Serge Ibaka, James Johnson Receive One-Game Suspensions
Raptors big man Serge Ibaka and Heat forward James Johnson have each been hit with one-game suspensions for their roles in an altercation that took place in Tuesday night’s game in Toronto, the NBA announced today. The two veterans exchanged punches midway through the third quarter.
DeMar DeRozan and Goran Dragic were also penalized for getting into it during Tuesday’s game, but they avoided suspensions. DeRozan was fined $25K, while Dragic received a $10K fine.
The Raptors will now be without Ibaka for Thursday night’s showdown with the Cavaliers, a game that Kyle Lowry is also expected to miss due to a bruised tailbone. While Toronto will be short-handed for that game, the team will gain a little more breathing room below the tax threshold with Ibaka losing a game’s worth of salary, as ESPN’s Bobby Marks details in a tweet.
As for Johnson, he’ll miss the Heat’s Wednesday game in Indiana.
Kyle Lowry Diagnosed With Bruised Tailbone, Back Spasms
- Raptors point guard Kyle Lowry was diagnosed with a bruised tailbone and back spasms, according to the Raptors (via Twitter). X-rays on Lowry were negative and he will be evaluated daily. Lowry suffered the injury on Monday against the Nets in Brooklyn after taking a hard fall.
Two Cavaliers Trade Exceptions Expire
Two traded player exceptions created by the Cavaliers in last January’s acquisition of Kyle Korver expired this week, as expected. One of those two trade exceptions was already utilized by the Cavs in the offseason, and the amount left on it made it virtually impossible to use again. However, the other one, worth about $4.84MM, wasn’t used at all.
[RELATED: Outstanding NBA Trade Exceptions]
Despite letting those two trade exceptions expire, the Cavs remain well-stocked with TPEs in the event that they need one to make a deal at next month’s deadline. Most notably, they hold one worth approximately $5.81MM, which will be available until late August.
The following trade exceptions around the NBA will also expire if they’re not used by the February 8 trade deadline:
- Milwaukee Bucks: $5,000,000
- New Orleans Pelicans: $3,517,200
- Chicago Bulls: $1,589,480
- Dallas Mavericks: $1,514,160
- Milwaukee Bucks: $1,151,241 (expires on February 2)
- Cleveland Cavaliers: $980,431
- Dallas Mavericks: $621,362
- Washington Wizards: $425,973
- Portland Trail Blazers: $407,210
- Toronto Raptors: $328,000
While they won’t expire until sometime in the offseason, the Trail Blazers ($12.97MM), Raptors ($11.8MM), and Clippers ($7.27MM) also have sizable trade exceptions worth keeping an eye on. Still, all three of those clubs have potential luxury tax concerns, so they’re unlikely to take on big salaries at the deadline without sending out any money.
For more information on how trade exceptions work, be sure to check out our glossary entry on the subject.
Norman Powell Cedes Minutes To Teammates
- Raptors swingman Norman Powell has seen his role decrease of late thanks to the solid play of other young players in the lineup. “He’s always been up and down, in and out of the lineup,” teammate Kyle Lowry told Doug Smith of the Toronto Star. “I think he consistently stays ready as a professional athlete and does his job. It’s just a tough spot for him to be in right now.“
Raptors Embrace Modern NBA Style Of Play
- After an early postseason exit at the hands of the Cavaliers last season, the Raptors realized they had to change their style of play to have a chance at the NBA championship in 2017/18. Michael Lee of Yahoo Sports provides an in-depth look at how DeMar DeRozan, Kyle Lowry and the rest of the Toronto team embraced the fast-paced, three-point minded NBA style.
Raptors Suspend Serge Ibaka For One Game
The Raptors have suspended forward Serge Ibaka for one game due to a violation of team rules, the team announced in a press release on Friday (via Twitter). Ibaka’s suspension is the result of an altercation with a Raptors staff member after a game against the Thunder on December 27.
“Both parties have apologized. We’ve discussed this internally as a team, and we won’t be discussing it any further,” Raptors president Masai Ujiri said in a statement about the suspension. “Now we’re focused on moving forward together, and we look forward to having Serge back in the lineup.”
Ibaka, 28, has been solid for Toronto this season, averaging 13.8 PPG and 6.0 RPG in 30 games. He will miss tonight’s game against the Hawks but should be ready for team’s next contest against the Bucks on Monday.
Raptors Winning Without Heavy Minutes From Lowry, DeRozan
- The Raptors have the second best record in the East and are winning without excess wear and tear on their star players, tweets Bobby Marks of ESPN. Because of an improved bench, Kyle Lowry is playing 32.9 minutes per night, his lowest total in five seasons, and DeMar DeRozan is at 34.3 minutes, the lowest since he was a rookie.
Delon Wright's Versatility Valued Off Raps' Bench
- The versatile contributions of Delon Wright have served the Raptors well, Doug Smith of the Toronto Star writes. The 25-year-old is long and athletic, capable of both running with the squad and being patient when they need him to be. Wright has averaged 7.7 points and 2.4 assists in just over 20 minutes per game this season.
Masai Ujiri Deserves More Credit For Work With Raps
- Give Masai Ujiri more credit for his work with the Raptors, Tom Ziller of SB Nation writes. The Raps’ president of basketball operations has turned a fledgling squad into a consistent playoff team and now a potential contender, all without bottoming out.
C.J. Miles Has Been Good But Could Be Better For Raptors
- Offseason free agent signee C.J. Miles has been an impactful player for the Raptors this season, but he could provide the team with even more value, Blake Murphy of The Athletic writes (subscription required and recommended).