, the team enters the new season with a rejuvenated confidence from two of its key assets.
Read about more happenings around the Southwest Division:
- Mavericks owner Mark Cuban believes 2017/18 could be Dirk Nowitzki‘s final season. However, the outspoken Cuban also feels Nowitzki may want to surpass Kobe Bryant‘s record of 20 straight seasons with one franchise, per ESPN’s Tim MacMahon (Twitter link). The coming season will be Nowitzki’s 20th in Dallas.
- Pau Gasol has shed 10 pounds since last season ended and the 37-year-old is looking forward to helping the Spurs this season, Tom Orsborn of San Antonio Express-News writes. As Gasol explains, his free agency didn’t involve “a whole lot of flirting with other teams,” since potential suitors knew he wanted to return to San Antonio.
- The Spurs re-signed Patty Mills quickly after the conclusion of last season. Mills believes the swift move was an indicator of his importance to the team, Melissa Rohlin of San Antonio Express-News writes.
- The Pelicans have DeMarcus Cousins, a slew of veterans, and a young stalwart in Anthony Davis entering the new season. Larry Holder of NOLA.com writes that the team understands it is either now or never if the team wants to win since Cousins and the veterans may be gone next year.
- Former North Carolina coach Mark Gottfried will be a scout for the Mavericks this season, per ESPN’s Jeff Goodman (Twitter link).